At Baselworld 2018, Jaquet Droz introduced a set of new Lady 8 Petite timepieces, a style that originally made its debut in 2013 in a larger 35 mm case size.

The new, smaller versions housed in 25 mm cases also offer the tactile cabochon forming the top half of the eight pattern this feminine watch’s design is based upon. It is nearly impossible not to rub that stone like a Buddha belly or a good luck charm when the watch is on your wrist as it irresistibly draws you in with the beauty of its smooth surface.

The bezel of the original 2013 Lady 8 Petite was adorned with a gem-set “ribbon” curlicuing from the top and continuing down one side of the case – providing a fascinating, fluid, asymmetrical look building on refinement, simplicity, and playfulness. It was available in three variations at that time.

Jaquet Droz Lady 8 Petite Mother-of-Pearl with double wrap strap on the wrist

The five new variations available as of March 2018 were ever so slightly reworked and in some cases contained more pronounced jewelry elements. See the intensely beautiful Lady 8 Petite Akoya in 5 New Ladies Timepieces Both Technically Intriguing And Aesthetically Captivating.

This watch features a masterful dial made of white mother-of-pearl, a staple material of Jaquet Droz’s jewelry watches, while the delicate hour and minute hands match the pink gold hue of its case and bracelet.

And make no mistake: it is that pink gold bracelet that well and truly catches the eye here; it is a work of art comprising ten segments, each of which features a shimmering Akoya pearl surrounded by a wreath of diamonds. A total of 192 diamonds add their scintillating fire to this timepiece.

Jaquet Droz Lady 8 Petite Jade

Perhaps even more fascinating than the Akoya is the version decked out with jade cabochons, blending technical expertise and sublime design. This bracelet is set with nine jade beads, two half-beads, and 213 brilliant-cut diamonds (2.45 ct). The case is set with another 68 brilliant-cut diamonds (0.52 ct), while the mother-of-pearl dial is embellished with a copper hue.

It is limited to just eight lucky pieces.

The power of the number 8

The latest versions of this lovely ladies’ collection once again draws inspiration from the numeral “8,” a lucky number in Chinese culture symbolizing eternal beauty and rebirth.

The entire case shape of the Lady 8 Petite, consisting of two distinct parts, mimics the two circles comprising the numeral and the proportions, with the smaller upper part containing the tactile pearl or cabochon.

Jaquet Droz Lady 8 Petite Mother-of-Pearl

This design element is actually rooted in the brand’s history: Pierre Jaquet-Droz, the visionary watchmaker who was also a busy traveler in the Far East as early as the eighteenth century, created a pocket watch in 1784 showcasing a fascinatingly balanced dial design reflecting the figure eight using the hour and minute subdial and a large subdial for seconds to form an “8.”

The effect is as minimalist as it is beautiful – then and now.

Jaquet Droz Lady 8 Petite: new versions for everyday wear

The latest two examples of this intriguing ladies’ watch are just as harmonious, though quite a bit less jeweled than the Akoya and Jade variations thanks to the absence of the elaborate bracelets, making them perfectly elegant daily wearers.

Jaquet Droz Lady 8 Petite Aventurine on the wrist

Enhancing this position is the fashionable new double-wrap strap available in a choice of black or blue grained calfskin. While the blue strap is meant to be worn with the stainless steel-encased version featuring aventurine dial and cabochon, the black strap is slated for the stainless steel variation featuring a white mother-of-pearl dial and Akoya bead in the upper half of the “eight.”

The dial has been slightly reworked for improved legibility, though delicate diamonds set into the case continue to enhance its unusual silhouette. The ribbon-style flow of 2013 has now been replaced by a more symmetrical half-ribbon that provides somewhat more of a framing effect; this design was first seen on 2015’s Lady 8 Sunstone.

Jaquet Droz Lady 8 Petite Mother-of-Pearl on the wrist

The white metal and diamonds on the case go particularly well with the aventurine of the dial in my opinion. This material is not only incredibly decorative, it also stands as a reminder of the origin of timekeeping – astronomy – since the glass material beautifully emulates the star-filled heavens as seen from the earth.

For more on the origins of aventurine and Jaquet Droz’s pioneering use of it as well as a view of 2015’s limited Sunstone trio, please see Aventurine: Sparkling Glittering, Mysterious, And Placing A Galaxy Of Stars On Your Wrist.

View through the display back of the Jaquet Droz Lady 8 Petite

Glancing through the case back is fascinating too. Here we see an equally petite yet beautifully decorated automatic movement featuring a rotor with a fan-like guilloche pattern plus a high-tech silicon balance spring and silicon pallet fork.

Jaquet Droz Lady 8 Petite Aventurine: it’s easy to get lost in this glittering replica of the heavens

Beauty and brains, all wrapped up in a fascinatingly feminine package.

For more information, please visit www.jaquet-droz.com/en/watches/lady-8/lady-8-petite.

Quick Facts Jaquet Droz Lady 8 Petite Aventurine
Case: 25 x 9.6 mm, stainless steel with 41 brilliant-cut diamonds (0.31 ct) and aventurine cabochon
Dial: aventurine
Movement: automatic Jaquet Droz Caliber 615, 3 Hz/21,600 vph frequency, power reserve 38 hours, silicon balance spring and pallet fork
Functions: hours, minutes
Price: 15,900 Swiss francs

Quick Facts Jaquet Droz Lady 8 Petite Mother-of-Pearl
Case: 25 x 9.6 mm, stainless steel with 41 brilliant-cut diamonds (0.31 ct) and Akoya pearl
Dial: mother-of-pearl
Movement: automatic Jaquet Droz Caliber 615, 3 Hz/21,600 vph frequency, power reserve 38 hours, silicon balance spring and pallet fork
Functions: hours, minutes
Price: 14,800 Swiss francs

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