The new Jacob & Co. The World Is Yours Dual Time Zone is a tribute to the watch that started it all
Zach Blass- “The World Is Yours” Dual Time Zone watch is a tribute to a family heirloom Jacob Arabo received at the age of 13
- This two-dialed Wakmann inspired Arabo to aspire to create his own watches, and has informed his designs ever since
- It utilises a new manufacture calibre JCAA11, and this limited edition release is the first within this new collection
One of the main appeals of a mechanical wristwatch is the idea that it is an object that, if cared for properly, can be passed down for generations. As a result, watches can become heirlooms that signal the passage of time – the passing of the baton ushering the next generation into adulthood. Within the context of Jewish law, a boy becomes a man at the age of 13, and this milestone is often celebrated with a Bar Mitzvah ceremony . Perhaps this is why, at the age of 13, Nison Arabov gifted his son Jacob the Wakmann dual time zone. This gift would help usher Jacob in to adulthood, a watch that visually conveyed the idea of going out and taking on the world with its globe motif. It was this very watch that would inspire Arabo to one day create his own watches, a dream well-fulfilled with his brand Jacob & Co. Now, 45 years later, Jacob & Co. honours this significant horological catalyst with a new timepiece that also serves as the debut of a new collection and manufacture calibre – the Jacob & Co. The World Is Yours Dual Time Zone.
The inaugural entry into this new collection is a limited edition of 999 pieces, and finds itself in a rather large 18k rose gold case measuring 43mm in diameter and 14mm thick. Its lugs, however, appear short and cambered, suggesting the watch may be more forgiving on smaller wrists than its diameter suggests. Its 30-metre water-resistant case is finished in a full mirror polish, offering the same sense of elegance as its Wakmann muse. Unlike the Wakmann, however, it utilises a single crown at the 3 o’clock position rather than two independent crowns.
The elaborate dial is made of a highly domed brass plate, with engraved three sub-dials. At 12 and 6 o’clock, you will find two sub-dials which each indicate the hours and minutes independently of each other – allowing you to have two time zones displayed on the dial at all times. In its centre, a red-tipped compass serves as a central small seconds counter. I appreciate this evolution from the Wakmann framework, as it makes the dial less static. The rose gold-finished continents are the result of a high-precision laser that carves their outline, with a high accuracy mould later stamped onto the dial. All of the blue colouring you see is lacquer, meticulously applied to the dial by hand. One aspect of this watch I may have done differently is the caseback. The solid caseback affords owners more precious meal, and its engraving of the other side of the globe not shown on the dial is well-executed. However, for US$57,000, and especially since it is a new calibre, the horologically curious person that I am would have liked to see a finely decorated movement on display – something I know Jacob & Co. is capable of.
Jacob & Co. The World Is Yours Dual Time Zone pricing and availability:
The Jacob & Co. The World Is Yours Dual Time Zone is available now as a limited edition of 999 pcs. Price: US$57,000
| Brand | Jacob & Co. |
| Model | The World Is Yours Dual Time Zone |
| Case Dimensions | 43mm (D) x 14mm (T) |
| Case Material | 18K rose gold |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Dial | Blue lacquered dial, stamped continents with rose gold finish |
| Crystal | Sapphire |
| Strap | Blue alligator leather w/ 18K rose gold pin/buckle |
| Movement | Manufacture Jacob & Co. Self-Winding JCAA11 |
| Power Reserve | 42 hours |
| Functions | Dual time zone with independent hours and minutes, central small seconds |
| Availability | Available now, limited edition of 999 pcs. |
| Price | US$57,000 |