In 1774, Pierre Jaquet-Droz (1721-1790), his son Henri-Louis Jaquet-Droz (1752-1791) and their fellow clockmaker Jean-Frédéric Leschot (1746-1824) presented three humanoid automata known as The Writer, The Musician and The Draughtsman, for the first time at their workshop in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Visitors traveled great distances to admire it. The automata presented in 1774 were instrumental to an international expansion, serving as a very effective vehicle for communication and marketing.

On December 8, Montres Jaquet Droz SA was proud to present The Writer, which had made the long journey to Beijing for the first time. Thanks to the support of Montres Jaquet Droz SA and the loan of the masterpiece by Le Musée d’art et d’histoire de Neuchâtel, a new chapter has been added to the story of the clockmakers from La Chaux-de-Fonds, a handsome tribute to three remarkable men.

The Whampoa Club, a perfect place for the juxtaposition of tradition and technology, was the venue chosen for a unique demonstration witnessed by fortunate watch connoisseurs and aficionados: before their wondering eyes, The Writer penned the words “Jaquet Droz en Chine” (Jaquet Droz in China). The lucky few were then shown antique pieces that have been carefully preserved by Jaquet Droz, as well as several models from the current collection.

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