Watch Paparazzi

Mixed martial artist Khabib Nurmagomedov spotted wearing Jacob & Co

Khabib Nurmagomedov, the Dagestani MMA legend who retired from professional fighting with a perfect 29-0 record in October 2020, was recently spotted on the wrist wearing the Jacob & Co Epic X Chrono in black DLC titanium, reference EC323.21.AA.AA.A — one of only 100 examples ever produced. The sighting reinforces Nurmagomedov's known taste for bold, technically demanding horology that sits well outside mainstream luxury conventions.

The Epic X Chrono is among Jacob & Co's most structurally distinctive references. Its 44mm case is constructed from grade 5 titanium and finished with a deep black Diamond-Like Carbon coating, delivering exceptional hardness and scratch resistance with a total case weight that remains surprisingly manageable on the wrist. The defining design element is the exoskeletal architecture: four lateral bridges extend from the movement to the case middle, suspending the mechanics visually in mid-air and exposing the chronograph's inner workings from virtually every angle. The in-house JCAM08 manually wound caliber powers the piece, offering column-wheel chronograph control, a 50-hour power reserve, and a frequency of 21,600 vph — all visible through the fully skeletonized dial.

From a collector's standpoint, the EC323.21.AA.AA.A occupies a specific niche. Jacob & Co is not a manufacture steeped in centuries of tradition, but under creative director Jacob Arabov the brand has developed genuine in-house competency, and the Epic X series represents some of their most serious watchmaking. The 100-piece limitation makes grey-market availability tight, and condition-dependent pricing has remained firm since the reference's release.

Nurmagomedov's affinity for Jacob & Co is not incidental. The brand has cultivated strong relationships within combat sports, hip-hop, and Middle Eastern markets — audiences that value visual impact and exclusivity over understated heritage. The retired champion, who remains one of the most followed athletes on social media globally, carries significant influence in these same circles.

At a UK list price of approximately £22,000 — translating to roughly $27,500–$28,000 USD depending on exchange rates — the Epic X Chrono EC323.21.AA.AA.A sits in a competitive tier against established skeletonized chronographs from TAG Heuer Carrera and lower-tier Hublot references, but the limited production count and DLC execution give it a distinct upper hand in the exclusivity conversation.