Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre has been talking up its Christian Louboutin collaboration in the press since the SIHH earlier this year. For the most part, we have concentrated on the high complications from the Le Sentier-based watchmaker but, thanks to our news alerts, we’ve learned that there is a new short film starring Elisa Sednaoui showcasing what is at the heart of this Reverso by Christian Louboutin affair. This really changed our minds about writing this up because addressing this quirky collection by breaking down its technical specifications is an exercise in futility…

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, for those who don’t know, is a watch with two faces that strongly reflects its Art Deco origins (the first one was made in the 1930s), the manufacture’s commitment to traditional mechanical watchmaking and, perhaps paradoxically, a passion for innovation. Those who know the brand will of course understand perfectly how this is all embodied in a Jaeger-LeCoultre wristwatch but for most people, this is the sort of brand messaging that elicits puzzlement. Happily, this short film conveys the idea and nature of time and the relationship between time and inspirational objects in just 45 seconds. We invite you to watch it and make your own judgment.

To our eyes, this video is a triumph, which makes the next part, a practical summary of the watch’s technical characteristics irrelevant. Seriously though, this watch is at its heart a Reverso Classic Duetto, so it shares all the specifications of that model. What Louboutin brings to the special collection is ephemeral. It plays with reflections and transparency – as amply evident in the short film – and is available in two sizes and that is about all one can usefully say. To some extent, there are many variants of this watch, with all manner of different details, including the model seen top with the iridescent shades.

“I understood that the Reverso’s iconic Art Deco lines and very specific format could be customized and changed, but never improved. The exciting part is not about enhancing the Reverso, but instead offering a different perception of it,” said Christian Louboutin.

And that will have to suffice by way of explanation. Reverso models designed in collaboration with Christian Louboutin will be available for one year as part of the Atelier Reverso concept in Jaeger-LeCoultre boutiques. If you really yearn to know the details about the Reverso by Christian Louboutin, seek out the nearest boutique.