View From Above: Hands On With The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute ‘Geographic’
A serenely beautiful take on the world time complication, from the watchmaker’s watchmaker.
The Reverso is a simple idea which lends itself to an almost infinite number of variations. Since 1931, the Reverso has been a vehicle for every complication imaginable, and its reversible case has made it possible to create variations on classic complications not possible with conventional case designs. Highly complicated Reversos can take advantage of not just the two faces of the watch, but also of the case carrier, which has been used to display additional information in watches like the Reverso Grande Complication à Triptyque, which has a full perpetual calendar (with retrograde date, no less) built into the case carrier. Reversos have also, and very famously, been decorated with engravings and fine enamel miniature paintings on the rear of the swiveling case, with remarkable depth and artistry, almost from the very beginning of the history of the Reverso in 1931. This year was a remarkable one for Jaeger-LeCoultre at Watches & Wonders 2025, and while a simple Reverso seemed to get most of the initial attention of press and enthusiasts – the Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds in gold, with a gold Milanese bracelet – one of the most striking Reversos introduced this year has proven one of the most widely admired, as Watches & Wonders continues to fade in the rear view mirror.
The Reverso Tribute Geographic is one of a class of complicated Reversos which represents an especially logical use of the reversible case. The world time as well as the dual time complication has of course been used before by JLC – previous models include the Reverso Squadra World Time Chronograph, from 2006, and even earlier, the Reverso Géographique, from 1998, which showed home time on one dial and local time in 24 cities around the world on the other (strictly speaking, this was a dual time zone watch with city indication, as well as two day/night indicators, one for the home time and one for the local time dials). And then there are the Reverso Duoface models, which were first launched by JLC in 1994, and which were the first Reversos to show the time in two different time zones on two sides of the reversible case.
The Reverso Tribute Geographic, on the other hand, shows the time in 24 different time zones simultaneously.
The case design is classic Reverso, with gadroons (a general term for rounded, linear decorative elements used in everything from the decorative arts and crafts, to architecture) top and bottom, and with the reversible case set into a lower carrier. The layout is classic Tribute Small Seconds, with a large small seconds display taking up almost the entire lower half of the dial and bisecting the chemin-de-fer minutes track (as is almost always the case with small seconds subdials at 6:00; this was considered an important feature in wristwatches designed for physicians in the 1930s, as a large small seconds display made it easier to measure heart rates and also served as a more visible function indicator; the Gruen Techni-Quadron “doctor’s watch” is one example). The case, indexes, and hands are mirror polished, with no brushed surfaces anywhere and the watch seems to glow by its own light, with only the gadroons to break things up. This is one of those watch cases where the environment, thanks to the mirror polishing, really plays a big role in the appearance of the watch and the play of light’s pretty hypnotic.
The large date display can be quickset via a recessed pusher just below the crown. The movement inside the Reverso Tribute Small Seconds Geographic is the hand wound JLC caliber 834, with a 42 hour power reserve.
There is always something rather ceremonial about reversing the case on the Reverso, and the world time complication’s implementation in the Tribute Geographic makes the mundane business of checking the time in different timezones, a special occasion.
The world time complication consists of a constantly driven 24 hour disk, surrounded by a static cities ring. The cities chosen are as is almost invariably the case in a world time complication, all full one hour offsets from GMT. Since the cities are fixed, they’ve been engraved on the case so that they’re all pretty much right side up which is an aid to legibility. The 24 hour ring can be advanced in one hour increments with an integrated pusher hidden on the upper side of the case.
The central area of the world time display shows the Earth as seen from above the North Pole (close to 70% of Earth’s land mass is in the Northern Hemisphere) with the lines of longitude radiating outwards towards the appropriate city. The execution of the world map is intricately detailed, and although it’s less than 29mm across, you can still make out the Great Lakes, as well as bodies of water like the Black Sea and Caspian Sea. On a somewhat somber note, the map also shows the Aral Sea, but today the Aral Sea has almost entirely vanished, with most of its basin now a desert.
In order to make the display as legible as possible, the outer ring of the engraved city names actually extends out over the curving edges of the case. This, as well as the blue laquer filling the bodies of water on the dial (which has to be applied with a syringe) gives the world time display a wonderful depth. It’s overall one of the most elegantly executed world time displays I’ve ever seen, and I think it’ll look as good a hundred years from now as it does today.
One of the criticisms (of which there are few) which have been raised about the watch is that it’s on the large side and while you may get that impression from the dimensions, in the metal this is about the most urbanely sophisticated watch I’ve ever seen. It’s almost achingly beautiful, and it’s also one of the most aesthetically successful complicated Reversos ever made.
It’s such a beautiful watch that the asking price in steel of $21,200 almost seems like a bargain, especially in today’s market. (In yellow gold, it’s $34,900 but while that’s a wonderfully opulent watch, I think stainless steel actually suits the design better – steel always seems a bit closer to the Reverso’s roots as a sports watch, albeit the sport in question was polo). On top of everything else, it’s on a matching strap from Casa Fagliano, which is so nice that I’d almost buy the watch just for the strap; it is every bit the equal of the watch when it comes to radiating a feeling of casual aristocracy. It’s probably a little early to be picking Watch Of The Year, but oh boy, I think the Reverso Tribute Geographic is right up there – an elegant timepiece, for a more civilized age.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Geographic: case, stainless steel, 49.4mm x 29.9mm x 11.14mm, 30 meter water resistant. Sapphire crystal on the front, with world time display on constantly driven 24 hour disk with static engraved cities ring on the reverse side. Movement, JLC caliber 834, 42 hour power reserve, running at 28,800 vph; hours, minutes, small seconds; “Grande Date” with quickset corrector, world time complication with one hour corrector on the upper side of the case. Two straps, one canvas and calfskin, and one full calfskin, made by Casa Fagliano. Price, $21,200. The 1916 Company is proud to be an authorized retailer for Jaeger-LeCoultre watches; view our pre-owned JLC collection here. For enquires, please contact The 1916 Company.