The Jacob & Co. The Godfather II

The Jacob & Co. The Godfather II is not the first Godfather-themed watch, but it is the first and only double-melody musical timepiece in the world. Yes, Blancpain recently revealed the Double Grande Sonnerie, but that’s a striking watch, and The Godfather II is not. Instead, Jacob & Co. built a timepiece with a single music-box barrel that can play two songs — “The Godfather’s Waltz” or “The Godfather Love Theme.” The music box is part of a 510-part movement housed inside a newly designed 42 × 44mm rose gold case. The watch is a limited edition of 74 pieces, a nod to 1974, the year The Godfather Part II debuted.

The Godfather Part II is Jacob Arabo’s favorite film. Francis Ford Coppola’s epic movie also has an epic soundtrack. In the movie, you can hear two Nino Rota compositions that are just as famous as the movie itself. There’s “The Godfather Love Theme” that serves as the franchise’s main theme, while “The Godfather’s Waltz” is first heard during the original film’s wedding scene. If you have US$440,000 to spend on your next watch, you could play those songs with the Jacob & Co. The Godfather II on your wrist.

The Jacob & Co. The Godfather II: I’m gonna make you a watch you can’t refuse

In The Godfather Part II, the character Hyman Roth says, “Good health is the most important thing. More than success, more than money, more than power.” Well, he forgot how important it is to wear a good watch — or an exceptional one. And that’s what the Jacob & Co. The Godfather II is. The latest Godfather timepiece comes in a new rectangular, curved, Art Deco-inspired rose gold case that also serves as a sort of boombox for the musical mechanism inside. The proportions are surprisingly subtle for such a complicated creation. Its 42 × 44 × 17mm dimensions are not over the top, and the curved, ergonomic profile is quite subtle.

The watch’s styling, on the other hand, is as outrageous — or should I say “cinematic”? — as its movement is. There are plenty of movie references to enjoy. For instance, the black lacquered dial evokes the film’s noir aesthetic with a finely detailed portrait of Marlon Brando as Don Corleone, alongside the franchise’s signature puppet strings rendered in three-dimensional appliqué. The watch also shows a couple of engraved bullet holes on the case back, and the crown features spiral grooves reminiscent of a gun barrel. On a more peaceful note, Don Corleone’s rose motif appears as an engraving along the case.

On repeat

Apart from the bullet holes on the case back, you’ll find a sapphire opening that reveals the source of the songs the watch is playing — the turning cylinder and combs of the music box inside. The mechanism is partly covered by a plate engraved with “The Godfather Love Theme” score. Apart from the music box, the movement also features a flying tourbillon and two power reserve indicators, one for the main movement and a second that indicates the energy available for the music box. The new manual-winding caliber JCAM62 features a unique construction that delivers a one-of-a-kind watch experience. The melody selector at 10 o’clock allows you to choose between the two mechanically programmed tunes. Activated by a pusher at 8 o’clock, each melody plays for 15–20 seconds. There’s enough power to repeat the songs up to 10 times on a single wind.

Interestingly, the two songs are programmed onto a single music-box barrel, which enables a more compact case while still housing a one-minute flying tourbillon. The intricate music box is built around a comb and a cylinder. The comb’s 18 steel teeth produce different notes depending on their length, while a pin-studded brass cylinder activates them in sequence. A lateral shift of less than a millimeter, controlled by the melody selector, changes which pins engage the comb, allowing the watch to alternate between the two compositions.

Part II is better than Part I

Jaws 2 was definitely not better than Jaws. Most sequels are rarely better than the originals. Some people, however, say The Godfather Part II is better than the first movie. Jacob Arabo, chairman and founder of Jacob & Co., holds that opinion. Fratello also dares to state that The Godfather II watch is better than the Opera Godfather, the original 49mm musical timepiece developed under the licensing agreement with Paramount Pictures. The new 1930s-inspired case has very wearable proportions and looks sleeker and more refined than the traditional round case. The fact that the watch can play not one but two songs is also an improvement.

Now tell me, which of the two songs inside the Jacob & Co. The Godfather II would you play more often? Let me know in the comments section below.

Watch specifications