Jaeger-LeCoultre "01/26" Reverso London Edition, Steel

Unveiled in 2015 to commemorate the opening of Jaeger-LeCoultre's Bond Street boutique, this London Edition piece is one of the most exclusive in the Grande Reverso Ultra-Thin 1931 collection. The watch is numbered 1 out of only 26 pieces made, making it especially desirable.

Originally introduced in 1931, the Reverso was born out of functional necessity. Its purpose stemmed from a common complaint by British officers stationed in India, often disgruntled by the damaging of their wristwatch glass during polo matches. Swiss businessman and brand associate of the time, César de Trey, conveyed this message to his supplier Jacques-David LeCoultre, bringing about a solution in the form of a wristwatch with a swivelling face, allowing the case to be "reversed" to protect the glass.

The Reverso's innovative design was created with the help of René-Alfred Chauvot, then a French engineer at LeCoultre. The original "flipping" mechanism consisted of nearly 30 parts, whilst modern Reverso mechanisms can contain up to 50. This is made up of three primary components: the case structure where the spring-mounted spurs rest, the pivots that allow the watch to rotate 180 degrees, and the spheres, which provide a satisfying click when the watch is locked into place. Throughout history, the Reverso has been worn by a range of distinctive individuals, from King Edward VIII to Amelia Earhart.

Executed in a vintage “British racing green” that takes its name from the green international motor racing colour of the United Kingdom, the dial recalls the colourful vintage dials of watches across the ‘50s and ‘60s. Meanwhile, the caseback also features quintessentially British symbols, as it is engraved with renderings of Westminster Palace and Big Ben. Rather pleasingly, the dial features the "Reverso" signature, without any mention of the brand, a nod to the earliest Reverso pieces which carried this unobtrusive and discrete signature.

As A Collected Man is based in London, we feel a personal attachment to this piece, and are proud to be able to present this in our inaugural auction.

A Collected Man will be donating an amount equivalent to the total selling price of the highest-performing watch to the Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal.

Closer look

This Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso is in very good condition overall, with a few superficial marks consistent with light wear over time. These are visible on the polished surfaces of the case front, with the most notable of these found on the sloped edge at 12 o’clock. The engraved side on the reverse has a light scratch starting at the border of the engraving and finishing at the triangular top of Elizabeth Tower. On the reverse side, there are also two small imperfections on the grilled position, on both ends of the case. The deep green lacquer dial is free of imperfections, as are the idea markers and hands.

The watch comes with a two-year warranty from A Collected Man, alongside a lifetime guarantee of authenticity.