It started with an idea conceived by Jacob & Co. together with Bugatti – how to reproduce the visceral sensation of the iconic Bugatti 16-cylinder engine in a timepiece.

After almost a full year of development, the answer is here in the form of the Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon. Everything is designed to honor the Chiron in a timepiece. The case is inspired by the flowing lines of the Chiron and the movement, or “engine block,” intended to duplicate the Bugatti engine, is placed under a massive sapphire crystal, on display for all to see.

In 2019, Bugatti and Jacob & Co. signed a multi-year partnership to create unique, never-before-seen timepieces. These watches are true to the spirit of both companies, while taking watchmaking to impossible heights

To inaugurate this partnership led by performance, two timepieces were created. These watches, based on the Twin Turbo Furious and the Epic X Chrono, were directly inspired by the unique design and spirit of Bugatti hypercars.

In 2020, Jacob & Co. and Bugatti introduced new watches in the Twin Turbo Furious collection, and the Bugatti Chiron, a completely new line.

This is where the magic happens: push the right-hand crown of the timepiece and the engine comes to life – the crankshaft turns and the 16 pistons pump up and down, just like a true internal combustion engine. Two “turbochargers” (down from four in the actual Chiron engine) on the side of the engine block spin while the engine runs, adding to the visual impact.

Incredible to see and unbelievably complicated to realize (the movement is comprised of 578 components), the Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon timepiece has done something no one has ever even attempted before – to seamlessly marry engines and watches.

The Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon features a 30o inclined tourbillon, the first time Jacob & Co. has ever used an inclined tourbillon. The “flying” part of the tourbillon means that the regulating organ is only supported on one side, so the tourbillon is even more mesmerizing. The 30o inclination makes it easier to admire this incredible complication.

The movement is completely suspended in four places, with what looks like actual automobile shocks from the Chiron. The movement is, in fact, floating inside the case — you can see it move up and down. Framing the engine block are two “exhausts,” completing the engine theme of the design.

The power reserve for the animation and the power reserve for timekeeping are different, yet both are wound through the winding crown, clockwise for the movement, counterclockwise for the engine animation. The power reserve indication for timekeeping even has the universal gas pump symbol on the side of the gauge at nine o’clock.

The crowns for the watch are at the bottom of the case – the left crown sets the time, the middle crown winds both the movement (60 hours of power reserve) and the animation, and a push of the right-hand crown starts the animation. The crown body is made of sapphire and its central part connected to the stem is made of colored titanium.

The suspension of the movement caused an additional challenge for the movement designers, as they had to create (and patent) a special automotive-style jointed transverse system so the crown posts aren’t damaged by the movement going up and down inside the case.

The Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon from Jacob & Co. is a world-first — a true engine on the wrist.

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A watch case made entirely out of sapphire crystal is one of the top achievements in high watchmaking. The Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon Sapphire Crystal is the result of several months of computer-aided design and manufacturing processes and traditional hand polishing. It’s a challenging, multi-faceted endeavor that takes several months to complete.

For example, the tonneau-shaped Chiron case isn’t a singular exterior but a mix of geometric surfaces. Then there’s the hardness of sapphire. It measures 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness. Very few materials are harder, including diamond, which measures a 10. Because of this, diamond cutting and polishing tools are used to craft the case. This is both costly and time consuming, but it’s absolutely necessary to produce a case with the exact dimensions and transparency that the Chiron exhibits.

??The sapphire crystal begins as a powder, heated under extreme temperatures which grows to one very large round piece of raw sapphire, about the size and shape of a coffee can. This operation can take anywhere from three to fifteen days. A slice is cut out of this large piece of sapphire that will become the case of the Bugatti Chiron. The piece is machined and hand-polished. Because of the sapphire’s hardness, machining and hand-polishing must be conducted in a delicate manner. Again, adding to the time it takes to complete the process.

The most challenging aspect is the hand polishing. It’s the final task of the long and complex process. This same delicate technique is used for the caseback, the top, the three crowns and other pieces that are attached to the case. A single craftsman takes about of 120 hours to complete the case. Every shape of every piece has a different polishing process. The different angles of the exteriors and interiors of the case required a delicate and steady hand. But the quality, including the transparency, must be consistent throughout.