Parmigiani Fleurier Bugatti Super Sport

Parmigiani Fleurier launched the car inspired Bugatti Super Sport timepiece. A super watch made in conjunction with the world's fastest production car, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport. The car is an amazing feat in engineering as is this new Bugatti timepiece from Parmigiani, this version has been fully redesigned. The new watch is arguably better looking, and maintains an unmistakable look, much like a Bugatti super car. The design is more restrained, the case is sleeker and it is much more wearable. The excellent design perfectly blends subtle Bugatti Veyron elements, without being quite as loud as the previous model, and that is definitely a good thing.

Bugatti Atalante fly-back chronograph

Artistic excellence and technical performance - two defining concepts in the worlds of Bugatti and Parmigiani, brands which have been allied since 2001.

A hallmark of the Bugatti spirit

 

Continuing the Bugatti story which began with the creation of the now legendary Type 370 wrist watch, Parmigiani is unveiling a new collection designed to enhance the Bugatti watch family, famous for showcasing the brand's iconic imagery. Taking inspiration from the Bugatti Atalante 57S Sport, one of the only private passenger cars of the 1930s, this is a watch with a sporty yet highly accessible character.

Christened the Atalante, its entirely original aesthetic is a first for Parmigiani. Its round shape (Ø 43 mm) is its only concession to tradition, while the profile of its case, its dial and its chronograph push-pieces, which are located on the left side of the middle, are completely original - a hallmark of the Bugatti spirit.

Legendary sporting performance

Inspired by the world of automobile design, the profile of its case sees the bezel and the case-back joining to form a satin-finished area which evokes the air intakes found on the side wings of sports vehicles.

The highly original idea of positioning the chronograph push-pieces on the left to optimise the use of its functions was something which occurred naturally right from the start of its construction. The ability to press the push-pieces with the thumb to start and stop the chronograph hand considerably improves comfort, making them easier to access during races.

Its dial, which is directly inspired by the design of a Bugatti radiator grille, is responsible for much of the Atalante model's sporting character, and reveals some of the gears and the date disc. The acronym "EB" at 6 o'clock is there to mark the official alliance which brings the two companies together.

 

 

Parmigiani's first "fly-back" chronograph

As the first automatic "fly-back" chronograph, the manufacture's own Calibre PF 335 is based on the brand's first in-house chronograph movement, with an added chronograph fly-back mechanism. Once the chronograph hand is moving, a single press resets it instantly to zero and restarts the chronograph immediately. In addition to the chronograph's 30-minute counter and small seconds, the Bugatti Atalante chronograph features two separate tachymetric displays. One on the bezel allows high speed events to be timed, and the other on the 30-minute counter can be used for slower events such as walking or running. The calendar is read via a window.

 

The Parmigiani Bugatti Atalante watch

Bugatti 43 Flyback chronograph

Model	:	Bugatti 43 Flyback chronograph.
Movement	:	PF 335 Automatic winding movement. 50 hour power reserve. Calibre 13''' ¼ - Ø 30.3 mm. Frequency 4 Hz - 28,800 vib/h. 68 jewels. Two series-coupled barrels. “Côtes de Genève” decoration, chamfered bridges. 22 carat gold oscillating weight on gold models.
Functions	:	Hour. Minute. Small seconds at 9 o'clock. Date under openworked dial. 1⁄4 second chronograph (large seconds in centre, 30 minute counter at 3 o'clock), flyback.
Exterior	:	Round case: 43 mm. Thickness: 13.40 mm.
Material	:	18 ct white gold, 18 ct rose gold. Polished and satin-finished.
Water resistance	:	30 m.
Shaped push-pieces	:	at 8 o'clock and 10 o'clock.
Bezel	:	with tachometer.
Sapphire crystal	:	Anti-reflective.
Crown	:	Ø 9 mm.
Case-back	:	Open.
Consecutive number	:	engraved on the case-back.
Jewellery	:	Bezel set with 68 "brilliant" cut diamonds (Top Wesselton VVS, ~1.1 ct).
Dials	:	Two variants
"Silver" openworked dial	:	Rhodium-plated applique indexes, Delta shaped hands with luminous coating.
"Ivoire" openworked dial	:	Rhodium-plated applique indexes, Delta shaped hands with luminous coating.
Jewellery	:	Flange at 3 o'clock set with 27 brilliant cut diamonds (Top Wesselton VVS, 0.4 ct).
Straps	:	Hermes alligator with 18 ct gold deployant safety clasp.

Parmigiani-Bugatti Centenary Type 370

A fitting conclusion to a feat of mechanics

A mechanical icon.

Since its prototype was unveiled in September 2004, the Bugatti Type 370 watch –an absolute world first –has completely transformed the way the mechanical watch is perceived. Unique in the history of watchmaking, it was the first to use a transversely positioned movement. Its overwhelming success has since made it a mechanical icon, its singular achievement is the continuance of the automotive theme which has been the inspiration right to the heart of its movement.

An exceptional watchmaking piece, the Bugatti Type 370 required four years of intense research undertaken by specialists from around fifty disciplines, all of which are housed within the Parmigiani Fleurier manufacture.

No external crown could be allowed to disturb the purity of its contours, so an ingenious movement winding system had to be specially designed for the watch. Using a dynamometric tool known as the “starter”, which is as highly complex as the watch itself, the user can set the watch’s time or wind the movement, which has an exceptional autonomy of 10 days.

The Bugatti Centenary, the crowning glory of a legendary series.

Today, the two unique Bugatti Type 370 Centenary models, created in honour of 100 years of the Bugatti brand, will take pride of place in this genuine watchmaking adventure, bringing this legendary series of 200 pieces to an end.

To crown this achievement, Parmigiani entrusted these two anniversary models in 18 carat rose gold and platinum 950 to an exceptional artisan engraver, Philippe Bodenmann. Faced with the myriad curves of the Bugatti, where concave and convex lines diverge and then meet to form the unique aesthetics of the watch, his artistic skill was a match for the mechanical complexity of the piece.

Free to follow his inspiration, the artisan engraver let himself be guided by the form. Philippe Bodenmann explains: “The decoration is guided by the form. What came to mind immediately was an engraving inspired by the magnificent Venetian velour fabrics, where the geometric pattern would allow the interior curves of the Bugatti’s lugs to be followed in the most complex way.”

Like a second skin, the “draughtboard” engraving of the rose gold Bugatti distils the aesthetic of its curves, giving them a life and a brilliance that only the work of the human hand can deliver, as the material is repeatedly worked with the graver. More than 300 hours of engraving were required to complete this piece; a single square of the pattern alone involves more than thirty grooves, being worked two or three times in a row, to obtain the desired result.

The platinum Bugatti Centenary displays a “chevron” pattern that the artisan engraver has to first patiently outline over the entire case middle. Using his point graver (the graver most suited to the work of hollowing the noble metal into the desired style) he traces fine parallel lines, creating deeper or shallower grooves to catch the light at varying degrees of intensity. Close attention has to be paid throughout to ensure the fine line ends when exactly perpendicular to the edge, the lustre of which lends power and volume to the Bugatti. This work also takes more than 300 hours to complete.

The Parmigiani Bugatti Centenary Type 370 watch

Technical data

Model	:	Bugatti Centenary Type 370.
Movement	:	PF 370.01
Functions	:	Hour. Minute. Power reserve indicator.
Exterior
Shaped case	:	32.4 x 52.5 mm, Thickness 18.6 mm.
Material	:	18 ct rose gold.
Finish	:	hand-engraved “checkerboard” pattern.
Water resistance	:	10 m.
Crystals	:	Six anti-reflective sapphire crystals.
Crown	:	Double crown with special tool.
Unique piece	:	“UNIQUE PIECE / 1909–2009” engraved on the case-back.
Dial	:	18 ct. rose gold base, hand-engraved “checkerboard” pattern, Delta shaped hands with luminous coating.
Leather	:	Hermes calfskin with ardillon buckle, hand-engraved with “checkerboard” pattern.
Starter	:	Dynamometric system aluminium and steel tool with time setting and movement winding end-pieces located at each end.