Combining all of the artisanal and mechanical prowess of Jaquet Droz, the Parrot Repeater Pocket Watch is a one of a kind masterpiece created to mark the brand’s 280th anniversary.

More objet d’art than watch, the Parrot Repeater is 56mm of 18k red gold, set with almost 10 carats of precious stones, including yellow diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires in three colours. The hinged lid on the front of the case is open-worked and opens to reveal a jungle relief scene in 18k gold that’s been engraved and painted by hand, with a mother of pearl sub-dial for the time. The macaws, chicks and egg on the dial move to the rhythm of the chimes when the repeater is activated, with the birds bobbing their heads and spreading their wings, while the egg hatches.

Hinged just like the front, the case back is engraved and finished in enamel of various techniques, including miniature painting, grand feu and paillonnee. Opening the back reveals the hand-wound cal. RMA88 that is fitted with cathedral gongs, twice the length of ordinary gongs for extra resonance.

Because the movement has an automaton module on top, its part count jumps to 668, double that of an ordinary minute repeating calibre. The base movement is the Lemania cal. 399, which is now also found in some Breguet minute repeating watches.

Price and availability

The Parrot Repeater Pocket Watch (ref. J080533000) is a unique piece. It’s priced at US$1.05m, or S$1.67m.

Automotive-inspired and powered by the inventive Agenhor chronograph movement, the Singer Reimagined Track 1 makes it debut in Hong Kong, hence the name. Coming after the titanium and 18k gold models, the Track 1 Hong Kong Edition is the sportiest iteration of the timepiece created by Singer, the outfit famous for its modified and restored vintage Porsche 911s.

What makes the Hong Kong Edition different are the orange accents on the dial, and more importantly, the black ceramic-coated aluminium case. Similar to materials used by Panerai and Zenith in the past, this is created by subjecting aluminium to an electro-plasma oxidation process that creates a thin layer of black aluminium oxide, or ceramic, on its surface. This gives the aluminium, which is lightweight but relatively soft, a hard, scratch resistant layer.

The watch has the same dimensions as the other versions of the Track 1, with the case measuring 43mm by 15mm. The movement remains the AgenGraphe, a cleverly constructed chronograph movement that has the wheel train and escapement positioned on the circumference of the movement, while the chronograph mechanism sits in the centre.

Consequently it has elapsed seconds, minutes and hour counter in the centre. It’s also self-winding, with a hidden rotor mounted between the base plate and the dial.

Price and availability 

Limited to 50 pieces, the Singer Track 1 Hong Kong Edition is priced at SFr44,500 before taxes, or about US$44,600. It’ll be available starting September 2018, direct from Singer Reimagined and also from its Hong Kong retailer The Lavish Attic.

Correction June 19, 2018: The rotor in the Track 1 is under the dial, and not peripheral as previously stated.