Jacob & Co has introduced the Brilliant Flying Tourbillon Baguette Pastel Arlequino, a one-off timepiece that brings gem-setting to one of the most technically sensitive parts of a mechanical watch. The creation places 54 brilliant-cut white diamonds on the balance wheel, while 366 pastel sapphires extend across the case, dial, crown and buckle.

Presented to the UK, Ireland and Australian market by Jacob & Co Watches and Jewellery Ltd, the watch carries a retail price of £625,000. Its release follows a technical programme intended to revive an approach last attempted by Swiss and French watchmakers in the 1820s and 1830s.

A balance wheel set with diamonds

The balance wheel and hairspring form the regulating organ of a mechanical movement. Their mass, moment of inertia and poise must be calculated to microscopic tolerances, which has made the addition of precious stones an unusual proposition in modern watchmaking.

Jacob & Co says its watchmakers and gem-setters developed the Brilliant Flying Tourbillon Baguette Pastel Arlequino without compromising chronometric performance. Each of the 54 diamonds is placed on the balance wheel, creating a moving ring of light at the centre of the display.

Motion at the centre of the display

The balance wheel oscillates at 3 Hz, giving the watch its regular mechanical rhythm. Around it, the flying tourbillon completes one full revolution every 60 seconds, continuously changing the orientation of the diamonds in relation to the light.

The arrangement creates a constantly moving visual effect while keeping the regulating components at the centre of the watch. The tourbillon is intended to draw attention to the movement rather than placing the decoration only on the exterior of the case.

Pastel sapphires across the case

Beyond the balance wheel, 366 pastel sapphires cover the case, dial, crown and buckle. The stones are invisibly set, with no prong or bead of metal visible on the surface.

Each sapphire was matched for a delicate colour balance, allowing the contrasting pastel tones to read as a single composition. The same approach carries across the watch’s visible surfaces, linking the gem-setting to the movement’s circular motion.

A one-off piece for collectors

The Brilliant Flying Tourbillon Baguette Pastel Arlequino exists as a single example rather than a series production model. Its appeal rests on the combination of a highly decorated exterior and an unusual intervention in the regulating organ of a mechanical movement.

With a retail price of £625,000, the timepiece sits within the upper tier of contemporary independent watchmaking. It also reflects Jacob & Co’s continuing focus on combining gem-setting with visible mechanical animation, using the flying tourbillon and diamond-set balance wheel as the central elements of the design.

For collectors, the technical detail gives the piece a clear identity beyond its gemstone specification. The movement remains visible as an active display, with the balance wheel, hairspring and tourbillon working together while the coloured stones provide the surrounding visual structure. That balance between engineering and decoration is central to the character of the Arlequino.