Jacob & Co. together with Bugatti spent almost a year developing a unique timepiece that reproduces the visceral sensation of the iconic Bugatti
16-cylinder engine.

What they ended up creating is the groundbreaking Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon. Everything in this timepiece is designed to honor the Chiron hyper sports car. The sleek tonneau-shaped case is inspired by the flowing lines of the Chiron. The movement powers the timing functions and a 60-second flying tourbillon.

Most importantly inside the case is a fully operational recreation of the iconic Bugatti W16 engine, powered by the same movement. When the automation is activated, the "engine" comes to life with its 16 pistons pumping and two turbochargers spinning.

The Bugatti Chiron Green Sapphire Crystal goes one step further by creating a watch case made completely out of sapphire crystal. It is one of the top achievements in high watchmaking. It was the result of several months of materials processing, high level machinery and hand polishing to produce a case that exposes every part of the 578 hand-decorated and hand-assembled components of the JCAM37 manual wound caliber, making this timepiece every bit as admirable as the car that serves as its inspiration.

In 2019, Bugatti and Jacob & Co. signed a multi-year partnership to create unique, never-before-seen timepieces. These watches are true to the spirit of both companies, while taking watchmaking to impossible heights

To inaugurate this partnership led by performance, two timepieces were created. These watches, based on the Twin Turbo Furious and the Epic X Chrono, were directly inspired by the unique design and spirit of Bugatti hypercars.

In 2020, Jacob & Co. and Bugatti introduced new watches in the Twin Turbo Furious collection, and the Bugatti Chiron, a completely new line.

Pushing the right crown activates a groundbreaking watch complication: a fully working replica of a Bugatti W16 engine. The crankshaft turns and 16 pistons pump up and down, just like a true internal combustion engine. Two "turbochargers" (down from four in the actual Chiron engine) on the side of the engine block spin while the engine runs, adding to the visual impact.

Incredible to see and unbelievably complicated to realize (the movement is comprised of 578 components), the Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon timepiece has done something no one has ever even attempted before - to seamlessly marry engines and watches.

The Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon features a 30º inclined tourbillon, the first time Jacob & Co. has ever used an inclined tourbillon. The "flying" part of the tourbillon means that the regulating organ is only supported on one side, so the tourbillon is even more mesmerizing. The 30º inclination makes it easier to admire this incredible complication through the replica of the Bugatti horseshoe-shaped grille.

The movement is completely suspended in four places, with what looks like actual automobile shocks from the Chiron. The movement is, in fact, floating inside the case. You can see it move up and down. Framing the engine block are two "exhausts," completing the engine theme of the design.

The power reserves for the engine animation and the power reserve for timekeeping are different, yet both are wound through the winding crown, clockwise for the movement, counterclockwise for the engine animation. The power reserve indication for timekeeping even has the universal gas pump symbol on the side of the gauge at nine o'clock.

The crowns for the watch are at the bottom of the case - the left crown sets the time, the middle crown winds both the movement (60 hours of power reserve) and the animation, and a push of the right-hand crown starts the animation.

The suspension of the movement caused an additional challenge for the designers, as they had to create and patent a special automotive-style jointed transverse system so the crown posts aren't damaged by the movement going up and down inside the case.

The power reserve for the animation and the power reserve for timekeeping are different, yet both are wound through the winding crown, clockwise for the movement, counterclockwise for the engine animation. The power reserve indication has the universal gas pump symbol on the side of the gauge at nine o'clock.

The Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon from Jacob & Co. is a world-first -- a true engine on the wrist.

A watch case made entirely out of sapphire crystal is one of the top achievements in high watchmaking. The Bugatti Chiron Green Sapphire Crystal is the result of several months of computer-aided design and manufacturing processes and traditional hand polishing. It's a challenging, multi-faceted endeavor that takes several months to complete.

For example, the tonneau-shaped Chiron case isn't a singular exterior but a mix of geometric surfaces. Then there's the hardness of sapphire. It measures 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness. Very few materials are harder, including diamond, which measures a 10. Because of this, diamond cutting and polishing tools are used to craft the case. This is both costly and time consuming, but it's absolutely necessary to produce a case with the exact dimensions and transparency that the Chiron exhibits.

To create color, the manufacturer "boosts" the powder using a combination of "rare earths" and other minerals. But to get a full case in a luscious green color more boosting agents are added. This increases the chance that the sapphire crystal will lose its chemical stability. It's a balancing act, and sometimes the process is repeated multiple times until a proper color is created, adding to the manufacturing costs. This is one reason why this process is proprietary.

The most challenging aspect is the hand polishing. It's the final task of the long and complex process. This same delicate technique is used for the caseback, the top, the three crowns and other pieces that are attached to the case. A single craftsman took about of 120 hours to complete the case. Every shape of every piece has a different polishing process. The different angles of the exteriors and interiors of the case required a delicate and steady hand. But the quality, including the transparency, must be consistent throughout.

The result is a fully transparent highly stylized case that exposes every part of the 578 hand-decorated and hand-assembled components of the JCAM37 manual wound caliber. This includes the groundbreaking fully functional replica of the Bugatti W16 engine with its pistons pumping, turbochargers spinning as well as the whirl of the flying one-minute tourbillon.