Jacob & Co. Twin Turbo Furious Sapphire Crystal
In keeping with the brand's reputation for luxury, Jacob & Co. introduced the world's first decimal minute repeater with a transparent sapphire crystal case. This is not the first minute repeater to be housed in a transparent sapphire crystal case. This distinction is attributed to Speake-Marin's Légèrete, a one-off piece produced in 2019. However, the Twin Turbo Furious Sapphire is the first minute repeater in a series-produced sapphire crystal case, not just any sapphire crystal case, mind you, but a complicated case from the Twin Turbo Furious collection, It houses a double triple-axis tourbillon and a single-button chronograph. Again, not just any minute repeater, but the decimal minute repeater, a rara avis in the chiming complication. Three watches in the Twin Turbo Furious collection, limited to six pieces, including a "Bugatti Blue" model, convincingly showcase the intricate mechanics that drive the complications.
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As a master of extreme watches, Jacob Arabo is not intimidated by the "impossible". The more the merrier, seems to be the underlying philosophy at Jacob & Co., where cases of the craziest complications and craziest shapes come to life. Twin Turbo Furious is surprisingly complex and is not a new product. Released during Baselworld 2018, it comes in a black DLC titanium and carbon fiber case, and features: noon minute sub-dial and small seconds at 9 o'clock; monopusher chronograph with minute counter at 3 o'clock and central seconds; reference time inspired by racing pit plates; a decimal minute repeater striking every 10 minutes and every minute; double triple-axis high-speed tourbillon; and a power reserve indicator at 6 o’clock.
The next step is to take the complex hodgepodge and put them into a clear sapphire crystal case. Inspired by supercars and performance cars, the streamlined case of the Twin Turbo Furious is widened and raised at the bottom to accommodate the 3D spectacle of the double tourbillon. It has a slider on the left to activate the decimal minute repeater and a crank on the crown to adjust the complexity.
Sapphire crystal case
The complex sapphire crystal case of the Twin Turbo Furious posed a formidable challenge. The "regular" Twin Turbo Furious's unique five-sided 57mm x 52mm case has 88 components; this sapphire version has 89. The development of the sapphire crystal case took 15 months to design, produce and perfect, which involved growing the sapphire crystal from aluminum oxide and then shaping the case through a combination of high-tech digital machinery and traditional hand polishing. Machining the different geometric planes and angles of the case, including the iconic double bezel, is a complex task, but so is the hand-polishing of the crystal to achieve its transparency. The only part of the case that is not made of sapphire crystal is the 18k white (or rose) gold crank at 3 o’clock, which is used to wind and set the complication. The difference between the three watches is the colorful chapter ring made of Neoalithe, a material made of resin and developed in Switzerland. Available in red, green or blue, the material is resistant to UV rays, heat and physical shock. The Bugatti watch has a "Bugatti Blue" Neoalithe chapter ring with the company logo on the front.
Mounting the exotic decimal minute repeater - a world first - in the sapphire crystal case was another complex task, and compromises in the watch's design were made to allow for the gongs and hammers, while ensuring a high-quality sound. The decimal minute repeater is more intuitive than the traditional minute repeater. Instead of striking hours, quarters, and minutes, it strikes at hourly, ten-minute intervals after the last hour and minute. A crystal lever on the left side of the case activates the crystal-clear sound of the cathedral gongs of the decimal minute repeater. The hammer for the decimal minute repeater is located at 12 o'clock.
Double triple-axis tourbillon and monopusher chronograph
The double tourbillon and chronograph that regulates the time display rotate in space with lightning-fast and controlled movements. Relying on two adjustment mechanisms, the ultra-light cage rotates along three axes of rotation at speeds of 24, 48 and 180 seconds. Each three-axis tourbillon consists of 104 parts and weighs only 1.15 grams.
Again, simple solutions are not the hallmark of Jacob & Co. watches. As you'd expect, the chronograph is in the monopusher range and comes with a traditional column wheel and horizontal clutch. However, the stopwatch mechanism incorporates a raw reference time indicator in minutes and seconds that can be set on the crown. The pit board feature is inspired by the timing boards used in racing events and is an easy way to compare two elapsed times. Elapsed seconds greater than the reference time are in the red section (+) of the pit board, while lower seconds are in the yellow and green sections (-). The opening above the double tourbillon on the dial indicates the minute-second reference time that can be set via the crown (up to 5 minutes 59 seconds). Then, when timing events, the pit wheel shows the difference in seconds compared to the reference time.
So that you don't miss any of the action inside this stunning timepiece, the dial is made of dark grey sapphire crystal, partially revealing the 832 components of the hand-wound engine. Hours and minutes are indicated by two-color skeletonized hands driven by gears connected to the double triple-axis tourbillon. The scales corresponding to the central seconds hand are applied on the outer track of the dial, in green, blue or red Neoralith and treated with Super-Luminova, just like the hour and minute hands.
Jacob & Co. JCFM05
The hand-wound movement – the Calibre JCFM05 – is worthy of admiration, exposed from all sides of the case. The movement runs at 21,600vph and produces a power reserve of up to 50 hours. With 832 components, 75 jewels and Haute Horlogerie finishes - hand-slanted and polished bridges and bridges, circular grained and polished screws - integrated chronograph movement equipped with a patented double mechanical safety feature activated at the striking time .
All three feature a black leather strap with an 18K gold deployment clasp.