GEM-SETTINGS
- Case: 46 Natural Asscher-cut Fancy Yellow and Fancy Intense Yellow Diamonds (≈55.15 ct.), Crown set with one Natural Rose-cut Fancy Yellow Diamond (≈0.57 ct.)
- Inner Ring: 76 Kite-cut and Emerald-cut Tsavorites (≈3.59 ct.)
- Movement Bridges: 57 Natural Baguette-cut Yellow Diamonds (≈1.55 ct.)
- Bracelet: with 378 Natural Asscher-cut Fancy Yellow and Fancy Intense Yellow Diamonds (≈159.62 ct.)
- Total Gold Weight: 297 gr.
- Total Carat Weight: 482 Natural Asscher-cut Fancy Yellow and Fancy Intense Yellow Diamonds, Internally Flawless to VVS (≈216.89 ct.); 76 Tsavorites (≈3.59 ct.)
DESIGN INSPIRATION
Billionaire is born from the profound love Jacob Arabo has for diamonds. Of all gems, it holds a special place in his creative heart and mind. Since his earliest days as a jeweler, he has developed a passion for perfection, for the most lavish, large, white and pure of diamonds. And even more so for the rarest of them all : colored diamonds.
Since the early days of Jacob & Co., Jacob Arabo has dreamt about a culminating creation where diamonds and watchmaking would peak together. In 2016, that intimate calling came to fruition with the release of a skeleton, tourbillon, one-of-one timepiece entirely set with very large diamonds : Billionaire. Billionaire Timeless Treasure is the first time this original accomplishment is topped.
It took three and a half years to gather the gems that make Billionaire Timeless Treasure, and for good reason. It is entirely made of natural yellow diamonds : 425 Asscher-cut, IF to VVS yellow diamonds and 57 baguette-cut yellow diamonds set on its skeleton tourbillon movement. The total of 482 yellow diamonds weighs an incredible 216.9 ct., creating a divine glow for an eternal, one-off timepiece.
THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
Billionaire Timeless Treasure is first and foremost a piece of high jewelry watchmaking. Its movement has been developed to serve the needs of the extensive gem-setting. It therefore stands out by its structure. Rarely has a skeleton movement been supported by bridges so thin. They're laid out in a geometric fashion, mimicking the facets of a diamond.
What's more, the bridges of caliber JCAM39 are made of gold. It allows it to receive the 57 baguette-cut baguette yellow diamonds that unite it with the case. Using any material traditional to watchmaking would have been impossible : they're too hard for the setting process, which would have bent the bridges out of shape.
Despite its extremely thin bones, caliber JCAM39 is fitted with a high-end tourbillon, vertically aligned with a large barrel. The energy it stores allows this hand-wound movement to beat for 72 hours, a record for a timepiece of this magnitude.
THE COMPLICATIONS & FEATURES
Caliber JCAM39 is as thin and discrete as possible. It leaves diamonds front and center. In order to blend in the dense array of Asscher-cut gems, its delicate bridges are made of gold and set with 57 baguette-cut diamonds.
THE ASSCHER-CUT YELLOW DIAMONDS
Finding 482 diamonds, all of which are natural, all of which are IF to VVS in clarity, either Fancy Yellow and Fancy Intense Yellow in color. All of them are large, a requirement for the Asscher-cut, making this task so hard no one ever undertook it. The total rough weight of those stones, prior to any kind of cutting, is estimated to have been around 880 ct.
THE GEM-SETTING
Billionaire Timeless Treasure is a mosaic where each yellow diamond has a specific part to play. As in any composition, the underlying canvas is of paramount importance. Such is the case for the yellow gold structure that offers its support to Billionaire Timeless Treasure's gems. This highly complex lattice is crafted to measure, link by link, prong by prong and fine-tuned for each of the gems it's destined to receive.
THE TOURBILLON
The tourbillon's original purpose is to counterbalance the negative effects gravity has on a movement's accuracy. By putting its escapement into a constant spin, it counteracts this natural defect. In the process, it becomes a rotating, fascinating and prestigious creation. A manifestation of expertise and craft, designed for a spectacular type of chronometry.
THE SKELETON MOVEMENT
Caliber JCAM39 was specifically developed for the Billionaire collection. It offers maximum transparency thanks to its skeletonized form. All the components that should be full are hollowed out. The structure becomes the shape...and then disappears under the sheer light of diamonds. The openworked barrel at 12 o'clock and the tourbillon at 6 o'clock are located dial side, near the sapphire crystal. They all come together as one clearly visible structure, underlined by diamonds.
THE LIFESTYLE
During a three-and-a-half year treasure hunt across the globe, Jacob & Co. has almost dried up the market for exceptionally large and high quality yellow diamonds to complete Billionaire Timeless Treasure. The first-ever colored Billionaire demanded absolute color uniformity, perfect quality consistency and the brightest of lights. It is one of the most exclusive, rare and exceptional timepieces ever crafted.