Thinking outside the (watch) box with Jaeger-LeCoultre and designer Henry Wilson
D.C. HannayIf you’ve been collecting watches for any meaningful length of time, you’ve probably got the storage of said timepieces sorted out. But let me ask you this: do you actually display your watches? No doubt a great deal of time, effort and thought has gone into curating your collection. It should be a reflection of your personal taste, so shouldn’t your precious watches be displayed in an equally thoughtful manner? Sadly, save from a single rather pedestrian glass-topped box, most of mine are out of view, which is a shame, because I do enjoy them, even when they’re not on the wrist.
Well, Swiss watchmakers Jaeger-LeCoultre, in collaboration with Australian designer Henry Wilson, have released a rather stunning solution. More than a mere watch stand or box (or even a glass cage of emotion), Wilson’s Time & Place is a beautiful, exclusive, and frankly clever sculpture designed to showcase your precious timepiece. Clever how?
Designed as a homage to JLC’s most revered design, the iconic Reverso, Time & Place is, coincidentally, double-sided. The Reverso, originally conceived to flip so the caseback becomes the front in order to protect the face of the watch during the rigours of a competitive polo match, was a totally unique concept upon introduction, and the Time & Place sculpture mirrors the design in several ways. You can display your Reverso in a lay-flat configuration, or turn the sculpture over and show off two watches on their side with their straps fastened. Suffice to say, you haven’t seen a presentation quite like this before.
Each sculpture is cast in your choice of either bronze or aluminium, and both have a distinctly industrial feel, with subtle imperfections and surface markings that render every piece unique. And in a little extra touch of luxe, the areas where your watches reside are fully lined in leather. Honestly, this is too good for the dresser. Time & Place belongs on a tabletop or desk in full view.
Other touches celebrating the Reverso’s Art Deco aesthetic include three layers representing the three gaudrons, echoing the watch’s case design, as well as the rectangular and curved shapes that catch the light depending on your angle of view. Henry Wilson’s overall artistic ethos is one that celebrates industrial surfaces and the random imperfections in materials, and in that regard, Time & Place is a triumph. You can be assured that each piece is unique, as unique as your own personal collection. The Reverso was ahead of its time when it was introduced 90 years ago, and its design proves to be as classic today as it was forward-thinking back then.
Time & Place is exclusively available as a gift with purchase to customers at either Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Sydney or Melbourne Boutiques when they buy any watch or clock from now while stocks last.