In the early 1930s, when polo players at last had a watch suited to the practice of their sport thanks to its brilliant reversible case, elegant gentlemen also made their move on this new invention. Always on the lookout for new trends, they were quick to discover the beauty of a timepiece originally designed to enable British colonial army officers to compete in polo matches without the risk of breaking the then vulnerable glass of their watch. Within a few years of its birth, the Reverso was already widely appreciated by a broad audience including watchmaking fans won over by the technical feat involved in the swivel case, as well as sports lovers and aesthetes. Over the years, the Reverso has appeared in a number of different guises and been enriched with various unusual sizes and new horological complications: all the while remaining loyal to the spirit of the watch with two faces. On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of this timepiece that has become a cult objet, Jaeger LeCoultre chose to return to the very origins of a legend by presenting the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin Tribute to 1931, directly inspired by the aesthetic codes of the historical model. This creation, distinguished by an ultra-thin case, contemporary dimensions and remarkably faithfulness to the original, was enthusiastically received by devotees of the Reverso and by watch connoisseurs who expressed the wish that this vintage edition should not remain a one off model. In response to their desires, the Manufacture already introduced the Grande Reverso Rouge with a deep red dial in 2012, followed the next year by the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin Duoface Blue. For 2014, Jaeger-LeCoultre unveils the third member of this splendid trilogy: the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin 1931 with a chocolate-toned dial.
The new model, entirely in keeping with its historical ascendance, vividly evokes the finest hours of Art Deco. Its shapes, its colour and its materials are the ultimate expression of a movement that heralded the inception of industrial design while favouring hand craftsmanship executed to perfection. Entranced by this delightful colour palette, the eye naturally lingers on the pleasing contrasts between the glowing chocolate shade of the watch face and the pink gold of the case, including the traditional gadroons framing the dial. This irresistible association is further underscored by the judicious reinterpretation of the aesthetic principles governing the original. Apart from the 12 o’clock numeral, the hours are shown by baton-shaped hour-markers, while the hour and minute hands feature a dagger-type profile. The small seconds at 6 o’clock perform a once a minute rotation on the dedicated rectangular subdial. This picture of pure, restrained refinement would not be complete without a mention of the “REVERSO” inscription exactly reproducing that appearing on the historical model. Everything might seem to have been said, and yet it is only now that the distinctive emotional ties uniting an owner and his Reverso can begin to be woven.
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