The Watch: The Reverso was born in 1931 from a complaint on a polo field in British India, where army officers kept shattering their watch crystals mid-match. Jaeger-LeCoultre's answer was a rectangular case that swivels in its cradle to hide the dial against the wrist, an Art Deco design so complete that it has barely changed in nearly a century. It remains one of the few watches that is instantly recognizable from across a room.
The Duo models turned the Reverso's party trick into a complication. Instead of a blank caseback, flipping the case reveals a second dial displaying a second time zone, both faces driven by a single hand-wound movement, the in-house caliber 986. The front carries a silvered guilloche dial with blued hands, a small seconds register, and a date display beneath 12. The reverse goes black with a 24 hour day and night indicator, giving the watch two entirely distinct personalities depending on which face is showing.
The Grande case measures 48.5mm by 30mm, giving the Reverso genuine wrist presence while keeping the slim rectangular proportions that define it. For travelers, it may be the most elegant dual time solution ever devised.
This 2015 example comes as a full set in very good condition, showing light wear consistent with careful use.
