Jaquet Droz

The Swiss luxury watch brand Jaquet-Droz derives its name from its founder Pierre Jaquet-Droz, who in the 18th centurty built animated dolls (automata), to help his firm sell watches and mechanical birds. In the late 18th century Jaquet-Droz specialized in exporting luxury watches featuring automata, musical mechanisms or other complications.

The company also started developing singing birds. In 2000 Jaquet-Droz was acquired by the Swatch Group (Omega, Blancpain, Longines, Swatch). Notable Jaquet Droz watches include the Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde, Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde SW, Jaquet Droz Astrale, Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute, Jaquet Droz Lady 8, Jaquet Droz Les Ateliers d’Art. The Jaquet Droz Bird Repeater also is very popular.

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Watch Insider Reviews Jaquet Droz’s “The Charming Bird,” with Photos, Audio, and Video

On my recent trip to Shanghai I had the opportunity to put my hands on a luxury item that in the 18th century was accessible only to emperors and kings — namely, a wristwatch with a singing automaton. Yes, of course, the wristwatch had yet to be invented in the 18th century, and automatons were...

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Jul 3, 2013 by Alexander Linz

Sponsored: CODE41 Unveils Latest NB24 with the Impressive Stratom Case

CODE41 has unveiled its latest iteration of the NB24, a chronograph watch that has become a legendary part of the brand’s history. This third edition of the NB24 brings with it not only a captivating new color, but also introduces a fresh case design known as the Stratom. The NB24 – A Growing Legacy The...

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Sep 20, 2023 by WatchTime

More Unique Pieces From Only Watch 2013

More watch brands are unveiling their unique timepieces to be auctioned at the upcoming Only Watch in Monaco. Below, we take a look at the pieces to be offered by Bell & Ross, Richard Mille, and Jaquet Droz. All proceeds of the auction, held on September 28th 2013, will benefit the Monegasque Association against Muscular...

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Jul 2, 2013 by WatchTime

Baselworld 2013 Day Three: Breguet, Jaquet Droz, Girard-Perregaux, Hermès

Day Three at the Baselworld watch fair was packed, as my WatchTime editorial colleagues and I visited a slew of big-name watch brands and had the opportunity to check out their latest offerings for 2013, including horological milestones from Breguet and Girard-Perregaux.

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Apr 28, 2013 by Mark Bernardo

WatchTime New York 2023 Tickets on Sale Now

Following what was one of WatchTime New York’s biggest shows to-date in 2022, the esteemed collector’s event returns to Manhattan once again this year from October 20th to 22nd. WatchTime New York 2023 will bring together many of the world’s most impressive watchmakers and timepieces alongside countless enthusiasts, collectors, and industry experts. The multi-day event...

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Jun 16, 2023 by WatchTime

Only Watch Auction Returns to Monaco in September

The fifth Only Watch, a charity auction of unique timepieces, returns on September 28th, taking place once again in Monaco and conducted by Antiquorum Auctioneers.

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Mar 27, 2013 by WatchTime

Seconds City: Exploring La Chaux-de-Fonds

In our March-April issue, on sale now on newsstands and for the iPad, Norma Buchanan visits the Swiss watchmaking town of Le Locle. In this feature story from our June 2009 issue, Buchanan journeys to another cradle of Swiss horology, La Chaux-de-Fonds, a town that is still, as Karl Marx described it a century and...

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Mar 11, 2013 by Norma Buchanan

Swatch Group Acquires Harry Winston Watch & Jewelry

The Swatch Group has added another jewel — or, more precisely, jeweler — to its crown. The Bienne, Switzerland-based company, which owns watch brands ranging from Swatch to Hamilton to Omega to Breguet, announced Monday that it is acquiring world-renowned jewelry brand Harry Winston, which in recent years has also become a bastion of high...

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Jan 16, 2013 by Mark Bernardo

Video: Jaquet Droz’s Bird Repeater

Jaquet Droz has channeled the spirit of its namesake, the 18th-century inventor renowned for his complicated automatons and musical clockworks — many of them using singing birds — with its new ultra-complicated timepiece, the Bird Repeater. Click here to see more photos and details of Jaquet Droz’s Bird Repeater. Click below for a video of...

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Dec 12, 2012 by WatchTime

Chimes and Birdsong: Jaquet Droz’s Bird Repeater

Jaquet Droz has channeled the spirit of its namesake, the 18th-century inventor renowned for his complicated automatons and musical clockworks — many of them using singing birds — with its new ultra-complicated timepiece, the Bird Repeater.

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Oct 26, 2012 by Mark Bernardo

Swatch President Arlette Emch Announces Retirement

National Jeweler reports that the Swatch Group’s Arlette-Elsa Emch, president of the Swatch and CK brands, will retire from her post next month. (Click here for the article.) Emch joined the Swatch Group in 1992 and has managed the Swatch brand since 2009. For the Swatch Group’s official corporate bio of Emch, click here. FYI,...

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Jun 22, 2012 by Mark Bernardo

Dominique Loiseau on Girard-Perregaux: The WatchTime Q&A

French-born watchmaker Dominique Loiseau first caught the attention of watch collectors in the 1980s, the great wasteland years of the mechanical watch industry when quartz ruled the watch-world roost. His complex and creative inventions, such the Rose des Temps clock, the Blancpain 1735 wristwatch and the 1f4 models from his own independent atelier, have made...

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Apr 26, 2012 by Mark Bernardo

New Jaquet Droz Tourbillon

Jaquet Droz presents two new tourbillons based on the brand’s emblematic Grande Seconde models. Available in white gold with a Côtes de Genève dial (ref. 34240) or in red gold with a Grand Feu enameled dial (ref. 33200), this 43mm diameter watch features a tourbillon carriage crafted from sapphire crystal. Find wallpaper images inside. Updated–...

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Dec 12, 2011 by WatchTime

Only Watch World Tour Runs August 30 – September 22

On September 23, the Principality of Monaco will stage the world-famous Only Watch charity watch auction. Under the High Patronage of HSH Prince Albert II, 40 unique timepieces will be sold by leading horological auction house Antiquorum. Leading up to the auction, the featured timepieces will be on tour, visiting many of the world’s leading...

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Jul 19, 2011 by WatchTime

The Man Behind the Brand: Pierre Jaquet-Droz

Pierre Jaquet-Droz was a real devil. Or at least people thought so. In 1758, Jaquet-Droz, whose name lives on in the high-end mechanical-watch brand owned by the Swatch Group, scared so many people with his mysterious, other-worldly machines that he was suspected of witchcraft.

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Aug 22, 2010 by Norma Buchanan

Swatch Group First Half Sales and Profits Jump to Record Levels

Swatch Group’s gross sales for the first half of 2010 exceeded SFr.3 billion for the first time ever, topping the 2008 record, and the future looks bright, thanks largely to China and Russia. The Group’s Chief Executive Nick Hayek told Reuters “We do not see what could keep us from achieving record sales and profit...

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Aug 4, 2010 by WatchTime

Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Minute Repeater

Jaquet Droz presents this new minute repeater in the brand’s iconic “figure 8” Grande Seconde design. Deceptively simple in appearance, the complex movement’s twin hammers chime the time to the minute. The 43mm diameter case and hands are 18 carat red gold. The ivory color dial is hand-crafted Grand Feu enamel, unique in both tint...

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Mar 31, 2010 by WatchTime

VISUAL QUIZ: Can You Identify These Mystery Watches?

Can you identify a watch at 40 paces? How about when only a bit of the watch is visible, the rest hidden by a shirt cuff? To test your watch spotting skills, we’ve cropped images of 15 well-known modern watches so that you can see only a portion of the dial and case. Can you...

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Mar 21, 2010 by WatchTime

Big Shots: Images from 2009

For those of you who like to collect watch images, we’ve assembled a few that we presented in larger resolutions during the past year. We have a little of everything… something old, something new, something for everyone. Simply click the smaller images to view the larger versions. Enjoy!

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Jan 4, 2010 by WatchTime

TIME TEST: The Year in Watches

For those who may have missed it, this was our featured article last week, and it was so popular, we’ve carried it over. Say goodbye to 2009 with this WIS quiz on some of the year’s top stories. To see how you did, or to ensure a perfect score, scroll down to the bottom of...

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Dec 20, 2009 by Norma Buchanan

TIME TEST: The Year in Watches

Have you been taking notes? We did say there would be a test. Say goodbye to 2009 with this WIS quiz on some of the year’s top stories. To see how you did, or to ensure a perfect score, scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the answers.

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Dec 14, 2009 by Norma Buchanan

Manuel Emch Joins Romain Jerome as CEO

Geneva-based Romain Jerome announced on December 9 that Manuel Emch has been appointed CEO of the company. Emch formerly served as CEO of Swatch Group brand Jaquet Droz. Emch left Jaquet Droz after 8 years at the helm. Born in Switzerland in 1972, Emch studied design at the Art Center in La Tour de Peilz...

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Dec 10, 2009 by WatchTime

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