Jaquet Droz
La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland · Est. 1738
Founded by Pierre Jaquet-Droz
Jaquet Droz, named after 18th-century automaton and watch pioneer Pierre Jaquet-Droz, was revived as a brand by the Swatch Group in 2000. Under a radical 2024-2025 transformation, it closed all retail and now produces approximately 100 bespoke pieces per year, specialising in six-figure métiers d'art, automata and one-of-a-kind commissions sold exclusively from La Chaux-de-Fonds.
- Founded
- 1738
- Headquarters
- La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
- Group
- Swatch Group
- Price Segment
- Ultra
- Status
- Revived
Key Collections
- Grande Seconde (2002) — The Grande Seconde is Jaquet Droz’s emblematic off-center signature collection, built around the brand’s historic large seconds display and a refined two-register dial architecture that links modern haute horlogerie to Pierre Jaquet-Droz’s eighteenth-century pocket-watch heritage. Key references: Grande Seconde, Grande Seconde Power Reserve, Grande Seconde Tourbillon.
- Petite Heure Minute — The Petite Heure Minute is Jaquet Droz’s compact, off-centered canvas for métiers d’art, using its small hours-and-minutes architecture to showcase miniature painting, enamel, engraving, lacquer, minerals, and mother-of-pearl with strong decorative emphasis. Key references: Petite Heure Minute, Petite Heure Minute Off-Centered, Petite Heure Minute Tourbillon.
- The Bird Repeater (2012) — A high-complication automata minute repeater centered on hand-engraved birds and an expressive animated dial, carrying forward Jaquet Droz’s historic bird automata language into a 47 mm contemporary wristwatch. Key references: J031033202, The Bird Repeater Openwork, Tropical Bird Repeater.
- Loving Butterfly Automaton (2017) — The Loving Butterfly Automaton is Jaquet Droz’s poetic automaton-watch series that turns the Petite Heure Minute-style dial into a miniature stage, animating a cherub and butterfly through a crown-activated mechanism while showcasing the maison’s blend of métiers d’art and mechanical theater. Key references: Loving Butterfly Automaton, J032533271, J032533272.
Timeline
- 1738 — Pierre Jaquet-Droz begins producing longcase clocks from his family farm in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
- 1774 — Jaquet-Droz and Jean-Frédéric Leschot present the Writer, Draughtsman and Musician automata, a landmark in mechanical art.
- 1784 — Establishes workshops in Geneva and London, becoming one of the first European watchmakers with direct presence in China.
- 1791 — Pierre Jaquet-Droz dies; the workshops gradually wind down in the following decades.
- 2000 — The Swatch Group acquires the Jaquet Droz name and relaunches the brand as a dedicated high-watchmaking maison.
- 2010 — Jaquet Droz moves into its new Atelier d'Art in La Chaux-de-Fonds, centralising métiers d'art work.
- 2018 — Presents the Loving Butterfly Automaton, a contemporary homage to its 18th-century mechanical heritage.
- 2025 — Under CEO Alain Delamuraz, completes a radical transformation: closes all 176 retail points, reduces annual output from 5,000 to approximately 100 bespoke pieces, and repositions as a six-figure métiers d'art atelier selling exclusively from La Chaux-de-Fonds.
Frequently Asked Questions about Jaquet Droz
- Who founded Jaquet Droz?
- Pierre Jaquet-Droz, a Swiss watchmaker and automaton-maker born in 1721, who founded the manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1738.
- Is Jaquet Droz independent?
- No. Since 2000 Jaquet Droz has been part of the Swatch Group's prestige and luxury division, operating from La Chaux-de-Fonds.
- What is Jaquet Droz best known for?
- Métiers d'art — grand feu enamel, miniature painting, engraving — and complex bird and figurative automata that trace back to the founder's 18th-century mechanical sculptures.