Available in both rose gold and its classic material, stainless steel, the Reverso Chronographe measures in at 49.4mm in length, and 29mm in width – a classic size for a Reverso. The rose gold version features a black dial with gilt hour markers and dauphine hands, and the stainless steel model sports a steel blue dial – a colour that is achieved with a technique called Atomic Layer Deposition, where ultra-thin layers of titanium oxide is deposited onto the dial, achieving the distinctive blue hue.

This side of the watch belies its complexity, with only hours and minutes being seen on this side of the dial. Flipping the watch over, we see a skeletonised dial also featuring the time through dauphine hands, but with the chronograph seconds indications on an inner 60 seconds dial, and at 6 o’clock is a 30 minute counter displaying this information in retrograde format.

This watch takes inspiration from the 1996 Reverso Chronograph, where it too, displayed the chronograph on the reverse side of the watch. The main difference between these two watches is the movement – where the 1996 Reverso Chronograph housed the calibre 829, the first manually wound integrated chronograph to be developed in the post-quartz era, the new 2023 Reverso Chronographe houses the calibre 860 – this movement removes the operation indicator of the original 1996 Reverso Chronograph, as well as a few other technical upgrades. The movement is a column wheel controlled chronograph, with a horizontal clutch – features that follow the traditions of Haute Horlogerie.

The movement also features modern upgrades, like a 28,800 vph beat rate, and a longer power reserve – 52 hours for this watch. With all things considered, it is a respectable set of stats, considering the fact the watch powers two dials as well as a chronograph. This is all incorporated into a movement that is not only rectangular shaped to match the rectangular shaped Reverso, but also enables the watch to be less than 12mm thick. 

On the surface, the new Reverso Chronograph is a watch that encourages you to look closer into the details, and for those that love the classical aesthetics of the Reverso, this is another watch that will make you sit up and look at its golden ratio good looks, as well as the capabilities of its movement. For those looking for a dress watch, it is really hard to go past this watch that combines the history of the 1930s and the category defining movement design of the 90s – this is a watch that should get you to look past simple good looks, and to discover how watches work, giving you further education into this world that is equal parts mysterious and beautiful.

Technical Specifications

REVERSO TRIBUTE CHRONOGRAPH

Case: Pink Gold 750/1000 (18 carats) or steel

Dimensions: 49.4 x 29.9 mm x 11.14 mm thick

Calibre: Manually-wound Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 860

Functions: Hours and minutes on both dials, Chronograph with retrograde 30-minute counter

Power reserve: 52 hours

Front dial: Black or blue-grey sunray-brushed

Back dial: Skeletonised

Water resistance: 30m

Strap package: Fagliano Collection calf leather and canvas strap and additional calf leather strap

Reference: Pink gold Q389257J; Steel Q389848J

In order to remain fresh and relevant though, one area in which the watch industry enjoys experimentation is through different dial colours – we have often seen blue, grey and tones of brown make their debuts throughout the years. In the last two years however, we have seen a verdant explosion of green dials, not only in models focused for more casual wear, but also permeating through classically designed watches as well. In 2021, we have seen this trend persist through the releases at the recent Watches and Wonders show in Geneva – here we will explore some of the best green watches that have been released this year.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Small Seconds Green

The Art Deco legend from La Grande Maison receives the green treatment this year, with a sunburst finishing radiating from the centre of its dial that brings subtle changes to its appearance, depending on the way the light hits it. Everything else is classic Reverso, including a small seconds indicator, Dauphine hands and the emblematic Art Deco gadroons at the top and bottom of its swivelling case. The reverse side is a blank canvas – for the owner to leave clean as a reminder of its Polo origins, or for personalisation (models of the past are renowned for having their owner’s initials engraved on the reverse side). The watch is mounted on a green calf-skin strap in the signature Casa Fagliano style with the stitched fold close to the lugs, and powering the watch is the in-house Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 822/2 – a manually wound shaped movement that features in much of the Reverso line.

Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A-014 with Green Dial

With the “it” watch of the last few years being discontinued, the Patek Philippe Nautilus Reference 5711 has its last hurrah with the 5711/1A-014, featuring a subtle olive green dial to be produced for the year of 2021 only. The rest remains familiar – its Gerald Genta design featuring a case and bracelet that has a strong interplay between its satin brushed and polished elements, requiring 55 steps in the process of its finissage. It is a watch that has remained bold in its execution since 1976, with its porthole-inspired design embodying a casual elegance that is virtually unmatched by other watches of a similar ilk. Housed within the stainless steel case is an improved version of Patek Philippe’s reliable Calibre 324 S C – the 26-330 S C upgrades this movement with an improved winding system and hacking seconds. All in all, a fitting send off for the legendary Nautilus Ref. 5711/1A, something that is sure to have collectors champing at the bit to get their hands on one.

Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight 18K

For what was originally meant to be a tribute to tool watches of yore, the Black Bay Fifty-Eight welcomes a precious metal version in 18K Yellow Gold with a green dial in 2021. Sporting an entirely brushed finish, the Black Bay Fifty-Eight 18K manages to make this usually loud material into something rather understated, and even suggests a form of utilitarian toughness. The green of this dial is also slightly muted, whilst simultaneously complementing the yellow gold case with its gilt markers and Snowflake hands. It may not make sense at first, but once you take a deeper dive with the watch, there is an intangible understanding of the method behind the madness. Housed within the 200m water resistant case is the Tudor in-house Calibre MT5400, that is visible behind a sapphire crystal caseback – a rarity amongst watches from Tudor.

Rolex Datejust 36 with Palm Motif Dial

Evoking a lush green tropical forest, the Rolex Datejust 36 with Palm Motif Dial brings the essence of the wild to the wrist. This watch exhibits Rolex’s commitment to dial-making, showing off the Palm Motif in two shades of green, on an olive green background. Whilst this may sound like the colours would blend into each other, the reality is that the shades are distinctive enough for the Palm Motif to be made out, even at just a glance. This variant was presented to us in an Oystersteel case with domed bezel, mounted on an Oyster bracelet. Housed within the 36mm case is the Rolex Calibre 3235, with additions such as the Chronergy escapement that aids with movement efficiency and enabling a 70 hour power reserve, as well as holding the Rolex Superlative Chronometer certification –  guaranteeing timekeeping thresholds of -2/+2 seconds per day.

Panerai Luminor Marina eSteel PAM01356, Verde Smeraldo

A green dial for an environmentally friendly watch – fitting for a watch featuring the debut of Panerai’s eSteel. The case of the Luminor Marina eSteel contains 89 grams of recycled steel, which, out of the 152.4 grams of the total weight of the watch, comprises 58.4% of the total weight. This includes the trademark crown-protection system that is the signature element of the Panerai Luminor line. This development is remarkable, because it signifies the arrival of Panerai into sustainable watch manufacturing, whereas many other watch manufactures will use virgin  material for the construction of their watches. This notion of sustainability goes right down to the strap and buckle – the strap being crafted out of recycled textiles, and the buckle being hewn from the same eSteel as the watch case. Powering the watch is the in-house Calibre P.9010, automatically wound with 3 days of power reserve. The Verde Smeraldo version, PAM01356, is a boutique and eCommerce exclusive – if you want one of the greenest watches out there (literally and figuratively), best to talk to Panerai as soon as you can.

Cartier Tank Must

Bringing back an aesthetic of the 80s back into the present-day, the new Cartier Tank Must features a set of three monochromatic colours that echo the spirit of the original Tank Must models of the late 70s and early 80s. In particular, a Green dial version is the latest addition to this series, having never before been offered in the Must collection of yore. A vibrant addition to the series, the green is certainly vibrant and eye-catching. The watches feature a dial with no markings – freeing itself from traditional watchmaking design cues, and creating a clean slate of colour. Housed in a stainless steel case, the Tank Must is powered by a Quartz movement, and mounted on a matching strap respective to its dial colour.

Montblanc Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition 18 – Lime Gold

Minerva is undoubtedly the unsung hero of Montblanc, creating some of the finest watches that the industry has to offer. For 2021, the brand introduces a slight variation of green to their Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition 18 – a case crafted of their exclusive material, Lime Gold. An 18K alloy of Gold (750 parts/1000), Silver (238 parts/1000) and Iron (12 parts/1000), this combination gives a distinctive greenish hue to what is normally a yellow metal. The intended effect is to evoke a sense of vintage aesthetics through its colour – combined with the Cathedral hands, green numerals and the gold coloured dial, the watch certainly evokes the sense that it is from another era. This combined with the colimacon (snail) tachymetre scale, further reinforces the old-world feel of this watch. When the watch is turned over and viewed through the sapphire crystal caseback, we see the gorgeous Minerva Calibre MB M16.31 – traditionally hand finished with bridges crafted of German Silver that has been coated with 18k gold. A manually-wound, monopusher split-second chronograph movement, the watch contains two column wheels to control the chronograph and its ingenious split second mechanism.

IWC Schaffhausen Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 – Green Dial

The IWC Schaffhausen Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 is traditionally a design that is conservative, with a black dial echoing the original “Mark” series wrist watches first issued to the RAF in the late 40s and 50s. In recent times, however, we have seen blue and brown dials, paying tribute to Le Petit Prince and Antoine de Saint Exupery respectively. For Watches and Wonders 2021, we see an unusual addition to this line, a green dial version of the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 in regular production. Appearing as a rich, dark green, it almost resembles British Racing Green in its tones – the sunburst finishing on the dial definitely helps with this. This new model also features the brand’s EasX-CHANGE system, that enables quick strap changes between bracelet and leather options. Housed within the watch is the in-house Calibre 69385 movement, an Automatic Chronograph movement visible from its sapphire crystal caseback.

TAG Heuer Aquaracer – Green Dial Titanium

The Aquaracer, is a favourite first watch for many people who like watches (certainly in Australia), and this year, it has been given a facelift and an upgrade, particularly in the materials department. Most notably, the green version of this watch now features a titanium case and bracelet, bringing lightness and comfort to this model, in addition to its toughness and high water resistance. The horizontal ridges of the previous models are retained, whilst the ceramic bezel now features a sunburst brushing with a yellow triangle at 12. The bracelet clasp also receives an upgrade, now equipped with a fine adjustment system that is operational even whilst the watch is on the wrist. Housed within the titanium case is the TAG Heuer Calibre 5 Automatic, featuring the date at 6 o’clock.

Speake-Marin One&Two Openworked Dual Time Mint

Bold and contemporary with its choice of colour, the Speake-Marin One&Two Openworked is a mint green number with a DLC coated case. Coming in either 38mm or 42mm case sizes, the brand’s signature Piccadilly case is modernised to enable a better fit on the wrist by integrating the strap closer to the case itself. This duality of the anachronistic, yet modern case lends itself to the movement that hosts the audacious choices of colour. The Calibre SMA02 incorporates darkened bridges on the dial side, as well as a mint green backdrop that accentuates these structures. In addition, the subdials at 1:30 and 9:00 (for the sub-seconds and the dual time respectively), feature mint green accents for an extra colour pop. The movement is also wound through a micro-rotor, and also features a retrograde date underneath the seconds subdial.

Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept La Cotes aux Fees Edition

Coming in at only 2mm thick, the Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept remains the thinnest mechanical watch in the world – to honour the place where Piaget continues to further the art of ultra-thin, the brand unveils the Altiplano Ultimate Concept La Cotes Aux Fees Edition, with green integrated components that echo the forests and green fields that surround the manufacture. This watch began its journey in 2018 as a true concept watch, and it was unknown to the public whether this would become a production piece. In 2020, a production version was realised, officially making it the thinnest mechanical watch in regular production. The case, mainplate and bezel is all one piece, and is machined out of a cobalt alloy for rigidity. All of the movement components are placed into the case to reduce its case height to the extremes, and even the crown is rectangular and telescopic to reduce the overall thickness of the watch.

Green on watches is a colour that, when done right, can be incredibly wearable and complementary to many wardrobes. In addition, some of these watches with exceptional colour hold exceptional movements, as seen in some of the examples above. We at ISOCHRONO believe that there is no doubt that green is here to stay, being a welcome addition to many watch collections.

It has been 90 years since the inception of the Reverso, and it has seen many iterations during its lifetime. From its original design with the stainless steel back in 1931, to models featuring more complications such as dual-faced versions first introduced in 1994. Since the late 20th Century, haute horologerie is no stranger to the Reverso, most notably with Gyrotourbillon models featuring prominently in collections past. In 2021, following on from the release of the latest Reverso model in the Hybris Mechanica collection, the brand continues to celebrate this emblematic model with the Reverso Tribute Nonantieme (the last word being Swiss-French for 90th).

For the first 60 years of the existence of the Reverso, complications were not even a consideration for this legendary model line – as we all know, the main purpose of the Reverso was to have the front telling the time, and the back protecting the fragile glass. This changed in 1991, with an anniversary model celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Reverso, the Soixantieme (French for 60th). This was the first Reverso that set the tone of complicated Reverso models – the Soixantieme including a power reserve indicator, date and small seconds, along with an exhibition caseback exhibiting its shaped movement. 

After this foundation model, the brand released more complicated Reverso watches, including a Tourbillon model in 1993, the Reverso Repetition Minutes in 1994 (a watch that marked the first time that Jaeger-LeCoultre miniaturised the minute repeater for a wristwatch), and in 1996, a chronograph model that elegantly positioned the chronograph display on the reverse side of the watch, arranging these in an elegant fashion for a rectangular case, and keeping the timekeeping side uncluttered.

The Reverso Tribute Nonantieme is a limited edition of 190 pieces worldwide, and continues this tradition of a complicated Reverso watch to celebrate a significant decade, but not in the way we might all be expecting. On the front of the watch is a silvered dial with sunburst finishing, featuring applied markers and dauphine hands. A big-date display can be seen at 12 with gold framing around the numerals, and a moon phase indicator at 6 o’clock. This area also houses the running seconds hand, keeping the front dial clean and elegant, befitting of a Reverso. Upon flipping the case around, however, we see a new expression of timekeeping that Jaeger-LeCoultre introduces to the Reverso for the first time. 

On the reverse side, we see a digital display of the time, with the hours in the aperture at the top, and the minutes being indicated by the disc at the bottom of the figure-of-eight shaped cut out. The centre of this display includes a day/night indicator, and surrounding this indicator is a three-quarter plate that is lacquered in a vivid blue that fill the spaces below the stars in relief.

This conceals some of the minutes disc in a beautiful way, and is accomplished by the artisans in the “Atelier des Metiers Rares” – no doubt a gorgeous addition to this side of the Reverso Tribute Nonantieme. Housed within this celebratory Reverso is the in-house Calibre 826, comprising 230 components, showing the same time on each side of the watch for both time displays.

We most certainly expected to see something like the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Nonantieme, being the 90th anniversary of such an important watch and an icon of design. What was not expected from us at ISOCHRONO was how elegant and understated this was executed – complications can sometimes be a little overwhelming, but trust La Grande Maison to figure out a way to incorporate these in a way that is minimalistic, and yet encourages physical interaction with the watch to discover more about it. The Reverso Tribute Nonantieme is most certainly the post-show surprise we needed, ticking all the boxes that a Reverso should – elegant, understated, and highlighting the elements of craftsmanship befitting of Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Taking around 6 years to develop, the Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 (also known as the Hybris Mechanica Quadriptyque) packs the 11 complications into a manually-wound movement in a case that is relatively wearable – with a size of 31mm width, by 51mm length and 15mm case height. 

Its front face displays its flying tourbillon at the 7 o’clock position, making one revolution every minute. Subtle perpetual calendar information is displayed near 12 o’clock for the day and month, a leap year indicator at 1 o’clock position, and a Grande Date at the 5 o’clock position – to further highlight the precision involved in the manufacture of this timepiece, all of these indications change instantaneously at midnight. In addition, a day/night indicator is displayed at 11 o’clock. Much of this front face shows off guillochage of the movement plates and bridges themselves, with the signature Reverso Clous de Paris, as well as the blued sword shaped hands.  

The rear face of the Hybris Mechanica Quadriptyque houses the minute repeater mechanism, fully displaying the hammers, gongs and the silent governor of the minute repeater. This side also displays a jumping digital hour time display, with the hours displayed in an aperture, and the minutes indicated by a red hand. On this side, the sound making innovations of La Grande Maison can be seen – their trebuchet hammers that give extra power to the striking of the gongs, to the square gongs that present a greater surface area for the gongs to strike. In addition, like many of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s minute repeaters before it, the gongs are attached to the sapphire crystal glass, providing more opportunity for the sound to reverberate outwards from the watch. The last feature of this side can only be heard when the minute repeater is activated – on sections of the chiming sequence where there are no quarters to be heard, the watch eliminates the gaps between the quarters and the minutes strike, providing an uninterrupted listening experience to the minute repeater chime.

The face incorporated into the cradle of the Reverso case displays the celestial indications, including the synodic, draconic and anomalistic cycles of the moon. The synodic cycle is indicated by the indicator at the top, and is your traditional moonphase indication for the Northern Hemisphere – Full Moon, New Moon, Waxing Crescent, Waning Crescent, etcetera. To the bottom left of the case carriage is the draconic cycle indicator of the moon – this enables the prediction of solar or lunar eclipses by observing when the sun, moon and Earth’s orbits align and intersect, as well as using the synodic cycle indicator to predict a full moon or a new moon. To the right of the draconic cycle indicator is the anomalistic cycle indicator – this predicts the perigee (the closest distance the moon gets to the Earth) and the apogee (the furthest distance the moon goes from the Earth). When the synodic cycle indicator and the anomalistic indicator are used in conjunction with each other, this can predict an event called the Supermoon, when the moon appears much larger and brighter in the night sky. At the bottom of this face is the calendar’s year indicator in a full 4 digit display.

On the rear of the case carriage is the Southern hemisphere at the top of the face, a much appreciated touch for those living Down Under. All of the indications in the case cradle are adjusted by a mechanical pin that descends at midnight and actuates a corrector that advances all of the indications set into the cradle.

The case is crafted of white gold, mounted on a blue alligator strap with deployant clasp, and will be limited to 10 pieces worldwide.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185, then, is a culmination of nearly two decades of exceptional watchmaking that has shaped modern haute horlogerie in the 21st Century. This line continues to push the boundaries of the watchmaking craft, and this is absolutely no exception – a true display of not only watchmaking prowess, but also the decorative arts displayed in the movement as well as the celestial displays through enamelwork and miniature painting. Through this watch, Jaeger-LeCoultre truly earn their name of La Grande Maison, and cement their position as a force in Fine Watchmaking.

With this being said, the one element that has been the talk of our industry, especially in the first half of 2020, was that of the tradeshow. Adi Soon, our editor has written extensively about his opinions on the demise of Baselworld (see his article: The Golden Goose (Baselworld) is Finally Dead), as well as the writer of this article (see Martin Goh’s article: Opinion – Baselworld’s Demise and the Meaning of Privilege).

The future of the watch industry tradeshow seemed very much in doubt last year, with cancellations and “postponements” being a result of the global health crisis – however, one tradeshow went ahead, and showed the possibility that brands bring the impetus needed to a digital version of a tradeshow, and this was Watches and Wonders, formerly the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH).

Four brands that arguably have the largest pull factor to the show – Chanel, Chopard, Patek Philippe and Rolex effectively heralded the death of Baselworld, with many of their executives expressing their dismay at the fair. In particular, Thierry Stern of Patek Philippe summed up their feeling as such: “Today Patek Philippe is not in line with Baselworld’s vision anymore, there have been too many discussions and unsolved problems, trust is no longer present”. As Wined Dined and Timed has written, much of the industry is based on gentlemen’s agreements, agreements that were very much violated during the “postponement” phase of Baselworld during the pandemic.

However, the 2020 edition of Watches and Wonders proved that a digital watch tradeshow can exist, and be successful. Furthermore, a press release dated in November 2020 from the organising committee of Watches and Wonders also shows the future of the watch tradeshow – with the continued pandemic raging in Europe, a digital version of the show was a no-brainer. Curiously, the 4 brands that were supposed to have a show concurrent to Watches and Wonders have now signed on to exhibit at Watches and Wonders – Chanel, Chopard, Patek Philippe and Rolex. This not only demonstrates the viability of the digital tradeshow, but also the level of trust between the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie and the 4 brands that left Baselworld. There is also no doubt that these brands will bring many more visitors to the digital tradeshow, given that their presence at Baselworld drew most of the crowds for watches.

There is no doubt that brands have changed their ways of communication during the pandemic, and rightfully so. However, I do not believe that a digital-only tradeshow or unveiling will be the way of the future. There will always be a place in the luxury industry for physical gatherings, and where possible, these will occur so that journalists and enthusiasts can touch, feel and experience the product. Watches are a part of the luxury industry that still needs physical presence for the watch to have an effect on the viewer, and so I believe that tradeshows will go back to being physical tradeshows when possible, but include much more digital interactivity than ever before. Unveilings may be made live, like with the recent Hublot x Murakami piece that was released at LVMH Watch Week in 2021, and keynote speakers may feature again, like at SIHH 2019 (recommended viewing: https://youtu.be/M9Pqi-QMoQw – Max Busser’s Keynote at SIHH 2019). 

The operation of a simultaneous digital and physical tradeshow will bring much more attendance through the following means – journalists and enthusiasts are brought together in one place to broadcast the new releases, and watch connoisseurs on far-flung sides of the Earth can enjoy the media and created content at their convenience. In this way, it is really a win-win situation for all parties involved – even the brands get more impressions on their pieces. Now, it just comes down to how much the brands are willing to invest into such an omni-channel experience. We can only hope that the brands see the value in this omni-channel method, from first viewing (online through watch media or through advertising) all the way to final purchase that can occur months or years down the line.

For the longest time, Jaeger-LeCoultre has been known as the “Watchmaker’s Watchmaker” – and rightfully so, with its reputation for supplying even the biggest watch maisons with their movements. However, from the nineties to today, the brand has been establishing itself in its own right, creating modern horological masterpieces such as the Gyrotourbillon 1, and the Gustav Klimt inspired Reverso watches and Atmos clocks. The brand has successfully incorporated watchmaking and decorative art techniques under one roof, and this expertise shows itself in the myriad of creations available today. 

In November 2020, Jaeger-LeCoultre unveiled the Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon Moon –  a twist on what is considered their most elegant tourbillon watch.

The Master Ultra Thin case design used for this watch harks back to the elegant dress watches of the 50s and early 60s, whilst highlighting the craft of casemaking with a polished bezel and bevelled lugs. The case is executed in what Jaeger-LeCoultre terms as “Le Grand Rose Gold”, which, similar to Omega’s Sedna Gold or Rolex’s Everose Gold, is more resistant to colour fading, due to the addition of palladium to the mix.

The eggshell dial, dauphine hands and gold applied markers add further refinement to its aesthetic, whilst bringing attention to the tourbillon and moon phase display. Important information such as the “JL” logo date indicator hand, the 31st of the month and the beginning of the moon phase cycle are highlighted in red, giving a small splash of colour to an otherwise conservative dial. The dial exposes the tourbillon at 6 o’clock and has the moon phase indicator at 12 o’clock. All of this combined gives the watch an elegant, refined look, whilst suggesting that there is a horological powerhouse lying beneath the dial.

In modern watchmaking, Jaeger-LeCoultre has come to prominence in some ways for the performance of their tourbillon calibres. At the Concours d’Chronometrie in 2009, Jaeger-LeCoultre entered their Master Tourbillon, housing the Calibre 978, that featured a much higher beat rate (28,800 vph) than most tourbillons, a titanium tourbillon cage to optimise the weight of the cage, and automatic winding. These, coupled with some fine adjustment by the watchmakers meant that it took out the competition that year, placing first out of all divisions. The Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon Moon utilises these characteristics, and adds new functionality to the watch with its Calibre 983.

The moon phase display of the watch displays the Northern Hemisphere information in the aperture, whilst simultaneously displaying Southern Hemisphere moon phases to the left of the indicator. The age of the moon is shown to the right of the moon phase display, and is synchronised by virtue of the double-ended hand. The date display is rather unusual in that the indicators for 15 and 16 are separated by the Tourbillon.

So that the view of the tourbillon is unobstructed, the date hand is engineered so that it jumps clear of the aperture during the changeover. Its tourbillon also takes after its base calibre 978, in that the cage is made of titanium, and shares its beat-rate of 28,800 vph. Shown through the sapphire crystal caseback, the finishing can be observed, with its “soleil” Geneva Stripes that appear to emanate from the centre of the tourbillon bridge and getting wider towards the movement’s periphery. The pink gold rotor is also finely decorated, with mixes of polished and frosted finishes.

As with all watches coming from La Grande Maison, the watch is subjected to the Manufactures 1000 Hour Control testing methods, simulating real-life wear, as well as being delivered with an 8 year warranty.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon Moon adds a poetic complication to a watch that offers serious horological bragging-rights, whilst remaining an elegant and refined choice for those who like their watches to fly somewhat under the radar, or hidden beneath a cuff for one’s own enjoyment.

Click here to go there: https://engraving.jaeger-lecoultre.com/sg/en/choose-case

After you choose the specific model of Reverso that you want engraved, you come to the customisation page and are presented with four possible options for engraving: Initials, Moment (a significant date), Text (a phrase up to 50 characters) or Chinese Zodiac.

As you can see from the screenshots below, the user interface is well laid out, simple to use, and at the end of it you get to see and estimate of how much your engraving will cost. This certainly takes away the uncertainty and makes the planning of gifts much easier.

Here are the details of the options available:

INITIALS : Limited to 3 letters SGD$550, with colour option SGD$350
MOMENT: Enter a significant date SGD$550 (no colour option)
TEXT: Limited to 50 characters including spaces SGD$550
CHINESE ZODIAC: Choose one of the 12 Chinese Zodiac designs SGD$1100, with colour option SGD$350, with complementary date engraving

As you can see, the prices are fair, going up to SGD$1450 if you go for the Zodiac option with colour.

Of course if these options are too simple for you and you want to have something more complex, then you’ll can get a quotation via this link (click below) on the website as well.

Overall, this online tool is very well implemented, and it’s about time that the watch brands make it easy to customise watches for customers. This is certainly a step in the right direction. Imagine, it takes away the uncertainty of your final bill,  a great help if you’re Reverso shopping or want to personalise your own Reverso and have it done to the highest standards by the brand itself, and not by some backstreet engraver who might not know what they are doing.

Also, the fact that this is a service available to all owners of steel or gold Reversos, both new and second-hand, is a nice statement for the brand to make. It is after-all not interested in using the only tool only to promote new sales, but to also add value to the experience of owning a Reverso for existing customers. Now that’s an attitude I can get behind.

Regarding this service, according to Jaeger-LeCoultre, the request for engraving a Reverso can also be made at any official boutique or Point of Sale (retailer), aside from the website. However, clients have to submit their timepiece to a Jaeger-LeCoultre boutique or Point of Sale. This is possibly due to the links already established that can handle the movement of the timepiece to where it will be engraved. Additionally, the engraving can be performed locally in you are located in Australia, Singapore or Hong Kong. Or if not, then it will be done at the Jaeger-LeCoultre manufacture in Switzerland if the request is particularly complex.

Due to the personalised nature of the service, Jaeger-LeCoultre does not specify a standard lead-time, but given the way that the service is set up, I’m assuming that it will be as efficiently done as possible.