The ultimate hypercar-inspired collection from Jacob & Co. receives the ultimate high watchmaking material: a case entirely crafted of solid, transparent sapphire crystal. Two years after introducing Bugatti Tourbillon and one year after Bugatti Tourbillon Baguette, Jacob & Co. elevates the original Bugatti Tourbillon to yet another level of exclusivity. Showcasing Jacob & Co. ‘s unique sense of design, all the references to Bugatti’s hypercar, including its V16 engine block automaton, are visible through and through, from every angle.
Bugatti Tourbillon Sapphire Crystal represents the ultimate evolution of the original Bugatti Tourbillon concept. Instead of a case made of titanium, gold or gems, it is one vast and fully transparent timepiece. Each external part is cut from a block of corundum, the chemical name of sapphire.
Measuring 54 x 44 mm, the case of the Bugatti Tourbillon Sapphire Crystal is extraordinarily complex to execute in such a demanding material. Its 360-degree transparency reveals every detail within, leaving nothing concealed.
The case shares the same shape as the Bugatti Tourbillon, built around the defining design codes of Bugatti’s hypercars. The side windows, the horseshoe-shaped grille, the tail light grid and the built-in V16 engine-shaped automaton all echo the 4.5-million-dollar automobile.
The first series of Bugatti Tourbillon Sapphire Crystal comprises two unique pieces: one rendered in Jacob & Co.’s signature green, and the other, Jacob Arabo’s favorite baby blue. Even the crown reflects this elevated execution, combining metal and sapphire with finely cut inner knurling for improved handling.
Ultimate material
In its pure form, corundum is transparent. While traces of chemical elements give natural sapphires their color, the level of purity required to craft a watch case demands a lab-grown, high tech sapphire of exceptional perfection. Ranking 9 on the Mohs hardness scale, sapphire is surpassed only by diamond and select industrial ceramics. Its extreme hardness makes it highly resistant to scratches, but also exceptionally difficult to machine.
The caseback, caseband, and upper bezel of Bugatti Tourbillon Sapphire Crystal each begin with a full block of sapphire. From there, every component must be painstakingly cut, shaped, drilled, and polished to meet the standards of a Jacob & Co. case. These operations require specialized tools operating at precisely calibrated speeds: too slow and the material resists, too fast and it cracks .The making of a single case requires over 800 hours of intensive machining.
Parallel design
Every Jacob & Co. Bugatti Tourbillon shares the same ambition, complexity, and visual language as Bugatti’s hypercars. This is not simply design inspiration, but design integration. The Bugatti Tourbillon Sapphire Crystal introduces an entirely new dimension to the relationship: while the car itself will never exist with a transparent body, the watch can.
That design integration trickles down to the movement. Caliber JCAM55 has the same architecture as the car’s engine. The sapphire case offers a panoramic view of the engine block automation, its transparent sapphire construction, 16 pistons, and underlying crankshaft. The 30-second tourbillon, the fastest Jacob & Co. ever made, pays tribute to the car’s 276-mph top speed.
Dashboard inspiration
The display of the Bugatti Tourbillon Sapphire Crystal is designed to mirror the instrument panel of Bugatti’s hypercar. On the left side sits the 30-second flying tourbillon. On the right, a subdial indicates both the movement’s and the automaton’s power reserve. At the center, the hour and minute display closely echoes the car’s RPM and speed counter. All three subdials are coordinated with the color of the strap and tail light grille.
A rare feature in contemporary watchmaking, the Bugatti Tourbillon Sapphire Crystal displays the automaton’s power reserve. The engine block automaton can execute an incredible 20 consecutive animation sequences on a single full wind. The movement’s overall power reserve of 80 hours is indicated by the larger, red hand within the same subdial. Both systems are wound by the same crown. Shaped like a control knob from the car’s dashboard, it operates in both directions while time setting is handled by a flip-out bow integrated into the caseback.
At the center of the dashboard, the hour and minute counter takes direct inspiration from the car’s RPM counter. Both hands are retrograde: after completing a 270-degree arc, they instantly return to zero and start anew. The hour hand jumps precisely to each new hour and remains fixed there, while the minute hand advances in discrete jumps from one minute marker to the next.
V16 engine block automaton
To celebrate the specific engine architecture of the Bugatti Tourbillon, Jacob & Co. created a miniature V16 engine block. The engine is carved from a single block of transparent sapphire, into which 16 cylinders are drilled. Inside sit 16 titanium pistons, driven by a single-axis crankshaft. It is among the longest, most elaborate, and most delicate watch parts ever crafted in watchmaking. When activated, the crankshaft spins and all 16 cylinders move up and down in sequence.
Further reinforcing its connection to Bugatti’s full-size engine, the automaton is fitted with its own set of exhaust manifolds. The 16-pipe, PVD-colored system is connected to the engine itself – that is, to the automaton. Once the pusher integrated into the crown is pressed, the V16 engine automaton comes to life for a 20-second sequence.
