Video: The Jacob & Co. The Godfather II — A Double-Melody Musical Timepiece
The Jacob & Co. The Godfather II is not the first Godfather-themed watch. It is, however, the first that plays two tunes — “The Godfather Waltz” and “The Godfather Love Theme.” Jacob & Co. built a timepiece with a single music box barrel playing two songs, and Benjamin Arabov tells us how the watch with a 510-part movement and a newly designed 42 x 44mm rose gold case came to life.
The Jacob & Co. The Godfather II is a limited edition of 74 pieces, a nod to the year The Godfather Part II hit theaters, 1974. The Godfather Part II is Jacob Arabo’s favorite film, and his son Benjamin also watched it multiple times. Francis Ford Coppola’s 1974 epic movie also has an epic soundtrack. In the movie, you can hear two Nino Rota compositions that are just as famous as the movie itself — “The Godfather Love Theme” and “The Godfather Waltz.” If you have US$440,000 to spend on your next watch, you could, assuming you can get your hands of 1 of the 74 timepieces being made, play the songs with your Jacob & Co. The Godfather II. But you may want to watch the watch in action first. It won’t disappoint.
And really, that’s where this watch makes the most sense. You can read about a two-song mechanical music box, a flying tourbillon, and a shaped gold case all day long, but this is one of those watches that needs motion and sound. The charm isn’t just in the spec sheet. It’s in the way the mechanism wakes up, the way the music box works, and the way the whole thing leans into the drama of the film without trying to be subtle about it. With Jacob & Co., that’s usually part of the deal anyway.
The Jacob & Co. The Godfather II: Cinematic horology with a soundtrack
The latest Godfather iteration comes in a new, curved, rectangular, Art Deco-inspired rose gold case that also serves as a sort of boombox for the musical mechanism inside. The proportions are surprisingly subtle for such a complicated creation. Its 42 × 44mm dimensions are not over the top, and the curved, ergonomic profile is quite subtle.
The watch’s styling, on the other hand, is as outrageous, or cinematic, as its movement is. There are plenty of movie references to enjoy. For instance, the black lacquer dial evokes the film’s noir aesthetic with a finely detailed portrait of Marlon Brando as Don Corleone. It sits next to the franchise’s signature puppet strings rendered in a three-dimensional appliqué. The watch also shows a couple of engraved bullet holes on the case back, and the crown features spiral grooves reminiscent of a gun barrel. On a more peaceful note, Don Corleone’s rose motif is engraved along the case.
Play that music
Apart from the bullet holes on the case back, there is also a sapphire window, which reveals the turning cylinder and the combs of the music box inside. The mechanism is partly covered by a plate engraved with the score of “The Godfather Love Theme.” In addition to the music box, the movement features a flying tourbillon and dual power reserve indicators. The new manual-winding caliber JCAM62 features a unique construction that delivers a one-of-a-kind watch experience. The melody selector at 10 o’clock allows you to choose between the two mechanically programmed tunes. Activated by a pusher at 8 o’clock, each melody plays for 15–20 seconds. There’s enough power to repeat the songs up to 10 times on a single wind.
Interestingly, the two songs are programmed onto a single music box barrel, which enables a more compact case while still housing a one-minute flying tourbillon. The intricate music box system is built around a comb and a cylinder. The comb’s 18 steel teeth produce different notes depending on their length, while a pin-studded brass cylinder activates them in sequence. A lateral shift of less than a millimeter, controlled by the melody selector, changes which pins engage the comb, allowing the watch to alternate between the two compositions.
That small movement is probably the cleverest part of the watch. A shift of less than a millimeter doesn’t sound like much, but here it changes the whole musical output. It’s the kind of detail that’s easy to skip over when reading the specs, but once you see the selector, the pusher, the cylinder, and the comb working together, the watch becomes much easier to understand. It’s still wildly theatrical, of course, but there’s a serious bit of mechanical thinking underneath all the cinematic decoration.
Part II is better than Part I
Jaws II was definitely not better than Jaws. Sequels rarely are. Some say The Godfather Part II is better than the first movie. Jacob Arabo, the chairman and founder of Jacob & Co., holds that opinion. Fratello also dares to state that the Godfather II watch is better than the Opera Godfather, the original 49mm musical timepiece developed under the licensing agreement with Paramount Pictures. The new 1930s-inspired case has very wearable proportions and looks sleeker and more refined than the traditional round case. The fact that the watch can play not one but two songs is also an improvement.
Final thoughts
The Godfather II is not going to be for everyone, and it’s trying to be. This is still a US$440,000 Jacob & Co. musical watch with Marlon Brando on the dial, bullet holes on the back, and two famous film themes inside the movement. It’s about as far from quiet watchmaking as you can get.
But I do think this version feels like a natural evolution from the Opera Godfather. The case feels more connected to the films, the dimensions are easier to wear on the wrist, and the two-melody mechanism gives the whole thing a stronger reason to exist. It’s still outrageous, but it feels more resolved.
More than anything, though, this is exactly the kind of watch that benefits from video. The specs tell part of the story, and the pictures help, but the sound and motion are the point. Also, Benjamin’s explanation really helps too. So, have a look at the video and let us know what you think. Would you play “The Godfather Waltz” or “The Godfather Love Theme” first?
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