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For the first day of 2017, I want to present one of the most spectacular watches I ever saw – the Astronomia Tourbillon from Jacob & Co. In front of this watch I am speechless, please see the presentation video and I will give the information later.
Before I start with the information about this stellar beast I want to ask you, if you have the possibility, to go and meet this watch. You will never regret it.
The first version presented has the 18K rose gold case with 50mm diameter and 25mm thickness, with sapphire apertures on the sides for a complete visibility. The caseback has the winding and time-setting via two 18K rose gold lift-out rotating “bows”.
The sky layer is made from pure Aventurine and 18K rose gold. The top crystal is a special domed anti-reflective treated sapphire.
Visible on the front are: the hours and minutes dial which is rotating in 20 min on the central
axis together with a Moon formed by a faceted spherical diamond (1 carat stone with 288 facets cut – exclusive Jacob & Co. patent) rotating in 60 seconds on 2 axes, a magnesium lacquered Globe rotating in 60 seconds on 2 axes and the gravitational tourbillon cage which is rotating on 3 axes: 1st axis in 60sec, 2nd axis in 5min and the 3rd axis – Central Axe in 20min. The tourbillon has the J&Co logo as part of the cage – a nice touch, instead of ruining the Aventurin background with writing.
What makes this possible is a patented differential gears system.
The dial is made of Magnesium – an unusual choice for a dial but contributes to the weight of the gear system where everything is balanced. At 12/3/6 and 9 o’clock there are lacquered Roman numerals. The hands are gun blue, angled and polished.
For this watch an exclusive Jacob & Co. manual winding movement was created: the JCAM10 – Triple Axis Gravitational Tourbillon with flat balance spring. With a diameter of 40mm and a height of 17.15mm, this calibre has 365 components, 42 jewels and it has a power reserve of 60 hours (the beating frequency is low: 21600 vph or 3 Hz) – quite impressive.
The finishes, as expected, are impressive: hand angled and polished plates and bridges, all with a flank draw, circular graining and polished sink. The screws are polished, the barrel has circular graining and the pinions used are conical. As bearing is used a 4 mechanical ball-bearing device. The main material used is Titanium – that makes the calibre very robust but also much harder to manufacture since the hardness of Titanium is much higher as that of gold or steel.
This version is an 18 pieces limited and individually numbered series and comes with an alligator strap with an 18K rose gold folding buckle.
The white 18K gold version has the same characteristics as the rose gold version, the single difference is the gold in white.
For the ones who like a little more bling, there is available the Astronomia Tourbillon Baguette.
This version has the background and the lugs filled with 16 carats, 342 baguette diamonds – the Invisibly Set. This version is made in 18 pieces series in 18k rose gold.
A 9 pieces 18k rose gold version is made using orange sapphire as background and diamond lugs and another 9 18k rose gold pieces only with orange sapphire.
Another 9 pieces 18k rose gold series is made using rubies baguette as background and diamond lugs and another 9 pieces series of 18k rose gold pieces only with rubies.
In white gold, there are 9 pieces only with diamonds, 9 pieces with diamonds and blue sapphire and 9 pieces only with blue sapphire.
A special series of 18 pieces is made using as case material 18K white gold with black DLC treatment. The result is a mysterious appearance.
There is another serie of 18 pieces with 124 Triangle-cut white diamonds in a total of ≈ 14 ct. in white gold and blue sapphire Moon.
At the end a presentation video from Jacob & Co about the functionality of this marvellous pieces.
I congratulate the Jacob & Co team for this technical piece of jewellery and art and I would like to thank Jacob & Co for the information, images (Official Website) and videos (Official Youtube Channel). For more information and enquiries please visit the Jacob & Co Website, The Astronomia Tourbillon collection can be seen online here, or at one of their Boutiques.