Brooklyn-based lettering artist Alex Trochut unveiled the new 1931 Alphabet specially created for Jaeger-LeCoultre. Celebrated for the way that he harnesses the visual potential of language to redefine typography, Alex turned to Art Deco as his stylistic springboard for the new lettering. “It’s a real pleasure to collaborate with Jaeger-LeCoultre on this project and reveal the new 1931 alphabet in the setting of the Reverso 1931 Café”, said Alex.

During the evening, a DJ set was provided by 5-time Grammy winning, Oscar winning, director, author and musician Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, the drummer and band leader for The Roots who serve as the house band for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

Also among the guests was New York-based artist Michael Murphy, pioneer of the perceptual art movement. In 2021, marking the 90th anniversary of the Reverso, he created the installation Space Time, which transports its viewers through the three physical dimensions of space and the fourth dimension of time. Both artists are collaborating with Jaeger-LeCoultre under the aegis of its Made of Makers programme – an ongoing series of collaborations with artists, designers and craftsmen from disciplines outside watchmaking, which explores and extends the dialogue that exists between horology and art.

The Reverso 1931 Café offers a collection of pastries specially designed by the Paris-based chef Nina Métayer – also an alumnus of Made of Makers – to echo the Art Deco aesthetic of the interior design, and featuring flavours from Switzerland’s Vallée de Joux, the home of Jaeger-LeCoultre.

The Reverso 1931 Café will be open at 729 Madison Avenue until Tuesday 22 November, then will become nomadic throughout the city, making appearances in Soho and Bryant Park between November 25^th and December 2^nd.

Displayed over five floors, the "Reverso: Timeless Stories Since 1931" exhibition explores the creative and cultural universe of one of the world's most recognisable and celebrated wristwatches. The exhibition continues with a retrospective featuring the history of the Reverso told through four themes, from its origins to the present day. A highlight of this exhibition is the 1931 Café, an elegant setting designed in homage to Art Deco, which offers a special menu of sweets and cakes created by the Parisian pastry chef Nina Métayer.

Among the guests, acclaimed British actor and long-term Friend of the Maison Nicholas Hoult learned more about the iconic Reverso timepiece while wearing the Reverso Tribute Small Seconds in green. Nicholas Hoult can most recently be seen in the critically-acclaimed, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and Emmy nominated Hulu series, THE GREAT. The new season is set to premiere on Friday, 19^th November for which he also serves as an Executive Producer.

American artist Michael Murphy sported the Reverso Tribute Nonantième, the timepiece chosen to be represented through SPACETIME, an art installation created by him for Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Actress Fala Chen and French actress Camille Razat also discovered the history of a watch of exceptional design and a destiny spanning nine decades.

The "Reverso: Timeless Stories Since 1931" exhibition and the 1931 Café will be open Tuesday to Saturday from 21^st October to 24^th December 2021 at 15 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in the 8th arrondissement of Paris.

Entry to the exhibition is free to the public.

Reservations are recommended and can be made on www.exposition-reverso.com

Audio guides are available for the exhibition. 

“We invite you to join us on a journey – one that began in 1931. Born at the height of the Art Deco era, the Reverso watch has become a cult object over time, a symbol of style and elegance. May this be an unforgettable journey of discovery for you," said Catherine Rénier in an opening speech that immediately set the tone. It is an invitation to travel through a world of Art Deco style, Parisian chic and the French art of living.

A highlight of this exhibition is Café 1931, an elegant setting designed in homage to Art Deco, which offers a special menu of sweets and cakes created by the Parisian pastry chef Nina Métayer – who was also present at the inauguration.

Actor, film director, Nicolas Maury, actor Djebril Zonga, as well as artist Inès Mélia, were also among the well-known figures present, who enjoyed discovering the history of a watch of exceptional design and a destiny spanning nine decades.

Displayed over five floors, the "Reverso: Timeless Stories Since 1931" exhibition explores the creative and cultural universe of one of the world’s most recognisable and celebrated wristwatches. An immersive and sensory experience, it begins with an art installation specially commissioned by Jaeger-LeCoultre from the American artist Michael Murphy.

The exhibition continues with a retrospective featuring the history of the Reverso told through four themes, from its origins to the present day. Guests were able to admire an amazing selection of Reverso models that have left their mark on history and that continue to keep alive the legend of this piece that has become a benchmark in design.

The "Reverso: Timeless Stories Since 1931" exhibition and the 1931 Café will be open Tuesday to Saturday from 21^st October to 24^th December 2021 at 15 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in the 8th arrondissement of Paris.

Entry to the exhibition is free to the public.

Reservations are recommended and can be made on www.exposition-reverso.com

Audio guides are available for the exhibition. 

A unique and timeless expression of the Art Deco movement, the legend of the Reverso began on the polo fields of India, where the idea of a case that could be flipped over was born. With its revolutionary design and immaculate craftsmanship, the Reverso was immediately embraced by trendsetters from all walks of life, quickly transcending its original purpose. Deftly combining form and function, it is one of the most recognisable watches in the world.

The “Reverso: Timeless Stories Since 1931” exhibition is an opportunity to explore the cultural and creative universe of this design icon, through an immersive sensory experience that embraces a pop-up boutique, a fascinating retrospective, an Art Deco café and a hands-on workshop. Featuring a specially commissioned art installation by the American artist Michael Murphy, and a selection of famous Reverso watches, from the earliest time-only models to the new Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185, this original concept tells the story of Reverso through four key themes.

The Reverso, in four chapters – and a new art commission

The journey begins with the Story of an Icon, retelling the tale of the Reverso’s origins through rarely seen archive materials and heritage documents from the Jaeger-LeCoultre collection, as well as a selection of milestone Reverso watches, from the first 1931 model to the latest Reverso Tribute piece. A specially commissioned film transports the viewer inside the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre, tracing each step in the creation of a Reverso through the words of the artisans and watchmakers themselves.

The Story of Style & Design looks at the Reverso watch from an aesthetic perspective. A quintessential example of Art Deco design, the rectangular shape of the reversible case is accentuated by clean lines and elegant curves; its dimensions determined by the rules of the golden ratio. To illustrate the stylistic evolution of the Reverso, examples for men and women are presented, each embodying its distinctive style in bold and often unexpected ways.

A Story of Innovation highlights the insatiable spirit of invention that characterises the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture. The Reverso was the result of a brilliant idea that took shape in the hands of French engineer René-Alfred Chauvot, whose design was submitted to the Paris patent office on 4 March 1931. Since the 1990s, the legendary Art Deco watch has welcomed emblematic complications, including the first rectangular minute repeater, the retrograde chronograph and the Gyrotourbillon, as well as the double-dial Duoface and Duetto models. Enhanced over the years by new materials and numerous interpretations, this technical creativity has culminated in the extraordinary four-face Reverso Quadriptyque in 2021.

The Story of Craftsmanship pays tribute to the engravers, gem-setters, enamellers and guillochage masters of the Manufacture, revealing how they have unleashed the full potential of the Reverso as a canvas for artistic expression and personalised messages. From historic timepieces, such as those belonging to Amelia Earhart and General Douglas MacArthur, to modern-day High Jewellery and miniature-painted models, these pieces provide 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.

A special highlight of the exhibition, the Spacetime art installation makes its European debut in Paris. Commissioned by Jaeger-LeCoultre from the American artist Michael Murphy to coincide with the 90th year of Reverso, it transports visitors through the three physical dimensions of space and the fourth dimension of time. Viewing the installation is a bewitching and multifaceted experience that, in the words of the artist: “explodes into myriad elements that tell the story of the Reverso Tribute Nonantième and its inner workings”.

The 1931 Café

Before or after the exhibition, visitors can enjoy a delicious break at the 1931 Café, an elegant and welcoming Art Deco setting. The elegant black and white décor, reminiscent of the 1930s, is a feast for the eyes, while a special menu created by the young Parisian pastry chef Nina Métayer will delight the taste buds. Designed to evoke the aesthetic codes of Art Deco, these exceptional sweet treats are an invitation to travel through the aromas and flavours of the Vallée de Joux: mountain berries, nuts, honey, herbs and chocolate.

The Atelier d’Antoine

To complete the exhibition, the Atelier d’Antoine – named after the Manufacture’s founder – has been specially relocated to Paris, giving visitors the opportunity to enjoy a unique, hands-on adventure with the Reverso. Together with a watchmaker and instructor, this workshop combines interactive theoretical learning with practical training.

The “Reverso: Timeless Stories Since 1931” exhibition and the 1931 Café will be open Tuesday to Saturday from 21 October to 24 December at 15 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in the 8^th arrondissement of Paris. The exhibition is free to the public, but booking is recommended at www.exposition-reverso.com

Audio guides are available for the exhibition. 

The Atelier d’Antoine workshops can be accessed for a fee (pre-reservation at www.exposition-reverso.com or with the following QR code)

The installation, titled Spacetime, further expands the cultural and creative universe of the Manufacture by exploring the relationship between the three physical dimensions of space, and the fourth dimension of time. Following its debut in China at Watches & Wonders Shanghai on April 14^th, Spacetime will be exhibited in key cities around the world over the course of the year.

THE ANAMORPHOSIS

Michael Murphy’s main body of work emphasises perspective: his installations require the viewer to change position in order to fully appreciate them. Fusing classical art-making techniques with digital processes and manual skills, he has invented an entirely new formula for rendering two-dimensional images as suspended, three-dimensional mobiles. These anamorphic installations comprise a multitude of objects hanging at various heights and distances. Depending on the viewer’s line of sight, they appear to change form: from a seemingly random and chaotic jumble of shapes they coalesce into a highly organised and recognisable image. Thus, the viewer experiences a perceptual shift, breaking down the barrier between the art medium itself and the subjective experience.

“We are delighted to be collaborating with Michael Murphy. His artistic installation requires extreme precision, a value that we share at Jaeger-LeCoultre. Our watchmakers throw their heart and soul into every ingenious sketch, every oscillation of the balance wheel, every escapement wheel - always pushing the boundaries of precision." says Catherine Rénier, Chief Executive Officer of Jaeger-LeCoultre.

For this new work, the Maison has collaborated with an artist whose work is often based on images of instantly recognisable cultural icons. “The Reverso has this iconic graphic identity and that's the type of content that I often work with,” says Michael Murphy.

The timepiece chosen to be represented through Spacetime is the newly released Reverso Tribute Nonantième, which expresses the time in an entirely different manner on each of its faces. The artist immediately saw a parallel between this new Reverso and his anamorphic works, many of which have two distinct sides, showing two entirely different images when viewed from different positions.

“My Reverso design explodes into an array of parts that tell a story about the watch and how it works,” explains Murphy. “I dissected it into all of its working components and composed them in a way that creates two different photographic illusions, one renders the front of the watch and one the reverse.”

The shape of each of the artwork’s 69 components resembles a familiar part of a watch. However, each is photo-printed with different fragments of movement and dial components. These parts appear exactly as in the watch only when they are lined up perfectly, as the viewer walks around the installation.

PARALLELS WITH WATCHMAKING

Beyond the obvious connection to the Reverso, Murphy’s work has many parallels with watchmaking, especially the need for extreme precision. “We create these artworks that are made of a lot of suspended objects that have to line up with one another in three dimensions and we deal with just one millimetre tolerance,” says the artist. “For us, working on a piece more than 12 feet [3.6m] tall, one millimetre adds a real level of complexity. The precision of watchmaking is something we can really relate to.”

As with the development of a new watch calibre, Murphy’s art requires an intense level of planning. It is a highly complex process involving 75 steps that must be taken in the right sequence, beginning with the mapping of exactly where in the three dimensions each component must be, in order to create an image that the viewer can understand. As in a watch movement, if one tiny element is off, the entire work is off.

“SPACETIME” INSTALLATION

The title of the new work, Spacetime, came naturally to an artist who has always been fascinated by the relationship between space and time. In physics, spacetime is any mathematical model that fuses the three dimensions of space and the one dimension of time into a single four-dimensional manifold.

“I’ve always thought of my installations as having four dimensions,” Murphy explains. “I create these artworks that are illusions of flat images that float in three dimensional space [with] the length, the width, and the height. And then the experiencing of the piece happens over time. That's the fourth dimension of the work.”

The collaboration with Jaeger-LeCoultre has fulfilled a desire, long held by the artist, to make a time piece – in the literal sense. “Time is an essential component to all of my work – the fourth dimension. But I have always been fascinated by the aesthetic of internal watch parts and their precision and have always wanted to make a time piece – a piece that is about time.”

For the viewer, Michael Murphy’s Spacetime captures the beauty and precision of time-keeping and time-making in a new and uniquely fascinating way.

Discover the Augmented Reality of the installation

ABOUT MICHAEL MURPHY

Michael Murphy (b. 1975) is an American artist best known for his unique style of art-making, which he calls Perceptual Art. He describes his technique, which emphasises the viewer’s perception, as “illusions of images rendered in three dimensional space”. In his early career, Murphy created commissioned works while teaching art in universities, and since 2013, he has devoted his time exclusively to creating art. Among Murphy’s most notable works are Gun Country and The Immigrant – which invite people to reflect on important social issues – his portraits of Barack Obama, and several works created for Michael Jordan and Nike. The artist lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. His portfolio can be viewed online at perceptualart.com.

ABOUT THE REVERSO

In 1931, Jaeger-LeCoultre launched a timepiece that was destined to become a classic of 20th-century design: the Reverso. Created to withstand the rigours of polo matches, its sleek, Art Deco lines and unique reversible case make it one of the most immediately recognisable watches of all time. Through nine decades the Reverso has continually reinvented itself without ever compromising its identity: it has housed more than 50 different calibres, while its blank metal flip side has become a canvas for creative expression, decorated with enamel, engravings or gemstones. Today, 90 years after the Reverso was born, it continues to epitomise the spirit of modernity that inspired its creation.