The history of modern art is deeply enriching, and while many seek to pin the likes of numerous renowned works behind it as no more than colorful investments, it is refreshing to find brands who promote its craft — or, in this instance, both. With the reveal of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso Tribute Enamel Hidden Treasures collection, the palatial Swiss brand put forth a trio of watches that pay homage to three long-lost paintings.
Moving on from their capsule of Japanese art-inspired pieces, JLC looks to revisit the likes of Vincent Van Gogh, Gustave Courbet, and Gustav Klimt in a trifecta of Reverso watches, with each respective timepiece’s guilloché dial subtly easing into the colors of the painting on its reverse side. The series’ Courbet rendition draws inspiration from View of Lake Léman, featuring a hazy grayish-blue playing in the foreground of its herringbone guilloché textured dial. Meanwhile, the Van Gogh-styled offering uses Sunset at Montmajour as its muse, with a lush, green, sunray-guilloché dial, emulating that of the iconic Post-Impressionism-era artist. Lastly, the final watch takes from Klimt’s Portrait of a Lady, boasting a bursting green dial that seamlessly exudes the spirit of the artist’s work on the back. While all Jaeger-LeCoultre’s timepieces are works of art, those of the Hidden Treasures collection truly stand out, with each of them featuring a painstakingly-detailed recreation of their respective painting in hand-painted Grand Feu enamel. The watches are all powered by JLC’s manually-wound Calibre 822/2 movement and feature white gold cases and black alligator leather straps.
Getting your hands on one of these exquisitely crafted timepieces may be as difficult as acquiring the paintings themselves. With each piece being limited to just 10 examples, at least it continues to make for art we can admire from afar.
