Pininfarina Teams With Bovet on Luxury Timepiece

CAMBIANO, Italy — Pininfarina, the Italian car design firm most famous for styling Ferraris, has partnered with luxury watchmaker Bovet on a limited-edition luxury timepiece called the Ottanta Tourbillon.

The watch was constructed to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the company; the name "Ottanta" translates as "80." This is Pininfarina's first attempt at designing a watch, and CEO Paolo Pininfarina personally selected Bovet as collaborator for the project.

True to its reputation as a coachbuilder, Pininfarina created a watch that can be customized to the customer's desire. The watch's convertible case allows it to be worn on the wrist with one of its two available faces displayed or combined with a titanium chain for use as a pocket watch (or even a table clock). The tourbillon design — a type of rotating cage historically used on many high-end timepieces — is meant to counteract the effect of gravity on the watch, ensuring the time is accurate.

The Ottanta Tourbillon offer a large date indicator, minute repeater, power reserve meter, second hands that make a revolution every three minutes to reduce the coefficient of friction and an 80-second tourbillion. On the inside, there are 514 parts, made mostly from brass. The reverse features a small single hand dial that tells time. Bovet says the watch will display the time correctly for 80 hours even when not in regular use.

The watch's components are set in a 1.8-inch case that is offered in DLC (diamond-like carbon) -coated steel and titanium, or in titanium, with the choice of white or rose gold bezel. In dedication to Pininfarina's anniversary, Bovet is building only 80 copies that will cost around $300,000 each.

Inside Line says: Pininfarina's ability to create an elegant and modern design clearly transcends the automotive world. — Mike Lysaght, Correspondent