Days after the June 15 opening of the London exhibition 11 of the 12 watches on show, priced between 18’000 and 55’000 euro plus VAT, were sold.
“This Collectibles capsule tells the story of the Reverso, which has had several ups, but also some downs,” said Matthieu Sauret, Product & Heritage Director, Jaeger-LeCoultre, on a recent Wednesday in the Jaeger-LeCoultre boutique on Bond Street.
Difficile de ne pas envier son poste. Parmi ses responsabilités figure une quête permanente de pièces rares, menée avec un double objectif : identifier les plus belles montres vintage Jaeger-LeCoultre selon une vision curatoriale précise, puis les proposer aux collectionneurs après une restauration légère, exclusivement mécanique. L’exposition actuelle, Collectibles VI, constitue le sixième chapitre de cette aventure lancée en 2023.
L’origine du projet remonte toutefois à 2021. À cette époque, la Maison travaillait sur un ouvrage de prestige aujourd’hui épuisé, consacré à 17 familles de montres parmi les plus recherchées jamais produites par Jaeger-LeCoultre. En étudiant ces modèles emblématiques, principalement issus des années 1930 à 1970 — une période souvent considérée comme l’âge d’or de l’horlogerie — l’équipe a progressivement développé l’envie d’en acquérir davantage.
« Le problème, c’est que notre musée possédait déjà plusieurs exemplaires de ces pièces. Nous ne pouvions pas raisonnablement demander à la direction d’en acheter un quatrième ou un cinquième », raconte Matthieu Sauret. « À mi-parcours du livre, nous avons alors imaginé un autre modèle : organiser des expositions dans différentes villes du monde en présentant des capsules composées de montres issues de ces 17 chapitres, puis offrir aux collectionneurs la possibilité de les acquérir. »
Aujourd’hui, Jaeger-LeCoultre analyse régulièrement les catalogues de près de 6 000 maisons de ventes aux enchères à travers le monde afin d’identifier les pièces susceptibles d’intégrer le programme.
Mr. Sauret must have one of the best jobs in the world. Among his tasks are to constantly grail-hunt with a dual purpose: To find the best vintage JLC watches with a curated idea in mind; watches that after a mild (mechanical only) restoration are to be offered to collectors. The ongoing exhibition, Collectibles VI is the sixth since the adventure started in 2023.
The Collectibles project started in 2021 as the brand was working on a now sold-out coffee table book. 17 chapters of the most collectible watches Jaeger-LeCoultre had ever created. The team behind it felt that it would love to buy more of these incredible timepieces, mainly from the 1930s–1970s, an era often referred to as the Golden age of Watchmaking.
“But we already have 2-3-4 of these in our museum already. So, we couldn’t say to management that we want to buy 4th or a 5th. But when we were half way through book, we thought: how about to advertise book through exhibitions around the world select capsule collections with pieces from the 17 chapters? And then we put them up for sale, for collectors to enjoy,” said Mr. Sauret, adding that the brand today regularly searches the offer of 6’000 auction houses around the world to find collectible watches.
The first exhibition took place in 2023 at the Le Sentier Manufacture, and was followed by Singapore, LA, New York, and Hong Kong. So, could you say that The Collectibles is a dressed-up certified pre-owned venture? Only if you want to be mean. Because the Collectibles is much more than second-hand watches. These watches create an overarching narrative about the greatest watches by the Maison. Watches built to last both mechanically and over time. Each capsule exhibition is curated with a theme. And, at the end of the day, if money was the goal, why would Jaeger-LeCoultre sell only around 25-30 watches per year through The Collectibles?
So, what is the story told in the London Collectibles exhibition? This is a story about how Reverso has had many ups, but also a few downs. First there are a couple of very low numbers Reverso in two sizes, both from Reverso’s first year of 1931. The smaller one was possibly made with ladies in mind, but the catalogues from the time are not talking about male or female watches. Moving on chronologically, there is also a 1938 Doctor’s Reverso with central seconds, a 1941 steel and gold two-tone, and then… nothing.
Until 1972. “Reverso had a really strong period for around 12 years, but then it kind of disappeared,” Mr. Sauret said. The beginning of the comeback was when Italian agent Giorgio Corvo asked the HQ to revive the sleeping beauty. Eventually management caved in to his request, and used 200 Reverso cases that had been collecting dust for many years. This white-dialed 1972 watch is referred to as the Corvo Reverso, and rarely have you seen one of the 200 existing pieces in such a good condition as this one. Furthermore, two neo vintage Reversos from 2000 and 2003 completes the story with the introduction of complications in the square, Art Deco-inspired case. “That is the beauty of an icon, to be able to come back stronger than it was, with a revived spirit,” Mr. Sauret said, adding that they also wanted the Collectibles VI capsule to have watches from the quiet decades of the Reverso.
Thus the 1946 Triple Calendar with moon phase and yummy teardrop lugs, a 1956 Duoplan Coulissante secret watch, a 1958 Memovox Parking, a 1969, Memovox Automatic Calendar, and a Geomatic E560 from 1970 completes the exhibition narrative. “People can relate more to the history of a brand when you can possess what is presented. This is the goal of The Collectibles: Not just telling a story, you are relating to a story because you can buy it,” said Matthieu Sauret.
FAQ
Q: What is the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso?
A: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso is a rectangular Art Deco watch with a swivelling case, originally designed in 1931 to withstand polo matches. Its flippable case allowed the fragile crystal to be protected during play. Today it remains one of watchmaking's most recognisable icons, produced continuously — with some interruptions — for nearly a century.
Q: What is an Art Deco watch?
A: An Art Deco watch is a timepiece designed in the geometric, ornamental style that flourished between the 1920s and 1940s. Characteristics include rectangular or square cases, clean lines, and symmetrical decoration. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, first produced in 1931, is among the most enduring examples of the style in fine watchmaking.
Q: What is the Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox?
A: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox is an alarm wristwatch, first introduced in 1950. It was among the first automatic movements to incorporate an alarm complication. Several versions followed, including the 1958 Memovox Parking — designed to alert its owner to an expiring parking meter — and a 1969 automatic calendar variant.
Q: What is Jaeger-LeCoultre The Collectibles?
A: Jaeger-LeCoultre The Collectibles is a program launched in 2023 in which the Maison selects, restores and sells museum-grade vintage timepieces to private collectors. Each capsule of around 12 watches is curated around a specific theme and exhibited globally. The sixth edition, shown in London in June 2026, focuses on the history of the Reverso.
