Jacob & Co. Just Unveiled the World’s Fastest Tourbillon

Jacob & Co.’s newest watch has a divine power.

The aptly named God of Time is equipped with a groundbreaking tourbillon that spins at a record-breaking four seconds per rotation. That makes it five times faster than classic one-minute tourbillons. It also makes it a whole second quicker than the Franck Muller Thunderbolt, meaning it takes the crown as the world’s fastest tourbillon. It will run for 60 hours on a single wind, making it properly weekend-proof, too. 

That Jacob & Co. is behind such a heavenly creation is not exactly surprising. The New York-based watch and jewelry maker specializes in tourbillons, incorporating different iterations—single-axis, flying, automatic, skeletonized, etc.—in over 35 movements. It developed the new caliber JCAM60 from scratch, specifically to set a new record for the fastest tourbillon rotation. 

To achieve that, the tourbillon carriage’s architecture was designed to increase speed by reducing energy consumption through extreme weight reduction. It is mostly made of titanium, resulting in an overall weight of just 0.27 grams. Two sets of two stacked barrels smoothly propel the carriage to astounding speed, making it 15 times faster than the classic 60-second one. To protect the escapement inside, a newly created constant force system lets just the right amount of energy in to feed the balance wheel. 

The movement is also an aesthetic marvel, clearly visible through the sapphire bridge. Underneath the carriage lies an aventurine slab that creates a starry background on which different components pop. The balance wheel is fitted with eight gold weights, while the hairspring features a Breguet overcoil, for example. 

The God of Time offers more than just a lightning-quick tourbillon, of course. Inspired by ancient Greek temples, the piece showcases several mythical elements. Atop the dazzling blue aventurine dial lies a miniature rose-gold sculpture of Chronos, the ancient Greek god of time. Measuring 37 mm long, the deity was engraved by hand, resulting in an extraordinary level of detail on his hair, muscles, beard, toga, and even fingernails. He is cradling the tourbillon cage, reflecting his ability to control time.

The 44.25 mm rose-gold case resembles a god’s temple, with architectural lines that emulate a pillar of Ionic style. The caseband is ribbed like a pillar shaft, as is the crown. Flipping it over, the caseback features the face and signature of founder and chairman Jacob Arabo on the blued sapphire crystal. The new watch was created to mark his 60th birthday. Who doesn’t like to celebrate by making horological history? 

The God of Time is limited to 60 pieces, with price available upon request.

This article originally appeared in Robb Report US.