The master watchmaker may have a few tricks up its sleeve. Perhaps it's a concealed signature, a finish or an adornment known only to the brand. In the world of Fine Watchmaking, these hidden details are the ultimate thrill for collectors. Yet there is a horological art whose only goal is to be shown, its very last quiver unveiled: . These dials are the stunning visage of a timepiece. They are what make it one of a kind and shape its identity. They are the embodiment of the Philosophy of the Unique and the Art of Astonishment so cherished by Jaquet Droz.
Jaquet Droz has turned the art of mineral dials into a signature expertise. Crafted for both men and women, these mineral dials are made in a number of diameters, but never in great number, being solely released as a solitary piece or limited series. Jaquet Droz paints its timepieces with onyx, jade, serpentinite, jasper, petrified wood, meteorite and opal, using them like pigments on a watchmaking canvas.
No two pieces are ever alike. The only thing that stays the same is the process that breathes life into the dials. It begins by selecting the rare mineral, in partnership with one of the greatest artisans of semi-precious stones. The stones are collected from the four corners of the globe, from Asia to Europe to the Americas and then brought to Switzerland. The most breathtaking sections of the rocks are chosen. They are carefully polished by hand and sliced into disks that are about the size of the final piece. Done with traditional saws and grinders, this simple cut alone takes an hour to obtain an initial dial form.
Every dial is then polished once again and drilled to create tiny openings for the hands, apertures and appliqués. Extreme care must also be taken during the final hand-polishing step when the artisan gradually pares down each dial until it is 0.8 mm thick. A miniature burr is used to deburr all around the edge, and then the outer rim is smoothed. It is now almost a perfect circle, entirely done by hand. The mineral dial is polished one last time, and then come the adornments: gold hands, round bands, appliqués or moving parts for automatons.
In the last few months, Jaquet Droz has unveiled a few very limited series that showcase this elaborate work. It can be seen in the Grande Seconde Off-Centered in Black Jade, and it is featured with Chinchilla Red petrified wood on the Loving Butterfly Automaton and with the Spiderman jasper on the dial of an exquisite Petite Heure Minute issued in a limited series of eight.
Loving Butterfly Automaton Opale
Opal is in a class by itself. It is special by its name: “opal” comes from the Sanskrit word “upala” for “precious stone.” Special by its origin: opal is almost exclusively found in Australia. Special by its distinct look: “crystal” opal has a very unique iridescence where it changes colors depending on the viewing angle. For opal with a translucent background, the word “opalescence” was coined to describe the optical diffraction phenomenon.
Jaquet Droz is now unveiling a pair of unique timepieces that capture this singular brilliance: two Opal Loving Butterfly Automaton watches with a red gold or white gold case. They are each a one-of-a-kind specimen of opal’s optical properties, an interplay of blue, green, yellow, and pink crystals and the thousands of mid-tones between each color. Sparkling and dynamic, they are the latest heirs to opal’s legend, the story of a mineral expressing love and passion, if not burning desire. A seductive stone with a reputation for lowering inhibitions. Worn against the skin, it is a hallmark of loyalty and faithfulness.
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