The craftsmen of the Jaquet Droz Ateliers d’Art are true masters in the art of paillonné enameling. This decorative technique, passed down by Renaissance goldsmiths, had its heyday in the 18th century. Applied individually by hand on the Grand Feu enamel of the dial, the fragile gold elements create kaleidoscopic patterns which are then fixed with a layer of translucent enamel. The result of this controlled mastery of fire, color and creative fragility is set by the extreme temperatures of the kilns: paillonné enameling produces masterpieces in which not even the slightest imperfection can be tolerated.
This year, six models have been decorated using this technique, bringing together historic paillons and modern creations including the bird, which was so dear to the brand's founder, Pierre Jaquet-Droz. A model particularly beloved of the artists who worked with Jaquet Droz, the Petite Heure Minute celebrates the richness of blue and red enamel in a broader range of executions measuring 35, 39 and 43 mm. The Grande Seconde is available in a version with a dial decorated with blue Grand Feu enamel, beautifully set off by the brilliance of the paillons and the 43-mm diameter gold case. An exceptional tourbillon is housed in the seconds dial of these new models, while a pocket watch, which affords a precious insight into the standards of elegance in the 19th century, adds to the magic of this collection.
These new models combine the colors that Jaquet Droz has made its own since the Enlightenment: the purest blue ever and deep red of the dial, and the luminous azure of the hands, complemented by the rich lustre of the rolled-edge hand-made alligator straps. All equipped with a silicon escapement movement (except for the pocket watch), these limited editions of 8 watches in each version are engraved with an individual number.
