On the Olympus of complications, the tourbillon reigns supreme. As a true believer, Jacob & Co. creates God of Time, whose tourbillon spins at a record-breaking 4 seconds per rotation. That is 15 times faster than classic one-minute tourbillons.
Jacob & Co. links this unique speed with the mythical figure of Chronos, the ancient Greek god of time. He who holds time in his hands hugs the 4-second tourbillon carriage like his favorite child. His majestic presence gives God of Time its name, its dial and its magnitude.
The keeper of time eternal is executed as a three-dimensional rose gold sculpture, engraved and burnished by hand, sitting an a blue aventurine background. Housed in a 44.5-mm rose gold case shaped and sculpted like a Greek temple’s pillar, God of Time is a mythical achievement.
Under the Aegis of Jacob Arabo, Jacob & Co. strikes yet again. Always “Inspired by the Impossible”, the New-York-based, high jewelry, high-watchmaking brand creates a tourbillon faster than any other before. Instead of one rotation every 60 seconds, like 99.5% of tourbillon movements, God of Time shatters conventions and achieves one rotation every 4 seconds, with a weekend-proof power reserve. Its case, dial and overall architecture are inspired by ancient Greek temples, whose namesake god was represented by a gigantic statue. Chronos, almost in the flesh, watches over the incredibly fast tourbillon carriage, against an aventurine backdrop dotted with the stars of a mythical night.
Jacob & Co. has developed caliber JCAM60 from a blank page, specifically to shatter the record of the fastest tourbillon rotation. The tourbillon carriage’s architecture is entirely aimed at increasing speed by reducing energy consumption through extreme weight reduction. Mostly made of titanium, the entire carriage weighs a mere 0.27 grams, a feat given its 12-mm diameter and embarked constant force. The variable inertia balance wheel is fitted with 8 gold weights while the hairspring features a Breguet overcoil, making this regulating organ a very classic, high end one.
Its inner workings are fully revealed by a sapphire upper bridge. Underneath the carriage, an aventurine slab creates a starry background that reminds of the dial. God of Time’s crown is dedicated exclusively to time setting and positioned on the left-hand side of the case, while the right-hand side is occupied by the tourbillon. When worn, only the high-speed carriage emerges from beneath the cuff, remaining in constant motion. Movement winding is operated through a flip-bow crown integrated into the caseback.
Chronos himself is represented like a Greek statue. Lying on a slab of blue aventurine, a large and crisp sculpture occupies the better part of the dial. It starts with a lump of 18K rose gold, stamped and shaped to the highest degree of execution. Highly trained artisans then take on the task of breathing life into this character. Over the course of several days, they engrave, polish, burnish and apply a patina that gives Chronos an astounding level of detail. Hair, beard, toga, arms, muscles, tendons, even fingernails, he radiates with unique energy and powerful expression. At 37 mm in length and 1.5 mm in height at its thickest, this applique is one of the most impressive Métiers d’Art artifacts ever featured in a high complication timepiece.
The rose gold case of God of Time is designed to be the house of Chronos, and Greek deities dwell in temple. That case is therefore designed like a pillar of Ionic style, whose capital is made up of 2 ample and elegant volutes. Perfect balance, ideal proportions, the 44.5 mm diameter harmonizes with the 18.25 height to create a piece of classic architecture. The caseband is ribbed like a marble pillar shaft, as is the crown. The caseback bears a print of Jacob Arabo’s hand signature and face : Jacob & Co.’s Founder and Chairman has put his personal seal on this timepiece, as God of Time was created at the occasion of his 60th birthday.
The energy consumption of a tourbillon is a function of its speed and weight. Every time the speed doubles, the force requirement quadruples. And this carriage is 15 times faster than the classic 60-second one. What’s more, God of Time is not only the fastest of all tourbillons, it will run for 60 hours and more on a single wind, a Herculean task that God of Time accomplishes with miraculous ease.
Feeding this one-of-a-kind invention requires a massive amount of energy. It’s stored in two sets of two stacked barrels. They smoothly propel the tourbillon carriage at its astounding speed. But the escapement inside the carriage cannot bear such force. To protect it, Jacob & Co. has created a constant force system, of which the brand has become a specialist. Located one gear before the escape wheel, inside the tourbillon, it operates at the same speed at the escapement frequency, which is 3 Hz. 6 times per second, this remontoire lets just the right amount of energy in to feed the balance wheel. It thus acts as a buffer against the overwhelming force needed to move the tourbillon.
Jacob & Co. has made tourbillon its specialty to an unmatched degree. The brand’s catalog is now rich of over 35 movements featuring it in one form or another. Those encompass the most diverse types of tourbillon any brand has ever mastered. Single axis, flying or not, hand- or self-winding. Double axis, triple axis, any of which can stand alone or in pairs. Skeletonized, central or off-centered. Rotating on their own axis or on a vertical carousel. Flat or with a 30°-incline. With a one-minute or 30-second rotation period. In a wrist watch or a clock.
Jacob & Co. has even created the only twin, back-to-back, central triple-axis flying tourbillon and the only 4-axis tourbillon ever made, and with constant force to boot. To that unique list of accomplishments, Jacob & Co. now adds the fastest tourbillon ever made, like a watch made in heaven.
