Two stylish subdials – one indicating seconds, the other hours and minutes – come together to give birth to a figure 8, the symbol of success and infinity. On this sleek dial, highlighted by a gold ring secured with blued steel screws, all the fantasies of Jaquet Droz are played out.
The surprise comes from the design but also from the stone. Jaquet Droz has travelled a lot to finally get one of the rarest stone called the pietersit. Found in 1962 in Namibia in Africa by Sid Pieters, the stone is very unique, subtil and really appreciated due to its wide range of colors.
The blues range from a baby blue to a darknight midnight blue gives intensity and depth to the dial of the Grande Seconde Circled. The diamonds on the circle of the eight bring lights like stars in the night sky.
Like a canvas where wonderfully mad designs take shape, the dial of the Grande Seconde Circled Pietersit, provides a unique vehicle for taking dreams and desires to new heights of intensity, transcending aesthetic conventions to embrace horizons as yet unknown.
A warmed up stage, a drum kit, a few guitars and a harmonica: “It’s only rock’n’roll!” Today, Jaquet Droz unveils the first out of the 23 unique timepieces to retrace the world of the Rolling Stones through motion. Beside the arm of a record player that hovers over a platinum album replica (the power reserve), a scene depicts their signature instruments in miniature paintings and gold thread. The external disc rotates up to 8 consecutive times for 30 seconds and is adorned with the albums that the collector will choose for his unique timepiece. At 9 o'clock, the iconic tongue beats rhythmically, from left to right and from top to bottom. “And I like it!”
After three years of work, Jaquet Droz and John Howe have developed an Art Watch dedicated to emotion, wonder and fantasy. Draped in gold and rare stones, their dragon has a record 9 distinct animations. Inside a 43 mm case, the piece is entirely handmade and can be customized almost without limit by the client. Thanks to a Studio in the heart of the Jaquet Droz head quarter, clients will be offered an immersive phygital experience that will allow them to witness the live creation of their timepieces. There is no series to be announced, only unique pieces.
The “Effinger” clock dated from 1783 and signed Jaquet-Droz, has been sold at CHF 256,000.-, which is more than three times the starting bid of CHF 70,000.-, during the Koller auction on March the 31st 2022.