The Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso is one of the most peculiar but innovative timepieces ever made in the history of watchmaking.
Its minimalistic but chic design has been copied by other brands, resulting in the release of a number of Jaeger LeCoultre (JLC) homage timepieces in the market.
A Brief History Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso
British Army officers back then loved playing polo during break times.
The sport involves people riding horses with long and hard mallets in hand, aiming to hit the polo ball towards their opponent’s court.
Just imagine the momentum created by a running horse and mallets hitting one another, and you won’t be surprised how the players’ watches get destroyed during the game.
This concern pushed the group to approach a watch dealer, who in turn asked help from Jacques-David LeCoultre to develop a timepiece that can withstand the brutal sport.
The result was the birth of the first Reverso – a small, rectangular timepiece that can be completely rotated 180 degrees, exposing the back plate and protecting the fragile window crystal from physical abuses.
It became popular outside the military circle and the polo sports scene, capturing the enthusiasm of people in owning a unique timepiece.
It hit a roadblock, though, when round watches became the norm, resurfacing only in the 1990s and 2000s with the addition of new movement and features not seen before on the first generation Reverso.
The Jaeger LeCoultre Homage Watches
The popularity of the rectangular, reversible watch may have toned down a bit, but it has never disappeared from the watchmaking scene.
Here’s a short list of the best JLC Reverso alternatives you can find in the market.
Stuhrling Skyline
The 38mm Skyline is a good JLC Reverso alternative, minus the reversible part.
It measures 30mm x 22mm and has a synthetic sapphire crystal, a stainless steel case, a calfskin leather strap, a chronograph dial, and a Swiss quartz movement.
Pros:
- Band is comfortable to wear
- Stylish and looks great for formal wear
- Very affordable entry watch
- Water resistant up to 50m
Cons:
- Not a reverse watch
- No lume
- No date window
Daniel Steiger The Monticello
For the price, the Monticello looks very much like the JL reverso we all love and enjoy.
With a stainless steel case with rose gold finish, numberless design with a legitimate leather brown strap.
Its a quartz movement with a convenient date window and retrograde dial and is a great homage to add to your dress watch collection.
Pros
- 5 Year warranty
- Solid stainless steel
- Quality leather strap
- Date window
Cons
- High possibility of a rose gold coating will rub off after use.
Bulova Quartz 96B269
The Bulova Quartz has a large 47mm x 20mm dimension and features a non-reversible stainless steel case, a synthetic sapphire crystal, a crocodile leather strap, a black dial with silver-toned Roman numeral hour markers, a date window, and an analog quartz movement.
Pros:
- Elegant design and overall look qualifies it as a great Jaeger LeCoultre homage
- Mix of black and silver colors on the dial adds to the classiness of the watch
- Size makes it effortless to read the time
Cons:
- Not reversible
- No lume
- Water resistant up to 30m only
Seiko Solar SUP896
The 28mm x 20mm Seiko Solar has a curved Hardlex crystal, a stainless steel case, a calfskin leather strap, and a solar-powered quartz movement.
It’s classy and looks expensive, but in reality, it’s one of the best and most affordable JLC Reverso alternatives that will surely impress anyone who sees it.
Pros:
- Available in a larger 36mm variant
- Excellent finish and overall design
- Lightweight and low-profile
- Solar-powered engine doesn’t need battery replacement
- Water resistant up to 50m
Cons:
- Strap is low quality
- Band is a bit stiff to wear
- Not reversible
- No date function
Eterna 1935 Eterna-Matic
The 35mm x 25mm Eterna-Matic has a black guilloche-style dial with silver-toned hour markers, a sapphire crystal, a stainless steel case, a crocodile leather strap, luminescent hands, a date window, and an ETA caliber 2681 self-winding automatic movement.
This is the best JLC Reverso alternative for women you can find in the market.
Pros:
- Thin and lightweight
- Hands have lume
- Black and silver color combination makes this an excellent dress watch
- Power reserve of up to 38 hours
Cons:
- Water resistant up to 30m only
- Band is stiff
- Not reversible
Oris Rectangular Complications Watch
Oris watches are very good quality for the amount of money and I wanted to throw rectangular complication watch because they have some reminicent qualities of the elegant JC reverso.
That being said, the Oris is more decked out with its moon phase and day date subdials.
Pros
- Scratch proof sapphire crystal
- Stainless steel bracelet and case
- Water resistance of 30 meters
- Luminous hands
Cons
- Can’t think of any
Rotary Evolution
The Rotary Evolution is one of the best Jaeger LeCoultre homages you can find in the market.
It’s available in 2 different models, the GS2923 and the TZ2, both measuring 39mm x 20mm in size.
Both style also have mineral crystals, stainless steel cases, leather straps, and a quartz movements.
The difference can be seen in the finishes, the strap color, and the features on the watch face.
The GS2923 has a version with a seconds subdial, while the other variants have a date window.
Pros:
- Reverse watch just like the JLC Reverso
- Classy and impressive overall design
- Large dial face makes it easy to read the time
Cons:
- Date window is really small
- No lume
- Mineral crystal isn’t that scratch-resistant
Hamilton Otis
The 40mm x 24mm Otis is an excellent reverse watch that features a 14k gold case, a dial with Arabic numeral hour markers, a seconds-hand subdial, a sapphire crystal, a genuine crocodile leather strap, and a manual-wind caliber 980 movements.
This is a very rare piece and one of the most coveted Jaeger LeCoultre homage watches you can get your hands on.
Pros:
- Vintage look is very attractive and elegant
- Features a similar Reverso mechanism to that of the Jaeger LeCoultre
- Large size makes it easy to read the time
- Available in different dial and strap colors
Cons:
- It’s very hard to find nowadays
- No lume
- No date window
Cartier Men’s W5200027 Automatic
The 31mm x 22mm Cartier W5200027 features a white dial surrounded by black-colored Roman numeral hour markers and has a stainless steel case, a synthetic leather strap, a date window, and an automatic movement.
Pros:
- Excellent design and sturdy build
- It’s perfect for both men and women
- Comes in an elegant box packaging
Cons:
- Water resistant up to 30m only
- Expensive JLC Reverso alternative
- Poor leather strap quality for its price
Conclusion
The list was hard to make because there are very few brands that feature a Reverso mechanism similar to that of the Jaeger LeCoultre.
With that, we’ve listed timepieces that have both reversible and non-reversible features that will still pass as excellent JLC Reverso alternatives.
Take a look again and you’ll surely have a pick among these incredible homage watches.
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