OVERVIEW
THE REVERSO ONE’S PRECIOUS GARDEN
The case-back of the Monoface model naturally offers itself as a canvas for artistic expression, inviting the artisans of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Métiers Rares™ atelier to exhibit their exceptional skills in the decorative crafts and jewellery techniques. The Reverso One is now home of two exotic flowers: birds of paradise and hibiscus expressed as three limited edition of 10 pieces each.
Featuring tropical flowers, these exceptional watches are objects of rare beauty. Combining the skills of gold-leaf paillonnage, enamelling and gem-setting, each of these masterpieces requires hundreds of hours of meticulous work.
DESIGN
THE VIBRANT SPIRIT OF TROPICAL ART DECO
Reverso is inextricably linked to the Art Deco movement that emerged in the 1930s (echoing the birth of Reverso in 1931) and these three limited-edition timepieces celebrate a particular style: Tropical Art Deco.
The colourful tropical patterns cover the case-backs and wrap around the case sides to frame the white mother-of-pearl dials. For a jewellery look, grain-set diamonds decorate the gadroons and lugs and the winding crown is adorned with a reverse-set diamond.
CRAFTSMANSHIP
THE MASTERY OF METIERS RARES
The designs give full rein to the artistry and diverse skills of the Métiers Rares™ atelier, with artisans collaborating in an orchestrated process over the course of many weeks and months. An impressive illusion of depth and volume emanates from these creations using the Grand Feu Champlevé enamelling – the gold surface of the case-back is hollowed out to from the outline of the pattern, resulting in a fine gold line contouring each element of the design as well as gem-setting techniques.
MAGNIFYING ENAMEL WITH GOLD LEAF
For the first time on this model, the enameller uses tiny pieces of 24-carat gold leaf (known as the paillonnage technique) to add texture and brilliance to sublimate the warm orange and golden tones of the flowers’ inflorescences and stamens.
COMBINING MORE THAN 10 ENAMEL COLOURS
Mixing art with chemistry, enamelling requires a high level of dexterity, patience and expertise. Each colour of enamel pigment reacts differently with the firings, and there is a dozen of them on each piece. No fewer than 50 hours of research has been achieved before the work could even begin.
Creating the gradient rendering of the flowers and foliage requires up to 9 layers of both opaque and transparent enamels and more than 10 firings at up to 800°C, representing long hours of work.
AMPLIFYING BRIGHTNESS WITH SNOW-SETTING
On designs with diamond-set backgrounds, the gem-setter spends hours meticulously positioning the brilliant-cut diamonds of 9 different sizes, one by one, side by side, to completely cover the precious remaining metal, framing the flowers and foliage.
The snow-setting technique has the particularity of making each watch unique adding to the rarity of the 10 pieces.
CALIBRE
CREATED BY THE HANDS OF TALENTED ARTISANS
These pieces are precious jewels and, naturally, they merit fine mechanisms. As testament to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s mastery of technical watchmaking, the Reverso One Precious Flowers timepieces are powered by the hand-wound Calibre 846.
CALIBRE
