Taking one of Jaquet Droz best-known models as a starting point - whose off-centered hours-and-minutes dial opens the way for all manner of daring creative ingenuity - the artisans of the Ateliers d'Arts have drawn on motifs from traditional Asian iconography to create a serene landscape. The carp is revered in Asia as an allegorical symbol to represent love, perseverance, longevity and virility. Small groups of this highly-prized fish are often used to embellish ornamental ponds.
Such a scene has been reproduced at a scale of 41 mm, with the dial set over a tranquil pond of crystalline waters created through layering of translucent blue enamel. Two lily pads float on the surface, crowned by a blooming lotus applied in relief, and hand-engraved gold reed stems rise from the waters. Under the enamel, three koi carps glide along in a spontaneous underwater ballet, standing out against the background of wave-ridged gold. The enamel lightens across the upper half of the watch face in gradually shaded colors underscored by an engraving of sky and birds.
The watch is powered by the self-winding mechanical movement Jaquet Droz 2653. Here for the first time, Jaquet Droz presents an enameled balance weight decorated with a carp hand-engraved in bas-relief.
The balance weight echoes the color of its case, with a choice of two versions, limited to 28 exclusive pieces each. In the white gold case model, bezel and horns are set with brilliant cut diamonds and the white mother-of-pearl hours-and-minutes sub-dial is encircled in white gold. The red gold case model features a black onyx hours-and-minutes sub-dial with a red gold outlining ring.
The watch is elegantly worn on rolled-edge hand-made gray or black alligator leather strap.
