A Reverso from Another India

I have always considered the Reverso one of the most beautiful designs in watchmaking history, and this particular example is especially interesting to me because of its connection to India and a period of history that has long since passed.

The watch dates to the 1930s and is a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso retailed through Favre-Leuba & Co. in India. It features a steel and gold case and is powered by the manually wound Calibre 410. What makes it particularly fascinating is that it comes from a time when India was still under British colonial rule, long before the country gained independence in 1947. The fact that such a watch was being sold in India during that period gives it a historical significance that goes well beyond its design or movement.

I came across this example in West Bengal in 2026. One of its most interesting details is the reverse of the case, which has a beautiful blue lacquer border and the remnants of an engraving that was removed at some point during the watch’s life. I have no way of knowing what was originally engraved there, who owned the watch, or why someone eventually decided to remove it, but I find that mystery part of its charm. The traces of the engraving are still there, reminding me that this Reverso had a life long before it became part of my collection.

For me, that is what makes collecting vintage watches so interesting. This Reverso is a beautiful example of a design that has remained relevant for nearly a century, but it is also a small piece of India’s watchmaking and retail history. It connects Jaeger-LeCoultre, Favre-Leuba, and the Indian market of the 1930s, while the marks on its caseback leave us with questions that may never be answered.

I appreciate the watch for its design, but even more for the history it carries. Almost ninety years after it was first sold, it has found its way to me in West Bengal, still carrying the traces of a story that began in a very different India.