Bovet is synonymous with luxuriously decorated, extravagantly complex watches. From ultra-complicated astronomical timepieces with 3D imagery to exquisitely adorned models with guilloché and hand engraving, Bovet is often seen as a temple of High Watchmaking and decorative arts. While many of Bovet's masterpieces would not be out of place at the court of Versailles, there are other watches born from collaborations with legends of contemporary design, such as the OttantaSei Tourbillon, created in partnership with the renowned Italian car design studio Pininfarina. The Battista Tourbillon, developed in tandem with the Battista, the world's first all-electric hyper GT car, reflects the features of a vehicle that takes luxury in an exhilarating yet more sustainable direction.
ELECTRIC HYPERCAR BATTISTA
Pininfarina's Battista electric hypercar is a marvel of modern technology. The most powerful car ever created, Battista surpasses any road-going sports car powered by an internal combustion engine. Faster than a modern Formula 1 car, Battista can accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in less than two seconds. The hypercar's chassis and body are crafted from a carbon-fiber monocoque, with each wheel powered by four electric motors driven by a T-shaped battery, equating to 1,900 horsepower and zero emissions.
True to the philosophy of the company's founder, Battista 'Pinin' Farina, that "above all, it must be beautiful," the sleek electric hypercar represents a vision of pure aerodynamic lines and futuristic touches. Production is limited to just 150 cars, handcrafted at the Pininfarina atelier in Cambiano, Italy, and the price of this electric beast exceeds 2 million USD.
While some specifications of the watch are similar to the OttantaSei, including the patented double-sided 60-second flying tourbillon, the design details are inspired by the new Battista hyper GT. Bovet craftsmen and the Automobili Pininfarina design team worked hand in hand to create aesthetic bridges between the hypercar and the watch, including decorative elements on the mechanical components of the movement.
SYMBIOSIS
The Bovet Battista Tourbillon's 45.60 mm diameter and 11.95 mm height case is made of titanium, and the side sapphire crystals allow light to flood the case, offering a view from virtually any angle. The updated Bovet bow at the "12 o'clock" position protects the winding crown, executed in black and blue.
Transmitting the smooth curves of the Battista hypercar, the flying bridge spanning the two dials mimics the car's curves in 3D detail. The blue Triangolo patterns, graded from light to dark blue on the two dials, are directly borrowed from the hypercar's patterns. For the first time in Bovet's 200-year history, the subsidiary dials are asymmetrical. The power reserve dial on the left is adorned with two white flags; the one with an 'F' represents Pininfarina, while the one on the right, with a lotus flower, signifies Bovet.
On the right part of the dial is the seconds counter with Battista's signature, the Pininfarina logo positioned on a grey appliqué, and a large date window shaped like the E-Heart of the electric vehicle. The E-Heart shape is also echoed on the flip side of the case, framing the patented Bovet differential winding mechanism at noon.
On the blue ring suspended over the skeletonized movement are luminescent hour markers, and the hour and minute hands, made from blued steel, resemble the active rear wings (or spoilers) of the electric hypercar. The luminescent spokes of the tourbillon and seconds counter are inspired by the Impulso wheels of the Battista model with their central locking technology, and all the hands on the dial and the large date pointer are treated with Super-LumiNova.
NEW MECHANISM
The Battista Tourbillon is equipped with a new in-house 400-part movement with Bovet's patented double-sided tourbillon. It operates at a frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour and provides an impressive 10-day power reserve on one barrel. The modern movement design was developed with the help of Pininfarina. One of the challenges was to miniaturize the winding mechanism to reduce the number of turns required for the 10-day power reserve. The patented spherical differential winding system halves the number of turns without increasing torque. On both sides of the watch at noon, you can see the engraved Bovet 1822 inscription.
With the inclusion of additional functions compared to the existing manually wound tourbillon movement in the OttantaSei model, a new movement had to be developed to drive the central hour and minute hands, large date, and updated tourbillon cage. Mounted in the center of its axis, allowing for more even weight distribution and reduced friction, the 104-part flying tourbillon can be viewed from both sides of the case.
As expected, craftsmanship is a hallmark of Bovet, and the hand-finishing can be duly appreciated. Polishing, angling, gear teeth treatment, engraving, and decorative finishing are performed by skilled artisans.
SUSTAINABILITY
Today, sustainability is a widely discussed concept, and electric vehicles certainly pave the way to a cleaner future. However, nothing compares to the sustainability of mechanical watches, which theoretically can last indefinitely with proper care. Paired with a two-tone black and blue rubber strap (100% Vegan), the Battista Tourbillon is the perfect accessory to accompany you inside your breathtakingly fast Battista hypercar. Like the car, the Battista Tourbillon is a powerful expression of mechanical mastery with a unique design that is sure to catch the eye.
AVAILABILITY AND PRICE
The remarkable Bovet Battista Tourbillon watches will be released in a series of 30 pieces in polished titanium priced at 295,000 Swiss francs, 18-karat red gold priced at 305,000 Swiss francs, and platinum priced at 325,000 Swiss francs; a drop in the ocean if you've already shelled out 2 million USD for the car!
More detailed information is available on www.bovet.com.
