There is something about the wooden dials. 

When I first heard about the Grande Seconde Cadran Bois collection my initial gut reaction was unfavorable about this choice.  Was it because I expected a material more “valuable” to be used for Jaquet Droz watch dials? Was it because the wooden dials used on some vintage Hamilton and Rolex models never appealed to me? 

This is a strange contradiction because I usually associate exotic wood with luxury products. The Cary silver oak speakers are functional sculptures in my living room, the bird’s eye maple trim is perfectly matched to the leather interior of my car, and even my watch box is custom made using Vitica Arborea burl (it took the cabinet maker four months to find a suitable piece).  This association between luxury products and wood is not a personal observation either; my friends cherish their custom Ed Roman guitars, furniture, and humidors as much as I treasure my timepieces. 

Quality rough samples are difficult to obtain and expensive due to the high demand and low availability of exotic woods. Like different stone samples, the types of wood chosen by J*D are prized for their rarity and beautiful visual properties.  Even though these models are limited to eight pieces each, the unique grain pattern and color tone essentially makes each piece the only one of its kind.

The four types of exotic wood being showcased by Jaquet Droz in their new Grande Seconde Collection (43mm in diameter) are: 

Grande Seconde Ebène / Ebony  - Numerus clausus of 8

Grande Seconde Palissandre Santos / Palissander Santos – Numerus clausus of 8

Grande Seconde Loupe d’Amboine / Amboyna Burl – Numerus clausus of 8

Grande Seconde Wengé / Wenge – Numerus clausus of 8

When SJX showed the first “live” shot of the new novelties, my hesitation started to melt.  The rose gold case is a perfect match to bring out the richness of the wood dial.  I guess it is time to brush up on my botany!  What do you think of these new offerings?

Grande Seconde Ebène: 

Grande Seconde Palissandre Santos

Grande Seconde Loupe d’Amboine

Grande Seconde Wengé:




Enjoy, Mike