Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde: an emblematic collection

“Some watches tell time, others tell a story.” For over two centuries this has been the motto of Jaquet Droz watches, synonymous with luxury watchmaking worldwide.

The brand’s history dates back as far as 1738, when a visionary 17-year-old, Pierre Jaquet Droz, founded his first workshop in Switzerland. From his early pendulum clocks, to table clocks and breathtaking automata, the mechanical perfection of Jaquet Droz creations was the wonder of both Europe and Asia.

The maison’s success was interrupted by the Napoleonic wars and the continental blockade, and no more was heard of Jaquet Droz until 2000, when the Swatch group decided to revive the brand, staying faithful to its original values. Less than 3,000 exemplars have been made to date, representing a highly limited and exclusive production which is aimed principally at a male audience.

The Grande Seconde is the first Jaquet Droz watch to feature the use of steel, adding a contemporary twist and making this emblematic and instantly recogisable collection more accessible. Its appeal has only grown since the launch of the Grande Seconde skeleton version.

The Grande Seconde Skelet-One is a decidedly younger and sportier watch. Since 2019, it has featured a 41mm diameter and ultramodern ceramic components.

The Grande Seconde collection continues to grow, encompassing the addition of a chronograph complication with a single push piece column wheel movement, more in keeping with the tradition of watchmaking. Three versions of the chronograph have been included in the permanent collection, along with one special version of which only 88 have been made, realised in red gold with an ivory-coloured Grand Feu enamel dial. The watches all feature a silicon spiral movement, making them impervious to magnetic fields, and a new rotor enabling greater visibility of the calibre.