This November, Jaeger-LeCoultre invites visitors to discover the world of Reverso through a richly immersive exhibition set in the heart of New York City. With its remarkable legacy of Art Deco architecture and style, New York is a particularly fitting setting for the celebration of the Reverso’s Art Deco origins. Located at IRON 23 —29 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10010— the exhibition will run from November 3 to November 22, 2023. The 'Reverso Stories' exhibition arrives just ahead of the grand opening of Jaeger-LeCoultre's new flagship boutique on Madison Avenue.
In addition to historic timepieces, the exhibits will include the 2023 Reverso models launched at Watches and Wonders and two exceptional new Reverso Tribute Enamel models that will be launched during the New York season of ‘Reverso Stories’.
Exploring nine decades of timeless modernity through four stories, visitors will discover the Reverso story through four key themes: Story of an Icon, Style and Design, Innovation, and Craftsmanship. The Story of an Icon retells the tale of the Reverso’s origins through rarely-seen archive materials and milestone Reverso watches from the Jaeger-LeCoultre collection. The Story of Style & Design looks at the Reverso watch as a quintessential example of Art Deco design that remains timelessly modern today, expressing the spirit of the Golden Ratio. The Story of Innovation highlights the insatiable spirit of invention that characterizes the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture, from the first brilliant idea for a reversible case to the development of ground-breaking complications designed specifically for its rectangular shape. The Story of Craftsmanship pays tribute to the engravers, gem-setters, enamellers, and guillochage masters of the Manufacture’s Métiers Rares atelier, revealing how they have unleashed the full potential of the Reverso as a canvas for artistic expression and personalized messages.
Set at the heart of the exhibition, Yiyun Kang’s multimedia installation, Origin, was specially commissioned by Jaeger-LeCoultre under its Made of Makers program. Yiyun Kang is one of the most active and acclaimed Korean digital media artists in today’s international art scene. Projected onto a very large three-dimensional screen,Origin explores the Golden Ratio which has been the guiding spirit of the Reverso since 1931.
Showcasing the 180 crafts housed under one roof at the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre, two spaces are dedicated to particular aspects of the craft and art of watchmaking. One room, ‘In the Making’ is devoted to a series of short films that take viewers behind the scenes, each focusing on a single craft, including rarely seen stages of the watchmaking process. The ‘Hokusai’ room celebrates the master enamellers of the Manufacture’s Métiers Rares™ atelier and pays homage to the 19th-century Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai.
'Reverso Stories' offers visitors a deeper exploration of watchmaking through the Atelier d'Antoine, a hands-on educational workshop that focuses on the Reverso.
Completing visitors’ immersion into the spirit of Art Deco, the 1931 Café is an invitation to guests to pause and enjoy a choice of crafted pastries designed by award-winning French pastry chef Nina Metayer, inspired by the principles of the Golden Ratio and ingredients from the Vallée de Joux.
Guests will be able to walk in or book experiences online at Jaeger-LeCoultre-Theme-THE REVERSO STORIES EXHIBITION.
The ‘Reverso Stories’ Exhibition will take place from November 3 to November 22, 2023 at IRON 23, located at 29 W 23rd Street, NY 10010. Entry is open to the public and free of charge.
Opening hours and admission:
Tuesday to Thursday 11 am until 7 pm
Friday and Saturday 10 am to 7 pm
Sunday 11 am to 6 pm
Closed on Monday
