When Jaeger-LeCoultre questioned whether watchmaking could be considered a true art form, it sounded philosophical. Eventually, the Swiss watchmaker known as “the watchmaker of watchmakers” found its answer in an unexpected medium: a digital comic strip.
In its latest Made of Makers collaboration, the brand teamed up with self-taught Filipina webcomic artist, Lily Catan, better known online as Olivecoat. Together, they have re-envisioned the Reverso—its most iconic timepiece—as a serialised webtoon, merging heritage with the visual flow of contemporary comic art.
“We started this programme with two simple questions,” says Matthieu Le Voyer, Jaeger Le-Coultre’s Chief Marketing Officer. “Is watchmaking an art, or craftsmanship? If it is both, how do we express that today?”
Launched five years ago, the Made of Makers initiative invites artists outside the horological world to reinterpret the maison’s universe through other disciplines—painting, music, food, sculpture, and now, comics. Rather than creating more watches, Le Voyer aims to expand the vocabulary of luxury craftsmanship.
“When I first joined Jaeger-LeCoultre, people called it a classic brand—timeless and refined. The classics aren’t born timeless; they become timeless by enduring. Our challenge was to make something original that honours the lasting,” he says.
This challenge now lives online as a webtoon, telling the story of Reverso’s origin from the 1930s with historical facts and fiction in five chapters. Catan’s work represents the maison’s first foray into digital storytelling that translates its technical heritage for a mass audience.
After extensive research in its archives at its main manufacture in the Vallée de Joux, she built the story around two real figures: César Dutray and Jacques-David LeCoultre, who created the Reverso. She also added a fictional narrator: Jean-Pierre Dutray, who acts as Dutray’s idealistic young son and a stand-in for the reader.
“Initially, I was intimidated by the Reverso story. I knew nothing about Jaeger-LeCoultre or watchmaking, so I created a character that anyone could relate to. Jean-Pierre is someone entering a world he’s completely unfamiliar with… he has no idea what he’s doing,” says Catan.
The webtoon is part history lesson, part human drama as she explores personality, tension, and collaboration rather than movements and technical innovations. Her approach resonated with Jaeger-LeCoultre’s team, which had long wanted to humanise its legacy.
“For the first time, we investigated our history and our heritage through interactions with people, instead of just looking at the number of patents or the timepieces we’ve produced,” says Le Voyer.
The webtoon’s aesthetic blends Eastern digital art with Western heritage. As the panels scroll vertically, they evoke Art Deco elegance in colour and structure, but are designed for smartphones. Each episode is like a snackable vignette—easy to read and full of detail. A limited print edition, designed as a collector’s coffee table book for loyal clients, will follow.
Catan admits it wasn’t easy translating a 191-year-old luxury brand into a webtoon. The most challenging part was portraying the brand faithfully. “I had to test the boundaries of my creativity to see what was acceptable and what was too out there. The Jaeger-LeCoultre team was patient. Sometimes they’d say, ‘Maybe pull back’; other times, ‘You can push that further’.”
The collaboration’s strength, says Le Voyer, is its balance. ‘The tone of Catan’s voice complements Jaeger-LeCoultre. In some cases, because we are perceived as a serious brand— sophisticated, timeless, and accomplished—we might not seem relatable. Without taking the first step, it would have been difficult to break the ice with the younger generation and attract their attention to a complicated art. Olivecoat excels at creating emotions.”
The result is a story that moves between the past and the present, seriousness and playfulness. One moment, Jean-Pierre breaks his glasses with slapstick charm; the next, a watchmaker discusses the technical challenges of reversible cases.
Beyond storytelling, the Reverso webtoon aims to attract a wider audience. It has appeared on Jaeger-LeCoultre’s website and social media channels since November. Le Voyer, however, hints at broader ambitions. “I told the team, let’s put it on unexpected platforms, maybe even Webtoon. If it doesn’t fit, it will still stand out. This is how you create interest.”
In his view, the project is an invitation to younger audiences, collectors, and anyone else interested in the art of time. “The quality of the content is more important than the platform,” he says. “If we do a great job, amplification will happen naturally.”
Le Voyer stresses that Made of Makers is far more than a marketing initiative. “The beauty of Made of Makers is that it’s not just a campaign; it’s a relationship that lasts. Such artists will continue to be part of our work in the future.”
