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Baselworld 2012 part 1– Breguet and Jaquet Droz
This year was the
first time for me to visit the Baselworld. Reading all the great posts from the
Baselworld 2012, (especially from our Swedish friends) I realize how lucky I am
to live only one hour away from Basel.
However we had been living in Asia for many years and only moved back to Switzerland last year - hence it took me so many years to finally make it to the Baselworld.
My posts about the Baselworld are not systematic – we simply went to see the brands we were interested in and had only one pre-arranged appointment (with H. Moser).
This first post is about Breguet and Jacquet Droz. Other posts will follow later this week.
Breguet is a brand is love – no wonder, I love history as well. So Breguet has much to offer – not to speak of the actual watches. However we didn’t have an appointment at the Breguet booth and hence i did not cover the Breguet new releases but just took a few pics. Check Xavier’s excellent report for coverage of the Breguet news.
A Breguet Ref 5178 in Pink Gold and diamonds
Self-winding movement with date. Lever and escape wheel in silicon. Balance spring with Breguet overcoil. White grand feu enamel dial. Breguet Arabic numerals. (Ref 5178BR/29/9V6 D000)
Reine de Naples in Yellow Gold and diamonds. (Ref. 8918BA/58/864 D00D) Self-winding movement. Silvered gold dial, handengraved on a rose engine and partly in white natural mother-of-pearl. Breguet Arabic numerals.
Jaquet Droz
Jacquet Droz was a
“discovery” for me. Of course I was familiar with their designs but was never
hooked. Seeing the lady at the JD booth hand painting a dragon on a enamel dial
using a microscope, gave me a totally new perspective and a as a consequence a
high appreciation for JD watches – a marriage of watchmaking and art.
Fascinating live demonstration of a painting on an enamel dial. (Model Petite Heure Minute Dragon).
Detail of the finished dial.
Another view. The level of detailing is amazing.
An example of the famous Jaquet Droz Automates – singing birds in a cage. There is a interesting Jacquet Droz museum in Neuchatel, dedicated to the Automates. It is simply stunning what automates Jacquet Droz created some 250 years ago
Now to the watches. I personally like their classical design but I am not fond of their “Sports” or urban style watches.Outstanding are their paintings on enamel and even more what the call paillonné-enameled dials.
The classic JD design in with the dial layout forming an “8”. Model Grande Seconde Ivory Enamel. Grand Feu enameled dial. 18-carat red gold case. Self-winding mechanical movement. Power reserve of 68 hours. Diameter 39 mm.
JD the Eclypse Moon Phase. Interesting execution of the moon phase. Black
onyx dial. Steel case and appliques with rhodium treatment. Self-winding
mechanical movement.Power reserve of 68 hours. Centered hours and minutes, days
and months through an aperture. I was particularly attracted by this model
since I like full calendar moon phase watches with a harmonic dial layout.
Same model as above, but with Grand Feu enamel dial and RG case.
Petite Minute Paillonné. Bordeaux Grand Feu paillonné-enameled dial.
Petite Minute Paillonné. Bordeaux Grand Feu paillonné-enameled dial. Red Gold Case in 43 mm, automatic movement.
Pailloné describes a technique that involves covering ornamental paillons (small motifs or pailletes, made from gold or silver leaf) with translucent enamel. The effect ist mesmerizing.
There will only be one lucky owner of this piece, as it is unique. (or, in the JD terms: “Numerus Clausus of 1”)
Regards,
Stefan