Jaeger-LeCoultre - The 2021 New York Watch Auction New York Saturday, December 11, 2021 | Phillips
  • Manufacturer: Jaeger-LeCoultre
    Year: 2012
    Reference No: Q373 35 EI: 273.3.62
    Case No: Numbered 28/50; 2’820’397
    Model Name: Reverso Série Limitée
    Material: 18K white gold
    Calibre: Manual, cal. 822, 21 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Leather
    Clasp/Buckle: 18K white gold Jaeger-LeCoultre pin buckle
    Dimensions: 30mm Width by 48.5mm Length
    Signed: Case, dial, movement, and buckle signed.
    Accessories: Accompanied by Certificate of Origin, Guarantee Certificate dated 29th December 2012, instruction booklet, inner fitted box, and outer presentation box.

  • Catalogue Essay

    Launched in 1931, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso wristwatch was designed for polo players who found their watches were often damaged during matches. The model became one of the most beloved rectangular timepieces of the 20th century with an ingenious case design, which flips over thus protecting the crystal. The polo player could wear their wristwatch during chukkers without risk of damage. Since its launch, the Reverso has been produced in countless variations, from simple time-only models to more complicated examples with perpetual calendar, tourbillon and minute repeater.

    Simple and elegant in form, but commanding in presence, the present Reverso is a limited edition of fifty pieces from 2013, rendered in 18K white gold with a blue enamel dial. The lustre of white gold and the brilliant azure dial is an intoxicating combination. Large, Breguet-style Arabic numerals add legibility as well as elegance, and the placards bearing the maker and model name stand out proudly. The dial itself is a masterpiece of enameling, having endured twenty individual firings in a kiln, with the precise temperature and timing a mystery to all but the master artisan. The final layer of translucent enamel lends additional vibrancy and ensures durability. The guilloché motif swirls out from the center of the dial; first floral in appearance and then melding into an almost cloud-like design. All this is completed, start to finish, entirely by hand.

    The present example has been preserved in absolutely crisp condition over the past decade, with little signs of wear. Only 50 total examples were created in 2012, and it is a rare occurrence that they appear publicly. Paired with perhaps a cobalt blue suede strap, or a navy alligator, there’s no chance of the blues when wearing this timepiece .

  • Artist Biography

    Jaeger-LeCoultre

    Swiss • 1833

    Not all companies in the watchmaking field have been able to stand the test of time quite like Jaeger LeCoultre, also known as the "watchmaker's watchmaker." Founded in 1833 by Antoine LeCoultre and originally named LeCoutre, the firm provided watchmaking's top brands, such as Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet, the high-grade, unfinished mechanical movements with which they completed their watches.

    In the early 1900s, Cartier's watch supplier Edmond Jaeger sought out LeCoultre's help in creating the world's thinnest watches. The collaboration resulted in the creation of Cartier's earliest Tank and Santos watches, all housed with LeCoultre movements. The duo decided to merge in 1937, and the firm officially became the Jaeger-LeCoultre brand by which collectors know and adore it today. Some of the firm's most significant and important timepieces include the Reverso, the Memovox, the Atmos clock and, among modern watches, their Master Complications.

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Ref. Q373 35 EI: 273.3.62
A handsome and striking white gold limited edition wristwatch with enamel dial, numbered 28 of 50, with certificate and presentation box

2012
30mm Width by 48.5mm Length
Case, dial, movement, and buckle signed.

Estimate
$8,000 - 16,000 
CHF7,400-14,700
€7,100-14,100
HK$62,400-125,000

Sold for $22,680

Contact Specialist

Paul Boutros

Head of Watches, Americas

+1 (212) 940-1293

WatchesNY@Phillips.com

 

The 2021 New York Watch Auction

New York Auction 11 - 12 December 2021