The High-Performance Bovet x Pininfarina Aperto 1

Supercars and hypercars all have one thing in common; it’s a constant battle of power versus weight. The all-electric Pininfarina Battista hypercar we wrote about in our Petrolhead Corner a while ago, for instance, is no different and puts up 1,900 horsepower against 2,063 kg. That makes it the most powerful Italian production car to date, and a mighty fast one too; zero to 100kph takes less than 2 seconds and the top speed is listed as 350kph. But power in a watch is a very different story of course. Measured not in horses, but rather beats or hours if you will, the all-new Bovet x Pininfarina Aperto 1 is no slouch either and comes with some seriously impressive “high output” specs. Let’s take a closer look at this very contemporary openworked marvel.

The Bovet Battista Tourbillon

The Bovet Pininfarina OttantaSei 10-Day Tourbillon

The collaboration between high-end independent watchmaker Bovet and the illustrious Pininfarina design studio (now part of the Mahindra group, which launched Automobili Pininfarina in 2018) started almost a decade and a half ago and has always focused on performance, both technically and aesthetically, such as in the Battista Tourbillon (above, left) and the OttantaSei 10-Day Tourbillon (above, right). That’s why this latest one, the Bovet x Pininfarina Aperto 1 also comes in an ultra-lightweight sandblasted grade 5 titanium case. The sides of the case have been scalloped to remove as much material as possible, and even the movement is as minimalistic as possible in its construction. The case is 42mm in diameter and tops out at 10.95mm in height. A sapphire crystal on the front and back keeps the movement safe, and the black rubber-clad crown is positioned at the top.

The spectacle of the openworked movement almost draws away the attention of the fact this is still very much a watch. So, yes, it tells the time and does so through a pair of blued hands with Super-LumiNova inserts pushed up out of the centre ever so slightly. The hands are joined by a suspended blue hour track on the outer perimeter, a small seconds subdial at the bottom with a triple-sided hand, and a power reserve indicator on the left-hand side. Contrasting against the grey-toned background, it seems like the legibility is still very good, which can’t be said for most of the skeletonized watches around. The name of the brand and the fact it’s made in collaboration with Pininfarina is printed on the inside of the crystal at noon. Alternatively, there’s also a version where the blue elements are exchanged for yellow ones (see at the end of the article).

For this new iteration of the lightweight Pininfarina collection, Bovet has created an all-new movement, called Calibre 15BMPF09-OW (for what’s in a name). This uses 219 components, including 38 jewels and runs at a 3Hz frequency (21,600vph). It has been constructed as an open movement from the ground up, and the result shows. You can identify every single component, including the in-house made balance wheel and regualting organ.

Everything is finished to Haute Horlogerie standards of course and given a PVD or CVD coating depending on the intended final colour. The power reserve is a very impressive 7 days long, or 168 hours if you will. The movement is ‘sandwiched’ between two coloured plates (blue or yellow) sort of resembling something found in a car’s suspension system. Winding and setting are done through the crown at 12′, a typical Bovet trait.

The Bovet x Pininfarina Aperto 1 comes with two separate rubber straps, both fitted to a sandblasted titanium pin buckle. Switching one for the other is a breeze thanks to the patented Amadeo interchangeability system that’s built into the lug sections of the case. This highly technical piece is not limited by number but given Bovet’s usual way of working, (annual) production will be on the low side. The price is set at CHF 48,800 (before taxes).

For more information, please visit Bovet.com or Automobili-Pininfarina.com.