Jaeger-LeCoultre focuses on refinement of their elegant collection for Watches & Wonders 2023

Fergus Nash

The Watches & Wonders stand of Jaeger-LeCoultre is always one of the most attractive exhibitions, as the watchmaker of watchmakers know exactly how to best use their horological status. This year, the Stellar Odyssey collection has made way for a focus on harmony and beauty, with Jaeger-LeCoultre returning to the Reverso Tribute as their basis for flagship models. Since the Golden Ratio has been used to shape the Reverso’s dimensions ever since its inaugural model in 1931, particular attention has been paid to this phenomenon as the Tribute models honour the original.

Reverso in the spotlight

At Watches & Wonders 2023, we managed to get our hands on Jaeger-LeCoultre’s novelties to see just how magical they look up-close. The models which did the rounds on social media the most had to be the Reverso Tribute Chronograph, perfectly demonstrating the versatility afforded by the Duoface displays. On the surface, the 1931-style of the Tribute seems like a perfectly normal time-only dress watch, albeit a tremendously beautiful one, and you’re only tipped off about the chronograph functionality by the rectangular pushers on the side. When flipped over, the central chronograph and retrograde minutes counter show off the technical extravagance that Jaeger-LeCoultre are capable of. The calibre 860 is arranged in a remarkably sporty way, reminding us that the Reverso was originally intended for playing polo.

Other extraordinary releases include the Jaeger-LeCoultre Tribute Tourbillon, offering a similar prospect to the Chronograph but with a much more sophisticated complication and dressier style, and the Tribute Small Seconds in 18k pink gold that has also been slimmed down to just 7.5mm thick. For lovers of colour and smaller cases, the Reverso One Precious Colours has been completely covered in an art-deco pattern of colourful shades, punctuated by diamond-set segments. In either green with steel or blue with gold, these watches are sure to capture your heart whenever you check the time.

More of a subtle update to the Reverso Tribute collection is a revisit of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Small Seconds line, which already approached perfection. The gold cases have now been reduced down from 8.5mm to just 7.5mm, making a world of difference when the margins are that small. Whether you opt for the black, silver, or deep burgundy dial, this is perhaps the ultimate form of the rectangular dress watch.

The last addition is a stunning art piece in the Reverso One Precious Colours, smothering the reduced case size in an art-deco mosaic. The spectrum of greens and blues used with their respective steel and gold cases is truly captivating, and the lacquered sections open up for windows of set diamonds to dazzle. It almost creates an optical illusion, adding puzzling depth to what is usually just a plain caseback.