Astronomia Maestro and The Oil Pump – a glance into parallel universes of ultra-fine mechanics by Jacob & Co

 

 

The Oil Pump, Astronomia Maestro, and Astronomia Fleurs De Jardin are the very latest pieces in the expanding universe of Jacob & Co’s magnificent creations. The ultra-high-end watchmaking projects were presented at Baselworld 2019 – The Watch and Jewelry Show.

Jacob & Co is known for its fully mechanical and highly engineered timepieces with uniquely animated features that push the boundaries in design, technical prowess and creativity. The Oil Pump theme, in this instance highlighting the beautifully industrial nature of an oil derrick, is enforced by three-dimensionally constructed details, bespoke components of both exceptionally large and incredibly minuscule proportions.

Jacob & Co. Astronomia Maestro luxury timepiece

The Astronomia Maestro expands the Astronomia universe with one of the most complex mechanisms ever conceived in watchmaking: the minute repeater carillon complication. On the demand of its owner, the Astronomia Maestro begins to strike the hours, quarters and minutes with its three hammers and gongs, making for a brilliantly refined, musical interpretation of time.

Expanding upon its inspired ties to outer space, the Astronomia Maestro displays a hand-painted, miniature astronaut to one of its manufacture JCFM06 caliber’s four rotating arms. The astronaut weighs just 0.2 grams or 0.07 ounces as it orbits through the open space of the Astronomia’s dial once every 10 minutes – all the while rotating around its own axis once every 40 seconds.

As a first in watchmaking, the minute repeater’s three gongs criss-cross above the hand-painted Milky Way aventurine dial of the Astronomia Maestro watch. The gongs are struck by their respective hammers when the slider, set into the left side of the case, is pulled to initiate the minute repeater carillon complication. The sound is clear and loud, the chimes are accurate and painstakingly calibrated, making the Manufacture JCFM06 caliber a true Maestro in ultra-high-end watchmaking art.

A grand total of 608 exquisitely decorated components make up the Manufacture JCFM06 caliber, encapsulated by extraordinarily large and exceptionally clear sapphire crystals.

Jacob & Co. Astronomia Fleurs De Jardin

The Astronomia Fleurs De Jardin debuts the beautifully feminine side of Astronomia: its uniquely structured movement carries 11 flowers composed of kite-shaped, multicolored sapphires, tsavorites, citrines, amethysts, rubies and orange garnets. Framing this elaborate floral rendition of ultra-high-end watchmaking is a bezel of 40 pink sapphires, matched to a butterfly clasp decorated with 50 pink sapphires.