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 Dragon Ruby Baguette uses the 18K white gold and crystal sapphire case as a stage to display a work of art that combines traditional craftsmanship with the latest in technology. A hand-painted 18K rose gold sculptured dragon lies on a base of baguette-cut rubies and slithers around the iconic Astronomia four-arm movement.

The mythical dragon is a magnificent creature, representing strength and power, glory and good fortune. The creation of the 18K rose gold dragon begins with a precise Computer-Aided Design (CAD) rendering to ensure the dragon fits properly within the Astronomia vertical movement.

From this rendering, the 18K rose gold cast is made. This process alone takes more than two months. Then another three months is spent by the artisan to hand-sculpt the dragon. Every surface is carved, engraved, and polished. Finally, the sculpture is placed within the movement, with meticulous care.

That's when the dragon comes to life with its head upward, fiery ruby eyes and its bright red tongue ablaze.

The tourbillon was originally invented to improve the 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 double-axis tourbillon of the Astronomia Art Dragon is at the forefront of modern watchmaking. It rotates on two axes simultaneously. A full rotation on the 1st axis takes exactly 60 seconds, as a nod towards the traditional single-axis tourbillon. The 2nd axis of rotation requires five minutes to complete.

The openworked cage has been given the shape of Jacob & Co's logo, a sign of creative liberty and technical mastery. It ensures the extreme accuracy of this one-of-a-kind movement. And as the cages are only held on one end, without a superior bridge, this twin-axis tourbillon is also of the flying kind.

This one-off Astronomia Art Dragon timepiece is different from any other by the unique combination of a white gold case, baguette diamonds set on the lugs and a lavish bed of baguette-cut rubies. They're set on the movement's mainplate, which lies beneath the four-arm movement.

The way the Astronmia Art Dragon is laid out, the spread of rubies feels like a bed of fire for the fiery dragon. It's also a feat of gem-setting. It requires a insider knowledge of the gem industry to acquire 202 rubies with the exact same color and overall size.

Cutting all of them according to their position on the base dial demands a unique set of skills, especially since jco uses the invisible setting technique. Aech gem is laid out next to its neighbors, leaving none of the underlying surface to be seen. This dragon is literally luing on a bed or rubies, weighing a total nearing 10.50 ct.

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 Jacob Cut is the signature cut for the diamonds and gems that appear on all Jacob & Co. Astronomia timepieces. It is a distinctive work of innovation, creativity and execution.

The spherical, 288-faceted gem is a unique cut exclusive to Jacob & Co. It 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. 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 cutting process takes at least two weeks of dedicated, painstaking work.

The globe of the Earth is made of magnesium coated with hand-painted blue lacquer and completed with rose gold continents. It is done in a way that ensures consistency in weight, as all four satellites must weigh exactly the same. The globe rotates every 60 seconds.

The Astronomia Art Dragon Ruby Baguette case measures 50 millimeters in diameter and 25 millimeters in thickness. The case features four sapphire crystal windows installed throughout the caseband, allowing for unhindered viewing of the caliber and the artwork inside. The lugs are covered with 80 invisibly-set baguette-cut white diamonds (6.10 ct).