The Astronomia Dragon is a truly unique, groundbreaking timepiece that elevates the art of watchmaking combining the highest level of Swiss timepiece craftsmanship and the horological decorative arts to create a watch that is a poetic visual rendering of the celestial world with every element in constant, visible motion, all under the control of the oscillator at the heart of the three-axis tourbillon with an orbital display of the hours and minutes. This timepiece is fitted with an 18K rose gold case that looks more like a cage that holds six sapphire crystals throughout the top, bottom, caseband and in between the lugs. Measuring 50 mm in diameter and 25 mm in thickness, the time is indicated by a patented differential gears system with the hours and minutes indicated by a rotating dial with Roman numerals and blued hands. This dial makes a rotation around the face of the watch every 20 minutes and features a hand engraving of a powerful mythical Chinese dragon.
With four different elements all held together at the center by the patented differential gears system, one can find a the hour and minutes subdial, a faceted spherical diamond, a magnesium lacquered terrestrial globe and a gravitational tourbillon cage with Jacob & Co. logo. The magnesium lacquered globe held by the dragon’s claw rotates every sixty seconds on two axes.
But what makes the Jacob & Co. Astronomia Dragon Tourbillon even more special is the gravitational tourbillon cage rotating on three axes. While the first axis makes a rotation every sixty seconds, the second axis will make a rotation every five minutes and the third axis will make a full rotation every 20 minutes.
Powered by the in-house Jacob & Co. manual winding calibre JCAM10, the movement is equipped with two flat crowns on the case back, so that the wearer can wind the watch via the crown on the left and set the time via the crown on the right.
Wearing slightly smaller than its actual size the wrist presence is quite impressive. This is a timepiece that needs to be seen in person to fully appreciate its splendor and the micro-engineering horological feat it represents. A unique piece like no other.
Sticker Price $530,000 USD. For more info on Jacob & Co. click here.
