FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Jaeger-LeCoultre opens pop-up Reverso 1931 Café in NYC
Zach BlassThis week Jaeger-LeCoultre brought their pop-up Reverso 1931 Café to the upper east side of New York City.
Jaeger-LeCoultre explains: “This season, the Reverso 1931 Café opens in different locations around the world from New York to Tokyo. Immerse yourself in an Art Deco setting for an enchanting journey through the aromas and flavours of the Vallée de Joux, with tailor-made pastries created by French chef Nina Métayer. Continue the multisensory experience by exploring the story of our iconic Reverso. Discover the 1931 Alphabet, specially created by the lettering artist Alex Trochut, even inviting itself onto the back of the Reverso.”
Seeing the 1931 lettering created by Alex Trochut up close not only made me really want a Reverso in my collection, but a personalised and engraved one using the handsome typeface. Furthermore, the enamel fillings have a vibrancy that can only be appreciated in the metal.
During my visit for their opening cocktail party, I once again got to play watchmaker and try my hand at perlage – a circular graining decoration not only commonly found on movements, but also on the case as you flip the mid-carriage of the Reverso from front to back. Through the guidance of watchmaker Natalie, who has been with JLC for about ten years now, I did my best to decorate a brass plate all by myself.
I was able to walk away with my brass plate, which I had decorated semi-successfully with my initial Z. I may have to see if I can turn it into a necklace or bracelet at some point, but one thing is for certain: JLC are definitely not hiring me in their workshop anytime soon.
For more information on the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso 1931 Café you can head here. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso 1931 Café in NYC will be open until November 22.
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Zach
Watch meme of the week: Get your loupe out
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This meme is all too relatable considering I am currently waiting for a particular watch brand to send me a replacement spring bar after losing one into the abyss of my room. With enough practice, this is not a majorly recurring problem. But all it takes is one time, frantically crawling on the carpet looking for a small metal bar, to give you spring-bar PTSD.
Wrist shot of the week: A 10th anniversary that led to another honeymoon
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The man, the myth, the legendary wrist model, Jeremy Caparas this week proved green steel is as iconic as blue steel. Jeremy recently celebrated his 10th anniversary with his wife in Greece, and while there she gifted him a Chopard Alpine Eagle with a green “eagle iris” dial. It is not hard to understand why Jeremy is absolutely smitten with the watch, his affinity towards the reference abundantly clear during his time with us at Watches & Wonders this year. Of course its provenance makes it all the more special. Wear it in good health Jeremy!
Time+Tide Shop select of the week: Delugs – Jean Grey Babele Slim Strap
We just love the look of this Babele leather strap in Slim style. Babele leather is a veg-tanned leather that comes from Tempesti tannery in Italy. The look and feel of this leather article greatly resembles that of a table cloth or fabric. It has the same texture (slightly rough), same firmness (very soft) and same look as a piece of cloth. We think it might be the perfect casual strap for your weekends.
Order in the Time+Tide Shop. Price: $161.50 AUD.
Our favourite Time+Tide coverage of the week:
HANDS-ON: The Hublot Big Bang Unico Gourmet cooks up something special with its Damascus steel case
Steel is a ubiquitous metal within the watch industry, but leave it to Hublot to find a twist that makes the commonly used metal much more interesting. Damascus steel, and its unique appearance, is routinely found in the best kitchen knives in the world. Now Hublot has used the intriguing metal in their new Big Bang Unico Gourmet Limited Edition of 200 pieces. Watch the video above or read the full hands-on review here.
OK, cool… But who is the new 50mm titanium Rolex Deepsea Challenge really for?
As cool as it is to see the debut of a first-ever in Rolex production, considering the size and price of the watch we have to wonder: who is the new 50mm RLX Titanium Rolex Deepsea Challenge really for? Learn more about Rolex’s first-ever all-titanium production watch here.
Zenith and AFL superstar Buddy Franklin deliver a Defy Extreme watch for a very good cause
Zenith have collaborated with Buddy Franklin – a superstar of Australian Rules Football – to create a bespoke model of the Zenith Defy Extreme to be auctioned off for the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation on the LoupeThis platform. Learn more about the man, the cause, the watch, and how to bid here.