In 2018 Jaquet Droz unveiled two new editions of the Charming Bird, the first and only wristwatch to feature a singing bird. The two new versions come in 47 mm red gold (ref. J031533202) or white gold (ref. J031534203) cases with an ivory Grand Feu enamel dial, in a Numerus Clausus of only eight pieces each.
Jaquet Droz unveiled two new editions of the Charming Bird, the first wristwatch – and to date, the only – to feature a singing bird. An extraordinary timepiece, the Charming Bird was the winner of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2015 in the Mechanical Exception category.
The two new versions come in 47 mm red gold (ref. J031533202) or white gold (ref. J031534203) cases with an ivory Grand Feu enamel dial, in a Numerus Clausus of only eight pieces each.
The upper part of the dial displays the hour and minutes while the bottom is devoted to house the singing bird within a sapphire crystal dome. Two separate movements, both patented, control these functions.
The automaton movement can run for 40 seconds before having to be wound. A Magnetic Speed Control regulates the animation and melody. This technology prevents contact between the parts to safeguard against friction and premature wear. It also minimizes noise from power distribution, thus eliminating auditory interference that could disturb the pure sound of birdsong.
For the first time ever in a wristwatch, the melody is not generated by vibration but by air compression inside three sapphire crystal tubes. Air enters the first tube, then is stored inside the second and finally pushed into the third, thus regulating the melody according to the volume of air and the speed of the piston.
The compression is released intermittently through a whistle to produce a flowing refrain to which the bird moves in time. The winged creature honours the legacy of Pierre Jaquet-Droz who, almost three centuries ago, chose to depict birds in naturalist scenes on his snuffboxes and in his birdcages.
The off-centered hours and minutes display is powered by a self-winding mechanical movement with platinum oscillating weight, silicon balance spring and pallet horns. Beatings at 21,600 vibrations per hour, it offers 38 hours of power reserve.
The Charming Bird figure is engraved and painted in the Jaquet Droz Ateliers d’Art. This masterpiece of miniaturization comes to life above the hand-engraved movement that drives it, which can be glimpsed through the sapphire crystal of the piece.
Representing the entire spectrum of Jaquet Droz craftsmanship in a single timepiece, the Charming Bird is a jaw-dropping masterpiece of precision mechanics which perpetuate the secular heritage of the brand. jaquet-droz.com
The two new versions come in 47 mm red gold (ref. J031533202) or white gold (ref. J031534203) cases with an ivory Grand Feu enamel dial, in a Numerus Clausus of only eight pieces each.
The automaton movement can run for 40 seconds before having to be wound. A Magnetic Speed Control regulates the animation and melody. This technology prevents contact between the parts to safeguard against friction and premature wear. It also minimizes noise from power distribution, thus eliminating auditory interference that could disturb the pure sound of birdsong.
For the first time ever in a wristwatch, the melody is not generated by vibration but by air compression inside three sapphire crystal tubes. Air enters the first tube, then is stored inside the second and finally pushed into the third, thus regulating the melody according to the volume of air and the speed of the piston.
The compression is released intermittently through a whistle to produce a flowing refrain to which the bird moves in time. The winged creature honours the legacy of Pierre Jaquet-Droz who, almost three centuries ago, chose to depict birds in naturalist scenes on his snuffboxes and in his birdcages.
The bellow system used for the Charming bird had to be miniaturised to fit into a wristwatch.The tubes are made of sapphire for its exceptional resistance to wear and tear while carbon was used for the pistons to limit friction. The tiny pistons pump the air, store it and produce the sound, which depends on the speed of the piston and the shape of the bellow opening.
The off-centered hours and minutes display is powered by a self-winding mechanical movement with platinum oscillating weight, silicon balance spring and pallet horns. Beatings at 21,600 vibrations per hour, it offers 38 hours of power reserve.
The Charming Bird figure is engraved and painted in the Jaquet Droz Ateliers d’Art. This masterpiece of miniaturization comes to life above the hand-engraved movement that drives it, which can be glimpsed through the sapphire crystal of the piece.
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