Jacob & Co. Astronomia Flawless Imperial Dragon

The ability to combine high-end watchmaking with other types of craftsmanship, be it inlay, engraving, hand-painting, music box making or enamel art, is the hallmark of the famous American brand luxury Jacob & Co. Continuing this tradition, the company has added an incredible novelty to its watch collection – the Astronomia Flawless Imperial Dragon model.

In this high-end watch, the unusual Astronomia mechanism is entwined with a flexible dragon pattern hand-coloured and hand-engraved in 18-karat rose gold. A miniature sculpture of a dragon consists of four parts (head, body, tail, and water surrounding the dragon), which must be connected by invisible seams. In view of the fact that the shape of the beast is made of gold, it is very heavy, and the screws connecting the various parts of the dragon are also very small, and the task is arduous. Not to mention that watchmakers need to be very careful not to damage the doll during assembly and bring it safely to the final stage, where the designers hand perfect the smallest details: scales, teeth, tongue and eyes.

Since the introduction of the Astronomia series in 2014, a mandatory attribute of this line of models has included a massive sapphire glass case. Thanks to the transparency of the case, the biaxial tourbillon mechanism can be seen from different sides in its full glory. The complex concept of the monolithic case design creates the illusion that the complications are floating in the air under the sapphire dome.

Replacing the single metal part used in previous models of the series with sapphire glass elements helps to achieve this effect. In particular, we’re talking about case rings and lugs. All in all, the production of the “Mythical” case (50 x 25.45 mm) took over 1000 hours!

Inside this proud representative of the top Jacob & Co. timepieces, there is a mechanism with a hand-wound movement and a 60-hour power reserve that, in addition to the display of the hours and minutes, also supports the operation of the biaxial tourbillon . The rotational speed of the latter is 60 seconds on one axis and 2.5 minutes on the second axis. In this model, the famous manufacturer has retained the concept of a four-axis turntable module, with all functional and purely decorative elements fixed at its ends. In addition to the sub-dial and tourbillon cage, a 1-carat Jacob Cut® diamond and a lacquered magnesium alloy ball symbolizing the earth can be seen below the dragon’s body. Both elements rotate about their axes at two revolutions per minute.

Released in a single copy, the one-of-a-kind chronograph Astronomia perfectly embodies Jacob & Co.’s motto – “Inspired by the Impossible”.

Jacob & Co. is one of the few reliable fake men watches brands that regularly amazes customers with their incredibly beautiful looks.

Bremont Longitude watch collection introduces new in-house movement

Bremont’s just-released Longitude watch, in addition to being a brand new collection, also marks the debut of the brand’s long-awaited in-house movement. The new ENG300 series will be fully assembled at the brand’s new “The Wing” factory in Henley-on-Thames, with the ENG376 as the first movement. Bremont acquired the rights to the K1 movement entirely from THE+ (related to Horage), redesigned 80% of the movement’s weight, and can now claim that the movement will be 100% assembled in its own manufacturing facility. Indeed, it’s been a long time coming for Bremont cheap, and it marks a new chapter for the British watch brand led by its British brothers.

The ENG300 will meet observatory standards (though not COSC certified), and Bremont reports an accuracy of +/- 3 seconds per day. Featuring a silicon escapement, custom balance bridge and tungsten rotor, the ENG376 will be the first in a series of new Bremont Manufacture movements that the brand will launch. To be fair, expectations will be high, and after working at The Wing for a while and dealing with the new Longitude, I am confident that a substantial investment of time and money will position best Bremont in the category the brand has long aspired to.

Not only does the name pay homage to England’s timekeeping history – the brass used on the outer edge of the movement is derived from the historic Flamsteed Meridian Line at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich.

The Longitude case is 40mm in diameter, with a lug thickness of 12.5mm and a lug-to-lug height of 49mm, with a large date window and a power reserve indicator inspired by the red ball on the top of the Royal Observatory. It really is a beautiful And a well-made watch with an impressive case and an elegantly minimalist design that ultimately matches a genuine manufactured movement.

Flip the case over to reveal the well-built ENG376, which runs at 25,200 vph and has a 65-hour power reserve. The unique design interplay of rhodium and gold plating on the bridges and small details such as the blued screws really reflect what the brand is trying to achieve and communicate with its first in-house movement.

The opening of The Wing and the debut of the ENG376 marked the beginning of a new chapter for the brand, with the British bro promising more calibers in the near future, more affordable than the less-expensive Longitude range. Popular fake watch