Italians see casinos as a place to show off their elegance. The country has always been associated with gambling, possibly because many casino games, such as baccarat, were invented there.
Roulette’s roots can be traced back to Italy. The game is likely based on Biribi, a popular game from the 18th century. Like American roulette, the game used a “bowl with 38 compartments”, including zero and double zero. Roulette has always been one of the most popular games in Italy, in the past within land-based casinos and physical gambling halls, and nowadays within online casinos. We recommend consulting a list of the best Italian sites that offer online roulette games to realize how wide and varied the offer is. In fact, in the link inserted just now, you can find a list of 10 online casinos that allow you to play roulette, and it is only a selection of the best ones. Speaking more generally about Italy’s most recent gaming numbers, the Peninsula is the second-largest European gambling market. In 2022, Italian gambling sites and casinos reported over €20 billion in gross gaming revenue. Players wagered €136 billion – a 23% increase since 2019. Italy’s connection to fashion and casinos got us thinking: what’s the perfect accessory to use if you’re looking to play roulette at the best Italian sites and land-based casinos? The answer quickly became apparent: the Jacob & Co Casino Tourbillon.
The Jacob & Co. Casino Tourbillon at a Glance
The Casino Tourbillon was Jacob & Co.’s second watch inspired by the glamorous world of casinos. Unlike its first casino-themed release, this time, the company opted to hide the movement to focus on the main attraction: the roulette wheel dial. That’s right, you can play roulette on the go with this watch. The dial consists of a 37-pocket roulette wheel, which can be activated by pressing the button on the side of the case. This is achieved through mechanical movement. At 44mm, the Jacob & Co. Casino Tourbillon is one of the smallest horological marvels offered by the Swiss company. The case is made of 18k rose gold, and the dial is protected by a domed sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating. The watch has a black alligator leather strap and a rose gold deployant clasp. Only 101 pieces were made, and the retail price is over €250,000. You’ll have a hard time getting your hands on one unless you know Jacob personally.
The Tourbillon Movement
If you’re unfamiliar with high-end watchmaking, you’re probably wondering: what’s a tourbillon? In short, it’s a mechanical complication (every watch function besides telling time) designed to counter the effects of gravity in pocket watches. Nowadays, tourbillons are more of a way for watchmakers to show off their technical expertise. This is because the effects of gravity are negligible in wristwatches, as these sit mostly horizontally on the wrist. Inside the watch, you’ll find the calibre JCAM51, an in-house movement with a manual winding mechanism. As the word “in-house” suggests, it was entirely developed by Jacob & Co.’s watchmakers. It has 286 individual components and a beat rate of 21,600 vph. The roulette module is based on the one seen in the Jacob & Co. Astronomia Casino. The power reserve is reasonable, considering the watch has a roulette wheel on the fly. When fully wound, it’ll run for approximately 72 hours.
Technical Specifications
- Case size – 44mm rose gold case with a height of 16.3mm and 30m of water resistance.
- Dial – Onyx dial with lacquered roulette pockets, ceramic ball, and 18k rose gold skeleton hands coated with Super-LumiNova.
- Movement – In-house calibre JCAM51, manually wound with a 72-hour power reserve and a working roulette mechanism.
- Strap – Black alligator leather strap with rose gold deployant clasp.
- Price and availability – Approximately €260,000, and limited to 101 units.
Article edited by Mark Sommers