Cartier

While the Reverso is a revered icon today, it was not always so closely linked with Jaeger LeCoultre. In fact, Jaeger LeCoultre ceased production of the Reverso in 1948, and in the years leading up to that, it was not uncommon to see Reverso models with different names affixed to the dial; some said Hermes, and this one says Cartier. Cartier was already closely linked with Jaeger LeCoultre thanks to the formation of European Watch & Clock Co. between Louis Cartier & Edmond Jaeger. Many of the highest-grade Cartier movements were produced under this name from within the JLC factories and are among the most sought-after watches from the brand's early years.

The present Reverso is one such example of that collaboration. Cartier retailed several Jaeger LeCoultre watches in the mid-20th century, and this is one of them. The case denotes this watch as a 1940s example, but it was likely not cased until the late 1960s or early 1970s when the Reverso model saw a resurgence thanks to the Italian retailer Corvo. The dial features beautiful polished Breguet numerals and a railroad outer track with blue steel sword hands. The movement is a JLC caliber 438 branded ‘Cartier Inc.’, which was the signature style used after the dissolution of the European Watch & Clock Co. partnership. What you end up with is an iconic model from Jaeger LeCoultre, branded by the jeweler of kings and king of jewelers: Cartier.