Watch Paparazzi

Entrepreneur Stephan Winkelmann spotted wearing Jacob & Co

During a recent public appearance, Bugatti CEO Stephan Winkelmann was photographed wearing the Jacob & Co Epic X Chrono Bugatti Edition, the 110-piece limited collaboration between the Geneva-based independent watchmaker and the legendary French hypercar manufacturer. The sighting is notable precisely because Winkelmann is not merely an ambassador — he is the executive responsible for Bugatti's strategic direction, making the choice to wear this watch a deliberate statement of brand loyalty rather than a contractual obligation.

The Epic X Chrono Bugatti is built around a 47mm forged carbon case, a material chosen for its direct parallel to the carbon fiber monocoques used in Bugatti's Chiron and Veyron lineups. Forged carbon — distinct from standard woven carbon fiber — is produced by compressing chopped carbon strands under heat and pressure, resulting in a unique marbled texture on every case. The dial architecture draws from Jacob & Co's Epic X platform: an open-worked, architecturally layered face dominated by the vertical tricolor stripe in blue, white, and red — the colors of the French flag and a direct nod to Bugatti's Molsheim, Alsace roots. The red Bugatti logo oval sits prominently at 6 o'clock. The watch runs Jacob & Co's JCAM18 automatic chronograph movement, a self-winding caliber with column-wheel control and vertical clutch, offering approximately 42 hours of power reserve.

From a collector's perspective, the Epic X Chrono Bugatti occupies an interesting niche. Jacob & Co has historically divided opinion among traditional watch collectors, but its automotive collaborations — particularly the Bugatti pieces — have found a more receptive audience among hypercar enthusiasts and cross-category collectors. The 110-unit production run mirrors Bugatti's own ethos of extreme scarcity, and the forged carbon execution elevates it beyond a mere marketing exercise.

Winkelmann, who previously led Lamborghini before moving to Bugatti, has long cultivated a personal style that blends Italian tailoring with understated luxury accessories. His choice of the Epic X Chrono Bugatti, layered alongside beaded bracelets, speaks to a collector sensibility that values provenance and narrative over conventional prestige.

At a retail price of $36,000, the Epic X Chrono Bugatti sits at the accessible end of Jacob & Co's catalog, yet secondary market activity has kept prices relatively close to retail given the modest production numbers and the strength of the Bugatti licensing halo.