A View To A Trill
Europe’s largest waterfall, Rhine Falls, animates the dial in a continuous cascade in this enchanting timepiece by Jaquet Droz. Surrounded by lush greenery, the Falls draws a cornucopia of flora and fauna, including bird species such as the black redstart, which lays beautiful robin blue eggs. With the Bird Repeater Fall of the Rhine, a snapshot of this picturesque scene has been immortalised, yet it’s far from motionless, thanks mostly to the pair of moving automata birds.
When the sliding lever is pulled and released, the entire dial brims with life – the pair of hand-sculpted redstarts feed their chicks, their feathers unfurl, an egg hatches, while the crystal waters of the Falls cascade prettily in the hand-painted white mother-of-pearl background.
As a minute repeater, the movement also chimes out the hours, quarters and minutes with rich, clear strikes. The striking mechanism can be admired through the sapphire crystal caseback. Bird Repeater Fall of the Rhine is the third Bird Repeater timepiece, after Geneva and Alpine View, to feature hand-engraving and miniature painting.
Only eight timepieces will be made, making it one of the most exclusive automata grande complications money can buy.
