OVERVIEW
SWIVELLING TO THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON
Jaeger-LeCoultre adds a new chapter to the Reverso’s story of craftsmanship and artistry: the Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Dragon’. Created to coincide with 2024 Lunar New Year, the new timepiece pays tribute to the sign of the Dragon, and to the talents of the master enamellers and engravers in the Métiers Rares™ atelier of the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre.
CRAFTSMANSHIP
A MAJESTIC HOMAGE TO IN-HOUSE ARTISTIC CRAFTS
To maximise the sense of volume and depth, the master engraver used a technique called modelled engraving – with 10 differently sized chisels to sculpt the metal step by step-, an exacting skill that requires absolute focus and remarkable dexterity. Perfectly paired in colour and purity, the dial features the same opaque black Grand Feu enamel as the case-back.
80 HOURS OF ENGRAVING
Swivelling the watch case to its reverse side reveals a majestic dragon surrounded by golden clouds. Engraved into the pink gold case metal, the dragon seems to leap out from the background of glossy black Grand Feu enamel. The polished surfaces of the dragon’s body, the fine details of its scales – hand-drawn with black rhodium – and the contrasting sandblasted texture of the clouds catch and refract the light to enhance the illusion of movement and power.
A CAPTIVATING ENAMELLED BLACK DIAL
The elegant simplicity of the Reverso Tribute dial enhances the deep Grand Feu enamel background. To create a black of such richness requires five layers of enamel, with each new layer followed by firing and cooling – representing no less than 8 working hours over the course of many days. This was followed by polishing to achieve a perfect, uniform shine.
A GROWING CHINESE ZODIAC SIGNS SERIES
The Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Dragon’ is part of Chinese Zodiac sign series started in 2022 with the Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Tiger’.
HERITAGE
THE STORY OF CRAFTSMANSHIP SINCE 1931
Jaeger-LeCoultre has adopted Asian motifs and adapted Eastern decorative crafts to embellish special timepieces since the early days of the Maison, embracing and perpetuating the cultural exchange that has existed between Asia and Europe for some 2,000 years.
In 1931, La Grande Maison launched a timepiece that was destined to become a classic of 20th-century design: the Reverso. While its blank metal flip side had begun as a purely functional solution to avoid damage to the dial, it was an ideal surface for personalisation.
CALIBRE
A RECTANGULAR HEART
The manually wound calibre 822 that drives the Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Dragon’ is the epitome of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s philosophy. Entirely designed, produced and assembled in-house, calibre 822 is an uncommon rectangular movement allowing it to fit in the Reverso case.
COLLECTION
UNFOLD YOUR OWN STORY
Being the perfect canvas for artistic expression, personalisation has been at the core of Reverso since its creation. With 180 skills under one roof, the Atelier de Metiers RaresTM (Rare Handcrafts) of Jaeger-LeCoultre is the perfect place to bring personalisation to life. From engraving to enamelling, the back of the Reverso offers endless possibilities for a made to order creation among different combinations of dial motifs and colours.
