Watch Paparazzi

Actor Antonio Banderas spotted wearing Jacob & Co

Antonio Banderas arrived at the Academy Awards wearing a timepiece that, for Jacob & Co, speaks in a surprisingly quiet voice. The Jacob & Co Palatial Manual Big Date — spotted on the Spanish actor's wrist as he worked the Oscars red carpet — represents the Geneva-based brand's more measured, dress-oriented side, a contrast to the Astronomia and Epic X models that dominate its marketing. The 47mm stainless steel case houses a black guilloché dial with applied baton indices and a crisp red-accented Jacob & Co logo, giving the piece an authoritative but refined character suited exactly to this kind of formal occasion.

The Palatial collection was introduced as Jacob & Co's entry into serious horology rather than spectacle watchmaking. The manually wound caliber — produced in-house or via a partner manufacture to Jacob & Co specification — delivers a multi-day power reserve displayed via a sector indicator at 6 o'clock. The star feature is the big-date complication at 12 o'clock, using a twin-disc mechanism that renders the date numerals with exceptional legibility. The black alligator strap with a steel pin buckle keeps the aesthetic firmly in dress-watch territory.

Among collectors, the Palatial Manual Big Date occupies an interesting niche. Jacob & Co's identity is so tied to haute horlogerie spectacle that the Palatial line is often overlooked — yet it represents genuine craft at a more accessible price point for the brand. The guilloché dial finishing and the big-date mechanism give it collector credibility beyond the brand's flashier offerings, and the 47mm diameter ensures modern wrist presence without resorting to tourbillons or open-worked plates.

Banderas, who was nominated for Best Actor for Pain and Glory in 2020 and remains one of Hollywood's most culturally recognized figures, has shown a consistent taste for European fine goods. Choosing a Jacob & Co — itself founded by Israeli-American jeweler Jacob Arabo — with Swiss manufacture credentials signals a collector aware of the brand's evolution beyond celebrity bling.

Retail pricing for the Palatial Manual Big Date sits in the $18,000–$22,000 range depending on configuration, with grey market values tracking slightly below retail given modest secondary demand. For a red-carpet moment, it reads as a confident, educated choice.