Still months away from Mexico’s ‘The Day of the Dead’ holiday, Jaquet Droz drops the Tourbillon Skelet Red Gold Catrina Skull unique piece. Here at WCL, we've witnessed countless skull interpretations in haute horlogerie, but this is one, is one of our favorite ones. The ‘memento mori’ has become predictably masculine and aggressive, but at the same time, an iconic expression of art and culture for those of us Mexican. Meet Catrina Skull, a 39 mm red gold tourbillon watch tribute to Mexican culture that redefines death-themed timepieces. This isn't another menacing skull but ‘La Catrina’, the elegant lady of ‘Día de los Muertos’—Day of the Dead—, teaching Swiss watchmaking a lesson in cultural sophistication.
Things to Know About the Watch
The 39 mm red gold case—13.20 mm in thickness—houses Jaquet Droz's automatic flying tourbillon movement, delivering an impressive 7-day power reserve. The flying configuration eliminates the upper bridge, offering an unobstructed view of the regulating organ through the Catrina's orbital cavity at 12 o'clock with a blued-hand seconds indicator.
The Catrina's execution showcases multiple artisanal techniques. Her face, micro-painted on the right two-thirds of the dial, captures every nuance. Dual whites with varying contrast levels, subtle pink and violet gradations, and the gold dots are not hand-painted, but rather paillons. The Pailloné technique, which Jaquet Droz has been using for nearly three centuries, consists of capturing tiny hand-chiselled motifs in gold leaf under a thin layer of invisible varnish.
The 1.1 mm-thick 18K white gold dial with hand-engraving contrasts organic artistry with mathematical precision. While the Catrina flows in hand-painted curves, the left portion features grand feu enamel over hand-engraved foliage. Each leaf exists at different depths, filled with enamel powder and fired multiple times.
The Movement
The Jaquet Droz Tourbillon Skelet Red Gold Catrina Skull is powered by the automatic calibre 25JD.Si with tourbillon, silicon balance spring and pallet horns, and 18K red gold oscillating weight with white mother-of-pearl appliqué that has also been hand-painted over.
The mother-of-pearl appliqué on the oscillating weight is a first in the watch industry. Additionally, the oscillating weight features two gold star appliqués with multicolored foliage—a private signature visible only to the wearer. This flying tourbillon creates a mesmerizing dialogue between organic artistry and mechanical authority, where Catrina's celebration of life meets the movement's obsessive chronometric pursuit.
In Summary
The Jaquet Droz Tourbillon Skelet Red Gold Catrina Skull transcends luxury to become a cultural artifact, bridging Swiss horological mastery with Mexican artistic tradition. This singular timepiece will be discussed and coveted long after its creators join the Catrina beyond time itself. This piece unique is delivered on a texturized turquoise rubber strap with an 18K red gold pin buckle.
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