Tag Archives: watches and cars

watches and cars 2

Watches and Cars Part Two – Sport

Style,

watches and cars 3The benefit of having a brand associated with any sport has its obvious benefit. To be intrinsically utilised by the sport has a different slant and is understandably a sought after marketing collaboration.

Take Wimbledon, which wouldn’t be the same without the prominent Rolex timekeeping. Motorsport is unquestionably the most historic allegiance and arguably is the root of, or at least catapulted the usage of chronographs into the mainstream.

I’d argue that Heuer is the most iconic motorsport watch, having pored over vintage 70s Chronosport catalogues that feature wonderful period Breitlings, Enicars, Seikos, Sicuras, Gallets, its is Heuer which stand out.

Partly the reason for this is Chronosports’ promotion of the Heuer brand, but mainly the reason is the iconic names for Heuer’s pieces: the Monaco, Autavia, Camaro, Monza, Carrera and the “other” Daytona.

Omega initially designed and launched the Speedmaster with racing in mind before it went to space and later collaborated with Michael Schumacher and has an eponymous range of watches, some signed on the back, some ‘known as’.

watches and cars 4Rolex are now the official timekeeper of F1, and the Daytona is the Rolex chronograph, but Heuer will always be the label on Steve McQueen’s sleeve in Le Mans, and on the many tribute jackets seen at motoring events across the country (and world).

Tag Heuer re-issued the Carrera, Autavia, Monza and Monaco and these are staples in many collections. Later non re-issue Tag Heuers are frequently chronographs, albeit with a diving slant, with a couple of very motorsport focused lines; the F1/ Formula 1, which debuted at the beginning of the 1990s as the entry level Tag Heuer, famously featuring a wheel influenced box and chequerd flag inspired bracelet (when not worn on rubber).

There’s a range of Senna, Hakkinen limited editions and of course the later Tag Heuer Kirium analogue / digital is called the F1, a more contemporary take on the company’s history.  So if a motorsport watch is what you crave, you can choose from a vintage look, like the Heuer Daytona, a modern take on a vintage look, such as the Tag Heuer Monaco, or root for a split second timing device at a superb price, the Kirium F1.

If you enjoyed this post you can read part one here.

Porsche Orfina

Watches and Cars Part One | Collaboration

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Its pretty understandable for those who like cars to also like watches and vice versa, given that both are mechanical (however they are powered), and that something can be determined, whether correctly or incorrectly by the wearer or driver.

However, collaborations between watchmakers and automobile makers has a long and potted history.

Porsche OrfinaFerrari, being one of the most desirable brands in the world has had the prancing horse added to Girard Perregaux and perhaps most famously Panerai but also Cartier, as well as the newer more modestly priced Scuderia watches. Corum produced a Rolls Royce grill watch. Perhaps, though, Porsche has the most interesting history. Porsche Design is of course a stand alone brand and the watches have been a mainstream spanning over forty years.

Initially the watches were made by Orfina, subsequently IWC and finally by Eterna. The earliest designs were so legible and of such quality that some were issued to the military.

Today, Porsche Design represents superb value compared to comparably storied and distinct watches, and we have sold and have for sale both recent and vintage Porsche Design.

The early Orfina are perhaps the most “Porsche” of all, and the design evolution has the spirit of the 911.

Breitling for BentleyIts interesting to note the popularity of the Steve McQueen Heuer and its forever attachment with LeMans, compared to the comparable lack of awareness of these early titanium and DLC (the first mainstream black watch) Porsche Design by Orfina.

The IWC versions took a new level of ‘80s style, rather like the evolution of the 911. Recent collaborations have included Jaeger LeCoultre for Aston Martin and the hugely successful Breitling / Bentley collaboration which has been a mainstay of the Breitling range for over a decade.

2016 sees no sign of collaborations abating with Ball massively promoting the BMW collaboration with some superb large sized watches and Zenith for Range Rover.

Will these watches, many of which are limited editions or unintentionally limited through age and availability, be sought after collectors’ pieces of tomorrow. More trend led than classic brand staples, such as the Navitimer or Luminor, we see potential, given the relative value offered in the secondary market.