Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute ‘Tiger’
The Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute ‘Tiger’ is yet another demonstration of the prestigious firm’s artisanal prowess. Fine brushes and the steadiest hands depict the wild cat’s face as viewed in daylight or seen at night. Each watch captures this feline beauty with breathtaking realism.
Jaquet Droz‘s atelier is located on the outskirts of La Chaux-de-Fonds. The company moved to its present-day premises in 2010. The building is ultra-modern and features expanses of glass, allowing light to pour into the various production areas. Historically, the design of buildings used within the watch industry has always paid due consideration to the availability of natural light, a means of illumination far superior to artificial sources of light.
This contemporary building plays host to time-served watchmakers and highly talented artisans. The aforementioned windows not only provide a plentiful source of light, but they also provide panoramic views of verdant meadows and tree-filled horizons. These breathtaking views no doubt provide inspiration for the firm’s skilled workers to make objects of beauty.
The Swiss Maison is renowned for practising an array of artisanal crafts. Watches with pure grand feu enamel dials abound, but the brand is also an exponent of paillonné enamelling, hand engraving and miniature painting. Recently, the Swiss marque unveiled two new creations, each endowed with a lifelike depiction of a tiger both of which were realised using the finest paintbrushes and the steadiest of hands. The Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute ‘Tiger’ is available in two versions, each limited to 28 pieces.
The brand’s press release
“Just one look can make a difference”. The common saying, often used for feelings of love, also holds true for art. Jaquet Droz has been inspired by this expression for its two new creations. Through one single piece available in two variations, the brand has united the essence of its watchmaking and artistic expertise.
The simple and eloquent name of the new Petite Heure Minute speaks for itself: “Tiger”. This is often enough by itself to evoke the power and grace of the most respected feline in the world. Jaquet Droz has succeeded in captivating its spirit by releasing two limited series of 28 pieces, each capturing your attention with their gaze. The Petite Heure Minute model has also been chosen to free up maximum space on the dial to display the full intensity of the Tiger’s glaze in the miniature painting.
The Ateliers d’Art have also been able to express their quintessential expertise by representing (on a black or ivory Grand Feu enamel dial) the intensity of the feline’s gaze. On a black dial (with case in white gold), a white Tiger with ice blue eyes has delicately been painted using fine brushes, some as thin as a strand of hair. On the ivory dial (with case in red gold), the Tiger displays its famous black and orange fur with green eyes, the most famous characteristics of its species.
The ultimate precision of Jaquet Droz’s Ateliers d’Art enables the fine detail of the gaze in its entirety to appear almost lifelike. The Tiger’s fur is painted with the aid of a microscope. Each hair is individually painted to reproduce the feline’s thick and silky fur. The great care taken in creating the iris and pupil give the illusion that the Tiger’s gaze follows whoever looks upon it, wherever they are. Through this magic, the fruit of an entirely handcrafted meticulous work of art, Jaquet Droz continues to explore the naturalist theme which has decorated its clocks, pocket watches and wristwatches for almost three centuries.
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