Reverso Grande GMT

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Grande GMT

Jaeger-LeCoultre make some of the most exquisite watches in the world, so I was incredibly excited to get my hands on the Reverso Grande GMT. I certainly wasn’t disappointed. This beautiful watch is everything I’ve ever dreamed of from a timepiece.

Two times one watch…

The Reverso Grande is one of those rare watches that are simple and elegant enough to be worn at a formal event, but have enough complications to be really interesting.

This is no doubt due to the interesting “reverso” design, allowing the watch to display a variety of interesting functions without having to cram them onto a single face. The watch can be flipped over in the casing, allowing you to choose between displaying the white front face or the black back face. The mechanism of each face is separate, so globetrotters can have a different time zone on each side.

Double complicated – The front

The front of the watch exemplifies the type of impeccable design work you’d expect from Jaeger-LeCoultre. Crisp, black Arabic numerals denote each hour of the day, other than the two, four and seven, which are covered by complications. A day/night indicator is at the two o’clock position, a large, clear date display is at seven o’clock, and at the four o’clock position there is a small separate sub-dial for the second hand.

For me this is one of the most appealing things about the front of the watch. A small, rapidly turning dial in the corner adds a real point of interest. Despite such an eye catching feature, the front part of the watch is understated and carries off a really subtle elegance.

The back (or vice versa)

The reverse side of the watch is more busy, and in my opinion more interesting. This is where you’ll find the more complicated features. As well as an impressive main dial with white numerals and markings contrasting with the black face, the lower portion contains a 24-hour indicator and a GMT differential dial. This dial shows how far away the current time zone is from GMT, which I’ve found exceptionally useful on my travels. In the top right hand corner, a small indicator displays the level of the eight-day power reserve.

“In 1833, in the heart of an isolated valley in the Swiss Jura, the brilliant inventor Antoine LeCoultre founded the small workshop that was to become one of the most prestigious brands in watchmaking: Jaeger-LeCoultre.”

Complications do you need them? On your watch YES!

The complications on both sides of the watch, like most complications, are of questionable utility. I’ve rarely been so disorientated that I need my watch to tell me if it’s day or night. Other than the GMT offset, they serve a mostly decorative purpose. Personally I love a watch with a lot of interesting functions, even if they aren’t much use to me.

The really useful thing about this watch is being able to display a separate time zone on each face. There isn’t a time when I’ve been abroad that I haven’t found this helpful on many occasions. I’ve never been one for mental arithmetic, so being able to see the time back home at a glance before I make a phone call is a great time saver.

Of course that isn’t the only benefit of having two faces on the same watch. The look of each face is so dramatically different that it almost seems like owning two watches. The front, white face is understated, elegant and classic. It’s perfect for the office or any other occasion that requires a sharp suit. The extra dials on the black side of the watch give it a more sporty and casual look.

Jager-LeCoultre stands for top notch, exquisite quality

As you might expect from a watchmaker of this caliber, the build quality is excellent. However it’s far from rugged and indestructible. This is a precision instrument, and needs to be handled with care. The steel case will scratch if mishandled, so it might be best wearing something else on your wrist if you are planning on doing something particularly physical and enthusiastic.

The standard strap is crafted from smooth, brown alligator leather, which works well with both faces of the watch. There is also a steel bracelet option available, but this is made of the same easily scratched steel as the case.

It’s easy to avoid scratching the case of your watch by taking a bit of care, but the same isn’t necessarily true for the bracelet. Accidentally scraping your wrist across your desk as you type won’t necessarily disfigure it, but you should certainly expect to leave evidence.

If you are looking to invest in a truly quality timepiece, you’ll certainly find the Reverso Grande GMT to be worth the money. It’s an incredible versatile watch that can be smartly worn to almost any occasion.