Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso 1931 Lisica Caliber

daijiroh · 2016-01-04T12:06:25Z

Discover daijiroh's vintage Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso from the 1930s, featuring a rare Lisica caliber and SS Bremen enamel engraving, sparking historical discussion.

daijiroh

WPS member · Jaeger-LeCoultre forum

12 replies2430 views2 photos

Hello everybody, I have been reading your discussions for years now and I finally told myself it was the right time to write my first post. I am a Reverso fan and already own a couple of watches. I just went to the post office this morning to pickup my latest acquisition, a Reverso with a Lisica cal

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Hello everybody,

I have been reading your discussions for years now and I finally told myself it was the right time to write my first post. I am a Reverso fan and already own a couple of watches.

I just went to the post office this morning to pickup my latest acquisition, a Reverso with a Lisica caliber. I am so happy with this watch that I want to share my happiness with you. According to the caliber, which was used by Jaeger LeCoultre before they produce their own rectangular movement, the watch would have been produced between 1931 and 1933 and would be one of the first J

The enamel on the back would confirm the date. This is an engraving of the SS Bremen. Here below is an extract from Wikipedia

The SS Bremen was a German-built ocean liner constructed for the Norddeutscher Lloyd line (NDL) to work the transatlantic sea route. Bremen was notable for her bulbous bow construction, high-speed engines, and low, streamlined profile. At the time of her construction, she and her sister ship Europa were the two most advanced high-speed steam turbine ocean liners of their day. The German pair sparked an international competition in the building of large, fast, luxurious ocean liners that were national symbols and points of prestige during the pre-war years of the 1930s. Bremen was to have made her maiden transatlantic crossing in the company of her sister Europa, but Europa suffered a serious fire during fitting-out, so Bremen crossed solo, departing Bremerhaven for New York City under the command of Commodore Leopold Ziegenbein on 16 July 1929. She arrived four days, 17 hours, and 42 minutes later, capturing the westbound Blue Riband from the Mauretania with an average speed of 27.83 knots (51.54 km/h).

In 1932 the Bremen received new turbines and broke her own record with an average speed of 28.14 knots. Perhaps they made this watch to celebrate this new record. I don't know.

The story of this ship is incredible.

As Nazism gained power in Germany, Bremen and her pier in New York were often the site of Anti-Nazi demonstrations. On 26 July 1935 a group of demonstrators boarded Bremen just before she sailed and tore the Nazi flag from the jackstaff and tossed it into the Hudson River. At the time there was a dual flag law, by which both the black-white-red horizontal tricolour (previously the flag of the German Empire), and the swastika flag were simultaneously official national flags of Germany. As the ship's swastika flag was the one tossed into the river, US authorities claimed that no symbol of Germany had been harmed. On 15 September 1935 Germany changed its flag law, removing the status of the black-white-red flag of imperial Germany with which the Nazis on coming to power had replaced the black-red-gold flag of the Weimar Republic as co-national flag

This is the reason why I love vintage watches. I really have the feeling to wear a piece of history.

Do you know if JLC could give me more information about this watch? Or if you have any information, please fell free to share it with me.

Thank you.

The Discussion

amanico

Jan 4, 2016

That is a very interesting piece of history you have here. That's something which could interest the Heritage Gallery a lot. Maybe you should contact them, or send me some scans of the interior of this special Reverso. Maybe their archives will speak, and reveal the secret and the history of your time keeper? Best, Nicolas

Tim_M

Jan 4, 2016

Welcome to our forum, and thank you for sharing this special piece in its historical context. I'm a writer and an historian, so this is a real treat. Back in October of last year, I was in Philadelphia for a watch dinner, and I had the opportunity to see the last Blue Riband liner, the SS United States, in its final days at the docks on the Delaware river. The 1952 ship marked the end of the distinguished line of "ships of state" that carried banners of national pride, commercial prestige, and t

TheMadDruid

Jan 4, 2016

It's truly great to see such a watch with its history (or at least some of it) right on its case. Please do what Nico suggests and share more information when you get it.

fernando

Jan 4, 2016

and what an incredible Reverso you have there. Thanks for sharing it with us. It goes to show just what a design icon the Reverso is. cheers fernando

daijiroh

Jan 5, 2016

I would love to know more about my watch. I have photos showing the case number and the movement number and have no problem to share it with. But I don't know who to contact at JLC. And here come a nicer photo of the enameled engraving.

eklektik

Jan 5, 2016

May I ask what the dimensions of the watch are and how/where you purchased it? Please tell us more any information you receive from JLC All the best, and welcome here! Etienne

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