Just when you thought Bugatti had hit the peak of automotive absurdity with the Chiron, they’ve gone and rewritten the rulebook all over again. Meet the Bugatti Tourbillon, the brand’s new chapter in hypercar royalty. But in a move of ultimate flexing, building a successor to a legend wasn’t enough. No, they had to create a matching timepiece with its own V16 engine. Because, of course, they did.
This isn’t just some co-branded tat you pick up at the airport. Bugatti and the high-watchmaking wizards at Jacob & Co. have created a car and a watch that are essentially mechanical soulmates, sharing the same design DNA. While Bugatti’s engineers were secretly crafting the new V16-powered land missile, Jacob & Co. were working in lockstep to strap its soul to your wrist. The result of this mad 18-month dash is the Bugatti Tourbillon timepiece, and it’s frankly ridiculous in the best possible way.
A Dashboard For Your Wrist
Forget your simple three-hand watch. The face of the Bugatti Tourbillon timepiece is a direct translation of the hypercar’s stunning instrument cluster—a cluster so intricate it was made by watchmakers in the first place.
Front and centre, you get the hour and minute sub-dial, designed to look almost exactly like the car’s RPM and speed counters. To the left, Jacob & Co.’s fastest-ever 30-second flying tourbillon spins away, a mesmerising display of mechanical precision. Over on the right, a power reserve indicator lets you know how much of the impressive 80-hour juice is left in the tank.
Yes, There’s An Engine In It
This is where things go from “wow” to “are you kidding me?”. That power reserve dial on the right does double duty. At the push of a button, it reveals the party piece: a miniature V16 engine block automaton, crafted entirely from sapphire crystal, inspired by the car’s groundbreaking V16 engine.
Inside this transparent block, 16 tiny titanium pistons are connected to one of the longest single-axis crankshafts in modern watchmaking. When activated, the whole assembly whirs into motion, a hypnotic ballet of micro-engineering that brings the heart of the hypercar to life right on your arm. The case itself, measuring 52 x 44 mm, even mimics the car’s form, from the grille and radiators down to the rear wing and side windows, which are inlaid with tinted sapphire crystal.
For When a ‘Regular’ Hyper-Watch Isn’t Enough: Enter the Baguette
For the 18 exceptionally well-heeled enthusiasts who feel the standard Tourbillon timepiece is a bit too understated, there’s the Bugatti Tourbillon Baguette. This version takes the concept of luxury and blasts it into the stratosphere.
Jacob & Co. takes the 18K white gold case and proceeds to smother it with 17 carats of precious gems. We’re talking 328 baguette-cut diamonds and another 18 baguette-cut rubies, all applied using an “invisible setting” technique for a seamless, blindingly brilliant finish. In a final nod to its four-wheeled cousin, the rubies are arranged to look just like the Tourbillon hypercar’s taillights. It’s the ultimate expression of precision, innovation, and let’s be honest, sheer audacity.
As Wiebke Ståhl, Managing Director at Bugatti International, puts it, these creations are “pushing the boundaries of what our gifted craftspeople are capable of making”. They aren’t just a car and a watch; they are masterpieces designed to be treasured for generations, a testament to a partnership that continues to redefine what’s possible in both the automotive and horological worlds.
