Jaeger-LeCoultre once again pays homage to Chinese culture by launching the Métiers d’Art series “The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac” – Year of the Snake timepiece, initiating a new creative cycle of zodiac-themed artworks. The two new pieces in this collection are crafted in pink gold and platinum, limited to 25 pieces each, showcasing unique Eastern aesthetics through their hand-carved and enameled craftsmanship.
Blending Chinese and Western cultures, reinterpreting the legend of the Year of the Snake
In Chinese traditional culture, snakes symbolize wisdom and new beginnings. This time, Jaquet Droz takes the snake as the theme and launches a new piece from the Métiers d’Art Master series. The aim is to explore the profound connection between cultures. This timepiece combines two traditional crafts of hand-carving and enamel painting, delicately presenting the image of a cobra, as if a spiritual snake is vividly alive on the dial. This design not only embodies Jaquet Droz’s artistic ingenuity but also once again showcases the brand’s profound roots with Chinese culture for over a century and a half.
Since 1845, Jaquet Droz has entered the Asian market. With its outstanding watchmaking craftsmanship and respect for Chinese culture, it quickly gained favor in the market. The brand has created many exquisite “Chinese watches” for the Qing Dynasty royal family, known for their hand-carved details, enamel painting skills, and excellent moisture resistance, meeting the specific needs of the Chinese market at the time. With a deep understanding of Asian culture, Jaquet Droz continues to create a variety of watches inspired by Chinese elements, highly praised by watch enthusiasts and collectors.
Dial Design: Artistic Creativity in Details
The new snake-themed works in the Métiers d’Art Masterpieces series offer brand craftsmen a broader creative space. Each watch dial is meticulously crafted by a master hand-carved craftsman, using rose gold or platinum as materials to carve out the texture details of the snake’s scales and rocks, with a production process lasting three days. Subsequently, the grand feu enamel painting master uses miniature painting and oxidizing techniques to add rich layers and three-dimensional effects to the patterns. The rose gold version is presented in warm earth tones, while the platinum version adopts a subtle charcoal gray base, both showcasing the agile beauty of the snake.
Each watch is designed with a 40mm case and combined with a crocodile leather strap. The rose gold version comes with a brown strap, while the platinum version is paired with a blue one, showcasing elegance. Additionally, the unique layout of the four windows on the dial allows the wearer to clearly read the time and date, fully displaying the artistic imagination of the brand’s master craftsmen.
Exclusive Movement: Exquisite Craftsmanship of the 2460 G4 In-house Movement
This year’s Snake-themed wristwatch is equipped with the brand’s self-made 2460 G4 movement, showcasing Vacheron Constantin’s outstanding watchmaking expertise in both technical and aesthetic design. This movement displays time without hands, with a unique four-window design showing hours, minutes, day of the week, and date. The operation of the movement and the artistic creation of the engraved patterns complement each other, demonstrating the perfect fusion of time and art.
These two limited editions once again highlight Jaeger-LeCoultre’s dedication to the brand spirit of cultural diversity and heritage. Over the next 12-year creative cycle, Jaeger-LeCoultre will continue to showcase more art timepieces with Eastern elements through the Métiers d’Art series, allowing the brand’s craftsmen to continuously push the boundaries of creativity.
