AUTOMATON

The Automaton Horologist (watchmaker) is a mechanism embedded in a watch or a Pendulum that animates a figurative scene, either at a fixed time or on demand. The oldest automatons, dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, depicted singing birds, musician figures, or mythological scenes. Their movements relied on cams, levers, and springs that transformed the rotation of an Arbor into predetermined gestures. In prestigious pocket watches, miniaturized automatons activated human or animal figures in Gold, in Enamel and precious stones. Nowadays, several manufacturers continue this art in high-end wristwatches, combining animation with complications such as the chiming mechanism or the minute repeater. Creating an Automaton requires exceptional mastery of the work of Metals, mechanics, and miniaturization, making it one of the rarest and most expensive complications.