Jaquet Droz introduces two “Year of the Monkey” Editions of the Petite Heure Minute

Jaquet Droz is known for their off-centred displays, where the hours and minutes are positioned on top of the dial and where the second can take a greater importance – a display that is iconic for the brand and link to the history of the founder, Pierre Jaquet Droz. They are also very good in creating automatons (and that was the main specialty of the founder…). There’s also another feature that you may not think about: métiers d’arts, like this series of watches. To celebrate the coming Year of the Monkey, Jaquet Droz mixes two of these features to create delicate editions.

The Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute Relief Monkey

The first edition of this Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute Monkey collection shows a dial that is in fact a medley of pitch black lacquer, onyx, gold and mother-of-pearl. The tree, the foliage and the peaches (something that is often linked to the monkey in the traditional Chinese folklore) are all made from delicately engraved and patinated white mother-of-pearl. On top of the dial, perched on the branch of a peach tree, is suspended a monkey, made of hand-engraved solid red gold, that is then patinated to obtained a warmer and darker colour. The sud-dial that displays the hours and the minutes is made of black onyx, a semi-precious stone known for its extremely nice black tones.

The case of this Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute Relief Monkey is made in 18k red gold and measures 41mm x 13.77mm (quite an important height, all due from the relief money on top of the dial). Another edition in 18k white gold exists, this time adorned with diamonds.

Underneath the dial of the Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute Relief Monkey ticks the calibre 2653, a self-winding movement with silicon hairspring and pallet fork – a similar movement can be found here. It features a double barrel for 68 hours of power reserve. To match with the dial, this edition features a specific rotor, made in gold, with a black onyx insert and, reminiscent of the dial, an hand-engraved gold monkey. This will be a limited edition of 28 pieces.

The Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute Monkey

The second edition of the The Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute Monkey is more classical in its execution. The dial, that also depicts a monkey suspended on a peach tree branch and seeking for fruits, is made in grand feu enamel with miniature painting, of course done by hand. The base dial has a warm ivory colour, something that Jaquet Droz already used in the Grande Seconde Quantième.

This edition is based on the smaller case, meaning a 39mm diameter – with a 12mm height (a watch that can easily be worn by both men and women). Inside this case also ticks the calibre 2653, but this time with a rotor fully in red gold and still with a hand-engraving of a perched monkey. This second edition of the The Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute Monkey will also be limited to 28 pieces. Another edition, with 35mm case and diamonds will be available. www.jaquet-droz.com.