Complete Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso History and Buying Guide
Monoface
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso has become a cult-favorite watch over the years since it was first released. Originally designed as a sports watch able to withstand a polo match, the clean lines and reversing case have become a stylish dress watch model. Continue reading to learn more about:
Brief History of the Reverso
Going back to 1930, Swiss businessman and friend of Jacques-David LeCoultre, César de Trey was travelling in India watching a polo match played by British Army officers. After the match, de Trey was approached by an officer who had the crystal on his watch smashed in while playing and wanted to find a way to protect the glass and dial of watches in the future. This led de Trey to conceptualize a watch that could be flipped over. Because of his friendship with LeCoultre and the Jaeger SA watchhouse, French designer René-Alfred Chauvot was retained to design the case. Learn more about the complete history of the JLC Reverso. Today, the Reverso is produced for both men and women and with various movements, and dial styles.
What Makes A JLC Reverso Unique: Style
It’s not every day that you see a watch that can reverse while being worn. De Bethune released the Kind of Two Tourbillon Reversible where the dial rotates on a pivot at 9 and 3 but the watch cannot be on the wrist to flip. Patek Philippe also has the Grandmaster Chime, which is the most complicated wristwatch produced by the brand. Similar to De Bethune, this watch can only be rotated off the wrist as it flips on an axis at 12 and 6.
Case
In addition to having a dial that can be flipped over, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso is not a round watch, nor does it have a tonneau or cushion case. Instead, the Reverso has a rectangular case referencing the time it was designed, the Art Deco period. There are crisp gadroons, or a type of inverted fluting, at the top and bottom of the dial also referencing the period but have stayed modern over the years. On some ladies models, this fluting has been replaced by a diamond bezel.
The JLC Reverso was originally released with a solid caseback because the goal of the watch was to protect it from a polo mallet. This solid caseback was the only option for the first 60 years of production and was perfect for engraving, enameling, or diamonds. The plain caseback is still available on models today. Over the years, Jaeger-LeCoultre continued to expand on the design of the Reverso and added an exhibition caseback to some models, and also released the Duoface. Duoface means that there are two different dials to the watch: the classic front and a secondary dial typically in a dark color, which is revealed when turning the watch over and can be used as a second time zone.
After World War II, the model started to see a decline until the end of the 1970s when some old cases were assembled with mechanical movements by their Italian Distributor.
After being officially re-introduced in 1983, the Reverso II was produced with a quartz and mechanical movement. This model served as inspiration for the later Squadra line, which is more square than rectangular and missing the triple fluting. The watch community preferred the original case design so the Reverso II was discontinued and the classic Reverso was reborn with a more water resistant case and both quartz and mechanical movements.
Movements
Beginning in 1933, LeCoultre started to manufacture movements in-house, before the merger of Jaeger-LeCoultre in 1937. It is estimated that 11 movements were used in the Reverso before the start of World War II.
In the late 1970s when the model started gaining popularity again, the Quartz Crisis was in full swing and Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced a quartz movement into the Reverso collection. These quartz pieces were primarily aimed towards women but eventually were available across the Reverso lineup for both men and women.
Jaeger-LeCoultre has since produced a number of movements found in the Reverso collection, across mechanical and quartz. The Reverso movements are typically found in the 800-calibre range. Such as the Caliber 859 Chronograph movement for the Reverso, or the Calibre 879 for the 8-day manual wind movement found in the Reverso Septantieme from 2004.
Notable movements used for the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso include:
- Manual-winding
- Automatic
- Manual-winding Chronograph
- Compact Quartz
- Tourbillon
- Minute repeater
- Triptyque
- Jump-Hour
For the rectangular case, movements are typically going to be an oval shape with some models featuring a rectangular movement.
How to Wind & Set a Reverso
To wind any Reverso mechanical movement, you will wind the crown clockwise in the neutral first position against the case.
How to set a Reverso comes down to which type you have and will vary depending on if the model has any additional complications. There are three main categories of Reversos:
The Reverso Monoface is the classic one-dial version with a solid reversed case. These are currently produced with either a quartz or manual-winding movement.
To set the Monoface:
- Pull the crown out to the first position
- Rotate the crown clockwise and watch the hands advance
- Replace the crown flush against the case when finished
Duetto
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Duetto features two dials, one with a lighter face and the reversed typically darker. These dials are matching so will show the same time on both dials. These are currently produced as manual or automatic winding, with some models featuring a moonphase on the reverse side.
To set a Duetto:
- To set the moon phase, pull the crown out to the second position, or the first pulled out from the case, reverse the case, and advance the crown forward. The moon phase advances every 24-hours
- To set the Duetto without a moonphase, you would advance the crown in the second position clockwise. This sets the front and back dials
Duoface
The Reverso Duoface features two dials, with the reversed face able to show a second time zone. Manual-winding movements are found in this model.
To set the Duoface with two time zones:
- Pull the crown to the second position, this sets the time on the front of the dial with jump hours
- By pulling the crown to the third position, this moves both timezones in sync which can easily be seen on the 24-hour scale at the bottom of the front dial or if you reverse the case
7 Important Reverso Models
Even with a limbo period of production post-World War II, there have been a number of models released.
1. JLC Reverso Squadra World Chronograph
2. Reverso Classic Small
The name says it all, this Reverso is classic and smaller in size. It references the original look and feel of the models worn by Polo players. The small size is perfect for women and for men who prefer a smaller watch with a vintage feel.
3. Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds
The Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds can be found with a blue, red, or green sunburst dial. These colors reference the original 1930s release with colorful dials and stainless steel cases. The first Tribute model was released in 2011 and most recently the green dial was released in 2021. These models have matching colored leather straps.
Pre-Owned Price: $10,500 – $12,000
4. Reverso Tribute Duoface Small Seconds
Expanding upon the classic Monoface, Jaeger-LeCoultre released the Tribute Duoface, where you can set two time zones. Currently, this model is produced in stainless steel or rose gold with either a blue or red primary dial with small seconds at 6 o’clock. The reversed dial features a silver guilloche with a day-night indicator.
Pre-Owned Price: starts at $12,000 for a steel case
5. Reverso Tourbillon
Released in 2018, the Reverso Tribute Tourbillon combines the flying tourbillon with dual faces. This model was limited to 50 pieces in platinum. The tourbillon can be seen on both sides of the dial. The front is a blue sunray while the reverse dial is a silver dial with a day-night indicator and open-worked face. This complicated watch features 254 components in the movement.
6. Reverso Tribute Duoface Calendar
Another complicated Reverso is the Duoface Calendar, which features two-time zones and a complete calendar. The day, date, and month are all read on the front of the silver dial, while the second timezone and day-night indicator are found on the reversed charcoal gray dial.
7. Reverso Triptyque
One of the most complicated Reverso models is the Triptyque. This grand complication model features not one, not two, but three dials. As with the Reverso Duoface, this model features two dials on the front and back of the reversible case. The third dial was integrated into the base of the case.
The primary front dial shows only the time and a tourbillon with a power reserve indicator and day-night function. When opened, and reversed, the dial shows a celestial indication, sunrise and sunset indicator, equation of time, and zodiac signs. With the dial completely open, there is a perpetual calendar. This perpetual calendar does not have a movement associated with it, instead at midnight there is a pusher within the main case that advances the calendar. Each watch is produced with the sunrise/sunset in mind, with the city known before production, the watch would need to be sent back to JLC and reprogrammed if the owner wanted a different city sunrise/sunset indicated.
This watch was released as a limited edition in platinum and is a heavy timepiece. In 2021, Jaeger-LeCoultre released an updated version of this now with four dials and is known as the JLC Reverso Hybris Mechanica Quadriptyque and is limited to just 10 pieces.
Buying a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso
The Reverso has celebrated over 90 years of production and has transitioned from a sports watch into a favored dress watch. The Reverso watches tend to hold value and is one of the most recognizable watches from Jaeger-LeCoultre thanks to the unique case design.
On the pre-owned market, the JLC Reverso is readily available and typically retails from $4,000-$15,000 depending on the model and case material. Of course, the more complicated the watch is, the price will also increase. The Reverso Triptyque, for example, can cost anywhere between $250,000-$350,000.
Thanks to the long production run, and multiple types of models within the family, there is truly a Reverso for every collector. As an authorized Jaeger-Lecoultre retailer, The 1916 Company can help you discover the perfect Reverso for you.