Jaquet Droz unveils the "Tourbillon Plasma Ceramic – Oberalp Pass," a unique piece that embodies the passion of supercar owners.

Jaquet Droz has unveiled the "Tourbillon Plasma Ceramic - Oberalp Pass," a unique piece designed by them in collaboration with a supercar owner, inspired by his passion. The dial depicts the scene of the owner's beloved car driving through the Oberalp Pass, with a tourbillon positioned at 12 o'clock. Furthermore, the automatic winding rotor has been intricately machined to precisely replicate the car's wheels.

A unique timepiece that captures the passion for V12 sports cars.

　Jaquet Droz has created a unique piece, the "Tourbillon Plasma Ceramic - Oberalp Pass," inspired by the beloved car of a single supercar owner. The inspiration came from a conversation at a meeting of the Supercar Owners Circle (SOC), of which Jaquet Droz is a partner.

　For the past two years, Jaquet Droz has participated in SOC meetings held in Switzerland. The SOC spring tour involves participants driving through the Oberalp Pass from Andermatt, followed by a networking session. At one of these sessions, a SOC member and the owner of this timepiece enthusiastically told the Jaquet Droz team about his newly acquired V12-engine car, which combined the comfort of a GT with the performance of a supercar, resulting in a highly refined vehicle. Inspired by his passion, the team began developing the concept for the watch that very night, and completed the first sketches the following morning. This became the starting point for this unique piece.

A unique piece created together with the owner.

　After the initial sketches were created, the process moved into collaboration between Jaquet Droz and the owner. The owner and Jaquet Droz's atelier exchanged ideas, refining the design and selecting materials and techniques. Furthermore, utilizing Jaquet Droz's "Studio 8," the owner not only visited La Chaux-de-Fonds twice, but also monitored the production process via 4K cameras during those visits, refining the technical direction.

　The case material was chosen from ceramics, inspired by the lightweight yet rigid chassis of the owner's beloved car. Furthermore, Jaquet Droz employed its unique plasma ceramic, which undergoes a firing process exceeding 2°C to achieve a matte asphalt gray finish, resembling sandblasting.

A miniature painting of the Oberalp Pass on the dial.

　The dial depicts the owner's beloved car speeding through the Oberalp Pass, the setting for the SOC tour that inspired this timepiece. This is a sapphire crystal plate set on a gold base, with a detailed, handcrafted illustration created using traditional techniques. The foreground shows a sports car navigating the corners of the Oberalp Pass, while the snow-covered Andermatt Mountains are depicted in the background, representing not only the car itself, but also the place that inspired the creation of this timepiece.

　The watch is powered by the Cal. Jaquet Droz 2625SQ, an automatic tourbillon movement with a power reserve of approximately 192 hours. Here too, the design of the owner's beloved car is reflected, with the movement featuring a black electroplated finish to recreate the black and silver two-tone color scheme, while the tourbillon has a contrasting polished finish.

Recreating your car's wheels as rotors

　The most unique design feature of this watch is hidden on the case back. The owner requested that the wheel of his beloved car be recreated as the automatic winding rotor.

　The wheel features a complex shape designed with aerodynamics in mind, along with an iconic yellow hub cover. To make it work as an automatic winding rotor for a watch, Jaquet Droz chose white gold as the material from the perspective of kinetic energy. The six spokes, called the "oscillating rim," are crafted in a layered spiral shape, meticulously replicating the wheel. Such intricate craftsmanship is extremely rare for a rotor in a luxury watch, and it can be said to reflect the owner's passion and Jaquet Droz's commitment to meeting that passion.