Sunday Morning Showdown: Rolex 1908 Yellow Gold Vs. Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds Pink Gold
It’s time for our first Sunday Morning Showdown after the craziness of Watches and Wonders 2025. As you can guess, we will create new matchups based on the watches introduced in Geneva. These provide us with plenty of picks for the upcoming weeks. In this first post-Watches and Wonders matchup, Mike and Jorg go head to head with two highlights of this year’s fair. Mike picked the yellow gold Rolex 1908 on the new Settimo bracelet, while Jorg picked the new pink gold version of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds on Milanese mesh. Which watch will take the golden crown in this battle? Let’s find out!
The funny thing about today’s two contenders is that they are brilliant variations of watches already in the brand’s respective collections. So where is the magic of this matchup? It’s in the bracelets! The Rolex 1908 collection debuted in 2023. After the inaugural white gold and yellow gold models, the Genevan brand added the popular platinum version last year. This year, Rolex treated us to a new bracelet for the white- and black-dial models in yellow gold, bringing them to €36,200. And boy, does the bracelet make the watches look good! The same can be said of the new mesh bracelet on the pink gold Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds. Largely thanks to it, this new Reverso variation was the talk of the town during Watches and Wonders. At €44,800, it is quite a step up from the Rolex. Still, that doesn’t stop us from asking you which one you’d pick!
Last time, on Sunday Morning Showdown…
Before Mike and Jorg go at it, let’s take a look at the result from two weeks ago. In that matchup, the Sinn T50 ended up winning with 55% of the votes, leaving the Seiko Prospex Marinemaster SLA081 with 45%. A glance at the comments reveals that, in fact, the more vocal readers preferred the Seiko. As always, though, the truth lies in the votes, which is why the Sinn took the win with a small but clear margin. Let’s find out what this week will bring. Over to Mike and Jorg to make their cases!
Jorg: Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds in pink gold
Let’s start with a confession from my side: I love both of today’s contenders. Seeing the Rolex 1908 on the new yellow gold bracelet was a wonderful surprise! As a bracelet guy, I love seeing a refined, stylish bracelet for the Genevan brand’s classic dress watch. It makes the two yellow gold models more relevant to me than I ever expected. Besides the overall looks, I also love that Rolex created a classic bracelet without modern end links. This injects the watch with a dose of vintage style that suits it so well. But no matter how much I love the Rolex 1908 on the new bracelet, it doesn’t hold a candle to how I felt when I first saw the new pink gold Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds.
Two simple images of the watch were more than enough to sweep me off my feet. Finally, here was the statement piece many Reverso fans and I were waiting for! I vividly remember that Robert-Jan and I immediately voiced our admiration with some powerful and loud statements upon seeing the images. This is just one of those watches that is impossible to deny once you see it. I would even go so far as to say it’s in the same ballpark as Vacheron’s yellow gold Historiques 222 from 2022 and last year’s yellow gold Piaget Polo 79.
The new Reverso is a matter of details
Most of you have probably read about the details by now, but for the sake of impact, let’s go over them again. The new Reverso comes with a well-proportioned pink gold case that sets the stage perfectly. Within it lies a gorgeous textured dial that beautifully matches the hue of the case. Faceted and polished markers and a razor-sharp set of dauphine hands provide a wonderful contrast to the intricate dial texture. This ensures there is plenty of detail on what is, essentially, a monochromatic watch.
The printed small seconds register sits firmly grounded within the black railroad minute track. Furthermore, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s applied gold logo and the black printed signature underneath are perfectly sized within the overall dial design. Lastly, the little “Swiss Made ” text is a subtle but nice sign-off on a beautifully proportioned and detailed dial. That’s also where you see the difference between Rolex and Jaeger-LeCoultre. The dial of the Reverso shows detail and balance, whereas the 1908’s dial has a lot of open space and lacks the refinement of the Reverso.
The handmade bracelet is a work of art
This brings us to the mesh bracelet of the Reverso. I admit that the new Rolex Settimo bracelet is great. It boosts the appearance of the 1908 and is a beautifully engineered and manufactured object. But it holds no candle to the handmade Milanese bracelet of the Reverso. Jaeger-LeCoultre explained that making each bracelet requires 16 meters of pink gold threads. Just observing how the threads of precious metal are twisted together to get this double layer of fine, interlocking links is stunning.
That’s also where the difference in sentiment lies for me. The Rolex 1908 is a brilliantly mass-produced watch, whereas the Reverso is a classy statement of traditional watchmaking that is partly achieved by hand. Therefore, there is a genuine difference between the two. There is no objectively right or wrong choice, but personal preferences will reign here. The same applies to the watches’ movements, although the sentiment might not be favorable in terms of modern-day practicality. The 1908 runs on Rolex’s modern 7140, whereas the Reverso uses the latest version of the classic JLC caliber 822.
Choosing based on presence and sentiment
In the end, I adore the new Reverso for its story and looks. It feels as though this new pink gold version finally fulfills its potential as an impressive statement of watchmaking tradition that many people value. The Reverso is an icon, and this might be Jaeger-LeCoultre’s best modern version of it yet. Compared to that, the Rolex 1908 still feels like a classic dress watch that the brand created merely to be present in that genre. But it simply doesn’t make the impact that the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds in pink gold does. That’s why choosing the champion in today’s battle is easy for me.
Mike: Rolex 1908 in yellow gold
This week’s Sunday Morning Showdown is a toughie. The new JLC Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds is a gem. It shows that the brand is serious about creating timepieces that are as beautiful as they are mechanically impressive. However, there’s an unlikely new contender in the “all-gold with a sexy bracelet” category. I’m talking about the 18K yellow gold Rolex 1908 with its silky-smooth new bracelet.
The 1908 made us care about Rolex dress watches
Let’s be honest: few of us consider a Rolex when shopping for a dress watch. The brand is in the conversation for nearly every watch category but is usually left off the invite list when it’s tuxedo time. The Rolex 1908 dropped in 2023 as a 39mm by 9.5mm dress watch. It replaced the Cellini, a lineup of watches that always felt like an also-ran.
A new movement
It would have been relatively easy to accept a lazy effort from Rolex with the 1908 because of its niche status. However, the brand brought the goods. A new automatic caliber called the 7140 has the brand’s Chronergy escapement, Syloxi silicon hairspring, and a set of Paraflex shock absorbers. Boiled down, that word salad of proprietary terms means the 7140 is equipped with nearly all of the brand’s latest innovations (minus the Dynapulse escapement, which is currently a Land-Dweller exclusive). Then, there’s some lovely surface finishing along with a beefy 66-hour power reserve.
Typical Rolex traits
Although the 1908 is a dress watch, it still has key Rolex traits that make it more useful than a Reverso. The watches have an Oyster-like case, which translates to a screw-in display case back and screw-down crown. This results in a 50m water resistance rating, which is nice for daily wear. Additionally, the dial exudes clarity with its applied numerals and large handset. Until now, though, the watches came solely with alligator straps. Enter the bracelet…
The bracelet is a fantastic addition
While the Land-Dweller made the most news at Watches and Wonders 2025, the new bracelet on the Rolex 1908 was surprisingly popular. Indeed, I heard multiple people on the Palexpo floors discuss how it had transformed the watch into a bona fide contender in the dress-watch category. I was fortunate to see it in person and try it on my hirsute wrist.
For those used to steel sports Rolex models, it’s crucial to understand that the brand is wildly adept at working with precious metals and stones. We all know Rolex makes a great bracelet, but the newest 18K yellow gold accessory is otherworldly. It’s thin, supple, and beautifully polished, and it gets along with my fur-covered appendage. The clasp is hidden and doesn’t detract from the overall look. Of course, Rolex uses 18K gold screws instead of pins to make adjustments easy and reliable.
Addressing the gap question
Folks asked about the lack of end links on the Settimo bracelet, which results in a gap between it and the case. Rolex mentioned that this is a vintage-inspired look that follows that of the strap. In the metal, we thought it looked great, and the construction is such that the wrist is barely visible through the gap. Plus, the small gap helps retain a lithe appearance, whereas a continuous flow of gold might have looked overwrought. All in all, this bracelet is a game-changer for the Rolex 1908.
A serious price difference
Once again, I’m not used to putting Rolex out in front as an extreme value-for-money option. In this case, the €36,200 1908 in yellow gold undercuts the €44,800 pink gold Reverso by more than €8,000! I love the JLC, and both of these watches are priced in the big leagues, but the Reverso seems too pricey. There’s no bad option here, though. Still, you need to choose in today’s showdown. Cast your vote below, and let us know the reason for your choice!
