Coiled in Elegance: Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Latest Reverso Tribute Enamel Variant Marks the Year of the Snake

Enamel dials display a bright brilliance and depth that other materials usually cannot match. The glassy sheen and brilliant hues are the result of numerous layers of powdered glass fused at high temperatures, generating a radiant, smooth surface that appears to glow from inside. Enamel dials do not fade over time, and this adds to their charm. When correctly made, enamel is resistant to moisture, heat, and sunshine; in other words, this material is extremely durable. The latest timepiece from  Jaeger-LeCoultre (JLC) shows why enamel dials are much-sought-after in the world of horology.

Celebrating the 2025 Chinese New Year, the latest Reverso Tribute Enamel 'Snake' (Ref. Q39324D2) variant showcases the JLC master enamellers’ and engravers' skills. It’s a limited-edition, made-to-order timepiece from the Métiers Rares™ workshop of Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre. What’s more, this is the third piece in a series honouring the Chinese Zodiac, following the ones celebrating the Tiger and Dragon years. As an animal, the snake denotes longevity, wisdom, and mystery in Chinese mythology. 

The 45.5 mm Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Snake’ timepiece has the crown and lugs in pink gold. Crafted from black Grand Feu enamel, the Art Deco-inspired primary dial gets faceted appliqué hour markers with dauphine hour, minute hands. There is a chemin de fer minutes track, along with a Jaeger-LeCoultre logo at 12 o’clock. Turning the watch case reveals a hand-engraved snake emerging powerfully from a wreath of golden clouds, set against a background of glossy black Grand Feu enamel. The polished surfaces of the snake’s body and the fine details of its scales are hand-drawn with black rhodium; the contrasting sandblasted texture of the clouds catch and refract light to enhance the illusion of movement. 

To maximise the sense of volume and depth, the master engraver used a technique called modelled engraving. In fact, Jaeger-LeCoultre is one of the few watchmakers to have an in-house enamelling studio, preserving and improving a historical technique. The engraver’s work began not with a bare metal surface (as is usual) but with a surface that already had its coat of Grand Feu enamel. Needless to say, this requires an unprecedented level of accuracy to avoid damage to the pristine enamel. Using 10 differently sized chisels to sculpt the metal step by step, the engraver devoted 80 work hours to this creation. 

The seeming simplicity of pure black enamel is misleading because the firing process in Grand Feu enamelling is never completely predictable. To achieve a deep and rich black colour, five or six coats of enamel have to be applied, followed by firing and chilling. For the latest JLC creation, this process took at least 24 working hours (16 hours for the caseback and 8 hours for the dial) over multiple days. This was followed by a half-day of polishing to produce a flawless, consistent finish. Powering the watch is manually wound Calibre 822 with a 42-hour power reserve. This is the same movement that was also seen in the Tribute Enamel Dragon novelty. The watch is finished on a black alligator strap. All in all, the Reverso Tribute Enamel 'Snake' exemplifies La Grande Maison's ambition of combining artistic crafts with technical ability.