Jacob & Co. introduces a remarkable new chapter in high jewelry watchmaking with the Brilliant Flying Tourbillon Baguette Pastel Arlequino, bringing together exceptional gem setting and serious mechanical innovation. At the heart of the watch is an extraordinary technical achievement. Its balance wheel is set with 54 brilliant-cut white diamonds, creating a luminous effect as it oscillates alongside the flying tourbillon.
Jacob & Co. introduces the one of a kind Brilliant Flying Tourbillon Baguette Pastel Arlequino featuring a pioneering 54 diamond set balance wheel, 366 pastel sapphires and the new JCFA02 flying tourbillon movement.
The balance wheel is one of the most important components in a mechanical movement. Working with the hairspring, it forms the regulating organ that controls energy release through the escapement and determines the movement’s rate. Because its mass and moment of inertia must be calculated with extraordinary precision, adding gemstones to the balance wheel presents a significant technical challenge.
Historical attempts to set diamonds directly onto balance wheels date back to the 1820s and 1830s, when Swiss and French watchmakers experimented with the idea. As standards for mechanical precision evolved, however, even small changes to the balance’s weight distribution became increasingly difficult to accept. Gem setting consequently moved toward other components of the watch, leaving the regulating organ largely untouched.
Jacob & Co. has now revisited that forgotten idea through its philosophy of Inspired by the Impossible. The Brilliant Flying Tourbillon Baguette Pastel Arlequino combines 54 brilliant-cut white diamonds with a precisely engineered balance wheel, creating a visual experience that is as technically interesting as it is beautiful.
The watch’s most distinctive feature becomes especially captivating when the movement is in operation. The diamond-set balance wheel oscillates at 3 Hz, while the flying tourbillon completes one full rotation every 60 seconds. As these two mechanisms move independently, the diamonds continuously change their relationship with the surrounding light. The result is a luminous halo moving around the regulating organ.
Achieving this effect required considerably more than simply placing diamonds onto an existing balance wheel. Each additional element can influence the mass and weight distribution, potentially affecting the movement’s accuracy. The balance wheel was therefore specifically engineered to accommodate the diamonds while preserving the characteristics required for precise timekeeping.
The Brilliant Flying Tourbillon Baguette Pastel Arlequino’s colorful personality comes from its carefully arranged sapphire composition. Rather than relying on a single dominant gemstone color, Jacob and Co uses a broad palette of soft pastel shades, including green, blue, lavender, and pink.
The watch features 366 sapphires across its case, dial, crown, and buckle. Each stone is invisibly set from beneath, leaving no visible prongs or metal beads across the surface. The stones are deliberately arranged in contrasting colors rather than gradually blending from one shade to another.
This distinctive arrangement gives the watch its Arlequino identity, referencing Arlecchino from the Italian commedia dell’arte and the character’s recognizable costume of organized colored shapes. The concept is reflected in the way the gemstones are positioned, with each color remaining distinct while contributing to a unified overall composition.
The pastel approach also introduces a different perspective on high jewelry. Rather than relying on the deepest, most intense shades of sapphire, the watch embraces lighter tones that demand exceptional consistency and careful selection. The softer palette makes variations in color and quality more visible, placing considerable importance on the precision of the gem setting.
The Brilliant Flying Tourbillon Baguette Pastel Arlequino is presented in a 42-millimeter 18K white gold case measuring 11.61 millimeters thick. The proportions give the watch a substantial presence while creating a more compact interpretation of the Brilliant Collection.
The case is invisibly set with 194 baguette-cut sapphires totaling approximately 11.03 carats and 32 white diamonds totaling approximately 1.67 carats. The crown adds another layer of decoration with 12 baguette-cut sapphires and one white diamond. The dial continues the gemstone treatment with 139 baguette-cut sapphires totaling approximately 6.05 carats and 23 white diamonds totaling approximately 0.81 carats. Rhodium leaf hands provide the time display while keeping the pastel gemstone composition as the dominant visual feature.
The watch is completed with an alligator strap and an 18K white gold tang buckle set with 21 baguette-cut sapphires totaling approximately 1.52 carats. Sapphire crystal protects the watch, and it is water-resistant to 30 meters.
Powering the Brilliant Flying Tourbillon Baguette Pastel Arlequino is the new self-winding Jacob & Co. JCFA02 caliber. The movement combines a flying tourbillon with a micro rotor and operates at 21,600 vibrations per hour, equivalent to 3 Hz. It provides a 72-hour power reserve and contains 184 components. The movement is also designed to be admired from the reverse side of the watch. Its bridges are set with 234 brilliant-cut white diamonds totaling approximately 0.69 carats, creating another layer of brilliance beneath the sapphire crystal caseback.
The diamond setting extends into the movement architecture, reinforcing the watch’s central idea. The decoration is not limited to the exterior case and dial but becomes part of the mechanical presentation itself.
The Brilliant Flying Tourbillon Baguette Pastel Arlequino is offered as a Pièce Unique, making it a singular creation rather than a numbered production series. Its combination of pastel sapphires, white diamonds, a flying tourbillon, and a diamond-set balance wheel places it firmly within Jacob & Co.’s most exclusive high jewelry watchmaking creations.
The watch is priced at USD 693,000, reflecting the extensive gemstone setting, the complexity of its mechanical construction, and the piece’s one-of-a-kind nature.
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