Jacob & Co, has carved its niche as a brand that aims to offer unparalleled craftsmanship, ingenious designs, and complicated complications. The brand has also become renowned for the various themed timepieces it creates from celestial objects to Mt Everest to board games like Monopoly. They have launched its latest iteration of the Astronomia Tourbillon series based on the popular theme of Memento Mori. The Jacob & Co Astronomia Tourbillon Art Static 4 Skulls is a crypt of skulls sculpted out of 18K rose gold with cabochon ruby eyes. The timepiece uses its sapphire crystal case as a gallery to showcase its Astronomia Tourbillon movement.
Limited to only 6 such examples, the Astronomia Four Skulls uses a 50mm 18K rose gold case to reveal the iconic Astronomia four-arm vertical movement. In each quarter of the dial is a skull placed on an aventurine base with a thickness of 25 millimeters. Every skull is handcrafted and hand cast using modern and ancient tools. The skulls are placed in the dial without affecting the operation of the exposed movement.
The double-axis tourbillon of the Astronomia Four Skulls was originally invented to provide improved timekeeping performance for a pocket watch; however, the company takes this 200-plus-year-old complication to breathtaking levels of modern refinement and complexity. The open-worked cage of this timepiece features the balance wheel, hairspring, escape wheel, and several other important components. Thanks to the open-worked cage, the outstanding tourbillon rotates on two axes simultaneously.
A constellation of expertly finished components that, when expertly assembled and fine-tuned, allows the Astronomia caliber to keep accurate time throughout its 60-hour power reserve. The timepieces take exactly 60 seconds to complete a full rotation on the 1st axis, while the second axis takes five minutes.
The Jacob Cut, the signature cut for the diamonds and gems that appear on all Jacob & Co. Astronomia timepieces, features on one of the arms of the Astronomia vertical movement. It is most recognizable on the Astronomia watch as a diamond with a particular characteristic of extending from one of the four arms of the vertical Astronomia movement. The spherical gem is also a unique cut exclusive to Jacob & Co. Precision is crucial and the entire process of gem cutting takes at least two weeks of dedicated, painstaking work.
The Astronomia Four Skulls also features a globe of the earth which is made of magnesium coated with hand-painted blue lacquer, while the continents are contrasted with rose gold continents. The globe is designed in a way that the weight remains consistent as it is important for all four satellites to weigh exact same. The Roman numerals appear on the titanium dial, entirely hand-engraved and filled with black lacquer. The hands are hand-finished in gun blue metallic. The timepiece comes in an Alligator strap version or a clasp 18K Rose Gold Folding Buckle.
The Astronomia Art Collection showcases a marriage of traditional concept and modern watchmaking expertise, and the Astronomia Four Skulls is a testament to exquisite designing and artisanal capabilities.