DIAM. 52 mm. Early self-winding watches are extremely rare and only one or two other examples by Jaquet Droz are known. The present watch was made at a time when leading watchmakers were experimenting with the idea of the `perpetuelle` or self-winding watch mechanism. Whilst it is Breguet who is most famous for the perpetuelle movement, the invention itself is thought to have been made by Perrelet in Switzerland around 1770 and it is therefore likely that Jaquet Droz was directly influenced by him in the creation of his perpètuelle watches. During the last quarter of the 18th century several makers attempted to perfect the perpetuelle but most of those watches were not particularly successful requiring considerable movement to maintain enough power. As is well known, Breguet did perfect the mechanism and made watches that reacted to the slightest touch.The present watch by the legendary maker Jaquet Droz is one of the small number of early self-winding watches to survive and of great interest in the development of horology. The lavishly jeweled gold case and the center-seconds feature suggest that this watch was destined for export to China. It was probably retailed via Jaquet Droz's agent in London, Henry Maillardet. It was a clever marketing ploy by Jaquet Droz to sign many of his watches destined for the Orient 'Jaquet Droz, London', this was because goods from London were regarded as superior quality and had extra cachet therefore commanding higher prices. Pierre Jaquet-Droz (1721-1790) Born on July 28, 1721 in La Chaux-de- Fonds, he was the son of a farmer who was an occasional clockmaker as well. He studied humanities and philosophy in Basel from 1738 to 1739 and then became interested in horology. On October 25, 1750, Pierre Jaquet- Droz married Marianne Sandoz, the daughter of Civil Lieutenant AbrahamLouis Sandoz. At the age of thirty-four, Pierre Jaquet- Droz was left a widower. He never remarried. In 1758, Jaquet-Drozmade the long and difficult journey to Spain, to present his works to King Ferdinand VI. When he returned, the sum he brought back enabled him to devote himself to the making of the famous Jaquet-Droz automata, the writer, draughtsman, and musician, and to found the successful Jaquet- Droz firm, in London and Geneva, which made extraordinary mechanical and musical pieces. Pierre Jaquet-Droz died in Biel in 1790. Henri-Louis Jaquet-Droz (1752-1791) Was the second child of Pierre Jaquet-Droz and his wife Marianne. His father sent him to Nancy when he was young to study music, science, mathematics, physics and drawing. Upon his return from Nancy in 1769, Henry-Louis took his place in his father's workshop, alongside Jean-Frédéric Leschot (1746-1824), a neighbor child who had come to live and work with Pierre around 1756. This was the beginning of a close and fruitful partnership between the threemen. When Pierre Jaquet- Droz grew old, the firm was taken over by his son Henry- Louis and Jean-Frédéric Leschot, and was called Jaquet- Droz & Leschot. Henri Maillardet was the director of the London branch of the Jaquet- Droz firm that was opened in 1783, although Henri-Louis traveled often to London to look after business. The Jaquet Droz company moved to Geneva, center of the "Fabrique", in 1784. Upon his father's retirement from the family firm, Henry- Louis naturally replaced him, traveling to London to look after business. He also maintained an active interest in the Société des Arts. Henry-Louis' health was poor, however, and he died in Naples in November 1791, at the early age of 41. Subsequently, Jean Frédéric Leschot took over the firm. Literature: For an article on Jaquet Droz, see: Antiquorum Vox Magazine, Spring 2005.