Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Lionel Messi spotted wearing Jacob & Co

During Argentina's triumphant 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign in Qatar — a run that included a decisive 3-0 semifinal victory over Croatia — a throwback image of Lionel Messi circulated widely, drawing attention not only to the football but to the extraordinary timepiece on his wrist: the Jacob & Co Epic X Chrono in 18K white gold, reference EC422.30.BD.UA.ABRUA.

The Epic X Chrono is among the most technically ambitious pieces in the Jacob & Co catalog. The reference EC422.30.BD.UA.ABRUA houses the in-house skeletonized manually-wound caliber JCAM18, a column-wheel chronograph movement visible through the open-worked dial architecture. The case measures 44mm and is constructed in 18K white gold, then subjected to an extraordinary gem-setting process: 289 baguette-cut diamonds blanket the case and bracelet, while 12 baguette dégradé rubies provide contrast along the bezel. The result weighs considerably more than the standard titanium Epic X variant and represents a fundamentally different proposition — one defined by jewellery-house craftsmanship as much as by horological engineering.

From a collector standpoint, the Epic X family occupies a specific niche: high-complication sports watches that double as statement jewellery. The skeletonized movement, with its exposed bridges and X-shaped structural motif, is legitimately interesting mechanically, offering a 60-hour power reserve and a bi-directional column wheel for the chronograph function. The fully gem-set version at this reference elevates the piece into a rarefied category where hours of stone-setting labor exceed the movement assembly time — a fact that helps justify the extraordinary price point.

Messi's relationship with Jacob & Co is well documented. The brand has produced dedicated Messi editions and maintained him as a brand ambassador, making his choice of this particular reference both personal and commercially logical. Wearing the piece during one of the most watched sporting events in history amplified the visibility of the Epic X Chrono to an audience numbered in the billions.

At a list price of approximately $600,000, the Jacob & Co Epic X Chrono reference EC422.30.BD.UA.ABRUA sits firmly in the ultra-luxury segment where scarcity, gem weight, and celebrity provenance all influence grey-market positioning. Pieces with confirmed Messi association tend to command a premium even in a market where Jacob & Co's resale dynamics are typically softer than Swiss independents.