True to its reputation as an extravagant showman, Jacob & Co. presents the world's first decimal minute repeater in a transparent sapphire crystal case. This is not the first minute repeater in a transparent sapphire case; that honor belongs to the Légèrete by Speake-Marin, released as a single piece in 2019. However, the Twin Turbo Furious Sapphire is the first serially produced minute repeater in a sapphire crystal case, featuring a complex case from the Twin Turbo Furious collection, housing dual triple-axis tourbillons and a monopusher chronograph. Furthermore, it is not just any minute repeater, but a decimal minute repeater, rara avis among chronographic complications. Three models from the Twin Turbo Furious collection, limited to six pieces each, including the “Bugatti Blue” edition, provide a compelling insight into the complex mechanism powering these complications.
MASTER SHOWMAN
Jacob Arabo, as a master of extreme watchmaking, does not fear the “impossible.” The philosophy of Jacob & Co. is “the bigger, the better,” where the wildest combinations of complications and the most outrageous case shapes come to life. The Twin Turbo Furious, with its staggering set of complications, is not a novelty. It was launched at Baselworld 2018 in a black DLC titanium and carbon fiber case, featuring: an hour and minute dial at noon with a small seconds indicator at “9 o'clock”; a monopusher chronograph with a minute counter at “3 o'clock” and a central seconds hand; reference time inspired by racing pit boards; a decimal minute repeater that chimes the hour, every 10 minutes, and minutes; dual triple-axis high-speed tourbillons; and a power reserve indicator at “6 o'clock.”
The next step was to place all these complexities in a transparent sapphire crystal case. Inspired by supercars and high-performance automobiles, the streamlined Twin Turbo Furious case expands and rises at the base to accommodate the 3D spectacle of twin tourbillons. On the left side is a slider for activating the decimal repeater and a crank on the crown for adjusting the complications.
SAPPHIRE CRYSTAL CASE
The complex Twin Turbo Furious sapphire crystal case was a formidable challenge. The unique pentagonal case measuring 57 mm x 52 mm of the “ordinary” Twin Turbo Furious comprises 88 parts, while the sapphire version consists of 89. Developing, producing, and perfecting the sapphire crystal case took 15 months, involving growing sapphire glass from aluminum oxide, then shaping the case using a combination of high-tech numerical equipment and traditional hand polishing. Processing the various geometric surfaces and angles of the case, including the signature twin bezel, was a complex task, as was hand-polishing the crystal to achieve its transparency. The only part of the case not made from sapphire crystal is the 18-karat white (or rose) gold crank at “3 o'clock,” which winds and sets the complications. The three watch models are distinguished by a colored chapter ring made from Neoralithe, a resin-based material developed in Switzerland. Available in red, green, or blue, the material is resistant to UV light, thermal, and physical shocks. The Bugatti watch features a “Bugatti Blue” Neoralithe chapter ring and the company's logo on the front.
MINUTE REPEATER ON DISPLAY
Integrating an exotic decimal minute repeater into a sapphire crystal case - a world first - was another complex task, requiring compromises in the watch's design to accommodate the gongs and hammers while ensuring high-quality sound. The decimal minute repeater chimes in a more intuitive way than traditional minute repeaters. Instead of chiming hours, quarters, and minutes, it chimes the hours, ten-minute intervals past the last full hour, and then minutes. The crystal lever on the left side of the case activates the crystal-clear sound of the cathedral gongs of the decimal repeater. At “12 o'clock,” the hammers of the decimal minute repeater are visible.
DUAL TRIPLE-AXIS TOURBILLONS AND MONOPUSHER CHRONOGRAPH
The dual tourbillons, regulating the time and chronograph, rotate in space in a sequence of rapid yet controlled movements. Depending on the two regulating organs, the ultra-light cages rotate at 24, 48, and 180 seconds along three axes of rotation. Each triple-axis tourbillon consists of 104 components and weighs only 1.15 grams.
Again, simple solutions are not a hallmark of Jacob & Co. watches. The chronograph, as expected, is a monopusher mechanism equipped with a traditional column wheel and horizontal clutch. However, the stopwatch mechanism features an original indicator of time in minutes and seconds, which can be set using the crown. The “pit board” function, inspired by timing panels used in car racing, allows for easy comparison of two elapsed times. Elapsed seconds exceeding the reference time are displayed in the red (+) section of the pit board, while seconds that are less are displayed in the yellow-green (-) section. An aperture on the dial, located just above the twin tourbillons, indicates the reference time in minutes and seconds, which can be set using the crown (up to 5 minutes and 59 seconds). When timing an event, the pit board wheel displays the difference in seconds compared to the reference time.
To ensure you don't miss any action inside these stunning watches, the dial is made of dark gray sapphire crystal, partially revealing some of the 832 components of the hand-wound movement. The hour and minute indications are provided by two-tone skeletonized hands driven by gears linked to the two triple-axis tourbillons. Indices corresponding to the central second hand are applied to the peripheral track of the dial, highlighted with green, blue, or red Neoralithe and coated with Super-LumiNova, as are the hour and minute hands.
JACOB & CO. JCFM05
The hand-wound movement - caliber JCFM05 - is showcased on all sides of the case and is worthy of admiration. Running at a frequency of 21,600 vph, the movement offers a power reserve of up to 50 hours. The integrated chronograph mechanism, consisting of 832 components, 75 jewels, and finished in Haute Horlogerie style - hand-chamfered and polished plates and bridges, circular graining, and polished screws - features patented dual mechanical safety that triggers during the chime.
AVAILABILITY AND PRICE
All three models are presented on black rubber straps with deployant buckles made of 18-karat gold. Each model is limited to six pieces. While the price is not disclosed, it exceeds half a million US dollars.
For more information, please contact Jacob & Co.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS – JACOB & CO. TWIN TURBO FURIOUS SAPPHIRE CRYSTAL
Case: 59.23 x 53.27 – height 19.23 mm – sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating – Twin Turbo Furious case – crown/crank in 18k rose or white gold – repeater slider on the left, chronograph monopusher on the right – water resistance 30 m
Dial: skeletonized – available with blue, green, or red Neoralithe chapter ring – smoky sapphire crystal disc with +/- time indicator – small seconds at “9,” chronograph minutes at “3 o'clock” – skeletonized hour and minute hands with rhodium coating Super-LumiNova – repeater gong at “12 o'clock” – dual triple-axis tourbillons at “5 and 7 o'clock” – power reserve indicator at “6 o'clock
Movement: Caliber JCFM05 – Hand-wound movement 34 mm x 46 mm x13.7 mm – 75 jewels – 21,600 vibrations per hour – 50-hour power reserve – hours, minutes, small seconds, integrated monopusher chronograph with “reference time indication,” decimal minute repeater, dual triple-axis tourbillon (rotation in 24, 8, and 30 seconds) and power reserve indicator – 832 parts
Strap: black rubber strap – deployant clasp in 18k white or rose gold
References: TT220.80.AA.AB.ABVEA Bugatti blue
TT220.80.AA.AA.ABVEA red
TT220.80.AA.AC.ABVEA green
Price: on request