The JEANRICHARD 1681 Small Second Gold Blue

17 June 2014 | JeanRichard , Watch Reviews , Baselworld 2014

1681 was the year when young watchmaker Daniel Jean Richard made his very first timepiece and set up his watchmaking workshop. It is not by chance that JEANRICHARD has chosen the name “1681” for its most prestigious collection as that year marks indeed a milestone in the history of the brand and of La Chaux de Fonds. The 1681 collection is the high-end proposition from JEANRICHARD and is being made in two versions, the Ronde collection which boasts a 41mm wide round case and the one simply named as “1681”.

The JEANRICHARD 1681 is a coussin style timepiece powered by the in-house caliber JR1000 and its upgrades, designed for people who are attracted by the Terrascope like case, but are looking for something a bit more classic. JEANRICHARD, as we wrote some time ago (HERE), has unveiled two new versions of its 1681 collection, one made out of stainless steel the other in rose gold, both featuring a truly original blue dial.

The JEANRICHARD 1681 Small Second Gold Blue adopts, for the first time ever, a blue lacquered dial with rose gold applied indexes on it. The case, 44mm wide and 11,3mm thick (1,3mm thinner than a Terrascope's) alternates polished and satin finishes and has a blue alligator strap on a rose gold folding buckle with the lettering JEANRICHARD engraved on it.

It is powered by caliber JR1090, the small seconds complication upgrade to manufactured JR1000 caliber, a movement the maison has widely used, especially with the addition of linear Power reserve complication back in the past. It is a mechanical automatic caliber whose balance wheel vibrates at 4Hz and ensures at least 48hrs of power reserve and it is visible through the transparent case back.

The JEANRICHARD 1681 Small Second Gold Blue is a nicely finished timepiece, its rose gold case gives it that vintage looking appearance which strongly contrasts with the iridescent lacquered blue dial making it, love it or hate it, the boldest JEANRICHARD 1681 ever conceived and a combo quite hard to find anywhere on the market.