The Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon watch from Jacob & Co.
Partner of Bugatti since March 2019, American watchmaker and jeweler Jacob & Co presents its first timepiece with a unique and astonishing watch called the “Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon” consisting of 578 hand-assembled parts. Three Bugatti models. This timepiece houses the tiny W16 engine block of the Bugatti Chiron beneath a giant sapphire crystal.
In 2019, Bugatti and Jacob & Cà. Launch of the first two watches in the Bugatti collection: Twin Turbo Furious and Epic X Chrono. In 2020, after a year of development, the American luxury brand founded by Jacob Arabo unveiled its newest and more exclusive technological offering, a tribute to the Bugatti Chiron.
This luxury model features a functional replica of the Bugatti Chiron W16 engine, crafted from sapphire crystal, including the stunning crankshaft and moving pistons. Jacob & Co. are very proud of this crankshaft, which they describe as “one of the smallest and most complex watch parts ever built”. To give you an idea of the scale of the achievement, it took three days just to program the machine to produce the miniature crankshaft – to ensure exact tolerances.
By pressing a button on the right, sixteen pistons move in cylinders via a functionally identical crankshaft, as do the two turbochargers on the side. This animation has a duration of 20 seconds and can be activated 3 times before the mainspring is wound. https://www.proreviewwatch.co
Jacob & Co used 578 parts to create this extraordinary movement, which also includes a 30° inclined tourbillon, and a nine-hour power reserve indicator (F for Full and E for Empty indicators, like a fuel gauge) . Four shock absorbers (reminiscent of those in a car) suspend the entire mechanism, not only bringing it closer to its car counterpart, but also increasing its impact resistance. This posed significant development challenges, as the watch used three crowns and had to be able to handle the movement of the mechanism. To this end, Jacob & Co has developed a lateral system, which is also patented. Some elements can be personalized with different shades, such as the titanium case.
The left button sets the hours and minutes, while the middle button winds the mechanical (clockwise) and animated (counterclockwise) windings. When fully wound, the watch movement offers a power reserve of 60 hours.
The set has a titanium case measuring 54mm x 44mm and is water resistant to 30 meters. Up front, it’s shaped like Bugatti’s famous horseshoe radiator, allowing you to peek at the 30° angled tourbillon. The strap is rubber with a titanium buckle.
Jacob & Co. wasn’t the first company to design a fashion replica watches with a sports car theme, but it was the first to animate a supercar engine block in 3D with 16 moving pistons.
JACOB & CO. BUGATTI CHIRON TOURBILLON
Case: 54mm x 44mm x 20mm – Titanium – Sapphire crystal front and case back – Black titanium DLC crown and pushers – 30m water resistance
Displays: Hours, Minutes – 1 Minute Tourbillon cage 30° tilted – W16 engine in sapphire block, animation on demand (right button) creates rotation of pistons and crankshaft – Power reserve indicator at 3 o’clock
Movement: Caliber JCAM37, Proprietary – Manual winding – 41.7mm x 36mm x 15.60mm – 578 components – 51 jewels – 21,600 vibrations/hour – 60 hours power reserve
Strap: Black Rubber – Titanium Deploy Clasp
Ref: AF321.40.BA.AD.ABSA