When a storied watchmaker meets a contemporary name, there is no knowing what might come out of their encounter, but Jaquet Droz has repeatedly shown how comfortable it is with the concept. Recent collaborations with the Rolling Stones and Bon Jovi delivered some truly rockin’ timepieces. Indeed, the Swiss watchmaker has accustomed us to remarkable dials, many featuring an automaton and each one a miniature universe whose details are rendered with extraordinary finesse by masters of the métiers d’art. As we approach year-end, the brand seals its newest collaboration not with a guitar riff but a kiss, courtesy of Chantal Thomass.
Synonymous with lingerie and fashion, Chantal Thomass was instrumental in shaping how women dressed in the 80s and 90s. For decades, this Parisienne has infused femininity with fantasy and irreverence, charm and extravagance. Words that strike a chord with Jacquet Droz. As is often the case, the story begins when two kindred spirits meet. Jaquet Droz Chief Executive Alain Delamuraz was introduced to Chantal Thomass by model and videographer Satya Oblette, who was struck by the similarities in their DNA and vocabulary. The CEO invited the designer to the Manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds, where she was blown away by “the talent of the artisans, by these ‘makers of marvels’ and the passion with which they bring each detail to life.” “Any collaboration must take root in a genuine emotion and there is no doubt that this was the case with Chantal,” adds Alain Delamuraz.
Where irreverence, disruption and imagination are concerned, Jaquet Droz and Chantal Thomass speak the same language. Together they have created a watch, a work of art, in which the fashion designer’s playful sensuality meets the mechanical virtuosity of the watchmaker’s automata. “I was given carte blanche,” Thomass says. “We began by sifting through the lace, ribbons, jewels and sketches in my archives, in search of a common thread. I wanted something chic, something visually striking that captivates the attention, but I also wanted it to be poetic, a little bit cheeky, with a hint of seduction. The colours had to be ‘my’ colours of white, black, pink and a splash of red – which of course had to be matte, like my lipstick!”
All in black and white, La Ronde des Baisers picks up on Chantal Thomass’s codes, playing with textures and volumes. The designer imprints her style on a central, three-dimensional marquetry chequerboard in black onyx and white cacholong. The highlight, however, is a glossy black disc spiralled around a second disc whose 376 diamonds have been incrusted by hand. A press of the pusher at 3 o’clock sets this precious automaton in motion, sparkling and reflecting the light as it turns. For a perfect finishing touch, Chantal Thomass has drawn eleven red lips. Ten are hand-sculpted appliques on the automaton disc; the eleventh blows a kiss from the dial at six o’clock, under the Jaquet Droz name at 12 o’clock: the designer’s signature, swept by gold hour and minute hands.
In the world of Jaquet Droz, automata are never simply a show of expertise. They are an authentic tradition, inherited from the inventions of the brand’s founder, Pierre Jaquet-Droz, in the eighteenth century. La Ronde des Baisers carries on this legacy. The automaton is positioned under the dial, which conceals the mechanical movement and its four barrels: two of these barrels bring the rotating disc to life, smoothly spinning for up to four minutes without compromising the watch’s precision thanks to the second pair of barrels for the timekeeping mechanism, which supply 68 hours of power reserve.
Like all Jaquet Droz timepieces, La Ronde des Baisers is a unique piece. Engraved with Chantal Thomass’s handwritten signature on the rotor, “it embodies the idea that every creation tells a story; a dovetailing of two worlds,” notes Alain Delamuraz. From the snow-setting of the diamonds to the astonishing three-dimensional perspective of the marquetry chequerboard, every detail has been carefully considered, as Chantal Thommas confirms: “It has my signature heart-shaped mouth as well as the colours I’ve adopted for my work and in my life, but also a certain style of femininity that plays on masculine codes. The utmost refinement in an almost XL volume! There is even a suggestion of delicate lace in the ribbon of diamonds. It’s me, in watch form.” We couldn’t agree more. La Ronde des Baisers is a hymn to Love with a capital L - a love of movement and an embracing of time. It illustrates how Jaquet Droz never ceases to surprise as it constantly reinvents its heritage. In this dance that celebrates the artisan’s passion, a designer’s imagination and the magic of automata, fashion and watchmaking are perfectly in-step.
