The Nomadic 1931 Café has just opened in Zurich. Join us on a visit as we immerse ourselves in an Art Deco setting and embark on a classy journey. Are you ready for a multisensory experience by exploring the story of the iconic Reverso?
Experiencing the Nomadic 1931 Café in Zurich
Turn back the clock nearly a century to the 1920s and '30s. Imaging yourself in New York, Paris or Shanghai. You are entering an era defined by glamor, vivacity, social progress and the Art Deco style. With its bold geometric forms, the latter had a surprisingly big impact on nearly every aspect of life. In New York, the Art Deco style can be found in the city layout and architecture of iconic skyscrapers. In design and fashion, the Reverso by Jaeger-LeCoultre is a famous example that was inspired by that characteristic style. Now, the Swiss watch brand that has set out to capture the vibrant spirit of this bygone era by opening the Nomadic 1931 pop-up café during the Illuminarium at the Landesmuseum in Zurich.
Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Jaeger-LeCoultre came up with the immersive concept to celebrate the 90th anniversary of its iconic Reverso timepiece. Launched in 1931 and defined by its elegant Art Deco lines, the Reverso has arguably become one of the most recognizable watches of all time. At Artworth, we already wrote and posted about this classy and ingenious timepiece numerous times. For example here.
Made of Makers
With its "Made of Makers" program, Jaeger-LeCoultre is drawing artistic inspiration from beyond the world of watchmaking. The goal of the program is to collaborate with artists outside the industry. The latest partnership is with Alex Trochut, who uses typography as an art form. His mission was to create a new typeface that epitomizes the Art Deco spirit. The result is the 1931 Alphabet, which makes its way to the Jaeger-LeCoultre boutique on Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse as well as the local Nomadic 1931 Café.
As you might know, the most unique feature of the Reverso is its revolutionary reversible case. Originally, it allowed British Polo players to slip the watch out of its socket and reverse it to face inwards. Like that it offered protection during rough games. While the dial is reversed, the timepiece reveals a blank metal flipside that has since become a unique canvas for creative expression. It's the perfect space for intricate engravings - like the carefully designed 1931 Alphabet by Alex Trochut.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Boutique in Zurich
While some inspiration for engravings is already offered at the Nomadic 1931 Café, one has to make their way to the beautiful Jaeger-LeCoultre boutique at the Bahnhofstrasse 32 in Zurich to get more information. Here, a wonderful Reverso-themed Christmas decoration awaits us, as well as a carefully created wall featuring the Art Deco alphabet by Alex Trochut.
On a tablet, we get to customize our Reverso with a unique engraving. Naturally, we would go for the letters AW. From now on, it will take roughly four weeks until the artisans at the Jaeger-LeCoultre manufacture have completed the intricate engraving. We can't wait to see the result!
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