Watch brand Jacob & Co. has formed an alliance with auction house Sotheby’s to take them into space. literally. Together they ensured that the Astronomia Tourbillon Bucherer Blue became the first three-axis tourbillon to leave Earth’s atmosphere. Featuring Swiss assembly, impressive mechanics and high-quality art decoration, this timepiece will soon be auctioned off for charity.
rakia mission
The Jacob & Co. Astronomia Tourbillon Bucherer Blue was launched on April 8 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. He returned on April 25 with a crew of four aboard the Axiom space flight AX-1. Philanthropist and investor Eytan Sibbe leads the Israel-based Rakia mission and wears this watch on his wrist.
The Rakia mission and watch spent 17 days, 1 hour and 37 minutes in space. The spacecraft orbits the Earth 273 times at an altitude of 400 kilometers and a speed of 28,160 kilometers per hour. Despite such harsh conditions, the Astronomical Tourbillon Bucherer Blue not only survived, but returned in perfect working condition.
Astronomia Tourbillon Bucherer Blue is part of Jacob & Co.’s famous Astronomia series, and the complex movement is a three-axis gravity tourbillon. The starry dark blue background reflects the deep and captivating color of the firmament (rakia in Hebrew). The striking domed case, made of anti-reflective sapphire crystal, essentially presents a miniature. Therefore, you can see four constantly rotating satellites, including the dial, the tourbillon cage, the spherical diamond reflecting the moon, and the lacquered magnesium sphere reflecting the earth. All in Bucherer’s blue color scheme.
In addition to the Astronomia Tourbillon, Jacob & Co. and Bucherer also launched the Epic X Bucherer Blue Edition in recognition of the increased participation of the private sector in space exploration. This skeleton watch also pays homage to Star Trek. Exclusive to the 18 pieces, each comes with a bold blue honeycomb strap and a titanium caseback engraved with an astronaut in a space suit and helmet looking down on Earth from space.