Collector’s Choice: Xiaomo Xiong and His Extraordinary Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Collection

1. Before we speak about the individual watches of your collection: what was the moment when Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso became more than just a design object for you?

I recall my first memory of the Reverso; I was basically a kid in 1995. My uncle flipped his watch, showing me the mechanism, which seemed unbelievable to me at the time. It transitions from a beautifully engineered object designed by LeCoultre into a storytelling piece defined entirely by its owner. Back then, all my classmates wanted a Casio G-Shock, but the Reverso became my dream watch from that moment – a watch I knew I had to own at least one of in my lifetime. That was the plan in my teenage mind.

2. Was there one Reverso that changed the way you looked at the entire model line?

Do you remember that super-complicated, four-sided Reverso? That’s something I never expected. That watch truly demonstrates the technical potential of this line.

3. You said that the Radiohead Reverso connects your horological passion with your Rock’n’Roll enthusiasm. Can you tell us the full story behind that connection?

In the late 1990s, I became obsessed with what we now call ‘Britpop’. Pulp, James, Oasis, Blur, and, of course, Radiohead. They weren’t just music to me; they actually became my primary motivation to learn English well, so I could understand their lyrics. China was a very different country back then; modern Western culture was far less accessible. I had to discover my own taste without radio, television, or the Internet – just by exchanging CDs with others, like a black market for sound. Like many kids at my school, I skipped countless lunches to afford pirated CDs. Years later, I realised my passion for watches and music originated from the exact same period: the golden 1990s.

4. The engraving “FOR A MINUTE THERE I LOST MYSELF” feels almost inseparable from a minute repeater. Why did this particular Radiohead lyric belong on this particular watch?

Fortunately, I can now afford several thousand original vinyl records, as well as a few Reversos (funnily enough, the career that allowed me to afford these watches was as a music magazine editor – once again, connecting my two hobbies.) Among my collection, the perpetual calendar, the tourbillon, and the chronograph all feature double-faced dials; only the minute repeater has a plain, mirror-like back. So, I wanted to put something deeply meaningful to me on it. The lyrics to ‘Karma Police’ sprang to mind immediately, not just because it is one of my favourite Radiohead songs, but also because ‘For a minute there I lost myself’ resonates beautifully with a minute-repeating mechanism. JLC China was a huge help in communicating with headquarters regarding this order, because they don’t usually engrave or paint vintage timepieces. After a six-month wait, I received the watch; it is now the brightest gem in my entire collection. For context, both the song and this specific watch were made in the exact same year: 1996.

5. When you choose an engraving, do you think first about the words, the watch, or the memory behind it?

Just like a tattoo. Only your own memory can make it eternal and worthwhile.

6. As a vinyl collector and former rock music magazine editor, how do you experience the sound of a minute repeater — technically, emotionally, or almost like a private piece of music?

Unlike many watch collectors, I consider tempo more important than the sound itself. Sound relates to materials, whereas tempo relates closely to the mechanism. Sound is subjective, but tempo is highly objective. As for the volume, I prefer a discreet chime to a screaming one. A watch should chime and be heard from a certain distance, but without being too loud.

7. Your collection includes several of the great complicated Reversos from the 1990s: the Tourbillon, the Répétition Minutes, the Chronographe Rétrograde and the Quantième Perpétuel. What makes this particular period in Reverso history so important to you?

For collectors and enthusiasts like me, the 1990s were the absolute golden age of the Reverso. This era represents a perfect historical transition, precisely at the dawn of the ‘neo-vintage’ era, catching a wave of unparalleled mechanical creativity right after the Reverso was technically modernised. For those who consider themselves ‘purists’, the 1990s Reverso has the best proportions, forming a perfect visual balance. Throughout that decade, the Reverso evolved from simple, time-only watches into something truly magical. The six legendary watches, known as ‘The Big Six’, pushed rectangular watch design to its absolute peak. If you lived through the 1990s, you know just how mind-blowing they were.

8. The 1993 Reverso Tourbillon hides its most important mechanism on the reverse side. Is that sense of discretion — of having something extraordinary but not immediately visible — part of the attraction?

An opening tourbillon visible from the dial, was originally Daniel Roth’s idea. It became a design blueprint for almost all the modern tourbillon wristwatches. But a hidden tourbillon was a tradition from the pocket watch era. Watchmakers who wish to simplify the dial design as much as possible place the tourbillon on the back. I think both designs work, as long as the product concept stands. But for me, I am attracted to watches with something extraordinary but unseen. I have some other watches in my collection with a similar idea, like the H. Moser “Fake Apple Watch” without a brand name, a Vacheron Jalousy that hides its dial, and some Grand Seiko watches. The Reverso Tourbillon in an extremely reasonable size is so discreet that it doesn’t shout loudly on my wrist, instead it can easily hides under my shirt sleeve. Only the owner knows, it’s a perfect symmetric tourbillon movement is inside.

9. Do you remember the first time you heard the 1994 Répétition Minutes strike?

Yes, outside the Christie’s office, right after picking it up from the auction. Frankly, the sound wasn’t actually that good! But I was thrilled all the same. It is a 1990s model with a rectangular movement inside and a relatively small, complicated case designed to resonate – what more could I ask for? Last year, JLC launched a new minute repeater model, and its sound is truly exceptional. But we all have to start somewhere.

10. The 1996 Reverso Chronographe Rétrograde is a very unusual chronograph, both technically and visually. What drew you to this watch: the movement architecture, the retrograde display, or the way it transforms when the case is reversed?

As you mentioned, this watch is incredibly special: elegant and dressy on the front, yet technical and sporty on the reverse. And I must emphasise: this retrograde chronograph was built with a rectangular movement, which was unprecedented! For me, this is the finest of ‘The Big Six’; it had to conquer so many technical challenges just to be both functional and beautiful. I deeply admire the achievements hidden behind the scenes.

11. The 2000 Reverso Quantième Perpétuel feels like the conclusion of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s great 1990s Reverso complication chapter. Do you see it as a technical achievement, a historical milestone, or something more personal?

Yes, it absolutely is a technical achievement. The design, which separates the information across two dials, is incredibly clever, and it remains a true pleasure to wear given its size. I had been looking for this watch for many years. I followed every single auction, and it finally appeared in the catalogue of a very small Japanese auction house. I flew to Tokyo to bid, and the gentleman sitting next to me bid against me the entire time. It was so awkward! When I won, his angry expression was unforgettable – I still feel a bit sorry about it. I’m sure he is a true collector who appreciates the watch’s uniqueness, and it might well have been his dream watch too.

12. Your 2004 Reverso 8 Days Japan Kanji Edition has a completely different character from the grand complications. What attracted you to this watch, and what does the use of Kanji or Chinese numerals add to the experience of wearing it?

As we all know, the Reverso was an exotic watch at its inception, designed for English polo players in India. Later, various enamel versions of the Reverso emerged, reflecting different cultures, world travellers, and adventurers. Unlike Cartier or Panerai, JLC has never launched a watch with Chinese numerals on the main dial. That would definitely look out of place, and as a Chinese collector, I wouldn’t support it either. But for the Grande Reverso 8 Days? Inside the jumping window on the back? That is actually a brilliant idea! Since Kanji characters are basically identical to Chinese numerals, the Japan Kanji Edition can naturally be appreciated as a legitimate Chinese edition. The only catch is that it’s limited to just 50 pieces. So, once again, I booked a flight.

I don’t think this design makes it any easier to read for Chinese (or Japanese) collectors, but we don’t wear an eight-day, manual-winding watch for convenience. It simply looks beautiful, feels special, and subtly connects to my culture. That is more than enough.

13. Looking at your Reverso collection as a whole — with Radiohead, Liverpool, rose-gold complications, cultural details and personal engravings — do you see it as a watch collection, or as a kind of private archive of your life?

I think you’ve captured it perfectly. Some watches in my collection are just watches to me, but the Reverso is intimately tied to my youth, my memories, and my desire for beautiful objects. The Reverso’s unique structure also makes it the perfect canvas for personal passions: music, football, self-identity, and a decades-long love for mechanical marvels. Aside from all that, you have to admit it is an incredibly playful watch; you’ll find yourself flipping it over and over just for the fun of it, rather than to actually read the time. Ultimately, it’s a watch meant to impress yourself, not anyone else.

14. Do you wear these complicated Reversos regularly, or do some of them feel too significant for everyday use?

I wear them very regularly; I don’t mind scratches at all. And once again, they are the perfect size and proportions. All the watches in my collection are meant to be worn, no matter how rare or how ordinary.

15. If you had to explain the Reverso to someone who knows nothing about watches, would you describe it as design, engineering, culture, or emotion?

I would simply let them try flipping it, just like my own first encounter with the Reverso when I was 13. The magic will speak for itself.

All Images by Xiaomo Xiong exclusively for Swisswatches Magazine