Reverso Neva: diamonds sprinkled like precious snowflakes
Combining the techniques of “Haute Joaillerie” with the creativity and daring of the watchmaking art, the “snow” gem-setting undulates exquisitely over the rectangular case of the Reverso, playing on alternating glimpses of metal and diamonds. In creating the Reverso Neva, the master-gem-setters of Jaeger-LeCoultre are further establishing the incomparable mastery of their talent and creativity.

Inspired by the word “neve” (meaning snow in Italian) and the river on which Saint-Petersburg is built, the name “Neva” evokes the fairytale beauty of a scintillating river amid a snowy landscape. Such is the beautiful sublime picture portrayed by the Reverso Neva. Following the flow of his inspiration, master-jeweller Sam WÜhl has endowed it with the power to illuminate time.

The technique of the infinitely small, representing a sublimation of the jeweller's art, the “snow” gem-setting created by Alain Kirchof's team testifies to exceptional know-how. The term “snow” refers to the characteristic consisting of concealing entire sections of metal with individually cut and adjusted precious stones.

Resulting from this technique, the Reverso Neva reflects the creative flair of Jaeger-LeCoultre's craftsmen in perpetual quest of the extreme: more than 550 diamonds ranging from 0.5 to 1.6 mm in diameter are needed to trace the undulation encircling the Ladies size case.
From the front to the back, the curves of the gem-set motifs criss-cross the rectangular shape of the swivel case. Swept along on this creative wave, the master-gemsetter makes each Reverso Neva into a truly unique timekeeper.

Like a musician improvising while performing the work of a great composer, only an experienced gem-setter can play such harmonies with such skill and originality. The making of this masterpiece, featuring extreme sophistication in the aesthetics of its proportions, calls for more than two weeks of meticulous work. Only highly skilled master-craftsmen can truly master the art required to produce these unique creations.

The understated beauty of white gold has been used as a backdrop for this intensely beautiful artistic performance. The harmonious reflection of the noble and discreet metal appears through the delicate latticework of diamonds. The silvered dial is ideally suited to this luminosity, combining the gentleness of its floral numerals with the mirror effect of its polished waves. While the elegant blued steel fan-shaped hands display the hours and minutes, the crown adorned with a blue sapphire takes us to the very heart of the watch: Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 608, crafted and decorated by hand. This magnificent creation dedicated to time is fitted with a black satin strap complete with folding buckle. Despite its distinctly haute couture look, the Reverso Neva dares to assert itself all circumstances and at all times of the day or night.
Reverso Neva: the characteristics

Movement:
• quartz, Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 608, crafted and decorated by hand
• 7 jewels
• 68 parts
• 1.6 mm thick

Functions:
• hours and minutes

Dial:
• silvered with mirror-polished waves. Black transferred 6 and 12 numerals

Hands:
• blued steel, fan-shaped

Case:
• reversible, Ladies size, in 18-carat white gold
• made up of more than 50 parts, cambered sapphire crystal, hardness no. 9
• 1 crown for setting the hours and minutes, set with a blue sapphire

Gem-setting:
• diamonds set according to the snow technique: Ø 0.5 to 1.6 mm, F-G Top Wesselton, VVS1, full cut, totalling 2.5 carats
• case set with more than 550 diamonds totalling approximately
2.2 carats
• folding buckle set with more than 100 diamonds totalling approximately 0.3 carats

Strap:
• black satin with 18-carat white gold gem-set folding buckle

Reference:
267 34 04

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Source: Jaeger-LeCoultre press release
October 2002