How luxury watchmakers are reshaping Dubai’s skyline
The world’s most prestigious watchmakers are moving beyond the wrist. In Dubai, Jacob & Co. and Franck Muller are bringing their distinctive design codes to some of the city’s most ambitious residential towers. It’s a striking evolution for two houses celebrated for their craftsmanship, where the precision of fine watchmaking meets the scale of contemporary architecture.
Dubai’s growing fascination with fine watchmaking
Dubai has long held a special place in the world of luxury watches. With its prestigious boutiques, discerning collectors, and international events, the city has become a destination for those who appreciate exceptional timepieces.
Dubai Watch Week, which grew significantly larger in 2025, reflects the region’s growing influence on the global watch industry.
Now, that enthusiasm is taking on an entirely new form. Rather than limiting their creative vision to intricate movements and precious materials, watchmakers are extending their aesthetic identities into architecture, transforming residential buildings into expressions of their heritage.
Jacob & Co. takes its signature extravagance to new heights
Known for its elaborate complications and gem-set creations, Jacob & Co. has never been a house of understatement. Its partnership with Dubai-based developer Binghatti brings that unmistakable sensibility to the city’s skyline.
Burj Binghatti Jacob & Co. Residences is envisioned as an architectural statement, with a sculptural crown inspired by the facets of a diamond. The result is a building whose silhouette echoes the drama and meticulous detailing of the brand’s high-jewelry creations.
According to the Skyscraper Center, the tower is planned to reach 595 meters (approximately 1,952 feet) across 105 floors.
The collaboration is part of a broader shift toward branded residences. Binghatti’s portfolio of properties for sale in Dubai illustrates how distinctive architecture and partnerships with internationally recognized luxury names are becoming central to the city’s residential landscape.
For design-conscious buyers, the appeal goes beyond an impressive address. Much like an iconic watch, a residence can become an expression of personal taste and identity.
Franck Muller brings Swiss watchmaking to the skyline
Franck Muller offers a different interpretation of this architectural movement. The Swiss watchmaker has partnered with developer London Gate on Aeternitas, a residential tower planned for Dubai Marina.
Its defining feature is an oversized clock crowning the building, an unmistakable reference to the brand’s watchmaking heritage.
As Gulf Business reports, the project is expected to rise 450 meters (approximately 1,476 feet) and encompass 106 floors.
Where Jacob & Co. embraces the theatricality of high jewelry, Franck Muller draws more directly from the art of timekeeping. The approaches are distinct, yet both demonstrate how a watchmaker’s visual identity can extend far beyond the objects it creates.
When luxury becomes a way of life
These remarkable projects point to a broader transformation in the meaning of luxury. It’s no longer defined solely by what we wear or collect, but increasingly by the spaces we choose to inhabit.
Fine materials, carefully considered finishes, private amenities, and personalized services reflect the same attention to detail traditionally associated with haute horlogerie.
The movement is unfolding against the backdrop of a thriving real estate market. According to the Government of Dubai, property transactions exceeded AED 917 billion (approximately $250 billion) in 2025.
Still, a prestigious name alone doesn’t guarantee lasting value. As with an exceptional timepiece, enduring quality comes down to thoughtful proportions, impeccable craftsmanship, and an attention to detail that transcends passing trends.
In Dubai, watchmakers are no longer simply defining how we tell time. They’re beginning to shape the spaces in which we spend it.
