The depiction of the big cat is simple and generous.
With 2022 being the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese zodiac, tiger-themed watches have proliferated since late last year. One of the most striking tiger-themed watches is also one of the most discreet, showing only its roaring tiger on the back.
The Reverso Tribute enamel “Tiger” is sharp and simple on the front, and the reverse depicts a tiger leaping out of the clouds. Unusually, this decoration combines enamel and engraving, making it more refined than the typical enamel Reverso.
The classic enamel flip is a polychrome enamel miniature – a feature of Jaeger-LeCoultre since the 1990s. In contrast, the Reverso “Tiger” is a stately black and gold.
Although the color of the “Tiger” dial is changed back to its original color, it is still an eye-catching and beautiful watch. The simplicity in the distance reveals detail when you examine the roaring tiger on the back, which is executed in low relief. It jumps out of the black background that is actually fired enamel.
At the same time, this combination of figurative carvings in addition to enamel is the first for Jaeger-LeCoultre, at least in recent years, making the “Tiger” a distinctive watch.
Naturally, refined finishes come at a price – 90,000 euros before taxes to be exact. That’s about $100,000, about the same as past Reverso models with miniature enamel paintings.Swiss replica watches USA
delicate work
After the back is glazed, the carved tiger is formed. So the process starts with hand-painting the blank back in black enamel—the enameller took care to leave the tiger’s outline intact—and then fired in an oven, melting the enamel powder and fusing it to the back.
The enamel is then polished to a perfect vitreous luster, and the back is handed over to the engraver. He or she has to work on a tiny scale of the area around the enamel, carefully removing material to create a dynamic portrait of the tiger. When finished, the tiger’s stripes will be painted black. This process takes 55 hours.
Notably, the dial is also black fired enamel. It matches rose gold-tone hands and indicators, as well as a metal-printed railway minute track.
Like most men’s hand-wound Revos, this is cal-driven. The 822 is an ancient workhorse movement designed for Reverso, explaining its oval shape.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel “Tiger”
Ref. Q39324K1
Diameter: 45.5mm x 27.4mm
Height: 9.73 mm
Material: 18k rose gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m
Dial: Grand Feu enamel
Caseback: Grand Feu enamel and engraving in relief
Movement: Carl. 822A/2
Function: hours and minutes
Frequency: 21,600 windings per hour (3 Hz)
: Manual winding
Power reserve: 42 hours
Strap: Alligator leather with folding clasp