Introducing: The Handcrafted Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Horse And Three Other Themed Watches
Let’s start with a riddle: what comes after tiger, dragon, and snake? The correct answer is “horse,” as you probably have guessed after reading the title. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Horse will debut ahead of the Chinese New Year at the brand’s Dream Shaper exhibition in Shanghai in September 2025. The watch pays tribute to the Year of the Horse. Only 10 watches will leave the atelier in Le Sentier, but the exclusive Reverso, enameled and engraved in the Métiers Rares atelier of La Grande Maison, might also speak to those who love horses.
The Reverso Tribute Enamel Horse (Q39324D3 / price on request) is the fourth in a series paying homage to the Chinese Zodiac. Jaeger-LeCoultre already presented watches celebrating the Years of the Tiger, Dragon, and Snake, and now it’s time for the Horse. Horses symbolize power, beauty, and freedom, and are valued worldwide, not just in Chinese arts and culture. The noble animal also symbolizes vitality, speed, and perseverance. In Chinese art, horses are often depicted as a subject in themselves. Now, a handcrafted depiction of a horse also adorns the Reverso’s case back.
Introducing the handcrafted Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Horse
The dial of the new Reverso Tribute Enamel Horse might be less spectacular than the case back, which we’ll look closely at later, but it’s still worth your while. It shows the same glossy black Grand Feu enamel as the case back. The elegant, Art Deco-inspired dial is a nice thematic callback to the style of the early 1930s, when the Reverso made its debut (1931, specifically). It has the simplicity that has become a signature of Reverso Tribute dials, featuring faceted and applied hour markers, a railroad minute track, and dauphine hands.
The dial is elegant and sober, but by no means is it simple. Grand Feu enameling is always a tricky process, and the outcome of each firing remains partly unpredictable. It requires five to six successive layers of enamel to create a deep shade of black. The dial is finished only after cooling down and half a day of polishing. But it will then show itself with a perfect, uniform shine. By the way, the fact that the dial and case back show an identical shade results from skillful expertise. Talent and many years of experience are necessary to finish the delicate job.
The horse on the back
Reversing the watch case reveals a dynamic equestrian mini spectacle. A majestic hand-engraved horse leaps out of the golden clouds, its head and forelegs seemingly suspended in the sky. Surrounding the horse is opaque black Grand Feu enamel that complements the shine of the horse’s polished surfaces. Also, the shiny black contrasts with details on the hand-drawn mane, muzzle, and hooves.
The sandblasted texture on the clouds enhances the illusion of movement. To amplify the sense of volume and depth, the master engraver used modeled engraving, an exacting skill requiring focus and remarkable dexterity.
To give you an idea of the artisanal mastery, the engraver does not start with a bare metal surface but with one already coated with Grand Feu enamel. You can imagine how accurately the engraver has to work. It takes 10 differently sized chisels and 80 hours to sculpt the metal.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Horse comes in a pink gold case with a 27.4mm diameter, a 45.6mm lug-to-lug, and a 9.73mm profile. Furthermore, it has a 30m water resistance rating and features a black alligator strip outfitted with an interchangeable folding clasp. Inside the case beats the manually wound caliber 822, which indicates hours and minutes and has a power reserve of 42 hours. Like the dial and the horse on the case back, the movement is an in-house work.
More horses
Jaeger-LeCoultre also introduces the Reverso Tribute Enamel Xu Beihong series, debuting with three new creations. These white gold Reverso models each showcase a miniature enamel reproduction of a painting by the celebrated Chinese artist Xu Beihong. Masterpieces that once stretched over a square meter are reinterpreted on a mere 2cm canvas. However tiny, they still capture the spirit of Xu’s iconic ink-and-wash horses.
The three models — the Running Horse, Two Horses, and Standing Horse — are each limited to only 10 pieces. On their dials, vivid shades of pine green, mountain blue, and dawn orange come to life thanks to Grand Feu enamel applied over hand-guilloché motifs. Just like the Reverso Tribute Enamel Horse, all three watches in the Xu Beihong series use the hand-wound Jaeger-LeCoultre 822 movement inside a 27.4 × 45.6 × 9.73mm case, this time in white gold. They also merge European enameling traditions with Chinese artistic heritage, making them lovely watches for people with a deep appreciation for both. Those people will, most likely, need equally deep pockets. Yes, you guessed it: the prices for these Xu Beihong models are also on request.
What do you think of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s new Year of the Horse-inspired Reversos? Do you have a favorite? Let me know in the comments.
