Baselworld/SIHH

mkt33
[PuristS]
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Baselworld 2010: Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde SW Titanium

I have mixed feelings about this new J*D novelty.

Manuel described how difficult it was to create the SW case using stainless steel.  So difficult that it delayed the SW introduction for a few months...  I am willing to bet that getting the same design accomplished using titanium was a headache as well.

I can't get over the use of carbon fiber though...  Was the carbon fiber chosen because it is "light and strong", complementing the use of Titanium for the case?  Surely the SW looks  "modern" enough.  Perhaps in the metal the dial will not seem so busy and the fiber pattern will only show at certain angles.

Interestingly the SW was water rated at 88m.  Now this version is rated at 50m. 

Press release:

Grande Seconde SW^TITANIUM

Creativity, lightness, improvements, homage to the number 8 as the symbol of the Manufacture… a host of words and ideas that fashioned the concept of the Grande Seconde SW^TITANIUM. With its fluted bezel, its pure-bred design and its hollow horns, it clearly embodies passion for style and modernity. A perfect example of the fusion of tradition with the Avant-Garde spirit of the Manufacture, this wristwatch demonstrates all that Jaquet Droz stands for: love of design, perfection in every detail and mechanical excellence.

The company’s exceptional mastery of watchmaking secrets now extends to the use of an equally exceptional material: titanium. Ultra-lightweight, ultra-strong, this high-technology metal has been selected as much for its technical qualities as for its aesthetic appeal. The unique beauty of its grey-blue tint is enhanced by an alternately polished and brushed finish, and by its rubber molding. The carbon dial emphasizes the modernity of the Grande Seconde SW^TITANIUM which is now 30% lighter than the original version. Its performance is highlighted by the Super-LumiNova on the markers and the tips of the hands; it adds a touch of glowing red to the dark beauty of the watch, which is entirely placed under the sign of the figure 8.

Both an evolution and an aesthetic revolution, the Grande Seconde SW^TITANIUM preserves all its watchmaking expertise: a double-barrel mechanical movement, a 68-hour power reserve and water-resistance to 5 bar (50 meters). Fitted with a rubber strap, the Grande Seconde SW^TITANIUM advances the frontiers of time even further.

Cheers, Mike