Time, Tuned: The Fast Lane Collabs Between Luxury Cars and Iconic Watchmakers
Watch world observers were recently knocked out by the dynamics of the sophomore timepiece product from the innovative partnership of artful watchmaker Richard Mille and Italian automotive legend Ferrari. The first collaborative timepiece was an unexpected cuff-like wristwatch in 2020. Announced this spring, however, the new Richard Mille RM 43-01 Tourbillon Split Seconds Chronograph Ferrari is an obvious – and gorgeous – experiment to better synchronize the design DNA of both brands together.
On the Mille side, the piece has the expected tonneau-shaped case, the deep movement visibility, and dynamic track-ready color use. On the Ferrari side, it features a rare “rattrapante” split-seconds chronograph (perfect for timing a race) and aggressive styling. Nearly every shape on the watch – from the watch strap slope, to the movement shape, to the chronograph pushers – can draw a line directly back to Ferrari automotive design details. The new timepiece is available in both shimmering titanium and edgy carbon executions. richardmille.com
The mouthful model name of watchmaker IWC’s latest collaboration with Mercedes-Benz’s F1 Petronas racing team, the “IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL Toto Wolff x Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team,” may tackle the tongue, but you only need to take two big things away from the ungainly moniker: the name both honors the team’s CEO (Wolff) and nods to some extreme technical advancements in timepiece stability (Shock Absorber XPL) that it carries.
The 44mm Ceratanium (ceramic/titanium hybrid) construction picks up the turquoise-green livery of the racing team. A cutting-edge metallic-glass spring that protects the watch movement against extreme G forces – technology that also bears Wolff’s name – is also rendered in unmistakable green, in this case, glowing Super-LumiNova. Limited to 100 pieces. iwc.com
Since the esteemed Swiss watchmaker and British performance car company started teaming up on collaborative timepieces in 2021, we have seen several stunning offerings that tended to push technology. But in the latest collaboration – the new Laureato Chronograph Aston Martin Edition – the vibe seems to harken back to more of a mid-century coolness.
An elaborate, new-jack multilayered green dial color (rendered from layer after layer of actual Aston Martin auto paint), as well as use of state-of-the-art Grade 5 titanium construction might ring in the new. But, a classic 42mm case size, three-subdial chronograph function, and beefy link bracelet would seem perfectly at home on the wrist of a certain vodka-martini-sipping Aston Martin driver of yore. girard-perregaux.com
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