Jaeger-LeCoultre pays tribute to the 2026 Lunar New Year with the creation of the Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Horse’, masterfully enamelled and engraved in the Métiers Rares™ atelier of La Grande Maison. In a limited edition of just 10 pieces, the Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Horse’ will exceptionally be presented ahead of the Lunar New Year at Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Dream Shaper exhibition in Shanghai in September 2025.
A NEW TRIBUTE TIMEPIECE WITH A DOUBLE EQUINE REFERENCE
Created in 1931 with an ingenious swivelling case, the Reverso was conceived as a solution for polo players who needed to protect the dial and glass of their watch when playing on the field. While quickly adopted by watch enthusiasts from all walks of life, drawn to the piece for its unique Art Deco aesthetic and the potential for personalised decoration on the caseback, the Reverso and its origins are forever linked to the sport played on horseback.
The Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Horse’ is the fourth in a series paying homage to the Chinese Zodiac, following the Years of the Tiger, Dragon, and Snake. A symbol of power, beauty, and freedom, but also vitality, speed, and perseverance, the horse holds an important place in Chinese art and culture. Frequently depicted as a subject in itself, it now also adorns the Reverso caseback.
CELEBRATING THE HORSE AS A WORK OF ART
Turning the watch case to its reverse side reveals a majestic hand-engraved horse whose head and forelegs seem to leap out from golden clouds suspended in the sky. Surrounding it, the opaque black Grand Feu enamel complements the shine of the horse’s polished surfaces, while contrasting details on the mane, muzzle, and hooves – hand-drawn with black rhodium – add a lifelike appearance to the horse. A sand-blasted texture on the clouds enhances the illusion of movement. To amplify the sense of volume and depth, the master engraver used a technique called modelled engraving, an exacting skill that requires absolute focus and remarkable dexterity. Adding to the challenge, the engraver’s work began not on a bare metal surface, as is usual, but on one already coated with Grand Feu enamel, requiring unprecedented accuracy to avoid any damage to the flawless enamel. Using 10 differently sized chisels to sculpt the metal step by step, the engraver devoted 80 hours to the creation of this masterpiece.
The dial of the Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Horse’ features the same glossy black Grand Feu enamel as the caseback. The elegant, Art Deco-inspired simplicity of the signature Reverso Tribute dial, with its faceted appliqué hour markers, chemin de fer minutes track, and Dauphine hands, places full value on the beauty of the glowing black background while perpetuating the Reverso aesthetic.
The apparent simplicity of the pure black enamel is subtly misleading, as Grand Feu enamelling is a process where the outcome of each firing remains partly unpredictable. Achieving such a deep, rich black requires five to six successive layers of enamel, each followed by careful firing and cooling, spread over several days of meticulous work. This is followed by half a day of polishing to achieve a perfect, uniform shine. That the two surfaces are perfectly matched in colour and purity is testament to a level of skill that can only be acquired through many years of experience. Jaeger-LeCoultre remains one of very few watch Manufactures to have its own in-house enamelling and engraving atelier, safeguarding and advancing this ancient craft.
THE IN-HOUSE MECHANICAL MOVEMENT
Equipped with the manually wound Calibre 822, the Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Horse’ indicates hours and minutes and has a power reserve of 42 hours. Like all Jaeger-LeCoultre calibres, the movement was entirely designed and produced in-house at La Grande Maison’s Manufacture in Switzerland’s Vallée de Joux.
With the Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Horse’, Jaeger-LeCoultre adds a new chapter to its story of craftsmanship and artistry, where culture and creativity evolve in harmony with the technical expertise of the Manufacture’s watchmakers.
