Jacob & Co. Continues the Scarface Saga With $360,000 Opera Watch

Jacob & Co. has a nice relationship with the American cult movies of the 20th century. One in particular: Scarface. Now, the brand releases an all-new Scarface watch that plays the movie theme song, Bolivia Theme, on demand.  Recently we wrote about this watch in depth in our Perfect Timing column on Forbes. Now we bring those details here.

Collaborating with Universal Pictures to obtain the rights to use the name and likeness of Al Pacino, star of the famed movie, Scarface, Jacob & Co. is creating two versions of the highly complicated watch. Scarface premiered in 1983 and was an immediate hit. The crime drama was written by Oliver Stone, directed by Brian De Palma and produced by Martin Bregman. It was a remake of a 1932 story, and starred Pacino as Cuban refugee Tony Montana who came to Miami penniless and became a powerful drug lord. For its time, the movie was one of the highest grossing films despite (or maybe because of) its violence and drug scenes. Over the years, though, the movie – wherein Montana came to be known as Scarface — has come to be a cult film.

For the Opera Scarface watch, Jacob & Co. integrates details from the movie, including the artwork from the poster ad with Tony Montana’s image and the Scarface logo. When the wearer activates the pusher at 10:00 on the dial, the “Bolivia” music plays – via a 120-note music box — as the complex dial rotates 120 degrees in 30 seconds.

In addition to showcasing two music box cylinders with spindles, the watch features a triple-axis tourbillon opposite the dial that displays the time. The tourbillon escapement compensates for errors in timekeeping due to the effects of gravity when the wrist is in certain positions. A triple-axis tourbillon does the same but takes into account multiple positions – canceling out errors.

A black lacquered grand piano sits on the dial diagonally opposite the Scarface poster ad and its keys move when the music plays. A tiny red globe, with the words “The World is Yours” on them in gold, takes the center spot on the dial. The globe recalls the one in the entry hall of Montana’s Miami mansion.

Jacob & Co. worked with Universal Brand Development to create this incredible timepiece that features a high-domed anti-reflective sapphire  crystal and sides to allow for full view of the watch. Thanks to a patented differential system, the time dial always remains in the correct 12/6 position.

The magnificently complex watch movement – that consists of 658 pieces —  is wound via a violin-shaped crank on the  case side. There are two separate power reserves for the time and for the music box so that the music box can be played three times before needing to be wound – and does so without affecting the timekeeping function or power reserve thereof.

There are two versions of the 49mm Opera Scarface being made: one in 18-karat rose gold and one in black Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) titanium. Just 88 pieces of each will be made.  The black version retails for $330,000, while the rose gold watch retails for $360,000.

This is not the first Opera watch Jacob & Co. has released. The most recent version before this was the Opera Godfather, paying homage to that cult movie.  Before that, the Opera watch featured a couple in the center who danced while the music played. The brand just released a new version of the watch, as well, with built-in minute repeater (but that’s another story).