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Exploring Nine Decades of Timeless Modernity through Four Stories
Since 1833, Jaeger-LeCoultre has expressed its inventive spirit through the creation of many world firsts – including the legendary, patented swivelling case of the Reverso watch. This timeless expression of Art Deco style was born in 1931 on the polo fields of India, with the idea of a case that could be flipped over to protect the watch while playing ‘the sport of kings’. With its revolutionary design and immaculate craftsmanship, the Reverso was immediately embraced by trendsetters from all walks of life, quickly transcending its original purpose and, over the decades, becoming widely recognised as an icon of 20th-century design.
The story of Reverso is told in four chapters. The Story of an Icon, retells the tale of the Reverso’s origins through rarely seen archive materials and milestone Reverso watches from the Jaeger-LeCoultre collection. The Story of Style & Design looks at the Reverso watch as a quintessential example of Art Deco design that remains timelessly modern today, expressing the spirit of the Golden Ratio. The Story of Innovation highlights the insatiable spirit of invention that characterises the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture, from the first brilliant idea for a reversible case, to the development of ground-breaking complications designed specifically for its rectangular shape. The Story of Craftsmanship pays tribute to the engravers, gem-setters, enamellers and guillochage masters of the Manufacture’s Métiers Rares™ atelier, revealing how they have unleashed the full potential of the Reverso as a canvas for artistic expression and personalised messages.