Jacob & Co. Astronomia Revolution

Looking even deeper into space, Astronomia shocks modern watchmaking with radical characteristics: Astronomia Revolution reaches extreme speed and rotates around its axis in one minute. Housed in a 47mm diameter sculptural sapphire and gold case, the Astronomia Revolution watch features a completely new movement designed to deliver high speed, high precision, and high efficiency.

The JCAM48B calibre rotates in 60 seconds, supported by a two-axis floating tourbillon, and the third axis is the mechanism itself. To master this speed, it requires a patented, innovative constant-force device that uses the enormous energy generated by Astronomia Revolution.

Beneath the rotating carriage of the satellite is a curved 18k red gold array inspired by the James Webb Space Telescope.Astronomia Revolution also shows seconds thanks to a rotating arrow, similar to a space probe, with a ruby head. The speed of rotation, enormous energy, distortion of light, and sky-high timekeeping: Astronomia may have already reached its peak.

Inspired by the Impossible is the mission of Jacob & Co. it remains unchanged. Since its inception, the Astronomia concept has evolved not only technically, but also in space and time, fueled by the creative approach of Jacob & Co. and unencumbered by any restrictions. Astronomia Revolution surpasses the original Astronomia, reaching its most technical and advanced stage. The three levers, each with an extended function, rotate smoothly around the central axis at an amazing speed. Astronomy started with one revolution every 20 minutes. Astronomia Solar then reduced it to 10. Another innovation has increased the time to 5 minutes. Astronomia Revolution breaks all records with 1 minute to complete a rotation around the axis.

“We have been improving Astronomia’s engine for eight years now,— says CEO Benjamin Arabo. It started at an already incredible (at that time) speed of one revolution every 20 minutes. This part of Astronomia was redesigned from scratch, which required revolutionary mechanics, inventions, and what we at Jacob & Co. are guided by. Astronomia Revolution is “inspired by the impossible,” and we made it possible.”

Astronomia Revolution is released in a limited edition of 18 copies, six of which are made of rose gold, six of white gold and six of white gold with black DLC coating. The case has a diameter of 47 mm and a total thickness of 27 mm. The heavy weight is entirely due to the requirements of the JCAM48B Caliber and its functionality.

Portable observatory. The high-speed orbit makes the Astronomia Revolution a high-tech and impressive watch. Moreover, the entire swivel carriage is visible from all sides: from above, from two sides and from below. Inspired by space and the personal passion of founder and Chairman Jacob Arabo, Jacob & Co. She installed a unique design based on Astronomia Revolution, located on top of hidden parts of the mechanism and under the trajectory of the satellite.

The array of 18 hexagonal mirrors mimics the mirrors on the greatest space exploration instrument created in recent history. The gilded reflectors of the James Webb Space Telescope capture the light emitted at the beginning of time. Jacob & Co. has created a miniature version of these reflectors to capture the hypnotic motion of Astronomy Revolution in orbit. Each mirror is made of 18k red gold, highly polished and slightly tilted at a very precise angle. The shiny honeycomb surface is both a hint of space exploration and a tool designed to admire the rotation of the satellites. Finally, the band of the transparent sapphire case (including under the openwork ears) opens up a 360-degree view of the stunning device. Astronomia Revolution even has the most advanced of all the long arrow-shaped second hands. Its tip rotates around its axis in 15 seconds and is made of a single large pyramid-shaped ruby, demonstrating the gemological expertise of Jacob & Co.

The beginning of the space age. In 2016, Jacob & Co. released Astronomia, a revolutionary watch of unprecedented complexity and size. The high-end watch and jewelry brand has installed a vertical rotating mechanism in a 47-millimeter gold case with a sapphire base, whose satellite carriage carries four levers. One is a two-axis tourbillon, the other is a rotating dial with a differential that holds it in an upright position, the third is a 288-faceted Jacob diamond, symbolizing the moon, and the fourth is a globe made of magnesium alloy.

All four levers rotate around their axis and around the central axis, completing a revolution inside the case in 20 minutes. This, by the way, creates a third axis of rotation for the tourbillon carriage. Astronomia has no crown, central hands, or anything in common with any other watch on the planet. A new standard has been set for high difficulty and entertainment from the launch pad Jacob & Co.

Subsequent iterations and variations were accelerated to 10 minutes and then to 5 minutes per revolution, along with many changes in complexity, design and size. It’s time for Astronomia to undergo its most dramatic, technical, and design metamorphosis. Astronomia Revolution takes the original cosmic inspiration behind Astronomia and lifts it into a new orbit using a completely redesigned, patented mechanism.

Using the energy flow. Orbiting at lightning speed, one complete revolution per minute, requires tremendous energy. For the first time, Astronomia is equipped with two exceptionally large reels. But the delivery of this energy is just as important as its storage. There is a fine line between quick and unsuccessful. To control the massive flow passing through the JCAM48B Calibre, Jacob & Co. has developed a new generation constant force device.

There are usually two forms of permanent force. One repair shop. The second is a triangular relay. Both store a small amount of the same energy in the spring to deliver it in increments of no more than one second. Astronomia Revolution presents a whip-based permanent force device with exceptional frequency, for which a patent is pending.

Every 1/6 of a second, which corresponds to the frequency of the balance, the gear train activates the hair spring. Then she releases the whip, a star-shaped gear located closest to the fourth wheel. The whip acts as a buffer between the energy flow from the drum and the tourbillons carrying the balance wheel. Each time the whip is activated, it transfers the amount of energy needed to the tourbillon carriage for the next 1/6 second.

No less, as this would lead to insufficient balance feed, which would then rotate unevenly. Nothing more than that, which would overfeed the tourbillons and the entire rotating platform, interfering with their intended rotational speed. The transmitted power is kept constant at an unheard-of frequency, a feature specific enough to Jacob & Co. to engrave a “1/6′” on the base of the satellite’s central support.

The advantages of this constant force are threefold. As in any other case, the uniformity of the torque eventually applied to the balance wheel leads to increased accuracy. Combined with the advantages of a three-axis tourbillon, this makes the Astronomia Revolution a high-end chronometer. It also happens that in a high-power watch, a constant-power device is the only solution to curb the flow of energy and avoid undesirable effects. It’s just the only way.

let Astronomia Revolution work. In addition, the smooth rotation of the entire platform and tourbillons requires a smooth flow of energy. Without him, the whole movement would have collapsed ignominiously. This precise energy adjustment allowed Jacob & Co. to maintain an impressive 36-hour power reserve on an extremely complex watch.

Regulation of three-dimensional rotations. In previous iterations of Astronomia, the tourbillon was biaxial or uniaxial, and the third axis was sometimes provided by rotating the entire platform. And they’ve always had floating tourbillons, which means they don’t have an overhead bridge. In the case of the Astronomia Revolution it rotates on two axes, around the first in 1 minute, around the second in 15 seconds. The latter is one of the highest speeds ever achieved by a tourbillon carriage in the history of watchmaking. One minute is also the speed of rotation of the mechanism, and 15 seconds is the speed of rotation of the arrowhead.

A clear sequence of broadcasts allows the viewer to contemplate the kinetic beauty of this rotating organ. Looking at the stars has nothing to do with the delicate, carefully polished carriage designed by Jacob & Co., which rotates in all directions. Because it moves with the satellite platform at a rate of one revolution per minute, Astronomia Revolution is ultimately a true three-axis tourbillon.

An indication of infinity and beyond. Since the rotating platform inside Astronomia Revolution makes a complete revolution every minute, it de facto acts as a second hand. A long thin steel arrow is the third balancing lever of the mechanism. Its head is made of 950 platinum with one large ruby, made in the same way as inside the mechanism. In the shape of a spear tip or a sharp pyramid, the tip expresses the jewelry face of Jacob & Co.

This red arrow is moving at a normal speed, if not for the speed of the whole mechanism. The large hand requires an appropriate minute scale. Jacob & Co. carved it on the Astronomia Revolution watch’s bezel — 60 notches, deep and angular like the neck of a jet engine, play the role of minute markers.

Astronomia Revolution stands on the shoulders of a unique concept and takes it to a new level in terms of design, complexity, innovation and speed. Originally centered around our Solar System, as a member of the Astronomia collection, it is moving so fast that it has left the orbit of our Sun to go to infinity.

Technical specifications