Jaeger-LeCoultre’s New Reverso Tribute Enamel Collection Gallop’s Into The Year Of The Horse

As the world prepares to welcome the Lunar New Year of the Horse in February 2026, Jaeger-LeCoultre pays tribute to one of its most enduring symbols, the horse with a quartet of exceptional Reverso Tribute Enamel timepieces. Each creation celebrates the Maison’s deep connection with equestrian heritage, the cultural significance of the horse in Chinese art and mythology, and the artistry of its Métiers Rares™ atelier.

Born in 1931, the Reverso was conceived as a practical solution for polo players in British India, its swivelling case designed to withstand the rigours of the game while retaining elegant Art Deco lines. Horses have remained linked to the Reverso ever since, both through its sporting origins and through their role in culture, mythology, and artistry. In China, horses symbolise courage, strength, loyalty, vitality, and power, while also being central figures in legends such as the dragon horse (longma) and the flying horse (Tianma). It is only fitting, then, that Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrates this auspicious zodiac year through works of wearable art that bridge cultures.

At the heart of the collection are three Reverso Tribute Enamel watches inspired by Xu Beihong (1895–1953), a visionary Chinese painter recognised as the father of modern Chinese art. Renowned for his ink-and-wash paintings of horses, Xu infused each stroke with movement, vitality, and symbolic meaning. To reinterpret his legacy, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s artisans have achieved a feat of masterful miniaturisation: transforming canvases more than one metre wide into enamel paintings measuring just 2 cm² on the Reverso’s casebacks. Each requires 80 hours of work, capturing not just the likeness but also the spirit of Xu’s brushwork.

The first of these, The Running Horse, depicts a solitary galloping horse rendered with majesty and grace. Its dial, finished in Evergreen Pine Green grand feu enamel over a sunray guilloché pattern of 120 lines, symbolises resilience and vitality. The second, Two Horses, portrays a dynamic black-and-white pair, their movement evoking affinity and energy. Its dial shimmers in Distant Mountain Blue enamel over a barley-seed guilloché motif, recalling misty Chinese landscapes. The third, The Standing Horse, captures nobility and latent power through bold brushstrokes, complemented by a Crimson Dawn Orange enamel dial layered over a herringbone guilloché pattern. Each model is offered in a white-gold case and limited to 10 pieces.

Adding further depth to the tribute is the Reverso Tribute Enamel Horse, which showcases the Métiers Rares™ atelier’s prowess in both enamelling and engraving. On the reverse, a sculpted horse appears to leap from golden clouds, its polished body highlighted with rhodium accents to enhance lifelike details. To achieve such realism, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s master engraver employed the exacting technique of modelled engraving, chiselling directly onto a surface already coated with grand feu enamel an extraordinary challenge requiring 80 hours of work. A sandblasted background enhances depth, while opaque black enamel provides striking contrast.

The dial of this edition mirrors the caseback, executed in deep glossy black grand feu enamel. Achieving such uniformity required up to six layers of enamel, each fired and cooled in succession, followed by meticulous polishing. The apparent simplicity belies the technical difficulty of this craft, which Jaeger-LeCoultre continues to safeguard in-house. This model, also limited to 10 pieces, will be unveiled in September 2025 at the Maison’s Dream Shaper exhibition in Shanghai.

All four watches are powered by the hand-wound Manufacture Calibre 822, offering hours and minutes with a 42-hour power reserve. Beyond precision, however, these Reverso Tribute Enamel creations embody the spirit of cultural dialogue, craftsmanship, and heritage. By uniting the symbolism of the horse, the legacy of Xu Beihong, and the Maison’s own equestrian origins, Jaeger-LeCoultre presents not just timepieces, but lasting works of art.