There were relatively fewer surprises in 2024, perhaps because of the overall slowdown in demand for luxury watches. There were a few big surprises though, including the biggest one of all, the Patek Philippe Cubitus, leaving aside the leak thanks to a premature publication of Fortune magazine. Perhaps even more surprising and even bigger, both figuratively and literally, was the Bugatti Tourbillon, a hypercar inspired by a watch.

Also notable was the fact that there was little unexpected from independent watchmakers, which perhaps underlines the still-robust demand for watches by the indies, which stick to safe bets that are easy to sell.

Here’s a look at our team’s take on the unexpected launches of the year.

Biver Automatique – SJX

The first Biver watch was a carillon minute repeater with tourbillon that was finely finished, inside and out, but it was big, thick, and expensive. The follow-up, in contrast, was almost the opposite.

The Automatique is compact and elegantly wearable, with a clean design that has just the right amount of vintage flavour. The only aspect where the Automatique stays true to its predecessor is in the finishing, which is outstanding, inside and out.

The surprising bit about the Automatique is the movement. For one, it was developed by Dubois Depraz, better known as a maker of chronograph- and perpetual calendar modules mounted on ETA movements. Second, it arguably exceeds the movement of the Carillon Tourbillon in terms of design and decoration.

In fact, the JCB-003 movement has too much finishing for me, particularly the hobnail guilloche on the bridges (that is nonetheless done on a hand-operate straight-line engine). I would have preferred a cleaner surface finish, for instance traditional frosting or striping.

Still, the Automatique stands out as one of the most accomplished time-only watches in recent memory. At about US$80,000 in its basic configuration, the Automatique is pricey but competitive with other comparable watches.

Bugatti Tourbillon – David Ichim

While car enthusiasts had their own full year – from the Ferrari F80 to the Pagani Utopia – one particular supercar piqued the interest of horology enthusiasts, the Bugatti Tourbillon. Apart from the suggestive name, the supercarmaker’s latest creation is equipped with an unexpected feature: a fully-mechanical instrument cluster inspired by watchmaking.

In an unexpected development, Bugatti turned to Swiss movement specialist Concepto for the unique mechanical gauges that look, and function, much like classical clockwork.

The mechanical speedometer and tachometer assembly are comprised of racks, pinions and gears, and even feature jewelled bearings. The needles react swiftly at the automatic gear changes, dropping down or climbing up instantly, almost like retrograde indicators. 

While there is much historical precedent for mechanical gauge clusters built by watchmakers – Jaeger instruments were found in Aston Martins and Jaguars for instance – nothing like this has been accomplished in modern times. The Bugatti Tourbillon is one automotive collaboration no one saw coming, but it left car and watch enthusiasts impressed.

Chanel Couture O’Clock Musical Clock – SJX

Priced at over US$2.7 million – and sold quickly after launch – the Couture O’Clock Musical Clock is whimsical, complex, and extremely elaborate. Very much typical of Chanel’s house style, this is a clock that incorporates a music box and automaton. The music box plays a tune that was reputedly a favourite of Coco Chanel, while the automaton is a carousel with dancing mannequins.

Made largely by hand, the clock is decorated with diamonds, as well as 245 pieces of onyx inlaid into the base to form Chanel’s trademark quilted pattern. Even the key that winds the clock is precious: the key is solid 18k gold and matched with an 18k gold chain that together are set with over 350 diamonds totalling some 14 carats.

F.P. Journe Élégante “Gino’s Dream” – SJX

The latest Élégante is atypical of F.P. Journe. In fact, it’s the only F.P. Journe watch I know of with in “rainbow” colours. And the rainbow on the bezel isn’t even precious – the “gemstones” are actually glass-ceramic composite.

But understanding that this pair of watches were made to remember Gino Cukrowicz (1959-2021), François-Paul Journe’s longtime friend and business partner, then the watches make sense. Cukrowicz was as colourful as the watches, while being instrumental in F.P. Journe as one of the founding investors in the company. So the watches may seem unorthodox for the brand, but they actually capture its history perfectly.

Patek Philippe Cubitus – SJX

The Cubitus was one of the most discussed watches of the year, and also quite unexpected. Conceived as the new entry-level Patek Philippe model, the Cubitus is essentially a squared-off Nautilus.

While neither imaginative nor radical, the Cubitus is executed well in typical Patek Philippe fashion. The finishing of the case and bracelet are excellent, and the movement is high-quality, albeit industrial high horology.

Personally, I like the Cubitus design, especially its case dimensions that some criticise as too big. The 45 mm diameter gives it a big footprint on the wrist, but the case is impressively thin, which gives the watch a surprisingly elegant profile. The time-only ref. 5821 is only 8.3 mm high, which is very, very thin, especially in comparison to the diameter.

In my opinion, the fundamental weakness of the Cubitus is nothing intrinsic to the watch, but the price. The base model in steel costs just over US$41,000, which is a lot for a steel watch. This inaccessibility is a problem, both for Patek Philippe and the broader luxury goods industry, though it hasn’t truly affected bottom lines yet.

Rolex Perpetual 1908 in platinum – David Ichim

The Perpetual 1908 launched last year was warmly welcomed, with the sole criticism that the monochromatic dials felt a little bland. This year Rolex did the unexpected move and introduced the 1908 in platinum (ref. 52506), a wholly new take on the newly-minted model sporting a true guilloché dial.

While no stranger to exotic and artisanal dials, traditional engine-turning is a novelty for Rolex. The result is nothing short of remarkable.

The vibrant, “ice blue” dial with a “rice grain” guilloche works well with the stylised Breguet hands and applied numerals. For a brand that’s famous for hard-wearing tool watches, it looks like Rolex also found a winning recipe for the dress watch, blending tradition with modern design sensibilities.

Behind the engine-turned dial is the cal. 7140 — arguably the brand’s first serious attempt at an aesthetically-oriented movement.

While the decoration is clearly done by machine, the quality and consistency is laudable. Though it’s been dressed up, the cal. 7140 stays true to the Rolex focus on timekeeping, and the movement retains the high-performance features typical of Rolex.

Just after Bugatti took the covers off its Tourbillon hypercar, Jacob & Co. presents a watch to match, the Bugatti Tourbillon.

Integrating some of the most distinct design elements of the car, the Tourbillon watch is extravagant in both style and mechanics, combining a retrograde time indication with a flying tourbillon, and a striking automaton modelled on a V16 engine. 

Initial thoughts

As over the top as the Tourbillon wristwatch might be at first, it unexpectedly incorporates subtle details and nods to the newest Bugatti automobile. Apart from the obvious engine automaton, the watch case is modelled on the car’s unique instrument cluster layout and indications.

The mechanical instrument cluster in the Bugatti Tourbillon hypercar

The piece is unapologetically automotive, taking the same approach in emulating the eponymous hypercar first seen in the Jacob & Co. Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon. Like the Chiron wristwatch, the Tourbillon is an oversized mechanical object for the wrist.

A mini engine

Clearly the showpiece of the Tourbillon is the V16 engine automaton with an engine block milled from sapphire. The mock engine features eight pairs of articulated titanium pistons and polished parts modelled on the intake manifolds of an actual Bugatti V16. When the automaton is engaged, the pistons “fire up” in the appropriate sequence, putting on a very interesting show. 

Above the V16 engine block sits the time indication. Arranged to resemble the instrument cluster found in the car, the main dial is flanked by the flying tourbillon and power reserve indicator. Beating at 3 Hz, the flying tourbillon makes one revolution every 30 seconds, making it the fastest-revolving Jacob & Co. tourbillon produced so far.

The time-telling dial is of the retrograde kind, but slightly altered in order to better suit the automotive theme. Instead of 12, the retrograde hours start from zero in a nod to a tachometer.

The power reserve indicator has two co-axial hands, one indicating the timekeeping train’s power, while the other shows the automaton’s power reserve.

Constructed by Concepto – the same movement specialist that helped develop the instrument panel in the Tourbillon hypercar – the movement features four barrels, grouped in pairs, with one pair for timekeeping and the other for the energy-intensive automaton.

Sapphire windows on the back offer a  glimpse at both the going train and barrels. With this set up, the power reserve for the watch comes at a short 48 hours, while the automaton’s twin barrels suffice for 20 animation sequences.

Dubbed the cal. JCAM55, the movement is manual wind, with the large crown at six o’clock winding both the automaton and time-telling barrels. Setting the time, on the other hand, requires the pull-out tab on the back.

An exploded view of the cal. JCAM55 showing the unique architecture

Like the earlier Chiron watch, this is a bulky 52 mm by 44 mm and 15 mm high, with a large sapphire crystal on the front for a panoramic view of the V16 automaton. The form of the case is meant to mimic distinctive styling feature of the car, such as the front grille, side inlets, and large side windows.

Key facts and prices

Jacob & Co. Bugatti Tourbillon
Ref. JCAM55

Diameter: 52 mm by 44 mm
Height: 15 mm
Material: PVD titanium
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. JCAM55
Functions: Retrograde hours, minutes, power reserve indicator, V16 engine automaton
Winding: Manual
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 48 hours, 20 full automaton sequences

Strap: Rubber strap with PVD titanium deployment buckle

Limited edition: 150 pieces
Availability: At Jacob & Co. retailers and boutiques
Price: US$340,000

For more information, visit Jacobandco.com.

The Molsheim-based marque just unveiled the successor to its Chiron supercar – and one with a surprising horological connection – the Bugatti Tourbillon. With Croatian auto entrepreneur at Mate Rimac at the helm, Bugatti created a completely new hypercar that features an all-new platform with a naturally-aspirated V16 engine paired with a plug-in hybrid powertrain that together produce a staggering 1,800 hp – matched by a €3.8 million price tag.

The Tourbillon surprised car enthusiasts as it is very much an old-school internal-combustion-engine hypercar, and not merely a rebadged, high-performance electric vehicle of that sort that made Mr Rimac famous. Watch enthusiasts, on the other hand, might be surprised at the horological aspect of the car, which goes beyond the “tourbillon” moniker and harks back to vintage automobiles that sported dashboard instruments by the likes of Jaeger and Kienzle.

The Tourbillon that will be limited to 250 units. Image – Bugatti

Despite the technology contained within the car, Bugatti opted for something almost anachronistic in the cockpit. The brand pays tribute to traditional horological engineering with an analogue, mechanical instrument cluster sitting front and centre on the steering column. The instrument panel is mounted on a fixed-hub steering wheel so it remains in place even as the rim of the steering wheel rotates around it.

The Tourbillon will be delivered starting 2026. Image – Bugatti

Having partnered with Parmigiani Fleurier and then Jacob & Co. to create elaborate mechanical watches in the past, it is perhaps unsurprising that Bugatti turned to Swiss watchmaking for the unique mechanical gauges.

The instrument cluster was developed and constructed by Concepto, the movement manufacturer based in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Amongst its other creations is the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra, as well as several movements for Jacob & Co., including the Chiron Tourbillon wristwatch with a featuring an automaton resembling a miniature engine.

Image – Bugatti

The analogue cluster feels tangibly mechanical, with the open-worked bridges, large jewels, and visible gears being instantly suggestive of classic watchmaking. Importantly, it’s not just a stylistic exercise – the instrument panel is actually fully mechanical.

The fixed-hub steering wheel with the instrument cluster above the central hub. Image – Bugatti

Comprising a speedometer and tachometer on the central register, the instrument panel responds instantly according to Bugatti. As the dual-clutch gearbox upshifts or downshifts, the tachometer needle bounces up or down almost like a retrograde hand.

An adjacent, smaller dial on the right shows the horsepower outputs produced the V16 engine and electric motors respectively; the V16 delivers 1,000 hp while the three electric motors another 800 hp. The twin dials are driven by an intricate assembly of gears and racks that are visible in a computer-generated publicity video released by Bugatti.

The racks and pinions are reminiscent of strikework in a striking watch. Image – Bugatti

Image – Bugatti

Mechanical instruments in automobiles are of course not new. Historically, carmakers turned to watchmakers for onboard instruments. Notable examples include Jaeger gauges found in English cars like Aston Martin and Rolls-Royce and VDO-Kienzle instruments in Mercedes-Benz. And just last year Vacheron Constantin revealed a custom-made Armillary Tourbillon developed for a special-order Rolls-Royce.

Unlike Vacheron Constantin dashboard clock that only tells the time, the Bugatti instrument panel is actually linked to the performance of the car. This complex and thoughtful horological embellishment surely raises the bar for future automotive-horological collaborations.