The Petite Heure Minute "Dragon" is a collaboration between Jaquet Droz and John Howe.

Jaquet Droz has collaborated with John Howe, known for directing the fantasy film "The Lord of the Rings," to release two limited edition models featuring his miniature dragon paintings on Grand Feu enamel dials.

A fantastical dragon drawn by a master of fantasy art

　Jaquet Droz has announced the Petite Heure Minute "Dragon," its first collaboration with John Howe. Renowned as a master of fantasy art, John Howe has been heavily involved in Peter Jackson's fantasy adventure films, including "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" trilogy. Active as an illustrator and conceptual artist, his artistic fantasy worlds and theatrical interpretations have garnered much praise.

　The theme of the collaboration between the two companies, which formed a partnership at the end of 2020, is dragons. These mythical creatures, known as dragons in China and Japan, have been featured in stories from around the world, although their appearances and legends vary depending on the region. Dragons are beings that embody the origin of the universe, eternity, and eternal resurrection.

　The dragon that dominates the dial of this model is a throwback to his early designs, depicted in an orthodox style. With a gray back and white belly, and only the tongue painted red, the dragon is clutching a large, shining pearl known as the "Dragon Pearl" in its claws.

　Pearls are said to be connected to the happiness, wealth, and wisdom of their owner, and in Chinese symbolism, dragons represent the wisdom and superior thoughts of the emperor, and are sacred as well as powerful.

High-fired enamel and miniature painting

The dial of the Petite Heure Minute "Dragon" is crafted from dark blue enamel, and to fully express John Howe's inspiration, the small hour and minute indicators have been moved to the 12 o'clock position, leaving more space at the bottom of the dial.

　Among Grand Feu enamels, which are fired at high temperatures, dark blue enamel is considered more difficult to produce than standard white enamel. The dial surface is given a unique texture, upon which the miniature dragon is painted. A miniature painter with many years of experience at Jaquet Droz has used his exceptional decorative craftsmanship to perfectly recreate the three-dimensionality of the dragon actually painted by John Howe. The clearly defined outline, drawn with delicate lines, makes the dragon appear to float against a dark background, creating a sense of depth all the way to the tip of its tail.

　These two works of art, crafted with a wealth of artisanal skill, will be produced in just 18 pieces, both in white gold and red gold. Each piece will be individually numbered and engraved on the case back, adding to the special character.

Video showing the production process

A video of the creation of the new Petite Heure Minute "Dragon" is now available on YouTube. It shows John Howe's design drawings and Jaquet Droz artisans painting the dial.