Astronomia Meteorite Triangle Diamonds Rose Gold

STORY

The Astronomia is the epitome of 21st century ultra-high-end watchmaking and a globally recognized symbol of Jacob & Co watchmaking expertise. A world-first both in the boldness of its unprecedented concept and its entirely mechanical construction, the Astronomia has gone beyond impressive horological achievements and has been regarded as an outstanding multidisciplinary engineering achievement.

The Astronomia Meteorite connects Astronomia with its extraterrestrial inspirations as much as with Jacob & Co’s unique gem-setting know-how. It is a cinematic sculpture animated by its four-arm movement construction that rotates and floats through the sapphire and diamond-bound space inside its spectacular case. A grand total of 383 triangle-cut white diamonds adorn the case, lugs and dial, as though this piece unique Astronomia has transformed throughout its travels in space, like a meteorite that has turned into a precious diamond as it entered our planet’s atmosphere.

Full of unparalleled watchmaking solutions and adorned with exceptional finishing techniques, the Astronomia Meteorite has earned its reputation as an inimitable icon in the field of haute horlogerie.

EXCLUSIVE ASTRONOMIA CALIBER

The four arms of the Astronomia Meteorite carry the triple-axis tourbillon timekeeping organ of the watch, the magnesium globe in hand-painted blue for a spectacular representation of Planet Earth, the exclusive Jacob-Cut® 1-carat spherical blue sapphire with 288 facets, and the differential-leveled, skeletonized time display. This four-arm assembly completes a rotation around the center of the watch and over a spectacular backdrop in 10 minutes. Another astounding feature of the Astronomia Meteorite is how each pair of opposing arms are perfectly calculated counterweights of one another – a testament to peerless materials engineering and watch movement design. By having equal weights on these opposing arms, its axles are relieved from strain or increased pull, as the movement takes up different orientations in space.

TRIPLE-AXIS TOURBILLON

Whereas the tourbillon was originally invented to be a single-axis, rotating cage to carry the regulating organ of a mechanical pocket watch for improved timekeeping performance, the Astronomia Tourbillon brings this 224-year-old invention to breathtaking levels of modern refinement and complexity.

The triple-axis tourbillon of the Astronomia Meteorite is at the forefront of ultra-high-end watchmaking: its delicately decorated cage encapsulates the balance wheel, hairspring, escape wheel and a number of other crucially important components. Characterized by this openworked cage, this constellation of superbly finished components rotates on three axes simultaneously. Following its hand-assembly and specialized fine-tuning procedures, the JCAM18 keeps accurate time throughout its 60-hour power reserve.

A full rotation on the 1st axis takes exactly 60 seconds, as a nod towards the traditional single-axis tourbillon. The 2nd axis of rotation requires 2.5 minutes to complete, while the 3rd axis of rotation is made possible by the 10-minute, four-arm rotating platform of the Astronomia Meteorite. This makes for a bold new look at how tourbillons can function, when engineered with cutting-edge, ultra-modern technologies and timeless horological heritage in mind.

288-FACET JACOB-CUT DIAMOND

The Jacob-Cut diamond starts out as a much larger rough diamond. First, a rough diamond big enough has to be found, and the purity, clarity, and color has to be of the highest quality both inside and out, and there can be no inclusions. If they start to cut the diamond and find an inclusion, the entire piece will be ruined.

Next, the diamond is cut by machine into a round shape, close in size to the final diamond.

Then, the gem cutter shapes the stone by hand, cutting each individual facet (of 288). This has to be done slowly and carefully, as the stone has to be perfectly round and symmetrical. The danger is that the stone will become oblong and not round. To be used in the Astronomia Collection, the Jacob-cut diamond has to be completely round and weigh exactly as much as the other three satellites (time display, triple-axis tourbillon, magnesium globe).

During the process, if the gem cutter puts slightly too much pressure while adding the facets, too much of the diamond will be cut away, and the ball will end up smaller than the desired diameter. The cutting process takes at least two weeks of dedicated, painstaking work.

To make the final one-carat, Jacob-cut diamond with 288 facets, more than half of the initial rough diamond will be cut away.

The complexity of cutting the 288 facets by hand and making sure everything is symmetrical and the diamond is absolutely round, is what makes the Jacob & Co. diamond used in the Astronomia collection so special.

THE MAGNESIUM GLOBE

The globe is made of blue-lacquered magnesium with white gold continents to ensure consistency in weight, as all four satellites have to weigh exactly the same. The globe rotates on itself in 30 seconds, while traveling around the dial in 10 minutes.

CASE & CRYSTAL

The Astronomia Meteorite’s case measures 50 millimeters in diameter and 25 millimeters thick between the highest point of its specially curved front sapphire crystal and the lowest point of its case. Crafted from 18K Rose Gold or 18K White Gold, with four sapphire crystal windows installed throughout the periphery of the case of the 18K White Gold version, allowing for unhindered viewing of the spectacular caliber inside.

The case of the Astronomia Meteorite is adorned with 100 triangle-cut white diamonds in the side and top of the lugs and 124 triangle-cut white diamonds along the periphery of the case of the 18K Rose Gold version. The effect attained is that of an Astronomia that has crystallized under tremendous pressure and heat, like one imagines meteorites do as they intersect Earth’s path and enter its atmosphere.

DIAL & HANDS

The time display sub-dial of the Astronomia Meteorite is driven through an infinitesimal differential system that allows it to always remain levelled and legible as it rotates together with the movement’s four-armed platform across the front of the Astronomia. The Roman numerals on the skeletonized dial are hand-engraved and filled with black lacquer, while the hand-finished hands appear in gun blue metallic. The backdrop, also known as the Diamond Layer Front Case is covered with 133 triangle-cut white diamonds, echoing the outstanding mechanical complexity of the JCAM18 caliber with a web-like structure of gold and diamonds for a most spectacular sight.

AT A GLANCE:

Iconic gravitational triple-axis tourbillon

50mm 18K rose gold and sapphire crystal case, with sapphire crystal back

All four satellites constantly turn around the dial in 20 minutes

288-facet Jacob-cut diamond turning in 60 seconds

Magnesium globe turning in 60 seconds

Unique differential always keeps the time display in the correct 12/6 orientation, no matter where it is the rotation

Domed and curved, anti-reflective sapphire crystal

Unique crown-less design; winding and setting lift-out bows on the case back

The lugs of the 18K rose gold and sapphire-case are invisibly hand-set with 80 baguette-cut white diamonds (≈ 6.10 ct.

The architectural base dial, designed to look like shards of meteorites, is invisibly-set with 133 triangle-cut white diamonds (≈ 16.80 ct.)

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Item Number: AT800.40.HD.HD.B

Movement: Manufacture Jacob & Co. Manual Winding JCAM18; Diameter: 40mm; Height: 17.15mm; Components: 365; Power Reserve: 60-Hours; Frequency: 21’600 vib/h (3 Hz); Jewels: 42; System: Gravitational Triple Axis Tourbillon; Finishing: Plate and Bridges: Hand Angled and Polished, Flank Draw, Circular Graining, Polished Sink; Polished Screws; Barrel: Circular Graining; Pinions: Conical Pinions; 4 Mechanical Ball Bearing Devices; Flat Balance Spring.

FUNCTIONS: Hours, Minutes Dial Rotating in 10 min on the Central Axis, Patented Differential Gears System; 288 Facets Spherical Blue Sapphire Rotating in 30sec on 2 Axes (Weight: 1 carat; Exclusive Jacob Cut); Magnesium Lacquered Globe Rotating in 30sec on 2 axes; Gravitational Tourbillion Cage Rotating on 3 axes: 1st Axis: in 60sec, 2nd Axis: in 2.5min, 3rd Axis: Central Axe in 10min.

CASE: 50mm; Thickness: 25mm; Material: 18K Rose Gold; Set with 124 Triangle-cut White Diamonds (≈ 14 ct.); Case Back: 18K Rose Gold; Bows: Winding and Time-Setting via 18K Rose Gold lift-out rotating “bows” at case back; Diamond layer Front Case: 18K Rose Gold; 133 Triangle-cut White Diamonds (≈ 16.80 ct.); Lugs: 100 Triangle-cut White Diamonds (≈ 4.50 ct.); Crystal: Unique Domed Sapphire with Anti-reflective Treatment.

DIAL & HANDS: Titanium Dial, Polished and angled, Lacquered Indexes; Hands: Hand Finished Blue.

STRAP & CLASP: Alligator; Clasp: 18K Rose Gold Folding Buckle. TOTAL CARAT WEIGHT: 357 Triangle-cut White Diamonds (≈35.30 ct.).

LIMITED EDITION: 9 pieces.