To celebrate the 275th anniversaryBASELWORLD 2013: The Loving Butterfly
Time appears to stand still as a precious cherub glides across the hours, driven by a butterfly. Is it fantasy or reality? An invitation to travel, or a magical return to the tenderness of childhood? Rediscovered in an ancient volume dedicated to the works of Jaquet-Droz, the sketch of this motif had previously been traced on only one other occasion, dating back to the height of the Age of Enlightenment, by one of the legendary automata created by Pierre Jaquet-Droz.
The famous 18th century watchmaker, with an authentic passion for all things artistic, had surely not chosen this design by chance. If the breathtaking blue butterfly epitomizes the period’s enthusiasm for botany and natural history, the angel for its part recalls the putti, those sculptures of children that symbolize love and decorate some of the finest buildings of Italian classical architecture. This was the age of the “Grand Tour” and like all the great men of his time, Pierre Jaquet-Droz never missed an opportunity to travel across the Alps, immersing himself in the extraordinary cultural riches of the Italian peninsula that range from the vestiges of ancient Rome to the treasures of the Renaissance and Baroque periods.
A journey through time and space, The Loving Butterfly also embodies all the values of this visionary creator: his scientific discipline, his taste for new discoveries, his passion for nature, each celebrated with a wealth of color delicately applied to a background of Grand Feu enameling.
The Loving Butterfly is the brand’s first wristwatch to be offered in a yellow gold case, in honor of the 275th anniversary of Jaquet Droz, reviving a tradition that was cherished during the famous watchmaker’s lifetime. On the back of this model which is dedicated to Pierre Jaquet-Droz, in a limited edition of only 28 pieces, the oscillating mass in white gold and the hand engraved decoration on the case-back are displayed for all to see. These two signature details are further products of the artistic workshops where not only the legend of Jaquet-Droz is immortalized, but also its wondrous ability to turn timekeeping into a never-ending fantasy.