Eighty-five years later, the Reverso is as popular now as it was then. The timepiece has kept its patented swivel design, although improvements have been made. One of the ways it has kept up with the times has been with the introduction of the Atelier Reverso, a customisation service. Options met Maxence Kinget, Jaeger- LeCoultre’s managing director for Southeast Asia & Oceania, at the brand’s tastefully designed boutique at ION Orchard. Kinget, who assumed his position in June, elaborates on the Atelier Reverso service, which is available at the boutique. “We have some watches here that are pre-selected with different options such as different sample dials and straps. We also let you go through all the different combinations on the iPad — this is very interesting and entertaining. To me, this is the ultimate bespoke experience for watches and we are glad to have this concept of Atelier Reverso, which means ‘Reverso Workshop’ in French.” The customer begins by selecting the classic Reverso. He or she then picks the material, such as steel or gold, and finds the strap to match it as well as the colour of the dial. All in all, there are more than 1,000 different design possibilities, Kinget says. Who better to promote such a service than Kinget himself, who has used the bespoke service and had a very special challenge for the engraver. He asked that a very special photo from 2004 — that of the beat-up Renault he drove in a race from Paris to Marrakech when he was a student — be transferred onto the watch. After showing us the picture on his smartphone, he fishes out the Reverso timepiece from his pocket. “I gave the [Jaeger-LeCoultre] manufacture this picture from the rally. As you can see, the engraver has done a very unique and specific piece of craftsmanship.” On closer look, we could see on the back of the watch, the minute details in the picture such as the many stickers on the car, Kinget’s name and his race number. It is a fine example of putting something very personal onto the Reverso, and Kinget encourages the customer to do the same.
Before taking up his current posting, Kinget worked at the Jaeger-LeCoultre manufacture in Switzerland. He joined the Richemont group in 2005 and has worked as regional manager for Cartier in the US, and in various capacities for Jaeger-LeCoultre, the last one being international business development executive manager in Switzerland. He has had the best of both worlds — marketing experience as well as being based in the manu facture, which is the heartbeat of the brand’s watchmaking activities. He enthuses: “Over the last six years based at the manufacture with the international team, I had the occasion to really be within the watchmaking environment at the manufacture where everything happened. We have everybody under one roof, which is the concept of our manufacture in Switzerland.” Kinget says upon arriving in Singapore, he felt its energy, with the many projects going on. He is also travelling and meeting people who want to learn more about the brand. He is confident this can be done as the brand believes in sharing its craftsmanship, inventions as well as tradition.
