Red Hot And Ready To Chime: The Jacob & Co. Palatial Flying Tourbillon Minute Repeater
I got a sneak preview of the new Jacob & Co. Palatial Flying Tourbillon Minute Repeater during Geneva Watch Days last month. Now, anyone who knows me will know that I’m not generally a fan of the color red. As a Tottenham Hotspur supporter, it’s almost a matter of principle. Tottenham till I die, unfortunately for me. However, I have to admit that the particular shade of red Jacob & Co. has chosen here really works. Paired with the warm tones of the 18K rose gold case, the red alligator strap looks fantastic, and the matching dial ties everything together nicely. It’s a combination I wouldn’t necessarily have expected to enjoy quite as much as I did.
The Palatial Flying Tourbillon Minute Repeater isn’t an entirely new watch. Jacob & Co. first introduced the model back in 2014, marking the brand’s first venture into chiming complications. That original watch combined a flying tourbillon with a traditional minute repeater and subsequently sold out. Twelve years later, as Jacob & Co. celebrates its 40th anniversary, the Palatial returns with an updated movement and a few interesting mechanical refinements. The new edition is limited to just 12 pieces, referencing the number of years since the original’s introduction.
A new caliber for a familiar complication
Inside the 43mm rose gold case sits the manually wound caliber JCCM04, an evolution of the original JCBM03 movement. Comprising 308 components and 29 jewels, it operates at 21,600 vibrations per hour (3Hz) and delivers a rather generous 90-hour power reserve. That’s a healthy figure for a movement incorporating both a minute repeater and a flying tourbillon. The latter occupies the familiar 6 o’clock position on the dial, completing one rotation every 60 seconds. Jacob & Co. has redesigned the tourbillon cage for this latest version, along with improvements to the movement’s manufacturing and assembly.
The finishing is superb, as I’ve come to expect from Jacob & Co. Looking through the sapphire caseback, you can appreciate the Côtes de Genève decoration, hand-polished angles, and carefully finished edges. There’s plenty to look at, particularly around the exposed governor and repeater mechanism. The movement architecture is attractive in its own right, with the various components positioned so you can appreciate the mechanics rather than having everything hidden beneath solid bridges.
A minute repeater that knows when to be quiet
The minute repeater itself uses two hammers and two cathedral gongs, which are longer than conventional gongs and wrap around the movement to help produce a richer, more resonant sound. The mechanism is activated using a slide integrated into the caseband — nothing new here. As you’d expect from a traditional minute repeater, the hours are indicated by low tones, the quarters by alternating high and low tones, and the remaining minutes by high tones. Each gong is individually formed, hardened, and tuned by hand, with the final adjustments made by ear.
One of the most interesting developments concerns the centrifugal governor. This regulates the pace of the striking sequence, preventing the hammers from firing too quickly. Watching a governor spinning away while a minute repeater does its thing is something I’ll never tire of. For the JCCM04, Jacob & Co. has engineered the governor to operate silently. This eliminates the additional mechanical noise that might otherwise compete with the sound of the gongs. It’s a small detail in the overall construction, perhaps, but an interesting improvement for a complication where sound quality is so important. If you want to see and hear the watch, take a look at this Reel we made when getting hands-on with the watch.
Getting the red just right
Returning to the dial, there’s an interesting technical reason behind the choice of material. Jacob & Co. has opted for red mineral glass rather than sapphire, which might initially seem a curious decision for a $390,000 watch. However, red sapphire needs a certain thickness to retain its rich coloring. When it’s cut thin enough for the dial construction required here, much of that red coloration disappears. Mineral glass allows Jacob & Co. to achieve the desired translucent red while maintaining the necessary thickness. Having seen the result in person, I think it was the right decision.
The dial also incorporates a few musical references, including a brushed rose gold G clef at 9 o’clock and skeletonized hands inspired by a metronome. Applied rose gold hour markers complete the arrangement. It’s certainly decorative, but I don’t think these little details detract from the overall design. The tourbillon remains the main attraction on the dial side, with the red surface offering a glimpse of the movement beneath.
Despite packing two substantial complications, the case measures a relatively reasonable 12.3mm thick, with a diameter of 43mm. Water resistance is rated at 30 meters, and the watch comes fitted with that rich, red alligator strap and complete with an 18K rose gold pin buckle.
Final thoughts on the Palatial’s return
At $390,000 and limited to just 12 examples, the new Palatial Flying Tourbillon Minute Repeater will inevitably appeal to a very small audience. But that’s fine, as there are very few watches to go around. Still, I really enjoyed having the chance to have a proper look at it in Geneva. The quality of the movement finishing, the striking mechanism at work, and that unexpectedly appealing red-and-gold combination all left an impression. As with all Jacob & Co. watches, you need to see and feel these watches to understand why they’re so damn impressive. Leave aesthetic differences at the door; you can’t fault the quality of the watches.
I still wouldn’t choose a red watch very often, but I’d probably make an exception for this one. Just don’t tell my fellow Spurs fans…
