THIS 1/99 BUGATTI CALANDRE TABLE CLOCK IS A BARGAIN IF YOUR LAST NAME IS BEZOS - A MERE R4.27 MIL
When three giants of art, engineering, and horology collide, you get a masterpiece like this. Introducing the Bugatti Calandre, an audacious table clock crafted by Jacob & Co., Bugatti, and the crystal alchemists at Lalique. Priced at a supercar-rivalling $240,000 (that’s around R4.27 million, if you’re counting in rands), this is the kind of “clock” you don’t just place on a shelf - you showcase it like a sculpture. At first glance, the Calandre looks like something Ettore Bugatti himself might have commissioned for a drawing room in Molsheim. Its design is a poetic nod to the legendary Type 41 Royale, complete with twin Lalique-crafted ‘Dancing Elephants’, a tribute to the original bonnet mascot sculpted by Rembrandt Bugatti, Ettore’s brother. These elegant beasts lean towards each other in perfect symmetry - a design language that once adorned vintage Lalique clocks and now returns in modern glory. Front and centre is a stylised horseshoe grille, a signature element of every Bugatti ever made. Nestled behind it is a vertical flying tourbillon, the crown jewel of high watchmaking and a hat-tip to Bugatti’s newest hypercar: the Bugatti Tourbillon. Think of it as a mechanical heart beating behind an icon's face. Above it all, literally, sits a 30 mm red gemstone, cut with 288 facets using Jacob & Co.’s patented Jacob Cut. It mirrors the deep red hue of the iconic Bugatti Macaron badge and adds just the right amount of “why yes, I do have good taste and R4.27 million to spare” energy.
The Calandre is a horological marvel. Powered by the hand-wound JCAM58 movement, this one-minute flying tourbillon clock boasts a substantial 8-day power reserve, making it as functional as it is fabulous. Time is set and wound via a key discreetly hidden in the caseback - because, of course, it is. Wrapped in Lalique crystal, handcrafted in Wingen-sur-Moder, France, each piece is moulded, cooled, frosted, polished, and obsessively refined by master artisans. The result? A case so pure and detailed, it plays with light like it’s performing a private ballet for whoever's lucky enough to own it.
This isn’t just a partnership of convenience; it’s a celebration of shared DNA. René Lalique and Ettore Bugatti were not only contemporaries but collaborators. Both men established their workshops in Alsace, both pushed boundaries in their fields, and both knew how to blend art with industrial ingenuity. Today, Jacob Arabo carries that same spirit into the 21st century, merging fine jewellery with the science of time. Only 99 examples of the Bugatti Calandre will ever exist. Each one arrives in a bespoke tan leather trunk, lined like the interior of a Veyron or Chiron.
BUGATTI CALANDRE – TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Movement:
Caliber: JCAM58
Type: Manual-winding
Flying Tourbillon: 1-minute
Power Reserve: 8 days
Frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz)
Functions: Hours, minutes
Case:
Material: Hand-blown Lalique Crystal
Size: 264 mm x 196 mm
Height: 114 mm
Gemstone: 30 mm Jacob-Cut red crystal (288 facets)
Dial:
Materials: Polished steel, open-worked aluminium
Hands: Rhodium-finished, skeletonised
Edition:
Limited to: 99 units worldwide
Price: $240,000 (Approx. R4.27 million)
Take a look at the YouTube video that quickly shows off the eye-wateringly expensive timepiece that's limited to just 99 units, and will likely take a while to sell considering the R4.27 million price tag: The Bugatti Calandre Table Clock by Jacob & Co., Bugatti, and Lalique | Jacob & Co.
Be sure to check out our YouTube channel here for more exciting and exclusive SXdrv content! And don't forget to smash that subscribe button!