The Astronomia is the embodiment of 21st century ultra-high-end watchmaking and a globally recognized symbol of Jacob & Co watchmaking expertise. A world-first both in the boldness of its unprecedented concept and its entirely mechanical construction, the Astronomia has gone beyond impressive horological achievements to becoming an outstanding multidisciplinary engineering accomplishment.

The Astronomia Art Collection utilizes the Astronomia's incredible sapphire crystal and precious metal case, which puts everything on display, as if on a stage, showcasing individual works of art that combine a boldness of originality and design with artisan expertise while still showcasing the incredible Astronomia four-arm vertical movement.

The Astronomia Art Panda features three white gold hand-engraved and hand-painted Pandas at play along with Bamboo columns. They are intertwined within the exposed Astronomia movement.

Whether its mythical beasts, sea creatures, historic cityscapes or signs of the zodiac, the Astronomia Art Collection combines cutting edge technology, intricate Old World craftsmanship, and sophisticated miniature painting. The resulting work of art, placed within the Astronomia Tourbillon four satellite structure, is a triumph of artistry.

For the Astronomia Art Panda, the three-dimensional white gold pandas and bamboo columns took several months to design via computer so the figures fit within the exposed four-arm Astronomia movement without disrupting its operation. Then they are cast, hand-engraved and hand-painted. Each 3D sculpture comes to life while maintaining the integrity of the exposed and complex Astronomia movement.

The tourbillon was originally invented to provide improved timekeeping performance for a pocket watch. The Astronomia Tourbillon brings this 200-plus-year-old complication to breathtaking levels of modern refinement and complexity.

The tourbillon of the Astronomia Art Collection is at the forefront of modern watchmaking. The delicately decorated cage encapsulates the balance wheel, hairspring, escape wheel and several other important components. Characterized by this openworked cage, this outstanding tourbillon rotates on two axes simultaneously. It is a constellation of superbly finished components that, when expertly assembled and fine-tuned, allows the Astronomia caliber to keep accurate time throughout its 60-hour power reserve.

A full rotation of the axis takes exactly 60 seconds, as a nod towards the traditional single-axis tourbillon. This result is a bold new way at how tourbillons can function, when engineered with cutting-edge, ultra-modern technologies and timeless horological heritage in mind.

Customization and bespoke work has been the foundation of Jacob & Co. since the beginning and continues to this day. The brand has created a number of Astronomia Art pieces - Dragons, Spiders, Octopi, Horses, Tigers, world cities and more. Visit any Jacob & Co. point of sale or contact the brand directly to inquire.

The Astronomia Art Collection has become an icon within the brand and collectors look to Jacob & Co. to see what's coming next. The Astronomia Art is a showcase of Jacob & Co.'s commitment to using traditional métiers d'art in a modern way.

The Jacob Cut is the signature cut for the diamonds and gems that appear on all Jacob & Co. Astronomia timepieces. It always marks its presence on one of the arms of the Astronomia vertical movement and at times it graces other parts of its extra-large watches. It is a distinctive work of innovation, creativity and execution.

The spherical gem with 288 facets is a unique cut exclusive to Jacob & Co.

The Jacob Cut diamond starts out as a much larger rough, up to twice the size as the finished product. The rough diamond is first cut by machine into a spherical shape, near the size of the final diamond. Then the master gem cutter does his work, shaping the stone by hand and cutting each of the 288 facets while maintaining its shape. The danger is that the stone will become oblong, losing its round shape. To be used in the Astronomia Collection, the Jacob Cut diamond must be completely round and weigh exactly as much as the other three satellites (time display, triple-axis tourbillon, magnesium globe) to maintain stability of the movement. One-carat is the standard size, but other sizes have been specified depending on how it is used within the movement.

Another challenge is ensuring the precise dimensions of the facets. If the gem cutter puts slightly too much pressure on the stone while adding the facets, too much of the diamond will be cut away, and the sphere will be too small to use. The cutting process takes at least two weeks of dedicated, painstaking work.

The Jacob-Cut is most recognizable on the Astronomia watch as a diamond that extends from one of the four arms of the vertical Astronomia movement. It rotates at different rates various depending on the other elements and the theme of the watch. However, the cut has been applied on colored gemstones and placed in the dial in other ways.

The globe of the earth is made of magnesium coated with hand-painted blue lacquer and completed with gold continents. It is done in a way that ensures consistency in weight, as all four satellites must weigh exactly the same. The globe also rotates at various speeds depending on its application.

The case of the Astronomia Art Panda measures 44 millimeters in diameter and 21 millimeters thick between the highest point of its specially curved front sapphire crystal and the lowest point of its case. It is crafted of 18K white gold and sapphire crystal, allowing for unhindered viewing of the spectacular caliber and the artwork inside.

The Roman numerals on the skeletonized titanium dial display are hand-engraved with black lacquer indexes, while the hand-finished hands appear in gun blue metallic.