Colourful creations from Jaquet Droz
Jaquet Droz Colourful watches
The ateliers of horological maison Jaquet Droz have always been famous for their impeccable taste and creativity in the use of colours, minerals and materials. This year too, the marque lives up to its reputation, with delightful versions of the Lady 8 Petite in malachite and mother-of-pearl, and the colourful creations of the humming bird in plique-à-jour enamel work in its Petite Heure Minute line
Jaquet Droz Lady 8 Petite
Jaquet Droz puts malachite and mother-of-pearl centre stage in two variations of its Lady 8 Petite that are elegantly presented in a mere 25 mm case. Cloaked in malachite, the new Lady 8 Petite features a summery, lively, mineral green displayed on a matching leather strap. The unique brilliance of this dial finds its perfect match in an 18-carat red gold case, specially set with 68 diamonds to highlight its bezel. As a finishing touch, a moving bead of malachite slides and spins between the fingers. The second variation features mother-of-pearl on the dial, embellished with a delicate railway that marks the hours and minutes. At 12 o’clock, the piece displays an authentic pearl, whose brilliance is reflected in the 41 diamonds of the gem-set dial. The watch comes with a caramel-colour double-wrap strap, crafted from calfskin; its white top-stitching recalls the sparkle of the diamonds.
Petite Heure Minute “Smalta Clara Hummingbird” – Two limited editions of 8 each
The Petite Heure Minute lends the canvas of its off-centred time to a plique-à-jour enamel work representing two variations of hummingbird, each limited to a mere eight pieces. The ancient technique of plique-à-jour enamel (or smalta clara in Latin) involves creating an enamel composition made from multiple joined pieces, separated by a thread of gold. The technique, reminiscent of stained glass, allows for the creation of partitioned decorations in infinite colour variations that are literally bathed in light. Applied to watchmaking, this demanding technique gives freedom to design timepieces entirely void of case backs, illuminating the movement in soft, radiant light. The timepiece uses the smallest Jaquet Droz movement – a descendant of the Charming Bird extremely reduced in size – thus freeing up the maximum amount of space on the dial for the plique-à-jour enamel work. With its striking plumage, the hummingbird takes centre stage in two colourful creations. In the first, pink and light blue tones echo a mother-of-pearl dial within a red gold case set with 100 diamonds (0.89 carat). In the second, the hummingbird is adorned with green and turquoise feathers over a shaded blue background. The mother-of-pearl dial, displaying two hands in blue steel, is housed within a white gold case also set with 100 diamonds. Each model has an oscillating weight featuring the hand-engraved hummingbird in either gold or platinum. The two models come on satin straps that match the dominant tones of each creation.
