Search
Close this search box.

What glitters is gold (and diamonds): New Jacob & Co. x Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon watches

Chris Teague

Chris Teague

The new timepieces merge the aesthetics of a Bugatti car with the brash design of Jacob & Co.

He’s known as “Jacob the Jeweler” or, if you prefer, “The King of Bling”. Jacob Arabo, and his business, Jacob & Co. have been name dropped in rap songs and you’ve undoubtedly seen his work on some of the most famous people in the world, even if you didn’t recognize it as such.

One of Jacob & Co.’s newest bling creations is in partnership with super luxury automaker Bugatti. The Jacob & Co. x Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon brings together the feeling evoked by the raw power of the Chiron super sports car and the artistry of its design into a timepiece. Four new editions of the timepiece, which was first unveiled in April 2020, have been revealed.

The new Chiron Tourbillon watch editions are comprised of 578 components that give the watch the appearance of an engine block. An on-demand engine animation is placed under a huge sapphire crystal. Powering the timepiece is a flying tourbillon movement, inclined at 30 degrees.

Each new timepiece has been created to suit its automotive counterpart. The first model is made of a solid block of sapphire crystal with a sapphire crystal caseback, using sapphire crystal for the crowns and pushers, and secured on the wrist by a rubber strap with a titanium buckle clasp.

Just 72 of the second choice are available. It features an 18-karat rose gold case, with a special anti-reflective sapphire crystal, an 18-karat rose gold open caseback, and black DLC titanium crowns and pushers embossed with the Bugatti logo. This version includes a rubber strap with a black DLC titanium and 18-karat rose gold buckle clasp.

The third options, limited to 52 pieces, features a case made of 18-karat rose gold material, set with sparkling white diamonds, with an anti-reflective sapphire crystal, plus an 18-karat rose gold open caseback and crowns and pushers made of 18-karat rose gold and set with baguette white diamonds – again embossed with the Bugatti logo – and secured by a rubber strap with an 18-karat rose gold buckle clasp decorated with white diamonds.

A final piece has a case made of 18-karat white gold set with 391 black and white diamonds (approximately 20 carats). The 18-karat white gold open caseback is matched by crowns and pushers set with baguette white diamonds, with the rubber strap and an18-karat white gold buckle clasp set with 18 white diamonds (approximately 1.76 carats).

The timepieces have been engineered to act in a similar fashion to an engine. Bugatti describes it:

The representation of the iconic Bugatti engine begins once the right-hand crown of the timepiece is pushed. Just like the engine in the hyper sports car would come to life, the ‘crankshaft’ in the watch – one of the smallest and most complicated watch parts ever manufactured, made out of solid steel – turns and the ‘pistons’ pump up and down, mounted at varying angles to add to the complexity. A pair of ‘turbochargers’ on the side of the engine block spin while the powertrain runs, adding to the overall spectacle.

The movement is held in place in four places by miniature Chiron-style shock absorbers. The movement is, in fact, floating inside the case and can be observed moving slightly up and down. This suspension detail created an additional challenge for the watch designers, who had to create and patent a unique automotive-inspired transverse system to ensure the crown posts aren’t damaged by the movement in the case.

The crowns are found at the bottom of the case. The left crown sets the time, the middle crown winds the movement and animation for 60 hours of power reserve, while the push of the right-hand crown starts the animation. The power reserve for the animation and timekeeping are separate, yet both are wound through the winding crown – clockwise for the movement (60 hours), counterclockwise for the engine animation (approximately three activations). The power reserve for the movement even features the universal gas pump symbol on the side of the gauge.

Beyond the flying tourbillon with the Jacob & Co. logo, an ‘EB’ logo from Bugatti adorns the engine compartment. The window to the tourbillon is modeled after Bugatti’s horseshoe grille.

Pricing for the watch has not been disclosed.

Jacob & Co. x Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon

Jacob & Co. x Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon

Photo courtesy of Bugatti

Jacob & Co. x Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon

Jacob & Co. x Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon

Photo courtesy of Bugatti

Jacob & Co. x Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon

Jacob & Co. x Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon

Photo courtesy of Bugatti

Jacob & Co. x Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon

Jacob & Co. x Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon

Photo courtesy of Bugatti

Jacob & Co. x Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon

Jacob & Co. x Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon

Photo courtesy of Bugatti

Jacob & Co. x Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon

Jacob & Co. x Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon

Photo courtesy of Bugatti

Share this on your community

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn
Reddit
WhatsApp
Telegram
Email

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest

Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest guides, news, and reviews.

Scroll to Top

Subscribe our newsleter