Jacob & Co. went to Sicily for the launch of its latest opulent opus, the Opera Godfather 50th Anniversary, which features a rotating movement, triple-axis flying tourbillon, and double-cylinder music box playing the 120 notes of the theme song of ‘The Godfather.’
The luxury watch industry depends a great deal upon credibility. Which has led to Brendan Cunningham watching with some trepidation as various watch brands have started to enter the cryptocurrency / blockchain / non-fungible token (NFT) world. Here’s why he thinks that it might not be a great idea.
The Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon almost serves the timekeeping function as a side dish: the most eye-catching part of this watch is the sapphire crystal engine block with 16 working “pistons” and a “crankshaft.” It is absolutely mesmerizing to see these little pistons do the same work that their life-size W16 cousins do. Check out this video to see it for yourself!
There is no shortage of tourbillons in every manufacturer’s collection, and standing out from the crowd is challenging. Here Martin Green highlights three new tourbillons that, thanks to a generous dash of creativity, manage to differentiate themselves from the rest of the field.
A universe on the wrist: there is simply no other way to describe the Astronomia by Jacob & Co. This watch is a testimony to the development of watchmaking, not as a practical science, but as a form of art. Yes, the Astronomia tells time. But that becomes a mere detail lost in the visual impact that this watch provides.
This is a photo of the movement of the Jacob & Co. Astronomia triple-axis tourbillon: even that one-carat diamond “globe” counterbalancing the earth rotates on two axes! I’m sure there are people who believe the fiction that this is a movement destined for a wristwatch, but I’m hoping you are not one of them. Let us know what you think this contraption is really for in the comments!
Today I don’t want to talk about one specific watch (though the Girard-Perregaux Tri-Axial Tourbillon gets special attention). Instead I want to discuss a whole class of mechanisms that made me cross the line from watch fan to so-called “watch idiot savant” (affectionately abbreviated as WIS): the multi-axis tourbillon.