Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Perpetual Calendar - Box & Papers - Like new/stickered

Origin

Few watchmakers can claim a single decade that fundamentally reshaped one of their greatest creations. For Jaeger-LeCoultre, the 1990s became precisely that moment.

Following the 60th Anniversary celebrations of the Reverso in 1991, La Grande Maison embarked on an ambitious series of six landmark editions, each limited to 500 pieces. Together, they demonstrated the extraordinary potential of the reversible case, transforming a design originally conceived for the polo fields into a platform for some of the manufacture’s most ambitious horological achievements.

The six editions form a remarkable chronological sequence:

• 1991 – Reverso 60th Anniversary
• 1993 – Reverso Tourbillon
• 1994 – Reverso Minute Repeater
• 1996 – Reverso Chronograph Retrograde
• 1998 – Reverso Geographic
• 2000 – Reverso Perpetual Calendar

The watch offered here represents the final chapter of this six-part series. Produced at the turn of the millennium, the Reverso Perpetual Calendar brought together one of traditional watchmaking’s most demanding complications with the distinctive architecture of the Reverso. It stands as the culmination of a decade in which Jaeger-LeCoultre continually explored the technical and aesthetic possibilities of its most recognisable creation.

More than a limited edition in its own right, the Reverso Perpetual Calendar, reference Q2152420, occupies a particularly meaningful position within this lineage: the sixth and final instalment of a series that showcased the breadth of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s expertise in complications, from the tourbillon and minute repeater to the retrograde chronograph and, ultimately, the perpetual calendar.

The Watch

Executed in 18ct rose gold, the Reverso Perpetual Calendar combines the warmth of precious metal with the architectural precision that has defined the collection for nearly a century. Its elongated rectangular case retains the unmistakable proportions of the Grand Taille Reverso, offering an elegant presence while accommodating a remarkable amount of horological information across its two faces.

The front dial is a study in texture and organisation. A distinct central guilloché finish create a subtle interplay of light, separating the different areas of the dial without compromising its overall harmony. The contrasting patterns introduce depth and visual rhythm, allowing the various indications to remain legible while lending the silver-toned surface a richness that reveals itself gradually as the watch catches the light.

The main dial displays the hours and minutes, accompanied by a small seconds register and a day/night indication. A dedicated leap-year indication provides an additional reference for the perpetual calendar mechanism. Despite the number of functions presented, the arrangement remains composed.

Reverse the case, and the watch reveals an entirely different calendar display with a different guilloché pattern as the front. A retrograde date indicator sweeps across its arc before returning to its starting point, bringing movement and animation to the otherwise static calendar indications. The moonphase adds a more poetic dimension, while dedicated displays for the day of the week and month complete the perpetual calendar.

This two-sided arrangement is central to the appeal of the Reverso Perpetual Calendar. Rather than compressing every function onto a single dial, Jaeger-LeCoultre distributed the indications across both faces of the reversible case, creating two complementary expressions of the same complication: one focused on the time and its daily indications, the other dedicated to the passage of the calendar.

The result is a Reverso of considerable technical ambition, yet one that never loses sight of the elegance and restraint at the heart of its design.

The Movement

At the heart of the watch lies Jaeger-LeCoultre’s manually wound Calibre 855, an in-house movement developed to bring a perpetual calendar to the distinctive architecture of the Reverso.

The perpetual calendar is among traditional watchmaking’s most sophisticated complications. By accounting for the varying lengths of the months and the leap-year cycle, it requires no manual correction for the ordinary calendar until the year 2100, when the Gregorian calendar omits a leap year.

In the Reverso Perpetual Calendar, this mechanism is integrated into a movement designed specifically around the watch’s dual-sided display. The front and reverse work together as a coherent system, with the time and day/night indications on one side and the more extensive calendar information on the other.

The calibre is a fitting centrepiece for the final instalment of the six limited editions: a technically ambitious movement housed within one of the most enduring designs in twentieth-century watchmaking.

How It Wears

The rectangular rose gold case gives the Reverso Perpetual Calendar a distinctive presence without sacrificing refinement. Its elongated proportions lend it a natural elegance beneath a cuff, while the warmth of the gold brings softness to the otherwise architectural lines.

What distinguishes the wearing experience is the interaction between the two faces. The front offers a traditional reading of the time, enhanced by its day/night and leap-year indications. Turning the case reveals the more intricate calendar display, with its retrograde date and moonphase providing a different visual character.

It is a watch that rewards curiosity. Every reversal reveals another aspect of the manufacture’s work, making the case itself an integral part of the experience rather than simply a defining design feature.

The perpetual calendar adds genuine horological substance, while the Reverso’s proportions ensure that the watch remains elegant, balanced and unmistakably recognisable.

Condition & Set

This example is presented in extraordinary condition, bordering on New Old Stock, with an exceptional provenance that makes it particularly compelling to the discerning collector.

Originally retained by an official Jaeger-LeCoultre retailer for more than 26 years, the watch remained in stock throughout this period and was worn by the retailer’s sales manager only on very special occasions. It has never been polished and has recently been serviced by the retailer.

Remarkably, the original factory protective stickers remain in place on the caseback and on the inside of the brancard. Their survival, together with the untouched case surfaces, is a testament to the exceptional care with which this example has been preserved.

The watch is accompanied by an extensive original set, comprising:

• Original outer box
• Original wooden presentation box
• Limited Edition Certificate
• Warranty papers
• Jaeger-LeCoultre gloves
• Original pin pusher
• Original pouch
• Original JLC alligator strap

A rare opportunity to acquire the final edition in Jaeger-LeCoultre’s six-part Reverso series, preserved with its original protective stickers, a substantial original set and more than a quarter-century of documented retail provenance.

If you desire to take a closer look at this precious timepiece, don't hesitate to contact us and make an appointment. We are based in Ghent, Belgium

No stock kept on site

Every watch is delivered in a Mr WATCHLEY Membrane Protection Box for a safe transportation in addition to its original set *