Mario Canonizado 
In the watch world, less can often mean more — but in Jacob Arabo’s world, more is usually more! In that same spirit, his American-Swiss jewellery-horology brand have unveiled a new creation, making horological history in the most exaggerated way imaginable.
Watchmaking is a surprising thing. It’s one of the rare industries where art and science collide, allowing both creativity and technical excellence to thrive equally. For us enthusiasts, this means an overwhelming abundance of choice — watches for every taste, style, and philosophy. However, that variety can also lead to ‘analysis paralysis,’ as it can get a lot harder to determine which watch is better when you have ten of the same to choose from! As you climb higher up the ladder of horological excellence, though, the field narrows dramatically. At the very top, it takes a lot more to stand out than just a pretty face and a few choice words — and only a select few brands can rise up to the challenge.
For some, Jacob & Co. represents everything often criticised about the watch industry: excessively decadent, unapologetically extravagant, and more focused on spectacle than subtlety. But that’s precisely the point. The American-Swiss jeweller-watchmakers, led by Jacob Arabo, don’t shy away from horological extremes — they embrace them. Their watches are mechanically functional works of art, designed to embody the wildest dreams and guilty pleasures of even the most stoic enthusiasts. Simply put, ‘Jacob the Jeweller’ has made a name for himself by turning excess into expression since 1986.
Nowhere is this clearer than in their Astronomia collection. With sapphire cases and sculptured designs that feature everything from celestial bodies to mythical beasts, the Astronomia line has redefined haute horology over the past decade. The original Astronomia Tourbillon debuted in 2015 with a 20-minute orbital rotation, which was later accelerated to 10 minutes — and in 2023, a mind-blowing 60 seconds with the Astronomia Revolution.
In the same year, Jacob & Co. made history at Only Watch 2023 with the world’s first four-axis tourbillon, developed in collaboration with the Concepto Watch Factory It’s almost hard to believe that, for as futuristic and insanely overdeveloped the Astronomia is, that Jacob & Co. have been producing them for an entire decade. Now, however, comes the most incredible and delightfully extreme innovation yet from the brand, made in commemoration of their consistent and insanely ostentatious achievements.
In a 47mm wide, 27mm thick enclosure of 18k rose gold and sapphire crystal, the Jacob & Co. Astronomia Revolution Four-Axis Tourbillon nothing short of an artistic and a microengineering marvel. At its core is a mirror-polished, gold-plated backplate that features a mesmerizing geometric mosaic — an intricate composition of individually crafted facets designed not just for decoration, but for their interaction with light. It’s definitely not for the faint of wrist, but how could it be? It’s basically a miniature art exhibit!
Typically, the Astronomia line would also call for a spectacularly gem-set dial. Instead, Jacob & Co. have opted for an unconventional, rose gold kaleidoscope-like base, refracting and reflecting light as the Astronomia’s arm rotates. As a result, every angle that you view the Astronomia Revolution Four-Axis Tourbillon reveals new depth, shimmer, and shadow, creating an incredible viewing experience that truly exemplifies watchmaking’s marriage of art and time. While the extravagance is undeniable, I can’t help but think that the base of the watch somewhat resembles a Tony’s Chocolonely, with the chocolate bar broken up into beautiful, yet unconventional patterns. Maybe it’s just because I’m hungry.
Atop that decadent golden base sits the true star of the show: a rotating arm that carries both the signature four-axis tourbillon and the displaced time display. The latter is crafted from red polycarbonate and features crisp Arabic quarter numerals and sharp Dauphine hands — an essential design choice to maintain legibility amid the visual chaos. The tourbillon itself, as is tradition with Jacob & Co.’s multi-axis marvels, proudly bears the brand’s logo. Though when you see a timepiece as fancy as this, it’s kind of hard to mistake it for anything else.
As the name suggests, the Four-Axis Tourbillon boasts a tourbillon that is able to rotate on four different axes. The first, second, and third axes are localised entirely within the tourbillon function, spinning around in intervals of 60 seconds, 18 seconds, and 15 seconds respectively. The aforementioned rotating arm, from which the tourbillon sits prominently atop, provides the fourth rotation, allowing the tourbillon to rotates around the dial every 60 seconds. It’s kind of hard to describe in words, so here’s a helpful video from the company themselves.
Related Reading: The Art of Complications – Tourbillons
As you may have noticed, the Astronomia Revolution Four-Axis Tourbillon does not have a crown, thanks to much of the case thickness being relegated to the tourbillon display. Instead, the timepiece uses two flip-up key winders in the case back to either set the time or charge the watch’s movement, the JCAM54. Beating at 3Hz (21,600Vph), the watch lasts just 36 hours on a single wind. however, this is warranted – both due to the sheer amount of power required to operate a four-axis tourbillon, as well as the inbuilt constant-force mechanism that makes the watch incredibly accurate.
Yes, just in case you forgot, there is still a watch in there! While a multi-axis tourbillon complication on its own helps to maintain a watch’s accuracy at any angle, the addition of a constant-force mechanism is an unexpected feather in the cap of Jacob & Co’s manufactory. This is because of the mechanism’s purpose – to maintain consistent power throughout a tourbillon’s power cycle. Where some tourbillons might peter out and slow down near the end of their power reserve, reducing their accuracy, constant-force allows the tourbillon to beat consistently at 3Hz until it dies completely. It’s a highly complex and niche modification to an already greatly complex watch, and one that should garner the respect of any budding enthusiast.
My Thoughts
I’ll admit, Jacob & Co. isn’t exactly my style. Then again, I’m not sure it’s really anyone’s — unless you’re a superstar footballer or Conor McGregor. But personal taste and sky-high price tags aside, Jacob & Co. was never built for modesty. Their motto, “Inspired by the Impossible,” rings through every piece they create. Their mission is simple: to turn the wildest horological fantasies into reality.
While it’s admirable to see the old guard of haute horlogerie continue refining tradition, it takes a brand like Jacob & Co. to inject the industry with much-needed ambition and theatrical flair. Metaphorically speaking, there’s room in the watch world for both a Bruno Sammartino and a Ric Flair — and models like the Astronomia Revolution Four-Axis Tourbillon prove it. Since the Quartz Crisis, watches have been about expression and emotion as much as precision — and Jacob Arabo and his team fully embrace that spirit with every extravagant, unapologetic release.
Reference: AT180.40.AB.AA.A
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 47mm case diameter x 27mm thickness
- Case Material: 18k rose gold with single block sapphire case band
- Dial: Skeletonised, with rose gold-plated mosaic base, red polycarbonate off-centre dial, quarter Arabic numerals, & rose gold Dauphine hands
- Movement: Manual wind JCAM54 with vertical rotating central platform, complete with flying triple-axis constant-force tourbillon (Axis 1/60sec, Axis 2/18sec, Axis 3/15sec)
- Power Reserve: 36h
- Beat Rate: 3Hz (21,600VpH)
- Water Resistance: 30m (3bar)
- Strap: Red alligator leather with 18k rose gold deployment buckle
