Jaquet Droz - The Eclipse

It is the light that catches every eye, the heavenly body that fires poetic dreams in the dark of night. The magic of the Moon inhabits one of the legendary Jaquet Droz models that the Manufacture has just reinvented.

The Eclipse is a real feat of watchmaking; it not only displays the day, month and year, but also the phases of the Moon which have fascinated astronomers, explorers and artists of all times and every culture. On the dial, a Moon with a smiling face inspired by 19th century engravings playfully appears and disappears behind a matt black disk that sharply offsets the brilliance of the dial. Evolving day after day, subtly changing with each new dawn, the Moon in all its forms watches over this exceptional timepiece.

This mechanical performance, together with the genuine visual spectacle, has been achieved with great aesthetic purity. Within the 43 mm red-gold case, an intensely black Grand Feu enameled dial welcomes 8 stars, inspired as much by the favorite number of the Manufacture as by the symbolism of the star that is so dear to Jaquet Droz.

Anti-Counterfeiting Campaign at the SIHH

1. Anti-Counterfeiting Campaign at the SIHH: Fake Watches Are For Fake People!

The Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie and the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry has unveiled its anti-counterfeiting campaign at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie 2009. more »

2. Smithsonian Uncovers Secret Message Inside Abraham Lincoln’s Watch

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History announced it has found a “secret” message engraved in President Abraham Lincoln’s watch by a watchmaker who was repairing it in 1861 when news of the attack on Fort Sumter reached Washington, D.C. more »

3. BASELWORLD 2009 boosts the global watch and jewellery industry

After eight successful days, BASELWORLD 2009 closed its doors, once again reaffirming its position as the leading international watch and jewelery trade show. On a site covering approximately 160,000 m2, 1,952 exhibitors from 45 countries showcased their latest products and innovations. Exhibitors and visitors alike spoke enthusiastically about their experience at the show and the business they did. Thanks to this sense of positi­vity, both exhibitors and visitors forecast new prospects for the industry as a whole. more »

de Grisogono Meccanico dG - Titanium and rubber

4. de GRISOGONO Meccanico dG

In fine watchmaking, you can decide to reinterpret existing concepts or choose to steer a pioneering course. Founder and CEO of de Grisogono, Fawaz Gruosi has deliberately chosen the second approach. With the Meccanico dG, the Geneva based manufacturer’s most recent entry, de Grisogono presents a design stemming from the purest watchmaking tradition and projects it into the future. With a total of 651 components, the Meccanico dG’s mechanical movement is one of the most complex ever made. A masterpiece of fine watchmaking, designed to display the time in two time zones, it ranks as the world’s first watch with a mechanical digital display as well as an analogue face. This world first – based on a de Grisogono patent – places a startlingly complex mechanism in a very contemporary design. more »

5. Exclusive Breguet Patronage of the Louvre

Exclusive Montres Breguet SA patronage for the remodelling of the Conseil d’Etat rooms and salon Beauvais, known as the Louis XIV wing, at the Louvre museum as part of the renovation of the museum premises devoted to 18th century furnishings. more »

Greubel Forsey DT30° Vision Red gold case Silvered-gold dial

6. GREUBEL FORSEY Double Tourbillon 30°

The watchmaker-inventors Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey, based in their atelier in La Chaux-de-Fonds, wished to surpass the accomplishments of existing movements by plunging deeper into the subject and inventing a Tourbillon which significantly improves the functioning of a wristwatch.

After four years of effort, they created a Tourbillon within a tourbillon, in such a way that this new complication permanently compensates the gravity-related errors of rate in all wristwatch positions. more »

7. JAQUET DROZ Rouge & Noir

True to its vanguard spirit, Jaquet Droz presents three flagship timepieces from Baselworld 09 – with a Numerus Clausus of 88 – that highlight the absolute black of the Grand Feu enamelled dial, the black matt of the rubber and the red gold of the case. more »

8. HUBLOT Unico Technical Specifications

The UNICO movement, a chronograph developed entirely by Hublot’s Research & Development department, is now in its “functional prototype” stage until the end of 2009. more »

Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921

9. Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921 Wins Watch of the Year 2009 Prize

Just two years after being awarded the 2007 Watch of the Year Prize (for the Patrimony Contemporary Retrograde Date and Day model), Vacheron Constantin once again takes the top spot on the winner’s podium with the 2009 Watch of the Year Prize, this time for its ‘Historiques American 1921’ model. more »

What were the events that you think should have been included in this article? Please leave a comment and share with us your thoughts.

Mr Emch, a Swiss born in 1972, studied design at the Art Center in La Tour de Peilz, before gaining a Master’s degree in business at Lausanne University’s Faculty of Business and Economics (HEC). He began his career as a business process re-engineering consultant and a marketing manager in FMCG before joining the Swatch Group in 2001, where he successfully revived the Jaquet Droz brand, transforming it into one of the finest references in the field of fine watchmaking. He was also appointed to the Group’s Extended Management Board, with special responsibilities for a broad territory encompassing Russia, other Eastern European countries and Central Asia.

The winner of several watch design awards, Manuel Emch is gifted with considerable skills in the field of establishing and consolidating brand identity, which he ably demonstrated at Jaquet Droz, notably by initiating and designing two of his “brainchildren”: the iconic Grande Seconde and the now legendary Machine à Ecrire le Temps. He also brings to Romain Jerome his considerable experience in the fields of production and sales, having contributed to the construction of the brand-new Jaquet Droz manufacturing facility; as well as supervising the creation of a worldwide distribution network including 200 points of sale and 6 own-name boutiques.

Structuring a strong creative base

Romain Jerome, founded in 2004, has become renowned for its “DNA of Famous Legends”. This bold theme was first introduced with the Titanic-DNA watches incorporating material from the sunken liner, and which turned watchmakers’ fiercest enemy, rust, into an unexpected ally. Most recently, Romain Jerome has chosen to celebrate another legendary and truly universal human adventure with its Moon Dust-DNA, made from the metal of spacecraft and moon dust, and accompanied by a certificate from the Association of Space Explorers (ASE).

Commenting on this appointment, the company directors expressed their satisfaction with having recruited a talented individual with proven abilities in terms of structural organisation and brand building, specifying that he will be supported in his task by the existing team, along with the new Sales Director, Giancarlo Mantuano, formerly dtribution Director for Zino Davidoff. The Board also reaffirmed its determination to support the new magement by pursuing investments in all fields essential to corporate development including production, marketing and distribution. Mr. Emch stated his intention to pursue a strategy based on the philosophy of legends, exploring the concept in new directions, as well as continuing to focus on the emotional content of Romain Jerome watches.

Source: Swisstime.ch

L'Heure Céleste by Jaquet Droz

Four Haute Joaillerie models by Jaquet Droz are expected to arrive in stores for Christmas 2009!

Exuberant, sleek, elegant, and ultra-feminine, L’Heure Céleste rises with virtuosity to authentic technical challenges and reaches out to embrace infinity, the ultimate dream of all mankind. A dream that inspired the dial of this exceptional model in its entirety, a virgin canvas lacquered in black or white against which a galaxy of planets in white gold, red gold or set with diamonds scintillates. Rewriting some of the basic rules of watchmaking design, L’Heure Céleste is endowed with a highly innovative sapphire crystal that liberates it from the graphic constraints imposed by a bezel. This special crystal enables natural light to illuminate the magnificent dial display from unusual angles and to stress the interplay of volumes imagined by the craftsmen at the Manufacture.

To achieve this feat of technical prowess, Jaquet Droz drew on its rich heritage of design and aesthetic codes that have become part of the brand signature, such as the star motif, to establish a narrative framework, then added a new dimension born of contemporary vision. With its ultra-modern lines, unusual volumes and generous curves, L’Heure Céleste is a magnificent creation that embodies all possibilities, especially those suggested by the mysterious beauty of an immense, star-studded sky.

L'Heure Céleste by Jaquet Droz

Hand-crafted in three dimensions and issued in a Numerus Clausus of 8, this dream, set off by spheres and a sprinkling of stars, comes in a 41 mm white or red gold watchcase and features a 68 hour power reserve. For this new Haute Couture jewellery watch, delightfully and extravagantly feminine, the artisans at the Jaquet Droz Manufacture have succeeded in giving visual expression to the wildest desire of all humankind: to wear the mystery of the universe on one’s wrist.

Suggested Retail Price: 39′000 CHF / 59’000 CHF

Laying of the foundation stone of the new manufacture Montres Jaquet Droz SA

La Chaux-de-Fonds, 9 September, 2009

Founded in 1738, the Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Jaquet Droz immediately focused on prestigious models and unique pieces. Throughout its history, innovation has been the very core of the brand’s identity.

On 9 September, 2009, Nicolas G. Hayek, Chairman of the Swatch Group, Nick Hayek, CEO of the Swatch Group, and Manuel Emch, President of Montres Jaquet Droz, laid the foundation stone of the new Jaquet Droz Manufacture in Le Crêt-du-Locle. The brand has reached a new stage in its dynamic development since its acquisition by the Swatch Group in 2000.

This celebration initiated the construction of the future head office in the small, green valley of Le Crêt-du-Locle, nestled in the Neuchâtel Mountains.

The first employees will be able to settle into this new location from summer 2010. This site will allow Jaquet Droz to regroup all of its activities under one roof and offers significant growth potential. A showcase for the brand’s technical expertise and craftsmanship, the Manufacture in Le Crêt-du-Locle will eventually be able to accommodate close to a hundred employees.

The Jaquet Droz Manufacture:

• Year of construction: 2009-2010
• Laying of the foundation stone: 09/09/2009
• Inauguration: 10/10/2010
• Land: 6′000 m²
• Buildings: 2′500 m²
• Capacity: 90 persons

Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde SW ROUGE

Three exceptional models by Jaquet Droz are expected to arrive in stores in September 2009!

True to its vanguard spirit, Jaquet Droz presents three flagship timepieces from Baselworld 09 – with a Numerus Clausus of 88 – that highlight the absolute black of the Grand Feu enamelled dial, the black matt of the rubber and the red gold of the case.

Grande Seconde SW ROUGE

In unveiling the Grande Seconde SW ROUGE, Jaquet Droz is giving the sports watch the recognition it so richly deserves. This new watch combines technical performance and ultimate elegance of design – red and black interact for dynamic visual impact – with the thrilling exuberance of high-speed sports.

Red gold is not only used for the case, but also for the three-dimensional ring circling both dials on this model, with its superb, masculine lines. Red gold gleams from the applied plates, the hollowed horns, the hands and the folding clasp – whose shining surface contrasts with the dark matt of the rubber strap – not to mention the dial, crown and fluted bezel with its deliberately assertive design. This beautifully balanced design is carefully thought out down to the last detail: the watch hands are tipped with a coat of Super-LumiNova.

Suggested Retail Price: 30’000 CHF

Jaquet Droz Les Douze Villes

Les Douze Villes

Twelve cities, like so many possibilities for different modes of existence, lifestyles and desires… Twelve destinations, each with their own history, secrets, memories and encounters… All twelve are displayed on one magnificent watch: Les Douze Villes, destined for those whose lives are characterised by the crossing of different time zones. For this timepiece, Jaquet Droz has chosen a black Grand Feu enamelled dial with its unique grain to harbour twelve interpretations of temporality within a mere few square centimetres.

Two apertures appear on the dial: the first, at 6 o’clock, indicates the selected city, and the second, at 12 o’clock, displays the local time. Perfectly centered, an imposing red gold hand marks the minutes, which advance at the same pace whether in Geneva, Moscow or Shanghai… Besides this poetic allusion to the universality of time, the watch features a jumping hours complication in its 43 mm red gold case. Inside, two independent plates in simultaneous motion display the time in the selected city by means of a complex mechanism.

Suggested Retail Price : 32’000 CHF

Jaquet Droz La Rattrapante

La Rattrapante

Taking the measure of Time in all of its dimensions… that’s the challenge facing the chronographe à rattrapante created for the prestigious Hommage La Chaux-de-Fonds 1738 Collection by Jaquet Droz. A masterpiece of the watchmaking art, the chronograph possesses a black Grand Feu enamelled dial that has long been a hallmark of the Manufacture, as well as a complex set of red gold hands whose perfect readability constitutes an impressive feat in itself. This chronographe à rattrapante, with its generously proportioned 45 mm red gold watchcase, can measure two events starting at the same time but of different durations: in turn, the chronograph hand and the rattrapante work together or compete under the supervision of the large date, proudly displayed in an aperture at 12 o’clock.

Thanks to its tachymeter function, the rattrapante can also measure the speed at which the wearer travels in kilometres/hour or the equivalent, an additional complication used to seize Time in all of its various forms, at the very same instant…

Suggested Retail Price : 42’000 CHF

Jaquet Droz President and Creative Director Manuel Emch and Bengt Brümmer, winner of the Jaquet Droz Prize for Design

Jaquet Droz, the elite Swiss watch manufacturer, is pleased to announce Bengt Brümmer, as the winner of the inaugural Jaquet Droz Prize for Design. Jaquet Droz partnered with Parsons The New School for Design, a global leader in art and design education, to select the undergraduate student who best embodies the spirit and ideals of Jaquet Droz.

The winner was judged by a group that included Jaquet Droz President and Creative Director Manuel Emch, Chief Curator of the Museum of Arts and Design David McFadden, renowned product designer Dror Benshetrit, gallery owner Marc Benda, Whitewall Magazine President Michael Klug, and Parsons Associate Professors Peter Wheelwright and Ken Stevens.

Mr. Brümmer, a Product Design student, stood out in a talented field of submissions with works like the “Pop Bottle” and the “Flameless Cooker”, designed to help in disaster relief efforts. He was awarded the top prize of $5,000.

“Jaquet Droz Prize for Design enables us to give back to the design community by supporting an up and coming designer. This award honors a student who has shown creative execution, technical mastery and an appreciation for craftsmanship.” says Manuel Emch. “I am impressed with Mr. Brümmer’s work and believe he possesses the talent and vision to reshape the future of design, just as Jaquet Droz is redefining the landscape of fine timepieces.”

About Jaquet Droz:

Jaquet Droz Manufacture is situated in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, in the same location that Pierre Jaquet Droz chose to establish his company in 1738. Specializing in the Art of Watchmaking, Jaquet Droz has developed the concept of limited production quantities and unique pieces. The dial of the watch represents the DNA of the brand, while the Grande Seconde model, inspired by the 1791 timepiece, is its icon.

Eight years after the company was acquired by the Swatch Group, its success is undeniable. Within the Group, the Manufacture is resolutely positioned within the luxury and prestige segment of the market and is now established throughout the world. Manuel Emch, President and head of artistic creation, has set himself the mission of cultivating this spirit of excellence and innovation, while continuing to communicate the core values of emotion and poetry to collectors. The connection between the Age of Enlightenment and the third Millennium is at the heart of the brand’s creative inspiration. For more information, please log on to www.jaquet-droz.com.

About Parsons The New School for Design:

Parsons The New School for Design has been a pioneer in art and design education for more than a century. Based in New York but active around the world, the school offers undergraduate and graduate programs in the full spectrum of design disciplines. Critical thinking and collaboration are at the heart of a Parsons education. An integral part of The New School, Parsons builds on the university’s legacy of progressive ideals, scholarship, and pedagogy. Parsons graduates are leaders in their respective fields, with a shared commitment to creatively and critically addressing the complexities of life in the 21st century. For more information, please visit www.parsons.newschool.edu.

La Ligne Bleue by JAQUET DROZ

The most recent expression of virtuoso craftsmanship by the Manufacture Jaquet Droz, La Ligne Bleue pushes back the limits of the Grand Feu enamelling technique to obtain a colour of unique depth and luminosity: the Jaquet Droz blue.

A colour of the imagination, reverie and meditation, blue has always inspired Jaquet Droz which, from its origins to the present day, has often chosen to array its creations in this fabulous shade. Starting in the Enlightenment, its pocket watches and precious snuff boxes celebrated every conceivable nuance of blue.

Remaining true to its avant-garde spirit, the Manufacture from La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, has developed a magnificent collection of five timepieces, each available in a limited edition of 8 exclusive watches featuring a dial enamelled with a remarkably intense blue… the Jaquet Droz blue. In creating these watches — the result of several years of work, great craftsmanship and an unshakeable certainty that the only goal of the creative mind is to surpass itself — house designers and artisans took an aphorism of the French artist Yves Klein (“One does not represent the infinite, one produces it”) and made it their own. Out of this conviction came La Ligne Bleue, the latest illustration of the Manufacture’s watchmaking genius and unceasing inventiveness.

Perfect, radiant, and incredibly pure, this shade of blue is precisely what Jaquet Droz was striving for. This rich, deep and luminous blue is a natural candidate for Grand Feu enamelling, the Manufacture’s most famous technique. This feat of technical prowess and superior craftsmanship calls for a painstaking alchemy of fine powders and perfect mastery of a firing process whose limits Jaquet Droz has continued to test. Whereas the ivory or black enamel needs 10 to 15 firings, the blue requires no fewer than 20. Before each one, the dial surface is dusted with an imperceptible layer of powder, no more than a millimetre thick. This meticulous superposition of layers is what gives the blue its special radiance and distinctive hue. Fully mastered by the Manufacture’s artisans, who perform more than forty operations by hand, the technique calls for tremendous dexterity, patience and meticulousness. Even so, less than one dial out of ten passes inspection to adorn one of the five providential models of La Ligne Bleue: the Grande Seconde, the Grande Seconde Medium, the Grande Date, the Quantième Perpétuel and L’Origine Email.

Given the extreme complexity involved and the exclusive image of the brand, Jaquet Droz decided to manufacture each model in a limited edition of eight that would feature all of the codes emblematic of the Manufacture.

The Grande Seconde and the Grande Seconde Medium: the Jaquet Droz legend

A watch for private life, it measures out precious moments and bears two overlapping dials forming the emblematic figure eight that has become the reference in Jaquet Droz design. Nestled inside its white gold case, the blue dial pays homage to the magic of each passing moment.

The Grande Date: every day, a new day

Beneath an off-centred subdial situated at 12 o’clock, two easy-to-read date apertures display the date. This elegant, indispensable complication, evoking all of the dimensions that one day can have, is dedicated to the colour blue.

The Quantième Perpétuel: a masterpiece of the watchmaking art

A timepiece representing great technical difficulties, the Quantième Perpétuel “knows” how long each month lasts and when to correct for a leap year. With its automatic memory mechanisms concealed inside a white gold case, this treasure boasts a dial enamelled in blue, a rare colour reflecting the watchmaker’s virtuosity.

L’Origine Email: the spirit of a modern classic

With its sleek lines, highlighted by the sobriety of its Roman numerals, and its delicate fusion of tradition and modernity, L’Origine Email displays the aesthetic values dear to the Manufacture. The blue enamelled dial stresses the evocative power of this timepiece, available in a forged case of stainless steel.

Today, these exclusive watches are a perfect example of the new challenge taken up by Jaquet Droz, which is to bring the past and present together in creations of great beauty and creativity, offering a handful of connoisseurs a rare experience with a marvellous colour: the Jaquet Droz blue.

Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Ceramique at the MAD

New York, NY (May 6, 2009) – The Museum of Arts and Design unveiled Object Factory: The Art of Industrial Ceramics, a groundbreaking exhibition, documenting contemporary innovation in industrial ceramic production and the renaissance of ceramics in art and design today.

On view from Wednesday, May 6 through Sunday, September 13, 2009, Object Factory examines the unexpected uses of ceramics as time keeping instruments, kitchen appliances, knives and even digital electronics, made possible by new technologies.

The Grande Seconde Ceramique has the honor of being the exclusive watch in the exhibition, due to its distinctive characteristics and superior ceramics quality.

“The limitless potential of ceramics—a medium that has been in use for millennia—is underscored by its use in such innovative ways as the housing of watches like the Grande Second Ceramique created by the renowned Jaquet Droz Manufacture.  We are happy to have this fine timepiece included in Object Factory: The Art of Industrial Ceramics,” said David McFadden, the Museum of Arts and Design’s Chief Curator.

The Grande Seconde Ceramique is the perfect representation of Jaquet Droz, as a brand that has roots in 18th century watch making but is constantly forging a link with the 21st century. The paring of a ceramic case and enamel dial is the perfect synergy between a modern material and the traditional craft of dial making. Jaquet Droz’s Swiss made ceramic cases utilize a complex and cutting edge molding process, and is made with zirconium powder as small as 1/50th the size of a human hair.

About Montres Jaquet Droz SA

After a few years’ absence from the world of watch making, the brand was acquired in 2000 by the Swatch Group, and returned to its town of origin, La Chaux-de-Fonds.

Eight years later, the success of Jaquet Droz is undeniable; the Manufacture is resolutely positioned within the prestige and luxury segment of the Swatch Group. Manuel Emch, President and Head of artistic creation, has set himself the mission of cultivating this spirit of excellence and innovation while continuing to communicate emotional and poetical values. The link between the Age of Enlightenment and the third Millennium is therefore still at the heart of the brand’s creative inspiration.

About the Museum of Arts and Design

The Museum of Arts and Design explores how art, craft and design intersect in the visual arts today. The Museum focuses on contemporary creativity and the ways in which artists and designers from around the world transform materials through processes ranging from the handmade to cutting-edge technologies.

The exhibition program explores and illuminates issues and ideas, highlights creativity and craftsmanship, and celebrates the limitless potential of materials and techniques when used by creative and innovative artists. MAD’s permanent collection is global in scope and focuses on art, craft, and design from 1945 to the present day.

If you would like to visit the Museum and see the exhibition, please contact Amy Chia at 201 271 4644 or amy.chia@swatchgroup.com for complimentary admission tickets.

Weehawken, New Jersey (April 26, 2009) – The Swatch Group Ltd, the world’s largest watch company, announced today the expansion of an entirely new retail concept to the United States with the opening of the second Tourbillon Boutique on New York City’s Wall Street.

Tourbillon is a multi-brand watch and jewelry boutique network, bringing all the prestige brands within the Swatch Group together under one roof. The brands currently presented in the Tourbillon boutiques are Breguet, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Jaquet Droz, Léon Hatot and Omega. In homage to the parent company’s namesake, a selection of exclusive watches and jewelry from the Swatch brand is also featured. Prior to the arrival of the New York City boutique, the Tourbillon network comprised of seventeen boutiques, first one in the United States in renowned South Coast Plaza, five within Swiss national borders (Crans-Montana, Montreux, St. Moritz, Lausanne, Lugano), eight others dotted across Europe (Amsterdam, Baden-Baden, Kitzbuhl, Mykonos, Nice, Porto Cervo, Portofino, Puerto Banus), two in Beijing, China and one in Singapore. The second Tourbillon boutique to open in the US will be located on Wall Street in the heart of New York’s financial district.

The Swatch Group is especially proud to continue its expansion in a time when so many are downsizing. After Omega boutique on Fifth Avenue, Tourbillon is the second Swatch Group owned retail store to open in New York City within this month. In this uncertain market, the Swatch Group is pleased to have the opportunity to create jobs and looks forward to another successful luxury venture.

The Tourbillon philosophy embraces the longstanding Swiss tradition of exceptional horological expertise. Tourbillon boutiques present extensive collections of each brand, offering consumers the broadest choice of premium watch models. Recruited from among the finest professionals in the sector, the carefully trained sales people are dedicated to providing customers with impeccable and highly personalized service. As ambassadors of the magnificent brands represented, Tourbillon associates cultivate a passion for the art of watch making and a devotion to sharing with clients the wonderful history of each brand.

About Swatch Group:

The Swatch Group Ltd is the largest manufacturer and distributor of watches and jewelry in the world. It is a synonym for emotional and luxury products of high quality and has its own worldwide network of distribution organizations. The Group is an expert in the manufacture of finished watches, movements and components. Its watch brands are Breguet, Blancpain, Glashütte-Original, Jaquet-Droz, Léon Hatot, Omega in the luxury and prestige segment; Rado, Longines, Union in the high end range; Tissot, Calvin Klein, Certina, Mido, Hamilton, Pierre Balmain in the middle range; Swatch, Flik Flak in the basic segment, and Endura.
www.swatchgroup.com