Christianch shares his personal journey and initial impressions of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Reverso Ultra Thin 1931 Chocolate Ref. 2782560. His review highlights the emotional connection collectors often have with new acquisitions and delves into the specific aesthetic and tactile qualities that make this Reverso model particularly appealing.
First of all a very happy new year to all the fellow collectors around the world!
As many of you I (almost) certainly have way too many watches in my collection yet I decided to start the year
with another gift for myself: a Grande Reverso Ultra Thin 1931 also known as the one with the "Chocolate" dial (Ref. 2782560).
Beside the usual "love at first sight" effect I will try to persuade you in this review that this watch is simply perfect even for a collector that has everything (or better said, perfect for me!).
This was a very instinct purchase as I learned about this watch just few days ago while looking at some old photos of a two years ago when I first tried the "brother" of this Reverso in white gold (Ref. 2783520). Back then I decided not to go for it and when I discovered that there was a new version in Rose gold I couldn't wait to get it.
I am lucky to live close to a newly opened JLC boutique
I was specifically looking for the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin 1931 Chocolate and, at first, I couldn't find it. There was the older version in white gold, the steel version but where is the brown?
Here it is! Now you probably know the feeling of really wanting to get a watch and wondering if it indeed available ...and here it was 
I wouldn't say that my heart was racing (I always finding it a bit of an overstatement when I read it) but I was really happy!
Bear with me on the photo quality as this first photo was taken in a bit of a rush
Now the tricky issue when you find a watch that you really want - and might not need - is resisting or "investing" some of the hard earned money in yet another amazing piece of wearable art.
Talking about art: the lady in this photo in the JLC boutique seemed convinced that I should indeed get it
- after all there was only one piece available and this Grande Reverso Ultra Thin 1931 is not always available
at authorised distributors - so why not ?
Trying the watch confirmed that it was indeed both very light and ultra thin. Both characteristics are really important. And hear I say only once: a word of caution in buying a watch that is either
too heavy or big for your wrist. You might love it (a lot) at once but the force of physic will prevent you
from wearing it as much as you would like (this is not to say that you shouldn't get a bigger and heavier
watch that you like. Just that it might take a while to get used to it and it might never be as comfortable).
I am a big sinner in this department!
When you just put the watch back in the tray and, just for these few seconds, you already miss it you know that you are in trouble
And now is too late ready to go
Back in my office I can't stop enjoying the watch. Very light, classy yet not as understated as while gold - so a statement indeed but a discrete (and very light and thin) one.
The strap is another amazing element of this watch. It was produced in Argentina by polo bootmarker "Casa fagliano ". Now this might sound trivial but having a comfortable strap is essential to me and is not
always that obvious - I do have some watches I love that have not that comfortable straps.
As you can detect in the photo this strap has some visible scratches (the boutique ensured me that it was
just a result of being in display for long and perhaps this kind of leather might be prone to these scratches)
but offered to let me have a new strap, obviously for free
This version of the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin 1931 has no logo on the dial simply the name "reverso" above the the seconds at 6 o'clock. I have seen other reviews criticising this
choice but I disagree. I think that it adds an element of vintage to the watch that I really like
Winding a manual watch can be either a pleasure or a nuisance: much of it depends also on the winding action that was the first thing I remembered when I looked at the old photos of the JLC 1931 in
white gold that I tried back in 2012.
I have tried (and still own) many manual watches and I can only say that this model
winding action is by far the best I have have encountered.
What do you think of the watch on my wrist?
Conclusions: If you like square watches a JLC reverso is certainly "the" watch that you need in your collection. The Grande Reverso Ultra Thin 1931 Chocolate dial watch is an eternal classic that excels in both look and wearability. It is both
very light and thin making it ideal for daily wearing. Like many other high-end watches this is really wearable art
and, in essence, a dream.
Thanks again for reading and feel free to comment. Very happy on my first JLC
