Jaquet Droz commemorates the 275th anniversary of the first watch made by its namesake, legendary watchmaker Pierre Jaquet-Droz, this year. For the occasion, it is releasing a number of new timepieces, including larger version of its popular Grande Seconde model, in a 43-mm case and a côtes de Genève pattern on the dial. The new models, pictured below, are available in blue (definitely a theme this year) and brown.
Also launched as anniversary specials are Jaquet Droz’s “Seasons” collection, which use the imagery of birds (like the brand’s amazing Bird Repeater watch) on decorative enamel dials. The first two to be launched are “Winter” and “Fall,” with “Spring’ and “Summer” to follow next year. Other artistic dials also feature various animal motifs. Rounding out the anniversary series is Jaquet Droz’s first wristwatch in a yellow-gold case.
A selection of artistic, enamel-dial pieces released for Jaquet Droz’s 250th anniversary
(For more on the other luxury brands of the Swatch Group — Omega, Longines, and Glashütte Original — check out our sister blog, Watch-Insider.com. You can also check out Watch-Insider’s report on the other “power brand” we visited yesterday, Breitling.)
Girard-Perregaux, which made its return to Baselworld after several years as a fixture of the SIHH watch fair in Geneva, displayed the new, more focused approach that has defined its collection since its acquisition by Gucci parent company PPR (now called Kering). The brand has already added two new models to its sporty Hawk collection, introduced just last December — both the Sea Hawk and Chrono Hawk are now available in black ceramic cases. G-P also showed us a redesigned version of its well-known world-timer, the Traveller ww.tc. But what really had tongues wagging was its haute horlogerie piece, the Constant Escapement (front and back, below), which uses a dynamic system with a slim, moving silicon blade to apply constant force to the escapement. It has a patented barrel system — with three full meters of hairspring — to create a power reserve of one week. And it’s not a concept watch: G-P says it will start delivering the watch, priced at 115,000 Swiss francs, this fall.
Fashion house Hermès has gotten serious about its watchmaking in recent years, and it continued the pattern in 2013. While many of its new releases were ladies’ models or men’s mechanicals with outsourced movements, it did follow up on last year’s Dressage — the first watch with a proprietary movement made exclusively for Hermès — with the Dressage Chronograph, which contains Caliber H1925, Hermès’s first proprietary chronograph movement. The number refers to the year that the first Hermès chronograph watch debuted.
Onward to Day Four! Keep visiting WatchTime.com for more on-site news and photos from the world’s biggest watch fair.
No Responses to “Baselworld 2013 Day Three: Breguet, Jaquet Droz, Girard-Perregaux, Hermès”
Thanks a lot Mark for your great reports of Baselworld 2013 and lovely pictures of fantastic watches! Especially, pictures of Breguet Ref. 5287!
Just great!!!