Okay, here’s the story about how I got my hands on a Jaeger-LeCoultre JLC Reverso Tribute Monoface – the original, not some knock-off.
So, I’ve been eyeing the Reverso for a while now. It’s always been a watch for the mature folks, you know? And honestly, I’ve finally reached that point where I feel like I can pull it off. It’s not about being old, just… seasoned, I guess. Plus, I was stoked to find out it actually looks pretty slick with jeans, sneakers, and a polo. Who knew, right? The Reverso’s a sports watch at heart, even though it was made way back in 1931. Back then, they probably thought it was just for fancy-pants gentlemen.
I started by digging around, trying to find the real deal. Not gonna lie, I had a bad experience once with a different brand, so I was extra careful this time. I’ve gotten a few other nice watches before – a Breguet, a Grand Seiko, a Tag Heuer, even another Longines – but this JLC was calling my name.
I found a boutique that had a couple of different Reversos. They were both gorgeous, but figuring out which size and model was right for me was tough. I mean, my wrist is like, 16.5cm, which is about 6.5 inches, so I had to be picky. I was also thinking long-term, like, which one is gonna still look good 10 or 20 years from now? It’s an investment, you gotta think ahead!
After trying them on and hemming and hawing, I finally decided on the Tribute Monoface. The one I got has this silver opaline dial, which just looked so classic. Under the hood, it’s got the JLC Caliber 822. That just means it’s a hand-wound movement, not automatic. You have to manually wind it but that’s the charm of it. It runs at 21,600 vibrations per hour. This baby’s got a slim profile too, only 7.6mm thick. It’s pretty close in size to the original 1931 Reverso, which is wild when you think about it.
The name “Reverso” comes from Latin, meaning “I turn around.” Makes sense, right? ‘Cause you can flip the watch face over. The one I got is a Monoface, so it doesn’t have a second face on the back like some of the fancier models. But honestly, I love the simplicity of it.
Getting my hands on this watch was a journey, but totally worth it. It’s not just a watch, it’s a piece of history. And it turns out, it’s way more versatile than I thought it would be. Who knew a watch from 1931 could be so timeless?
The price? It was about $111. Not cheap, but hey, you only live once, right?
- Brand: Jaeger-LeCoultre
- Model: Reverso Tribute Monoface
- Case: Stainless steel
- Case Size: 40 x 24.4mm
- Thickness: 7.6mm
- Movement: JLC Caliber 822 (hand-wound)
- Dial: Silver opaline
- Special feature: I’m finally mature enough to wear it.
So, that’s my story of acquiring a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface. It was quite an adventure!
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