The Godfather II from Jacob & Co. is the Brand’s Newest Entry to Its Horological Cinematic Universe

Cinephiles love a good list. Sometimes they are long and contentious (check out any Reddit group rating Star Wars movies from best to worst). But critics generally rank The Godfather Part II (1974) among the top 10 sequels that are better than their originals.

The key to a great movie sequel is building out the world of the characters we have invested in. And for Jacob & Co.’s follow-up to its musical Godfather watch, the brand is introducing a new case and a unique melody selector at 10 o’clock, allowing the wearer to toggle between two classic tunes from Nino Rota’s soundtrack.

Does The Godfather II live up to the Grand-Guignol legacy of the movie? Let’s have a closer look.

Swiss watchmakers invented the cylinder music box back in the 1700s. They used their savoir-faire in miniaturizing gears to produce tiny, tuned combs that plucked a studded steel cylinder to make a melody. But save for a few niche novelties, the technology was pretty much dormant for centuries until Jacob & Co. introduced the Opera Godfather in 2019.
 

This is not to say that Jacob & Co.’s extravagant watches are not niche. The 49mm Opera Godfather, for example, combined a triple-axis tourbillon with visual cues from the classic 1972 film The Godfather, along with a twin-barrel music box complication that plays the film’s main theme on a miniature lacquered gold grand piano. Not exactly an everyday beater.

Jacob & Co. has produced several variations on the Godfather theme since the collection was first introduced, but The Godfather II is the first to sport an Art Deco-inspired vibe (which makes sense, since, technically, the movie is more of a prequel, with a significant chunk of the storyline set in the 1920s).
 

Other cinematic references include engraved bullet holes on the caseback and a black lacquer dial that evokes the crime drama’s film noir aesthetic. The crown features spiral grooves reminiscent of a gun barrel, and Don Corleone’s signature rose is etched along the side of the case. A silhouette of Marlon Brando in character as Mafia king Don Corleone is the star of the dial, alongside a 3D applique of the franchise’s signature “puppet string” logo.
 

The rectangular 42 x 44mm rose gold case marks a departure from the Opera Godfather, with its curved, ergonomic profile and Art Deco styling. The caseback features a piano-shaped sapphire crystal opening that reveals the music box comb inside. It’s covered by a plate engraved with the actual score of “The Godfather Love Theme.”

But this new rectangular shape is more than just set decoration: the architecture and streamlined movement are designed to enhance the music box complication’s amplification.

Powered by the new JCAM62 caliber, the watch introduces a complication that is a watchmaking first: a melody selector (positioned at 10 o’clock) that allows the wearer to choose between two tunes: “The Godfather Love Theme” (the franchise’s most memorable song) and “The Godfather’s Waltz,” which was first played in the original film’s wedding scene.
 

Activated by a pusher at 8 o’clock each, each tune is programmed onto a single cylinder. A lateral shift of less than a millimeter, controlled by the melody selector, changes which pins engage the comb. Both melodies play for 15 to 20 seconds and can be repeated up to 10 times on a single wind.
 

The music box and the one-minute flying tourbillon are not the only features in this program. The Godfather II features two power reserve indicators. The main movement offers a 72-hour reserve. And a separate indicator tracks the energy available for the music box.

The Jacob & Co. The Godfather II is available in a limited edition of 74 pieces (a reference to the movie’s 1974 release) and is priced at $440,000. For more information, check out the Jacob & Co. website.