Today, we are going to take a venture into luxury watch territory that I do not often take us on here at WWR. Jaquet Droz is part of the Swatch Group portfolio, and they have been making some rather exquisite-looking watches, as well as some perfectly amazing novelties (just check out this Bird repeater). What’s most interesting to me about the Jaquet Droz Grande Second Quantieme Ivory Enamel is the dial material.
As you might guess, the dial is made of an enamel. This is a style of dial that I’ve rather grown to like, especially when I go looking through vintage watch listings. There’s just something about that surface that I find appealing. On the Grande Seconde, Jaquet Droz uses the technique that is particular to them, Grand Feu. This allows the lower subdial to be at a different level, giving some additional depth to the look.
It is not all good looks for the Grande Seconde, however. As you might expect for a watch coming from Swatch Group, the movement has some niceties as well. For the first time for Jaquet Droz, they’ve used silicon for the balance spring. Aside from it’s flexibility, silicon is noted for the fact that it’s not affected by magnetism – a handy feature for a balance spring.
The Jaquet Droz Grand Second Quantieme Ivory Enamel is available in four different configurations – in either 39 or 43mm, and in white or rose gold, with pricing coming in at $19,400 (39mm) and $20,000 (43mm); you can find the watch at Tourbillon and some other high-end retailers. No, the styling is not going to be for everyone, with the double-dial layout. For those looking for a modern enamel dial, though, this should prove to be a nice option. jaquet-droz.com
Watch Overview
- Brand & Model: Jaquet Droz Grande Second Quantieme Ivory Enamel
- Price: $19,400 (39mm), $20,000 (43mm)
- Who we think it might be for: This is for those who appreciate the look of an enamel dial
- Would I buy one for myself based on what I’ve seen?: That’s a tough one – I’m split on whether or not I’d acclimate to the empty space on the main dial
- If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: Some other enamel colors could be interesting – perhaps a blue
- What spoke to me the most about this watch: If it wasn’t obvious, it’s the enamel dial, through and through.
