Baseball player Alex Rodriquez spotted wearing a Jacob & Co

Alex Rodriguez, the retired New York Yankees slugger known as much for his off-field taste as his career statistics, was recently spotted wearing the Jacob & Co Epic X Chrono in 18K rose gold, reference EC422.40.BW.RD.A — a piece that lists in the UK at £470,000 and occupies the upper tier even within Jacob & Co's already extravagant catalogue.

The Epic X Chrono ref. EC422.40.BW.RD.A measures 44mm in diameter with a 57.5mm lug-to-lug, making it an unambiguously large-format watch. The 18K rose gold tonneau case is set with 129 baguette-cut diamonds across its bezel, lugs, and crown, totalling an impressive carat weight that transforms what is already a structurally complex timepiece into something closer to wearable sculpture. The skeletonized dial opens the movement to full view, a deliberate design choice that defines the entire Epic X line.

Powering the piece is Jacob & Co's in-house JCAM18 manually wound chronograph caliber, beating at 28,800 vph with a 48-hour power reserve. The movement features a column-wheel chronograph mechanism and twin series-coupled mainspring barrels, both visible through the open architecture. Jacob & Co developed genuine in-house manufacture capability over the past decade, and the JCAM18 represents a credible technical statement rather than mere decoration — a point often overlooked by critics who dismiss the brand as a jeweler playing at watchmaking.

Among collectors, the Epic X Chrono occupies a polarizing but increasingly respected position. The line attracts serious buyers in the Middle East, Asia, and among high-net-worth athletes and entertainers in the United States. Its combination of legitimate manufacture movement, high-jewelry stone-setting, and architectural case design gives it a cross-market appeal that more conservative Swiss houses cannot replicate.

Rodriguez has worn Jacob & Co on multiple public occasions, and the brand aligns naturally with his aesthetic — bold, unapologetic, and expensive. The EC422.40.BW.RD.A is not a subtle piece, and Rodriguez has never shown much interest in subtlety. At a UK list price of £470,000, it remains one of the most expensive configurations in the Epic X family.