Dive deep into the world of the Reverso watch – past, present and future – as the fascinating ‘Reverso Stories’ exhibition arrives in Singapore.
Might you have heard the intriguing stories of the Reverso watch? Either way, you don’t want to miss out on the ‘Reverso Stories’ exhibition that will run for a week from 1 June 2023 in Singapore. The travelling exhibition that has made earlier stops in Shanghai, Paris and Seoul, is an immersive journey that walks you through the history, craftsmanship, innovation and design behind one of Watchmaking’s greatest icons – the legendary, patented “swivelling” case of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso watch, the first of its kind.
Born in 1931 on the polo fields of India, the Reverso was designed for functionality – a watch with a case that could be flipped over so that it would be protected while the wearer was playing polo. Its revolutionary design extended far beyond its original purpose, becoming a timeless expression of the Art Deco movement, and embraced by admirers everywhere.
The origin of the Reverso is but one of many stories surrounding this icon. ‘Reverso Stories’ leads you into the world of the Reverso with a multimedia installation titled Origin, presented in a huge three-dimensional screen that has been purpose-built for installation in public spaces. A tribute to the ubiquity of the Golden Ratio, Origin builds a parallel between the symmetry in nature and the geometry of Art Deco design. This compelling work by Korean artist Yiyun Kang was commissioned by Jaeger-LeCoultre under its “Made of Makers” programme. A highly respected teacher and researcher, Yiyun Kang is one of the most active and talented Korean digital media artists in the international art scene, recognised for her immersive audio-visual and projection-mapping installations that recast space with moving image and sound.
Yiyun Kang’s masterpiece aptly starts this journey of discovery. As you enter the main exhibition space, you’ll be welcomed with a retrospective of the Reverso’s history: Witness the Reverso collection’s style evolution through historic timepieces, modern-day High Jewellery, miniature-painted models, and a display of the métiers rares of the Manufacture – enamelling, engraving, gemsetting and guilloché work – that reveal the Reverso as a true canvas for artistic expression.
And it’s not just the history that is rich here. Since 1833, Jaeger-LeCoultre has expressed its relentlessly inventive spirit through the creation of more than 1,300 different calibres and the award of more than 400 patents. That spirit continues to be embodied in the newest timepieces released during Watches and Wonders in Geneva in March, and the most complicated Reverso timepiece ever created – the Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185, with four functioning faces. The product of more than six years of development, combining key areas of savoir-faire with innovative astronomical indications, the Reverso Hybris Mechanica ‘Quadriptyque’ can help to predict the next incidence of astronomical events such as supermoons and eclipses.
Completing the exhilarating journey is a rest stop to pause and linger in the spirit of Art Deco: The 1931 Café offers specially created beverages inspired by the flavours of the Vallée de Joux, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s home and a pastry created by the French pastry chef, Nina Metayer, another alumnus of the brand’s “Made of Makers” programme.
The ‘Reverso Stories’ Exhibition
When: 1 to 8 June 2023
Where: The Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza
How: Free admission. Book an appointment here.
Images courtesy of Jaeger-LeCoultre, artwork by Curatedition. All rights reserved.
Related Links:
Jaeger-LeCoultre Nomadic 1931 Café in Singapore
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