Jacob & Co.’s Godfather II is a Cinematic Sequel
A musical timepiece with a repertoire.
Jacob & Co. revisits a cinema classic with the Godfather II. A sequel to the acclaimed and extravagant Opera Godfather, the new model grounds the movement architecture while doubling down on the musical complication.
Initial thoughts
It is no secret that The Godfather trilogy is a personal favourite of jeweller and brand founder Jacob Arabo. He confessed his love for Francis Ford Coppola’s magnum opus when the Opera Godfather was first launched. A ticking music box, the timepiece played the famous Godfather Love Theme using a pin-barrel and comb system — a simple but reliable mechanism that sits at the heart of many music boxes.

With this second model inspired by Mr Coppola’s saga, Jacob & Co. doubled down on the music box feature, adding a second tune that can be played in addition to the iconic theme. The second melody is the Godfather Waltz and the wearer can chose between either melody at the push of a button.
While Jacob & Co. made a name for itself with opulent demonstrations of extravagant gemsetting, the Godfather II is unusually restrained, dialing back the flamboyance of the Opera Godfather without losing its musical virtuosity.
The Art Deco-inspired case is a considered departure for Jacob & Co., a brand not typically associated with restraint. It suits the watch well, and suggests the manufacture is capable of more range than its catalogue suggests.

The Godfather II is beloved by critics for portraying a grittier, more brutal reality of organised crime. Reflecting this progression, the Godfather II is embellished with several ominous and cinematic details.
The crown, for example, is grooved like a rifled gun barrel, and the brand’s signature frames what looks like the primer of a centrefire cartridge. Even the scrollwork on the left side of the case, which is ostensibly a rose, resembles a hollow-point bullet, post impact. Finally, the case back is a miniature crime scene, complete with decorative bullet holes framing the case back screws.
Since the Godfather II is marketed as a sequel, we can reasonably expect there to eventually be a third and final chapter to this horological saga. Jacob & Co. is the only watchmaker licensed by Paramount Pictures to use Godfather-related elements, such as the musical themes or images associated with the trilogy. Mr Francis Ford Coppola himself is a known watch collector and enthusiast, so it must be interesting for him to see his cinematic universe reinvented in mechanical form.
Collectors looking for a complete set will contend with a 75-piece limitation, a subtle reference to the debut year of the film.
Playing tunes you can’t refuse
There is little that hasn’t yet been said about Nino Rota’s iconic and haunting Godfather Love Theme. The original instrumental movie theme was so influential that it led to vocal adaptations. Speak Softly Love was famously recorded by Andy Williams in 1972, turning the theme into a soft love ballad. French and Italian versions were recorded as well.

The Godfather Waltz carries slightly more gaiety compared to the brooding and melancholic notes of the main theme, but there is still a serious undertone. A version of the waltz was playing in the background of the original Godfather’s opening act, making it a rather nostalgic tune.
The Godfather II can play both of these iconic themes on demand. The substantial rectangular case features two pushers on the left side of the case: one to select between the two available melodies, and another to engage the playing sequence.
Much like the original Opera Godfather, the Godfather II relies on a classic barrel and comb system for playing the beloved themes. The mechanism is a rudimentary but reliable example of mechanical programming, with pins arranged in a certain pattern that brush against metal blades to produce sounds.

Each blade in the comb has a different length, and thus vibrates at a different frequency when plucked. Virtually any melody can be played in this fashion by varying the sequence in which the pins engage the comb. The constraints of a wristwatch-sized music box limit the available range of notes, yet both arrangements remain immediately recognisable.
Typically, the pins on a music box barrel encode a single melody across one full rotation. Some barrels, however, can accommodate two or more compositions using a more sophisticated approach: by spacing the comb’s teeth precisely, two separate pin tracks can be superimposed on the same cylinder.
At any given moment, one set of pins will engage the comb, while the second will simply pass through the open space between the blades. To change the tune, the barrel can be shifted laterally, thus making the first pin set inactive while playing the second melody.

The ticking music box inside the Godfather II.
This principle was miniaturised inside the Jacob & Co. calibre JCAM62, the latest movement to come from the extravagant independent watchmaker. Pressing the upper clef-engraved pusher on the case shifts the pin cylinder less than 1 mm, which is enough to toggle between the two tunes.
A dial cutout at the nine o’clock position displays the selected melody, while the pusher at eight o’clock activates the music box.

The Godfather II has a rectangular, slightly convex case which is surprisingly compact at just 44 mm tall and 42 mm wide. Though 17 mm thick, the rounded case profile and short lugs should help keep it balanced on the wrist.
Like the Opera Godfather, the heavy case is made of 18K rose gold, and is lavishly decorated with engraved scrollwork on each of its lateral flanks. Otherwise, the case has remarkably clean and polished lines, which is a welcome departure from some of the brand’s more exotic creations.
The glossy, piano-black dial finish plays into the refined yet opulent look, while discreetly hinting at the musical complication concealed within.
Animations and music
As is typical of Jacob & Co., the dial is integrated with the movement. The black lacquer surface carries two functional power reserve apertures and a portrait of Don Corleone, with the brand signature and the franchise’s puppet string logo — raised and detailed — on the retractable shroud for the cylinder.

The retractable shroud is the Godfather II’s party trick: when the music box is activated, the uppermost portion of the dial silently recedes, revealing the brass pin cylinder underneath. When the song ends, the cover returns — much like a piano’s fallboard.
This clever automaton allows the Godfather II to look (almost) like any ordinary timepiece when the melodic complication is not in use.
The musical complication is powered by its own dedicated barrel and can be activated up to ten times on a full wind. Each melody plays for 15 to 20 seconds and the complication is fully isolated from the timekeeping train of the intricate cal. JCAM62.

A large aperture displays the selected melody in full, while two smaller openings flank the flying tourbillon — one tracking the music box’s power reserve, the other tracking that of the primary movement. The design of the indicators reveals keen attention to detail. For example, the music box’s fully wound state is indicated with a rose.

Note that product renderings are numbered out of 72 pieces, but 74 pieces will be produced. Production models will reflect this change.
The tourbillon cage is topped with a smoked sapphire crystal disc — a detail that maintains visual continuity with the piano-black dial rather than interrupting it. Through it, the weighted balance, operating at 3 Hz, is visible. The oscillator features a flat hairspring and curb-pin regulator, which may disappoint some technically minded collectors, but it’s a reasonable concession given the technical focus of the calibre lies elsewhere.
The clever details continue on the case back, which reveals the brass cylinder and musical comb through a piano-shaped sapphire crystal opening, which also showcases a plate engraved with the actual score of Godfather Love Theme frames the view.
Key facts and price
Jacob & Co. Godfather II
Diameter: 42 by 44 mm
Height: 17 mm
Material: 18k rose gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water-resistance: 30 m
Movement: JCAM62
Functions: Hours, minutes, two-song music box, dual power reserve
Winding: Hand winding
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Movement power reserve: 72 hours
Music box power reserve: 8 to 10 melodies
Strap: Alligator strap with matching folding clasp
Limited edition: Yes, 74 pieces
Availability: From Jacob & Co. boutiques and retailers
Price: US$440,000 excluding taxes
For more information, visit Jacobandco.com.
This was brought to you in partnership with Jacob & Co.
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