The JLC Reverso - A low key masterpiece | VARIO

A lot of stuff has been said about the Jaeger Le Coultre Reverso, but we can all agree that it has been made in a time where sophistication was one of the first things in the designer’s mind, yes it was made polo players and to be used on the field, but it did need to stay on the wrist when those after match cocktail parties kickoff. I have tried many dress watches in my life and for some reason I still do not adapt to the fact that the most expensive piece I own is the one I use the less, I want to use it and not save it for special occasions, but the reality is I don’t wear many formal clothes. The Reverso is a different animal, with the change of a strap you can really use this watch on a less formal environment, and yes, the rose gold case makes it even more formal, but this particular Reverso has a party trick which is a second face. This is the kind of versatility I was looking when a dress piece needed to be added to my collection, an ''haute horlogerie'' as the say. The Reverso Duo Face really fits the bill in terms of where I am in my watch collecting journey and below is my experience with the watch, I haven't seen many reviews on this particular model (Q2712410) so hopefully this would be a novelty.

The specifications

Reversos are tricky to measure or to get a true sense of how they wear with numbers, I've tried several before buying this version which is 26mm x 42mm (case diameter x lug to lug) and it works to perfection, this case size on the Duo Face line is no longer available, the new version has a hidden pusher which makes the watch more symmetrical but the thickness has increased quite a bit and the watch is also longer (47mm x 28.3), it doesn’t seem much but it really did not worked, there is a smaller version but only in steel, I wanted the rose gold. The Reverso Duo Face is compact, but the build quality is very high up there with the likes of Vacheron or Patek, sure you cannot see the movement but a second time zone with a completely different layout greeting you instead of bridges or a close case back? Yes please. The watch is powered by a JLC in house caliber (of course) which drives the 2 faces and, on the side, it has a pusher which controls the hour hand of the black dial, a night and day indicator completes what effectively is 2 watches in one., there is lume on the black face too, not much but just enough.

On the wrist

The watch wears perfect on my 6.25-inch wrist, is short enough to be classy but has presence to be powerful, it is a statement piece but is not shouting: ''look at me…'' this is a watch that if you ever get a complement is because the other guy knows. The guilloche patterns are made to perfection, the white face is classical and art deco inspired, and the black face is more elegant, less busy, more clinical. The horizontal lines can be found anywhere, and I have to say is one of the most comfortable watches I've owned, it might not be the most legible (on the white dial) but the symmetry and details really make it a work of art.

The strap:

The Reverso comes with a black alligator leather strap, it is as high quality as the watch itself, but you do not need me to tell you that is too dressy. Unfortunately, the watch comes uses 19mm straps which for us watch geeks is a pain, but luckily, I have a Grand Seiko too which uses the same measure, so a grey suede and a brown suede were already here. It gives the watch a more casual look, a more everyday look. These straps also hold the 18K pink gold deployant buckle, which is the most good-looking ornament I've seen, it needed to be here with the watch.

Conclusions

To me there is no discussion that the standard JLC Reverso is an icon, a masterpiece, regardless of the model you decide to go for, it just feels special, manual, automatic, quartz, it is all about the design. The uniqueness of the design makes it to be very versatile but also very elegant, yes is more of a dress watch but it was a sports watch when it was created. I am not saying that this is a watch that everyone needs to own but I cannot see myself in the future without this piece, it really has become the cornerstone of my collection.

Written by Robbie from Robbie & Watches

Any views or opinions represented in this blog are personal and belong solely to the author and do not represent those of people, institutions or organizations that the owner may or may not be associated with in professional or personal capacity, unless explicitly stated.

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