The maxim rings true for the horological industry, having experienced its fair share of tribulations, including the Quartz Crisis which nearly caused the extinction of traditional mechanical watchmaking in the 1970s; the rise of smart devices; an unprecedented pandemic; global slowdowns; and trade barriers. Adaptability certainly sustains a ship’s buoyancy, but its journey to success is steered by a captain’s prescient vision and audacious resolve — qualities Jaquet Droz CEO Alain Delamuraz has in spades.
For years, the venerable maison grappled with gaining commercial momentum, its offering largely anchored by the singular brilliance of the Grande Seconde, inspired by a pocket watch created by its founder Pierre Jaquet-Droz in the 18th century, and a niche, albeit technically demanding, expertise in automata. A major difficulty for Swatch Group, following its acquisition of Jaquet Droz in 2000, was bridging the gap between the centuries-old maison, founded in 1738, and the interest of modern collectors.
When Delamuraz took the reins in 2021 after 18 years at Blancpain, he did not initiate an overhaul immediately. Instead, he assessed the brand’s approaches, operations, products and tactics with a fine-tooth comb, taking his time to dot the i’s and cross the t’s of a new strategy and road map. “I spent one whole year without communicating anything to the public, preparing the manufacture and people,” he says.
His radical idea? To cut all current collections, close all 160 points of sale, including multi-brand retailers and single-brand boutiques, and instead focus on crafting bespoke métiers rares orders directly with high-profile clients. The only way to purchase a Jaquet Droz is through the manufacture itself. Each pièce unique is delivered during an unboxing ceremony in the presence of the CEO.
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“The first time I explained it, they said I was crazy and I should stop. The second time, they said let me think again. The third time, they said it made sense. And that was the phrase I heard most from those who studied and understood the hows and whys of our idea. It is logical,” Delamuraz points out.
Delamuraz taking a closer look at the details of the Tourbillon Skelet Ceramic – Skull Pink Pointillism
Dubbed “Vision 8.0”, the strategy includes retaining classical historical themes while adopting a new visual approach — provocative and audacious with a healthy dose of chutzpah. Agility is increased through its phygital system Studio 8, which allows clients to remotely follow the work of artists and artisans, leaning over their shoulder in real time, thanks to six cameras.
Delamuraz’s decisive repositioning has driven both a significant increase in the average price of its top-of-the-range watches (those exceeding CHF100,000, or about $162,220) and the sales of six-figure products. This is the sweet spot a brand like Jaquet Droz should be operating in.
In the 18th century, the maison quickly earned fame for its exquisite clocks and complex mechanical automata, captivating connoisseurs from around the world through its legendary Writer, Draughtsman and Musician humanoids. Together with his son Henri-Louis and adopted son Jean-Frédéric Leschot, the founder pioneered global export, selling elaborate pieces to royal courts across Europe and Asia. Several Jaquet-Droz automata and pocket watches are still carefully preserved in the Palace Museum in Beijing today.
“Pierre Jaquet-Droz was once building and making pieces of art for kings. He was producing for the king of Spain, Great Britain, France and even the emperor of the Forbidden City. When you are crafting exclusively for royalty, you don’t do objects for others. And when you produce something for one king, you don’t do the same for another,” Delamuraz elucidates. Moreover, no “king” would personally visit a boutique to browse.
“We go to them or invite them to our manufacture to meet our artists and artisans.”
Naturally, this approach means Delamuraz is often cruising in the skies. “Luxury, for me, has been a little too much for the last decade, a question of business. It’s a commercial transaction. Product, money, product, money. You know what you buy but not so much who you buy it from. Behind this concept is also the goal of rehumanising luxury, so people know the artisans and CEO personally.
“Many collectors have told me they buy a lot of watches, but it is their first time meeting and speaking to the CEO, sharing what they like. We were in Palm Beach for the unboxing of the watch Jon Bon Jovi created with us for over a year. He said the same. So yes, I have to travel frequently. It’s a people-to-people business.”
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Fashioned in a 41mm red gold case, the rock star’s Tourbillon Skelet Red Gold – Bon Jovi was crafted to celebrate his band’s 40th anniversary. Suspended at 12 o’clock, a tourbillon hovers over a hand-crafted white gold applique. It features two wings spread out on either side of a dagger, plunged into a heart engraved with the number “40” to mark the group’s special milestone. The hour and minute hands are set literally at the heart of the watch, creating a rich symbolism — between the soul and time, the heart and mind — which was particularly important to the artist. Eagle-eyed fans might be able to take a peek at the timepiece when the band goes back on tour for its Forever album in 2026.
The Petite Heure Minute Red Gold – Japanese Garden consists of 25 appliques, most of which are made from carved and engraved mother-of-pearl
One of one
In the case of Jaquet Droz, sales volume is not a metric of success. “Rolex is a luxury product in the minds of many people, but they produce a million watches a year. If you see Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin, they make 30,000 to 60,000 timepieces a year with an average price of CHF40,000 to CHF50,000. We are on the level of the very few. There are no two similar pieces. We don’t have a limit on how many we want to produce, but if ideas are complex, we may make fewer than 50 watches a year.”
The business of supplying the upper echelons of society mandates a deep understanding of buyers who, by definition, want for nothing. The brand’s true competition is not found among rival watchmakers, but within the broader luxury ecosystem, where a client’s budget decision might pit a bespoke timepiece against a supercar or private jet.
“When I talk to my colleagues in the industry — Mr [Thierry] Stern from Patek, Richard Mille is a friend — we have the same approach: When somebody decides to invest their money in watchmaking art, it’s good for the entire industry. We are all on the same page. Because at that level, with an average price of half a million, they never buy only one. They have a collection.
“When I worked for Blancpain as a retailer in Paris, a customer was hesitating between a Porsche Turbo and Blancpain tourbillon.
He bought the car first. Then two years later, he came back for the watch.
“I hate it when collectors ask how much they would be able to sell in two years. I don’t know, I don’t care. But if you do, go to the bank and buy some stock instead. We’re not a financial product,” he says pointedly.
One compelling reason Delamuraz enjoys visiting the region is the culture of the clientele. “Every time I come back to Asia, I sense among the collectors a spirit of heritage and legacy. They think about the future and like to buy something to pass down to their children. It’s like when buying a painting, you’re not thinking about how you’ll sell it.
“This is especially so with our products because they’re unique and engraved with personal details. The big difference between buying a yacht, helicopter or plane and a piece of art is the perennity. It’s for the future, for transmission.”
At this level, success is found not in satisfying a need but in delivering a unique and emotional value proposition. While Delamuraz says it has a balanced client base globally, Asia remains a vital market for its receptivity and intellectual curiosity. “They understand what we do and remember our roots. They love the legacy and heritage of our brand. We can create whatever we want today. Others can too, but what they can’t invent is the past. Our Asian clients are sensitive to our history.
“I love travelling here more than the US and Europe. There, everyone is jaded. Sometimes I invite them to the manufacture and they always say they don’t need to see it. They’ve visited five or 10 others before and say they’re all the same. In Asia, people are learning through conversations alone. I think it’s a luxury to learn about something from the source, rather than social media.”
At Swiss Watch’s Art of Time exhibition in Kuala Lumpur last month, a number of Jaquet Droz timepieces were quickly snapped up, including an imposing Dragon Automaton. A sculpted reptilian applique coils around the lower part of a 45mm case and comes to life with a total of 16 animations. When activated, the mythical creature’s spine undulates as the eyes and jaw open and close, its tongue moves and claws grasp a rotating Akoya pearl.
The animations are randomised to offer a touch of surprise and mystery every time.
As with all its previous retail partners, Jaquet Droz’s relationship with Swiss Watch is no longer that of a distributor but a direct partnership. “The people and owners of boutiques remain as ambassadors and are important contacts for us. For example, if they have 10 six-digit customers, they’ll bring them to meet us. Let’s say one of their top customers orders a half-a-million watch, then they receive a commission when it’s paid.”
Imperial Dragon Automaton Sapphire – Opal
Creative licence
It is nearly impossible to assign a specific figure to the duration required for the production of a Jaquet Droz timepiece. Swapping out an enamel colour is far less challenging than refashioning an entire structure in tantalum, for example. “It depends on the complexity. It can be five days or up to five years,” says Delamuraz. “Something I often say to the artists and artisans is I would like them to take the time to lose time.”
While schedules still need to be adhered to, it is important for the watchmakers to dwell on their work, immerse themselves in the craft and ponder. “The tradition of Pierre Jaquet-Droz is to disrupt and create new ways. So you need time to search, and if possible, find.”
Delamuraz openly shares the challenges and innovative ideas that have emerged from the atelier. “The transparency of sapphire is fantastic. We make our own enamel dials, which is like glass. We are trying to apply enamel directly on sapphire to have different qualities of transparency together. For the time being, we have yet to find the balance.
“Since working with Bon Jovi and Mick Jagger, I would be happy to one day have a watch that makes music also. Not only just with the gong but actually playing music. Of course, we’re always experimenting with new materials.”
While a number of models anchor Jaquet Droz’s portfolio, their expressions have bloomed kaleidoscopically. Recently, a client commissioned the manufacture to reproduce the Dragon Automaton with an iridescent opal dial and onyx disc, highlighted by the pure transparency of sapphire. Another request culminated in the Petite Heure Minute Red Gold, which portrays two hummingbirds gathering nectar from hibiscus flowers under a floating tourbillon. Handcrafted using miniature painting techniques, the dial comes alive with rich and vibrant details set with multiple firings in the kiln.
“I love when our clients come with a good challenge,” he enthuses, though a customer did ask him once to produce a contentious piece with three clashing world leaders shaking hands. “I said no, that was too crazy even for us. We should not do something so political.”
While many of the maison’s timepieces cater to modern “kings”, Delamuraz admits there are not quite as many for “queens”. “I think the designs of Jaquet Droz are very feminine and elegant. It is a weakness of the brand that we are not producing enough pieces of art for women. This is something we are working on,” he ensures.
Delamuraz presented Jon Bon Jovi with his timepiece at a hotel near the rock star’s home
Going the extra mile
The transition from leading a large-scale enterprise like Blancpain to helming a niche, high-art maison such as Jaquet Droz entails a significant change in leadership style. “I started at Blancpain with Jean-Claude Biver and then [Marc] Hayek came. We began with 100 people, then 160 and I finished with 1,200 people in 2018. Of course, the more people you have, the more business you make, the more money you can spend. It was fantastic to create things and open boutiques all around the world. It was exciting. But for now, I prefer it at this scale where I know everybody.”
Both Hayek and Biver remain close confidantes of Delamuraz’s. “There are 30,000 people in the group but the Hayeks have a family approach when it comes to managing the company. I can just give them a call and they’ll answer.
“Meanwhile, Jean-Claude is obviously a crazy and creative guy. I’ve learnt a lot from him. Sometimes, even what not to do!” he chuckles. “He taught me how you react to a problem is more important than the problem itself.”
It is an important lesson that applies to any industry. Despite having worked in horology for decades, Delamuraz started out as a hotelier and was managing the legendary Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne, Switzerland.
They share many similarities, notes the son of a former president of the Swiss Confederation, chief of which is to offer memorable experiences. He believes his passion for human connection is part of his DNA, inherited from his father. “We find more satisfaction in offering something than receiving.”
Delamuraz is convinced that time will tell if the new strategy for Jaquet Droz was the right call. “I want to give people proof that this very audacious concept works. And if other brands start doing the same, then that’s the best compliment. The whole industry has to move in the same direction together. In 10 years’ time, I would be very proud of being followed.”
Tourbillon Skelet Red Gold – Bon Jovi
