Designed by Jacques-David Le Coultre, the Reverso was conceived to withstand the harsh beating a watch would endure during a game of polo. Born in 1931 as a sports watch by its very definition, the Reverso has evolved into a dress watch thanks to its now-classical aesthetic and graceful design. Unique in that its case can be opened, slid along a rail, flipped around on its vertical axis, and snapped back into place so that its caseback faces out with its dial against the wrist, the Reverso's eponymous function has given JLC a powerful medium through which they could further adapt the Reverso's iconic design: cue in the Duoface.
Designed to capitalize on its flip-action by giving it a second dial, the Duoface was, in fact, a means of increasing the Reverso's utility as a functional timepiece. First released in 1994, the first Duoface was split between a lighter-coloured 'home' dial and a darker-coloured secondary dial that the user would wear to indicate the time in two different parts of the world — making it a dual-time timepiece. The Reverso Classic Large Duoface Small Seconds Ref. 215.8.D4 that we have here features a similar mechanism. On one side, it presents a silver dial adorned with thermally-blued sword hands, highly sober Arabic numerals, and a central guilloché pattern, offering a precise time-only display with a small seconds sub-dial positioned at 6 o'clock. Flipping to the alternate side reveals a striking black dial embellished with a Clous de Paris guilloché outer sector, luminous hour markers, and sword hands. Additionally, it features a day/night indicator positioned at 6 o'clock, tastefully integrated and overlapping onto the minutes track.
Made from stainless steel, the Duoface Ref. 215.8.D4 sports a case design based on the golden ratio, which is a ratio between two dimensions that equals 1.618. Also known mathematically as the divine proportion, it is, in general terms, a ratio that is known to be pleasing to the human eye. Furthermore, with its engraved decoration running horizontally across the top and bottom of the polished case, the Duoface Ref. 215.8.D4 features design flourishes that pair well with its two distinct dials.
As a dual-time complication, the Duoface Ref. 215.8.D4 offers a convenient method for adjusting the hour-hand (for the local time) on the black dial. This is facilitated by a discreet sliding toggle located on the upper side of the case, concealed within the case when not in use and only visible when the case is slid open.
Powering this work of art from within its elegantly sized 47mm x 28.3mm x 10.3mm stainless steel case is its in-house, manual-winding JLC Cal. 854A/2 — a movement that is a direct derivative of the JLC Cal. 854/1, which debuted in 1995 as the pioneering movement of the Duoface. It beats at 21,600 vph and carries a power reserve of 42 hours on a full wind.
Two watches in one, literally, the Reverso Duoface Small Seconds is an incredibly versatile timepiece that allows the user two different watch faces to match his/her outfit or feeling of the day. Furthermore, this Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso showcases its horological heritage with a robust and excellent manually-wound, in-house movement. While it's hidden beneath both dials, the Cal. 854A/2 features the same high-quality architecture and finishing that has earned Jaeger LeCoultre its deserved moniker; "the watchmaker's watchmaker."
