New York, New York— It is a journey through nine decades of art and craftsmanship. The house of Jaeger-LeCoultre is continuing its ongoing 90th anniversary celebrations of its celebrated, sophisticated timepiece, the Reverso in the house’s typically elegant style. The house’s Reverse Stories, revolving around the timepiece, its history and that of the manufacture is currently underway, fittingly, in the Flat Iron district in New York, a district embellished with Art Deco architecture and the Reverso can trace its roots to the Art Deco movement. The show explores the history of the watch, its complications and the story of the house of Jaeger-LeCoultre, the house that created 1,266 movements and has filed 436 patents.

The house’s global brand ambassadors were on hand for the official New York star-studded opening of the show. Left to Right: Lenny Kravitz, Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicolas Hoult. Photos courtesy Jaeger-LeCoultre. Handout via The Gourmet Gazette 

The exhibition is a journey through myriad models of the watch from the originals to the high jewelry watches and the recent releases. From the beginning Reversos were brought out in versions for both ladies and men. Reversos were made specifically for General Douglas MacArthur and the American pilot Amelia Earhart, commemorating her non-stop fight from Mexico to New York.

Visitors can admire an amazing selection of Reverso models that have left their mark on history and that continue to keep alive the legend of this piece that has become a benchmark in design. A highlight of this exhibition is Café 1931, an elegant setting designed in homage to Art Deco, which offers a special menu of sweets and cakes served with period tableware and created by the Parisian pastry chef Nina Métayer, who has just been named World Pastry Chef of the Year by the International Union of Bakers and Pastry Chefs (UBIC). 

A highlight of the exhibition is the multimedia sculptural installation “Origin” by Korean artist Yiyun Kang, exploring the aesthetic connection between the Golden Ratio in nature and man-made design. And to offer a deeper understanding of watchmaking, “Reverso Stories” provides hands-on educational workshops at the on-site Atelier d’Antoine, available to all by appointment. 

The Reverso was designed by the French engineer René-Alfred Chauvot for the Swiss house. The story is one of legend, adventure, sport and a challenge. A challenge of designing a watch that could withstand the polo matches of the British Army officers in India. And so its dial is smoothly concealed by reversing the case, revealing a back that fully protects the face from possible mallet strokes. ©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette. http://www.jaeger-lecoultre.com/eu/en/home-page.html

The exhibition is free of charge and is being held until November 22nd at: IRON 23, at 29 West 23rd Street in the heart of the Flatiron District, between 5th & 6th Avenues. Tuesday to Thursday 11am until 7pm; Friday and Saturday 10am to 7pm; Sunday 11am to 6pm. Closed on Monday. Appointments for workshops and guided visits https://online-booking.jaeger-lecoultre.com/domaine/theme16