Designs driven by consumer demand
Perhaps back in the day, a dog was a man's best friend. But in today's fast-paced world most men would have stronger feelings for their car than their canine. Car-related accessories are big business, so watch and car brands have long realised the mutual benefits of partnerships. Watches are becoming more sophisticated and technically advanced as designers adopt elements of cars in their make-up.
Chopard has a range of classic, sporty watch collections. The 1000 Miglia, Jacky Ickx and Grand Prix de Monaco Historique watches are the brand's best sellers. In 1988, Chopard became official timekeeper for the Mille Miglia race, while in 2002 brand co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele discovered the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique through his friend and former Formula One racing driver Jacky Ickx. Soon after, Chopard became official timekeeper for this event.
As a keen fan of vintage cars, Scheufele promotes the relationship between luxury watches and vintage cars. 'Lovers of fine automobiles are said to have a weakness for precious timekeepers, and vice versa. In both domains, extreme precision and sporting elegance play an important role,' he said.
A star model in this new collection, the Classic Racing is an ultrapowerful chronograph with a 45mm-diameter case. Its 'motor', a mechanical self-winding chronograph movement with a 42-hour power reserve, drives the hour and minute functions.
Roland Buser, managing director of Chopard, is excited about the new Classic Collection. 'The Classic Racing Collection includes some of Chopard's best sellers - 1000 Miglia, Jacky Ickx and Grand Prix de Monaco Historique - representing the culmination of all the technical and aesthetic innovations inspired by the field of automobiles.'
Integrating the elements of classic cars, hour markers on the watch are similar to the markings on classic car dashboard instruments such as rev counters and speedometers. A rose gold case is fitted with the famous rubber strap featuring the 1960s Dunlop Racing tyre motif.
'The passion of the racing car is perfectly echoed on the design of this collection, with the famous rubber strap featuring the racing tyre and the screw-lock crown reminiscent of a tyre and adorned with a steering wheel emblem. It is fully suited to elegant and sophisticated men with an extremely active lifestyle,' Buser said.
The integration of specific car features in timepieces is what generates fresh interest from car fans and makes these watches more covetable.
Richard Mille raised the interest of watch devotees with the release of the RM016 Titalyt in Paris this year. Company president and chief executive Richard Mille has been delighted with the response. 'The reaction has been fantastic, far above my expectations. I thought it might be found a bit outrageous, but everyone accepted it, even loved it, immediately.'
This is the first watch by Richard Mille to move away from the tonneau (barrel) shape. 'I felt the need to create a new form within the rigorous tonneau shape that people are used to seeing with me. I never want to be trapped in one direction, since my inspiration comes from many sources, and I really wanted to experiment outside what I have already accomplished,' Mille said.
He said the RM016 Titalyt had incorporated materials never previously used in making watches. 'The Titalyt version is the first in the world to use an essentially industrial surface treatment that is actually very beautiful and tough when applied to watchmaking.'
Mille has found that most auto enthusiasts are very definite in what they want from their watches. 'The consumer of auto-inspired watches wants precision, toughness and a kind of industrial elegance, which the best sports cars can also possess,' he said.
Watch experts expect to get real value when they invest. Special functions will attract interest from enthusiasts but the timepieces also need to be durable and practical.
Bulgari has recently been making waves in the auto-inspired watch domain. The new Diagono Professional Terra watch has been equipped with a chronograph function and a tachymetric scale so that the wearer is able to measure speed. The watch is said to be hard-working and practical but enhanced with special features.
Bulgari said 'it delivers a combination of daily but refined, useful functions that are not only decorative gimmicks. Specifically, the watch is equipped with time zones on the bezel and sophisticated chronographic functions coupled to tachometric scale. The ultimate level of construction and quality guarantees a genuine professional use of the watch in any environment'.
In this quest for functional beauty, Tudor has formed a new partnership with Porsche Motorsport to launch a new range of sport chic design watches under the name of Grantour. Tudor has become 'timing partner' of Porsche Motorsport, with engagements in Porsche's international one-make cups.
The two models presented in the Grantour collection are the Date and the Chrono. Both are fitted with a retro design black-lacquered steel bezel.
The detail on the hands of the watch is taken from sports car design and the counter with red details mirrors the dials on a GT dashboard. The Grantour Date's leather strap is punched with microperforations like those on sports car seat covers, while the Grantour Chrono strap features six larger perforations reminiscent of driving gloves.
The Grantour watches are also available in white versions for women.
