For almost a century, Reverso has been Jaeger-LeCoultre's swivelling icon. The history and milestones are illustrated by The Reverso Stories Travelling Collection, which has made a one-week stop in Bangkok at Siam Paragon's Crystal Court. The showcase, which ends today, traces nine decades of the Reverso under four themes.
The narrative begins with "The Story Of An Icon" that recalls its conception in 1930. While visiting India, businessman César de Trey came upon a shattering problem. British army officers wanted to play polo without wrecking their watches, so he had to find a way to protect the glass and dial during the dynamic matches.
De Trey approached Jacques-David LeCoultre to produce his solution -- a flippable case -- and they engaged René-Alfred Chauvot for the design. On March 4, 1931, a patent application was filed in Paris for "a watch capable of sliding in its support and being completely turned over". LeCoultre commissioned A.
E. Wenger to make the case and Tavannes to supply the movement blanks for manufacturing the inventive wristwatch, whose name Reverso was registered in November. The original square design was subtly elongated and three signature gadroons were added above and below the dial to give the Reverso a rectangular silhouette.
The first-generation model from 1931 and the Reverso Tribute Small Seconds with a black dial, launched last year, are on display for comparison at the immersive event. Jaeger-LeCoultre also revisits how the Golden Ratio i.
