By Harlan Chapman-Green
Let’s start with the most basic knowledge. Jaeger Le-Coultre is one of the most decorated manufactures ever, along with the likes of Breguet, Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin. Jaeger Le-Coultre also makes its own movements for its own watches, but it also sells its movements to other companies including all three members of the Holy Trinity. Jaeger Le-Coultre has also made over one thousand individual calibers over the years and it shows no signs of stopping. The company is most well known for making the Reverso watch, the watch which can literally have two faces. British factions stationed in India playing polo encountered a problem not associated with most other sports because the game is played on horseback with a type of mallet, the dial of a watch is exposed and likely to get damaged either during play or a fall. They approached a local representative of a small and lesser known manufacture at the time, Jaeger Le-Coultre, and asked if they could make something robust that would keep the dial safe. The answer was the Reverso, the watch where the whole case flips over to reveal a solid steel back, keeping the movement safe. For next year, Jaeger Le-Coultre brings in some exciting novelties, let’s take a look.
Jaeger Le-Coultre Reverso Classic
The Reverso turns 85 next year, so Jaeger Le-Coultre decided now would be a good time to celebrate the fact. The watch uses a classical style design theme with blued sword hands and is available in stainless steel in three different sizes. The smallest version is 21mm wide and 34mm tall and uses a Jaeger Le-Coultre Calibre 657 calibre which is quartz powered. The medium watch is 40mm tall and 24.4mm wide and the large is 27.4mm wide and 45.6mm tall, both the medium and the large watches are powered by a JLC calibre 965 which is automatically wound and has a 38-hour power reserve. It’s also available on either a leather strap or a metal bracelet at an extra cost.
Jaeger Le-Coultre Reverso Tribute Duo
The Reverso turns 85 next year, so Jaeger Le-Coultre decided now would be a good time to celebrate the fact. The Tribute Duo watch is based on the design cues that JLC uses in the Tribute to 1931 range, this design style is different from the Grande Taille which is more modernized, the Tribute to 1931 uses thin cases with often two-handed designs which are very simplistic, as the original would have been. This new version has a stark white dial with blued indices and my favourite style of watch hand, dauphine. The minute track around the edge, as well as the seconds indices, are also blued, the choice of colours for this watch give it a cool as ice appearance. The watch is 25.5 mm wide, 42.8mm tall and 9.15mm thick and is powered by the 854A/2 calibre which is hand wound. The Duo part of the name implies that there’s a second face to this watch, the Reverso Duo has a second face on the other side used to display a second-time zone. In the case of this watch, the guilloche dial is blue which ties well with the blue leather strap the watch is presented on. We expect the watch to cost around $9000 to $10,000.
Jaeger Le-Coultre Reverso Classic Large Duo
Like the last Duo watch, this Classic Large Duo watch also has two faces, but this one’s set in a different case completely. The main dial of this watch is in the Grande Taille style with blued sword hands and large Arabic numerals. The case is 28.3mm wide and 47mm tall, you can also choose whether you want it in a steel or pink gold. Another difference between this watch and the last Duo watch we looked at, the 969 calibre inside this is automatically wound with a respectable power reserve of 38 hours. The reverse side of this Reverso watch sports a black dial with a hobnail guilloché, this style is also called Clous de Paris and is very much an art deco design. Set this side as the home time and when you travel adjust the other side and you’re all ready to go on an adventure. We expect Jaeger Le-Coultre to ask for around $12,000.
Jaeger Le-Coultre Reverso Tribute Calendar
This version of the Reverso goes back to that Tribute to 1931 style, dauphine hands, a thin case and elegance beyond belief. This Reverso Tribute Calendar watch makes use of a triple date moonphase complication, this means that the watch will show the name of the day and the month through the two windows above the Jaeger Le-Coultre logo in the centre. Below the hands is the other part of this complication, the rotary date indicator and hand painted moonphase indicator which bring the watch a touch of class, helping it to appear more complicated to the casual observe without being auspicious. To help with this elegance, Jaeger Le-Coultre left off the running seconds hand of this watch, this really doesn’t impede the watch in any way, but some like a more animated dial while others aren’t bothered. The reverse of this watch features a Cloud de Paris guilloche pattern with a second-time zone and a lovely Day/Night indicator as well. This watch features an in-house made 853 calibre which has a 45-hour power reserve and is made of 283 individual components. The watch is 29.9mm wide and 49.4mm tall, we predict this watch to sell near the region of $25,000.
Jaeger Le-Coultre Reverso Classic Duetto
The Classic Duetto watch could well be a great gift for that special lady when it comes on sale next year, this is because of the elegant size and presentation of the watch. The design of the main dial of the watch is Grande Taille which means it gets a bright dial with blue sword hands and strong, legible Arabic numerals to boot. The Classic Duetto watch is available in two different sizes and metals. The small sized watch is 21mm wide and 34.2mm tall while the medium version us 24.4mm wide and 40mm tall, so there really is quite a difference here. Both of the sizes are available for purchase in either 18K pink gold or stainless steel. Another difference to think about is that the watches have different calibers in, the small watch has an 844 calibre inside it, which is hand wound, meanwhile the medium sized watch has a 978A calibre in which is automatic. Also, both watches can be had with a leather strap or a solid link bracelet regardless of which metal is used. We reckon the prices for these watches will be between $15,000 and $42,000. For more info, please visit jaeger-lecoultre.com
HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN – CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
A keen bass guitar player, Harlan enjoys all the perks modern watchmaking technologies the industry has to offer. Although you might catch him sampling Omegas or the odd Rolex, Harlan loves all things Haute Horology, with his three favourite brands being Breguet, A.Lange & Söhne and Vacheron Constantin. He hopes to study timekeeping more in depth someday and will never be able to thank his father enough for introducing him to the industry. You can follow him on Instagram Read his articles here
