Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Power Reserve Ceramic with black “Clous de Paris” decorated dial, subdial in black ceramic. 18kt red gold hands.

French historians traditionally place the Age of Enlightenment between 1715, the year that Louis XIV died, and 1789, the beginning of the French Revolution. It was the start of a scientific and engineering revolution which paved the way for Jaquet Droz to develop a reputation for high horology much inline with mechanical curios and automata dating back to that enlightened age.

Automata might look like children’s toys, but they were actually groundbreaking feats of engineering, among the most famous of these mechanical marvels was the Queen Marie antoinette’s lady doll automaton with dulcimer stringed instrument. The Joueuse de Tympanon gave us a glimpse of the possibilities made possible by gears, pinions and pulleys to enrich our lives. At Jaquet Droz, it was a heritage of curiousity which not only gave us wonders like the Bird Minute Repeater but also exquisite timepieces like the Grande Seconde Power Reserve Ceramic – bringing to fore the sweeping tick of the seconds hand, as if a statement on the philosophy of awareness of each fleeting moment and relegating the proletariat need to acknowledge each passing minute and hour at the cost of savouring every taken breath.

Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Power Reserve Ceramic Limited Edition

The Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde is one of the maison’s signature models. The subdials of the off-center hours & minutes and small seconds overlap to form a poetic figure 8, a configuration based on historical pocket watches from the Jaquet Droz archives, an asymmetry of aesthetics also shared by the workshop’s famed Chiming Bird as well; Additionally, the unusual mix of Roman and Arabic numerals serve to highlight the muse inspired by these heritage pocket watches.

The case of the Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde limited edition in black ceramic, measures 44mm x 13.3mm. It has double sapphire crystals and it is water resistant to 30 meters.

Movement is the Swiss automatic Jaquet Droz in-house caliber 4063D-S with 30 jewels, 28,800 vph and a power reserve of 68 hours. Done with ruthenium treatment, double barrel, heavy metal rotor with black PVD treatment. Functions are: off-centered hours and minutes, large seconds subdial, and power reserve indication at 9 o’clock. It comes on a rolled-edge hand-made black fabric strap with a black ceramic and black steel PVD folding clasp.

Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Power Reserve Ceramic Price and Specs

Movement Jaquet Droz 4063D-S, self-winding mechanical movement with ruthenium finish and 68 hours power reserve
Case 44mm black ceramic; water resistant to 50m
Strap hand-made black fabric
Price S$ 27,000