Story
The Astronomia is the embodiment of 21st century ultra-high-end watchmaking and a globally recognized symbol of Jacob & Co watchmaking expertise. A world-first both in the boldness of its unprecedented concept and its entirely mechanical construction, the Astronomia has gone beyond impressive horological achievements to becoming an outstanding multidisciplinary engineering accomplishment. The Astronomia Monopoly contains miniature pop characters that represent the repertoire of renowned contemporary graffiti artist, Alec Monopoly. They are presented as miniature sculptures and placed within within the iconic Astronomia four-arm vertical movement and its four exclusive complications: An hours and minutes time display with the Jacob & Co. patented differential gears system; a 1-carat spherical diamond featuring the exclusive Jacob Cut with 288 facets that performs a complete rotation every 60 seconds; a magnesium hand-lacquered globe of the Earth rotating every 60 seconds; and a double-axis tourbillon with the first rotation in 60 seconds and the second rotation in five minutes.
Partnership
Jacob & Co.'s latest collaboration is with prolific street artist, Alec Monopoly. Together they have produced the Astornomia Alec Monopoly timepiece, a limited-edition collection that uses the unique display case of the Astornomia as a canvas for Monopoly's art, using several of his iconic creations. Alec Monopoly is the alias of the world-renowned contemporary graffiti artist whose colorful, animated works - whether on the walls of buildings, on canvas or as life size three-dimensional figures - are loved and sought after by street art fans and celebrities around the world.
High Watchmaking Serving High Art
The Astronomia Monopoly contains miniature pop characters that represent the repertoire of renowned contemporary graffiti artist, Alec Monopoly. They include: his interpretations of "The Monopoly Man" and "Scrooge McDuck," a multicolored dollar sign with multiple drawings of diamonds, and "money wings."
"I love the juxtaposition of my youthful cartoon characters, brought to life with bright and vivid colors in a timeless watch with stunning complications," Monopoly says. "It's the perfect setting for my art and a watch made for true collectors to wear. My hope is this is a watch that gets passed down generations with the same passion and pride as a masterpiece original artwork." All the characters begin as drawings by Monopoly which then become CAD renderings that are perfectly sized to fit within the watch dial without impending the Astronomia movement and complications. They are then hand-sculpted, cast in gold and hand finished. Monopoly then paints the figures using acrylic paint in the bright animated colors that are his trademark. The artist normally works on surfaces that can range in size from large canvases to sides of buildings. He found painting at such a small scale to be challenging. "This is by far the smallest scale 'canvas' I have ever painted. Every element, brushstroke and color choice needed to be carefully thought out and perfectly executed," Monopoly says. "My street art murals are often free flowing and wild but given the intricacies and meticulous mechanics within these watches I needed to approach the creative process with much more precision and patience."
Tourbillon
The tourbillon was originally invented to provide improved timekeeping performance for a pocket watch. The Astronomia Tourbillon brings this 200-plus-year-old complication to breathtaking levels of modern refinement and complexity. The double-axis tourbillon of the Astronomia Tourbillon is at the forefront of modern watchmaking. The delicately decorated cage encapsulates the balance wheel, hairspring, escape wheel and several other important components. Characterized by this openworked cage, this outstanding tourbillon rotates on two axes simultaneously. It is a constellation of superbly finished components that, when expertly assembled and fine-tuned, allows the Astronomia caliber to keep accurate time throughout its 60-hour power reserve. A full rotation on the 1st axis takes 60 seconds, as a nod towards the traditional single-axis tourbillon. The 2nd axis of rotation requires five minutes to complete. This is a tourbillon that was engineered with cutting-edge, ultra-modern technologies and timeless horological heritage in mind.
Technical Spefications
Movement: Caliber: Manufacture Jacob&Co.
Manual Winding JCAM25
Diameter: 41.65mm; Height: 17.15mm
Material: Titanium; Components: 384
Power Reserve: 60-Hours
Frequency: 21'600 vib/h (3 Hz)
Jewels: 42; Finishing: Plate and Bridges: Hand Angled and Polished
Flank Draw, Circular Graining; Polished Sink; One Sapphire Bridge;
Polished Screws; Barrel: Circular Graining; Pinions: Conical Pinions
4 Mechanical Ball Bearing Devices
Flat Balance Spring
Functions
Functions: Hours and Minutes
System: Vertical Movement with 4 Arms
• Double Axis Tourbillon, 1st Cage rotating in 60 sec and 2nd Cage in 5 min
• 1 Carat Exclusive Jacob cut® Diamond: 288 Facets, rotating on itself in 60 sec
• Magnesium Blue Lacquered Globe, rotating on itself in 60 sec
• Hours and Minutes Dial
Case: Diameter: 50mm; Height: 25mm; Material: 18K Rose Gold;
Sapphire with Double; Anti-Reflective Treatment; Case Back: 18K Rose Gold; Bows: Winding and Time-Setting via 18K; Rose Gold lift-out rotating "bows" at case back
Crystal: Unique Domed Sapphire with Double Anti-Reflective Treatment Water resistance: 30m (3 atm)
Dial & Hands: Dial: Titanium, Hand Angled and Polished
Lacquered Indexes; Hands: Blued Jacob&Co designed hands Strap & Clasp: Strap: Alligator
Clasp: 18K Rose Gold Folding Buckle
Limited Edition: 9 pieces
