Jaquet Droz Seule Aiguille Watch Slows Time Down…Well, Sort Of!

The Jaquet Droz Seule Aiguille watch is one of the most distinctively elegant timepieces to debut at Basel this year.  Its French name alludes to its single blued steel hour hand, which completes a revolution around the dial once every 24 hours.  But how do you tell the minutes?  Well…you have to estimate to the nearest quarter, by using the hash marks between the hours.

This is similar to the enigmatic “Philosopher” watch introduced by Audemars Piguet in 1982.  If mechanical watches themselves remind us of a slower, more artisanal age, then why not take that a step further, and really reflect on the passage of time?  There’s no question that this Jaquet Droz watch definitely does that–time defititely passes in a leisurely way here, and in an increasingly frantic world, I think there’s definitely something to be said for this sort of tacitly rebellious statement.

While those addicted to numerous subdials, retrogrades, chronographs, grande complications and such may find this concept too placid, I suspect that Jaquet Droz will find plenty of collectors who are drawn inexplicably to contemplative charm of the very pretty Seule Aiguille watch.