If an original decade Reverso is your grail, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s ‘The Collectibles’ has you covered
Zach BlassThe modern Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso range has arguably never been stronger, but the allure of an example from its original decade of introduction is certainly a grail-level proposition for many collectors. For many brands, the biggest competitor for their modern watches is their own vintage examples. Normally, the idea of a Maison handling restoration of vintage pieces triggers collectors who have heard murmurs of coveted vintage pieces being stripped of their originality in a factory service. However, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s ‘The Collectibles’, launched in 2023, makes it a priority to have strict meticulous curation of vintage pieces that require minimal intervention, in turn, presenting museum-grade-condition examples of some of its most historic references.
For the fifth capsule collection, it’s all about Reverso, with eight Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso watches – all of which are from the 1930s. I spoke with Matthieu Sauret, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Head of Product & Heritage, to get more insight into the programme and the pieces, which are currently being presented in New York City.
Hold up… What exactly is Jaeger-LeCoultre’s ‘The Collectibles’?
Jaeger-LeCoultre is not alone in entering the world of restoring its own watches and presenting restored vintage examples for sale, but the approach is far less about being a major revenue stream for the brand, instead a vehicle of educating watch lovers about Jaeger-LeCoultre’s rich heritage with capsule collections that highlight historic references and books that offer in-depth knowledge about significant references within its archives.
“‘The Collectibles’ is an initiative that we launched in 2023 whereby we curate and sell watches that we buy on the open market, that we lightly restore, and we offer for sale in capsule collections — in one place, one time,” Matthieu Sauret explains. “What we try to offer is really museum-grade pieces. We buy each year several watches for our museum, and some of them we have two or three similar pieces — so we said, how about we buy this museum-like great piece, restore it, and offer it for sale to our clients.”
What are the benefits of purchasing a vintage Jaeger-LeCoultre watch through ‘The Collectibles’?
A clear benchmark, Sauret made clear to me, was the preservation of the integrity and originality of the watches being offered. A clear advantage, of course, for Jaeger-LeCoultre is that its manufacture has the most resources to understand the design and makeup of these historic references, the authenticity of potential examples to be included in the programme, and how to minimally intervene in its restoration to uphold the integiry and originality of the watch – a crucial component regarding the romantic and fiscal value of a vintage watch for serious watch collectors.
“We completely dismantle them, clean every part, replace parts in the calibre that should be replaced, and return them to full function,” Sauret explains. “When we do restoration, we are bringing watches back to their original home… the exact same building. We have everything from the original patterns, the original technical drawings, so we can replace anything that is missing and identify authentically the watches.”
To fulfil this mission, Sauret has to be very picky when it comes to what examples come into the ‘The Collectibles’ programme for restoration. It needs to be an already strong example that Sauret and his team can anticipate will require as little of an overhaul as possible. “What we do in restoration is we buy museum-grade pieces that require very minimal interventions,” Sauret elaborates. “We do not polish. We do not restore the dials. We really try to keep them in their original state as much as possible.”
With this all in mind, a watch purchased through ‘The Collectibles’ will always prioritise originality and integrity, but also leave the factory functional and wearable. Maybe don’t play in a Polo match wearing one of these coveted vintage Reverso examples, though…
What vintage Jaeger-LeCoultre watches are available for purchase?
In my opinion, and likely the opinion of most people, the marquee offering of this fifth Reverso-only capsule collection is the original itself. Having held and examined the watch myself, I have never seen a Reverso from 1931, the year it was launched, in such excellent condition. An unimpeachable, textbook example of what it means to be museum-grade, I honestly thought Sauret had pulled out Jaeger-LeCoultre’s best example of a 1931 Reverso watch from its case in the museum.
The original white paint on the dial has patinated evenly, but not too evenly, into a (not too) pumpkin-y hue that collectors love and gives the dial further gravitas. The case retains its definition, with the lines of the lugs and subtle curvature of the case retained, along with strong gadroons (even after 95 years).
Rare for its time, this two-tone 9k gold Reverso from 1936 is driven by the Calibre 410, the first in-house movement designed for the Reverso. Its dial is perfectly imperfect, aged to a warm vanilla hue that gives it strong character. An if-you-know-you-know characteristic of the dial Sauret pointed out to me is the execution of the hour numerals, which are not applied to the dial. Instead, they are “punched” from the back. By working with “punch tiles”, artisans were able to keep the dial and watch as thin as possible while still retaining a strong three-dimensional effect.
The same “punched dial” technique can be found in this transitional Reverso example, a post-1937 model that branded Jaeger-LeCoultre on the dial for the first time. Like the two-tone example, the black dial is clean but not devoid of character or ageing, a natural beauty if you will, and has a case that retains strong definition and shape.
If the 1931 Reverso was presented as the clear fan-favourite of the eight, or likely the most desirable, the Reverso that Sauret appeared to be most excited about during our meeting was the above Reverso 1931 Cordonnet. This is due to its highly unusual cord strap, forged in chrome, that Sauret exclaimed he had never seen before. If the Product & Heritage Director of a watch brand has never encountered a particular example of a watch from the Maison he works for before, it speaks volumes as to the special nature of the watch and its rarity! The fact that such a rare example is also presented in museum-grade condition is very much the watch-collector cherry on top.
Rounding out the back half of the capsule collection are various Reverso 1931 Dame watches, a narrower version of the Reverso designed with femininity in mind. Two of the examples, one in steel and one in yellow gold, each have black dials akin to the original 1931 Reverso – beautifully aged painted indices and a Reverso-only-branded dial. The other two examples, both steel, feature a geometric framing of hour numerals, but the white dial example is double-signed with the retailer name ‘Golay Fils & Sthal Genéve’ at the 12 o’clock position.
Why is the 5th capsule collection of ‘The Collectibles’ being presented in New York City?
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Though firmly a Swiss watch, the Reverso has always been an Art Deco icon, and though Art Deco is by no means exclusive to New York City, many of its iconic, towering buildings are. “Even though New York City is not the city that invented Art Deco, it is a city that was certainly marked by Art Deco,” Sauret tells me. “The Reverso, its lines, its proportions, its indexes, its sharp lines, is really the watch of Art Deco.”
These eight vintage Reverso watches are available now for purchase through ‘The Collectibles’ programme. However, should you wish to get hands-on with these pieces, you can do so exclusively at Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Madison Avenue boutique in New York City (701 Madison Ave) from February 5 to February 23, 2026.