When it comes to the most incredible supercars on the market today, timing is everything… Especially with affiliated super watches.
They practically grew up together: Cars and watches. Cars were invented and put into use predominantly in the early years of the 20th century. Wristwatches got their start just about the same time, with the first serially produced wristwatch coming from Cartier in 1904. Both fields were driven by a desire for precision and perfection, and both delivered advanced mechanics and superb looks that translated to a new lifestyle.
A century later, these two worlds remain inextricably bound – but now adhering to a much higher degree of technology, innovation, and vision. Throughout the decades, watch brands and car brands aligned themselves with one another as they recognized their common passions and goals. By the mid-to-late 20th century, top watch brands were sponsoring races, mapping out relationships with drivers and brands, and by the turn of the new millennium these relationships resulted in shared ideas, shared design ethos, and even shared materials.
Today, as hypercars are taking the world by storm, certain watch brands are keeping pace – stepping up their mechanics and aesthetics in partnerships that enable car lovers to wear their passion on the wrist in the form of hyper watches that heretofore one could only dream of.
Jacob & Co. and Bugatti
It was just a few years ago that Jacob & Co. began its partnership with Bugatti, and the results have been stellar. The newest edition is the Bugatti Chiron Blue Sapphire Crystal Tourbillon watch that boasts a racing-inspired blue sapphire case and a 578-part manual wind movement whose engine replicates the Bugatti W16 engine. The watch movement is suspended in the case with shock absorbers, and, on-demand, 16 pistons power up and down on the crankshaft like the hyper car’s engine. $1.5 million.
Roger Dubuis and Lamborghini
For five years now, Roger Dubuis has worked hand-in-hand with Lamborghini for designs and colors, high-tech materials, and visionary aesthetics that mime the brand’s best cars. This Excalibur Spider Countach was developed for the launch of the new Countach supercar and is crafted of a high-tech Mineral Composite Fiber. It boasts a complex 295-part hand-finished and assembled movement that was developed entirely in-house with double flying tourbillons at a 90-degree angle. The watch is a boutique exclusive and just 8 pieces will ever be made. $815,000.
Bovet 1822 and Pininfarina
Bovet 1822 has had an ongoing partnership with Pininfarina for years, and the results are top-notch mechanics and three-dimensional aesthetics that boggle the mind. The newest Battista Tourbillon that honors the Pininfarina Battista Hyper GT electric car is a prime example. The Battista Tourbillon watch boasts an all-new movement with a two-sided 60-second Flying Tourbillon and a patented spherical rewinding system. The tourbillon cage recalls the Battista Impulso wheels, and, emulating the Battista E-Heart charging logo, the watch features an E-Heart-shaped aperture to showcase the date on the front and the winding mechanism on the back. $330,000.
Porsche Design and Porsche
Their histories are forever intertwined, as the Porsche Design Studio, founded in 1972 by Ferdinand A. Porsche, brought to light all of the form, function and precision of the famed Porsche German performance car for the wrist. Now, the Chronograph 1-911 Edition watch celebrates 50 years of Porsche Design and honors the first chronograph made by the brand. It boasts chronograph functions, day and date indication, and a tachymeter chapter ring for measuring speed. It is available exclusively to owners of the 750 Porsche 911 Targa GTS Porsche Design 50th Anniversary Edition sports cars and the two are sold together for $195,850 (excluding delivery, processing, and handling fees).
Richard Mille and McLaren
Already five years into its partnership with McLaren Automotive, Richard Mille continues to push horological limits. The RM 40-01 Automatic Tourbillon McLaren Speedtail is a grand example of the futuristic styling and performance of both brands. Honoring the fasts exotic car built to date by McLaren, the RM 40-01 boasts a new 69-part titanium and Carbon TPT® case that was 18 months in the making. The all-new engine inside consists of a whopping 672 parts and was more than 8,000 hours in the R&D phases. Just 106 pieces will be made to mime the number of McLaren Speedtail cars being manufactured. $1,023,000.
Girard-Perregaux and Aston Martin
The relationship between Girard-Perregaux and Aston Martin is just about a year new, and the brands are finding their groove swiftly. The newest Laureato Chronograph Aston Martin Edition boasts a dial using the proprietary Aston Martin Green. Playing with textures and shades like the sports car it emulates, the dial requires 21 paint applications, all done by hand, to form seven distinct layers. A cross-hatch motif first found on the 1920s car logo adds a touch of high-performance appeal. The watch is crafted in matte and polished stainless steel and boasts a sapphire caseback for viewing the complex 419-part self-winding movement. $20,000.
This article appeared in our May 2022 issue.
