ReviewIt’s Rainin’ Diamonds, Hallelujah! Jacob & Co Brilliant Pavé White Diamonds

Very few things are timeless, like diamonds. The scintillating gem has left a historical trail of lust, blood, and greed with the controversial Kohinoor, the Hope Diamond, the Blue Diamond Affair, blood/conflict diamonds from war-ravaged zones, and numerous paeans in pop culture. From Rihanna’s inspirational hit ‘Diamonds’ (2012) to Marilyn Monroe extoling the gem’s immortality by singing, ‘Men grow cold / As girls grow old / And we all lose our charms in the end / But square-cut or pear-shaped / These rocks don’t lose their shape / Diamonds are a girl’s best friend’ in her film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953). Watchmaking history is replete with instances of international luxury brands having ventured into the genre of jewellery watches, creating iconic fully paved diamond timepieces such as Bulgari Serpenti, Omega Constellation, Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye, Carl F. Bucherer Alacria, to name a few. Having started as jewellers, Jacob & Co, known for their ostentatious repertoire, naturally had to have well established jewellery watches in their portfolion. Hence, they created the Brilliant collection, comprising sparkly timepieces such as Mystery, Mystery Tourbillon, Pavé, Baguette, Crystal, etc. One such creation is the new Jacob & Co. Brilliant Pavé Rose Gold with white diamonds. This is an evolved version of the previous Brilliant Pavé 18-karat White Gold watch.

A Classy Combo: White Diamonds And Rose Gold

Jacob & Co launched the first Brilliant Full Pavé timepiece in 2017. It fulfilled the brand’s vision of creating a timepiece that was minimalistic, yet resplendent, with over 900 clear, white, round-cut diamonds all over the dial, case, bezel, crown, and pin buckle—set in rows that follow the shape of the coverage area. The puffed rounded bezel lends a three-dimensional silhouette, akin to a compact pebble, making the case 10mm thick. Following the curved trajectory of the bezel and the crown are the rows of white diamonds, stacked like rings. Another noticeable trait is the lugless design; the round case is not connected to lugs, but directly to the satin strap. The white gold version with white diamonds created a mesmerising monotone look, with the spell only broken by a set of blue polished, leaf-shaped hour and minute hands. With the new 18-karat rose gold version, the look undergoes a subtle tweak. It stands out as the metal forms a distinct contrasting base and sharp outline on the case, measuring 38mm.

One noticeable trait is the lugless design; the round case is not connected to lugs, but directly to the satin strap

The Allure Of White Diamonds

Like the white gold version, the new watch also befuddles for the sheer number of embedded gemstones—a total of about 10 carat. The painstaking handcrafted setting of gemstones is done in-house and a grand display of superior craftsmanship. These diamonds are placed across the case, the dial, the crown, and on the pin buckle too. An antireflective sapphire crystal glass protect the dial, with the brand name appears afloat on it. Meanwhile, the 18-karat rose gold closed caseback conceals the quartz calibre JCGQ01.

The Jacob & Co Brilliant Full Pavé Rose Gold is sheer poetry in scintillation, making for a befitting heirloom piece of jewellery.