Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso à Eclipse Van Gogh Sunflowers

This year, 2015, is the year that the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam pays tribute to the 125th anniversary of the famous Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh. And Jaeger-LeCoultre joins them for this memorable event by releasing a limited edition Reverso à Eclipse that features Van Gogh’s infamous Sunflowers painting. Since the Reverso à Eclipse has the unique feature to show or reveal a dial, the enamel dial with Van Gogh’s painting in enamel, can be discretely hidden, or shown, by choice of the wearer.

Vincent Van Gogh (1853 – 1890) is famous for his post-impressionist works and has had a great influence on twentieth century art. During is short life he painted nearly 2,200 paintings, of which 860 oil paintings and more than 1,300 watercolour paintings, drawings, sketches and prints. For more than a century, his work is a great source of inspiration for many painters. The painting that is featured in this Reverso à Eclipse is called Sunflowers, hence the name of the watch, Reverso à Eclipse Van Gogh Sunflowers.

He painted four still lifes of sunflowers, showing that it was possible to make a lot of variations of one colour without sacrificing expressiveness and shape. To this date it remains one of his most famous works. The original painting, which was painted in Arles in 1889, and painted during the last period of his life, resides in the possession of the Van Gogh Museum.

Jaeger-LeCoultre is one of the few manufactures who still has knowledge of enamelling, and they have shown this art before. Especially in the Reverso à Eclipse this form of art can be incorporated in a discrete way, so the wearer can choose to hide or reveal the lower dial. Turn the wheel on the side of the case, and you can slowly open or close the upper dial, which can be seen as shutters.

Other custom options of dial can of course also be created by the master enamelers of the manufacture. The Reverso à Eclipse Van Gogh Sunflowers is a 5 piece limited edition in rose gold, and inside ticks the Jaeger-LeCoultre calibre 849. This in-house movement is only 1.85 mm thick, beats at a pace of 21,600 vph. and has a 35-hour power reserve.

The masterpiece can be admired in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, in the Jaeger-LeCoultre boutique in Amsterdam and of course here on Monochrome!