Simply Abu Dhabi XX

1 0 1 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I O ne of the major brands that are guaranteed to loosen jaws with sheer artistic sensibility and dramatic artisanal accomplishments every year without fail is theMaison Jaquet Droz. This highly esteemed brand, with a heritage dating back almost three hundred years, is mentioned in hushed tones of incredulity when it comes to the art of luxury decoration, in which the Jaquet-Droz family were pioneers in the 18th century. Under the illustrious care of the Swatch Group this long-held tradition of the finest levels of craftsmanship is meticulously upheld. The fine arts of enamelling, painting, sculpting and engraving, to name just a few, continue in-house to this day. Take as an example from the 2015 novelties the Petite Heure Minute Relief Carps. By positioning the dial off-centre the canvas for artistry is opened and the ingenuity can be let loose. Pierre Jaquet- Droz had ties with Asia long before many of today’s brands were even established and so it is with unquestionable authenticity that they can be inspired by traditional Asian iconography. In this case, the 41mm timepiece is decorated with a wonderful scene featuring a calming pond created by layering diaphanous blue enamel. Amidst the lily pads and classic lotus flower applied in relief, and the hand-engraved gold reed stems rising from the water, three koi carp complete the picture. The whole scene is crowned by a glorious sky and birds overhead, also in enamel. On the reverse of the watch Jaquet Droz has also included an enamelled balance weight decorated with a hand-engraved carp in bas-relief. Another notable piece this year was the Lady 8 Flower, which was presented in two limited edition versions – 28 pieces in red gold and just eight pieces in white gold. The shapes of both models are comprised of two superimposed circles resembling the numeral eight – a famously auspicious number in Asian culture representing wealth, harmony, perfection, joy and infinity. JaquetDroz–thePhilosophyof theUnique

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