Created by Jacques-David LeCoultre in 1931, the Reverso was initially conceived to withstand the harsh beating a watch would endure during a game of polo. With the need for the watch to be more durable, the Reverso's genius reveals itself through its eponymous design–a reversible case. With its case able to be turned around on itself, the Reverso's dial can be protected while playing sports and returned to its natural position with a quick flick and slide. Thanks to its iconic heritage, the Reverso has evolved into one of Jaeger LeCoultre's most important design vehicles to date, with a healthy number of contemporary variations to suit the palate of modern enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike.
Presented today is a very special variant of the Reverso–the Reverso Tourbillon 270.2.68 in 18-carat rose gold. Released in 1993 with a worldwide production limited to 500 units, this Reverso has an aesthetic that is quite unlike any Reversos I’ve seen and handled before.
Before we dive into what makes the 270.2.68 so special, I believe it is important for us to preface this: At the time when the 270.2.68 was released, Jaeger LeCoultre had just gone through a turbulent period known as the quartz crisis. Then-CEO Henry-John Belmont, French designer Janek Deleskiewicz, and the visionary Günter Blümlein, who oversaw Jaeger-LeCoultre’s operations at the time, recognised the Maison’s exceptional technical potential, rooted in its legacy as a premier in-house movement manufacturer. This realisation would become instrumental in the brand’s resurgence in the post-quartz crisis era. The 270.2.68 Tourbillon was conceived with one of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s key watchmakers at the time, Slyvain Golay, and was unveiled as part of a series of six limited-edition Reverso models released between 1991 and 2000 to mark the 60th anniversary of the iconic Reverso. This included the Soixantieme, Minute Repeater, Geographique, Chronograph, Pereptual Calendar, and the Torubillon you see here today. These milestones played a key role in reestablishing Jaeger-LeCoultre’s esteemed status within the watchmaking industry as we know it today.
Starting with the 270.2.68’s 18-carat rose gold ‘Grande Taille’ style case, it measures a compact 42mm x 26mm in size and has a slim case profile of only 10mm, which is quite impressive considering the fact that this reference houses a tourbillon complication. Like many subsequent Reverso models, the case is polished entirely and reveals a beautiful perlage and its hallmarks on the inner chassis. The primary dial is crafted from galvanized silver and features a set of blued steel hands, along with an elegant guilloché pattern at the center and within the small seconds sub-dial at 6:00. Surrounding the guilloché center are 10 highly sober Arabic numerals marking the hours, complemented by an applied ‘JLC’ logo at 12:00.
Upon flipping the dial to its opposite side, you will quickly remember that the secondary dial of the 270.2.68 is what makes this particular Reverso reference so special. Here, you'll be treated to a visually stunning view of the partially skeletonised, 27-jewel, manual-winding Jaeger-LeCoultre Cal. 828—one of the Maison’s first serially produced, tourbillon-regulated movements. While much of the movement is concealed beneath finely engraved gold plates, the one-minute tourbillon carriage at 6:00 remains on full display, held in place by a beautifully openworked bridge that invites a closer look. In the top right corner, a power reserve indicator provides a visual indication of the Cal. 828’s 45-hour energy reserve.
For those unfamiliar, the tourbillon is a complication originally developed by Abraham-Louis Breguet in the early 1800s to counteract the effects of gravity on timekeeping accuracy. It works by placing the escapement and balance wheel inside an isolated rotating cage, which typically completes one full rotation per minute. This constant motion changes the position of the escapement, helping to average out positional errors caused by gravity over time.
What makes this particular movement even more remarkable is that it was purpose-built to fit this exact Reverso case, resulting in a proportionally perfect, rectangular in-house calibre. I highly doubt many brands today would be willing to invest in such a specialised undertaking. That said, while the time-telling side of the Reverso is obviously meant to face outward when worn, I found myself flipping it around more often than not, just to admire the mesmerising tourbillon escapement. It's by far the most captivating feature of this watch.
I have to say, the 270.2 68 Tourbillon is as cool as it gets. It is a rare and exceptional reference to the iconic Reverso with a visual appeal that sets it apart from the rest. Not only that, but it was produced during the post-quartz era, a time that many are starting to realise represented a resurgence in traditional watchmaking.
For the true connoisseur, it stands among the most coveted and sought-after iterations of the Reverso—a reference that fully deserves its acclaim and should not be overlooked by any serious collector.
