The collaboration between the Tour du Fantastique and Jaquet Droz was born at the intersection of imagination and artisanal excellence. A partnership fueled by a shared passion: the world of John Howe, the celebrated conceptual designer behind “The Lord of the Rings” and, more broadly, a deep attachment to art in all its forms.

Since 1738, Jaquet Droz has embodied the rare alliance between luxury watchmaking and the artistic crafts. Drawing on its disruptive heritage and driven by a bold creative vision, the Brand transforms each piece into an authentic work of watchmaking art.

The Tour du Fantastique, an iconic venue dedicated to the imagination, fantasy worlds and contemporary creation, it shares with Jaquet Droz this unique vision of artistic emotion.

So it was naturally around the work of John Howe, whose style embodies epic imagination and narrative art, that this alliance took shape. As artist-in-residence at La Tour, his visual world bridges the gap between dreams and reality – fertile ground for an artisanal watchmaking brand like Jaquet Droz, which cultivates unique artistic expertise by combining heritage and disruption.

This alliance also consolidates Jaquet Droz’s roots in Neuchâtel’s cultural life, since the Brand has been based in the canton for nearly three centuries and is represented at the Neuchâtel Museum of Art and History (MAHN), the International Watchmaking Museum (MIH) and the Académie de Meuron.

More than a mere collaboration, this project represents an artistic rapprochement. A dialogue between time and the imagination, between watchmaking art and fantasy illustration. Together, Jaquet Droz and the Tour du Fantastique are committed to promoting a shared vision: that of a bold, living art form.

The culmination of three years of work. A unique collaboration in watchmaking. A custom-made creation that embodies the vision of Jaquet Droz by bringing the extraordinary and the wonderful to life.

The name John Howe is not the most well-known, but most are familiar with his universe and designs: John Howe is the artistic designer for Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogies. A fantasy prodigy who has lived in Neuchâtel for 30 years, and who is once again in the spotlight with “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”, which will be released on September 2^nd.

Jaquet Droz and John Howe have much in common - the ability to create extraordinary worlds, to give life to wonderful things and emotions, to create animations that speak to the heart and soul - and this is what has brought them together. The ability to astonish, to amaze, to move.

Together, Jaquet Droz and John Howe worked as they have always done - with paper, pencil, and lots of ideas. The theme of their watchmaking collaboration soon became clear: the Dragon. It traverses John Howe’s universe as it does millennia, cultures and continents.

Jaquet Droz wanted this Dragon to be alive. And beyond that, with a total of 9 animations, it is probably one of the most complex modern automaton watches ever designed. The sequence that animates it is random, in order to preserve all its magic and mystery. The sacred animal’s spine undulates like its tail; its eye and jaw open and close; its tongue moves; its crest rises and falls; its claws grasp a continuously rotating stone.

In accordance with the new Jaquet Droz Vision 8.0, the manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds now only produce unique orders for clients who are themselves unique.

The 43 mm case is finished in the gold of your choice, and Jaquet Droz is already working on the opportunity of using other materials, such as sapphire. The case can either be engraved or left blank. The solid dial can be fully customized, engraved or replaced by a medallion in the stone of your choice. The Dragon, also made of gold and entirely engraved by hand, can have its scales more or less accentuated. It would be futile to list all the possibilities, as they are nearly limitless.

In addition, Jaquet Droz is currently finalizing a brand new phygital solution, installed right in the heart of its head quarter. Open and connected, it will allow clients to see their own Dragon Automatons being created. This immersive experience is a secret door to some of the richest Métiers d’Art in Fine Watchmaking. They are masterpieces of unique watches with very high added value, embodying the Philosophy of the Unique that has guided the disruptive spirit of Jaquet Droz since 1738.