Jaquet Droz has created a unique Petite Heure Minute Paillonnée timepiece for Only Watch auction organized by the Monaco Association against Muscular Dystrophy.
A partner of many years, Jaquet Droz reaffirms its support for this biennial initiative again in 2015. Only Watch and Jaquet Droz share the same long-term vision of excellence and research. This spirit is incarnated today in an exceptional piece, an expression of the expert techniques of the Jaquet Droz craftsmen, beginning with the historical mastery of paillonné enameling.
Handed down from the goldsmiths of the Renaissance, paillonné enameling consists of creating a raised motif using tiny pieces of gold leaf, applied one by one with great dexterity. This is then coupled with the particularly delicate work of enameling to obtain both the required colors and the translucent depth of the enamel to reveal the sunray decoration. In the Ateliers d’Art in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Jaquet Droz preserves this ornamental technique used close to three centuries ago. But, respect for tradition can also go hand in hand with a taste for change. As such, for the first time, Jaquet Droz combines paillonné enameling with a 43 mm diameter 18-carat yellow gold case and a deep red Grand Feu enamel on the dial of the Petite Heure Minute, one of its most emblematic models. Particularly difficult to obtain, the color becomes the symbol of a quest for perfection for the brand, known by its twin stars, and is a wink to the flag of Monaco.
This quest is not only decorative – the movement is equipped with a silicon spiral, a material whose flexibility, resistance to shocks, temperature and pressure variations, and magnetic fields guarantees perfect stability over time. It’s the first time that Jaquet Droz incorporates the material in a Petite Heure Minute. The beautiful manufacture of the movement can be admired through the crystal sapphire on the back of the watch, engraved with the reference “unique piece Only Watch 2015.”
Elegant and sophisticated, this unique piece boasts a wealth of the brand’s distinctive finishes, whether it be the curve of the horns, the rolled-edge hand-made prestige alligator leather strap or even the forged ardillon buckle, itself also in 18-carat yellow gold.
Technical details
Les Ateliers D’art Collection
Model: Petite Heure Minute Paillonnee
Numerus Clausus: Unique piece
Reference: J005031240
Movement
Jaquet Droz 2653.P, self-winding mechanical movement, silicon balance, double barrel, flat bridges, 18-carat yellow gold oscillating weight.
Indications: Off-centered hours and minutes
Jewelling: 28 jewels
Power reserve: 68 hours
Frequency: 28,800 v.p.h.
Case
18-carat yellow gold case
Diameter 43 mm
Height 12.06 mm
“Unique Piece Only Watch 2015” hand-engraved on the case-back
Water resistance: To 3 bar (30 meters)
Dial
Guilloché dial in bordeaux Grand Feu enamel with 18-carat yellow gold paillons
18-carat yellow gold ring, plate and screws
Hands: 18-carat yellow gold
Bracelet
Rolled-edge hand-made bordeaux Prestige alligator leather strap
Buckle: 18-carat yellow gold ardillon buckle
