Describing something as being “out of this world” is often quite fitting when describing, say, a weird out-of-body experience, or a nice 3L GORE-TEX coat, or maybe even a warm bowl of triple-cooked aioli-laden chips. But, if you were to say it with reference to Jacob & Co. and Bucherer's latest collaborative watch, you couldn't be more right.
Spending a grand total of 17 days 1 hour and 37 minutes at an altitude of 250 miles above planet earth, this one-of-a-kind Astronomia Tourbillon Bucherer Blue timepiece was, quite literally, out of this world.
Launched to the International Space Station (ISS) from Florida's Kennedy Space Station on April 8, the watch traveled over 7 million miles in total under the guise of the Rakia Mission crew, and is now to be auctioned off at Sotheby’s with all proceeds set to go to charity.
While the journey it’s been on might be spectacular, the watch itself is pretty impressive too. Featuring a gravitational triple-axis tourbillon and a domed case made from an anti-reflective sapphire crystal, the watch sees four satellites turn in a mesmeric constant motion.
Following a whistle-stop exhibition tour around New York City, the Astronomia Tourbillon Bucherer Blue is set to head up a single-lot auction at Sotheby’s on July 26.
“The Astronomia Tourbillon is a truly unique, groundbreaking timepiece that elevates the art of watch making above earth,” explains Jacob Arabov, Jacob & Co. founder. “The watch had the same viewpoint as we usually have on it. This reversal is typical of the way I envision the creation of timepieces,” he continued.
While bidding on July 26 will start at just $1 USD with no reserve, the final price of the Jacob & Co. Astronomia Tourbillon Bucherer BLUE is expected to reach astronomical sums (sorry).
