When you think of sports watches, many brands immediately come to mind. There are a lot of regulars like Rolex, Omega, Tag Heuer, etc… But a few years ago, one brand was rarely in the conversation – that brand was fake Jacob & Co.

Jacob & Co. offers a ton of super-complicated and stunning watches—arguably what they’re best known for. Astronomia is a prime example of the brand’s combination of exclusivity, high complexity and tons of gemstones. But today, I wanted to take a look at one of the brand’s often overlooked products, especially in the sports watch segment – the Epic X Titanium – an affordable, feature-packed and unique sports watch.

Let’s start with where the Epic X Titanium sits in Jacob & Co’s overall catalog. Quite simply, it’s the “moderate” category of sports watches. For starters, the Grade 5 titanium case measures 44mm x 12.3mm, which is surprisingly light considering the white ceramic insert. The case itself is very sporty, with a matte finish and polished edges.

The most unique part of the case, from which it gets its name, is its extended “X”-shaped lugs attached to a rubber strap in various colors. Initially, in the press images, I admitted I wasn’t a fan of the lug design and thought it was a bit exaggerated – and possibly uncomfortable. I’m here to thoroughly enjoy them. Thanks to the steep taper and extended nature, it fits snugly on the wrist despite its larger size. I didn’t find the best replica watches uk to pull or twist as expected and like to wear it a lot.

The crown is large enough to complement the hand-wound movement. As I have seen many complaints about the winding process, I found it to be very clean, easy to wind and well made. In fact, it is satisfying to wind a watch and see the mainspring wind up at the top of the movement. Also, being able to see the gear train through the back makes winding the watch a lot of fun.

The skeleton dial is simply mesmerizing. The (very) skeletonized dial shows how simple and complex the movement actually is. From the 12 o’clock position is the mainspring, mounted in its own cage. The entire movement is fastened to two (or four, depending on how you look at it) vertical bridges, which remind me of racing stripes – not out of place with the Epic X influence. The two bridges have a vertical brushed and dark bridge that showcases the watch phone. You’ll notice that it doesn’t have any indexes, just a chapter ring – giving the impression that this is a hobbyist’s watch designed entirely around showcasing the movement.

The movement is mainly displayed on the left side of the watch. On the right side of the dial is a really cool inlay with some Jacob & Co. branding. While it’s often difficult to read the time, the red dots can ease this nicely. I’ve never had a hard time picking a time at a glance.

Flip the watch over and you’ll find the rest of the JCAM02 Skeleton Calibre. Part of the 158 movement was created exclusively for Jacob & Co in association with the renowned movement maker Concepto. Finishing is top-notch, and there’s a lot of visual interest. I find myself enjoying watching the movement in the winding process from the back of the watch. The hand-wound movement beats at 28,800 VpH and has a 48-hour power reserve. This watch has a water resistance depth of 100 meters.

Overall, the Jacob & Co Epic X is one of the most interesting watches I’ve had a chance to review. I expected this watch to be bulky, over-the-top, and tacky, but actually found it rather restrained, perfect for the world of skeleton sports watches. Oversized and light watches can easily feel cheap – and since the 44mm titanium case is the vaunted feature set, I’m worried.