It’s been a minute since my last review and well honestly, I think I need to pull my weight around here at Fifthwrist. For the last 7 months I’ve had the pleasure of owning this Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface and the least I can do is share with you what I think about it.

What we have here is a splendid little manual wind, time only Reverso that is one side beaming blue dial and the other a blank steel canvas begging to be engraved. Size wise, the monoface slots itself between the medium classic Reverso and it’s big boy brother the duoface large. As result we have a watch that wears like a dream on my slim 6.5 inch wrist; admittedly only after I ditched the bulky and overpowering matte blue arrangement (Casa Fagliano and all) that accompanies this watch from factory along with its deployant clasp. Swapping it for a tang buckle and custom tan strap, it made that blue dial sing nice and proper while achieving the desired levels of comfort on the wrist.

So, that dial hey? It’s what draws you in, it’s what sold me this watch. Equal parts stunning sunray etched blue transparent lacquer and high polish rhodium applique, it’s modern Art Deco with a healthy dose of old world charm. What makes the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface so special is the departure from the modest silver dial with arabic numerals which is the models simplest form, to whimsical design cues that lean on the romanticism of the roaring 20’s of which this watch was birthed from.

Sharp lines and crisp execution ensures that this is no copy paste offering from the archives, but a watch that feels firmly brought into modernity. The faceted dauphine hands, high polish indices, stark white railroad minute track and small seconds register make a clear nod to the origins of the Reverso. Released from the shackles of its objective to survive a games of Polo on horseback, it successfully transformed to a timepiece that is as enchanting during leisure as well as sport. You feel apart of that journey and lineage of the Reverso itself whenever you strap this watch to your wrist.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface exudes X factor that maybe only the VC Americaine and the Patek Philippe Gondolo could match, is unlike anything one could attain from a traditional circular cased watch. The spirit of the Art Deco era where designers challenged the way we created everything from buildings, cars, fashion, that spirit is not lost even though this Reverso Tribute made its debut in 2019. It feels so classy, so different, it can lull you into believing your voice is that bit smoother, the strut in your step more confident, your charisma more enticing, without discussing how much you paid over retail to obtain a stainless steel sport watch. Blasphemy? No, you best believe it.

This Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface should come with a warning, it will make you feel cooler than you actually are! It’s easy to see this timepiece at face value and lump it in with all the industry wide releases that are essentially the same watch with a new dial colour, but with the Tribute it is definitely not the case. It is the journey of an iconic watch coming full circle, back to its Art Deco origins that set the watch apart early in the 20th century.

In a glut of stainless steel sport watches, the JLC Reverso Tribute Monoface proves that you don’t need to be on a waitlist or pay over the odds in order to obtain a watch that is a certified icon, could stay in your collection forever and just about guarantee great conversation with every enthusiast you meet. Okay you can’t wear this one to the beach or underwater, but it does just fine everywhere else. With the most robust mass produced Reverso case to date and the venerable 822 calibre this watch ready for the every day, not just the suit and tie occasion. I’ve loved every minute with the Reverso to date and have no doubts that will continue.