Back in the 18th century, Pierre Jaquet-Droz wowed the courts of Europe with his Automates – three humanoid dolls, about one-third life-sized, that could variously write, draw and play music with uncannily lifelike gestures. Intended to promote his clocks and watches, and powered by scaled-up versions of mechanical watch movements, they were a stroke of marketing genius – as well as a remarkable demonstration of his skills. Eighteen years ago, when Swatch Group revived Jaquet Droz, it harnessed that legacy – developing automata on the minuscule scale needed to fit inside contemporary watches. This meant men’s watches, as Jaquet Droz had no collection specifically for women in the first 13 years of its modern existence. Then came the Lady 8 collection. Launched in 2013, its design adopted the brand’s signature figure-of-eight but rather than confining it to the dial, expanded it to create a sculptural double loop. The watch-case itself formed the larger circle and an extension formed the smaller, upper circle of the eight. Within that smaller circle lay a pearl or a polished stone, set invisibly so that it could be rolled this way and that, under the fingers – like a very sophisticated and sensual fidget toy.…
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