Jaquet Droz Watches
ALL JAQUET DROZ WATCHES MODELS
All About Jaquet Droz Watches
History of Jaquet Droz
Born in 1721, Pierre Jaquet Droz was one of the most respected Swiss master craftsmen in the Age of Enlightenment. He was a master craftsman with an immense experience in manufacturing mechanical clocks, pocket watches, singing birds and automata. The unrivalled expertise in automata was much-admired by several imperial courts and wealthy elites.
His creativeness and the technical know-how in complex mechanisms and movements supported the maestro to produce intricate mechanical automatons for high-profile clients across the world. Considered as the genuine works of art, some of these pieces can be admired at several museums across. His timepieces were known for elaborative decorations like enamelling, miniature painting, engraving and sculpturing.
Initially, Pierre Jaquet Droz founded a manufacture at La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1738. To expand his business, he opened a second Manufacture in London in 1774. A third manufacture was also established in 1784 in Geneva. The manufacture rose to fame soon. Pierre expanded his business further with the assistance of his son Henri-Louis Jaquet Droz and Jean-Frédéric Leschot.
In 2000, Montres Jaquet-Droz SA was acquired by Swatch. Presently, Jaquet Droz is an integral part of Swatch group’s Prestige and Luxury range of brands along with Breguet, Harry Winston, Blancpain, Glashütte-Original and Omega. Under the eminent leadership of the largest watchmaking group in the world, the brand enjoys a broad range of expertise in the luxury watchmaking.
The Figure 8 Inspiration of Jaquet Droz
The figure 8 has been considered as a symbol of prosperity according to some traditional beliefs. It also represents infinity. The Swiss watch manufacture considered it as a symbol of perfect balance. Since long time, the figure 8 remains a creative inspiration for the brand. Some of the prominent watch collections from Jaquet Droz are always designed after the figure 8 shape. For example, the brand's Grande Seconde models typically feature a figure 8 inspired dial design. Its Lady 8 watch features a figure 8 shaped case. The number 8 also occupies a prominent role every time when the brand introduced its exclusive “numerus clausus” editions. These exclusive editions offer timepieces in limited numbers of 8, 28 or 88.
Master of Artistic Dials
Among the world’s top luxury watch manufactures, Jaquet Droz is well-known for its excellent workmanship in the field of artistic dials. Jaquet Droz owns one of best dial manufactories in the world. Their enamelled dials are made by employing various branches of ancient enamelling techniques like Grand Feu and Paillonné. These art-crafts are rarely used at present. The artists and master craftsmen of the manufacture also display their expertise in miniature painting, sculpturing and hand-engraving on the dials. The brand is also a pioneer in using mineral stones for manufacturing dials and in the dial decoration. Jaquet Droz also offers wristwatch models with metal, skeleton and lacquered dials. The manufacture also creates customized dials.
Jaquet Droz Watch collection
Based in La Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland, Jaquet Droz is traditionally known for its limited edition collections, especially the highly exclusive Numerus Clausus series. At present, the brand offers Swiss made luxury wristwatches under its highly distinguishable families like Automata, Ateliers D'art, Grande Seconde, Petite Heure Minute, Astrale, SW and Lady 8.
The extraordinary Automata collection pays tribute to the 18th-century automata mechanisms built by Pierre Jaquet Droz, Henri-Louis Jaquet Droz and Jean-Frédéric Leschot. This series represents an exceptional amalgamation of complex automata mechanisms with watchmaking expertise and other traditional art-crafts like miniature painting, enamelling and gem-setting. The Automata line offers both wristwatches and pocket watches. These timepieces features artistically finished dials displaying the enchanting views of automata mechanisms along with the time indication.
The Ateliers D'art collection celebrates the art of luxury decoration by employing the traditional art-crafts like the miniature paining, enamelling, intaglio printing and sculpted and engraved ornamentation.
The Grande Seconde collection takes inspiration from an iconic pocket watch created by Jaquet Droz in 1785. This pocket watch had a figure 8 inspired dial featuring an extra-large seconds hand and an off-centred sub-dial housing hour and minute hands. This design provides excellent legibility and became a signature feature of Jaquet Droz watches. The Grande Seconde is a comprehensive collection offering never-ending variety of distinctive watch models.
Highlighting a novel approach in the design principles, the Petite Heure Minute line offers fine mechanical watches without featuring the emblematic large-seconds hand or the figure 8 dial layout. Instead, these timepieces feature no seconds hand, but a small off-centred dial for hour and minutes.
This unique layout ensures ample space for admiring the enchanting beauty of the dial. The Petite Heure Minute timepieces meticulously crafted dials made from extremely attractive and delicate materials like aventurine, astorite, cuprite and mother-of-pearl. This unique collection additionally offers a Grande date model featuring a big-date indication at 6 o’ clock.
The Astrale collection offers some phenomenal mechanical timepieces. Each one of them follows their own path and highlights various facets of the art of watchmaking. These models typically incorporate different dial lay-outs and functions, rather than following any single design principle. This line offers the most minimalistic singe-hand watch as well as complex models like the Perpetual Calendar Eclipse.
The Jaquet Droz SW is an impressive line of sports watches featuring bold design and rugged exteriors for ensuring masculine characteristics. This collection offers luxury sports watches that combine strength and modernity.
The Jaquet Droz Lady 8 is a dedicated collection of extremely beautiful wristwatches. These timepieces bring to light a signature figure 8 shaped case design and offers variety of dial versions like aventurine, engraved gold, mother-of-pearl, aalachite and ruby heart.
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Jaquet Droz’s creations are known for their poetic beauty. These timepieces inseparably unite classic designs with contemporary features. In some specific models, you can observe the gentle touches of avant-garde details. The harmonious design features enhanced with sophisticated finish make them most suitable as classic dress watches. In every creation, legibility of the time display remains a fundamental aspect irrespective of the material of the dial or the decorative technique being used.
For their timepieces, the brand uses elegant cases made with materials like gold, platinum or high-quality stainless steel.All jaquet droz watches are equipped with state-of-the-art mechanical movements entirely manufactured in the company’s integrated production facilities in Switzerland.
Finished according to the fine traditions of high-horology, the complex mechanisms of jaquet droz watches can be admired through their sapphire crystal case-backs. Its automatic versions typically feature gold oscillating-weights. The company has its own dial manufactory. Painstakingly crafted by talented artisans, the dial of each Jaquet Droz watch is a real art-piece. Depends upon the watch models, they feature enamelling or miniature painting or engravings. Not to forget its eye-catching mineral-stone dials.