SimplyAbuDhabi XXXIII

9 5 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I M ankind has long had an innate fascination with observing the night sky. Drawing its inspiration from historic old town astronomical clocks, which are true aesthetic and technical marvels, Jacob &Co. unveils the exquisite Astronomia Sky. In 2014, Jacob &Co stunned the watch industry with the launch of the Astronomia Gravitational Triple Axis Tourbillon. With the new Astronomia Sky, the brand further builds upon the innovations of the Astronomia, adding a never-before-seen complication: a sidereal display in three dimensions, combined with an oval sky indicator and a 24-hour day and night display. The details of this feat are remarkably complex. Sidereal Time Covering the internal surface of the Astronomia’s case, the celestial dial accomplishes a full rotation in one sidereal year—which is the actual time it takes the earth to make one full rotation around the sun in relation to the fixed stars. The blued grade-5 titanium dial features 18ct gold stars, as well as hand-applied and hand-engraved zodiac signs. Oval Sky Indicator Above the celestial dial is the Oval Sky Indicator, which shows the portion of the stars visible from the Northern Hemisphere. This indicator makes one full rotation in one sidereal day. A sidereal day is the amount of time it takes for the earth to rotate once on its axis: 23.5640916 hours. At the centre of the satellite axis, a lacquered hand-engraved titanium globe rotates on itself inside a tinted half-domed sapphire, symbolizing night and day. Satellites Race A blue rolling barrel rotates around the dial every 20 minutes. As a result, when one looks at the watch, it never appears exactly the same. On the first satellite lies the amazing triple-axis gravitational tourbillon, which rotates on one axis in 60 seconds, on the second axis every 5 minutes, and around the dial every 20 minutes. On the second satellite is the time (hours and minutes) subdial. Thanks to a clever differential gear system, the time display is always in the correct position while it rotates around the dial. The “12” marker is always facing upwards. On the third satellite is the Orbital Second Hand, an open-worked titanium wheel that rotates in 60 seconds with a second hand and rotates around the dial every 20 minutes. On the fourth and final satellite is the patented “Jacob Cut”, a spherical jacob-cut gemstone with 288 facets. This gemstone, the first of its kind in the modern jewellery industry, rotates on its axis every 60 seconds and turns around the dial every 20 minutes. Optimized Setting Jacob & Co. has created a simple yet ingenious solution to the time-setting of this complicated watch. The Astronomia Sky has two bows and two wheels on the back of the watch, making time setting very easy for the user. One bow is for setting the time and the day/night indicator (both based on 24-hour solar time), while the other bow is for winding the mechanical movement. One wheel is to set the sidereal time, while the other wheel is to set the oval sky indicator. Jacob &Co., known for its unique and captivating complications, has made history yet again with the Astronomia Sky. Led by Jacob Arabo, Jacob & Co.’s exquisite timepieces have captivated for over three decades and continue to revolutionise the world of haute horology. Whether challenging the limits of grand complications or pushing the boundaries of artistic beauty, Jacob Arabo’s daring vision of luxury has developed the brand into a symbolic expression of success and individuality. Jacob & Co. demonstrates its extraordinary pedigree that was built on a constant drive to evolve at every turn and gain inspiration from the seemingly impossible.