ContéBleu
Inspired by the bygone era of analogue supercars, with a touch of modernity.
A concept mechanical watch whose entire design language comes from generations of Bugatti, from the EB110 all the way to the Divo. It has clear, honest instruments, exposed mechanicals, a satin black body and a subtle pop of Bugatti blue.
Crown
The pattern of the Bugatti Chiron's alloy rims, inlaid in blue on a knurled gunmetal crown.
Carry the character of a hypercar into a watch without simply putting a car on a wrist.
Trace every watch component back to a specific element from generations of Bugatti.
A satin black concept watch with exposed mechanicals, a power reserve meter and an asymmetric Alcantara strap.
Two fascinations, one object.
Watches and cars are both precision machines that people grow attached to, and both reward a close look. I wanted to know whether a hypercar's character could carry over into something worn every day. Not as a badge, but through form, material and mechanism.
The project started from different generations of Bugatti, tracing how the brand moved from the raw, analogue engineering of the EB110 to the sculpted, technical surfaces of the Divo.
Clear figures. Exposed machines.
Two qualities of the classic supercars stood out. Their clocks and dials display clear figures with a ‘nothing more, nothing less’ attitude. They also boldly show off their mechanicals, with a clear hood over the engine displaying machinery that was called an engineering masterpiece, even an artwork.
Nothing more, nothing less
Read the time instantly, like a classic supercar gauge.
Show the machine
Expose the mechanicals the way a clear engine cover celebrates the engine.
Satin black, a hint of blue
One dark theme across the whole watch, with Bugatti blue used subtly.
Break the symmetry
Step away from the norm, just like the cabin of the Bugatti Chiron.
From creases to case.
Form exploration began on dark paper, working through the case silhouette: a stepped upper window for the time, a lower arc for the power reserve, and cuts and creases borrowed from the EB110. A second board then worked out the details: the rim-inspired crown, twin racing stripes from the Bugatti Supersports, and the asymmetric strap highlight.
Generations of Bugatti, from EB110 to Divo.
Case silhouette and window layout.
Crown, stripes, palette and materials.
Case, crown, strap and buckle in 3D.
Fusion 360Satin, gunmetal and Alcantara finishes.
KeyShot · PhotoshopEvery component has a source.
The whole design language comes from various generations of Bugatti. Each part of the watch was matched to a specific element of the cars, then reworked to suit the scale of a wrist.
Chiron rims
CrownThe alloy rim pattern is inlaid in blue on the crown face, set into a knurled body with a gunmetal finish.
Engine bay
CasebackJust as a clear engine cover shows off the engine, the dial window and caseback put the mechanicals on display.
Divo body
CaseThe satin finish of the Divo is carried over as a satin black theme across the whole watch.
Cabin
StrapMade from the same Alcantara leather as the steering wheel, with blue highlights placed asymmetrically. Breaking the symmetry is a way away from the norm, just like the Chiron's cabin.
| Time display | Classic supercar clocks | Clear figures with a ‘nothing more, nothing less’ attitude. |
| Power reserve | Bugatti power meter | Shows how much power is left to keep the watch running, just as the car's meter shows real-time power use. |
| Stripes | Bugatti Supersports | Twin racing stripes along the strap edges. |
| Case form | EB110 | Sharp lines, cuts and creases. |
Satin black, with a subtle pop of Bugatti blue.
The satin black theme, inspired by the Divo, covers the whole watch. Blue appears only in small, deliberate places: the crown inlay, the strap edge, the dial indices and the power reserve.
Case and bezel, after the Divo.
Grip and contrast on the crown body.
The steering wheel material.
Used subtly and asymmetrically.
Built to be looked at closely.
Time, above
Clear figures inside a window that reveals the mechanism, like the engine under its cover.
Power, below
The power reserve meter reads 25 to 45 against a red index, with a blue honeycomb behind it, a direct nod to Bugatti's power meter.
Asymmetry, along the strap
Blue runs down one edge only. Breaking the symmetry is the way away from the norm.
ContéBleu.
From render to wrist.
Building a mechanical watch from scratch means a movement, tooling and a long timeline. A quicker way to put the design on a wrist is to use a watch that already exists. The MVP is just the shell: a 3D-printed ContéBleu case that snaps onto an Apple Watch. The mechanism inside becomes a watch face design on the Apple Watch screen.
The Apple Watch does the hard work: timekeeping, battery and straps. The printed shell carries the ContéBleu form, the EB110 cuts and creases, the crown and the window framing. Through that window, the watch face shows the exposed mechanism, the time display and the power reserve, drawn in the same satin black and Bugatti blue.
It is a fast, low-cost way to test what renders can't: how the case sits on a wrist, how it feels in the hand, and whether the dial still reads ‘nothing more, nothing less’ at real size.
| Exposed mechanism | Watch face design | The movement visible through the window is drawn as the Apple Watch face, with the time display in the upper window. |
| Power reserve | Battery level | The 25–45 meter on the watch face reads the Apple Watch's remaining charge against the red index. |
| Case form | 3D-printed shell | Just the shell: the EB110 cuts and creases, sized to snap onto the Apple Watch, with openings for the screen, buttons, sensors and charger. |
| Crown | Digital Crown sleeve | The knurled, blue-inlaid crown is kept as a cap that still turns the Digital Crown. |
| Finish | Satin black, blue accents | Primed and painted after printing to match the original CMF. |
Exact Apple Watch dimensions, button and sensor positions.
Rework the case into a shell that snaps onto the watch.
Fusion 360Quick prints for fit, then resin for crisp edges.
FDM · SLA resinSand, prime, satin black, blue details.
The inside mechanism, designed as the Apple Watch face.
Watch face design