With a swivelling case and unadorned back, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso has long served as a canvas for miniature enamelling (or double-faced complications). The Reverso Tribute Enamel “Shahnameh” is a fine example of the art, which is almost synonymous with Jaeger-LeCoultre (JLC), one of the first brands to set up an in-house enamel workshop.

Originally invented as a watch for polo players – the reversible case is meant to protect the crystal – the Reverso goes back to the historical origins of the game with this set. The quartet is inspired by scenes from Shahnameh, an epic poem written one thousand years ago that recounts the origins of the Persian Empire, and also depicts the ancient game invented by Persians that is today known as polo.

Specifically, the four watches reproduce illustrations from the Shahnameh commissioned by Shah Tahmasp, the second ruler of the Safavid dynasty, in the early 16th century.

The four piece set comprised of (from left) ‘Siyavush Plays Polo before Afrasiyab’; ‘Faridun Tests His Sons’; ‘Saam Comes to Mount Alburz’; and ‘Rustam Pursues Akvan’. Image – Jaeger-LeCoultre

Initial thoughts

JLC has long reproduced historical art on the Reverso – including Monet’s Venice series of paintings last year – but the artwork was often Western or East Asian, perhaps reflecting the watchmaker’s biggest markets. The “Shahnameh” set, on the other hand, reproduces scenes from a piece of art that might be less well known internationally but is no less important.

As is often the case with such Reversos, the “Shahnameh” watches are beautiful. They are fairly simple on the front with champleve enamel dials, but resplendent on the back.

The scenes on the back are reproduced in fine detail, with an overall quality that is outstanding. There are perhaps a handful of watches or artisans that boast higher quality miniature enamelling, but these certainly rank near the top.

At just over US$142,000 each, the Reverso “Shahnameh” is priced to market; métiers d’art watches of this type usually cost this much, if not more. That said, JLC doesn’t have cachet, at least right now, to compete strongly at this price point, though that has nothing to do with the intrinsic quality of the watches.

A Persian epic

The four watches retain the classic format for enamelled Reversos. The white gold case is Grande Taille size and measures 45.6 mm by 27.4 mm, standing 9.73 mm high, which is just nice.

Inside the cal. 822, the venerable movement designed expressly for the Reverso. Launched in 1991, the cal. 822 is a solid workhorse with an oval outline, making it an ideal fit for the rectangular case. It has a relatively short 42-hour power reserve by modern standards, but it is still impressively reliable and refined in terms of construction.

Each of the four watches has a different dial, ranging from wave guilloche in sea green to lozenge-chequerboard guilloche in forest green, but all dials are in champleve enamel – translucent enamel over an engine turned base. According to JLC, the guilloche is done the old fashioned way, on an hand-operated engine, as it should be.

The quality of the champleve dials, at least on the prototypes I examined, were not up to the standards of the miniature enamelling on the back. That could have simply been a symptom of the watches being prototypes.

The enamelling on the back, however, lives up to expectations. Each of the four watches depict scenes the Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasp. So lavish it took 20 years to complete, the original copy included 258 illustrations, but the book was dispersed in the 20th century. We take a close look two of the watches here.

The first is “Saam Comes to Mount Alburz” that reproduces a page that’s today in the Museum of Islamic Art in Berlin. The scene shows Prince Sam returning to Mount Alburz to retrieve his son, Zal, who was born with white hair (or albinism), an ill omen that led the prince to abandon the infant on Mount Alburz. The child was then brought up by the Simurgh, a mythical bird possessing great wisdom.

The mythical bird is on the top left, perched on the mountain

While Prince Sam has arrived at the mountain with his riders

The second watch is titled “Rustam Pursues Akvan”. The scene on the back reproduces a page of the Shah Tahmasp Shahnameh that is now in the Aga Khan Museum, which has 10 pages of the book.

Here the legendary hero Prince Rustam battling Akvan Div, a horned demon that has disguised itself as an onager, a type of donkey. The prince later pretends to be tired and rests, but the demon seizes the large stone that the prince is sleeping on. The demon gives the prince a choice, be thrown onto the mountain or into the sea.

The prince tricks the demon with reverse psychology, telling the demon into hurl him against the mountain. The demon then throws the prince into the sea, but the prince, being a strong swimmer, returns to land and defeats the demon.

One of them is a demon

The prince and his tricks

The remaining two watches similarly depict pages from the Shahnameh. The watch titled “Siyavush Plays Polo before Afrasiyab”, however, stands out for its explicit polo theme. It depicts two ancient kings, Siyavush and Afrasiyab, challenging each other to a game.

From left: ‘Faridun Tests His Sons’ and ‘Siyavush Plays Polo before Afrasiyab’. Image – Jaeger-LeCoultre

Key facts and price

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel “Shahnameh”
Ref. Q39334S1 (Siyavush Plays Polo before Afrasiyab)
Ref. Q39334S2 (Faridun Tests His Sons)
Ref. Q39334S3 (Saam Comes to Mount Alburz)
Ref. Q39334S4 (Rustam Pursues Akvan)

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: US$142,000 before taxes

For more information, visit Jaeger-lecoultre.com.