The blue version of the Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Skelet-One Ceramic was introduced in Time to Move in La Chaux du Fonds in May this year. Here is our Watchscapes on the novelty.
Essential read: our full hands on review on the “regular” Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Skelet One
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Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Skelet-One Ceramic Blue
The Skelet-One gets an update this year. Now with a black ceramic with blue accents, boasting a dial with blued steel screws and white gold indexes, and worn on a blue canvas strap. This new Grande Seconde Skelet-One Ceramic Blue version joins the 2018 edition included black ceramic case with red gold indices and black ceramic hour circle in addition to gold models.
The Skelet-One is the skeleton version of the Grande Seconde and was presented in 2018. Our review of the watch back then noted that it was the first time the Grande Seconde did away with its dial. In its place: light, lightness and transparency. The Grande Seconde saw both its architecture unveiled and laid bare. Sculptural. Today, the piece returns with blue accents on the ceramic case.
The case remains at 41.5mm in diameter which we feel projects a rather masculine character.
The indexes are also made of 18-karat white gold. Vertically brushed, the hour dial is in the form of a circle which catches light, ensuring excellent readability. The grande seconde dial, it is made from sapphire offers an unobstructed view of each of the movement’s details.
The movement in this new interpretation stretches all the way to the case sides just like the 2018 model, doing away with a movement ring. The gear train is entirely suspended and fixed to the skeletonized bridges that cross over the movement.
The straight lines of the case’s contrast with the ceramic case’s satin-finishing on the bezel and lugs. This provides a nice contrast to the polished sides – a play of light that is amplified by a double sapphire “glass box” on the top and bottom, offering the largest possible opening onto the skeleton movement. This high level of pleasing aesthetics and refined execution is typical for Jaquet Droz.
The movement remains the same caliber Jaquet Droz JD2663 SQ, made exclusively for Jaquet Droz by sister company – Blancpain.
With the same objective of total transparency, the 18K white gold oscillating weight has been entirely skeletonized to avoid masking the caliber as it makes its circular revolution around the case.
On the wrist, it wears well, and fit about what the case dimensions suggest – that is, on a larger wrist like the Chief Editor’s, it sits comfortably. On smaller than the 7.5″ wrist, it might wear large, though comfort is not likely to be compromised due to the highly curved structure of the lugs. But it is advisable to try out the watch on one’s wrist first.
