Developed specifically for sport, the Reverso was one of the first wristwatches ever made. Its swiveling case was designed to protect it during polo matches, but its popularity extended far beyond the sporting world. In 2023, Jaeger-LeCoultre pays tribute to the Reverso’s origins with the Reverso Tribute Chronograph. This new model incorporates the quintessential sporting complication, the chronograph, and features the Calibre 860, inspired by the first Reverso Chronograph from 1996.
The watch’s front dial bears all the traditional hallmarks of the Reverso Tribute line, including baton hour markers, Dauphine hands, and a chemin de fer minutes track. The sunray-brushed surface exudes an understated elegance that belies the mechanical complexity within. The only hint of the watch’s added functionality is the presence of chronograph pushers on either side of the winding crown.
The Reverso Tribute Chronograph comes in steel and pink gold and is complemented by dark blue and black straps respectively. The steel case features a blue-grey dial achieved using the ADL process, while the pink gold case is contrasted with a pure black dial.
The chronograph mechanism is beautifully crafted and displayed on the reverse side of the watch. The dial is entirely skeletonized to showcase the animation of the chronograph and movement’s complexity. Côtes de Genève decorate the bridges, while black highlights the chronograph seconds and minute tracks for maximum legibility. Blue screws and chronograph hands provide a seamless integration of movement and decoration, and faceted baton indexes and a chemin de fer minutes track appear to float above the calibre, enhancing the sense of visual depth.
With a rich legacy of expertise in complications, the Reverso Tribute Chronograph takes inspiration from the groundbreaking Reverso Chronograph of 1996. This earlier timepiece was one of six special Reverso’s created in a single decade, each designed around a new expression of classical watchmaking complications. Starting in 1991, these pieces were instrumental in the revival of mechanical watchmaking after the quartz crisis.
The movement of the 1996 Reverso Chronograph, Calibre 829, was not only the first shaped chronograph movement in a rectangular case for Jaeger-LeCoultre but also the first manually-wound integrated chronograph developed from scratch in the post-quartz era. It was a testament to the Manufacture’s inventiveness and technical prowess.
The new Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 860, a fully integrated hand-wound chronograph movement, powers the Reverso Tribute Chronograph. It adds a fresh chapter to the rich history of complicated calibres made in the Vallée de Joux. Entirely designed, produced, and assembled within the Manufacture, it’s an elegant solution to the challenge of housing circular chronograph timing indications within a rectangular case while maintaining the essential clarity and legibility for this sporty complication. The calibre itself had to be rectangular to match the case that houses it, resulting in a beautifully balanced and distinctive dial layout. The upper part of the dial features a large chronograph seconds display, complemented by a retrograde 30-minute indicator on an arc at the base of the dial.
Calibre 860, operating at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour, boasts a horizontal clutch column wheel chronograph, chosen over the conventional vertical clutch to reduce the overall thickness of the movement. The mechanism powers two sets of hands, which move in opposite directions to display the time in the correct clockwise fashion on both sides of the watch. Despite the intricacy of the 300 components and the energy requirements of the retrograde chronograph and two time indications, Calibre 860 offers a power reserve of 52 hours while retaining Jaeger-LeCoultre’s philosophy of elegance, fitting into a case less than 12mm thick.
The Reverso Tribute Chronograph comes with two straps, both equipped with an interchangeable buckle, a hallmark of the Reverso Tribute line. The straps, offered in canvas-and-leather and all-leather options, are designed by Casa Fagliano, a renowned Argentinian polo bootmaker, to lend the watch a touch of sporty elegance while reconnecting it with its polo roots.
