Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Hokusai

Quick specs Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Hokusai
Price: on request (approx. € 101.000 | approx. CHF 96’000 | approx. $ 110,000 | approx. £ 87,000)
Size: 45.6 x 27.4 mm
Reference:
Q39334T4 (lozenge dial)
Q39334T5 (barleycorn dial) – limited to 10 pieces each

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Hokusai features two new models with a copy of artwork of the Japanese artist Hokusai. It’s not the first time JLC comes with models that have miniature versions of existing art. The handicraftsmen of Jaeger-LeCoultre created a Reverso Tribute model in 2018 with the artwork The Great Wave Off Kanagawa by Hokusai. Then in 2021 The Waterfall at Kirifuri, followed by The Amida Falls in 2022. Both by Hokusai as well.

More paintings and art from other artists have featured the Reverso as well, like a self-portrait of the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh. JLC released this Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso a Eclipse Self-portrait as a Painter in 2016. Although with this model the piece of art is on the dial side. The two new Reverso’s here feature The Waterfall Where Yoshitsune Washed his Horse at Yoshino and The Waterfall at Ono on the Kisokaido Road. These are paintings by Katsushika Hokusai, simply known as Hokusai, copied to the back of the watch by enamel specialists of JLC.

Who is Hokusai?

Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) is a renowned Japanese artist best known for his iconic woodblock print series. The painting The Great Wave off Kanagawa is probably his most known work. This work, together with many other works of Hokusai, including the ones on the watches, are at The Metropolitan Museum in New York. They are not on permanent display so if you want to see them (they are not big, with dimensions around 40 x 26 centimeters) check the museum’s website. Hokusai’s work is characterized by vibrant colors, detailed depictions of landscapes and nature, and a keen interest in the daily life and culture of Japan during the so-called Edo period.

Part of his art is made by woodblock printing, in Japan known as “mokuhanga”. Which is a prominent artistic technique often used during the Edo period (1603–1868), and notably associated with the ukiyo-e genre. Which translates as “pictures of a floating world”. In short, the technique consists of wooden blocks that are cut out, filled with paint, and then stamped on textiles or paper. For instance, this creates relief and gives depth to the depicted scene. However, on the new Reverso’s the art is created by grand feu enameling.

Barleycorn dial and lozenge dial

These Reverso models are housed in a white gold case measuring 45.6 x 27.4 millimeters. Both feature a guilloché dial, of which the Waterfall at Ono piece has a barleycorn design. While the Waterfall at Yoshino has a lozenge pattern. Both are executed in green. It is subtle but does not really match with what you can find when you flip the case.

The back of the case has the Hokusai artwork, containing 14 layers of grand feu enamel. It is built layer by layer, as each layer needs to be “baked” (grand feu) before the next one comes on. This process creates colorful effects, with depth and fine details. In addition to the technical accomplishment of translating Hokusai’s original colors onto an entirely different medium, the enameller grappled with the task of faithfully replicating every detail on a scale roughly one-tenth of the original. Look at the cartouches positioned near the top of each frame. There the original captions have been handwritten in microscopic proportions. It is art from art.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Hokusai has a power reserve of 42 hours

The Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber 822, which powers the Reverso Tribute Enamel Hokusai, delivers a power reserve of 42 hours. It is hand-wound and drives the hours and minutes with Dauphine hands. Both models come on a black leather strap and are limited to 10 pieces each.