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.