When the Horse Meets the Reverso Magic Happens

Jaeger-LeCoultre marks the coming Lunar New Year with a creation that is as much a piece of art as it is a feat of watchmaking: the Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Horse’.

Limited to just ten pieces worldwide, this rare timepiece debuts in Shanghai at the Dream Shaper exhibition, offering collectors an early opportunity to encounter it ahead of the Year of the Horse in 2026.

The Reverso was created in 1931 for polo players, its ingenious swivelling case designed to protect the dial during play.

This double equestrian connection makes the horse a fitting subject for this latest chapter in Jaeger-LeCoultre’s series of Zodiac-inspired timepieces, following the Tiger, Dragon, and Snake editions.

In Chinese culture, the horse is revered as a symbol of strength, vitality, and freedom; qualities perfectly reflected in the elegance and dynamism of this watch.

Turning the case reveals a breathtaking work of miniature sculpture: a horse leaping through golden clouds, engraved by hand on a background of glossy black Grand Feu enamel.

The engraving alone takes 80 hours of painstaking work using a technique known as modelled engraving, which sculpts the metal in relief to create depth and movement.

The challenge is amplified by the fact that the artisan works on a surface already coated with enamel, requiring absolute precision to avoid damage.

Black rhodium detailing brings lifelike texture to the horse’s muzzle, mane, and hooves, while sand-blasted clouds suggest motion and lightness.

The front dial mirrors the caseback, its deep black Grand Feu enamel the result of five to six layers of enamel fired and cooled over several days before being polished to a flawless sheen.

This level of perfection can only be achieved by artisans with many years of experience and demonstrates why Jaeger-LeCoultre remains one of the few manufactures with its own dedicated enamelling and engraving workshops.

Inside beats the manually wound Calibre 822, designed and produced entirely in-house in the Vallée de Joux.

This refined movement powers the hours and minutes and offers a 42-hour power reserve, reaffirming Jaeger-LeCoultre’s commitment to pure watchmaking tradition.

Housed in an 18-carat pink gold case measuring 45.6 by 27.4 millimetres with a slim 9.73-millimetre profile, the watch is paired with a black alligator strap featuring an interchangeable folding buckle.

Water-resistant to 3 bar and limited to only ten examples, it is destined to become an object of desire for the most discerning collectors.

More than ninety years after its debut, the Reverso remains an icon of Art Deco elegance and mechanical ingenuity. With the Tribute Enamel ‘Horse’, Jaeger-LeCoultre reaffirms its ability to marry culture, craftsmanship, and creativity.