The watch
What is the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso?
A rectangular wristwatch whose case slides out of its cradle and turns over 180 degrees, hiding the glass behind a solid back. See What is the Reverso?
When was the Reverso invented?
1931. The patent was registered in Paris on 4 March 1931 as French patent 712,868; a Swiss patent, 159,982, followed a year later.
Who invented the Reverso?
René-Alfred Chauvot, a French designer, invented the slide-and-flip mechanism. César de Trey brought the problem from India and registered the name, and Jacques-David LeCoultre and the Paris firm of Edmond Jaeger took the watch into production.
Why does the Reverso flip over?
To protect the glass. British army officers playing polo in India broke their watch crystals so often that they asked for a watch that could be covered or turned over during a match.
What does “Reverso” mean?
“I turn around”, in Latin.
Was the first Reverso powered by a Jaeger-LeCoultre movement?
No. The first Reversos ran on the Tavannes calibre 064, often signed “Lisica”, in cases made by A.E. Wenger of Geneva. LeCoultre's own rectangular calibres 410 and 411 arrived in 1933, and the Jaeger-LeCoultre name itself dates from the 1937 merger.
Was the Reverso ever discontinued?
Yes. Production of the vintage Reverso ended around 1947–48, and the watch was out of the catalogue for more than twenty years. It returned after 1972, when the Italian distributor Giorgio Corvo bought 200 forgotten steel cases, and was back in the catalogue from 1975. The history page tells the whole story.
Models
What is a Reverso Duoface?
A Reverso with a second dial on the back, introduced in 1994. The back shows a second time zone, and one movement drives both faces.
What is the difference between a Duoface and a Duetto?
The Duoface shows two time zones; the Duetto, introduced in 1997 for women, shows a discreet dial for day on the front and a more decorative one for evening on the back. Both use one movement for two faces.
What was the first Reverso with a complication?
The 60ème of 1991, made for the Reverso's sixtieth anniversary. It added a power reserve and a date, and was the first Reverso with a sapphire display back.
What are the Reverso families today?
Classic, Tribute and One. Jaeger-LeCoultre set these three families at SIHH 2016, and almost everything sold since descends from them. Every documented model is on the models page.
What is the most complicated Reverso?
The Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 Quadriptyque of 2021: the first wristwatch with four working display faces, eleven complications and twelve patents.
How many movements have been made for the Reverso?
Around fifty calibres since 1931. 37 of them are described on the calibres page.
How many limited editions of the Reverso are there?
This archive lists 117 limited, market and anniversary editions so far, with references and piece counts where the record supports them: see the limited editions page. The list is not complete.
The back
Can you engrave the back of a Reverso?
Yes. The solid back has carried engravings since the 1930s, and Jaeger-LeCoultre still engraves, lacquers and enamels case backs for owners. The engraving guide collects what collectors in this archive did.
How long does it take to engrave a Reverso?
In the cases documented here, from several weeks to about three months. Paul Stewart's portrait engraving took about three months in all, from the first mock-ups to the finished watch.
Can an independent engraver do the work?
It can, but on a new watch collectors here left it to the manufacture. In one documented case the jeweller who designed the engraving preferred that Jaeger-LeCoultre cut it, so there would be no issue with the watch or its warranty.
What was the first enamelled Reverso?
The earliest documented enamel Reverso dates from 1936: a portrait believed to show an Indian maharani. See the “Maharani” Reverso.
What is a pièce unique?
A watch made for one person, engraved or enamelled by the manufacture's own hands. This archive documents 49 of them on the Stories page.
Which famous people are connected with a Reverso?
Pieces in this archive were made for, or commemorate, King Edward VIII, Amelia Earhart, General Douglas MacArthur, Prince Aage of Denmark and the Maharaja of Jaipur, among others.
This archive
Is My Reverso Story affiliated with Jaeger-LeCoultre?
No. It is an independent, fan-made archive built by and for Reverso collectors, not endorsed or operated by Jaeger-LeCoultre. See About My Reverso Story.
How do I add my Reverso to the archive?
Use the form at the foot of the home page: your name, email, photos of the front and back, and the story. Every submission is read by hand before it appears, and your email is never published.
My Reverso Story is an independent collector archive, not affiliated with Jaeger-LeCoultre. Answers are drawn from the archive's own history, models, calibres and collector pages. References and piece counts vary by market and source; verify before relying on them.