It wasn’t that long ago that Parmigiani Fleurier channeled Bugatti’s record-breaking supercars into watches. Now it seems as though they’ve been replaced by an arguably more appropriate watchmaker. After all, if you own one of the craziest cars, why not pair it with one of the craziest watchmakers? This is the Jacob & Co. Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon.
Neither Bugatti nor Jacob & Co are known for subtlety, so it’s no surprise that their timepiece pairing is an extremely fine piece of engineering. That means a tourbillon, of course, and a massive 54mm x 44mm black titanium case that dwarfs the Chiron’s body. Somehow, that’s the least of it.
The heart of the watch is the same as the heart of the car: a 16-cylinder engine. Press the watch’s right crown and the engine starts, pumping imaginary fuel into invisible wheels. This is a Chiron on a diet, as it only includes two superchargers instead of four. Shame.
The whole thing is set in a block of sapphire, and the spinning single-piece crankshaft is one of the most complex components ever made by Jacob & Co. Need I remind you, this is the brand that created the Astronomia. Highlighted by a few flashes of blued steel, this is like no watch you’ve ever seen before.
The engine, of course, has no real function. It’s completely superfluous, like any automaton. But also like any automaton, it adds to the watch’s incredible, stunning movement, which you can see from every angle thanks to the sapphire crystal set into the case.
There are more subtle nods to Bugatti than the engine, but honestly, it’s enough. The power reserve indicator at 3 o’clock is shaped like a fuel gauge; it has Bugatti’s signature horseshoe grille, and the movement is suspended in the case via shock absorbers.
If we get down to the mundane aspects of actual timekeeping, the movement (obviously in-house) is equipped with a 60-hour power reserve and regulated by a 1m tourbillon. The up-and-down movement of the shock absorbers means that, to avoid damage, Jacob & Co also had to come up with an automotive-style lateral system. Because a moving model of the engine wasn’t enough.
How do you pair a watch with a 1,500bhp, 260mph supercar like the Chiron? Like Jacob & Co. going balls to the wall. There’s no clear limit on how many of these things will be produced, but it’s likely to be as rare as its namesake. At $280,000 (just over £225,000), it’s actually a bit cheaper than we expected – which says something about how crazy haute horology can get.
Price and Specs:
Model Name: Jacob & Co Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon Model Number
: AF321.40. BA.AD.ABSAA
Case/Dial: 54 mm diameter, titanium
Water resistance: 30m (3 bar)
Movement: Caliber JCAM37, manual winding
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, 1-minute tourbillon cage 30° tilted
Frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 60 hours
Strap: Black rubber with titanium buckle
Price: $280,000
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