With more than 400 patents and nearly two centuries of luxury horology design, the Jaeger-LeCoultre legacy certainly speaks for itself. One of the brand’s most notable creations is the famed “swiveling case,” a patented design that has become a signature of the Reverso watch collection.
To help celebrate the famed timepiece in 2021, to mark the 90th anniversary of the Reverso, the maison created a traveling, immersive exhibition aptly titled “Reverso Stories,” which explores the creative and cultural universe of the watch through four themes: Story of an Icon, Style and Design, Innovation, and Craftsmanship.
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The exhibition, which was inaugurated in Shanghai, has already made stops in Singapore, Seoul, Paris and London. In November, to mark its North American debut, the exhibition will be making a stop in Manhattan.
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Located at Iron 23, the exhibition will be open to the public, free of charge and will run from Nov. 3 to 22, arriving just ahead of the grand opening of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s new flagship on Madison Avenue.
The four “Stories” are supplemented by an immersive digital art installation by Korean artist Yiyun Kang; a space devoted to the video series “In the Making,” which reveals the 180 crafts practiced in the watch’s production; a room dedicated to Japanese artist Hokusai, whose works have been reproduced on Reverso timepieces; the 1931 Café serving an Art Deco-inspired menu of crafted pastries designed and led by award-winning French pastry chef Nina Metayer, a collaboration under the “Made of Makers” program; and hands-on watchmaking workshops within the Atelier d’Antoine.
At the heart of the exhibition, Kang’s multimedia installation titled “Origin” will be presented on a huge three-dimensional screen that has been purpose-built for installation in public spaces. The installation is a tribute to the ubiquity of the Golden Ratio, which builds a parallel between the symmetry in nature and the geometry of Art Deco design, which has been the guiding spirit of the Reverso since 1931.
To further enrich the experience, visitors are able to enroll in Atelier d’Antoine, a series of educational workshops that offer hands-on watchmaking experience that focuses on the Reverso and will be by reservation only.
In addition to its historic timepieces, the exhibit will include the 2023 Reverso models that were launched at Watches and Wonders in Geneva earlier this year, and two new Reverso Tribute Enamel models that will be launched during the New York exhibit.
“The exhibition will allow visitors to discover more than 30 historical Reverso from our manufacture’s Heritage Gallery, as well as new models like the Reverso Tribute Chronograph or the Reverso One Duetto jewelry. We will also reveal new Reverso tribute enamel pieces celebrating the work of Japanese artist Hokusai and the enameling expertise of our manufacture, where over 180 crafts inspire our artisans for over 190 years.” said Catherine Rénier, chief executive officer of Jaeger-LeCoultre.
“The exhibition will continue to travel around the world to carry the creativity and rich history of the Reverso.” Rénier told WWD.