Jeanrichard’s collection is based on four major families, Terrascope, Aquascope, Aeroscope and 1681, the latter named after the year in which Daniel Jeanrichard made his first watch and then set up his first workshop in Les Bressels, near La Chaux-de-Fonds. The brand has a lot of heritage, but today they are strongly connected to the contemporary world, with a selection of brand ambassadors in a wide range of fields. Chesley Sullenberger is the pilot who brought down a US Airways aircraft on the Hudson River four years ago, saving passengers’ lives. Nik Wallenda is a wire-walker. Jeanrichard is also linked to Arsenal F.C. in an agreement that will run until 2017. The latest ambassador is Luca Manfe, Italian chef who emigrated to New York in 2005 and won MasterChef Season 4 in the USA.

Jeanrichard’s watches are distinctive for their relatively accessible prices. The brand is part of the Kering Group, for which it provides the entry-level range of watches, with a lower price point than Girard-Perregaux. Another feature is their design, bold and modern, based on a cushion-shaped case. An example is the Terrascope Reference 60500-11-C01-11A, which is fairly large at 44 mm, 12.6 mm thick, with the automatic JR60 movement offering a power reserve of 38 hours. It provides the time functions, hour, minute and seconds, with a date window. Hands and hour indices are coated in luminescent material for visibility in the dark.

The bezel is brushed, contrasting with other areas of polished steel. It works well with the stainless steel bracelet, on which the top surfaces are brushed, while the sides and bevels of individual links are bright.

The JR60 movement is not made in-house: it is possibly an ETA movement modified by Jeanrichard. The caseback is in steel, with the brand logo engraved. The watch has a good water resistance, rated to 100 metres depth. Price €3,000.

New Jearichard brand ambassador Luca Manfe wearing a Terrascope