Jaquet Droz's Year of the Dog commemorative model, featuring the adorable Pekingese

　Jaquet Droz has announced the release of two limited edition models, the Petite Heure Minute Dog and the Petite Heure Minute Relief Dog, themed around the 2018 zodiac sign, the dog.

　Why did Jaquet Droz, headquartered in Switzerland, incorporate the Asian concept of the zodiac into its designs? The reason dates back to the late 18th century. The watches and automata created by the company's founder, Jaquet Droz, intrigued the sixth Qing emperor, Qianlong, and they became part of his collection. The emperor's interest in European watches and automata grew year by year, eventually leading him to found a company that imported and sold pocket watches. Since then, Jaquet Droz and China have maintained a special relationship.

　For the reasons mentioned above, the breed of dog depicted or engraved on the dial is the Pekingese, native to China. The Petite Heure Minute Dog is captivating with its adorable expression and meticulous detail, as if each individual hair is depicted. In contrast, the Petite Heure Minute Relief Dog is depicted in a dynamic manner, playing with a butterfly, with peonies and swirling clouds in the background. The Pekingese is also engraved on the rotor of all models, which can be enjoyed through the transparent case back.