ReviewA Garden Of Blooming Gemstones: Jacob & Co’s Astronomia Fleurs De Jardin

In 2019, Jacob & Co gave their adventurous, bold watchmaking style a ‘feminine’ edge, by launching their much-acclaimed Fleurs de Jardin. This collection demonstrates the maison’s expertise of blending jewellery with high-tech watchmaking savoir-faire; a trait that has defined most of their repertoire. Fleurs de jardin is French for a ‘flower garden’, and in the Jacob & Co universe, it means a garden of gem-set flowers and metal-forged butterflies fluttering atop a luxe mother-of-pearl base. This collection tells of a horological tale through unparalleled craftsmanship and glamour, offering the exact dramatic allure one expects from a Jacob & Co timepiece. Nominated twice for the watch industry’s most prestigious award, the GPHG under the ‘ladies complications’ category, Fleurs de Jardin reimagines the purview of ‘feminine’ horology.

Jacob & Co. Fleurs de Jardin Shop The Collection

Fleurs De Jardin: Unabashedly Feminine

To elegantly preserve and flaunt the beauty of spring, the maison turned to one of their linchpins, the ostentatious Astronomia collection. The bold, domed sapphire crystal case is a classic Astronomia signature, previously a home to many miniature creatures, places, and things—from tigers to the Taj Mahal and stallions to the popular Scrooge McDuck—and transformed for the first time into a beautiful garden with the Fleurs de Jardin. This 42.5mm case features a mother-of-pearl base dial studded with five kite-shaped gem-set flowers. The use of mother-of-pearl here is a stroke of genius as it lets the vivid florets sit conspicuously against a tasteful backdrop. Atop this, forming the middle section, is a multi-dimensional frame that connects to a mother-of-pearl sub-dial displaying hours and minutes, a flying tourbillon accentuated with a butterfly, and three kite-shaped flowers. Above this construction at the centre, like a crowning jewel, is a large gem-set flower. Each of these elements appears to be floating on a rotating axis; where after every 10 minutes, the middle section rotates anti-clockwise, and the mother-of-pearl base dial turns clockwise.

The use of mother-of-pearl on the base dial is a stroke of genius as the vivid florets on it sit conspicuously against a tasteful backdrop

Forming the middle section, is a multi-dimensional frame that connects to a mother-of-pearl sub-dial displaying hours and minutes, a flying tourbillon accentuated with a butterfly, and three kite-shaped flowers

Jacob & Co. Fleurs De Jardin

₹3,90,00,000

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The Enchanting Dance Of Flora

The Astronomia Fleurs de Jardin transforms the measurement of time into something poetic given the synchronicity with which the elements within the case move. In a truly creative stance, the base dial spins counterclockwise every 10 minutes, conjuring a spellbinding whirligig spectacle. Above this base dial, an elegant waltz is led by the butterfly tourbillon that rotates on itself every 60 seconds alongside the time display and the three gemstone flowers, all turning clockwise in harmony every 10 minutes. Moreover, the additional gemstone flower pirouettes counterclockwise on its own axis in addition to revolving around the dial. This constant dance of the florals, however, does no disservice to the readability of time, as the inbuilt patented Differential Gears System ensures the sub-dial retains its upright position for enhanced legibility of the Roman numerals. What makes these elements move in sync is the remarkable hand-wound movement—the Astronomia double-axis flying tourbillon calibre JCAM31—that beats at 28,800vph and offers upto 48-hour power reserve.

Jacob & Co. Fleurs De Jardin

₹4,72,00,000

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The Brilliant Use Of Gemstones

Gemstones—the ultimate hallmarks of haute joaillerie—have been an invariable signature of the house, and one of the biggest lodestones of the Fleurs de Jardin line. Almost like setting the premise for the alchemy transpiring within the case, the bezel, and an inner ring visible through the sapphire crystal casebands are adorned with 40 baguette-cut diamonds or sapphires, and an additional 46 matching stones arranged in an invisible setting that forms the smaller ring at the coaxial.

It took Jacob & Co more than a year to develop the Fleurs de Jardin line, given its complex material and gemstone design combination involving 18-karat white or rose gold, decked with meticulously selected pink, orange, and icy blue sapphires, tsavorites, amethysts, and rubies to form opulent blooming flowers. However, the real chef’s kiss is the single big and bold 0.81 carat tsavorite finished in the brand’s proprietary cut—the 288-facet Jacob cut—that sits atop the angular gemstone petals, which completes the vision of a paradisiacal garden. The most unique iteration of the lot is the Jacob & Co Fleurs de Jardin Rainbow timepiece that brings a cabal of multicoloured sapphires decorating the flowers, the bezel and the other rings. Each timepiece is held by a white satin or alligator leather strap with a butterfly clasp studded with sapphires or diamonds.

The Jacob & Co Fleurs de Jardin watch impresses with its exquisite blend of artistry and engineering. The intricate floral motifs, coupled with precision mechanics, create a unique timepiece suitable for special events or adding a touch of high luxury to understated fits, making a bold fashion statement.