The Ateliers Jaquet Droz
At the beginning of the third millennium, Jaquet Droz joined the Swatch Group’s prestigious market segment, thus giving strong new impetus to the brand. This was first embodied by the launch in 2002 of the Grande Seconde, its most emblematic timepiece, which resonates with all the conventions it has upheld throughout its history. In 2009, Nicolas G. Hayek, assisted by a steering committee, took over the direction of Jaquet Droz, opening the Atelier de Haute Horlogerie in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 2010. This 2,500 m2 site gives the brand a new energy and the intention of becoming, like its watches, a synthesis of horological expertise and craftsmanship with a distinctive personality that enables it to meet the strong demand from the market and its customers. That same year, Marc A. Hayek took over as President of Jaquet Droz, with the firm intention of cultivating the spirit of excellence and innovation while continuing to respect the emotional and poetic values that date back to the 18th century.
Atelier De Haute Horlogerie
Pierre Jaquet-Droz's expertise lives on today in the brand's Atelier de Haute Horlogerie where all of the timepieces are assembled and where, day after day, master watchmakers meticulously perform their tasks overlooking a classic panoramic view of La Chaux-de-Fonds, home of its founder.
Jaquet Droz wrote a new chapter in its history by adding a silicon balance spring in the escapement of its movements and revisiting their aesthetics. Unaffected by magnetic fields, or by variations in temperature and pressure, silicon guarantees exceptionally accurate timekeeping.
Ateliers D’Art
Jaquet Droz makes it a priority to develop its Ateliers d’Art within the Atelier de Haute Horlogerie in order to integrate and preserve the centuries of special expertise that define the brand’s identity. In tribute to meticulous expertise of these craftsmen, miniature painting, sculpted and engraved ornamentation and paillonné enameling adorn certain exceptional pieces in the Jaquet Droz collection or in very limited editions.
The skilled hands of the artisans strive to perform the most painstaking, delicate work to create these exclusive pieces. Unique expertise contributes to every stage of the process, from development of new projects to the beautiful finishes which adorn the contemporary timepieces and which are a mark of their distinction.
Atelier Automates
Pierre Jaquet-Droz was best known for the many ingenious and mysterious automata he created. After captivating the great and good of his time, he is now deemed to be one of the forefathers of mechanical calculation. Today, Jaquet Droz watchmakers work to breathe life into these masterpieces of precision mechanics in a workshop dedicated to these automata.
The brand has always put presenting, educating, revealing and inspiring at the heart of its projects. In November 2012, an exceptional piece was presented: a genuine automaton staging three birds in front of a waterfall background. The Bird Repeater is an apotheosis, bringing together both watchmaking and the decorative arts. As a new testament to the affection Jaquet Droz has for its founder, it brilliantly captures the brand’s history, expertise and imagination.
In 2013, the brand's 275th anniversary provided Jaquet Droz with the perfect opportunity to unveil to the public the first singing bird automaton ever created on a wristwatch: The Charming Bird. Years of research into mechanisms culminated in a veritable technical feat. Jaquet Droz succeeded in combining the automaton that had made the brand’s name in the 18th century with fine watchmaking techniques to produce a miniature singing bird nestled in a 47 mm timepiece with unequivocally contemporary lines. Two years later, the masterpiece wins the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in the “Mechanical Exception” category.
Atelier De Restauration
In its Atelier de Restauration, Jaquet Droz injects new life into exceptional historic watches. For almost three centuries, Jaquet Droz has cultivated its watchmaking expertise and exceptional decorative know-how. Epitomizing Swiss watchmaking excellence, endowed with a rare historic and constantly updated heritage, the brand known by its twin stars has an exclusive Atelier de Restauration. The craftsmen at Jaquet Droz began work on a movement dating back to the 18th century whose encasement had disappeared, proceeding with the meticulous restoration of the movement and its components and creating, in the Ateliers d'Art, an encasement true to the style and techniques of the era while upholding the brand's codes.
