A Sports Car on Your Wrist

January 17,2006

CARS AND WATCHES occupy a common region somewhere in man’s right brain. They perform an essential function but their ability to make the heart beat faster has little to do with logic. As you go up the price scale, the essence of a fine watch, as that of a car, will be far removed from its basic function. A simple Timex, proudly made in Cebu, can do the job of telling time perfectly well, just as a bare subcompact can shuttle you from A to B with ease. But the beauty is in how far the watch goes beyond its function, to capture the imagination and stir emotion as you’re checking

A watch that can keep ticking even if you submerge it to the seabed is the equivalent of an SUV that can tackle the Rubicon trail. A sports car that can lap the Nurburgring in seven minutes flat is the automotive equivalent of a wrist chronograph that can split time to 1/1000 a second. You’ll likely never use them in those situations, but it’s exciting to know that they can do it. There is a feeling of satisfaction in a mechanical object that is precisely crafted, sturdy, and easily capable of far more than you will ask it to do on a daily basis.

For a time, watches were all about technology, and this was when digital timepieces came into the spotlight. In the 1980s, even agent 007 sported a digital Seiko that could spout printed-tape instructions from M. Similarly, cars with active aerodynamics, electronically-controlled suspension and four-wheel steering were all the rage. This trend soon faded out, and as motorists came to embrace more traditional means of extracting high performance, just as buyers came to appreciate the intricacies of mechanical watches. With the current atmosphere of nostalgia, there is a strong desire for sports cars with a pedigree, and watches also have to bear a famous badge as well as being technologically competent.

The details of a car’s workings have been slaved on by teams of engineers, just as the complicated movements of a mechanical watch were painstakingly developed by master watchmakers. The exterior is just as important, with styling that will catch the attention of passersby without crossing over to the side of gaudiness. In some ways, a watch is a more convenient way of displaying one’s personal tastes and even status. After all, you don’t drive your car into a restaurant or swimming pool.

Some watches are intimately linked to the automotive world, and we have here a listing of some of the finest machinery for your wrist:

Breitling for Bentley

Breitling is usually associated with aviation, but the connection to an earthbound but equally audacious mode of transportation was irresistible. Two companies with winged “B” logos, two companies with a loyal set of customers. The four Breitling for Bentley models: Bentley Motors, GT, 6.75, and Mulliner, bear the hallmarks of both manufacturers. Their format is extra-large, their inspiration the knurled finish of the car’s controls and the engine-turned dashboard panels. The Swiss watch company also designed the face of the instruments and the analog clock that sits in the dash of the Continental GT, the most powerful Bentley road car.

Chopard Mille Miglia

Chopard celebrates the historic 1000-mile rally with its series of Racing Colors watches. The dials of the chronographs bear the traditional colors of Grand Prix teams based on their nationalities, as dictated by regulations in the earliest days of racing. English fans can opt for British Racing Green; then there’s red for Italy, blue for France, silver for Germany and yellow for Belgium. The strap is natural rubber featuring the profile of the Dunlop racing tire tread from the 1960s. Only 1000 pieces per color will be made, all with titanium cases and chronometer certifications. The watch company has actively supported the retrospective version of the famous race since 1988.

Girard-Perregaux Pour Ferrari

The Swiss company has been making watches since 1791. In 1993, Girard-Perregaux signed a co-branding agreement with Ferrari and created a limited series of split-second chronographs stamped with the Prancing Horse. In July 1996, the company launched Pour Ferrari F50, commemorating the Italian car manufacturer’s 50th anniversary, in front of five hundred guests and 127 classic Ferraris. On the occasion of Ferrari victories in the Formula 1 World Championships, GP dedicates a collection of chronographs named “Pour Ferrari F1 World Champion” to the constructor from Maranello. Steel, titanium, or even “red” gold are the materials of choice for this watch.

Omega Speedmaster

Take one successful watchmaker, one Formula One racer with a prominent chin, five world championships since their tie-up, then stir. The result is a series of chronometers that define precision. The officially-certified chronometers feature scratch-resistant sapphire crystal faces, with 100 meters water resistance. The watch is also famous as the only one to be worn on the moon. Specialized models bearing the checkered flag symbol and with carbon-fiber faces are part of the Speedmaster collection.

Oris Williams F1

Oris teamed up with BMW WilliamsF1 as official watch partner in 2003. It created the WilliamsF1 day-date and chronograph models. The timepieces feature innovative flexible horn loops that allow the watch flush-fit precision on the wearer’s wrist. The chrono has a laterally engraved serial number on the stainless steel case. The Oris brand will move “on-car” in 2005, its logo prominently visible on the side of the rear wing.

Rolex Cosmograph Daytona

One of the world’s most desired chronographs, the Cosmograph Daytona is evocative of two of motorsport’s toughest challenges: the Daytona and Le Mans 24-hour races. Race cars competing at the top level are usually built to last for several hours. Those competing in Daytona and Le Mans are constructed differently; teams must also consider the required durability. Raw speed will be wasted if the cars have to spend precious time being repaired in the garage; the sturdiest usually wins. The same spirit is embodied in the Cosmograph Daytona: each is built to last, with the mechanicals encased in a nearly impenetrable Oyster case.

Tag Heuer Carrera

The classic chronograph takes its name from the grueling and often dangerous endurance race of the 1950s: the Carrera Panamericana Mexico Road Race. The original Carrera was introduced by Heuer in 1966, with several technological firsts, including a date calendar aperture. Thirty years later, TAG Heuer launched a new Carrera chronograph, closely based on the original model. An updated model followed in 2002, with a sapphire crystal to improve water resistance.

Tag Heuer SLR

The link between the Mercedes-Benz SLR and Heuer timepieces stretches back to 1955, when Juan-Manuel Fangio drove the original SLR through the hairpins of the Mille Miglia while wearing an Heuer. Created exclusively for the owners of the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, the new watch bears the TAG Heuer shield and Mercedes tri-star on its “dashboard.” SLR gill patterns and the world-first chronograph buttons mounted on top of the stainless-steel case, mirroring the SLR McLaren’s steering wheel gearshift, complete the styling. In terms of exclusivity, perhaps the only watch that can beat this is another model from the company, the 100 pieces of unique watches TAG Heuer crafted as an accessory piece for the McLaren F1, each bearing the chassis number of its owner’s car.

By Jason Ang

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