In the automotive realm, certain cars age like fine wine and make triumphant returns to the collector car market, with buyers paying incredible premiums to own a piece of history. For Bugatti and its legendary Veyron, the 2000s hypercar never fell off, mainly because of its iconic status as ‘The’ influential hypercar, and it is most definitely rising in value even further as a must-have collector's gem. The marque recognized this recent celebration of the Veyron, which just so happened to coincide perfectly with the reveal of its one-off Bugatti F.K.P Hommage by its all-new Programme Solitaire division. And while you can check out our full release on the Veyron facelift, inspired by one of the most influential automotive personalities, Karl Piëch, here, we’re here to address a very special custom clock commissioned for the new, one-off Bugatti hypercar.
For something that seems foreign to most, it's one of the most exciting parts of modern-day coachbuilding, giving clients complete control over designing what just might be their ultimate dream car. We’ve seen something similar with Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and its three $28 million Boat Tail builds, all configured with custom clocks courtesy of horologists like Audemars Piguet and Breguet. Audemars Piguet has returned to the automotive world, as the future owner of the F.K.P Hommage took advantage of Bugatti’s ability to accommodate highly individual requests within the Programme Solitaire to commission a custom Royal Oak clock for the interior.
Best described by Bugatti themselves, the 41mm Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon “dominates the dashboard,” proudly displayed at the center of the 1,001-horsepower Bugatti’s dashboard. The octagonal Royal Oak sits within an “island” finished in engine-turned polish, borrowed from the finishing of Ettore Bugatti's original straight-eight cylinder heads. Audemars Piguet’s Tourbillon features a gondola winding mechanism that rotates on a diagonal axis several times per hour, powered by the car itself without any connection. The dial features a stunning red-to-black sunburst finish that matches the hypercar's two-tone exterior. Being the second Programme Solitaire commission to come out of Molsheim, you have to wonder what watch Bugatti will feature in its next one-off build.
Source: Bugatti
