Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Quantieme Black Tech

For centuries, the pocket watch was the dominant form of personal timepiece.

Situated safely in a waistcoat pocket and secured to said garment by a fob, it faithfully (and elegantly) communicated the time to its owner — providing it remained wound, of course. Once the First World War came along, however, there was a need to remove the physical interaction between a man’s hands and his timepiece so that they could be used to fire a weapon, draft a communiqué, etc. Hence the wristwatch.

Jaquet Droz, a historical marque now under the ownership of the Swatch Group, allows more influence from the pocket watch to inform its wristwatch designs than many brands. Take, for example, the sophisticated Grande Seconde Quantième — modeled after an 18th-century pocket watch, its signature figure-8 dial configuration has been transposed from the waistcoat-worn original. Striking and unusual, it presents with beautiful, classically inspired aesthetics married to cutting-edge technology. 

Housed in a 43mm stainless steel case with a sapphire crystal, a signed crown, and a polished bezel, this version of the Grande Seconde Quantième  features a special ‘Black Tech’ dial — after being crafted from solid metal, the dial is dipped in a chemical bath to obtain its dark, matte grey coating, bringing out the fine-brushed finish beneath. Gracing the dial in the collection’s figure-8 configuration are intersecting, regulator-style, silver-tone hour/minute and second/date registers, which are complemented with a stainless steel ‘lance’ landset. 

Flip this handsome piece over, and you’re greeted with a sapphire exhibition caseback, beneath which ticks the elegantly finished JD Calibre 2660Q2.4 automatic movement. Paired to a signed, black alligator leather strap with a signed, stainless steel, push-button deployant clasp, this larger dress watch can do double-duty as an everyday timepiece, or a special-occasion accessory to be worn with more formal attire. 

Try it on for size! 

Our Pledge

Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.

Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.