Editorial GTTP Jaeger-LeCoultre Limited Edition spotlight New Releases New Watches New Watches 2021

The New Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Hidden Treasures Collection Brings Modern Art To Your Wrist 

In the age where NFTs are ruling, personally, this is much neater way of owning a piece of art. This time, it comes encased with a tangible horological masterpiece. You can have your cake and eat it too. 

Editor’s Note: Just need a quick watch fix? This preview of the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Hidden Treasures collection is a GET TO THE POINT (GTTP) review with all the info you want / need to know QUICK. For our actual hands-on reviews, please head to the dedicated section here. Now let’s get to the point.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel
Van Gogh ref. Q39334V1

What Is It

Three unique timepieces in limited numbers are being unveiled: 

  • New Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Hidden Treasures – Klimt ref. Q39334K1 with green Barleycorn guilloché main dial
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel
  • New Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Hidden Treasures – Van Gogh ref. Q39334V1 with green sunray guilloché main dial (and my pick of the three)
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel
  • New Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Hidden Treasures – Courbet ref. Q39334C2 with blued Herringbone guilloché main dial
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel

All three feature the same overall specifications: 45.6 x 27.4 x 9.73mm white gold case with 30m water-resistance. 

Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Hidden Treasures 6

Inside ticks the 20.2mm diameter manually wound Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 822/2 with a 42-hour power reserve, bearing 21 jewels, featuring 108-parts, beating at the frequency of 3Hz, and in this instance — the movement can also accomodate for small seconds — displaying only central hours and minutes

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel
Courbet ref. Q39334C2

The stunning Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Small Seconds ref. 3978480 (or 397846J) features the same movement as well. 

The similarities cease here; the beautiful guilloché and Grand Feu enamel dials along with the different Grand Feu enamel paintings at the back bring to these a rarified air of horological impressiveness 

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel
Courbet ref. Q39334C2

Why & When

Getting close to the style of the 1930s originals, the brand is continuing the 90th anniversary celebrations of the legendary Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso

First announced on 05 November 2021 

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel

Where

Contact a boutique near you. In Sydney, the Jaeger-LeCoultre boutique is located at Shop 4/84 King St, Sydney NSW 2000 (02 9061 4520). These are available in limited numbers of 10-pieces each. They retail for $107’000 USD 

Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Hidden Treasures 10
Klimt ref. Q39334K1

Who Is It For

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reversos have a distinct personality, and an impressive back-story. The new Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Hidden Treasures collection in my opinion os best suited for those few lucky collectors who not only appreciate the design language of these watches, but also place high value on what the brand is. bringing to their wrists: a celebration of the works of three great Modern Art practitioners, namely Gustave Courbet, Vincent Van Gogh and Gustav Klimt.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel
Van Gogh ref. Q39334V1

Just like what can be expected from other big end offerings from brands such as Jaquet Droz, Patek and Breguet, JLC here is also providing the connoisseurs a chance to acquire pieces with the arts of grand feu enamelling, miniature painting and guillochage. Thankfully the latter here is not stamped or CNC-machined, but executed on century-old, hand-turned machines (again like Breguet).

Breguet Marine 5817 1
Engine-turned dial of the Breguet 5817ST
Cartier Ronde Croisiere De Cartier 24
Stamped (or CNC-machined) dial of theRonde Croisiere De Cartier (another Richemont brand)

As for the enamelling, the brand has used this style since 1890s in its pocket watches and was first in the Reverso back in 1936. 

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel

How Does It Do

Paint me happy. There is a certain elegance and artistry about the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Hidden Treasures collection that I admire. Excluding the fact that these are limited in numbers, regardless, even if these were a part of the regular production, I respect the amount of talent and hard work that would have gone in making one of these.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel
Klimt ref. Q39334K1

Unless you are a complete watch newbie or have been living under a rock, you would be aware of Reverso’s iconic status. Originally designed for Polo players, it features a reversible solid case-back with a blank metal flip side initially designed purely for functional reasons.

Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Hidden Treasures 11
Van Gogh ref. Q39334V1

This time around, under the garb of a different shade of misty blue or green, the watches shine bright thanks to the miniature paintings on the reverse. Usually when it comes to Reverso Duoface, I am conflicted because I can’t seem to like both sides equally. In the case of one one-sided Reverso, there’s always this blank canvas that beckons. But here, both sides are executed to my delight (and I am sure to other collectors’ too).

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel
Van Gogh ref. Q39334V1

One of the added charms about the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Hidden Treasures collection is that the paintings are not easily identifiable or the usual popular suspects like the Mona Lisa. Instead, to bring a welcome intrigue to the mix, Jaeger-LeCoultre has introduced three beautiful paintings that have either been hidden from the world or presumed lost until rediscovered.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel
Klimt ref. Q39334K1

In the age where NFTs are ruling, personally, this is much neater way of owning a piece of art. This time, it comes encased with a tangible horological masterpiece. You can have your cake and eat it too. 

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel
Courbet ref. Q39334C2

To find out more about the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Hidden Treasures collection and other JLC watches, please head to their website here. All images unless otherwise specified are © JAEGER-LECOULTRE 2021 / Copyright “©Jaeger-LeCoultre”. All rights reserved.

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