Category: Jacob & Co. Watches

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Jacob & Co Epic

Jacob & Co.’s unofficial mandate is to continually impress and surprise its core base of customers. Targeting members of the ultra elite, the people who tend to buy Jacob & Co. watches aren’t looking for sheer value or refined brand prestige. What the people who buy Jacob & Co. watches want is novelty and originality. Thus, as Mr. Jacob Arabo’s enduring mission is to satisfy his customers, his challenge is to keep things fresh, keep things interesting, and in many cases keep things complicated. Understanding a bit about the brand might help to explain where something like the Jacob & Co. Epic SF 24 watch came from. It isn’t really inspired by anything Jacob & Co. has in the past – which is actually a point of pride for the brand given that they are always trying to come up with something new. I don’t think we covered the Jacob & Co. Epic SF 24 on aBlogtoWatch when it first came out a few years ago. We did, however, cover the new-for-2016, even more high-end version called the Jacob & Co Epic SF 24 Flying Tourbillon. What’s that all about? Well, you guess it, it is the Jacob & Co. Epic SF 24 watch you see here, but with the inclusion of a large flying tourbillon on the dial. You also have the option to decorate it with a lot of diamonds – no surprises there, as these timepieces do bear the Jacob & Co. name on them. In titanium sans and precious stones, this is about as bare-bones as a Jacob & Co. “complicated” watch gets. What’s complicated about it? Well, the entire concept of the Jacob & Co. Epic SF 24 watch is simple, and that is to adapt the notion of a “split flat” (where the “SF” part of the name comes from) system as the world time indicator. The interesting world time indicator system of course needed to be integrated into an otherwise traditional watch, so here the designer sort of attached the cylindrical-shaped split flat system on the top part of the case. The marriage of a round case with the attached region for the world time indicator works, but it isn’t what anyone might refer to as the peak of elegance. There is a handsome functional sense to the logic in how the watch works, and its overall utility and legibility. It earns praise there, but I wouldn’t call the Jacob & Co. Epic SF 24 a conventionally attractive luxury watch. It is, however, remarkably comfortable. Put the Jacob & Co. Epic SF 24 on your wrist and you can hardly believe how comfortably it fits. I’ve actually experienced this with a number of Jacob & Co. watches – many of which seem to have totally weird cases. The brand does seem to put a lot of effort in to wearing comfort. It might not be a universal rule, but in the context of strange watch cases, more feel comfortable on the wrist from Jacob & Co. than I find is the case with odd watch cases from many other brands. At 45mm wide (water resistant to 30 meters), the Jacob & Co. Epic SF 24 case has a nice solid feel to it along with the customary low weight that comes from its titanium construction. Much of the case is also made from pieces of AR-coated sapphire crystal, as well as inset rubber along the sides of the case, in the crown, and for the world time indicator adjuster button. Most of the case is just 13.65mm thick, but the case has its maximum thickness of 16.7mm thick where the world time capsule is. Split flap information display systems are uniquely appropriate because they, like mechanical watches, are a vestige from before the electronic screen displays and were often found in places such as airports and train stations. A series of flaps rotate in a circle like an old Rolodex to indicate various information. This is adopted to a world time indicator where the flaps indicate a reference city as well as a time in 24-hour format to the right of the reference city. To set up the world time system, as with similar watches, the user needs to synchronize the watch to their local time, and then adjust properly. A push on the button to the left of the split flap system advances the reference time zone ahead one hour. I do hope Jacob & Co, designs the split flap world timer system to be very durable because who ever wears this watch is going to be constantly playing with this complication. Jacob & Co. does their best to ensure you can view as much of it as possible, even putting a small sapphire crystal on the cylinder so that you can see it operating from the side. Brands like Jacob & Co. are fully aware that the buyers of their products will enjoy them like toys, and want to see the operation of the mechanics with their own eyes. Yes, luxury watches are a type of toy. If the standard Jacob & Co. Epic SF 24 watch isn’t toy-like enough for you, you can opt for the Jacob & Co. Epic SF 24 Racing, that comes in titanium with various bright-colored trims such as green and red. The Racing models are mostly the same, but have different fonts for the world time cites, and the aforementioned color accents. Of course, the real luxury toys are the Jacob & Co. Epic SF 24 models with diamonds – sweet, sweet diamonds. Inside the watches is the exclusive Jacob & Co. caliber JCAA02 automatic movement. It offers the time with subsidiary seconds dial, and of course the world time complication. It’s not haute horology per se, but the movement is reasonably well-decorated and visible through the sapphire crystal caseback window. One small complaint is that on this same sapphire crystal Jacob & Co. prints a lot of graphics which consist of a “metalized” depiction of a globe with the Jacob & Co. logo over it. This doesn’t seem to offer much aesthetic value, and really only acts to inhibit a view of the movement. The movement, by the way, operates at 4Hz (28,800bph) and has a power reserve of 45 hours. Even if you aren’t emotionally compelled to like the Jacob & Co. Epic SF 24 as a concept, you have to admit that the system is well-designed and -executed. The split flat world time system was clearly not easy to engineer, and its resulting functionality and smoothness of operation is honestly quite impressive. You feel as though all efforts went into making the system as complete and ergonomic as possible. This is despite the fact that Jacob & Co. will never produce very many of these watches, as each version of the Jacob & Co. Epic SF 24 is part of a limited edition.

On the wrist, the uneven proportions of the Jacob & Co. Epic SF 24 make it appear a bit better while worn with long sleeves. The case shape is so unorthodox, that not everyone call pull off the look to begin with, and wearing it with sleeves will allow you to wear the watch with some… context. Even though it is an avant-garde watch, for sure, the Jacob & Co. Epic SF 24 isn’t difficult to live with given its comfort and ease of use. Even the dial has a helpful amount of luminant for night viewing. I will, however, say that the inner skeletonized parts of the hour and minute hands are not particularly beneficial when it comes to overall legibility. With that said, given the design and concept of the Jacob & Co. Epic SF 24, reading the dial for the time isn’t at all too bad. When I first learned about the Jacob & Co. Epic SF 24 watch a few years ago I approached it with tacit respect but caution, since it was clearly on the weird side even for me. Moreover, with a starting price of over $60,000, this is the type of watch that demands serious consideration for potential customers. After spending time with the Jacob & Co. Epic SF 24, I’ve learned that it very competently accomplishes the admittedly specific task that Jacob & Co. assigned to it. I respect the success of the concept as well as its outcome, even if this remains a niche timepiece both in fact and appeal. With that said, I fully anticipate that this is one of those watches that in the future will be collectible given the simple fact that I cannot anticipate anyone (ever) trying to replicate Jacob & Co.’s efforts to create a split flap-style indication system for a complication like this.

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Jacob & Co Fleurs de Jardin

In today’s trying times, we need rainbows more than ever. Long seen as a sign of hope, a symbol that bad times are over, rainbows have been a theme in jewelry for many years.

Now, Jacob & Co. introduces a rainbow version of its ground-breaking Fleurs de Jardin. Designed to recreate a beautiful garden of flowers on your wrist, framed by sparkling rainbows, this amazing timepiece is powered by a delicate butterfly tourbillon movement. The tourbillon, time display and upper level multicolored sapphire flowers all turn around the dial clockwise, while the mother-of-pearl base set with rainbow sapphire flowers below turns counter-clockwise. The 18K rose gold case features a bezel and inner ring set with rainbow sapphires, and sitting atop the movement is a 288-facet Jacob-cut grass-green tsavorite.
Underlying all this beauty lies the legendary timepiece workmanship for which Jacob & Co. is famous, including the vertical Astronomia double-axis flying tourbillon movement, which makes a full clockwise revolution in 10 minutes around the central axis, with the patented Differential Gears System that allows the time display to maintain the 12/6 o’clock position regardless of where it is in the rotation. In addition, the flying tourbillon cage rotates on itself once every 60 seconds.

According to legend, treasure is found at the end of the rainbow, but with the new Fleurs de Jardin Rainbow from Jacob & Co., you need look no further than your wrist.
The Fleurs de Jardin is comprised of elements above and on the base dial which turn both clockwise and counterclockwise. Above the dial is the flying tourbillon, the time display and a frame holding three gemstone flowers, which turns clockwise in ten minutes. An additional gemstone flower turns counterclockwise while going around the dial in ten minutes as well.

The time display uses a patented Differential Gears System that allows the 12/6 o’clock to remain in the correct position regardless of where it is in the rotation.

On the base dial, the mother-of-pearl (or diamond-set in some versions) middle section set with gemstone flowers, turns counter-clockwise in ten minutes, while the inner gem-set ring turns clockwise in ten minutes.

This constant motion is mesmerizing and ensures that your watch will never look the same throughout the day.
Jacob & Co. is one of the few brands that has the legitimacy to create high and fine jewelry, as well as high-end watches.

The diamond and gemstones industry is a closed society, and it is really a relationship business. Sourcing the very best diamonds and gemstones depends on reputation and personal connections, and thankfully Jacob & Co. has solid, decades-long relationships.

As a result, Jacob & Co. has access to the very best sources of diamonds and gemstones from all over the world. Many of the gem-set timepieces, like the Fleurs de Jardin, require meticulous care in the choosing of stones for quality, cut, clarity, and matching color. This can take many months or years, depending on the exact colors needed.

Jacob & Co. is also an expert in the setting of these stones, working with the very best gem setters in the industry. In fact, Jacob & Co. has even pioneered its own proprietary cut, the 288-facet Jacob-cut – the Fleurs de Jardin features a Jacob-cut gemstone in the very center of the timepiece. The Fleurs de Jardin is housed a very wearable and comfortable 42.5mm 18K gold case. Anti-reflective sapphire crystals cover the front, back and sides of the watch, while gemstones adorn the bezel and the inner case ring. The hour and minute dial of the Fleurs de Jardin is made of rose gold PVD titanium and mother-of-pearl, with Roman numeral hours. As this dial is constantly turning, the time display always stays in the correct 12/6 position thanks to an ingenious patented differential system. The hands indicating the time are rose gold-plated.

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Jacob & Co Opera Godfather Musical Watch

The Jacob & Co Opera Godfather Musical Watch combines the world of ultra-high-end watchmaking with the breathtaking complexity of a mechanical musical box, playing the stirring theme music of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather. The Opera Godfather is powered by its exclusive, 658-component JCFM04 movement, a caliber of absolutely peerless construction and an unmatched capacity to amaze and entertain.

Created in official partnership with Paramount Pictures, the production and distribution company of The Godfather, the Opera Godfather utilizes its bespoke complication of two rotating cylinders with a total of 36 teeth turning against two combs to play a melody of 120 notes of The Godfather theme music.

It isn’t all just about the music: the Opera Godfather relies on a spectacular triple-axis gravitational tourbillon to ensure accurate timekeeping, and to represent Jacob & Co’s cutting-edge watchmaking expertise. A combination of steel, brass, platinum and titanium components in the JCFM04 caliber, as well as their hand-finished decorations, connect the artistic and technical sides of the Jacob & Co Opera Godfather Musical Watch .
This is the first time Paramount has partnered with a watch company in this way and it was a challenge to secure the rights. Once the deal was done, however, Paramount agreed to license the music and the Godfather logo. The brand is now in negotiations with Paramount Pictures for other iconic movie scores for future projects.
Whereas the tourbillon was originally invented to be a single-axis, rotating cage to carry the regulating organ of a mechanical pocket watch for improved timekeeping performance, the Opera Godfather brings this 224-year-old invention to the levels of refinement and complexity that its musical box complication and dial assembly represent.

Composed of a total of 104 components that altogether weigh just 1.15 grams, the triple-axis tourbillon of the Opera Godfather is at the forefront of modern watchmaking. With an average component weight of just 0.011 grams (0.00039 ounces), it is a spectacular constellation of individually barely visible parts that, when assembled and fine-tuned expertly, fulfill the primary duty of a precious timepiece: that of accurate timekeeping.

The triple-axis tourbillon’s delicately detailed assembly rotates on three axes simultaneously: a full rotation on the 1st axis takes 24 seconds, on the 2nd axis 8 seconds, and on the third axis 30 seconds to complete. This makes for a bold new look at how tourbillons can function, when engineered with cutting-edge, ultra-modern technologies and timeless horological heritage in mind.
Chiming mechanisms represent some of the most complicated and challenging in haute horlogerie. The Opera Godfather brings the rarest type of audible complications to front: that of a musical box, engineered into the strict constraints of a wristwatch and designed to play the iconic theme music of The Godfather, recreated into this purely mechanical format in official partnership with Paramount Pictures.

A single press on the pusher situated at the 10 o’clock position of the case – crafted from 18K Rose Gold or Grade 5 Titanium – initiates the chiming mechanism and sets over 600 components into motion. A pair of uniquely crafted cylinders begin to rotate at a finely calculated tempo, brushing their 36 teeth against a pair of combs to evoke a total of 120 notes of the original movie theme.

In unison with the approximately 30-second operation of the chiming function, the entire movement and dial assembly of the Jacob & Co Opera Godfather Musical Watch performs a rotation of 120°, a singular feat that serves as a testament to the powerful engineering that lives inside the JCFM04 caliber. Integrated as part of the music box, the keys of the 18K gold, black lacquered piano contact the pins of the cylinder, producing the music. Because of this, the keys of the piano seem to be moving while the music is playing. Sitting in the very center of the Opera Godfather musical watch is a miniature, hand-engraved and hand-painted figurine of the Godfather himself, listening to the chiming complication and keeping his eyes on the spectacular triple-axis tourbillon. Winding the watch is simple. All you do is unfold the 18K violin-shaped crank and turn it. When finished, refold and return to its place on the side of the watch.
The case, case back and lug structure of the Jacob & Co Opera Godfather Musical Watch is crafted from either 18K Rose Gold or Black DLC Grade 5 Titanium. Its front crystal is uniquely domed so as to reveal the entire construction and every detail of the Opera Godfather’s incredible complications. The side of the case is made up of blocks of transparent sapphire crystal as well, to allow for fascinating new viewing angles to appreciate the functioning of JCFM04 caliber. On the case is the 18K gold winding crank, in the shape of a violin, replacing the traditional crown. This crank charges the power reserve for the movement and for the music box function. The setting is accomplished via a lift-out bow on the case back. Time is displayed on a matte black sub-dial with a linear design executed in highly polished gold. Hours and minutes are indicated by a set of blue finished hands. Thanks to ingenious engineering solutions and a patented differential system working silently inside the JCFM04 caliber, the time display sub-dial always remains in the correct 12/6 orientation while the entire platform of the Opera Godfather rotates during the operation of the musical box complication.

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Jacob & Co Epic X Chrono Luis Figo Limited Edition

In 2018, Jacob & Co. announced a collaboration with football legend Luis Figo. The result is a limited-edition collection with three versions of the bold Jacob & Co Epic X Chrono Luis Figo Limited Edition: 18K rose gold, black DLC titanium and titanium. The case back of the Luis Figo limited edition pieces are engraved with his name, while the dial’s inner rotating bezel features his jersey number – 10.

“As one of the most celebrated names in football, Luis Figo demonstrates the highest level of mastery in his sport,” says Jacob Arabo, founder, Jacob & Co. “It’s been a pleasure working with him to create a timepiece that speaks to the sophistication, style and technical skill that is synonymous with his name.”
The collaboration between Jacob & Co. and Luis Figo, the football legend, is the result of friendship, mutual respect, and a shared passion for both watches and sport. A midfielder renowned for his creativity and ability to get past defenders, Figo is regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation. After his retirement in 2009, Figo has been involved in charity missions through his Luis Figo Foundation. He is also Director and Global Ambassador of Dream Football, an internet-based talent detection and grassroots football program and owner of the Figo Football Academy in China. Figo has also been appointed as a football advisor to UEFA.
Taking the striking Epic X design several steps further, Jacob & Co. has created the Jacob & Co Epic X Chrono Luis Figo Limited Edition, a 47mm sporty watch that is sporty, striking and supremely attractive.

Featuring a semi-skeletonized movement, visible through the colored mineral crystal dial, the Epic X Chrono features a high-end column-wheel chronograph movement with a bi-compax design.

Available in a variety of materials and colors, the Jacob & Co Epic X Chrono Luis Figo Limited Editionis Jacob & Co.’s sportiest watch.
Chronographs are one of the most popular complications in watchmaking and are used in timepieces for both men and women. There is something about the chronograph that captures people’s imagination and, as such, this complication is certainly in high demand.

Using a chronograph is easy and fun, and very functional. The chronograph is something you can use to measure the time, not just to read the time. Due to this, you have an interaction with the watch which changes your relationship with your timepiece. By using the chronograph, you cannot control the time, but you are heading in that direction.

Chronographs are very popular because they offer a very accessible complication with a very attractive layout.

The Epic X Chrono is purpose-built, so it has a technical, sporty style with the chronograph pushers on the side of the case, the push-in crown for the internal rotating bezel, the balanced bi-compax dial, and the view into the movement through the mineral crystal dial.
The Swiss Made column-wheel chronograph movement is considered the top of the line, as it is sophisticated and very reliable. The automatic movement of the Epic X Chrono is semi-skeletonized, showing off its technical nature via the mineral crystal dial covering it.

Controlled by two pushers (start/stop and reset), the seconds are counted by the central chronograph hand and the minutes are clocked by the right-hand subdial.
The 47mm case of the Epic X Chrono has a bold design, creating an “X” shape with the prominent lugs and then running through the case and the architectural structures within the movement.

The case features an anti-reflective sapphire crystal, a ceramic bezel and rubber pushers, a screw-down crown and an inner rotating bezel, controlled by the push-down crown at 10 o’clock.

Water resistant to 200 meters, the Epic X Chrono is a true sports watch that makes a strong statement and is designed to take anything and everything you can throw at it.
The tinted mineral crystal dial of the Epic X Chrono reveals the dial side of the beautifully constructed JCAA05 self-winding chronograph caliber. In the top left portion of the dial, the balance wheel is revealed, while at the 6 o’clock position the openworked mainspring barrel and its fully wound mainspring can be seen, keeping the Epic X Chrono powered up and running on time. “Jacob & Co Genève” marks the dark tinted, partially transparent crystal dial of the Epic X Chrono, flanked by the beautifully crafted X-shaped dial elements, exclusive to the Epic X collection.

Skeletonized hands with Super-LumiNova luminescent tips indicate the time in tandem with a rotating inner timing bezel on the Epic X Chrono, adjusted via the crown at the 10 o’clock position. Fascinating engineering solutions and true dedication to the highest standards of functionality and wearing comfort are reflected in these smallest of details.
Semi-skeletonized automatic column-wheel chronograph movement.

Detailed high-end finishing throughout the movement.

Anti-reflective sapphire crystal on front and back, so the high-watchmaking movement is completely on display.

Bold, X-shaped 47mm case.

Unique perforated rubber band.

Bi-compax chronograph layout.

Unique internal rotating bezel.

Luis Figo’s #10 in red on the inner rotating bezel and his signature on the case back.

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Jacob & Co Opera Scarface

For the Scarface Opera Jacob & Co. has partnered with NBC/Universal to use the film’s iconic theme music. This is the first time Paramount has partnered with a watch company in this way and it was a challenge to secure the rights. Once the deal was done, however, Paramount agreed to license the music, The Scarface logo and the brand is now in negotiations for other iconic movie scores for future projects.
Just a press of the pusher at 10 o’clock and the 120-note music box plays this memorable music, while the entire dial rotates 120 degrees under the domed, anti-reflective sapphire crystal. The time display always stays in the correct 12/6 position thanks to an ingenious, and patented, differential system.

Also on the dial is an 18K gold, black-lacquered piano, whose keys move while the “Bolivia” music plays, and, prominently displayed on the dial in 18K gold, is the Scarface logo name plate.

Sitting in the middle of the movement is the 18K rose gold “The World is Yours” globe, taken straight from the entrance hall of Tony Montana’s Miami mansion.
Powering this timepiece is Jacob & Co Opera Scarface signature triple-axis tourbillon movement, wound by the 18K rose gold violin-shaped crank on the side of the watch. Comprised of 658 individual parts, the movement is ultra-complex, with a tourbillon that turns in 24 seconds on one axis, eight seconds on the second axis, and 72 seconds on the third. The power reserve for the movement and the music box function are separate — the watch has a power reserve of 42 hours, while the music can be played three times before you have to wind it again.
Two-comb, two-cylinder music box playing “Bolivia” from Scarface.

When the music plays, the entire dial turns 120 degrees.

Partnership with Universal Pictures.

Triple-axis, high speed tourbillon movement.

The keys of the 18K rose gold black lacquered piano move while the music plays.

18K Rose Gold “The World is Yours” globe in the center of the timepiece.

Instantly recognizable Scarface poster image on the dial.

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Jacob & Co Astronomia Replica

Jacob & Co Astronomia Replica was a brand predominantly known for its high jewellery and jewellery watches. This was the prevailing notion until Baselworld 2014, when the company launched the Astronomia Tourbillon timepiece. While the Astronomia Tourbillon wasn’t Jacob & Co.’s first complicated watch, it certainly was – at the time – the brand’s most spectacular, design-wise. It took the world by storm with its exhibitionist nature and complex, original movement. Since then, dozens of creative variations have been introduced – each more bombastic than before – and the watch continues to be a talking point in every watch show that it has appeared in. In this year’s Baselworld, yet another addition to the burgeoning Astronomia family was presented, and this one is perhaps the most inventive one yet. Here, we bring you the details and our thoughts on the roulette-themed Astronomia Casino.
The Jacob & Co Astronomia Replica Casino comes in the standard Astronomia case, which is reminiscent of an aquarium. Of note is how the case band is a continuous piece of sapphire crystal and how the lugs are skeletonised to enable this design. Naturally, with a movement and displays so stunning, you’d want maximum visibility of what’s within the case. And what’s within the case is massive by watchmaking standards. So much so that the rose gold case is crafted to be 47 mm in diameter and 27.9 mm (no, that’s not a typo) in height. At these measurements, the Astronomia Casino is clearly not meant – or able – to be hidden under a sleeve. And wearing the watch demands heightened caution lest it be caught by a ledge at full force. The only thing that really saves the watch from being completely unwieldy on the wrist is it’s sharply down-turned, short lugs. What we’ve always liked about the Astronomia case is its lack of a crown, which would have knocked the balance of the watch off-kilter. Instead, the winding and setting of the Astronomia is done via two keys on the solid case back.
But as impressive as the case is, what’s inside it is even more mind-blowing. Full credit goes to the designer(s) of the Astronomia Casino for noticing how the four-armed movement of the Astronomia fits the roulette wheel theme. A gorgeously crafted spoked turret in rose gold is placed onto the centre of the movement which, by itself, already looks like a turret with a four pronged spoke. As such, the centrepiece does become somewhat redundant. In fact, doing without it would’ve noticeably reduced the height of the watch significantly.
The Astronomia Casino’s roulette wheel, rendered in a spectacular array of green, red, and black enamel with mahogany inlays, is set in motion by a button at 8 o’clock (which also winds the movement).
On each of the four arms of the movement are the signature Astronomia displays: a 1 carat, 288-facet diamond, a magnesium lacquered globe, an hours and minutes sub-dial, and of course, the bi-axial flying tourbillon. Underneath the arms is the roulette wheel complication. Also crafted in rose gold, the roulette wheel can be spun at the press of the pusher located at 8 o’clock on the case. The ceramic ball will then be sent frolicking before eventually landing into one of numerous coloured and numbered pockets. These pockets are rendered in green, black or red enamel.
Driving the Jacob & Co Astronomia Replica Casino is the in-house manufactured, manually wound Calibre JCAM29A. The 395-part, 42-jewel movement measures 41.40 mm in diameter and 20.50 mm in thickness. It boasts a respectable 60 hours of power reserve in spite of a power hungry movement, and operates at a stately 3 Hz beat rate. The Astronomia Casino has a solid case back, so the movement can’t be seen through it. Fortunately, most of the calibre can be seen through the front, and evidently, it is gorgeously finished. The plates, bridges, and tourbillon cage are adorned with polished bevels, the wheels feature circular graining, and the screws are polished along with a host of other decorative techniques applied on parts seen or unseen.
Now, while the concept of the Astronomia timepiece is extremely distinct, the watch isn’t the only one with an “out-of-this-world” design and execution. Take for instance, the avant-garde Ulysse Nardin Freak Vision. While the Freak Vision isn’t nearly as flashy as the Astronomia Casino, it is jam-packed with industry-leading innovations. Time on the Freak Vision is still indicated the Freak way, that is by the baguette movement itself, a “flying carrousel” rotating around its own axis. What’s new is its super-light silicium balance wheel with nickel mass elements and stabilizing micro-blades, and the Grinder automatic winding system, which completely revolutionizes energy transmission, surpassing existing systems for efficiency by a factor of two. The Freak Vision is priced at CHF95,000, which is a lot of money but is also a fair price for a watch that is on the cutting edge of mechanical watchmaking technology. It is also costs six times less than the Astronomia Casino, making it perfect for the value-hunting connoisseur who doesn’t necessarily want all the attention but craves an unorthodox, ultra-modern timepiece.
For the collector that wants something less modest than the Freak and with pragmatic complications, the Greubel Forsey GMT Earth is in line for prime consideration. There is so much going on for it that we have to defer you to our original article on it here. But to summarise, apart from the time, the watch has a power reserve, GMT and world time function. It also features a 24-second tourbillon that is inclined at a 25 degree angle. All that said, our favourite part of the GMT Earth remains the three-dimensional titanium globe, which makes a full rotation once a day. Its beauty can be fully admired thanks to the shaped sapphire crystal window on the side, bezel, and case back. Greubel Forsey timepieces effectively sit on top of the food chain when it comes to finissage, and this holds true for the GMT Earth as well. Of the three timepieces featured here, the GMT Earth has the highest level of finishing. Limited to only 33 pieces, it is priced virtually identically to the Jacob & Co Astronomia Replica Casino, at CHF610,000.
Ever wished you could own a fully operational, miniature roulette wheel that doubles as a timepiece? Well, now you can with the Astronomia Casino. The watch, with its crazy aesthetics, design, and size, is sure to attract detractors. But one thing that nobody can take away from the Astronomia Casino is the fact that it is a thoroughly fun watch. That, and the level of craftsmanship poured into making the watch a reality.

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Jacob & Co Opera Godfather

There are two things that we often don’t think of them as being tied together, that’s music and time. However, when you think of it, music and time are intertwined. They remind us of each other; when you think of a memorable piece of music, your mind always goes back to a certain period when that tune was most popular or was composed. It’s with that in mind that Jacob & Co. created the Jacob & Co Opera Godfather Edition. In this watch, they have united two traditional Swedish crafts, that of time, which we are all conversant with, and that of music, which few people associate with Swedish people. One thing that you isn’t debatable is that its design truly unique. It’s been designed to be a wearable music box and at the same time, a timepiece. That’s not an easy thing to depict, which makes this watch worth having.

You will easily be captivated and even surprised with its musical mechanism as well as the triple-axis tourbillion when you see it in action. When you look at it, you will realize that there is a lot happening, and the fact that they have been combined together to make this watch work as it does is a technically impressive achievement. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, now if you get to see its video, you will agree that a million words aren’t enough to express the design in its full glory. The design defies traditional labels by going for a Jacob & Co Opera Godfather theme, and still featuring a tiny Don Vito Corleone that’s centrally placed.
The design is takes advantage of the miniaturization principle to put a music box in a wristwatch, where both are driven by one barrel. The melody pace is set by a regulating flywheel, which also controls complication’s speed. The melody plays from two cylinders with steel combs and pins, which generate musical sounds when the cylinders are driven by gears. To play the melody, hand-set pins from the two cylinders sweep over 30 blades, (each comb has15 blades). To achieve a greater accuracy, they manually inserted each of the 100 pins by hand.
The blades are able to produce the right melody because they have been fabricated to different lengths and strengths, which make them vibrate at different rates. As the music starts to play, the entire mechanical module which includes the tourbillin and the musical mechanism, the minute off-centered indication, and the hour hand, rotate through an angle of 120 degrees around the dial, in a period of 20 seconds.

The caliber JCFM02 has over 664 parts that have been fitted within a diameter of just 43 mm. It’s hand-wound and regulated by the triple-axis tourbillon. To counter the negative effects of gravity, a ballet of concentric cages are used to allow for a multi-dimensional rotation. The first axis takes 40-second rotation, and then the second one takes 3 minutes of rotation, while the third one takes 8 minutes of ration. The complexity of this design becomes evident when you consider the fact that it’s made of 97 part and only weighs 1.7 grams. This watch has a variable inertia-balance runs 21,600 oscillations per hour, while the power reserve that powers the watch has a 72-hour capacity.
When it comes to its finishing, the extent of the artistic mastery involved in its creation is evident. The centrally placed “Jacob & Co Opera Godfather” is engraved and painted by hand. The same applies to the gold music score; it’s also lacquered and engraved by hand, while the cylinders are gold-plated. The screw heads are mirror-polished, while the bridges and plate are shot-blasted, then PVD coated. The dial has a pair of blue hands, and its surface is embroidered with gold appliqués to make it stand out.
The movement is housed in a 47 mm case that’s fabricated from pink gold and DLC titanium. They have used a sapphire crystal that’s highly domed, which is a technical feat considering it consists of one part, and yet they have also managed to give it a clear cut angles. The highly domed shape allows you to view the complex movement from any angle without any impediment. The Jacob & Co. Opera is worn using an alligator strap, which is fastened with a folding clasp. To activate the melody, you just have to use a pusher located at 2 O’clock. The caliber JCFM02 is set and wound using two foldout crowns located at the back of the watch. It’s priced at $319.30, and although it isn’t the first musical watch, its design clearly stands out from the rest.

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Jacob & Co Twin Turbo Furious Bugatti Sapphire Crystal

The Jacob & Co Twin Turbo Furious Bugatti Sapphire Crystal timepiece is dedicated to the high-performance car manufacturer.

When it comes to a luxury partnership, Bugatti x Jacob & Co. continues to lead the way with its collection of highly exclusive timepieces. While we have seen renditions of the Twin-Turbo Furious Bugatti model sporting various precious metals and colors, the duo is back to unveil a new first for the collection. Jacob & Co. is proud to release the all-new Jacob & Co Twin Turbo Furious Bugatti Sapphire Crystal Blue Inner Ring, featuring the brand’s first-ever minute repeater complication. While the 57mm case is crafted from sapphire crystal, the inner ring incorporates Bugatti’s iconic blue paint code featured on some of the brand’s fastest hypercars on the market. The newest release from Jacob & Co. displays the complex construction of the intricate Twin Triple-Axis Tourbillon, which is presented in rose gold. The in-house JCFM05 manual-winding movement provides an impressive 50-hour power reserve and holds a water resistance of 30-meters. Tying in the traditional Bugatti blue, Jacob & Co. completes the Twin-Turbo Furious Bugatti Sapphire with a color-matching leather strap and 18k white gold buckle. The new piece unique Jacob & Co. Twin- Jacob & Co Twin Turbo Furious Bugatti Sapphire Crystal Blue Inner Ring highlights the design, technology, and performance similarities between the timepiece and automotive industries.
Jacob & Co. has released its first trio of minute repeaters in a sapphire crystal case. The three timepieces are a part of the watch company’s Twin Turbo Furious collection which not only features a fully transparent sapphire crystal case but a decimal minute repeater. The combination makes it a first in the world of luxury watches.

The collection includes the “Bugatti Blue” wrist piece, which celebrates Jacob & Co’s partnership with the high-performance car manufacturer. With each of the watches heavily inspired by the elegance and sophistication of hypercars, each colorway is only limited to six pieces. The completely see-through casing provides watch lovers an immediate view of the complex machinery behind the Twin Turbo Furious. Those with a keen eye will able to witness the manual winding JCFM05 movement that features a 50-hours power reserve. The decimal minute repeater, two high-speed tourbillons, and mono-pusher chronograph are additional aspects that make the watch even more exclusive.

The only part of the watch that is not constructed out of sapphire crystal is the 18k white gold crank that sits at 3 o’clock. Being that this is the first watch to ever incorporate a minute repeater inside a sapphire crystal case, the complexities of the watch are heightened. Watch lovers can choose between the “Bugatti Blue” Neoralithe chapter ring or the other two colors which come in bright red or green.

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JACOB & CO. ASTRONOMIA SKY CELESTIAL PANORAMA GRAVITATIONAL TRIPLE AXIS TOURBILLON

“As a sailor heading toward the seas driven by the celestial vault, I found my star: the Astronomia Sky,” says Jacob Arabo, founder of Jacob & Co. Just like mankind fascinated since the dawn of time by the observation of the night sky, JACOB & CO. ASTRONOMIA drew its inspiration from the astronomical town clocks, which are true technical and aesthetic masterpieces.
In 2014, JACOB & CO. ASTRONOMIA had already stunned the watch industry with the launch of the Astronomia Gravitational Triple Axis Tourbillon. This year, it takes the challenge even further with the Astronomia Sky by adding a never-before-seen complication: a sidereal display in three dimensions combined with an oval sky indicator and a 24-hour day and night display. To understand the complexity of this feat, each innovation will be examined individually.
Covering the internal surface of the Astronomia’s case, the celestial dial accomplishes a full rotation in one sidereal year –which is the actual time it takes the earth to make one full rotation around the sun in relation to the xed stars. The blued grade 5 titanium dial features 18K gold stars as well as applied and hand-engraved and zodiac signs.
Above this celestial dial is the Oval Sky Indicator, which shows the portion of the stars visible from the Northern Hemisphere. This indicator makes one full rotation in one sidereal day. A sidereal day is how long it takes for the earth to rotate once on its axis: 23.5640916 hours.
In the center of the satellite axis, a lacquered hand-engraved titanium globe rotates on itself inside a tinted half- domed sapphire, symbolizing night and day.
Rotating around the watch are the four satellite arms, which rotate around the dial every 20 minutes, so when you look at the watch, it will never appear exactly the same.

On one of the satellites is the amazing triple axis gravitational tourbillon, which rotates on one axis in 60 seconds, on the second axis every ve minutes and around the dial every 20 minutes.

On another satellite is the time (hours and minutes) subdial. Thanks to a clever di erential gear system, the time display is always in the correct position while it rotates around the dial, in other words, the 12 is always up.

On the third satellite is the Orbital Second Hand, an open-worked titanium wheel that rotates in 60 seconds with a second hand, and it also rotates around the dial every 20 minutes.

On the fourth and nal satellite is the patented “Jacob Cut” red moon, a spherical orange sapphire with 288 facets. This sapphire, the rst of its kind in the modern jewelry industry, rotates on its axis every 60 seconds and turns around the dial every 20 minutes.
Jacob & Co. found a simple solution to the setting of this complicated timepiece. The JACOB & CO. ASTRONOMIA Sky has two bows and two wheels on the back of the watch, making setting easy. One bow is for setting the time and the day/ night indicator (both based on 24-hour solar time), while the other bow is for winding the mechanical movement. One of the wheels is to set the sidereal time, and the other wheel is used to set the oval sky indicator.

Jacob & Co., known for its unique and captivating complications, has done it again with the Astronomia Sky.

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Jacob & Co. Astronomia Clarity

Surprise or not, the Astronomia watch collection has been a big hit for Jacob & Co., whose prime ambitions as a watch maker are to wow and tantalize luxury consumers who think they have seen it all. There are currently six versions of the “spacey” Astronomia watch on the Jacob & Co. website, with a few versions that are “unlisted,” as well as some new ones coming up soon at Baselworld 2017. For now, I’d like to return to Baselworld 2016 when I got to play with these two Astronomia watches which are the Jacob & Co. Astronomia Black and the Jacob & Co. Astronomia Clarity Baguette. As practical as I am, I have to admit that playing with $500,000-plus watches rarely gets old, especially when Mr. Jacob Arabo has anything to do with them. I liked these new Jacob & Co. Astronomia Tourbillon watches so much we included them in our round-up of top 10 existing watch updates at Baselworld 2016.
Baselworld 2016 saw no fewer than three new Jacob & Co. Astronomia watches. We last went hands-on with the Jacob & Co. Astronomia Sky, which debuted a smaller case and more complications for a cool $680,000. The “most affordable” of the then new Astronomia watches was actually the Astronomia Black, which offers a darker, space-like look in a black DLC-coated 18ct white gold case. It still costs more than half a million dollars.
What Mr. Jacob the Jeweler implicitly understands is the art of showmanship in luxury watch presentation. He knows that if you want something conservative you’ll get an item along the lines of a Patek Phillipe or A. Lange & Sohne. He isn’t trying (at all) to compete with brands like that. He is tailoring products to people who seek to be open-minded and fresh in the way they enjoy their love of ambitious mechanical creations. Accordingly, Jacob & Co. makes watches and jewelry for clients who like to promote their taste, status, and aesthetic confidence in a more brazen visual manner. It would be wrong to judge this as either good or bad, as it is merely a matter of taste.
As someone who can’t afford such luxury toys, I don’t know what I would do as a consumer. As a watch critic, however, I applaud the novelty of concept and execution of technique that you find in something like the Jacob & Co. Astronomia watch collection. Lovingly crafted and conceived, there are fewer contemporary watches with as much of a mixture of boldness and elegance as the Astronomia Tourbillon.
The concept of the movement is not per se to be an authentic astronomical complication – meaning that despite the appearance of showcasing the heavenly bodies, the design of the mechanism isn’t meant to really track the actual motion of various planetary bodies and their relationship to one other. There are other watches for that (like, say, this Geo.Graham Orrery Tourbillon Astronomical watch), and for those who have one – may you have a good assistant helping you when the need comes to adjust the planetarium complication should the movement not be wound for a few days.
The Jacob & Co. Astronomia Black and Astronomia Clarity – which are both featured in this article – have similar but slightly different movements, but they each do the exact same thing. The Jacob & Co. Astronomia Black has a caliber JCAM10 movement while the Clarity has a caliber JCAM12. These are manually wound movements made from 365 pieces operating at 3Hz with a power reserve of 60 hours. The movement is adjusted and wound via a fold-out crown on the rear of the case.
Most of the movement is made from titanium which is given a range of finishes. The movement branches out into four arms which are set on an axis point and move around the dial continuously making one full revolution each 20 minutes. On the arms are a dial for the hours and minutes (which always remains upright so that you can easily read the time), across from which is a multi-axis tourbillon-based regulation system, and then a small but wonderfully rendered representation of the Earth (which rotates each 24 hours) that sits opposite a 288 facet “Jacob Cut” spherical diamond which spins fully once each minute. I like to refer to this latter element as the “Jacob & Co. disco ball.”
The entire movement is all about visual splendor and animated movement. What is so interesting about the Jacob & Co. Astronomia watches is that they are equally interesting and tantalizing to a toddler as they are a seasoned horologer. It is a timepiece and movement that delights on multiple levels. Just pray you don’t drop it on the floor if you are the owner of one.
One of Jacob Arabo’s dreams has been to produce a version of the Astronomia with a full sapphire crystal case. Right now, most of the Jacob & Co. Astronomia Tourbillon’s 50mm-wide case is sapphire crystal, with the rest being various alloys of gold. For 2017, Jacob & Co. succeeded in producing a full sapphire crystal version of the Astronomia in all sapphire crystal. I’ve seen it, but have not yet taken pictures. Even with a skeleton case in gold, the structure is produced with a series of sapphire crystal windows in addition to the large domed top. The Jacob & Co. Astronomia Clarity adds an additional piece of sapphire crystal as the caseback and is the second clearest Astronomia model around.
This particular version of the Jacob & Co. Astronomia Clarity is the Clarity Baguette, which has 80 baguette-cut diamonds set into the lugs. That is a nice addition of about 6.1 carats of stones, but there are non-diamond-decorated versions of the Jacob & Co. Astronomia Clarity for about $240,000 less in price for the more frugal shoppers.
It would be entirely logical to imagine that these 25.45mm-thick watches would be uncomfortable to wear. There is no getting around the 50mm-wide case that is half as thick, but it would be inaccurate to call them uncomfortable. For all their avant-garde qualities, I find that the majority of even the strangest Jacob & Co. watches are designed to be quite comfortable on the wrist, wrapping around your wrist ergonomically and offering a secure fit with the strap. Thanks to a healthy slathering of AR-coating on both sides of the sapphire crystal, there is a decently clear and non-glared view of the sights to be seen within the bubble-style case. This would make a hell of a diving watch if Mr. Arabo ever set his mind to it… For now, the Jacob & Co. Astronomia Tourbillon is only water resistant to 30 meters.
When the occasion calls for extravagance and you have no qualms about showing off, then something like the Jacob & Co. Astronomia Tourbillon really fits the bill. In essence, this is represents places and events where the ultra-wealthy congregate – unafraid to show off their toys or of being criticized for lavish decadence. At the very least, if you find yourself in instances such as those, and happen to be someone who appreciates vividly enthusiastic mechanical wrist-art, the Jacob & Co. Astronomia is a thoroughly enjoyable selection.