{"id":26353,"date":"2021-03-24T06:29:31","date_gmt":"2021-03-24T06:29:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/jaquet-droz-grande-seconde-moon-black-enamel\/"},"modified":"2024-06-02T18:06:18","modified_gmt":"2024-06-02T16:06:18","slug":"jaquet-droz-grande-seconde-moon-black-enamel-watch-hands-on-horbiter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/en\/jaquet-droz-grande-seconde-moon-black-enamel-watch-hands-on-horbiter\/","title":{"rendered":"The Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Moon Black Enamel watch hands-on"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Moon Black Enamel<\/strong> is the only example, in the last two years, where a Jaquet Droz<\/strong> timepiece had not yet gone under the lens of one of our photographer\u2019s camera. The watch was launched at the beginning of the year as a preview for their 280th<\/sup> anniversary<\/strong>, it anticipated a season of change that saw the brand showing its future ideas and summarizing its skill with the release of the Jaquet Droz Tropical Bird Repeater<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"jaquet-droz-grande-seconde-moon-black-enamel-8\"If we were to leave aside the Parrot Repeater<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>Pocket Watch<\/span><\/strong><\/a> and the innovative Grande Seconde<\/strong>\u00a0Skelet<\/strong>\u2013One<\/strong><\/span><\/a> collection, the Grande Seconde<\/strong> is Jaquet Droz<\/strong>\u2018s manifesto and its high-end versions with the Grand Feu<\/strong> decorated dial represent the zenith of the collection (before moving to the automaton family).<\/p>\n

\"jaquet-droz-grande-seconde-moon-black-enamel-2\"A similar configuration to that of the Grande Seconde Moon Black Enamel<\/strong> can be found on the Grande Seconde Deadbeat Black Enamel<\/strong><\/span><\/a>. Despite the complication itself being different, the feelings that these two watches with a Grand Feu<\/strong> dial and a red gold case have in common are similar. The complication featuring almost perfect moon phases was designed to require an adjustment every 122nd<\/sup> year<\/strong> (every 122 years<\/strong>, and 46 days<\/strong> to be more precise) and it makes a mistake of one day every 2 years<\/strong>, 7 months<\/strong>, and 20 days<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"jaquet-droz-grande-seconde-moon-black-enamel-4\"The complication was inserted within a context of particular romanticism \u2013 in 2017<\/strong> the Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Moon<\/strong> was originally presented, in its gold version<\/strong>, with a\u00a0Grand Feu ivory\u00a0dial<\/strong><\/span><\/a> and it was a spontaneous success already during the press presentation in Basel<\/strong>, so much so that Jaquet Droz<\/strong> re-launched it at the beginning of 2018<\/strong> with this second version.<\/p>\n

\"jaquet-droz-grande-seconde-moon-black-enamel-6\"As far as perception is concerned, the 18 carat red gold and black dial combination<\/strong> is quite unique, and the press images do not give justice to this \u2013 the black color is opaque<\/strong>, but incredibly deep<\/strong>, and you can really appreciate the workmanship of the dial with your naked eye without necessarily having to resort to a magnifying glass. The Grand Feu<\/strong> dial is the most refined\u00a0decoration\u00a0you could ever wish for on an authentic classic timepiece of fine watch-making; the dial is pre-enamelled and then baked at a temperature of 1000<\/strong>\u00b0C inside a small oven located in the brand\u2019s\u00a0Ateliers d<\/strong>\u2018Art<\/strong> division.<\/p>\n

\"jaquet-droz-grande-seconde-moon-black-enamel-1\"At the end of this process an 18 carat red gold ring<\/strong> featuring the days of the month (pointer date) is applied around the big seconds counter. Red gold and black have always represented a successful combination and if you take a look at the Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Moon Black Enamel<\/strong> you cannot help but think of those classic golden three-hands timepieces with an onyx dial <\/strong>that used to be very popular in the 70s.<\/p>\n

\"jaquet-droz-grande-seconde-moon-black-enamel-5\"Considering the skill of its master decorators Jaquet Droz<\/strong> should consider the idea of crafting the Grand Feu<\/strong> dial in several colors. The black onyx<\/strong> is used for the moon circle, whose glossy opaque color lets you fully appreciate the moon and star hand-made crafting in 22 carat gold<\/strong>\u00a0and 18 carat gold<\/strong> respectively by the same artisans that accurately make the details of a Loving Butterfly Automaton<\/strong><\/span><\/a>. Through these very same details you can identify a part of the added value of a Grande Seconde Moon Black Enamel<\/strong> if compared to other competitors\u2019 watches.<\/p>\n

\"jaquet-droz-grande-seconde-moon-black-enamel-7\"The Grande Seconde<\/strong> is a big\u00a0watch since the 18 carat red gold case is 43mm<\/strong> wide around the sapphire crystal, but it then tapers at the very bottom, where its diameter is comparable to the size of the 2660QL3<\/strong> caliber. More important than its identification code, it is interesting to find out that the caliber sports two barrels<\/strong> and 68 hours of power reserve<\/strong>, the balance spring and the pallet horns are made of silicon<\/strong> because if tradition can be considered as a plus side, technical specifications actually make a watch a \u2018best in class\u2019.<\/p>\n

Within such consistent set I would get rid of the \u2018Jaquet Droz<\/strong>\u2019 writing that is engraved on the case-back that I consider excessively large and I would only focus on the writing that is finely replicated on the gold oscillating mass.<\/p>\n

\"jaquet-droz-grande-seconde-moon-black-enamel\"The Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Moon Black Enamel<\/strong> retails at \u20ac30,000<\/strong>, and it is an atypical classic watch in the gold classic watches panorama. The combination of decorative art<\/strong> and state<\/strong>\u2013of<\/strong>\u2013the<\/strong>\u2013art<\/strong> mechanics is rare and some brands usually confine the Grand Feu<\/strong> to high-end complicated products only. The value of a Grand Feu<\/strong> is so evident that many brands are now swiftly moving back to it, whereas Jaquet Droz<\/strong> never abandoned it, but rather perfected it, and this is one of the reasons why a connoisseur of fine watch-making goes for a Jaquet Droz<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"jaquet-droz-grande-seconde-moon-black-enamel-9\"On a path of continuous improvement Jaquet Droz<\/strong> could work towards equipping its next Grande<\/strong> Seconde Moon Black Enamel<\/strong> with a manually-wound caliber; it will certainly be less comfortable to use than an automatic watch, but I\u2019m pretty sure that those who choose a Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Moon Black Enamel<\/strong> are not necessarily fans of comfort too.<\/a><\/p>\n