To celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Reverso in 2021, Jaeger-LeCoultre is launching three Reverso Tribute Enamel Legendary Treasures models, celebrating the work of three of the earliest masters of modern art: Gustave Courbet, Vincent van Gogh and Gustav Klimt. These new models combine three artistic techniques practiced by the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture: Grand Feu enamel, miniature painting and guilloché engraving, the latter of which is executed by hand using a century-old lathe.
The Reverso Tribute collection is closest in design details to the originals from the 1930s. In these three new models, the signature simplicity of the dials highlights the delicate beauty of the guilloched background. The different dial colors of misty blue and green suggest the color of the enameled treasure hidden on the back. Meanwhile, their understated design contrasts with the weight and detail of the miniature paintings. The three paintings recreated in the Reverso Tribute Enamel Legendary Treasures trilogy embody three major turning points in the history of Western art, from the 19th century realism of Courbet to the Post-Impressionism of Van Gogh, and the experimental spirit of Klimt and the Vienna Secession. To celebrate the Reverso's unique ability to conceal or reveal precious works of art on their reverses, the Manufacture's researchers have uncovered three beautiful paintings that remained hidden for decades, previously thought lost forever, only to be rediscovered and confirmed as authentic.
Gustave Courbet – View of Lake Léman (1876)
After fleeing his native France in 1873, Gustave Courbet settled on the shores of Lake Geneva, just outside Vevey, Switzerland. Here, he found inspiration in the ever-changing surface of the water. In this beautiful, atmospheric work, Courbet captures the movement of clouds and the sunlight reflected on the lake's surface.
Jaeger-LeCoultre's master enamellers, who have reproduced large parts of this piece for the Reverso Tribute Enamel Legendary Treasures, have perfectly captured the original's delicate color palette, fine details and emotive atmosphere. The painting's soft tones blend beautifully with the gleaming white gold case and the herringbone guilloching of the hazy gray-blue dial.
Vincent van Gogh – Evening at Montmajour (1888)
After moving to the south of France in 1888, van Gogh experimented with new means of artistic expression. Painted directly from everyday life on a summer's evening, Evening at Montmajour exemplifies the artist's exploration of new ways of representing nature, depicting the unique plants of Provence and the rich colors of the “golden hour” just before dusk.
For the Reverso Tribute Enamel Legendary Treasure, Jaeger-LeCoultre's master enamellers have faithfully reproduced the original's sharp perspectives, as well as its distinctive brushstrokes and impasto effects. The unique hue of the green enamel chosen for the sunburst guilloched dial elegantly accentuates the rich golds and tans of the painting.
Gustav Klimt – Portrait of a Woman (1917)
Painted a year before Gustav Klimt's death, Portrait of a Woman is the only known "double portrait" by the Viennese painter, in which the second portrait was painted over the first. Klimt fell madly in love with a young woman, who became his muse, only to die suddenly. To ease the pain of her loss, he painted a new portrait of a different woman over hers.
The miniature reproduction of "Portrait of a Lady" on the caseback of the Reverso Tribute Enamel Legendary Treasure captures the dreamlike qualities of Klimt's creations. The woman's elegant pose and the details of her fashionable dress are exquisitely reproduced. The green color of the background also creates the illusion of depth, just like the original. The green dial, decorated with Grand Feu enamel over an intricate barleycorn guilloché pattern, beautifully evokes the luminous texture of the portrait's background.
Enameling – A Rich Tradition at Jaeger-LeCoultre
The technique of enameling has a long history at Jaeger-LeCoultre, dating back to the pocket watches of the 1890s. The first known Reverso with an enameled case back was commissioned by a customer in 1936, and features a meticulously detailed portrait of what is believed to be a Maharani (Queen) on the back.
Jaeger-LeCoultre, one of the few Manufactures to establish an in-house enameling atelier in the 1990s and remains so today, began in 1996 to reproduce miniatures of works by leading European and Asian artists on the case backs of Reversos.
Recreating paintings in enamel for the back of a watch posed several challenges. The enameller not only needs the same drawing skills as the original artist, but also the skill to reproduce the original painting on a reduced scale. Furthermore, the color must be controlled to accurately match the original artwork. Even so, due to the nature of enamel pigments, the final result after firing cannot be accurately predicted. It is a matter of judgment, based on years of experience.
The works by Courbet and Van Gogh recreated for the Reverso Tribute Enamel Legendary Treasures posed particular challenges. Both artists used impasto, a technique in which the paint is applied so thickly that it rises above the surface of the canvas. This technique cannot, of course, be replicated with enamel, so the enameller had to create the illusion of it. Meanwhile, compared to oil on canvas, Grand Feu enamel offers a particular advantage in its glossy properties: when the light hits the enamelled surface at an angle, it reveals unexpected depths and nuances.
https://youtu.be/zzHnNwUVz5k
Technical specifications
Reverso Tribute Enamel Legendary Treasures – Courbet
Case material: White gold
Case size: 45.6×27.4mm
Case thickness: 9.73 mm
Movement: Manual-wound – Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 822/2
Functions: Hours, minutes
Power reserve: 42 hours
Water resistance: 30 metres
Dial: Herringbone guilloched and Grand Feu enamel
Case back: Closed – Grand Feu enamel
/> Strap: Black alligator
Reference: Q39334C2
Limited edition: 10 pieces
Price: 13,024,000 yen (current market price/reference price)
Reverso Tribute Enamel Legendary Treasures – Van Gogh
Case material: White gold
Case size: 45.6 x 27.4 mm
Case thickness: 9.73 mm
Movement: Manually wound – Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 822/2
Functions: Hours, minutes
Power reserve: 42 hours
Water resistance: 30 m
Dial: Sunburst guilloché and Grand Feu enamel
Case back: Closed – Grand Feu enamel
Strap: Black alligator
Reference: Q39334V1
Limited edition: 10 pieces
Price: 13,024,000 yen (current market price/reference price)
Reverso Tribute Enamel Legendary Treasures – Klimt
Case material: White gold
Case size: 45.6 x 27.4 mm
Case thickness: 9.73 mm
Movement: Manually wound – Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 822/2
Functions: Hours, minutes
Power reserve: 42 hours
Water resistance: 30 m
Dial: Barleycorn guilloché and Grand Feu enamel
Case back: Closed – Grand Feu enamel
Strap: Black alligator
Reference: Q39334K1
Limited edition: 10 pieces
Price: 13,024,000 yen (current market price/reference price)
Click here for company press release details
The Reverso Tribute collection is closest in design details to the originals from the 1930s. In these three new models, the signature simplicity of the dials highlights the delicate beauty of the guilloched background. The different dial colors of misty blue and green suggest the color of the enameled treasure hidden on the back. Meanwhile, their understated design contrasts with the weight and detail of the miniature paintings. The three paintings recreated in the Reverso Tribute Enamel Legendary Treasures trilogy embody three major turning points in the history of Western art, from the 19th century realism of Courbet to the Post-Impressionism of Van Gogh, and the experimental spirit of Klimt and the Vienna Secession. To celebrate the Reverso's unique ability to conceal or reveal precious works of art on their reverses, the Manufacture's researchers have uncovered three beautiful paintings that remained hidden for decades, previously thought lost forever, only to be rediscovered and confirmed as authentic.
Gustave Courbet – View of Lake Léman (1876)
After fleeing his native France in 1873, Gustave Courbet settled on the shores of Lake Geneva, just outside Vevey, Switzerland. Here, he found inspiration in the ever-changing surface of the water. In this beautiful, atmospheric work, Courbet captures the movement of clouds and the sunlight reflected on the lake's surface.
Jaeger-LeCoultre's master enamellers, who have reproduced large parts of this piece for the Reverso Tribute Enamel Legendary Treasures, have perfectly captured the original's delicate color palette, fine details and emotive atmosphere. The painting's soft tones blend beautifully with the gleaming white gold case and the herringbone guilloching of the hazy gray-blue dial.
Vincent van Gogh – Evening at Montmajour (1888)
After moving to the south of France in 1888, van Gogh experimented with new means of artistic expression. Painted directly from everyday life on a summer's evening, Evening at Montmajour exemplifies the artist's exploration of new ways of representing nature, depicting the unique plants of Provence and the rich colors of the “golden hour” just before dusk.
For the Reverso Tribute Enamel Legendary Treasure, Jaeger-LeCoultre's master enamellers have faithfully reproduced the original's sharp perspectives, as well as its distinctive brushstrokes and impasto effects. The unique hue of the green enamel chosen for the sunburst guilloched dial elegantly accentuates the rich golds and tans of the painting.
Gustav Klimt – Portrait of a Woman (1917)
Painted a year before Gustav Klimt's death, Portrait of a Woman is the only known "double portrait" by the Viennese painter, in which the second portrait was painted over the first. Klimt fell madly in love with a young woman, who became his muse, only to die suddenly. To ease the pain of her loss, he painted a new portrait of a different woman over hers.
The miniature reproduction of "Portrait of a Lady" on the caseback of the Reverso Tribute Enamel Legendary Treasure captures the dreamlike qualities of Klimt's creations. The woman's elegant pose and the details of her fashionable dress are exquisitely reproduced. The green color of the background also creates the illusion of depth, just like the original. The green dial, decorated with Grand Feu enamel over an intricate barleycorn guilloché pattern, beautifully evokes the luminous texture of the portrait's background.
Enameling – A Rich Tradition at Jaeger-LeCoultre
The technique of enameling has a long history at Jaeger-LeCoultre, dating back to the pocket watches of the 1890s. The first known Reverso with an enameled case back was commissioned by a customer in 1936, and features a meticulously detailed portrait of what is believed to be a Maharani (Queen) on the back.
Jaeger-LeCoultre, one of the few Manufactures to establish an in-house enameling atelier in the 1990s and remains so today, began in 1996 to reproduce miniatures of works by leading European and Asian artists on the case backs of Reversos.
Recreating paintings in enamel for the back of a watch posed several challenges. The enameller not only needs the same drawing skills as the original artist, but also the skill to reproduce the original painting on a reduced scale. Furthermore, the color must be controlled to accurately match the original artwork. Even so, due to the nature of enamel pigments, the final result after firing cannot be accurately predicted. It is a matter of judgment, based on years of experience.
The works by Courbet and Van Gogh recreated for the Reverso Tribute Enamel Legendary Treasures posed particular challenges. Both artists used impasto, a technique in which the paint is applied so thickly that it rises above the surface of the canvas. This technique cannot, of course, be replicated with enamel, so the enameller had to create the illusion of it. Meanwhile, compared to oil on canvas, Grand Feu enamel offers a particular advantage in its glossy properties: when the light hits the enamelled surface at an angle, it reveals unexpected depths and nuances.
https://youtu.be/zzHnNwUVz5k
Technical specifications
Reverso Tribute Enamel Legendary Treasures – Courbet
Case material: White gold
Case size: 45.6×27.4mm
Case thickness: 9.73 mm
Movement: Manual-wound – Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 822/2
Functions: Hours, minutes
Power reserve: 42 hours
Water resistance: 30 metres
Dial: Herringbone guilloched and Grand Feu enamel
Case back: Closed – Grand Feu enamel
/> Strap: Black alligator
Reference: Q39334C2
Limited edition: 10 pieces
Price: 13,024,000 yen (current market price/reference price)
Reverso Tribute Enamel Legendary Treasures – Van Gogh
Case material: White gold
Case size: 45.6 x 27.4 mm
Case thickness: 9.73 mm
Movement: Manually wound – Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 822/2
Functions: Hours, minutes
Power reserve: 42 hours
Water resistance: 30 m
Dial: Sunburst guilloché and Grand Feu enamel
Case back: Closed – Grand Feu enamel
Strap: Black alligator
Reference: Q39334V1
Limited edition: 10 pieces
Price: 13,024,000 yen (current market price/reference price)
Reverso Tribute Enamel Legendary Treasures – Klimt
Case material: White gold
Case size: 45.6 x 27.4 mm
Case thickness: 9.73 mm
Movement: Manually wound – Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 822/2
Functions: Hours, minutes
Power reserve: 42 hours
Water resistance: 30 m
Dial: Barleycorn guilloché and Grand Feu enamel
Case back: Closed – Grand Feu enamel
Strap: Black alligator
Reference: Q39334K1
Limited edition: 10 pieces
Price: 13,024,000 yen (current market price/reference price)
Click here for company press release details
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