Reverso Réserve de Marche: the quintessence of time

Since 1931, the swivel case of the Reverso has welcomed the most fascinating complications, the sophistication of jewelry of lifestyles. Nothing has ever diverted the Reverso from its basic rules of conduct: refinement, simple elegance and streamlined aesthetics. This geometric purity has made it a timeless classic and enabled it to remain as contemporary as the day it was born.
Just as the wild years of the 1920s contrasted sharply with a desire for simplicity, the era of technology and progress characteristic of the late 20th century now leads us to a deep-felt yearning for essentials. Always in tune with its times, Jaeger-LeCoultre meets this desire for quintessence by going back to the origins of the Reverso and creating the Reverso RÉserve de Marche. (click on each image below)

The art of simplicity, or the ultimate in classicism.
“In terms of design, the hardest thing is to keep things simple”, points out designer Janek Deleskiewicz. In a spirit of classicism, he sketched the contours of the Reverso RÉserve de Marche, underscoring the essential values of time. Hours, minutes, small seconds and power-reserve are displayed on a dial redesigned to highlight its geometrical purity: the additional space between the side numerals creates a more open centre and is adorned with a new wave guillochÉ-work.
The watch seems to stretch out to enjoy its Grande Taille case. At 6 o'clock, the round small seconds disk reflects the sheer simplicity of genuine elegance. Meanwhile, the power-reserve display proudly overlooks the dial at 11 o'clock. To achieve this masterpiece of the watchmaking art, Jaeger-LeCoultre has created Calibre 823A, a mechanical manually-wound movement. In the pink gold version, the watch is teamed with a chestnut brown crocodile leather strap and reflects the very nature of watchmaking classicism. In platinum, complete with ruthenium dial and navy blue crocodile leather strap, it combines modernity and aesthetics.

The other face of a unique legend
Reflecting the passion of the master-watchmakers, the Reverso RÉserve de Marche symbolises the unquenchable wellspring of creativity and know-how within the Manufacture. It represents the culmination of the consistent pursuit of innovation and an ongoing reflection on the very nature of time. It enshrines that timeless value, the very essence of the Reverso, which constantly re-examines its standards to perpetuate the beauty of a prestigious history.
Moreover, in this return to essentials, the Reverso underlines its unique character by personalised engravings on the caseback: initials, monograms, family crests... Bent intently over his workbench, the master-engraver of Jaeger-LeCoultre fulfils the most intimate desires. Using drypoints, burins and other tools that have made their way through the centuries since Ancient times, the engraver replicates the essential gestures, guided by eye, hand and heart.

The Reverso RÉserve de Marche completes the classic range of the Reverso by making a full-fledged return to roots. Inspired by the purest forms of simplicity, it invites us to forget time in order to live to the rhythms of nature and the essential values around us.

Reverso RÉserve de marche: technical characteristics

Movement:
Mechanical manually-wound movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 823A, crafted, polished and decorated by hand
21,600 vibrations per hour
45-hour power-reserve
220 parts
23 jewels
4.14 mm high

Functions:
front: hours, minutes, small seconds at 6 o'clock, power-reserve

Dial:
platinum model: ruthenium with guillochÉ wave pattern, silvered powdered floral numerals
pink gold model : silvered with guillochÉ wave pattern, black transferred numerals

Hands:
platinum model: luminescent hours and minutes in rhodium-plated brass small seconds and power-reserve in blued steel
pink gold model: all hands in blued steel

Crown:
1 crown for winding and setting the hours and minutes
Case:
reversible in 950 platinum or 18-carat pink gold
more than 50 parts, cambered sapphire crystals, hardness no.9 Grande Taille

Strap:
Platinum model: Navy blue crocodile leather with folding buckle in 950 platinum
Pink gold model: Matt crocodile leather with folding buckle in 18-carat pink gold

References:
platinum: 270 64 40pink gold: 270 24 20

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Source: Jaeger-LeCoultre media release
December 2002