After announcing their partnership with three timepiece styles earlier this year, Jacob & Co. and soccer legend Lionel Messi have collaborated again to create a one-of-a-kind timepiece for the Only Watch auction. Using the very successful Epic X Chronograph “Messi” as the foundation, Jacob & Co. has adorned the 47mm grade 5 Titanium case with 36 baguette-cut Blue Sapphires on the 18k white gold bezel, exclusively for Only Watch
In keeping with the blue theme of this year’s auction, the blue sapphires are matched with a blue mineral glass covering the skeletonized column wheel chronograph movement, white ceramic pushers, blue rubber horns and a red rubber crown. Messi’s famous number “10” is in red and his stylized logo appears at the six o’clock position of the dial. On the sapphire crystal and blue mineral crystal caseback is Messi’s signature, the Only Watch logo and the words Piece Unique. This Only Jacob and Co. X Lionel Messi Watch Auction lot features a priceless experience: the winning bidder will meet Lionel Messi in person, having the opportunity to take pictures with this football legend, having him sign some things and pose for an official portrait with Messi while both are wearing their Epic X Chronograph “Messi” watches.
“One of the reasons for the collaboration with Jacob and Co. X Lionel Messi was precisely to work on social projects,” says Messi. “Congratulations and thank you to Only Watch for giving us the opportunity to auction a watch from the Jacob & Messi limited edition collection to combat such a sad illness as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. And thanks in advance to the people who will bid on the watch—it will be a pleasure to meet the final buyer.”
Only Watch is an auction event that happens every two years, founded and organized by Luc Pettavino. 100% of the proceeds go to fund the search for therapeutic solutions for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a condition that afflicted Pettavino’s son Paul, who passed away in November 2016 at the age of 21.
Jacob & Co.’s partnership with Lionel Messi has been extraordinarily successful and using this high-profile platform to support and benefit such a worthy cause makes perfect sense. “When we approached Only Jacob and Co. X Lionel Messi Watch about participating, we knew that we had to do something spectacular,” says Jacob Arabo, founder of Jacob & Co. “Producing a piece unique watch that pairs horology and extraordinary gem-setting with an exclusive experience, getting the chance to meet one of modern football’s living legends, Lionel Messi, makes this Only Watch lot out of this world. I hope it will raise a great deal of money for the cause.”
