Jaquet Droz first dipped its toe into skeletonization with the first Grande Seconde Skelet-One models in 2018, which represented at the time the boldest variation on the maison’s flagship Grande Seconde design. The iconoclastic series has slowly grown since then, and this year marks a new chapter, with three 28-piece limited editions that add splashes of vibrant color to the Skelet-One’s largely sober, stripped-down aesthetic.
The three new colorways are green, sky blue, and yellow, with each highlight color represented on the watch’s hands, the handmade textile straps, and the railroad-track scales surrounding the two subdials that form the emblematic Grande Seconde “figure eight” configuration on the clear sapphire dial. The 41-mm diameter case is made from black ceramic in the green- and sky blue-accented models, while the yellow-detailed watch uses the plasma ceramic introduced on last year’s Skelet-One variation, with its warm, anthracite-gray metallic sheen.
The applied indices and visible dial-fixing screws on the green and blue models are made of 18k white gold, while those same elements on the yellow model are made of 18k rose gold. The colored, varnished sword hands display the hours and minutes on the subdial at 12 o’clock while a longer, thinner hand in a matching hue, with a loop counterweight, sweeps over the larger (“Grande”) subdial at 6 o’clock to indicate the seconds.
Underpinning this unconventional time display, and also visible from the rear side, is Jaquet Droz’s skeletonized Caliber 2663 SQ, which beats at 28,800 vph and stores a substantial power reserve of 68 hours (nearly three days) in its twin mainspring barrels. Designed to appear as if it’s floating beneath the subdials, the self-winding movement uses an openworked oscillating weight made of 18k white gold, and its gear train is fully suspended and attached to the skeletonized, gray-treated bridges. Its balance spring and pallet lugs are made of silicon for improved friction resistance.
All three of the new Jaquet Droz Grand Seconde Skelet-One timepieces are outfitted with color-coordinated, rolled-edge fabric straps that fasten to the wrist with folding clasps that combine steel and ceramic elements. Limited to 28 pieces each, all three are available now for $26,300.
Source: Watchtime
