The Journal
By Nick·October 8, 2026· 5 min read
Jacob & Co. Palatial Flying Tourbillon Anniversary
By Nick·October 8, 2026· 5 min readJacob & Co. unveils the Palatial Flying Tourbillon Minute Repeater, a $390,000 limited edition for its 40th anniversary. This exceptional timepiece reimagines their first minute repeater, showcasing refined mechanics and a bold aesthetic.
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IN THIS ARTICLE
Twelve years ago, in 2014, Jacob & Co. released its first minute repeater. It was a pivotal moment, marking the brand’s deep dive into the world of high-complication, acoustic watchmaking. Now, to celebrate its 40th anniversary, the house is returning to that foundational piece with the Palatial Flying Tourbillon Minute Repeater, a limited edition of just 12 watches.
This is not a simple reissue; it's a complete re-visitation. Priced at a formidable $390,000, it brings a new movement, refined mechanics, and a bold aesthetic to the watch that first gave Jacob & Co. its horological voice.
43mmCase
$390,000Price
90hPower Reserve
30mWater Res.
The original Palatial established minute repeating as a core pillar for the brand. It paved the way for the complex music box complications and chiming masterpieces that would follow. This anniversary edition serves as both a tribute and a technical benchmark of how far they've come.
The Jacob & Co. Palatial Flying Tourbillon Minute Repeater
At first glance, the watch is pure theater. Housed in an 18K rose gold case, its most striking feature is a translucent red mineral crystal dial. This creates a dramatic stage for the entire performance, from time-telling to the chiming sequence.
The case itself is, by Jacob & Co. standards, quite restrained. A 43mm diameter and a 12.3mm thickness give it a profile that's surprisingly wearable for a grand complication, bridging the gap between their most extravagant creations and a more traditional collector's piece.
A Return to the First Note
The limitation of 12 pieces is no accident. Each watch represents one year that has passed since the 2014 original. This narrative is central to its identity as a collector's item, marking a specific chapter in the company’s history.
While the first version laid the groundwork, this new model is a significant step up. The movement has been completely updated, the tourbillon cage redesigned, and the minute repeater's governor re-engineered from the ground up. It's a statement about evolution, not just remembrance.
The Visual Language of Music
Every detail on the dial is a direct nod to music theory and performance. At 9 o'clock, a brushed rose gold G clef sits proudly, the universal symbol that opens a musical score. It’s an immediate and unmistakable link to the watch's acoustic purpose.
The hands are another clever touch. They are skeletonized and shaped to mimic the pendulum of a metronome, the device musicians use to keep tempo. It's a fitting reference, as the watch contains its own tempo-setting device for its chime: the centrifugal governor.
Applied 18K rose gold hour markers frame the red dial, providing legibility against the complex backdrop. It’s a design that commits fully to its theme, integrating musical motifs into the very function of the watch rather than just using them as decoration.
Two Demanding Complications
The watch combines two of horology's most respected challenges: the minute repeater and the flying tourbillon. The repeater is activated by a slide integrated into the left side of the caseband. Pushing it winds a separate spring that powers the chiming mechanism.
Once released, it sounds out the time on two cathedral gongs. These gongs wrap around the entire circumference of the movement, giving them a longer, richer, and more resonant tone than standard gongs. The sequence is traditional: low notes for the hours, alternating high-low pairs for quarter-hours, and high notes for the remaining minutes.
At 6 o'clock, the one-minute flying tourbillon puts on a constant show. By eliminating the upper bridge, the cage appears to float, offering an unobstructed view of the escapement rotating in space. For this edition, the cage has been completely redesigned for a cleaner, more modern look.
The single biggest upgrade is the new centrifugal governor. It's been engineered to operate almost silently, ensuring that the only thing you hear is the pure chime of the gongs, not the whirring of the mechanics that regulate them.
Through the sapphire caseback, the entire striking mechanism—the racks, snails, hammers, and gongs—is on full display. It’s a complication meant to be both heard and seen, a piece of mechanical theater that performs on demand.
Under the Hood: Caliber JCCM04
The heart of this watch is the new manually wound Caliber JCCM04. It succeeds the original JCBM03, bringing with it a host of refinements. The movement packs 308 components and 29 jewels into a 30mm by 6.10mm frame.
It runs at a frequency of 3 Hz (21,600 vph), a steady beat that provides a good balance of accuracy and longevity for a complicated piece. The power reserve is a very healthy 90 hours, giving you nearly four days of autonomy on a full wind. This is essential for a watch with two energy-intensive complications.
This is the kind of technical detail that serious dialheads look for. The movement’s architecture is a known quantity in high watchmaking, with a lineage tracing back through specialists like BNB Concept and Manufacture Hautes Complications (MHC), now part of the Régence group. This isn't a simple in-house caliber; it’s a pedigreed engine built by specialists at the top of their game and refined for Jacob & Co.
Finishing is exactly what you'd expect at this level. The bridges are decorated with Côtes de Genève, angles are hand-polished, and edges are finely drawn. It’s a movement designed to be admired through the open caseback.
| Reference | PT500.40.NS.AC.A |
| Movement | Jacob & Co. Caliber JCCM04, manual wind |
| Complications | Minute repeater, one-minute flying tourbillon |
| Power Reserve | 90 hours |
| Frequency | 3 Hz (21,600 vph) |
| Components | 308 components, 29 jewels |
| Case | 43mm x 12.3mm, 18K Rose Gold |
| Crystal | Sapphire with anti-reflective treatment |
| Dial | Red Mineral Crystal |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Strap | Alligator leather with 18K rose gold pin buckle |
| Price | $390,000 USD |
Editor's Take
At $390,000, this watch isn't about value proposition. It’s for the collector who understands Jacob & Co.’s journey and appreciates the significance of this specific model. The combination of a visually striking design, a technically refined minute repeater with cathedral gongs, and a very limited run makes this a true trophy piece.
The Palatial Flying Tourbillon Minute Repeater is more than just a watch; it's an acoustic sculpture. It’s a celebration of where Jacob & Co. came from and a clear indicator of its continued ambition in the highest echelons of watchmaking. For the twelve collectors who will own one, it’s a private performance for the wrist.
GALLERY
WRITTEN BY
Nick
I originally started VELOCE to put my skills to work, hone my app design and web development practices, and dive deeper into the world of horology. I wanted to learn more about the watches, the brands, and the incredible people behind them - the creators, the designers, and the collectors. I love discovering new timepieces and sharing their stories with the world. VELOCE is my ultimate passion project and hobby, the creative space I head to after my full-time job to build something I truly care about.
