Strapped for time: Grande Reverso Ultra Thin 1931 by Jaeger-LeCoultre

Jaeger-LeCoultre has a remarkable heritage of pieces that have achieved fame rivalling that of the company name. “Reverso” for many years was even more familiar than Jaeger-LeCoultre. The story is by now familiar: the invention of a watch with a case that could be reversed to protect the watchglass, specifically for British colonial army polo players. It soon became popular with watch fans at large, fascinated by the mechanism of the swivel case and by the unmistakable Art Deco forms of the dial.

For the 80th anniversary of the Reverso in 2011, Jaeger-LeCoultre presented the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin Tribute to 1931, which mirrored the original but with the benefits of contemporary technology, in the form of an ultra-thin case. This was followed by the Grande Reverso Rouge with a deep red dial in 2012, and the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin Duoface Blue in 2013. For 2014, Jaeger-LeCoultre has presented another colour version, the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin 1931 with pink gold case and a chocolate-toned dial. The case is 27.4 mm in width, 46.8 mm high.
The dial is the classic arrangement, with 12 o’clock numeral and the other hours shown by baton-shaped hour-markers. The hour and minute hands have a dagger-type profile. The small seconds at 6 o’clock takes the form of a rectangular subdial. And the only indication of the brand is “REVERSO”, providing an indication of just how powerful this name has become.

Ultra-thin case, new strap
The watch is 7.3 mm thick, and this includes the swivelling mechanism and a movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 822/2, just 2.95 mm thick. The movement is manually-wound, with a power reserve of 45 hours. Customers can choose from a variety of strap options, but with this watch, along with the matt brown alligator leather strap, Jaeger-LeCoultre is supplying a second strap crafted by Casa Fagliano, a company established in 1892 in the capital of Buenos Aires, specializing in bespoke polo boots. The Casa Fagliano straps are in cordovan leather, strong, durable and supple. Ideal for a watch with a heritage linked to the sport of polo. This watch has the Reference Q2782560. The price of the watch is USD 18,800.

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