TL;DR: the Reverso is judged mainly on its flip movement, which one or two photos do not show well. This thread says what to ask for and what to look at, without naming who made the piece.
One sourced starting point: according to Wikipedia (Jaeger-LeCoultre article), the name comes from the Latin “I turn myself”, and the Reverso was created in 1931 to survive the knocks of a polo match. Engineer René-Alfred Chauvot designed a reversible case: the case pivots in its carrier to protect the dial and crystal, a design seen as an Art Deco classic. The rest of this thread is photo method.
[[PHOTO: boîtier de Reverso en trois vues sur fond uni : cadran visible, boîtier à demi retourné dans son support, fond visible, même lumière]]
Editorial summary, not independently verified.
Beginner question: on Reverso QC photos I don’t know where to start. The dial? The bracelet? How do you “check” a case that flips?
Start with the pivot, because that is what makes the model special. Ask for a short flip video, from a fixed camera:
- does the case slide smoothly, without a jerk?
- is there any play when it is held slightly tilted?
- does the case come back flat, aligned with its carrier on both sides?
A photo does not show those three points. A video of a few seconds does. The method for asking for useful images is in How to ask for useful QC photos.
The gadroons are the raised horizontal lines on the face of the case. In photos:
- Even spacing: equal gaps between the lines, without lines that close up on one side.
- Sharp edges: clean and crisp in macro, not soft or rounded.
- Length and centring: do the lines stop at the same distance from the edge on both sides?
A face-on macro in good light beats a distant shot. And if the flash flattens the relief, a second take in daylight is needed.
For the dial and the proportions, a useful reminder: measurements alone are not enough. The thread How to read watch measurements explains how to read diameter, lug to lug and thickness from a photo next to a ruler. For the Reverso, the points to watch:
- Dial proportions: numerals or indices well centred, on the same axis as the case.
- Crystal: even reflections, no visible distortion at the edges.
- Hands: alignment at 12 and on the indices.
The name gives variants, such as the Duoface (the name announces two faces) or the Tribute; Wikipedia lists them among notable models. A Duoface has a second dial on the other face, so twice as much to check.
[[PHOTO: gros plan des godrons d’un boîtier de Reverso avec une règle graduée posée à côté, lumière rasante venant de la gauche]]
And the bracelet, the clasp, the caseback? People say that shows in the photos.
What photos say, and what they do not:
- Caseback: sharp engraving, clean edges, no tool marks. A flip video also shows how the caseback behaves when you handle it.
- Bracelet and clasp: clasp alignment, even stitch points if it is leather. For wear and comfort you need time on the wrist.
- What a photo does not prove: the feel of the flip movement, the strength of the pivot, how long the finish lasts.
If a flaw touches the pivot (play, locking up), it is a function flaw, so a serious RL candidate; see GL vs RL: what they mean and when a flaw is worth an RL.
Summary:
- The Reverso (1931, per Wikipedia) is a watch with a reversible case. The first QC point is the pivot, to be seen on video.
- Ask for a short fixed-camera video of the flip: smoothness, play, return to flat.
- Gadroons: even spacing, sharp edges, centred lines; face-on macro in daylight.
- Dial and crystal: centring, even reflections, aligned hands. Measurements are read with the thread on watch measurements.
- Duoface: two dials to check, not one. Tribute: variants have their own details, compare with the same reference.
- Term glossaries are in the glossary of movements and parts.
- Play or locking of the pivot is a function flaw: a good reason for an RL.
Photos show neither the long-term strength of the pivot nor the wear of the finish.
Editorial summary, not independently verified.
In one sentence: flip video first, gadroons in macro next, and do not judge the rest before you have seen the pivot.