The Tourbillon César Auguste represents the summit of Jean-Mairet & Gillman, a Geneva maison founded in 2000 by César Jean-Mairet. The Jean-Mairet name traces back to 1766 in the Neuchâtel watchmaking tradition, distinguished in the nineteenth century by master horologist Sylvain Jean-Mairet for his work on lever escapements and precision chronometry. Through his maternal line, the founder is further descended from the celebrated Bovet of Fleurier dynasty, lending the house a dual heritage of Neuchâtel precision and Fleurisane decorative craftsmanship. Bearing the founder’s own given name, the Tourbillon César Auguste stands as the most personal expression of his horological philosophy — a distillation of everything he holds a fine watch should be.
Housed in a 44mm pink gold case, the present watch is a work of true haute horlogerie. The white enamel dial carries printed gold lozenge indexes and blued feuille hands, framing an open worked aperture that reveals the one-minute tourbillon; a retrograde arc for the second time zone, together with apertures for day, date and day/night indication, completes the display. The manually-wound calibre JMG 1997 is a study in Genevan finishing, with guilloché pink gold bridges, hand-chamfered edges and wheels with curved and polished arms. The barrel, centre wheel and tourbillon carriage are aligned on a single axis, yielding an exceptional 110-hour power reserve. Three correctors recessed into the case band govern the complications.
Public auction records for the Tourbillon César Auguste are exceptionally scarce: to the best of our research, only three
movement numbers have ever surfaced publicly — No. 5, No. 9 and No. 11 — all single- or low double-digit, strongly
suggesting that total production was confined to a very small series. Fresh examples are therefore exceedingly dif ficult to
source on the open market. The present watch, numbered No. 9 and preserved in excellent overall condition, represents
a rare opportunity to acquire a dynastic Genevan tourbillon of true haute horlogerie pedigree.
