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Jacob & Co.’s most dazzling timepieces

Jacob Arabo’s namesake brand is forging a clear path to horological legitimacy. men watches brands

I’ve been racking my brains trying to put into words the influence of Jacob & Co. on the world of haute horology. Because there really is no one like Jacob Arabo in this industry. Arabo came to New York from Russia when he was 14. He started helping support his family at the age of 16 as an apprentice jeweler. While making jewelry for other brands, he sold his creations as a side business before hanging out his own tiles in York 1986 in New York.

His designs soon caught the attention of singer Faith Evans, who turned her husband, Notorious BIG, to Arabo’s work. Soon, he became the immortal “Jacobs the Jeweler” in hip-hop lyrics. But it’s not just celebrities that Jacob & Co. attracts – collectors are also taking notice of his luxury timepieces, as Arabo focuses on highly complex timepieces that are iconoclastic in precious materials such as rare gems design.

A self-made man, Arabo treats watchmaking in the same way that he chooses the best gemstones: technical sophistication, with a certain respect for decadence. Some might say that’s overkill, but at the same time, there’s something dizzying about Jacob & Co.’s work. The following five timepieces perfectly illustrate this iconoclastic watchmaking industry.

Jacob & Co 3-D Astronomical Minute Repeater
 Truly an otherworldly watch. 3-D astronomy was first introduced at Baselworld in 2014, and it gets more exciting and sophisticated every year. This year, Jacob & Co. launched the Minute Repeater version just to up the ante on this ultra-rare watch.

It features a carillon repeater with three gongs and hammers (instead of the usual two). The gongs are stacked vertically so you can better see their action through the side of the sapphire case. The chime chimes with the familiar Doh Re Mi tones to mark hours, minutes and 15-minute intervals. An innovative safety feature protects the mechanism by preventing the wearer from winding the watch while the watch is beeping. Four arms radiating from the center support a three-axis tourbillon.

On the icy side, the 3-D Astronomia is set with a 15.44-carat sapphire in two shades of blue, with baguette diamonds on the baseplate and case. The display also shows a 1-carat spherical diamond and a lacquered dial spinning globe. The coolest part? Flying astronauts revolving around the axis of the 3D Earth!

Jacob & Co. Twin Turbo Furious: Twin Turbo Furious Bugatti Edition
In an equally disruptive business move with Jacob & Co.’s luxury timepieces, the manufacturer announced in March a long-term partnership with automaker Bugatti on a range of exclusive co-branded products. According to the press release, the partnership hopes to push “the limits of what is mechanically possible.”

The news marks the end of Bugatti’s long-standing relationship with Parmigiani Fleurier, who also produced some great timepieces. But with Twin Turbo Furious: Twin Turbo Furious Bugatti Edition, Jacob & Co. is once again looking to up the ante on technology. The watch is driven by two three-axis tourbillons (to ensure precise timekeeping). Other extras under the hood include a column-wheel chronograph and a decimal minute repeater that sounds at 10-minute intervals.

The appearance is also a bit flashy. Its turquoise blue bezel is a tribute to Bugatti’s 110th anniversary blue Chiron. It also features the Bugatti logo in the center of the dial between the chronograph counters. The power reserve indicator at 6 o’clock is called the “fuel” indicator.

Jacob & Co. Bugatti Chronograph Limited Edition 100 Years
The second piece from the Jacob & Co./Bugatti collaboration, the Chrono Edition Limitée 100 Years, is less exclusive. In homage to Ettore Bugatti’s 100th anniversary in 1909, only 110 will be produced.

Also inspired by Jacob & Co.’s original Epic X Chrono, this watch features a column-wheel movement. This version is made of forged carbon, with a matte black dial and the colors of the French flag running vertically between the subdials. It comes with a rubber strap that also pays homage to the Chiron. Because it’s not diamond-encrusted, its price (for the brand) is a respectable CHF 36,000, and it could even be considered an entry-level Jacob & Co.

Jacob & Co. and Messi: Epic X Chrono Messi
2019 was a big year for Jacob & Co. In January, the brand signed a deal with football legend Lionel Messi – nine-time champion of the Spanish Football League, four-time Champions League winner, five-time – best player in the world Ballon d’Or winner, five-time winner of the Golden Boot for the top scorer in Europe, and Olympic gold medalist.

In recognition of Messi’s outstanding achievements, Jacob & Co has teamed up with the football god to create a series of equally legendary timepieces. The Epic x Chrono “Messi” model features 47mm polished grade 5 titanium, titanium and rose gold or titanium and white gold, diamond-set case, anti-reflective sapphire glass, ceramic chronograph bezel and pushers, and rubber lugs, and crown.

The light blue and white colour scheme draws on Messi’s Argentine heritage. The timepiece also features his famous red No. 10 on the flange ring, the “Messi M” logo at six o’clock on the dial, and the signature on the glass sapphire caseback, while also displaying the automatic dual composite skeleton chronograph Watch movement.

Jacob & Co. Billionaires
 If I first heard about the jeweler Jacob through Jay-Z’s “Money Ain’t a Thing,” it wasn’t until Baselworld 2015 that I was truly blown away by the billionaire.

This is unique, created by Arabo in association with Flavio Briatore and his Billionaire Lifestyle SARL company. Media at the time described it as “a dazzling representation of the brave and rebellious Jacob & Co. spirit”.

This handcrafted and exclusive Jacob & Co. Skeleton manual winding tourbillon movement JCAM09 is enough to take your breath away. But the real glory is the 18K white gold 58 X 47.5mm case and bracelet set with 260 carats of emerald-cut diamonds. Every stone is important, and some of them individually weigh up to 3 carats. They are all individual beads to maximize brilliance.

The Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Perpetual Calendar, now platinum

The shiny dial on AP’s new white gold Code 11.59 QP takes center stage.

Fake Audemars Piguet‘s long history of calendar watches is still alive and well with the new version of its Code 11.59. While this isn’t the first time a QP complication has entered AP’s vision of a modern classic, the watch looks incredibly handsome thanks to the starry sky backdrop. Unlike the bold rose gold version, here is Audemars Piguet’s new Code 11.59 white gold perpetual calendar.

Much has been said about Code 11.59 since its launch, mostly about the slightly mundane inaugural lineup. Undeterred by public banter, Audemars Piguet has since expanded the collection with bolder, more exciting combinations of materials and complications. This includes star pieces such as the Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie or the self-winding flying tourbillon with an aventurine dial. One of the other standout models revolves around the classically romantic perpetual calendar complication, presented here in a new white gold look.

The new Code 11.59 of the Audemars Piguet Perpetual Calendar is unchanged in shape and size. With its intricate octagonal middle case structure, set in an “exoskeleton” of the lugs, bezel and case back, the case measures 41mm in diameter and 10.9mm in height, which is very reasonable. Crafted in 18k white gold, it has a slightly understated look compared to its rose gold sibling. Skeleton lugs let light through, and the barely-there bezel gives way to a striking dial. The unusual structure of the Code 11.59 is topped by a hyperboloid sapphire crystal.

That striking dial I mentioned is made of dark blue aventurine glass with applied white gold hour markers and white gold hands. The dial is distributed with the indications of the perpetual calendar. The date indication at 3 o’clock uses a red “31” for contrast. On the other side, we see the day of the week, noon with an integrated display of the month and leap year. Don’t mistake the third central hand for the seconds hand, as it actually points to the week number printed on the blue-painted flange of the outer ring. The last indication, also made of a dark blue aventurine glass disc, is the moon phase display at 6 o’clock.

Of course, these numerous instructions are powered by the Calibre 5134, which is made in-house by Audemars Piguet. The movement is shared with the Royal Oak family, such as this titanium 26574TI or the surprisingly white ceramic 26579CB. This self-winding movement uses 365 components, including 38 jewels. It is based on the durable calibre 2121 found in the original Royal Oak Jumbo with an internal module on top. As you’d expect from an Audemars Piguet, it’s finished to the highest standard and can be seen through the sapphire crystal caseback. If set correctly and kept on winding, the movement will not need adjustment until 2100.

The white gold Code 11.59 of this Audemars Piguet perpetual calendar is worn on a blue rubber-coated calfskin strap with an 18k white gold folding clasp. The strap features a textured pattern for a more contemporary look.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS – AUDEMARS PIGUET PERPETUAL CALENDAR WHITE GOLD CODE 11.59
Case: 41mm diameter x 10.9mm height – 18k white gold case with octagonal central barrel – 18k white gold bezel – hyperboloid sapphire crystal – sapphire crystal case back – 30m water resistance
Dial: Blue Aventurine dial – White gold applied hour-markers and hands with Super-LumiNova coating – Blue lacquered inner ring – Perpetual calendar display with date, day of the week, day of the week, month and leap year and moon phases
Movement: AP caliber 5134, in-house – self-winding movement – 29mm x 4.31mm – 38 jewels – 365 components – 19,800vph – 40 hours power reserve – central hours and minutes, date, day, digital day, month , leap year and moon phase indication
Strap: Textured blue rubber-coated calfskin strap with 18k white gold folding clasp
Reference: 26394BC.OO.D027KB.01