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All the watch news, reviews, videos you want, brought to you from fellow collectors
Jaquet Droz has unveiled the Petite Heure Minute Red Gold “Japanese Garden,” a unique timepiece (Ref. J0050230051) developed in collaboration with a private collector. The creation marks a shift for the maison toward highly personalised métiers d’art watches, using a 41.1 mm 18K red gold case as a stage for a three-dimensional landscape inspired by a traditional Japanese garden. Unlike conventional luxury dials that employ mother-of-pearl as an overlay, this dial is sculpted entirely from a single plate of ultra-white Pacific mother-of-pearl, which serves as the structural foundation for the entire scene.
The composition features 25 individual appliqués that recreate the serenity of Japanese scenery. The scene includes a hand-carved temple, a blossoming cherry tree, a stone lantern, and water lilies, all rendered through a combination of mother-of-pearl carving and 18K yellow gold craftsmanship. Technical complexity is concealed within the finest details; for example, the reed stems measure just 0.1 mm in thickness, while the eyes of the koi carp are set with 0.5 mm diamonds. Enhancing the sense of realism, a polished mother-of-pearl cabochon at the centre reflects the surrounding elements, simulating the play of light on water.
Beneath the artistic surface, the automatic Calibre 2653.P powers the watch. The movement incorporates a silicon balance spring and pallet horns to ensure resistance to magnetism and long-term stability. It operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz), while the double-barrel system delivers a 68-hour power reserve. Visible through the sapphire caseback, the movement’s decorations include an 18K red gold oscillating weight adorned with a hand-painted mother-of-pearl inlay depicting a dragonfly resting on a flower, continuing the garden theme.
The “Japanese Garden” is finished with a box-style sapphire crystal designed to accommodate the height of the three-dimensional sculptures while maintaining a total case thickness of 12.1 mm. The timepiece is paired with a black alligator leather strap and secured by a red gold folding clasp.
Images - Courtesy Jaquet Droz
Jaquet Droz has unveiled the Petite Heure Minute Red Gold “Japanese Garden,” a unique timepiece (Ref. J0050230051) developed in collaboration with a private collector. The creation marks a shift for the maison toward highly personalised métiers d’art watches, using a 41.1 mm 18K red gold case as a stage for a three-dimensional landscape inspired by a traditional Japanese garden. Unlike conventional luxury dials that employ mother-of-pearl as an overlay, this dial is sculpted entirely from a single plate of ultra-white Pacific mother-of-pearl, which serves as the structural foundation for the entire scene.
The composition features 25 individual appliqués that recreate the serenity of Japanese scenery. The scene includes a hand-carved temple, a blossoming cherry tree, a stone lantern, and water lilies, all rendered through a combination of mother-of-pearl carving and 18K yellow gold craftsmanship. Technical complexity is concealed within the finest details; for example, the reed stems measure just 0.1 mm in thickness, while the eyes of the koi carp are set with 0.5 mm diamonds. Enhancing the sense of realism, a polished mother-of-pearl cabochon at the centre reflects the surrounding elements, simulating the play of light on water.
Beneath the artistic surface, the automatic Calibre 2653.P powers the watch. The movement incorporates a silicon balance spring and pallet horns to ensure resistance to magnetism and long-term stability. It operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz), while the double-barrel system delivers a 68-hour power reserve. Visible through the sapphire caseback, the movement’s decorations include an 18K red gold oscillating weight adorned with a hand-painted mother-of-pearl inlay depicting a dragonfly resting on a flower, continuing the garden theme.
The “Japanese Garden” is finished with a box-style sapphire crystal designed to accommodate the height of the three-dimensional sculptures while maintaining a total case thickness of 12.1 mm. The timepiece is paired with a black alligator leather strap and secured by a red gold folding clasp.
Images - Courtesy Jaquet Droz
