Jaeger lecoultre reverso tribute calendar front

Jaeger-LeCoultre London exhibition is a step back in time

Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre is hosting an exhibition in London with a focus on its iconic Reverso watch.

The exhibition, being held at Christie’s, the historic British auction house in London’s South Kensington, until June 9, explores the history behind the Reverso watch, which has been reinvented over the last 85 years.

The story of the Reverso began in 1931 when a British army officer, who had broken the glass of his watch during a polo match, raised the challenge to create a model sufficiently robust to survive a polo match unscathed.

This challenge, successfully accomplished by the manufacture at the time, led to the creation of the Reverso watch with a swivelling case to protect the dial and movement inside.

While originally created for sportsmen, the Reverso took on the classic design codes of the Art Deco period.

UK brand director Zahra Kassim-Lakha said: “The is simply no other watch that has remained as modern and relevant for chic women and stylish men as the Reverso. It is so beautifully made in-house, so rich in watchmaking authenticity, and it exudes more than ever that seductive and daring spirit of the pioneers of the 1930s. And with “Atelier Reverso” we proudly return to the original intent of Reverso, and that is made-to-measure.”

The Reverso watch is the focus of the exhibition, with key exhibits including the first-ever Reverso watch and the gold Reverso with Edward VIII engraved on the caseback, a poignant reminder of the king’s abdication in the name of love for the American socialite Wallis Simpson.

The exhibition also displays some of the latest models presented during SIHH 2017 and celebrates  Jaeger-LeCoultre’s rare handcrafts (Métiers Rares).

Jaeger-LeCoultre entered the UK market in the 1850s and has maintained a relationship with Christie’s ever since.

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