When the Astronomia Tourbillon was introduced in 2014, the re-invention of the tourbillon in a vertical orientation and the constant turning of its four satellites garnered most of the attention.

What led to the development of the Astronomia Art Collection, however, is the incredible sapphire crystal and precious metal case, which puts everything on display.

So, the idea was to develop special works of art to put inside the Astronomia Tourbillon, using its massive sapphire crystal case as a gallery, while still showcasing the incredible Astronomia tourbillon movement. The brand started with dragons, octopi, spiders, horses and more. Incredibly successful, Jacob & Co. has expanded the Astronomia Tourbillon Art Collection every year since.

The Astronomia Tourbillon Black Dragon has a stunning all-black aesthetic. Based on the Astronomia Sky, the Astronomia Tourbillon Black Dragon has a blackened Grade 5 titanium dial applied with stars and constellations. On top of this rests the 18K black gold, hand-engraved dragon with rubies for eyes. The double-axis tourbillon, time display, and the spinning 288-facet Jacob-cut diamond are the only bright spots in this black masterpiece. Even the rotating globe is black-lacquered magnesium.

The Astronomia case is the perfect gallery for this sculpture as the domed top and curved sides are pure sapphire crystal, making it possible to see every detail of the high-watchmaking vertical double-axis tourbillon and the incredible 3-D hand-engraved 18K black gold sculpture of a fearsome dragon.

The mythical dragon is a magnificent creature, representing strength and power, glory and good fortune. The Jacob & Co. artisan who crafts the dragon first does research to find the perfect dragon as source material, then works on the computer to create a detailed 3-D plan. From this, the 18K black gold cast is made. Finally, after two or more months, the detail work begins as every part of the dragon is gone over with a fine-toothed comb, every surface finished and engraved, then polished. This is an additional three months of painstaking work on the engraver's workbench.

Then the movement is assembled along with the sculpture, care taken to make sure nothing obstructs the perfect functioning of the watch. The 18K gold Dragon sculpture winds its way around and through the high-watchmaking movement.

The tourbillon is widely considered the ultimate complication, as it turns and spins to counter the effects of gravity on the precision of the movement. For the Astronomia Collection, Jacob & Co. has taken the tourbillon one step farther, introducing additional axes in which the tourbillon turns. For the Astronomia Tourbillon Black Dragon, the tourbillon is double-axis - turning in two axes: one in 60 seconds and the second in 2.5 minutes. The dragon sculpture blocks the movement from making its normal tour around the dial.

Borrowed from the Astronomia Sky, the Astronomia Art Black Dragon features a celestial vault in blackened titanium with white gold 18K white gold constellations.

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.

Jacob & Co. has been on the forefront of using precious stones since its founding in 1986, and has developed a number of special cuts and setting techniques. For the Astronomia Tourbillon, the brand developed the 288-facet Jacob-cut diamond. This special cut can be accomplished by only a select few gem cutters, and the rough stone typically starts out double the size of the finished diamond. The facets have to be incredibly precise so the diamond is perfectly symmetrical and round. In the Astronomia Art, the one carat Jacob-cut diamond rotates on itself in 30 seconds.

The globe is made of black lacquered magnesium to ensure consistency in weight, as all four satellites have to weight exactly the same. The globe rotates on itself in 30 seconds.

The Astronomia Tourbillon's case measures 50 millimeters in diameter and 25 millimeters thick between the highest point of its specially curved front sapphire crystal and the lowest point of its case. Crafted from 18K blackened gold, the case features four sapphire crystal windows installed throughout the periphery, allowing for unhindered viewing of the spectacular caliber and the artwork inside.

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