Bugatti Chiron W16 engine on the wrist, courtesy of Jacob & Co

Luxury watch maker Jacob & Co has released a limited edition Bugatti Chiron watch featuring a working tiny W 16 engine

Together with Jacob & Co, Bugatti has released a 16-cylinder tourbillon watch. This is the second watch since Jacob & Co signed a deal with Bugatti to be its official timekeeper and created these special edition watches. The watchmaker wanted to highlight the beauty of the W16 engine that is the heart and center of the Bugatti Chiron.

Let’s dive into the details of this incredible engineering marvel, right on your wrist. The watchmakers have managed to fit the entire working 16-cylinder piston engine, including the crankshaft and the moving pistons. In fact, the engine itself has about 578 assembled parts. The engine inside the watch can be wound manually, while the rest of the watch mechanism is powered by a regular movement. On social media, the company posted a video showing the actual micro-engine located inside the case, and it was fascinating to watch the watch in action. The watch also features turbochargers that mimic the engines of real-life supercars.

The Bugatti Chiron tourbillon movement appears to be suspended inside the case with the help of four shock absorbers that look like car shock absorbers. The entire watch is protected by a black titanium case that protects the internal movement and is sealed with a sapphire crystal. It also comes with a black rubber strap that complements the overall look and feel of the watch. Other details, such as the hands of the watch, are painted in Chiron’s signature blue. The entire design has been patented by the manufacturer. The party part of this watch has to be when you set it to fire on all 16 cylinders.

Jean Bugatti timepieces pay tribute to this extraordinary innovator, representing his interpretation of avant-garde and artistic cars. Just as Jean Bugatti’s car design defied established trends, so does this eponymous timepiece. It is one of the most complicated timepieces released in recent years and enters territory that Jacob & Co. has never explored. Jean Bugatti may just be Jacob & Co.’s most demanding watchmaking project ever.

The development and manufacture of a Bugatti presented a series of serious challenges. Consisting of 470 parts, many are unusual in their delicate, thin design considering the enormous pressure and force they are subjected to. The power and energy management within the movement is so complex that it is immediately apparent when the case back is exposed. The movement’s architecture is three-dimensional and a sight to behold in itself.

It has a round case, a round bezel, short but delicate lugs, mushroom-shaped pushers, and a fully polished rose or white gold case. With its elegant cursive numerals, blued hands, blue or cream dial, the 46mm Jean Bugatti would almost look bland if not for its unique layout.

Two openings on the dial house a pair of one-minute flying tourbillons. Their cage design is topped with the iconic Bugatti EB’ logo and is made from polished steel. Jean Bugatti indicated the hours and minutes with the aid of a pair of red inward-facing hands on the edge of the dial. A pair of short blue hands fixed in the middle of the dial are the chronograph hands. The first longer represents the second unit of the chronograph. The shorter ones represent the tens of seconds of the chronograph. As each reaches the end of its course, it jumps backwards, defining a double retrograde chronograph. The chronograph is automatically driven and regulated by an independent barrel and a high-frequency regulating mechanism.

“Capturing the style and creative flair of Jean Bugatti in a single timepiece is a tall order, but Jacob & Co. is the perfect brand partner to make it happen. As our designers and engineers continue While drawing inspiration from his nearly century-old creation, Jean’s spirit remains strong within the walls of Molsheim. With this latest watch, the wearer can enjoy a new standard of sophistication and meticulous attention to detail – the Exactly the same changes that Bugatti has made with each of its new supercars.” – Wiebke Sthl, Managing Director, Bugatti International

“Designing and developing Jean Bugatti has been an exciting and rewarding experience. Our partnership with Bugatti is taking this new shape, and as classic as it feels, this watch is really something else. With This timepiece is a new design direction compared to our existing collection, but it shows that great people create great inspiration. Applying these historical design elements from Bugatti’s glorious past is a fascinating take on contemporary supercar inspiration Supplement. We meet the challenge with a groundbreaking movement that redefines how chronographs work. This is how Jacob & Co. challenges and exceeds expectations.” – Benjamin Arabov, CEO, Jacob & Co.

Unlike previous Bugatti Chiron watches from Jacob & Co., you don’t need to own a Bugatti to buy a Jean Bugatti timepiece.