Jaeger-LeCoultre Reinvents The Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater with a new in-house movement, Calibre 953 brings a new visual expression.

Considered by watchmakers to be the most challenging yet rewarding of all horological complications to master, a minute repeater is not only a timepiece but also a miniaturised musical instrument. Jaeger-LeCoultre has thoroughly mastered the complication, having produced its first minute repeater in 1870 and crafting nearly 100 such masterpieces before 1900.

The Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater is powered by a newly developed movement, Calibre 953, which – like all Jaeger-LeCoultre movements – has been entirely conceived, designed and produced in-house. It incorporates seven existing patents, including key inventions that enhance chime quality: trébuchet hammers (patent EP2048548A2), crystal gongs (patent CH698533) and silent-interval elimination (patent CH709152B1). The power reserve of the new calibre is 48 hours – a notable feat for an energy-hungry complication like a minute repeater.

The new Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater is distinguished by a newly designed enamel dial. While both dials display the same time and are decorated with great refinement, they are very different in character. The front dial showcases a radiant hand-guilloché barley-seed pattern that creates an optical illusion of movement as it catches the light from different angles. The guillochage is elevated by multiple layers of grand feu enamel in a new teal blue colour. Both the guillochage and enamelling are entirely created in Jaeger-LeCoultre’s in-house Métiers Rares™ atelier, with the guillochage requiring four hours of work, followed by an additional eight hours for the enamelling.

The reverse dial is open-worked, revealing the complexity of the repeater mechanism and presenting a fascinating display of moving parts when it is activated. The sense of visual depth and transparency is enhanced by faceted indexes that are cantilevered from the chemin de fer minutes track and appear to float above the mechanism. The bridges are hand-bevelled, the decorative finishes combine brushed and grained surfaces and the cool silvery tones of the metal provide contrast with the warm pink gold of the case (18k, 750/1000). The bridge that spans the entire breadth of the movement from 7 o’clock to 5 o’clock and supports the hammers is decorated with blue lacquer to match the front dial.

Crafted entirely in pink gold and weighing nearly 30 grams, the buckle features a double-wheel mechanism for micro-adjustments to the nearest 0.5mm. Comprising 46 components, it combines ergonomic innovation with timeless elegance.

Along with the launch of the limited edition Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater, Jaeger-LeCoultre releases an exclusive collector’s box commemorating the 90^th anniversary of its iconic Reverso. This meticulously crafted case is designed to house six limited-edition Reverso timepieces, each representing a pinnacle of horological innovation and artistry.