The place is Murano. The time: the dawn of the 17th century. Just a short distance from Venice, the new European capital of art and pleasure, an artisan glass-maker accidentally lets some tiny shards of metal slip into the vitreous paste. It was, in fact, a serendipitous mistake. In this lagoon devoted heart and soul to the cult of beauty, it gave rise to aventurine glass, a substance rendered more beautiful with splinters of light, unique in the world.
This product of a chance "avventura" - "adventure" in Italian - remains to this day one of the most fascinating materials to work with for artisan craftsmen and women. Its matchless, shimmering blue and infinite iridescence naturally caught the eye of Jaquet Droz, and the brand is pursuing this aesthetic adventure in 2015 by introducing a new variety to its collections: Sunstone. A "Pierre de Soleil" ("Stone of the Sun"), it has a singular radiance in which flecks of gold scintillate in an ember-like glow of spellbinding intensity, evoking the luminous power of the star considered by the sages of Antiquity as at once celestial body and deity.
Sunstone carries within it both a solar, astral magic and the ultimate refinement of the Venetian Golden Age. Enthralling, astonishing, Sunstone is the latest addition to a long tradition cherished by the brand, that of mineral dials, carved of jasper, lapis lazuli or meteorites, and all worked with the incredible dexterity particular to Jaquet Droz. That the master dial-makers should choose emblematic models to celebrate this new material was therefore a natural step. It graces the Grande Seconde Cerclée, adorning the 8 formed by the two interlocked dials, and the Petite Heure Minute 35 mm, embellishing the model with a touch of novel originality. Meanwhile, the dial of the Lady 8 is caught up in a sensual flurry of golden specks, which now make this jewelry watch - in its exquisite femininity - more vibrant than ever.
With Sunstone, and these three new models, Jaquet Droz has chosen to begin the year not only with innovation but also with beauty, individuality and the infinite dream embodied by these motes of gold dust. A blush of flame, passionate and unique, becomes a galaxy of wondrous stars on the wrist, akin to a desire to travel with the promise of imminent fulfillment.
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.