As if the stunning designs launched for Chinese New Year weren’t enough, luxury watchmaker Jaquet Droz has revealed another slew of beautifully crafted timepieces to tempt any haute horology enthusiast. From painstakingly-handcrafted enamel designs to the latest member of its iconic automaton line, here are three eye-poppingly gorgeous watches to whet your collector’s appetite.
Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Dual Time
Targeting the well-heeled jetsetter, the newest iteration of its popular Grande Seconde Dual Time sees its much-loved figure-eight dual-dial design updated to feature an azimuthal map of the world as viewed from the North Pole – a truly traveller-appropriate touch – in its lower home time display. Another new touch here is the 24-hour time indicator. Now split into two distinct 12-hour time segments, one for the daytime and one for the night, the dual shades allow for a more intuitive and fluid reading of the time. Meanwhile, the local time display inhabits the upper half of the figure-eight fascia. Available with a steel or rose gold case, lucky buyers can opt for four different dials made from opaline or Grand Feu enamel.
Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute “Smalta Clara Hummingbird”
Jaquet Droz’s newest plique-à-jour enamel creation comes in the form of its Petite Heure Minute “Smalta Clara Hummingbird”. This ancient and painstaking enamelling technique allows craftspeople to create a single composition from multiple pieces of enamel melded together with golden thread, as opposed to the more common method of crafting from one sole piece. The effect of this more flexible design is wholly evident in this iridescent timepiece’s fascia. The elegantly minimalist off-centre dial is embraced lovingly by a multi-hued, mosiac-ed hummingbird, whose effect is only heightened by the 100 diamonds set on its white gold case. Just eight pieces of each version – pink-light blue or green-turquoise – will ever be made.
Jaquet Droz Magic Lotus Automaton
Perhaps the most exciting and evocative new design from the haute horology house, though, is the Magic Lotus Automaton. Atop its generous 43mm fascia lies the crown jewel of this attention-grabbing creation, a tranquil lotus pond that is wholly automated thanks to Jaquet Droz’s masterful mechanic engineering. Here, four mother-of-pearl lotus flowers each represent an individual season, or, more prosaically, the stages of life, from seedling to bud to blossom.
Two complementing automaton movements power give this timepiece an entrancing aura. First, there’s a koi fish ‘swimming’ playfully beneath the lotuses, which draws attention to the second movement of a mother-of-pearl-petalled lotus whose heart transforms with a series of precious stones of blue, red and yellow hues. As befitting a marque renowned for its finest artisanal craftsmanship, the entire automation runs for a staggering four minutes, and features a movement that contains over 500 components and four patents pending. Limited to a 28-piece release, this is a guaranteed collectors’ item in the making.