Jaeger-LeCoultre, Reverso (book)

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Jaeger-LeCoultre, Reverso (book) by Nicholas Foulkes. Silk hardcover in a luxury slipcase. Publisher: Assouline. 2021. New book in French in blister pack. 200 pages and 150 illustrations. Format: 11.02×14.17×1.57 inches. Weight: 6.50lb.

This richly illustrated volume traces the history of one of the world’s most iconic wristwatches through archival images and original photographs, as well as an evocative text by Nicholas Foulkes, renowned author, historian, journalist, and watchmaker.

Born in 1931, at the height of the Art Deco period, the Reverso was created to meet the challenge of designing a wristwatch capable of withstanding the rigors of polo matches. It captured the very essence of that era, a time when the spirit of modernity revolutionized everything, from social mores to architecture, music, sports, and all areas of design. Embodying this spirit with its pure form and unique reversible case, the Reverso has remained an eternal expression of modernity for 90 years, constantly reinventing itself without ever compromising its identity. Its raw metal back, initially purely functional, has become a medium for creative expression, adorned with enamel, engravings, and precious stones.

In addition to the history of the watch and its evolution over the past nine decades—with more than 50 calibers and several hundred dials—the book explores the social milieu and cultural shifts that presided over the Reverso’s creation and, later, its perpetual reinvention. It shares the testimonies of more than a dozen Reverso owners who have personalized their watches in deeply meaningful ways. It also tells the fascinating story of the founders of Jaeger-LeCoultre, their inventions which have profoundly marked the history of watchmaking, and the development of the House as an integrated manufacture bringing together 180 skills under one roof.

Feel free to check out the additional photos at the top left, thank you!

If you prefer to pay in euros, =before= you start ordering, you must click on the word “Français” in orange, under the main photo above, which will redirect you to the same description in French and payment in Euros.