American fashion mogul Ralph Lauren is coming back for seconds with a new luxury watch inspired by the iconic Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe. Back in 2010, Lauren and Bugatti->ke16 collaborated to develop the Bugatti Sporting watch, an elegant timepiece that cost $13,200.
Recently, the man famous for having one of the most celebrated auto collections in the world is again paying tribute to one of his favorite vehicles with the launch of the Bugatti 57SC Atlantic Coupe Chronograph.
The interface of the two models bear a striking similarity to each other, specifically the elm burl wood that Lauren used to pay homage to his own Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe. The material is present in both watches, but the recently unveiled 57SC Atlantic Coupe Chronograph also features a tachymeter scale on the edge of the watch face and a black matte galvanic center that was also inspired by the classic Bugatti. The center of the Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe Chronograph is also busier than the Bugatti Sporting Watch.
Three small counters are located side by side with all three hands receiving shiny white varnish. The hands create a nice contrast to the large Arabic numbers that have been treated with beige SuperLuminova, which is responsible for illuminating an “afterglow," making it the numbers clearly visible in the dark. Notice also how the date stamp was smartly inserted inside one of the counters and located at 6 o’clock.
Underneath all that’s going on in the watch face is an "engine" developed exclusively by Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre. This engine comes with a mechanical self-winding motor that creates 28,800 vibrations per hour.
Take your eyes away from the face and check out the polished, round stainless steel case with the six exposed screws on the bezel and the black alligator strap that holds the whole thing together.
Click past the jump to read more about the 1938 Bugatti 57SC Atlantic Coupe Chronograph By Ralph Lauren.
Why it matters
No one's going to confuse Ralph Lauren for being a fair-weather automotive fan.
The American fashion designer's fascination with the Bugatti 57SC Atlantic Coupe is well-chronicled, so it's only fitting that he and Bugatti were able to build on an already successful collaborative to create yet another milestone watch created to pay homage to one of the world's most iconic cars.
The watch retails at around $15,000, and while some may scoff at that price, it's important to remember that this watch is a true labor of love for Ralph Lauren.
1938 Bugatti 57SC Atlantic Coupe
Not a lot of cars can lay claim to having one of its own sold for more than $40 million. Then again, not a lot of cars can also claim that there are only two of them left in the world. The Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe checks both boxes, making it one of the rarest and most expensive vehicles in the world.
The Bugatti Type 57 was built from 1934 through 1940, evolving from the original Type 57 touring car model that carried a 3.3-liter engine into the more performance-oriented Type 57S/SC that had superchargers strapped to the engine, improving the output to 200 horsepower.
From the Type 57SC came the Atlantic Coupes, which had distinct flowing coupe lines and a pronounced dorsal seam running from the front to the back. These design elements have since been identified with the Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe, of which Bugatti only made four models.
Of the four, two are still alive, one of which belongs to Ralph Lauren.