Editor’s Note
This article explores the pinnacle of mechanical artistry through Jacob & Co.’s collaboration with Bugatti, featuring a timepiece that miniaturizes a hypercar engine into a wearable masterpiece.
One of the most impactful partnerships in Jacob & Co.’s collaborations is with the French hypercar brand Bugatti. After signing a long-term contract in 2019, the first creation was the “Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon.” It miniaturizes the Bugatti Chiron’s W16 engine, featuring mechanically driven movable pistons. Inside the sapphire crystal case, 16 pistons drive and the crankshaft actually rotates. Its precise movement is more worthy of being called a “moving sculpture” than a watch. Furthermore, the power reserve indicator mimics the fuel gauge of the actual car, with Bugatti’s DNA breathing in every detail. It is a unique masterpiece born from the shared values of car and watch mechanisms.
This concept of a “moving sculpture” has been carried over to the latest model announced in 2024, the “Bugatti Tourbillon.” As the collaboration between the two brands deepens, a more refined expression has been achieved, centered on the common language of the engine. The watch’s upper part adopts a retrograde hour and minute display, creating a movement reminiscent of a speedometer. The dial layout, featuring a 30-second flying tourbillon on the left and a fuel-gauge-style power reserve on the right, is unified with the design language of the actual car’s dashboard. The lower part houses an engine-shaped automaton with 16 driving pistons. The structure has been changed from W16 to V16, achieving an even more powerful form. While the way of showcasing the mechanism remains, the spatial design and structural beauty have reached a new dimension.
Born from the first-ever partnership between the prestigious film studio Paramount Pictures and a watch brand is the “Opera Godfather” series, themed on the film *The Godfather*. At the center of the dial stands a miniature Don Corleone, and a unique movement incorporating a music box mechanism plays the famous tune “Speak Softly Love.” Furthermore, during the music box performance, the tourbillon, dial, piano, and other elements rotate around Don Corleone in an astonishing movement. It can truly be called a “theatrical timepiece” where spectacle and functionality coexist.
The partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo is also an indispensable axis when discussing Jacob & Co. Ronaldo has been a fan of the brand since the 2000s, and in 2023, he announced the limited edition “Epic X CR7” engraved with his iconic “CR7.” Even after his career move to Saudi Arabia, he continues to wear the brand’s timepieces, remaining a focus as a symbol of his personality and power.
Then in 2025, a collaboration with global artist G-DRAGON was announced. The first release was the “Jacob & Co. x PEACEMINUSONE Pendant,” featuring his symbol, the “Daisy.” He was deeply involved in the design supervision, resulting in an item that fuses artistic value and message as jewelry. Currently, a second collaboration is planned, with the announcement of a special timepiece reflecting G-DRAGON’s worldview, drawing attention to future collection developments.
Jacob & Co. does not confine itself to the world of luxury but is also active in fusing with street culture. In its collaboration with Supreme, it released the “Supreme Four Time Zone,” based on Jacob’s early masterpiece “Five Time Zone,” featuring Supreme’s striking red logo on the dial. This instantly sold-out model became a symbolic piece transcending the border between streetwear and high jewelry.
Furthermore, in collaboration with a symbolic figure in contemporary art, Alec Monopoly, graffiti art was fused with the Astronomia series. Alec’s unique colorful characters are incorporated into the three-dimensionally rotating structure, resulting in a piece embodying the “fusion of playfulness and precision technology.”
In collaboration with DC Comics’ Batman, the “Gotham City Watch” was created, themed on Gotham City. It features two bold triple-axis tourbillons and incorporates a design reminiscent of the city’s night, captivating fans’ hearts.
In the soccer world, an FC Barcelona 125th-anniversary model was developed. While based on the club’s colors, it retains the powerful essence of the Epic X Tourbillon, serving as a bridge connecting soccer fans and watch collectors.
Moreover, the “Office Supplies” collaboration with the late Virgil Abloh challenged jewelry industry conventions with a reverse concept, expressing paper clips and rubber bands in luxury materials.
What these collaborations have in common is that none “fit into existing concepts.” They are not constrained by watch functions or forms but deeply understand the essence of each genre and boldly reinterpret it within the context of art and entertainment. Such flexibility and challenging spirit generate trust from world-renowned brands and lead to co-creation.
Jacob & Co., which advocates being “unique,” possesses the strength of being “the one who chooses and initiates” even before being “the chosen one.” Showing what no one has ever seen. Providing experiences no one ever imagined. And elevating collaboration from “promotion” to “artistic expression.” That is why not only watch enthusiasts but also lovers of different genres like cars, film, art, and music are captivated by this brand.