Since its introduction in 2015, the Jacob & Co. Billionaire collection has reached renewed fame after the original timepiece exhibited a price tag surpassing $18 million. Several Billionaire, some unique pieces, some in very limited series, have since kept the myth alive, and desires blazing in the hearts and eyes of an ever-growing audience, and clientele.

The original Billionaire piece, as well as several of the ones that followed, relied on the exclusive Emerald-Cut. Then Jacob&Co. introduced Billionaire Ashoka timepieces set with Ashoka-cut diamonds.

The Billionaire Ashoka Small is a slightly more diminutive timepiece within that collection, although its 492 diamonds, weighing in at 100 ct, are every bit as astounding.

The skeleton, tourbillon movement of the Billionaire Ashoka Small is haute horlogerie's response to the high jewelry tour de force that surrounds it. With its hand-beveled chamfers sandblasted surfaces and blacked-out bridges, the movement stands out on an otherwise absolutely gleaming background. Fitted with a very light, filigree tourbillon, it can withstand the comparison with the breathtaking visual experience of the diamond-set exterior.

Artistry in and of itself, the skeletonizing of this movement removes every bit of extraneous material, leaving only what's necessary to the movement's operation and rigidity. Every surface is chamfered and finished to perfection. This hand-wound, almost see-through timepiece has a power reserve of 72 hours.

The result is a "jewel" of a movement, putting all the gears, wheels, and parts on linear display. An echo to the perfect arrangement of gemstones that is the very nature of the Billionaire Ashoka Small.

The Billionaire Ashoka Small from Jacob & Co. is a limited series of 18 pieces, featuring one of the most exclusive, sophisticated and gorgeous cuts ever invented.

The Ashoka® is the spectacular, proprietary diamond cut created by William Goldberg, named after a legendary third-century warrior, one of India's greatest emperors, King Ashoka Maurya. With a rectangular shape, rounded corners, and 62 facets (a round diamond has 57), the Ashoka® makes each one of the 18 Billionaire Ashoka Small an extraordinarily special piece.

The entirety of the watch, outside of the movement, is covered in Ashoka® diamonds, including the case, lugs, bezel, bracelet, indices and clasp, with the exception of the rose-cut white diamond on the crown. The total carat weight of this unique piece is over 100 carats, consisting in a total of 492 diamonds.

The stunning 18K white gold bracelet is completely hand-set with 418 Ashoka-cut white diamonds (79.27). A work of art by itself, it perfectly complements and continues the setting on the case, making the entire piece a single, continuous array of light-reflecting gemstones.

Jacob & Co. is one of the few brands that has the legitimacy and skills to create high jewelry and high-end watches at such a level of quality and exclusivity.

The diamond and gemstones industry is a closed society. Sourcing the very best diamonds and gemstones depends on reputation and personal connections, and Jacob & Co. has managed to establish solid, decades-long relationships.

As a result, Jacob & Co. has access to the very best sources of diamonds and gemstones from all over the world. Many of the gem-set timepieces, like the Billionaire Ashoka Small, require meticulous care in the choosing of stones for quality, cut, clarity, and matching color.

It can take months or even years, depending on the exact colors needed, before the 492 diamonds on every Billionaire Ashoka Small are gathered, cut and set.

Jacob & Co. is also an expert in the setting of these stones, working with the very best gem-setters in the world.

The 18K white gold case of the Billionaire Ashoka Small measures 45.67x35 mm and is set with 62 Ashoka-Cut White Diamonds (20.64 ct). The crown is set with 1 rose-cut white diamond (0.51 ct). Both the front and the back are protected by sapphire crystals with anti-reflective treatment.

The beauty of skeletonized watches is that there are devoid of a dial. Instead, a sapphire crystal exposes every single detail of the Billionaire Ashoka Small movement. On top of its exceptional, hand-man finishings, calibre JCAM23 is covered with a layer of black rhodium, which creates an extra level of contrast and depth.

The skeletonized hands in the center, hand-finished and rhodium-plated, float over this mechanical and mineral marvel. The indices of the Billionaire Ashoka Small are set with 11 baguette white diamonds