Jacob & Co. Billionaire Double Tourbillon Angel Cut — When Watches Become Art

There are watches — and then there are creations that completely ignore the limits of what a watch is even supposed to be. The Jacob & Co. Billionaire Double Tourbillon Angel Cut is exactly that kind of piece. This is not about discreet luxury or subtle elegance, but about maximal vision where haute horlogerie meets high jewellery at the very highest level. The release also marks the brand’s 40th anniversary, and it signals a clear shift for Jacob & Co.: from using classic diamond cuts to introducing something entirely its own.

A new diamond cut: the Angel Cut

The most revolutionary thing here is not even the watch itself — it is the diamond. The Angel Cut is a completely new, patented cut developed in-house by Jacob & Co. over two years. It is built on 37 precisely engineered facets, a unique lozenge-shaped table, and a stepped rectangular outline with cut corners.

The result is a diamond that behaves differently from classic cuts. Instead of aggressive brilliance you get something more controlled and sophisticated: more even light distribution, fewer “blackout” zones, and a more continuous glow across the whole stone. It is a technical solution to a classic problem — how to retain the weight of the rough stone while still maximising light return. And yes, the number 37 is not random: it represents the 37 years of marriage between founder Jacob Arabo and his wife Angela (after whom the cut is named), giving the whole concept an unexpectedly personal dimension. It is the brand’s first all-new cut in the twelve years since the 288-facet Jacob Cut.

298 diamonds — total madness

If you think many watches today have “a bit too many diamonds,” this is something else entirely. This model is set with 298 diamonds in total, around 79 carats, of which the Angel Cut accounts for over 50 carats — 98 Angel Cut stones on the case alone.

The white-gold case (54 x 41 mm) is essentially a light source in itself. What makes it extra wild is that many of the stones are unusually large — something normally reserved for solitaires, not fully paved watches. The dial continues the same theme, with 88 more Angel Cut diamonds and baguette stones framing the two tourbillon openings in perfect symmetry.

Double tourbillon — mechanics that match the surface

Behind all this brilliance there is genuinely serious watchmaking. The watch is driven by calibre JCAM50, a hand-wound movement with 460 components and two flying tourbillons positioned at 12 and 6 o’clock, running at 3 Hz with a power reserve of around 72 hours. It is not just a technical solution — it is a visual statement. The double tourbillon creates a mirror image of balance, where the symmetry of the mechanics meets the symmetry of the diamond setting. Through the sapphire caseback you get a completely different experience: a skeletonised construction where depth, transparency, and motion take over from the dazzling front.

The Billionaire collection — the outer limit

The Billionaire series has always been Jacob & Co.’s most extreme expression. Since its 2015 debut, earlier models have already pushed the limits with enormous carat weights and iconic cuts like emerald and Asscher. With the Angel Cut the brand takes the next step: from using existing design languages to defining its own. This is no longer just a watch with diamonds — it is a platform for innovation in gemmology.

Who is this watch for?

This is not a model you compare with other watches. It exists in its own category. It is aimed at collectors who already have everything, clients who move between high jewellery and haute horlogerie, and people looking for something no one else has. Limited to just 18 pieces and priced at USD 3.4 million — on a blue alligator strap with a diamond-set white-gold clasp — this is as much a collector’s object as a technical and artistic statement.

A new direction for luxury watches

Jacob & Co. shows here that innovation is not only about movements — it is just as much about materials, light, and how a watch is experienced visually. The Angel Cut is not just a new cut. It is a new way of thinking about how diamonds work in a watch environment, where light is often limited and surfaces complex. For more of the brand’s 2026 extremes, see our pieces on the Bugatti Tourbillon Sapphire Crystal and the musical Godfather II.