Jacob & Co. Brilliant Flying Tourbillon Baguette Pastel Arlequino Puts Diamonds On The Balance Wheel

A one-of-a-kind creation combines a flying tourbillon with a balance wheel set with 54 brilliant-cut diamonds.

Jacob & Co. is taking high watchmaking into unusually delicate territory with the Brilliant Flying Tourbillon Baguette Pastel Arlequino. For the first time in modern watchmaking, according to the Maison, the balance wheel itself has been set with diamonds, turning one of the most technically sensitive components of a mechanical movement into a moving display of light.

The balance wheel is part of the regulating organ, working together with the hairspring to control the release of energy through the escapement and determine the movement’s rate. Adding weight to such a component is therefore far more demanding than setting gemstones on a case, dial, bridge or rotor. Jacob & Co. approached the challenge by setting 54 brilliant-cut white diamonds directly onto the balance wheel while preserving the characteristics required for accurate timekeeping.

A Halo In Motion

The visual effect comes from the interaction between two independent movements. The diamond-set balance wheel oscillates at 3Hz, while the flying tourbillon completes one full rotation every 60 seconds. As both elements move, the orientation of the diamonds constantly changes in relation to the light, creating the impression of a luminous halo surrounding the regulating organ.

It is an effect that goes beyond conventional gem-setting. Rather than remaining static against a dial or case, the stones become part of the movement’s animation, with oscillation, rotation and light continuously changing the appearance of the watch as the seconds pass.

The idea also has a historical precedent. Swiss and French watchmakers experimented with diamond-set balance wheels during the 1820s and 1830s, when cylinder escapements and comparatively large daily deviations meant that the influence of additional weight was less consequential. As standards of chronometry became increasingly demanding, the balance wheel became a component that could no longer easily accommodate decorative additions. Jacob & Co. is revisiting that forgotten chapter with a modern approach.

Pastel Arlequino

The movement is only part of the visual story. The exterior of the Brilliant Flying Tourbillon Baguette Pastel Arlequino is covered in a carefully composed arrangement of pastel-coloured sapphires and white diamonds.

A total of 366 sapphires extend across the case, dial, crown and buckle. Instead of blending neighbouring stones into a gradual colour transition, Jacob & Co. deliberately places contrasting shades beside one another, with green next to blue and lavender next to pink. The composition takes its name from Arlecchino, the colourful character of the Italian commedia dell’arte whose costume is traditionally associated with an orderly arrangement of coloured lozenges.

The pastel palette is particularly demanding because softer colours leave little room for imperfection. Every sapphire must maintain a consistent delicacy of tone so that the contrasting stones read as one coherent composition rather than an assortment of unrelated colours.

42mm Of High Jewellery

The watch is housed in a 42mm case made from 18K white gold, measuring 11.61mm in height. The case is invisibly set with 194 baguette-cut sapphires and 32 baguette-cut white diamonds, while the crown adds another 12 sapphires and a single white diamond.

The dial continues the same approach, with 139 baguette-cut sapphires and 23 white diamonds set invisibly into the surface. No visible prongs or beads interrupt the composition, allowing the stones themselves to define the appearance of the watch.

Despite its extensive gem-setting, the proportions remain relatively restrained for a Jacob & Co. Brilliant creation. At 42mm, the watch has been given a more compact expression while retaining the unmistakable presence associated with the collection.

The JCFA02

Inside is the new Jacob & Co. calibre JCFA02, a self-winding movement combining a flying tourbillon with a micro-rotor. The movement measures 30.40mm in diameter and 6.90mm thick, operates at 21,600 vibrations per hour, or 3Hz, and provides a 72-hour power reserve.

The technical execution continues on the reverse side. Through the sapphire crystal caseback, the bridges can be seen set with 234 brilliant-cut white diamonds, adding another layer of luminosity to a movement that already features the 54 diamonds on its balance wheel.

With 184 components and 27 jewels, the JCFA02 keeps the technical architecture relatively compact despite the visual complexity of the watch. The result is a movement in which the tourbillon, micro-rotor and diamond-set balance wheel are not separate decorative elements, but parts of a single visual composition.

A Moving Piece Of Jewellery

The Jacob & Co. Brilliant Flying Tourbillon Baguette Pastel Arlequino Puts occupies the space where high jewellery and high watchmaking meet. Its defining feature is not simply the number of gemstones, but the decision to place them on the balance wheel — a component whose mass and poise directly influence the regulating system.

With a 42mm 18K white-gold case, 366 pastel sapphires across the exterior, hundreds of additional diamonds and the JCFA02 flying tourbillon movement, this is a creation designed as much to move as it is to be admired.

Limited to a single piece, the Brilliant Flying Tourbillon Baguette Pastel Arlequino is priced at US$693,000, making it one of Jacob & Co.’s most uncompromising expressions of mechanical watchmaking and high jewellery.

Technical Specifications

For more information, please visit the official Jacob & Co. website.

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