THE REVERSO GRANDE TAILLE COLLECTION

This article traces the history of the Reverso Grande Taille models, which were launched in 1991 to mark the 60^th anniversary of the creation of the Reverso.

We won’t go back over the fantastic story of the Reverso, an iconic model created in 1931. The story would be far too long to recount in detail the evolution of this watch: it was imagined in India during a polo competition by Cesar de Trey, a Swiss citizen and a businessman who had begun his career as a manufacturer of gold and porcelain dentures in England, always on the lookout for new ideas; it was then developed in Paris thanks to René-Alfred Chauvot, a French engineer; and finally, the Reverso was produced by two renowned watchmakers: Edmond Jaeger in Paris and Jacques-David LeCoultre in Le Sentier. This watch has had an eventful and not always straightforward history until the early 1990s. After a successful launch, it fell into disuse in the 1950s, before a shrewd Italian watch importer – Giorgio Corvo – allowed it to rise from the ashes in the late 1970s. The 1980s, marked in particular by the quartz era, saw slight evolutions of Reverso models for men and women, with mixed success.

It was in the spring of 1990 that the Manufacture began to think about creating a specific model to celebrate the 60^th anniversary of the Reverso.

In order to respect the philosophy dear to the brand – the product is the best ambassador for the Manufacture – the Jaeger-LeCoultre management team understood that this anniversary model had to be truly exceptional. All the important people were gathered around the project, including Janek Deleskiewicz, Head of Design. His first idea was to give the watch a transparent caseback, for the first time, so that the movement could be admired. The idea of creating a new solid gold calibre specifically for this new timepiece, which could be produced in a limited series (500 pieces), soon emerged. One thing led to another, and it became clear that this very special Reverso would have to be a Reverso with complications. There was then a major problem: the current case of the Reverso could not accommodate a new complication calibre, which would be too large. It was at this precise moment that Gunter Blumlein, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the LMH Group, owner of the Manufacture, conceived and approved a crazy idea: the Reverso had to be made bigger.

The Reverso Grande Taille was born, and the first model of the collection was the Reverso 60^th Anniversary.

These models with their perfect dimensions (26 x 42 mm) will remain in production until the early 2020s, with multiple variants, in different materials, and with different complications, in standard production or for limited series. In our view – and for many collectors – this incredible collection represents the quintessence of the Reverso model. It is probably one of the most beautiful version ever produced by the brand.

We have counted 60 versions, which we present briefly in this article. It is probably the first time that all of them have all been grouped together and presented in this way. It should be noted that many of these models also exist with metal bracelets, but we have deliberately limited ourselves to presenting only watches with leather straps.

We have tried to present an exhaustive work. If we know that all the standard production models are well represented, we cannot exclude the absence of certain very rare or limited variants (of dials for example), made for specific markets or customers. Furthermore, for limited series, we have only taken into account models with a modified dial and/or hands. Standard models to which personalised engraving could have been added on the caseback, even in series, have not been considered.

The Reverso Grande Taille Collection

The 60 Reverso Grande Taille models

The Reverso Grande Taille timeline.

1991. Launch of the Reverso Grande Taille 60th Anniversary. Six Grande Taille models with complications will be commercialized in limited series – 500 pieces each – between 1991 and 2000, all in pink gold.

1992. First Reverso Grande Taille in standard production (caliber 822), available in 4 versions: pink gold, yellow gold, yellow gold & stainless steel, and stainless steel.

1993. Reverso Grande Taille Art Deco: two new models in pink or white gold, with specific art deco dials and a display back with a skeletonized version of the caliber 822.

1994: Introduction of the brand new Duoface model, with the new caliber 854, allowing to have two different timezones – one on each dial – managed by the same movement; four versions will be available: pink gold, yellow gold, white gold, and stainless steel.

1998. Reverso Grande Taille Date, new model equipped with the caliber 836, with date and day, available in pink gold, white gold and stainless steel.

1999. Reverso Grande Taille Sun Moon (caliber 823), with power reserve, moonphase and night & day indicator (all with display back, available in pink gold, white gold or platinum – 125 pieces only).

2000. Reverso Grande Taille Or Deco, exclusively in pink or white gold with a specific new art deco dial with Arabic numbers.

2002. A new model is added to the Duoface collection: the Duoface Night & Day, with a night & day indicator at 12 o’clock, in pink gold, white gold or stainless steel.

2004. Reverso Grande Taille Power Reserve (caliber 823A), in pink gold or platinum.

2006. The Reverso Grande Taille and the Reverso Grande Taille Duoface are slightly modified. The new generation can be identified easily thanks to a new guilloché dial for the solo tempo models, and a specific pusher for the Duoface ones.

The 60^th Anniversary Collection (1991)

Ref. 270.2.64 – Reverso Grande Taille 60^th Anniversary (1991, 500 pieces, Pink Gold)

Ref. 270.2.68 – Reverso Grande Taille Tourbillon (1993, 500 pieces, Pink Gold)

Ref. 270.2.73 – Reverso Grande Taille Minute Repeater (1994, 500 pieces, Pink Gold)

Ref. 270.2.69 – Reverso Grande Taille Retrograde Chronograph (1996, 500 pieces, Pink Gold)

Ref. 270.2.58 – Reverso Grande Taille Geographic (1998, 500 pieces, Pink Gold)

Ref. 270.2.55 – Reverso Grande Taille Perpetual Calendar (2000, 500 pieces, Pink Gold)

Grande Taille (1992)

Left: Ref. 270.2.62 – Reverso Grande Taille (Pink Gold)

Right: Ref. 270.1.62 – Reverso Grande Taille (Yellow Gold)

Left: Ref. 270.5.62 – Reverso Grande Taille (Stainless Steel & Yellow Gold)

Right: Ref. 270.8.62 – Reverso Grande Taille (Stainless Steel)

Grande Taille Art Deco (1993)

Left: Ref. 270.2.62 – Reverso Grande Taille Art Deco (Pink Gold)

Right: Ref. 270.3.62 – Reverso Grande Taille Art Deco (White Gold)

Grande Taille Duoface (1994)

Left: Ref. 270.2.54 – Reverso Grande Taille Duoface (Pink Gold)

Right: Ref. 270.1.54 – Reverso Grande Taille Duoface (Yellow Gold)

Left: Ref. 270.3.54 – Reverso Grande Taille Duoface (White Gold)

Right: Ref. 270.8.54 – Reverso Grande Taille Duoface (Stainless Steel)

Grande Taille Date (1998)

Ref. 270.2.36 – Reverso Grande Taille Date (Pink Gold)

Left: Ref. 270.3.36 – Reverso Grande Taille Date (White Gold)

Right: Ref. 270.8.36 – Reverso Grande Taille Date (Stainless Steel)

Grande Taille Sun Moon (1999)

Ref. 270.2.63 – Reverso Grande Taille Sun Moon (Pink Gold)

Left: Ref. 270.3.63 – Reverso Grande Taille Sun Moon (White Gold)

Right: Ref. 270.6.63 – Reverso Grande Taille Sun Moon (Platinum, 125 pieces)

Grande Taille Or Deco (2000)

Ref. 270.2.62 – Reverso Grande Taille Or Deco (Pink Gold, Silver Dial)

Left: Ref. 270.2.62 – Reverso Grande Taille Or Deco (Pink Gold)

Right: Ref. 270.3.62 – Reverso Grande Taille Or Deco (White Gold)

Grande Taille Duoface Night & Day (2002)

Ref. 270.2.54 – Reverso Grande Taille Duoface Night & Day (Pink Gold)

Left: Ref. 270.3.54 – Reverso Grande Taille Duoface Night & Day (White Gold)

Right: Ref. 270.8.54 – Reverso Grande Taille Duoface Night & Day (Stainless Steel)

Grande Taille Power Reserve (2004)

Left: Ref. 270.2.43 – Reverso Grande Taille Power Reserve (Pink Gold)

Right: Ref. 270.6.43 – Reverso Grande Taille Power Reserve (Platinum)

Grande Taille 2^nd Generation (2006)

Ref. 270.2.62 – Reverso Grande Taille 2 (Pink Gold)

Left: Ref. 270.1.62 – Reverso Grande Taille 2 (Yellow Gold)

Right: Ref. 270.8.62 – Reverso Grande Taille 2 (Stainless Steel)

Grande Taille Duoface 2^nd Generation (2006)

Ref. 272.2.54 – Reverso Grande Taille Duoface 2 (Pink Gold)

Left: Ref. 272.1.54 – Reverso Grande Taille Duoface 2 (Yellow Gold)

Right: Ref. 272.8.54 – Reverso Grande Taille Duoface 2 (Stainless Steel)

For more than 30 years, the Reverso Grande Taille models have also been available in numerous special or limited versions.

These customisations were carried out either on the brand’s own initiative or at the request of specific markets or customers. For example, Italy and especially Japan have requested this type of watches, most of them with special dials. Almost all these series are numbered, and produced in very limited quantities (500 pieces maximum), making them particularly rare and sought-after by collectors today.

Grande Taille Platinum Limited Editions

Ref. 270.6.49 – Reverso Grande Taille Platinum Number One (2002, 500 pieces, Platinum)

Ref. 270.6.48 – Reverso Grande Taille Platinum Number Two (2004, 500 pieces, Platinum)

Ref. 270.6.48 – Reverso Grande Taille Platinum Squelette (2005, 35 pieces, Platinum)

Grande Taille “Shadow“

Ref. 271.8.61 – Reverso Grande Taille Shadow (Unnumbered, Unlimited, Stainless Steel)

Grande Taille “Latitude”

Ref. 270.8.62 – Reverso Grande Taille Latitude 1 (Unnumbered, Unlimited, Stainless Steel)

Ref. 270.8.62 – Reverso Grande Taille Latitude 2 (Unnumbered, Unlimited, Stainless Steel)

Grande Taille “Torino F.C. 100^th” (Italy)

Ref. 270.2.62 – Reverso Grande Taille “Torino F.C. 100^th” (25 pieces for Italy, Pink Gold)

Grande Taille “Juventus 100^th” (Italy)

Ref. 270.3.62 – Reverso Grande Taille “Juventus 100^th” (100 pieces for Italy, White Gold)

Grande Taille “Paula Rego” (Portugal)

Ref. 270.2.62 – Reverso Grande Taille “Paula Rego” (40 pieces for Portugal, Pink Gold)

Grande Taille “Darren Romanelli” (France)

Ref. 270.8.62 – Reverso Grande Taille “Darren Romanelli – 75^th Anniversary” (50 pieces for Colette Paris, Stainless Steel)

Grande Taille “Wempé 125^th” (Germany)

Ref. 270.2.44 – Reverso Grande Taille “Wempé 125^th” (25 pieces for Wempé, Pink Gold)

Ref. 270.8.44 – Reverso Grande Taille “Wempé 125^th” (100 pieces for Wempé, Stainless Steel)

Grande Taille “Seibu” (Japan)

Ref. 270.8.62 – Reverso Grande Taille “Seibu” (For Japan, Stainless Steel)

Grande Taille “Anshindo” (Japan)

Ref. 270.8.62 – Reverso Grande Taille “Anshindo” (50 pieces for Japan, Stainless Steel)

Grande Taille “Japan” (Japan)

Ref. 270.8.62 – Reverso Grande Taille “Japan” (150 pieces for Japan, Stainless Steel)

Grande Taille Duoface “Double Gold”

Ref. 270.0.54 – Reverso Grande Taille Duoface “Double Gold A” (250 pieces, White & Pink Gold)

Ref. 270.0.54 – Reverso Grande Taille Duoface “Double Gold B” (100 pieces, Pink & White Gold)

Grande Taille Duoface “Première” (Japan)

Left: Ref. 270.1.54 – Reverso Grande Taille Duoface “Première Green” (39 pieces for Japan, Yellow Gold)

Right: Ref. 270.8.54 – Reverso Grande Taille Duoface “Première Green” (300 pieces for Japan, Stainless Steel)

Left: Ref. 270.1.54 – Reverso Grande Taille Duoface “Première Red” (39 pieces for Japan, Yellow Gold)

Right: Ref. 270.8.54 – Reverso Grande Taille Duoface “Première Red” (300 pieces for Japan, Stainless Steel)

Left: Ref. 270.1.54 – Reverso Grande Taille Duoface “Première Blue” (39 pieces for Japan, Yellow Gold)

Right: Ref. 270.8.54 – Reverso Grande Taille Duoface “Première Blue” (300 pieces for Japan, Stainless Steel)

Grande Taille Duoface “Hayashi” (Japan)

Left: Ref. 272.8.54 – Reverso Grande Taille Duoface “Hayashi” (30 pieces for Japan, Stainless Steel)

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