zelin0802 / May 10, 2023

Jacob & Co. Bugatti Chiron Sapphire, as crazy and unique as a supercar with a W16 engine

One of the most impressive watches of all time just got even more luxurious.

Picture yourself waking up on a Sunday morning, getting out of bed, taking a shower, and starting your day in peace. You make yourself a nice espresso and a hearty breakfast. You check the time, kiss your partner goodbye, grab the keys and head to the garage to drive your new car. You open the door, sit in the leather seat, and enjoy a minute or two in silence. You check the time again, start the watch’s engine and turn the ignition key, bringing the car to life. With two W16s running in perfect harmony, one on your wrist and one just inches behind you, 1,500 horsepower is ready to propel you over the horizon. In case you were wondering, you’re wearing a Jacob & Co. Bugatti Chiron Sapphire Crystal and starting your Bugatti Chiron. And for seven lucky people, this dreamlike scenario is not far from reality.

Considering that Bugatti only made 500 of the uber-mighty Chiron, you’re more likely to come across one of them than to spot a Jacob & Co. Bugatti Chiron sapphire crystal in the wild. Only seven lucky men or women will enjoy owning a watch like this; Jacob & Co. earns nothing more than that. While it’s not the most restrained creation in watchmaking history, it’s certainly an impressive affair. The complication of the miniature W16 automatic figure is a testament to the superb craftsmanship of the Jacob & Co. watchmakers. Like its Astronomia collection, it is a bold and expressive display.

A few things have changed since the release of the first Jacob & Co. Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon, most notably, of course, the case. Incidentally, it’s now made of full sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating and measures 57.8mm long, 44.4mm wide, and 21.5mm high. The case flows around the movement and looks very simple, but its shape is very delicately machined. Take your time, curves and lines are everywhere, and of course, Noon’s signature Bugatti horseshoe grille adds to the challenge.

The crown and the button that starts the sapphire crystal W16 engine are made of sapphire crystal and titanium. From left to right, we have the crown to set the time, the crown to wind the movement and automatics, and the pusher to start the animation. The sapphire crystal motor is located in the lower half of the watch and has a real miniature crankshaft milled from a solid block of steel. This tiny crankshaft drives all 16 pistons up and down, just like in a real car.

While it previously lacked a dial of any kind, this version has a floating hour ring to help read the time more easily. Some elements of the watch, such as the hour markers, shock absorbers and tourbillon cage, have been given a hint of red, echoing the red details on the exterior of the case. The power reserve indicator displays the French national colors on the left (Bugatti is based in Molsheim, France).

Jacob & Co. literally exposed the entire JCAM37 movement, which is built in-house. While technically it is the same movement as every Jacob & Co. Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon, it looks a little different here. For example, the bridges at the top of the movement and the tourbillon cage (now topped with a diamond) have different shapes. The power reserve indicator has also been given a new look, with some changes to the shape of the hands. The view on the back of the movement remains the same.

From the outside, its sophistication does match its visual impact. The level of detail throughout the movement, chronograph ends and automatics is that of Haute Horlogerie. The hand-wound movement uses no fewer than 578 components, including 51 jewels. Suspending the movement with an effective shock absorber posed a challenge for Jacob & Co. because you risk damaging the connection to the fixed crown when you receive an impact. The solution is to use a patented automotive-style landscape system that allows for some gaming while keeping everything connected neatly. When the left crown is fully wound, the watch has a runtime of 60 hours. That’s far more than the 20 minutes it takes a Bugatti Chiron to empty its fuel tank at full speed, mind you, so plan your drive ahead.

The Jacob & Co. Bugatti Chiron sapphire crystal mirror complements the supercar quality of the watch, and it is paired with a ventilated white rubber strap with a titanium folding clasp.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS – JACOB & CO. BUGATTI CHIRON Sapphire Crystal
Case: L 57.8 mm x W 44.4 mm x H 21.5 mm – Full sapphire case with anti-reflective coating – Sapphire crystal and titanium pushers and crown – Chiron “grille” with Bugatti logo at 12 o’clock – Water-resistant to 30 meters
Dial: Red graduated ring with red “EB” logo – Rhodium plated hands with red tips – French red white blue power reserve indicator
Movement: Jacob & Co. JCAM37, Manufacture – 41.7mm L x 36mm W x 15.6mm H – 578 Components – 51 Jewels – 21,600vph – Working W16 Sapphire Crystal “Engine” Automaton (on demand) – 30° Tilting One Minute Tourbillon Escapement – Hours, Minutes, Seconds (controlled by Tourbillon), Power Reserve Indicator
Strap: White Rubber Strap – Titanium Deployment Clasp