Watch Paparazzi

Singer Ginta spotted wearing Jacob & Co

At the amfAR Cinema Against AIDS Gala during Cannes 2021 — one of the most jewel-dense red carpets on the global calendar — Latvian singer Ginta chose her wrist statement carefully. Photographed in a feathered pink sequin gown, she wore the Jacob & Co Brilliant Mystery in 18k white gold, fully paved with brilliant-cut diamonds, a watch that competes for attention with even the most elaborate haute couture.

The Brilliant Mystery is Jacob & Co's interpretation of the centuries-old mystery-clock complication, first popularised by Cartier in the early 20th century and refined by brands including Harry Winston. In Jacob & Co's execution, the hours and minutes are displayed in the annular space between the rotating diamond-set dial disc and the inner edge of the bezel — the mechanism that drives the rotation is hidden entirely within the case architecture, producing a genuinely disorienting visual effect. The round case measures 38mm and is crafted in 18k white gold. The case is set with 298 brilliant-cut diamonds totalling 6.50ct, while the bezel and the independently rotating dial disc each carry an additional 145 brilliant-cut diamonds. A satin-finish white-gold mesh bracelet completes the piece, echoing the icy brilliance of the stones.

From a collector's standpoint, the Brilliant Mystery occupies a specific niche: it is a jewellery watch with genuine horological intent. The floating-disc mystery display is not decorative trickery but a legitimate complication requiring precise engineering to transmit impulse to the rotating rings without visible gearing. That combination of gem-setting craft and mechanical ingenuity makes it appealing to collectors who sit at the intersection of fine jewellery and watchmaking — a smaller but fiercely passionate segment.

Ginta, known in the Baltic pop scene and increasingly visible on international fashion circuits, has cultivated a taste for statement-level Swiss and independent watchmaking. Her appearance at amfAR — where celebrities routinely debut significant jewellery and watch acquisitions — with the Brilliant Mystery signals fluency with independent watchmaking beyond the usual luxury-brand defaults.

At official retail of $84,000, the full-diamond Brilliant Mystery sits firmly in serious jewellery-watch territory. On the secondary market, demand from Middle Eastern and Asian buyers keeps prices relatively firm, with comparable examples trading between $70,000 and $80,000 depending on condition and provenance.