Close Up: Jaquet Droz Bird Repeater

In the 18th century, the Jaquet-Droz family were pioneers in the art of luxury decoration. Nearly three hundred years later, the manufacture’s watchmakers remains at the forefront, creating some of the industry’s most beautiful timepieces.

Those talents were on full display at Baselworld 2014, from Jaquet Droz’s mastery of enameling to the brand’s signature automatons. Indeed, two of the most stunning watches debuted by Jaquet Droz at Basel feature automatons.

The Bird Repeater Openwork (Reference J031034203) and the Bird Repeater Fully Engraved (Reference J031033202) feature an authentic automaton, with a cam system that boasts eight different animation mechanisms. A pair of hand-painted Blue Tits (a bird symbolic of Pierre Jaquet-Droz’s native Jura region) look over a nest containing their fledglings. In a stunning visual display, an egg hatches, the birds open their wings and feed their babies, while a waterfall cascades in the background.

Each piece is housed in a 47mm case, in either 18K white or red gold, with a hand-winding mechanical minute repeater movement at their heart. The Openwork version features a skeletonized dial with a black onyx subdial, while the Fully Engraved version features a red gold dial.

The case and caseback of the Fully Engraved version also feature additional engravings.

Only eight pieces of each piece will be produced.

Photo credit: Haute Time.