Jacob & Co. Unveils The Astronomia Revolution: Breaking Records With Contemporary Watchmaking

It’s that time of the year when the spirit of watchmaking is high in Geneva. With several shows coming up and the community gearing up to see what the brands have in store for the year, Jacob & Co has unveiled yet another astronomical timepiece - Astronomia Revolution!

As Astronomia continues to explore the cosmos, it is revolutionizing modern watchmaking with its groundbreaking functionality. A full rotation of Astronomia Revolution around its own axis takes exactly one minute once terminal velocity is attained. The new movement inside the 47 mm sapphire and gold case of the Astronomia Revolution guarantees lightning-fast timing, pinpoint accuracy, and maximum fun.

This modern watchmaking star reflects light and the storytelling sensibility that is so distinctive to Jacob & Co. A curved, red-gold, 18-mirror array, reminiscent of the James Webb Space Telescope, lies beneath the satellite carriage as it rotates. The second is demonstrated by a spinning arrow topped with a ruby, resembling a space probe. There is still time for Astronomia to reach its full potential in terms of warp speed, massive energy, light distortion, and astronomical chronometry.

Jacob & Co.'s original motto, "Inspired by the impossible," is still the company's guiding principle. Ever since its inception, the Astronomia concept has grown not only in terms of technology but also in terms of location and time, propelled by Jacob & Co.'s boundless imagination. In Astronomia Revolution, they've reached the pinnacle of their technological development, surpassing even the original game. Incredibly fast rotation of three arms, each with a sophisticated function, around a central axis. The initial astronomical rotational frequency was 20 minutes. The number was reduced by Astronomia Solar to 10. Another breakthrough reduced the time to 5 minutes. With a staggering 1 minute per rotation, Astronomia Revolution is unrivaled.

“We've been grooming the Astronomia movement for eight years now. It started at the already incredible speed (at the time) of one revolution every 20 minutes. It is unique, unheard of, and not just an evolution of Astronomia. This piece has been reworked from the ground up. It required revolutionary mechanics, inventions, and what we at Jacob & Co. are driven by. Astronomia Revolution is “Inspired by the Impossible”, and we made it possible”, says CEO Benjamin Arabov.

…. To the cosmos

The Astronomia Revolution is a highly technical and spectacular timepiece due to its fast orbit. Because the entire rotating carriage can be seen from above, either side or below. Jacob & Co., whose founder and chairman Jacob Arabo had a lifelong fascination with space, built a one-of-a-kind structure atop the Astronomia Revolution's secret infrastructure and below the satellite's projected path to Earth.

The array of 18 hexagonal mirrors is reminiscent of the most advanced tool for space exploration ever created. Light from the Big Bang can be captured by the James Webb Space Telescope's golden reflectors. To capture the mesmerizing motion of the Astronomia Revolution in orbit, Jacob and Co. built miniature versions of those reflectors. Each mirror is handcrafted from 18-karat red gold and polished to perfection before being slightly angled at a precise angle. This shiny honeycomb surface is both a tribute to space travel and an instrument for taking in the orbits of the satellites.

Last but not least, the stunning apparatus can be viewed from every angle thanks to a caseband made of transparent sapphire (also visible under the open-worked lugs). Even the second hand, which in Astronomia Revolution takes the form of a long arrow, is the most sophisticated of its kind. The pyramidal-shaped ruby at its tip spins on its own axis in just 15 seconds, showcasing the skill of Jacob & Co.'s gemologists.

Setting the stage for the Space Age

Astronomia, a groundbreaking timepiece of unprecedented complexity and size, was introduced in 2016 by Jacob & Co. The high watchmaking and jewelry brand installed a vertically rotating movement with a satellite carriage sporting four arms into a 47mm gold case with a sapphire baseband. A Jacob-cut diamond with 288 facets stands in for the moon, a magnesium globe represents Earth, and a twin-axis tourbillon keeps the dial standing.

Within this case, all four arms take 20 minutes to complete one full revolution around both their own axis and the central axis. By the way, this gives the tourbillon carriage a third axis on which to spin. Astronomia is unlike any other watch on Earth in that it lacks a crown and a central pair of hands. From the moment it lifted off the Jacob & Co. launch pad, it revolutionized the bar for high complexity and spectacle.

Later iterations and variants sped up the rotation time to 10 minutes, then 5 minutes per iteration, and introduced a plethora of new complications, designs, and sizes. The time has come for Astronomia to go through its most radical transformation to date in terms of both technology and aesthetics. Astronomia Revolution is a completely reimagined, in-house movement that puts the original space inspiration for Astronomia into a new orbit.

Taking advantage of the energy currents

Lightning-fast orbiting at the rate of one complete rotation per minute necessitates enormous amounts of power. This is the first Astronomia to feature such large barrels. Still, transporting this energy is just as important as storing it. There is a thin line separating rapid and catastrophic failure. Jacob & Co. has developed a state-of-the-art constant force device to regulate the massive flow in caliber JCAM48B. There are typically two manifestations of constant force. The remontoir is one example.

Alternatively, there is the Reuleux triangle. Each uses a spring to store a similar amount of energy for release over the course of a maximum of one second. There is a patent pending on the whip-based constant force device introduced by Astronomia Revolution. The gear train winds up a hairspring at the rate of once every 1/6th of a second, which is the frequency of the balance wheel. Finally, it releases the whip, a star-shaped gear that is located close to the fourth wheel. The barrel provides a source of energy, and the tourbillons, which hold the balance wheel, act as a buffer. When the whip is pulled, it sends the tourbillon carriage the amount of energy it needs to run for one-sixth of a second.

Avoid anything below this amount, as it could cause the balance wheel to run erratically due to insufficient fuel. No more, as that would cause the tourbillons and the entire rotating platform to become overweight and slow down their rotation. Jacob & Co. were familiar enough with the constant frequency at which the transmitted force is maintained at 1/6th the normal rate to engrave "1/6' regulation" on the central pillar of the satellite. There are three positive outcomes from the presence of this constant force. When the torque is applied to the balance wheel in a consistent fashion, the result is greater precision, just as it is with any other device. The Astronomia Revolution is a top-tier timepiece because of this and the fact that it features a tourbillon with three axes of movement.

As an additional example, there are times when a constant force device is the only way to control the amount of energy being released and prevent any unwanted side effects from occurring in a high-power watch. It's the only way to ensure success with Astronomia Revolution. Additionally, a consistent energy flow is required for the platform and tourbillons to rotate without any hiccups. The entire movement would flounder in disgrace if it didn't have it. By carefully controlling the flow of energy, Jacob & Co. created a timepiece with a massive complexity and a power reserve of 36 hours.

Regulating the three-dimensional revolutions

Earlier versions of Astronomia had either a single- or double-axis tourbillon, with the platform's rotation serving as a third axis. There has never been an upper bridge because they have always been flying tourbillons. The Astronomia Revolution spins around its first axis once every minute and its second axis once every fifteen seconds. This latter speed is among the highest for a tourbillon carriage in the annals of horology. Interestingly, the movement's rotational speed is one minute, and the arrow's head speed is 15 seconds.

The viewer can appreciate the kinetic beauty of this rotating organ thanks to the obvious progression of gears. Watching the open-worked, Jacob & Co.-designed, highly polished carriage spin in all directions is more fascinating than stargazing. The Astronomia Revolution is a true triple-axis tourbillon because it rotates along with the satellite platform at a rate of one rotation per minute.

Explicitly indicating the indefinite future

Astronomia Revolution's revolving platform, which serves as a clock of sorts by completing a full rotation once every minute, can be thought of as a second hand. The long steel arrow acts as a counterweight to the other two arms of the gesture. It has a ruby set in a 950 platinum crown that was created using the same method as the rubies in the mechanism. Jacob & Co.'s jewelry face is represented by its distinctive shape, which is reminiscent of a spearhead or a sharp pyramid. The red arrow represents a normal speed, if not the speed of an entire movement. Jacob & Co. carved a minute track, deep and angular like the mouth of a jet engine, into the Astronomia Revolution's bezel to complement the watch's oversized hand.

The Astronomia Revolution builds upon a novel idea and pushes it to its limits in terms of complexity, originality, and speed. Having started out orbiting the sun like an Astronomia object, its rapid acceleration has propelled it beyond the limits of our solar system and into infinity.

The Astronomia Revolution is available in a strictly limited run of just 18 pieces, six of which are made of rose gold, six of which are made of white gold, and six of which are made of white gold. This watch has a retail price of $600,000.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Movement
Caliber: Exclusive Jacob & Co. manual winding JCAM48B
Diameter: 42.30 mm
Height: 19.30 mm
Power Reserve: 36 hours
Frequency: 21’600 vph (3 Hz)
Base: 18 Polished 5N red gold honeycomb mirrors
Jewels: 53
Functions:
Rotating Satellite Carriage: 1 rotation in 1 minute
Rotating Arrow: 1 rotation in 15 seconds
Double-Axis Flying Tourbillon: 1st Axis: 1 rotation in 1 minute
2nd Axis: 1 rotation in 15 seconds
Constant Force with 1/6th sec. frequency (patent pending)
Hours and Minutes Rotating Dial
Winding and Time-Setting on Caseback

Case
Diameter: 47 mm
Height: 27 mm
Material: 18K Rose Gold or 18K White Gold or Black DLC White Gold; Sapphire Caseband
Caseback: Engraved 18K Rose Gold
Crystal: Domed Sapphire with Anti-Reflective Treatment
Water resistance: 30 m (3 bar – 3 ATM)

Dial & Hands
Subdial: Skeleton, Red Polycarbonate with 5N Applied Indices
Hands: Dauphine in 5N Red Gold
Arrow: Steel, 1 Arrow-Shaped Synthetic Ruby

Strap & Clasp
Strap: Black Cordura® with rubber lining
Clasp: 18K rose gold deployant clasp

Limited Edition
6 pieces in 18K Rose Gold
6 pieces in 18K White Gold
6 pieces in Black-DLC White Gold