07 Jun Bugatti Calandre Clock by Jacob & Co. x Lalique – $240K Tourbillon

In a showcase of cross-disciplinary virtuosity, Jacob & Co., Bugatti, and Lalique have united three pillars of luxury—high-horology engineering, automotive iconography, and French crystal art—into the Bugatti Calandre Table Clock, a 264 mm-by-196 mm objet d’art limited to 99 numbered pieces and priced at $240 000.

Design & Heritage

Horseshoe Grille Reborn

The clock’s silhouette mirrors the horseshoe radiator grille that first appeared on Ettore Bugatti’s Type 41 Royale, instantly signalling the marque’s design DNA.

Lalique Crystal Architecture

Each case is cast, frosted, and hand-polished in Lalique’s Wingen-sur-Moder ateliers, leveraging techniques the maison has practiced since opening its Alsace factory in 1921.The result is a satin-polished crystal façade that refracts ambient light like an Art-Deco theatre set.

Dancing Elephants & Macaron Badge

Flanking the grille are twin Dancing Elephants—miniature versions of Rembrandt Bugatti’s bronze mascot that crowned the original Royale radiator cap. A vivid red Bugatti Macaron sits above, functioning as both brand signature and visual crown.

Jacob-Cut Crown Gem

Topping the composition is a 30 mm, 288-facet Jacob-cut gemstone that catches light with every turn of the head—an evolution of the proprietary gem shape Jacob & Co. showcases in its Astronomia collection.

Movement & Mechanics

The bespoke JCAM58 movement was engineered around a vertical flying tourbillon, reviving Abraham-Louis Breguet’s 1801 solution for gravity-induced timing errors in fixed-position clocks. Select editions upgrade to JCAM39, a 495-part calibre that delivers an unprecedented 30-day reserve for a desk clock of this size.

A sculpted key slots discreetly into the rear for both winding and time-setting, keeping fingerprints off the crystal façade.

Craftsmanship Details

• Crystal Finish: Alternating satin and mirror-polished relief amplifies the grille’s depth.

• Base Material: Collectors choose deep-black or mirror-chrome brass bases that echo modern Bugatti hypercar trims.

• Travel Trunk: Every clock ships in a tan-leather trunk whose quilting nods to Bugatti cockpit upholstery.

Collectability & Placement

Only 99 clocks will be produced, each individually numbered to safeguard future resale value. Early allocations sold out within days, underscoring the cross-market appeal to watch aficionados and Bugatti collectors alike.

Display tips

1. CEO desk: Center stage on matte walnut; the elephants cast dramatic shadows under warm LEDs.

2. Collector’s library: Bookend between Bugatti design tomes—the grille echoes spine geometry.

3. Boutique lobby: Elevate on black marble; the ruby-red crown becomes a visual beacon for VIP guests.

Collaboration Legacy

The Calandre extends a five-year partnership that began with the Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon wristwatch, proving that Jacob & Co. treats mechanics as sculpture while Bugatti views engineering as art.

Why It Matters

By compressing automotive history, crystal artistry, and avant-garde horology into a single desktop masterpiece, the Bugatti Calandre challenges the notion that a “clock” is merely a functional object. Instead, it functions as a kinetic sculpture—its flying tourbillon ticking away like a mechanical heartbeat, its crystal grille refracting light like a small-scale cathedral, and its lineage anchoring it firmly in the overlapping worlds of haute watchmaking and legendary motoring.

WRITTEN & CURATED BY OZZIE SMALL