Ahead of this month’s Homo Faber Biennial exhibition in Venice, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduces the Reverso Tribute Enamel “Monet,” a collection of three watches, limited to 10 pieces each, adorned with miniature enamel reproductions of Claude Monet’s iconic Venice series of paintings.

Each enamel painting is composed of 14 layers of enamel, including seven layers of translucent fondant glaze, each requiring its own firing at up to 800 degrees celsius.

Initial thoughts

Painted enamel case backs are nothing new for the Reverso, a watch that, given its hinged case, is uniquely suited to such decoration. That said, they are a joy to behold due to the skill of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s in-house enamel artists. In this case, I also happen to personally appreciate the chosen subject matter; I find Monet’s Venice series deeply moving.

While the case backs are the star attraction, the dials are decorated with hand guilloche, with a different pattern and colour for each piece. The ‘Grand Canal,’ for example, is paired with a guilloche pattern inspired by the ripples of the canal as depicted by Monet, and finished in translucent green enamel. ‘The Doges’ Palace’ features a modified basket weave pattern, while the ‘San Giorgio Maggiore’ features a herringbone pattern.

Priced at €100,000, the Reverso Tribute Monet for collectors who value the rarity of this type of hand craftsmanship and artisanship. Like other forms of art, there’s an element of patronage that goes into buying something like this, which means it offers a different kind of value proposition.

An artistic trio

Each watch is housed in an 18k white gold Reverso Tribute case measuring 45.6 mm by 27.4 mm, and is just under 10 mm thick. The case back painting takes around 70 hours to complete, requiring a great deal of skill to manage the different colours, many of which require firing at specific temperatures to get exactly right.

Like its siblings in the Reverso Tribute collection, the watch is powered by the workhorse cal. 822. A slim movement just 2.94 mm thick, the cal. 822 is a proven design that has been used for more than 30 years. That explains the 42 hour power reserve, which is on the short side by today’s standards.

San Giorgio Maggiore

First up is the San Giorgio Maggiore (ref. Q39334M4), which is decorated with a view of the namesake island opposite St. Mark’s Square. This piece, like the original painting on which it is based, stands out for its use of vivid shades of orange.

On the dial side, the herringbone guilloche pattern is finished in dark blue grand feu enamel that matches the sky at the very top of the paining.

The Grand Canal

Next is my favourite of the three, the Grand Canal (ref. Q39334M5). The wave-like guilloche pattern on the dial suits the subject matter on the opposite side of the case more successfully than the other two pieces in the collection.

The painting itself is rendered beautifully, with delicate green, blue, and purple shades that capture the ethereal beauty of the original.

The Doges’ Palace

The final piece is The Doges’ Palace (ref. Q39334M6). Though the lozenge-shaped basket weave guilloche dial pattern is arguably the most traditional amongst the three references, it’s probably the most tedious to produce, requiring nearly 5,000 passes on a straight-line engine to complete.

The colour is also striking, being a light shade of blue inspired by the sky in Monet’s famous painting.

Key facts and price

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel “Monet”
Ref. Q39334M4 (San Giorgio Maggiore)
Ref. Q39334M5 (The Grand Canal)
Ref. Q39334M6 (The Doges’ Palace)

Diameter: 45.6 mm by 27.4 mm
Height: 9.73 mm
Material: 18k white gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. 822
Functions: Hours and minutes
Winding: Self-winding
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 42 hours

Strap: Alligator leather strap with folding clasp

Limited edition: 10 pieces of each
Availability: At Jaeger-LeCoultre boutiques only
Price: €100,000 before taxes

For more information, visit Jaeger-lecoultre.com.