Classier Than Ever: Jaeger-LeCoultre Releases Two New Reverso Tribute Duoface Small Seconds Models
Few watches have achieved the iconic status of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso. Introduced in 1931, the Art-Déco timepiece wasn’t just a bold design statement—it was a technical innovation born from a very specific challenge: how to protect a watch dial during the intense action of a polo match. Jaeger-LeCoultre’s solution was as genius as elegant: a reversible case that could be flipped to shield the glass. Encased in this protective cradle (as per historical patent CH159982), the movements were safeguarded from shocks, moisture, and wear—remarkable for their time and still impressive today.
Right from the beginning, Jaeger-LeCoultre designed form calibers to match the contours of the rectangular swiveling case—a rare feat in the early 20th century. These movements weren't just a more technically complex approach than round calibers; they made use of the entire internal space, enhancing durability and raising the bar for precision.
Nearly a century later, the Reverso remains a masterpiece of design and engineering. At this year's Watches & Wonders, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced two new Reverso Tribute Duoface Small Seconds watches in stainless steel with a choice of pure black and vivid blue as well as redesigned reverse dial. They pay homage to the color ways on the earliest Reverso models of the 1930s, the black one enhanced with a sun brush, the blue one consisting of 24 layers of lacquer. The novelty is that the new editions display a different time zone on each side. The front dial features subsidiary seconds, and the reverse dial, with a silver shade, offers a 24-hour display including night-and-day indication.
Shaped to fit the rectangular Reverso case, which measures 47mm x 28.3mm wide and 10.34mm thick, the hand-wound Caliber 854 with a 42-hours power reserve is designed so that the minutes on both dials and the hours on the front dial can be adjusted via the crown, while the hours for the second time zone are adjusted by a small slider set into the top case-band. The slider is completely invisible, except when the case comprising 50 components is released from the carriage to be flipped over. A deeply etched sun ray pattern on the inner surface adds to the visual enjoyment of turning the watch over.
The two new Reverso Tribute Duoface Small Seconds models are presented with two interchangeable straps that match the dial colour. Designed by Casa Fagliano, the celebrated Argentinian maker of polo and riding boots, one combines leather and canvas and one entirely in calf leather.
Pricing is marked at $13,700.
To learn more, visit Jaeger-LeCoultre, here.
