For nearly three centuries, Jaquet Droz has placed time under the banner of astonishment, excellence and constantly renewed creativity. Jaquet Droz has also added a sense of exclusivity to this unique philosophy. In the 18th century, the Jaquet-Droz family were pioneers in the art of luxury decoration. Through their work, they supported an entire generation of craftsmen. Enameled cases embellished with paillons, painting on enamel and sculpted and engraved ornamentation contributed enormously to their success and their fame. Pocket watches, urns, snuffboxes and cages for mechanical singing birds – all these masterpieces were decorated. And to this day, the brand known by its twin stars offers discerning clients the opportunity to customize the dial of their timepiece to suit their taste and pay tribute to the tradition upheld by the Jaquet Droz Ateliers d’Art.
Jaquet Droz will create and customize unique pieces on request. The brand known by its twin stars invites you to draft a design for your own timepiece – taking the time to explore its expertise and collaborate with its artisans. Prior to final validation, Jaquet Droz will need to communicate with you several times. In particular, the model that will serve as a canvas for the design must be determined, as well as the craft techniques to be employed: enameling, painting, or sculpted and engraved ornamentation. Two to six months are required to complete the work, depending on the techniques chosen.
Relying on the subtle interaction of ultra-fine powders and precision kilns, our master dial-makers are sole guardians of the formula that yields these magnificent dials, whose color and graining are absolutely unique. Once a piece is finished, it is inalterable. The enamel will retain its beauty and gloss for centuries, withstanding the ravages of time indefinitely. A distinctive signature of Jaquet Droz timepieces since the 18th century, Grand Feu enameling has been reinterpreted by the brand in its contemporary collections.
Jaquet Droz wishes to honor the Art of Painting on enamel in the 21st century and uphold the traditions of its founder: this painstaking decorative technique is applied to a few remarkable pieces in its collection. The painter does everything by hand, with the aid of a microscope; it takes at least one week to produce each one-of-a-kind piece.
An Art of Enameling that involves covering ornamental paillons (tiny motifs or paillettes, cut from gold leaves) with fondant (translucent enamel). This technique is central to Jaquet Droz’s traditional expertise. During the 18th century, the company’s founder transformed the technique into an art.
Drawing on a heritage of traditional skills that have been preserved with exceptional care, Jaquet Droz is reviving an ancestral technique to create several new masterpieces of the decorative arts. Motifs, molded then sculpted, create the impression of relief. Also reflecting the trademark excellence of Jaquet Droz are the minutely hand-engraved motifs, painted or unadorned, that occupy the space of the mineral dial.
Minerals were always a particular focus for Pierre Jaquet-Droz, who held them in special affection. Rocks, crystals and minerals remind us that nature is an artist. They inspire a rare emotion, constantly experienced anew. Jaquet Droz captures the natural brilliance of stones, using them to decorate its watch dials and create a bespoke product. Thus adorned, each mineral watch naturally becomes one-of-a-kind.
London, Geneva, Istanbul, Mecca, Moscow, Phoenix, Mexico City, New York, Beijing, Tokyo, Sydney and the Azores. Each city has its pulse, its tension, its special times. The Twelve Cities houses a mechanical self-winding, movement with jumping hours and time zone indication on a disc that can be customized on demand. Thus, simply by pressing a pushbutton at 2 o’clock, the cities and their respective times appear in the apertures on the dial.