Jaquet Droz’s new Petite Heure Minute Relief Carps timepiece pays homage to the koi carp – symbol of love and long life.
The artisans of the Jaquet Droz Ateliers d’Arts took one of their best-known models as a starting point. Its off-centered hours-and-minutes dial opens the way for all manner of daring creative ingenuity. Here, they have surpassed themselves, drawing on motifs from traditional Asian iconography to create a landscape imbued with serene refinement. The carp is revered in Asia as an allegorical symbol to represent love, perseverance, longevity and virility. Small groups of this highly prized fish are often used to embellish ornamental ponds in the spirit of refinement and attention to detail that are characteristic of Chinese and Japanese aesthetics.
Such a scene has been minutely reproduced at a scale of 41 mm, with the dial set over a tranquil pond of crystalline waters created through subtle layering of translucent blue enamel. Two lily pads float gracefully on the surface, crowned by a blooming lotus applied in relief, and hand-engraved gold reed stems rise from the waters.
Under the enamel, three elegant koi carp glide along in a spontaneous underwater ballet, standing out against the background of wave-ridged gold. The enamel lightens across the upper half of the watch face in gradually shaded colours underscored by an engraving of sky and birds. Here for the first time, Jaquet Droz presents an enameled balance weight decorated with a carp hand-engraved in bas-relief.
The balance weight echoes the color of its case, with a choice of two versions for the Petite Heure Minute Relief Carps. In the white gold case model, bezel and horns are set with brilliant cut diamonds and the white mother-of-pearl hours-and-minutes sub-dial is encircled in white gold. The red gold case model features a black onyx hours-and-minutes sub-dial with a red gold outlining ring. Enhanced by a rolled-edge hand-made gray or black alligator leather strap, both versions of the Petite Heure Minute Relief Carps will be limited to 28 exclusive pieces.
Petite Heure Minute Relief Carps, white gold
Numerus Clausus: 28
Reference: J005024279
Les Ateliers D’art Collection
Movement
Jaquet Droz 2653, self-winding mechanical movement, double barrel
18-carat white gold oscillating weight with white mother-of-pearl and 22-carat white gold applique with champlevé enamel and carp in bas-relief under enamel
Power reserve: 68 hours
Frequency: 28,800 v.p.h.
Indications: Off-centered hours and minutes
Jewelling: 28 jewels
Case
18-carat white gold case set with 272 diamonds (1.05 carats)
Diameter 41 mm
Height 13.77 mm
Individual limited serial number engraved on the case-back
Water resistance: To 3 bar (30 meters)
Dial
18-carat white gold dial with champlevé enamel and carps in bas-relief under enamel
18-carat white gold hand-engraved lotus applique, hand-engraved decoration
18-carat white gold ring, mother-of-pearl center
Hands: Blued steel
Strap
Rolled-edge hand-made gray alligator leather strap
Buckle: 18-carat white gold ardillon buckle, set with 24 diamonds (0.15 carat)
Total Carat Weight / Diamonds
IF to VVSI, Full Cut, D to G
Total number of diamonds: 296 diamonds
Total carat weight: 1.20 carats
Petite Heure Minute Relief Carps red gold
Numerus Clausus: 28
Reference: J005023279
Les Ateliers D’art Collection
Movement
Jaquet Droz 2653, self-winding mechanical movement, double barrel
18-carat red gold oscillating weight with onyx and 22-carat white gold applique with champlevé enamel and carp in bas-relief under enamel
Indications: Off-centered hours and minutes
Jewelling: 28 jewels
Power reserve: 68 hours
Frequency: 28,800 v.p.h.
Case
18-carat red gold case
Diameter 41 mm
Height 13.77 mm
Individual limited serial number engraved on the case-back
Water resistance: To 3 bar (30 meters)
Dial
18-carat white gold dial with champlevé enamel and carps in bas-relief under enamel
18-carat red gold hand-engraved lotus applique, hand-engraved decoration
18-carat red gold ring, onyx center
Hands: 18-carat red gold
Strap
Rolled-edge hand-made black alligator leather strap
Buckle: 18-carat red gold ardillon buckle
