Jacob & Co. Oil Pump Watch

Trust Jacob & Co. to produce a six-figure gold watch depicting an oil pump. Fitted with two derricks, a system of pipes, an oil gauge and reservoir tank, this miniature recreation of an oil rig is so detailed that it is bound to win over the hearts of die-hard oil tycoons. Moreover, being a Jacob & Co. creation the showmanship is guaranteed with two derricks that can perform their pumping motions on demand. Even when the derricks are not activated, the animation on the dial continues thanks to the spectacle of the brand’s hallmark double-axis tourbillon. Let’s have a closer look at this Jacob & Co. Oil Pump Tourbillon Automaton.

Anyone familiar with the brand knows that Jacob Arabo, the maverick founder of Jacob & Co., is not an advocate of low-key, conservative luxury. Used to dealing with ultra-wealthy clients (oil barons included), his jewellery and watches pack an inimitable “wow factor”. Over the top for some, downright delightful for others, Jacob & Co’s creations never fail to impress. Let’s take a closer look at one of the most unusual watches in the brand’s repertoire that has the added bonus of pumping oil with a 100% environmentally friendly mechanical power source.

AUTOMATA ACTION
Derrick pumps, also known as pumpjacks, horseheads and rocking horses in oil language jargon, are used to extract oil mechanically from an underground well. Once a prevalent sight across Western Texas, the distinctive feature of a derrick pump is its large anvil-shaped head. Powered by a motor (running on oil, diesel or electricity), the head of the pump is attached to a polished rod that moves up and down inside the well to force the liquid to the surface.

This watch might replicate the rigging and action of an oil pump, but its power source is as green as they come. Just like Pierre Jaquet Droz’s revolutionary 18th-century automata that left kings and queens awestruck by their inexplicable magical movements, the derricks on the Oil Pump are powered by the traditional mechanical technology of an automaton – a self-operating machine that performs a predetermined sequence of motions. The pusher on the caseband at 2 o’clock not only activates the derricks on the dial, but it also charges the dedicated power reserve that sets them in motion 

This realistic miniature recreation of an oil rig is encapsulated in a 49.5mm rose gold and sapphire crystal case with a height of 20mm. To ensure none of the action is hidden, there are additional sapphire glass windows on the sides of the case and a small aperture on the caseback to admire the tourbillon. The rose gold caseback features two extractable bows to wind the watch and set the time, and there is a pusher on the side of the case to activate the automata and charge the power reserve.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS – JACOB & CO. OIL PUMP TOURBILLON AUTOMATON