"We are delighted to welcome our Reverso exhibition to the heart of the Vallée de Joux, bringing back to life this unforgettable journey of watchmaking and Art Deco design. Over the years, the Reverso has become an iconic object, a symbol of style and elegance. I hope this passage through time will become an unforgettable experience for all who visit it." says Catherine Rénier, CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Created in 1931, the Reverso is a design of rare longevity – a legend born from the challenge to create a wristwatch that could withstand the rough and tumble of the polo field. Ingenious in conception and perfect in execution, the Reverso quickly transcended its original purpose and was adopted by tastemakers from all walks of life. Deftly synthesising form and function with its unique reversible case and pure Art Deco lines, it has become one of the world’s most recognisable wristwatches.

Reverso Stories explores the creative and cultural universe of this exceptional design through four themes, leading visitors on a journey through 90 years of timeless modernity. These four ‘Stories’ are supplemented by an in-depth exploration of how La Grande Maison has epitomised the spirit of the Vallée de Joux for 190 years, fuelled by boundless creativity and a relentless pursuit of innovation married to deep respect for the traditional values of high watchmaking.

The Reverso: A Timeless Story in Four Chapters

The Story of an Icon retells the tale of the Reverso’s origins through rarely seen archive materials and heritage documents from the Jaeger-LeCoultre collection, and a selection of milestone Reverso watches. A specially commissioned film transports the viewer inside the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre, tracing the creation of a Reverso through the words of the artisans and watchmakers themselves.

The Story of Style & Design examines the Art Deco roots of the Reverso. Visitors will discover how, following the principles of Art Deco design, the distinctive rectangular form of the watch was dictated by the original concept – that the case should flip over. An artfully curated selection of timepieces traces the stylistic changes through which the Reverso has gained the status of a design icon.

The Story of Innovation explores how the Reverso embodies Jaeger-LeCoultre’s eternally inventive quest for technical advancement. Beginning with the revolutionary idea of a case that could be flipped over, to the ingenious design by Rene-Alfred Chauvot, patented in 1931, the story traces the introduction of high-watchmaking complications, ground-breaking mechanical inventions and the use of new materials.

The Story of Craftsmanship, the exhibition’s finale, celebrates the skills of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s enamellers, gem-setters, engravers and guillochage masters, revealing how they have unleashed the full potential of the Reverso as a canvas for artistic expression and personalised messages. A special selection of timepieces spanning nine decades provides special insight into how the Reverso has itself been telling the stories of its owners –and will continue to do so for many years to come.

Enriching the Experience with Atelier d’Antoine

To deepen their experience of the exhibition, visitors are welcome to enrol in Atelier d’Antoine, the programme of educational workshops, hands-on watchmaking experience and Manufacture visits – an unparalleled opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of fine watchmaking. Presented by Jaeger-LeCoultre in the heart of its Manufacture, the Discovery Workshops, Masterclasses and guided visits will focus on the Reverso, presenting a unique opportunity to discover the inside story of a true icon of watchmaking. Participation in the Atelier d’Antoine is by reservation only.

‘Reverso: Timeless Stories Since 1931’ Exhibition

Espace Horloger, Grande-Rue 2, CH-1347 Le Sentier

Open to the public from July 1 to September 3, from 10am to 5pm Tuesday to Sunday (closed on Mondays). Free of charge. 

More information on espacehorloger.ch 

Atelier d’Antoine

Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre, Rue de la Golisse 8, CH-1347 Le Sentier

Online booking mandatory on online-booking.jaeger-lecoultre.com

The Reverso story began with a challenge: to create a wristwatch that could be worn on the polo field without being smashed. In 1930 César de Trey, a successful entrepreneur who was well acquainted with both Jacques-David LeCoultre and the Parisian firm of Jaeger SA through his activities in the watch business, was travelling in India, where British army officers had taken up polo. Asked if he could find a way to protect the glass and dial of their watches during matches, de Trey had the idea of a case that could be flipped over. He approached LeCoultre to produce it and, through connections with Jaeger, a French industrial designer, René-Alfred Chauvot, was engaged to design the case.

On 4 March 1931, the Paris patent office received an application to register “a watch capable of sliding in its support and being completely turned over”; in July, de Trey bought the rights to Chauvot’s design and in November he registered the Reverso name. Eager to get the revolutionary design to market as soon as possible, de Trey and Jacques-David LeCoultre set up a business partnership and began production immediately. The first pieces were on sale less that nine months after the patent application had been filed.

Success was immediate: as a quintessential expression of Art Deco style and the embodiment of modernity, the Reverso was adopted by tastemakers from all walks of life. Cases were offered in gold as well as the original Staybrite steel, and feminine models appeared, with options to be worn as pendants or handbag clips, as well as on the wrist. For those seeking even greater individuality, brightly coloured lacquer dials could be made to order, and the reverse side of the case personalised with engraving and lacquer.

As tastes changed after World War II, interest in the Reverso waned and by 1969, when the first quartz wristwatch heralded the greatest crisis the Swiss watch industry had ever faced, it had been largely forgotten. However, as the quartz invasion gathered pace, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Italian distributor, Giorgio Corvo bought the last remaining 200 Reverso cases, had them fitted with mechanical movements, and sold every piece within a month. In 1975 the Reverso was officially reborn.

Jaeger-LeCoultre decided to bring production of the case in-house and, in 1981, assigned one of its engineers, Daniel Wild, to redesign it to modern technical standards. However, given the Reverso’s status as a design classic, any aesthetic change had to be almost imperceptible. In 1985, the new case was unveiled – the first to be machined at Jaeger-LeCoultre using (then new) CNC technology. Waterproof, dust-proof, with a new flip-over mechanism and redesigned lug attachments and carrier, it comprised 55 parts, rather than the 23 of the original. Stylistically, it appeared completely unchanged.

In 1991, six decades after the Reverso was born, it began its transformation from ‘one style, one watch’ into an entire collection. In 1994, the Reverso Duoface was created – a unique expression of dual time, with local time on the front dial and home time on the reverse. It was followed, in 1997, by the Reverso Duetto, a feminine interpretation of the double dial principle.