[Watch House Watch Video] From the 18th century chime bird snuff bottle, bird chirping bell, Jaquet Dro and birds and finches have an indissoluble relationship. Today, when the time comes to the 21st century, Jaquet-Dro combines the brand's tradition and modern technology, integrates automatic dolls, micro-machinery and haute horlogerie, and launches the "Charming Bird of Time" watch, which is the best witness to the brand spirit. Let's follow the video and experience how fascinating this artistic masterpiece that won the Geneva Watch Awards "Innovative Mechanical Watch Award" is.
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How charming is the "Enchanting Bird of Time"?
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As a brand with a history of nearly 300 years, Jaquet-Dero can be described as "a grace from ancient times to the present". Historically, the brand has been known for its abundance of mechanical dolls. These exquisitely shaped and lifelike dolls and clocks were not only favored by the European royal family, but also exported to the Eastern market as a tribute to the Qianlong Emperor. As a result, Jaquet-Dro became the first Swiss brand to export watches to China.
Small bronze gilded enamel bird sound bottle-style grandfather clock
It is said that even the Chinese name of the Yak Deluo brand was given by the Qianlong Emperor, "Ya" and "De" are qianlong's favorite words, and "Luo" comes from the royal family name - "Ai Xin Jue Luo". Qianlong did not "shy away" in the matter of giving names, which was enough to see his love for these masterpieces of art.
Over the beam songbird lifting bell
To this day, there are still many well-preserved Jaquet-Dro antique clocks on display in the Palace Museum of China, of which I am most impressed by the copper gilded spun clock made in 1770. This work is also known as the "Beam Songbird Lifting Bell", and its special feature is that there is a pair of songbirds in the birdcage, with a fountain in the middle. The bottom clock is equipped with a central second hand and a 12-hour bell adjustment clockwork to be able to sing four tunes at a specified time or automatically on the hour.
A fascinating bird of time
It is also from the beginning of the "girder songbird bell" that the bird and the bird run through Jaquet-Dero's works. Time to the 21st century, the brand once again inspired by the theme of birds and finches, combined with modern technology, launched the "Charming Bird of Time" watch with automatic doll function, through the precision micro-mechanical device, reproducing the scenery of birdsong.
Although the structure of this watch is precise and complex, Jaquet-Dro is equipped with a very simple shell and uses a curved sapphire crystal that is extremely difficult to process, so that it can accommodate birds in three-dimensional space. Illuminated by the light, the red gold case is elegantly contrasted with sapphire crystal, and the ingenious design makes the dial look particularly transparent and clear, presenting a pure and simple modern style.
We focus on the protagonist of the picture, the bird carved and painted by the master craftsman, perched in the red gold case, and blends with the black, smoky gray and transparent colors on the dial, which is full of modern atmosphere. The bird shape is realistically depicted, the proportions of feathers, beaks, eyes, bird body and other parts are accurately copied, and the delicate brushstrokes and colors make this image come to life.
However, this effect is not easy, and the brand's master craftsmen take a lot of time to complete it. Starting with the feather carving, and secondly completing the particularly delicate head and tail, the whole process must be fully concentrated and not deviate in the slightest.
As we said earlier, Jaquet-Dro's unique skill is automatic dolls. As a motion puppet watch, in addition to the realistic portrayal of birds and finches, how to vividly show the movement process is also the key. When we activate the puppet function, the bird and finches in the dial begin the journey of cheering and rejoicing, it turns, flaps its wings, turns its head and wags its tail, opens its mouth to chirp, and the whole picture comes alive, as if it really seals a in sapphire glass.
Another great charm of the "Bird of Time" is that birds and finches can sing loudly, and we know that most mechanical clocks that can make sounds use stringed instruments or percussion instrument principles, such as the sound of the three questions comes from the hammer percussion spring, which produces different high and low notes. In this work, Jaquet Dro is inspired by wind instruments, and through the piston-driven songbird mechanism, the watch brand can be said to be unique.
Jaquet-Dro added three miniature crystal tubes to this watch, which are driven by pistons to make the air cooperate with the crystal tubes to produce a regular bird song sound. The piston features a patented miniature design that pumps and stores air to create sound. Not only that, but the brand has also conducted a long-term and in-depth study of the vibration of the movement parts in order to reduce the noise generated during operation.
Sapphire glass shows the operation of the movement, and the gear drive, bridge and splint are in full view. These tiny parts are hand-polished and decorated, which is very meticulous and beautiful. The automatic doll structure, the piston-driven songbird mechanism, and these complex functions are so concentrated in the 47 mm case, it has to be admired for the exquisite design, which can be said to be a well-deserved artistic masterpiece.
Admittedly, as a top horological art, Jaquet-Dro's "Enchanting Bird of Time" brings together the painstaking efforts of many artisans and condenses hundreds of years of culture, which makes it particularly scarce and precious. The price of 3.3 million yuan, plus the maximum amount of 28 pieces, is destined to be owned by only a few people, but this "unattainable" feeling is also its charming charm. (Photo/Text Watch House Xiao Feng)