Jaquet Droz Chaux de Fonds watches age determination
Determining the age of Jaquet Droz watches is particularly exciting because the brand has an extraordinary history and encompasses two completely different eras: the historical period (18th century) and the modern revival from 2001 onwards .
Therefore, the procedure depends heavily on which era your watch belongs to .
I'll explain both to you in detail.
Two eras of Jaquet Droz
| epoch | Period | mark |
|---|---|---|
| Historical watches / Pierre Jaquet‑Droz | ca. 1738 – 1790 | Original watches from Geneva / La Chaux-de-Fonds, often automata or pocket watches – museum-quality and extremely rare |
| Modern Jaquet Droz (Swatch Group) | from 2001 to the present | Luxury watches with Swiss-made movements, manufactured in La Chaux-de-Fonds under the management of the Swatch Group (Breguet Division) |
Typical example (engravings):
Jaquet DrozGrande Seconde QuantièmeNo. 127 / 888Cal. 2663A.Si→ “127/888” = Number 127 of 888 pieces.
→ Caliber 2663A.Si = Automatic movement with silicon balance spring (after 2018).
⚙️ Caliber and production period (modern line)
| caliber | type | Main period | Models |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1150 (base) | Automatic | 2001 – 2010 | Grande Seconde Automatic |
| JD 2663 / 2660Q2 | Automatic manufacturing | 2010 – 2020 | Grande Seconde Quantième / Côtes de Genève |
| Cal. 2653 / 2663A.Si | Silicon spiral version | from 2018 | Grande Seconde Skelet‑One, Dual Time |
| Cal. Jaquet Droz Jaqueterie (6120+) | Small production runs, complications | after 2015 | Automaton, Bird Repeater |
Check logo format:
-
Logo design Period “Jaquet Droz / La Chaux‑de‑Fonds” classic 2001 – 2015 Minimalist monogram “JD” + modern lettering from 2016
Example (estimate)
Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Sunstone , Cal. 2663A.Si, No. 82/88**
→ Construction time approx. 2018 – 2019 (silicon version only from 2018 onwards).
Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Automatic , Cal. 1150, no SI note**
→ presumably first series – approx. 2003 – 2008.
Historical Jaquet-Droz clocks (18th century)
If you actually have an antique pocket watch or automaton piece :
| feature | Dating |
|---|---|
| Hand signed “Jaquet Droz à La Chaux‑de‑Fonds” | ca. 1770 – 1785 |
| Engraving “Les Fils de Jaquet‑Droz” or “Jaquet Droz & Leschot” | ca. 1785 – 1810 |
| Enamel or automaton clock (songbird, figure) | around 1780 – 1790 |
| Pocket watches with verge/spindle escapement | before 1780 |
Pierre Jaquet-Droz was born in La Chaux-de-Fonds (NE) in 1721, the son of a farmer and watchmaker, and died in Biel in 1790. He attended primary school in his birthplace, then the humanistic gymnasium , and in 1738 began studying philosophy at the University of Basel . In 1740, Jaquet-Droz turned to watchmaking, which was centered in Le Locle and La Chaux-de-Fonds.
In 1758, he traveled to Spain to sell pendulum clocks to King Ferdinand VI , two of which were equipped with an automatic drive. From 1759 onward, he built an internationally operating company in La Chaux-de-Fonds that produced high-quality clocks. His son, Henri-Louis (1752–1791), also joined his father's business as a clockmaker. His company had branches in London , Paris , and Basel.
In 1774, the Jaquet-Droz family presented three androids to the public, which became a huge success. They are their most famous works and can still be seen in working order at the Neuchâtel Museum . Later, the Jaquet-Droz family and their business partner Jean-Frédéric Leschot began building prostheses that were apparently even functional.
The watchmaker Jaquet-Droz
Pierre Jaquet-Droz was one of the most important clock and automata makers, producing bracket clocks and ornate pendulum clocks, and specializing in automata of all kinds (including singing bird clocks and tobacco boxes with singing birds) and luxury watches. He developed an automatic winding mechanism for pocket watches.
He is also said to have built a clock, which he supposedly demonstrated at the Spanish court: When the clock struck, a shepherd played a little melody on his flute, and a dog approached him joyfully. The king was delighted, but Jaquet-Droz remarked that the dog's friendliness was one of its few virtues, something he would immediately discover if he took one of the apples from the shepherd's basket.
The king did it, and the dog supposedly began to bark so realistically that the king's dog answered, and the ladies-in-waiting fled the room in fear of witchcraft. Only the Minister of the Navy was brave enough to remain. When the king then asked the black man, who was also on the clock, for the time, and he didn't answer, Jaquet-Droz simply remarked that he couldn't speak Spanish…
The watch brand “Jaquet Droz”, which belongs to the Swatch Group , is named after him.
Source: Watchwiki, AI, Google
