Jacob & Co. The Godfather 50th Anniversary Edition

A timepiece, a tribute, an allegory… The Godfather collection of watches blends numerous elements into a single, highly symbolic masterpiece of cutting-edge watchmaking. Jacob & Co. proudly presents a new version of its iconic triple-axis flying tourbillon watch, featuring a music box complication. The Godfather 50th Anniversary Edition pays homage to this classic film, which won three Academy Awards and five Golden Globe Awards, half a century ago.

The Godfather 50th Anniversary Edition is a limited set of 50 pieces, recreating Francis Ford Coppola’s classic work through stunning film, imagery, and music, surpassing all previous versions. Its symbolic significance lies in the launch location—Sicily, a grand event held on the same filming location as The Godfather. Moreover, the 50th Anniversary Edition of Opera Godfather holds profound personal significance for founder and chairman Jacob Arabo, and for this emotionally charged and passionate family business.

Few films have had such a profound and lasting impact as The Godfather. Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece is the inspiration for the Opera Godfather watch. This high-end timepiece, designed and meticulously crafted by Jacob & Co., pays homage to the film’s unique place in popular and cinematic culture. “The Godfather is great not only because of its superb cinematography and directing, but also because it contains some of the greatest scenes and dialogues in film history,” said Benjamin Arabof, CEO of Jacob & Co. replica watches Price

The Godfather 50th Anniversary Edition watch features thirteen scenes from the film, presented in chronological order. These illustrated synopses are laser-etched onto the white gold case with unprecedented clarity and quality. The watch is also engraved with thirteen of the film’s most famous lines, some of which have become classics of popular culture, most notably “I’ll give him a deal he can’t refuse.”

The 50th Anniversary Edition of The Godfather is more than just an item in Jacob & Co.’s catalog. It holds a very important place in the hearts of founder Jacob Arabo and CEO Benjamin Arabov. It carries a special, heartfelt meaning.

The film’s opening line, “I believe in America,” spoken by funeral director Bernassella, who comes to see Don Vito Corleone, the Godfather, to ask for his help. For the young boy sitting in the dark, watching the story unfold, this line resonated deeply within him. His family had left a Soviet republic in Central Asia.

“When I first came to the United States from Uzbekistan in 1979, I was only 14 years old, couldn’t speak English, and my family was penniless,” Jacob Arabo said. “So we worked like crazy. It took me two years to save enough time and money to see a movie. The Godfather was being re-released then, and it was the first movie I ever saw in a theater.” wholesale replica watches

Scroll Imagery This limited edition of 50 pieces features a 49mm white gold case with 13 iconic scenes from the film adorning the sides. Each scene is engraved onto the case using groundbreaking high-intensity, high-precision femtosecond laser technology, resulting in unparalleled realism and vividness.

The etching process creates an almost imperceptible texture, allowing you to feel as if you are actually touching the film reel of The Godfather. The most striking is the image of Don Vito Corleone, etched between the lugs at 6 o’clock, making it particularly visible when worn. “The level of realism is breathtaking; it evokes a powerful resonance,” said Benjamin Arabov. Memes and Symbols: The interplay of symbols with the movement elevates the narrative to new heights. At the heart of the JCFM04 movement, the iconic red rose from The Godfather, rendered with stunning realism and quality, rests between two music boxes. They drive a two-part music box mechanism, playing the theme song from The Godfather, a core feature of this watch series.

The case is crafted from pure rose gold, each engraved with thirteen classic lines from the film. The dials used to play the melody are also specially designed for this limited edition. One, shaped like a piano, features an image of Don Corleone; the other, inspired by the original film poster, depicts the puppeteer’s strings. The final Godfather symbol embodied in this 50th Anniversary Edition watch is not hidden within the timepiece, but exists in time and space. The timepiece was officially unveiled at a grand launch event in Sicily, where VIPs from around the world gathered to retrace Coppola’s and his crew’s footsteps and visit the actual filming locations around Taormina.

Jacob & Co. has incorporated a series of new symbols and key imagery from the film into the 50th anniversary watch of The Godfather opera, presenting a unique concept. This concept is rooted in exquisite watchmaking craftsmanship and carries profound personal meaning and respect. On the occasion of the film’s 50th anniversary, Jacob & Co. elevates this tribute to a higher level, a heartfelt expression of sincerity. www.whereguidewatch.com

The most unforgettable scenes in The Godfather are deeply etched in the hearts of generations of viewers. One of them is the renowned watch collector Saint-Laura, whose extensive collection includes an opera version of the Godfather minute repeater watch. “The scene in The Godfather that takes place in their hometown, the scene where Michael meets Apollonia, has always lingered in my mind. For me, it embodies the true meaning of love,” said Saint-Laura. “The operatic version of The Godfather is different; it has a strong presence, which is very appealing. Any other brand, if it were to release a similar piece, would probably only produce five or ten pieces and then sell them for millions of dollars. But Jacob & Co. is different.”

“In June 2021, we had a conference call with Paramount Pictures, from which we had already acquired the rights to The Godfather film. We started discussing how to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the film’s release,” said Benjamin Arabof, CEO of Jacob & Co. “The success of The Godfather Opera has far exceeded our expectations. By the end of October 2022, we had sold over 140 pieces.”

The “Opera Godfather” watch is both a symbolic timepiece and a highly complicated timepiece. In watchmaking terms, it is a tri-axis tourbillon watch with two built-in music boxes, featuring a comb-shaped mainspring barrel and a mainspring box. They play the theme song from the film The Godfather, composed by Nino Rota. As the music begins, the entire movement seems to dance and spin, while the off-center dial rotates in the opposite direction to maintain its upright position.

When Details Reveal a World

Symbolically, this is a sanctuary commemorating certain iconic items from The Godfather that have become part of popular and cinematic culture: the rose Vito Corleone wears on his dress at his daughter’s wedding; the puppet strings that originally appeared on the cover of Mario Puzo’s original novel, later used as movie posters; and a photograph of Marlon Brando himself on one of the piano covers. Like every previous edition of The Godfather Opera, the 50th anniversary edition is also like a book. “The only shortcoming is that it doesn’t have as many pages as Jacob & Co. had hoped,” Ben Arabov added.

Setting the Tone

“From the very beginning of The Godfather Opera, I wanted to go a step further and celebrate the importance of the film by showcasing real scenes from the movie,” said Jacob Arabov. “I wanted it to truly pay homage to everything the film represents. But space was extremely limited. The entire piece was filled with various elements, details, and symbolism. So, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of The Godfather of Opera, I thought of engraving key moments from the film onto the box, like a canvas waiting to be brought to life.”

This began a year-long exploration to find a solution to realize this vision. Jacob & Co’s supplier, DM Surfaces, ultimately developed the technology. “Laser quickly became our only option, but it was incredibly challenging because our suppliers had never reached such a level of intricacy and complexity,” said Nicolas Debaud, Head of Research and Development at Jacob & Co. They successfully met Jacob & Co.’s stringent requirements for quality and realism. “We created countless prototypes, each slightly different, but each better and more precise. What we wanted was a cinematic effect that could truly touch the heart,” Benjamin Arabov recalled.

A Companion on a Fantastic Journey
The root of this emotional resonance lies on another level: the personal level. The 50th Anniversary Edition of the opera The Godfather also held special significance for several key figures and partners. “My task was to match the vision with the means to achieve it, to interpret Jacob’s pursuit of quality, and ultimately to create the most perfect product,” said Nicolas Debord, Head of Watchmaking Development at Jacob & Co. “It’s not just a matter of technology. The 50th Anniversary Edition case is a perfect example; it embodies the quality that can only be achieved through dedication.” Coincidentally, André de Luca, founder and CEO of DM Surfaces, who was responsible for the engraving on the side of the case, is a die-hard fan of The Godfather. “This film is a part of my life. I’ve watched it at least fifty times,” he said. This emotional connection resonated with Jacob Arabo.

“All five team members involved in the 50th Anniversary Edition project rewatched the film before officially entering the development phase,” de Luca added. It is this, along with the unique laser technology, that makes the case engraving so lifelike. “Our FLET (femtosecond laser etching technology) helps customers realize their dreams.” And this has always been a dream. “We combine nanolasers and femtosecond lasers to create the watch case; each 50th Anniversary Edition of The Godfather requires 30 hours of laser engraving.”

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“Nanosecond laser” and “femtosecond laser” refer to the duration of each laser pulse, measured in nanoseconds and femtoseconds respectively—the former being one billionth of a second, and the latter one quadrillionth of a second. The shorter the pulse duration, the higher the precision and intensity, and the lower the temperature. At such intensity, the laser beam can not only remove matter but also alter its structure. Jacob & Co. used this advanced laser engraving technology to create a watch case entirely dedicated to retelling the story of The Godfather.

It presents thirteen scenes from the film with unprecedented realism and vividness: the gates of the Corleone family mansion, the car in which Sonny Corleone is shot, the scene of Michael and his first wife Apollonia walking after their wedding, and the bullet hole in Mo Green’s glasses. These thirteen images are arranged in a cinematic style, in the exact same order as in a film. They look as if they were cut from a film reel, with even the notches in the film clearly visible. All of these images are from the original film and were provided by DM Surfaces. “When we received these images, their quality didn’t match our craftsmanship,” De Luca recalls. “We had to completely recreate them while remaining faithful to the original images.” Review replica watches

The Secret: The level of detail in the rendering and the choice of materials are unprecedented. Yet, the case feels remarkably smooth. “This was our requirement from the beginning,” De Luca adds. “The engraved parts had to be smooth so as not to damage any fabric. Therefore, we added several polishing steps, similar to laser polishing.” This fully demonstrates DM Surfaces’ leading advantage in laser etching technology. By adjusting the angle, power, and irradiation distance, the laser beam not only removes the white gold from the case but also alters its chemical composition.

Selective and precise oxidation processes produce rich tonal effects, totaling 256 shades, giving the engraved work a realistic, photorealistic texture. “At the beginning of the project, we used a flat surface. Later, we switched to creating three-dimensional objects,” De Luca said. “It took us months to achieve the ideal level of detail, especially in the overlapping areas of the images to avoid blurring.”

The lyrics and music: Because some classic lines from The Godfather are also widely known, they naturally appeared in the 50th anniversary edition of the opera. “We found the perfect space to engrave these lines. This space was originally used for sound effects: the two cylinders of the music box mechanism,” Benjamin Arabof said. These two cylinders have a total of 120 pins. They drive 30 discs distributed on two combs, together playing the theme song from The Godfather.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of The Godfather, these music boxes are engraved with thirteen classic lines, such as the iconic “I’ll give him an offer he can’t refuse,” “Luca Brasi is at rest,” and “Never ask my business.” The music boxes are crafted in rose gold and have been engraved and polished. “Each mainspring barrel is sent to a small workshop in Saint-Croix, the music box capital of Switzerland,” explains Alain Schiesser, CEO of Le Cercle des Horlogers, which produces Jacob & Co.’s exclusive movements. “Each pin is inserted into the mainspring barrel and then adjusted with extreme precision. This determines the rhythm and clarity of the melody. Moreover, this process must be done pin by pin, mainspring barrel by barrel.”

From a purely horological perspective, the 50th Anniversary Edition of the Opera Godfather is similar to previous series. Its horological achievement lies in its tri-axis tourbillon—a high-end watchmaking technique mastered by only a select few top watchmakers. More importantly, it lacks a top bridge, making it a flying tri-axis tourbillon, and the number of such tourbillons produced is extremely limited. The JCMF04 movement comprises 634 parts. While this is not the ultimate goal, but merely a means of horological craftsmanship, it reflects the overall exquisite skill involved.

“The complexity of this movement is far greater than it appears on the surface,” Alan Heather explained. “When Jacob approached us, he wanted a musical movement. Later, we came up with the idea of ​​creating a rotating movement. This requires a high degree of coordination between the combs, precise adjustment of the mainspring barrel (tilted at an angle of about 20 degrees), and control over the rotation of the entire movement…” Therefore, the entire mechanism’s components were designed on a double-layered platform.

However, the movement’s inherent musical function presented a new set of challenges. “To allow the melody to resonate outside the case, the upper and lower parts of the movement had to be connected. We achieved this using a central axis and several special screws that transmit sound,” said Alan Heather. “And all components had to be securely fastened to prevent impact. We created at least 30 prototypes to finally complete this fully functional movement.” www.chronowrist.ru

Out of the Box The Godfather 50th Anniversary Edition watch holds a special place in Jacob & Co.’s collection. Its unique, ingenious, innovative, emotionally resonant, and visually striking character is further solidified by the watch’s packaging design. Each of the 50 limited-edition watches comes in a special wooden box lined with red velvet.

The set includes a crystal decanter engraved with a high-resolution portrait of Marlon Brando and the main Godfather logo. Additionally, the set includes a new version of the Godfather fountain pen, an important part of the Jacob & Co. Godfather collection. This black celluloid fountain pen features a full rose on the cap, rendered in red and green enamel.

Jacob & Co. inspires technological innovation and drives its suppliers to push their limits, elevating existing skills to higher levels of quality and craftsmanship. “We push our partners to the limit, but in this project, we felt we could achieve even more,” explains Nicolas Debaud. “As a result, we completed a development process that typically takes six months or more in just two months.”

This dedication to time and resources embodies the essence of “inspiration comes from the impossible.” “This is our motto, our spirit. But it’s not just a driving force for Jacob & Co.; we pass it on to those around us,” says Benjamin Arabov with a smile.

Jacob & Co. The Godfather of Opera 50th Anniversary Edition – 18K White Gold Limited Edition, 50 Pieces Technical Specifications

Movement:

Movement: Jacob & Co exclusive manual-winding JCFM04
Diameter: 43 mm
Height: 17.2 mm
Materials: Steel, Brass, Platinum and Titanium
Components: 658
Power Reserve: 42 hours
Frequency: 21,600 volts/hour (3 Hz)
Jewelry: 58
System: Tri-axis flying tourbillon, double comb music box
Surface Finish:
Bridges and plates sandblasted and black PVD treated
Case: Circular textured
Screws: Beveled polished
Functions:

Auxiliary hour and minute hands rotating dial with differential function
Tri-axis flying tourbillon (97 parts; 1.79 grams)
First axis: Rotation time 24 seconds
Second axis: Rotation time 48 seconds Seconds
Third axis: Rotation for 180 seconds
The Godfather theme is activated by a button at the 10 o’clock position.
The rotation of the two cylinders drives the vibration of two comb teeth (36 teeth in total), producing a melody of 120 notes.

Miniature Rose Sculpture in the Sports Center
Black DLC Piano with Rose Gold Trim
Rotates 120° in 30 Seconds
Case:

Diameter: 49 mm
Height: 20 mm
Material: 18K White Gold
Case Back: 18K White Gold
Case Sides: 18K White Gold, Laser-etched with 13 Scenes from The Godfather
Time Setting: 18K Rose Gold Bow on Case Back
Winding: 18K Rose Gold Violin-Shaped Crank Handle
Crystal: Double-sided Anti-reflective Curved Sapphire Crystal
Water Resistance: 30 meters (100 feet/3 ATM)
Dial and Hands:

Dial: Matte Black with 18K Rose Gold Applied Hour Markers
Hands: Blue Hands Designed by Jacob & Co.