The Rebirth of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso: The Corvo Legacy

For nearly three decades, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s iconic Reverso timepiece remained dormant, a forgotten relic of the past. However, in 1972, the tide turned when Giorgio Corvo, the brand’s Italian agent, made a pivotal visit to the manufacturer’s headquarters in Le Sentier. Little did anyone know, this encounter would ignite a revival of the legendary Reverso.

Corvo stumbled upon a hidden treasure within the manufacturer’s drawers – a cache of 200 Staybrite steel Reverso cases, untouched since JLC ceased production in the late 1940s. Recognising the potential, Corvo urged Jaeger-LeCoultre to resurrect the Reverso for the Italian market, despite the prevailing quartz crisis and waning interest in rectangular watches.

With determination, Corvo and his team in Italy embarked on a mission to breathe new life into the vintage Reverso cases. They ingeniously adapted the cases to accommodate a JLC caliber 840 movement, creating a prototype that caught the attention of Swiss watchmakers. Impressed by Corvo’s innovation, Jaeger-LeCoultre industrialised the process, heralding the birth of the “Corvo Reverso.”

Featuring a refined white or grey dial adorned with Roman numerals, the Corvo Reverso captured the essence of timeless elegance. Its limited production of 200 pieces sold out swiftly, igniting a resurgence of interest in the Reverso worldwide.

The success of the Corvo Reverso paved the way for Jaeger-LeCoultre to reinvigorate the Reverso line, culminating in the introduction of the larger “Grande Taille” case in the 1980s. The 1990s marked a golden age for the Reverso, with the introduction of complications and limited-edition series that captivated collectors, particularly in Italy.

Despite its historical significance, the Corvo Reverso remained a hidden gem until a recent resurgence of interest brought its story to light. Today, the Corvo legacy lives on as a testament to the enduring charm and ingenuity of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s iconic timepiece.

𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 – 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲

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𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞

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