Jaquet Droz Loving Butterfly Automaton

The silence is palpable as stunned collectors gasp in awe. Jaquet Droz is one of the only watchmakers in the world that crafts automatons. Quick on the heels of the onyx and meteorite models, today it unveils the latest version of its Loving Butterfly Automaton. This newest chapter in the company’s 300-year exploration of natural fibers showcases its watchmaking mastery and artistry in a series strictly limited to 28 timepieces.
This new rendition magnifies the Cherub and the Butterfly, a classic metaphor for labors of love. The chariot symbolizes victory and the butterfly represents Cupid. Like the chariot, the butterfly comprises several dozen stationary and moving appliqués hand-etched by Jaquet Droz artisan jewelers. The scene unfolds on a veritable stage of nature with a set that actually rises up all around the dial. Multiple levels lend the piece a unique depth of perspective that invites the gaze to wander, drift and stray. A striking realism takes shape, proliferating with details that bring the scene to life.
The artful watch complication breathes life into an animated nature scene. The butterfly’s wings flutter in time, placed close against the sapphire crystal to make it seem like the butterfly is about to break free and fly out of the scenery. Even the wheels on the chariot turn, but not all of the spokes rotate, which creates an optical illusion that Pierre Jaquet-Droz began using nearly three centuries ago.
The figures are surrounded by a gold backdrop entirely crafted by hand. Each tree spans a mere 0.2 mm – its slender grooves carved one by one using purpose-designed tools– and is individually placed in its very own setting.