Round-UpHow Cristiano Ronaldo Takes To Jacob & Co. Watches Like Moth To Flame

Nike, Castrol, Armani, Louis Vuitton, American Tourister, Herbalife, DAZN, TAG Heuer, Egyptian Steel, PokerStars, Italia Independent, LiveScore and more… the five-time FIFA ‘Player of the year’ Cristiano Ronaldo is flooded with brand endorsement deals. The 38-year-old Portuguese legend, with his own label CR7 (named after his initials and lucky number ‘7’ jersey), is the most sought-after personality, going by his Instagram count—with the highest number of followers in the world, at 597 million—and his expensive transfers to Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus football clubs. Something pure like friendship then, amidst everyone wanting a piece of Ronaldo, is heartening to note. Jacob Arabo, founder of the Swiss watchmaker Jacob & Co—with a flair for roping in young rap moguls, pop icons and sporting greats on the brink of fame, to flaunt his ostentatious timepieces—signed up Ronaldo when the Madeira-born was a just fledgling footballer but held immense promise. Somewhere along their over 20 years’ association they became close friends. And despite another football great Lionel Messi also endorsing the brand, Ronaldo, who now captains the Saudi Professional League club Al Nassr, is often spotted with a flashy Jacob & Co dial, co-designed and co-branded by him and Arabo. Here’s a closer look at the Jacob & Co timepieces we’ve seen on Ronaldo’s wrist.

Heart Of CR7 Baguette: The Cristiano Ronaldo Edition

The four new Jacob & Co X CR7 Epic X iterations in red and green hues are Flight of CR7 in rose gold and red, and Heart of CR7 in steel and green. Their two variants with 26 baguette-cut white diamonds on the bezel are called Flight of CR7 Baguette and Heart of CR7 Baguette. Ronaldo was gifted the Flight of CR7 before he flew for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and was spotted wearing it before take off. The watch ran into controversy for its metallic imagery showing Ronaldo score the winning goal for Real Madrid against Manchester United, when he was still employed with the latter. Soon after, Manchester United’s termination of his contract and Ronaldo moved to Al Nassr FC. However, in May this year, Arabo gifted the Al Nassr striker the Heart of CR7 Baguette while launching a jewellery store in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The CR7 watches bear the architecture of the Epic X line—a 44 mm case, skeleton dial, sharp X-shaped lugs, vertical bridges/pillars, coloured flange, and crown. This version pays tribute to the star on its two pillars. The left pillar has Ronaldo playing the game, and the right one is engraved with the CR7 logo and his signature in bold letters. The skeleton barrel cover appears like a giant football. Even the caseback shows Ronaldo wearing his iconic, lucky number ‘7’ jersey. This model is powered by the in-house JCAM02 calibre, made from 158 parts, beats at 28,800vph and offers up to 48 hours of power reserve. This manual-winding skeletonised movement charges the balance spring and wheels, mainspring barrel with a ‘sliding clamp system’.

Cristiano Ronaldo And His Caviar Flying Tourbillon Tsavorites

The football icon wore this bejewelled wonder while flying out on his private jet to Saudi Arabia to sign up with Al Nassr FC in January 2023. Arabo gifted him the timepiece to celebrate his move to Saudi Arabia. The dark green hue matches the Middle Eastern country’s national flag. The 47mm watch in 18-karat white gold has its lugs, case, and dial covered with 388 baguette-cut tsavorites. A flying tourbillon sits at six o’clock, and the white diamond-set rear of the in-house JCAA43 automatic movement is visible through the sapphire crystal caseback. The watch has a matching green alligator leather strap fitted with an 18-karat white gold deployant buckle studded with 18 baguette tsavorites.

The football icon wore this bejewelled wonder while flying out on his private jet to Saudi Arabia to sign up with Al Nassr FC in January 2023. It was a gift from the founder Jacob Arabo

The 47mm 18-karat white gold watch has its lugs, case, and dial covered with 388 baguette-cut tsavorites

Cristiano Ronaldo And His Brilliant Flying Tourbillon

Ronaldo showed off his Jacob & Co Brilliant Flying Tourbillon watch studded in blue sapphire on his Instagram Stories in May 2023, while casually enjoying a steaming cuppa. The Brilliant Flying Tourbillon is dripping with anti-reflective sapphire crystal in baguette cuts. Ronaldo’s version features a blue alligator strap. The 47mm 18-karat white gold case encloses the in-house JCBM01 movement that offers 48-hour power reserve. The watch is attached to a matching blue alligator leather strap fitted with an 18-karat white gold tang buckle studded with 20 baguette tsavorites.

Ronaldo showed off his Jacob & Co. Brilliant Flying Tourbillon watch studded in blue sapphire on his Instagram stories in May 2023, while casually enjoying a steaming cuppa

The Brilliant Flying Tourbillon is dripping with anti-reflective sapphire crystals in baguette-cut style

Cristiano Ronaldo And His Grand Baguette Diamond

There’s the Jacob & Co. Five Timezone and then there’s the Grand Baguette Diamond; a ‘levelled-up’ five-dial iteration studded with 13.20-carat 360 baguette white diamonds, covering the 47mm pentagonal case and dial. Ensuring the five dials track time zones in the global cities of New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Paris are their adjacent crowns, set with 3.5-carat baguette diamonds. A pair of blue sword‐shaped hands and slim hour markers are sealed by five anti-reflective sapphire crystal. The polished 18-karat white gold watch has circular satin finishing with a hand-engraved caseback, while it is attached to a navy leather strap. There are just six Grand Baguettes in the world, and Ronaldo owns one that he first wore in 2013 to a Jacob & Co event in Paris when he was just 28.

There are just six Grand Baguettes in the world, and Cristiano Ronaldo owns one that he first wore in 2013 to a Jacob & Co event in Paris when he was just 28