Singer Nikolai Baskov spotted wearing a Jacob & Co

Nikolai Baskov, one of Russia's most recognisable and commercially successful tenors, was recently photographed inside a vehicle flashing a confident thumbs-up — and the watch on his wrist demands every bit as much attention as the gesture. Strapped to his wrist on a red alligator strap is the Jacob & Co Astronomia Tourbillon Baguette in 18k white gold, one of the most audacious haute horlogerie statements money can buy.

The Astronomia Tourbillon Baguette operates on Jacob & Co's proprietary JCAM09 manually wound movement — a four-arm, three-dimensional orbital calibre that rotates the entire dial mechanism once per minute. The four arms carry, respectively: a triple-axis tourbillon cage (rotating on three axes in 10 minutes, 2.5 minutes, and 60 seconds), a magically spinning Jacob-cut 288-facet diamond, a deep-blue rotating Earth globe accurate to the planet's 23.5° axial tilt, and a differential-geared time display subdial. Power reserve stands at approximately 60 hours. Case diameter measures 47mm with a 25.5mm height — architecture, not horology, in the traditional sense.

What makes this specific variant singular even within the Astronomia family is the invisible setting. All 342 baguette-cut diamonds are set rail-to-rail with no visible metal prongs, creating an unbroken field of ice across the white gold case and bezel. This setting technique alone accounts for hundreds of hours of lapidary work, and the edition is strictly limited to 18 examples worldwide — a number that, intentionally or not, mirrors Jacob Arabo's founding vision of making watches that transcend the category entirely.

Baskov's horological tastes have long leaned toward the spectacular. The Russian entertainer has been linked to numerous ultra-luxury and haute complication pieces, and the Astronomia Tourbillon Baguette is a logical apex for a collector who clearly values spectacle fused with genuine mechanical substance. The watch was worn on what appears to be its original red alligator strap — a pleasingly bold contrast to the white gold and diamond case.

At an official retail price of $1,000,000 USD, the Jacob & Co Astronomia Tourbillon Baguette reference AT800.30.BD.BD.A sits in a rarefied tier occupied by Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime and Richard Mille's most extreme complications. Grey market liquidity is extremely limited given the 18-piece production run, and verified secondary sales have tracked at or above retail — a rarity in today's normalising market.