THE REVERSO MOVEMENT

For more than 85 years, the Reverso has evolved from a classic polo staple to a versatile signature in the collection, having expanded to a Grande Reverso, to being minimised in the quartz Classique. Here, we run through a brief timeline of the Reverso’s most significant moments.

1931

The first Reverso was equipped with a manuallywound movement that operated the main hours. It was developed by Tavannes Watch Co. at the time, creating the calibre 064. When the Reverso began serial production, the cases were produced by Genevan case maker A. E. Wenger. The dials came in classic black, white, cream, or brown, and a running minutes track along the border.

1933

Jaeger-lecoultre developed three new calibres – Calibre 404 for a ladies model, Calibre 410 for the small seconds version, and Calibre 411 for central seconds.

1937

Jaeger S. A. and Lecoultre merge to form JaegerLecoultre.

1970S

The first Reverso set with diamonds was released.

1982

In battling the war of the Quartz Crisis, Jaeger-lecoultre revived the Reverso in a new quartz movement line whose cases were purchased by Giorgrio Corvo from the manufacture’s case stock from ten years ago.

1985

Launch of the first water-resistant Reverso. Since the case mechanism required the action of lifting of flipping, the watch had to be reconstructed to comprise more than 50 parts, resulting in a manufacture piece that could rotate at any point in horizontal case travel.

1993

The release of the Reverso tourbillon.

1994

The launch of the Duoface. Fit with the Calibre 854/1, displays two dials, on either side of the front case. The second dial works as a second timezone and even a day/night indicator.

2006

Taking the dial combinations up a notch, Jaeger-lecoultre developed a Reverso Grade Complication à Triptyque, a triple- dial Reverso that exhibited normal time, sidereal time, and a perpetual calendar.

2008

The Gyrotourbillon, a behemoth innovation comprised of an architecturally construct spherical tourbillon with an outer rotating cage that houses an inner three-minute rotating tourbillon, was fit into a Reverso for a 175th Anniversary piece. The dial is exposed on either side, the exposed Calibre 174 placed within sapphire crystals, displaying the intricate assembly of the gear train, Clous de Paris hobnail finishing, and the gyrotourbillon, which could be examined seamlessly through the crystal displays.