Jaquet Droz is celebrating another milestone, coinciding with the 300th anniversary of the legendary watchmaker Pierre Jaquet-Droz's birth. Born on July 28, 1721, on a small farm in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Jaquet-Droz, with his talent and immense creative potential, created musical clocks and automata that delighted royalty worldwide. Acquired by Swatch Group in 2000, one of Jaquet Droz's iconic collections today is the elegant Grande Seconde. Inspired by pocket watches from 1785, the Grande Seconde features a graceful figure-eight design on the dial, where a smaller sub-dial for hours and minutes at noon intersects with a larger sub-dial for seconds below. In honor of the 300th anniversary of the founder's birth, Jaquet Droz presents two exclusive editions of the Grande Seconde Moon: one aligns with the traditional watchmaking spirit of the House with a Grand Feu enamel dial, and the other is a more modern and darker vision of the Grande Seconde Moon. Another novelty is that both models are now offered in a new 41mm case, complementing the existing collection models of 39 and 43mm.
Grande Seconde Moon
The Grande Seconde model debuted in 2002. Thanks to the dial's construction, various complications can be accommodated on the large sub-dial “grande seconde”: date, chronograph, dual time, power reserve, second hand, and even fascinating automata. In 2017, the brand added the Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Moon to the collection, using the large second counter to display the waxing and waning of our celestial neighbor. The current collection includes about ten Grande Seconde Moon models with case sizes of 39 and 43mm, but Jaquet Droz decided to highlight the latest anniversary models with a new 41mm case (height 12.9mm) made of 18-carat red gold.
Grande Seconde Moon, Ivory Enamel
This model is the quintessence of the Grande Seconde Moon, showcasing the brand's craftsmanship in Grand Feu enamel. The magnificent ivory enamel dial pays homage to the brand's rich heritage and serves as a backdrop for the characteristic figure-eight. Emphasizing the classic temperament, the small sub-dial for hours and minutes at noon is adorned with black Roman numerals and a peripheral minute track with dots.
On the larger seconds dial, smoothly intersecting with the hours and minutes at the “6 o'clock” position, are black printed Arabic numerals with the poetic moon phase complication in the center. Framed by an 18-carat red gold ring placed over the enamel base, the ring serves as a date indicator with odd numbers from 1 to 31, indicated by a short gold hand with a red lacquered tip, positioned on the same axis as the longer gold hand for the small seconds indication. Against the midnight blue sky backdrop, a realistic moon, adorned with craters and surrounded by 18-carat red gold stars, completes its cycle.
Grande Seconde Moon Matte Black
This anniversary model with a dark matte black dial represents a modern take on the Grande Seconde Moon, closer in spirit to the Anthracite model we saw last year, with its matte gray sandblasted dial. However, in this anniversary model, for the first time in its history, the Roman numerals on the hours and minutes sub-dial and the Arabic numerals on the large seconds counter have been replaced by red gold indices. The contrast between the slightly grainy, light-absorbing black surface and the shimmering red gold is bold and dynamic. To recreate the moon's uneven surface, the craters are handcrafted. Against the dark night sky, the gold Moon and applied red gold stars transition from one phase to another.
Both models come with handcrafted leather straps with folded edges and an ardillon buckle made from 18-carat red gold. The Grande Seconde Moon Ivory Enamel (Ref. J007523200) is paired with a dark blue alligator leather strap, while the Grande Seconde Moon Matte Black (J007523340) comes with a matching black calfskin leather strap.
Automatic Caliber 2660QL4
The automatic caliber 2660QL4 is equipped with a modern silicon balance spring and pallet horns (insensitive to magnetic fields and temperature variations). The astronomical moon phase complication (known as mechanism 135) requires only one correction every 122 years. To achieve such a level of accuracy, the caliber uses a 135-tooth wheel that closely replicates the true lunar orbit. Most standard moon phase models use a 59-tooth wheel, which accumulates a one-day error every 2 years, 7 months, and 20 days. The oscillations made from 18-carat red gold are semi-open, allowing for a better view of the mechanism and the exquisite Côtes de Genève decoration on the bridges. The dual-barrel movement, operating at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour, provides a power reserve of up to 68 hours. Each version's case back is hand-engraved with the inscription “Pierre Jaquet-Droz, 300ème Anniversaire.”
The prices for these new Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Moon 300th Anniversary 41mm watches are not yet known, but are expected to be around 30,000 euros.