Bugatti Type 370 Centenaire – Amazing Parmigiani Creation

The Bugatti Type 370 watch, with its prototype introduced in September 2004, represents a groundbreaking phenomenon, which has completely changed general perception of a mechanical watch.

The watchmaking house Parmigiani was the first to animate its watch by a transversely positioned movement. After its outstanding success, this very movement has been regarded as a mechanical icon. Thus, the brand announced a new chapter in the history of watchmaking.

The major specialists of the Parmigiani Fleurier manufacture, from about fifty disciplines, invested four years of painstaking research to develop the unique Bugatti Type 370 watch.

To keep its pure lines undisturbed, the case features no external crown. Therefore, an exclusive movement winding system was intentionally designed for this very model. The watch owner should use a highly complex dynamometric tool, known as “starter”, in order to set the time or wind the movement, which provides a respectable 10-day power reserve.

The two exclusive Bugatti Type 370 Centenaire watches have been issued as limited series of 200 items to mark the 100th anniversary of the Bugatti brand.

These two premium models, sculptured in 18-carat rose gold and 950 platinum, were eventually engraved by a highly-qualified specialist, Philippe Bodenmann. Due to his artisanal craftsmanship, the watches demonstrate not only mechanical, but also artistic excellence.

While performing his complicated task, the artisan engraver was influenced by the models’ form.

According to Philippe Bodenmann, the embellishment is always inspired by the watch shape. In this very case, an engraving was born, encouraged by the gorgeous Venetian velour fabrics, where the geometric shape would enable the interior curves of the Bugatti's lugs to be followed in the most complex manner.

The hand-engraved "checkerboard" pattern breathed life into the curves of the rose gold Bugatti.

As Watches.InfoNIAC.com found out, it took the specialist over 300 hours to complete this project. To get the necessary result, a single square of the pattern, including over thirty grooves, had to be worked two or three times in a row.

The platinum Bugatti Centenaire watch reveals a “chevron” embellishment. At the first stage of creating this pattern, the artisan engraver patiently outlined over the entire case middle. With his point graver he followed fine parallel lines, making deeper or shallower grooves for the light to be caught at different degrees of intensity. This challenging task also required more than 300 hours.