Imperial Dragon Automaton Sapphire – Opal
The time traveler
A unique piece designed for a private collector, the Imperial Dragon Automaton Sapphire – Opal may well be the Jaquet Droz creation that spans the widest arc of centuries and cultures. The age-old symbol of the dragon embraces the latest watchmaking technology, while evoking 18th-century automata, combined with a deeply disruptive, even transgressive design. The timepiece strikes this balance perfectly and to stunning effect. Guided by the very clear vision of the collector who worked hand in hand with the brand, creating this timepiece marked several “firsts” for Jaquet Droz.
When your history spans almost 300 years, there will not be much left to prove. Jaquet Droz has traveled through all the centuries of watchmaking, all the complications, and has been exported to every continent. It is from this wealth of experience – a veritable treasure trove in fact – that the brand draws its inspiration today to create the timepieces of tomorrow.
The most flamboyant product of this is the Imperial Dragon Automaton Sapphire – Opal. The watch features enough familiar codes to instill confidence. But it dares to go further to command respect.
On the dial side, the dragon symbolizes the Asia that Pierre Jaquet-Droz visited as early as the 1780s. But this is also the beast made iconic by John Howe, creator of the graphic universe of The Lord of the Rings and long-standing friend of the brand. Here, the sacred reptile takes the form of an applique coiled in the lower part of the 45-mm case. It truly comes to life, thanks to Jaquet Droz’s expertise in automata. With a total of 16 animations, it is probably the most complex modern automaton watch ever designed. The sequence that brings it to life is random, to preserve all its magic and mystery. The creature’s spine undulates, its eye and jaw open and close, its tongue moves, its crest rises and falls, and its claws grasp a rotating pearl. This is an Akoya pearl, grown exclusively in Japan using specific processes that give it a brilliance unlike traditional freshwater pearls. Incorporating this pearl marked a first for Jaquet Droz.
But beyond that, the unity of the Imperial Dragon Automaton Sapphire – Opal is reflected in its mineral character. Its main dial is made from opal. The word “opal” comes from the Sanskrit word upala meaning “precious stone”. But above all, it is also a living stone. Its iridescence gives it an ever-changing, elusive face, in perpetual motion, like the Dragon which clutches it. The collector, who was very involved in the creation of this unique piece, had specifically requested an opal that featured many dark blue tones.
The hour dial also features stone. Here, it is a disc made from onyx. This mineral produces a perfect, intense black. It provides an elegant backdrop for two white gold hands, creating the perfect contrast to facilitate reading of the hours and minutes.
But the mineral aspect is also echoed in the sapphire case of the Imperial Dragon Automaton Sapphire – Opal, produced by grown crystals. Its total transparency is the perfect response to the luminous blues of the opal and the absolute black of the onyx. It is probably the only Haute Horlogerie watch without screws and inserts, thanks to a unique fitting system that ensures perfect cohesion, with no auxiliary components. The case is also 100% Swiss Made. A tour de force that guarantees total purity and bathes the entire watch in light.
It is in this light that the piece reveals its exquisite craftsmanship. Each of its elements is brought to life by the skilled hand of the watchmaker. Each component of the Dragon is sculpted and then hand-chiseled from a solid block of white gold – a first for this model. Both dials are hand-cut. Each of the movement’s 611 components is assembled and decorated by hand. The Imperial Dragon Automaton Sapphire – Opal features only two exceptions: its silicon escapement, the product of clean-room engineering (also produced in-house), and three inscriptions. The first is John Howe’s signature, on the oscillating weight. The second inscription, a first for the brand, reproduces the authentic handwritten signature of Pierre Jaquet-Droz. Finally, the watch is inscribed with the words “Pièce Unique”.
The last two inscriptions, “Pierre Jaquet Droz” and “Pièce Unique”, are laser-engraved directly onto the sapphire case middle. The truly impressive feat of preserving the proportions of the handwriting on a curved, hand-polished surface marked a first in the workshop's history. The piece bears the master watchmaker’s signature engraved at 9 o'clock. The inscription “Pièce Unique” is engraved on the opposite side, on the crown side, at 3 o’clock.
From the opal and gold produced over tectonic time scales spanning millions of years, to the ancient symbol of the Dragon, from the automata inherited from the Age of Enlightenment, to the silicon, sapphire and plasma ceramic technologies of the folding clasp, never before has a unique piece brought together so much cultural, technical and artistic capital. This piece will be the only one created.
