Jaquet Droz: Grande Seconde Dual Time

Any travel watch must display dual times zones (local and home time) and the date. The new Grande Seconde Dual Time has been thoroughly revised. Starting with the same self-winding mechanical caliber with silicon balance spring and pallet lugs Jaquet Droz finds a new home for its travel complication, nestled in the bottom half of the Grande Seconde’s signature figure 8 dial. At its heart the continents are seen flat from the North Pole in an azimuthal projection. The powdery finish chosen by the brand brings the modern-day mappemonde to life with the realism and volume of the Earth’s texture. The continents are depicted on a mirror polished backdrop in a choice of black or anthracite.

In another standout new feature of this new Dual Time collection, the 24-hour home time display is split into two distinct 12-hour segments: white for daytime and black for night, making the reading of the home time more immediate and intuitive. The local time, on the top half of the Grande Seconde dial, is regulated by jumping an hour, which makes it quicker to set the time on arrival at the destination. The date adjusts automatically to this change, and is indicated by a red-tipped hand that sweeps around a circular satin-finish applied ring.

Jaquet Droz today unveils four versions of the Grande Seconde Dual Time that display this new aesthetic. Two 43 mm steel case versions with onyx or silvery opaline dial and (CHF 15.200), two red gold versions with ivory or black Grand Feu enamel dial (CHF 25.500 + Tax).