Gild the Lily

The master artisans of Jaeger-LeCoultre immortalize the beauty of precious flowers on anequally beautiful canvas — the Reverso One

Beauty is a word that is easily associated with the house of Jaeger-LeCoultre.If one had the chance to roam the small, hilly area of Le Sentier in winter,the view of the manufacturing site with its floor-to-ceiling windows and eggshell walls would be a captivating sight.Of course,the same can be said about the timepieces that emerge through its doors.And for this year,Jaeger-LeCoultre dresses up four Reverso One timepieces in thematic floral designs using métier rares techniques. The Reverso One serves as a perfect canvas,where the entirety of the watch’s flipside exhibits these works of art,which are executed through a cohesive yet strict process.For starters,engraving is first done to encapsulate the floral details.The White Lilies,designed in white gold,presents this with great visual,where each petal is intricately carved.The use of relief-engraving is a technique that sculpts away at the background,leaving the outlines of the lilies to appear as if they were emerging from the picture. This is followed by enameling,a demanding form of artistry that requires mastery of its fragile process.Layers of colored pigment are painted and constantly fired to bring the vibrant colors to life,resulting in strong colorways across the lineup.The White Lilies are dressed in shades of blue,Pink Arums in gradated shades of ruby and rose,while the Purple and Blue Arums feature both flower and foliage in colorful enamel. Catherine Réiner,CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre,states that the inspiration for the designs were taken from the era of the‘20s.“This was a time where women carried these exceptionally decorated purses–they were often small, some boxy,but mostly beaded with jewels and having some fantastic designs on them.”Each model of the Reverso One Precious Flowers will be made in limited quantities of 10 pieces each. An additional inlay of decoration,such as motherof-pearl,creates a contrasting depth for the engraved white gold version.The timepiece is then framed with uniformly set round diamonds that emblazons the entirety of the case and finished with a solitaire on the crown.Snow-set diamonds are adopted for the Purple and Blue Arums,a delicate gem-setting technique that takes up to 95 hours. With this fresh debut of the Reverso One this year,Réiner hints that the maison will be turning its focus on the Reverso.“We want to celebrate the stories of the Reverso.The style and design of the cases have been paying tribute to the design and creativity for as long as the Reverso has been around.”