Jaquet Droz continues to astound

Historically famous for its path breaking techniques and designs, Jaquet Droz even managed to capture the attention of the royalty, not only in Europe but also in China. This year, the brand, true to its ethos, brings magic and fantasy to life once again in its collection, where its artisans have used the canvas of nature, light and time to adorn their creations

The house of Jaquet Droz, established by Pierre Jaquet-Droz in 1738, continues to enthrall the world of horology. Sensitive to the beauty of nature, Pierre Jaquet-Droz was the first watchmaker to introduce a singing bird on a pocket watch – a virtuoso complication that captivated a cosmopolitan clientèle from Madrid to Beijing. True to this spirit, the brand recently presented two exceptional models with miniature automata that combine the best of its Ateliers d’Art: the Bird Repeater and the Charming Bird, which was awarded the Mechanical Exception prize at the 2015 Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix (Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève).

The Charming Bird 2016
In the latestedition of theCharming Bird, the dial is adorned with delicate mother-of-pearl and the bird’s song is generated by air compression and not by vibration, an innovation made possible by introducing three minute sapphire crystal tubes. The watch is presented in a striking 47 mm case, in a choice of either red or white gold, with each version limited to eight unique pieces. This masterpiece is remarkable not only for its miniaturized sculpture, but also for the entirely hand-decorated movement and the background of the dial, in which the hand-painted and engraved mother-of-pearl evokes the landscape of the Swiss countryside, a historic Jaquet Droz motif.

Petite Heure Minute Thousand Year Lights
The Petite Heure Minute with an off-centre subdial at 12 o'clock has ensured thatthe concept of time becomes poetic, leaving the free space on the dial open for artists to combine the stunning skills of the Jaquet Droz Ateliers d’Art: enamelling and miniature painting, which bring life to dazzling settings and astonishingly realistic sculpting and engraving. Inspired by the "Najeon Chilgi" – an ancestral Asian technique that involves mother-of-pearl encrusted lacquer – which celebrated its golden age during the Goryeo Dynasty, the mother-of-pearl is first lacquered, then polished with great care, thus bringing out the brilliance and dazzle of the dial like never before, earning this exceptional piece its name: Thousand Year Lights. The watch is available in five versions, each limited to 28 pieces, in red or white gold cases, set with diamonds or without. Equipped with a 68-hour power reserve, this masterpiece is presented on a black or deep blue alligator leather strap, evoking the mystery of the night sky.

Petite Heure Minute Monkey and Petite Heure Minute Relief Monkey
As the Chinese calendar turns to the New Year under the sign of the Fire Monkey, Jaquet Droz introduces four models that celebrate the historic ties between China and the brand. Inspired by the legend of Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King, the firm’s artisans have designed two new models – each available in two versions – based on the emblematic Petite Heure Minute. These meticulously painted masterpieces are presented in red gold cases measuring either 35 or 39 mm in diameter, with the smaller version boasting a setting of brilliant-cut diamonds.

The Petite Heure Minute Relief Monkey is adorned with a sophisticated medley of lacquer and mother-of-pearl that exhibits a monkey, sculpted in gold, perched on the branch of a peach tree against a background of delicate foliage. This exquisitely fine artwork has been created in two versions. One is enclosed in a red gold case and the other in a jewel-like white gold case that sparkles daintily with the brilliance of its myriad of inset diamonds. Each model is covered in a domed sapphire crystal, especially designed to accommodate this three-dimensional tableau. Like the two versions of Petite Heure Minute Monkey, both models of Petite Heure Minute Relief Monkey boast a 68-hour power reserve and are available in a limited edition of only 28.

Grande Seconde Off-Centered Onyx
This latest offering from the house of Jaquet Droz draws on the history of the brand, when Pierre Jaquet-Droz revolutionised watchmaking with his Grande Seconde. 2016 sees a new variation introduced, featuring a 43-mm stainless steel case for the first time, whose diameter further amplifies the magnetic blackness of the dial. Following in the brand’s tradition of mineral dials, an onyx disc has been painstakingly cut and polished to form the dial of this watch. This voluptuous play of brilliance is highlighted by the understated elegance of the indexes, which are cut directly into the 18-carat white gold circles of the large hours and minutes dial and the smaller seconds dial that combine to form the legendary figure 8. The metal’s mirror-like shine contrasts with the waves of light that run across the onyx disc and brings out the delicate reliefs of the rings and bezel. The winding stem positioned at 4 o'clock adds a dynamic touch to this iconic new watch, which also comes in a version that teams a silvered opaline dial with an alligator leather strap.

Grande Seconde Dual Time
The Grande Seconde Dual Time is a masterpiece that celebrates the magic of time in a two-beat tempo with a new mechanism and elegantly positioned second time zone. Drawing on its historic two-dial design, a new movement has been developed to create an upper dial displaying the local time and a lower seconds dial, off-centred at six o’clock, that doubles up with an hours-and-minutes dial giving the reference time. All this is accomplished without compromising the elegance of the slender seconds hand that makes a complete rotation for every minute. The watch has a classic, sophisticated display starting with contrasting yet complementary indexes – Roman numerals on the upper counter and Arabic numerals on the lower – with a further complication of the date indicated by a red-tipped hand that exploits and enhances the recessed lower subdial in a delicate structuring of form. The timepiece, equipped with a 65-hour power reserve, comes in three 43 mm-diameter versions: an ivory Grand Feu enamelled dial with a red gold case, and a silvery opaline or onyx dial with a stainless steel case.