BRM V12-T-44-Abarth - Click above to view high-res image

Continue reading Abarth's Race Against Time: BRM V12-T-44 Chronograph

Abarth's Race Against Time: BRM V12-T-44 Chronograph originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Graham-London Brawn GP watch line

Continue reading Graham Prix: Brawn GP finally gets its own watch line... and it's about time

Graham Prix: Brawn GP finally gets its own watch line... and it's about time originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Audi centennial timepiece celebrates 100 years on four wheels with four hands

Audi centennial timepiece celebrates 100 years on four wheels with four hands originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 Mar 2009 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We're still a few months away from the official unveiling of the new California, but that didn't stop Ferrari from finding something to debut for the crowds at the British International Motor Show.

Drawing on its collaboration with Italian watchmaker Officine Panerai, Ferrari revealed its latest collection of automotive-inspired timepieces, ready to compete for the coveted wrists of the uber-wealthy with the likes of Breitling for Bentley, Aston Martin by Jaeger LeCoultre and Mercedes SLR by TAG Heuer. The new 2008 collection includes no less than 16 watches divided between the Scuderia and Granturismo series. The only thing more Ferrari-like than the design is the pricing, which ranges from £8,900 to a whopping £28,300. Heck, for that kind of scrap, you could buy yourself a nice vintage Ferrari road car, and still have enough change left over for a new wardrobe of Prancing Horse apparel to live out your Schumacher Raikkonen fantasies.

[Source: Panerai]

Continue reading Ferrari and Panerai unveil new watch collection at London show

Ferrari and Panerai unveil new watch collection at London show originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The name Zagato might as well be Italian for "exclusive"; that's exactly what their designs are. Although the carrozzeria has been designing cars since 1919, their most recent designs have all been extremely limited editions. Creations like the Maserati GS Zagato and Ferrari 575 GTZ had just one example made of each. The Spyker C12 Zagato was planned for 24 copies, but those plans have since been shelved. The design house recently announced that the Diatto GT Ottovu would be produced in a limited run of 99, like the 2002 Aston Martin DB7 Zagato, which seems like mass-production by comparison. So it makes sense that when the Milanese design atelier turned their attention to creating a wristwatch, they would only make 25 examples.

The striking timepiece you see here is the result of a new long-term collaboration between Zagato and Swiss watchmakers Wyler Genève, forged out of the childhood friendship between the heads of both companies. Zagato designed the titanium case which houses the mechanical "manufacture" - i.e., built completely in-house - movement suspended in a carbon fiber and resin frame on shock absorbers. The dial features an F-E power reserve indicator like a fuel gauge on a car, and like Chopard's Mille Miglia and Pirelli's P.Zero watches, is strapped to the wrist with a rubber tire-tread strap.

You can bet the pricing is on a "if you have to ask" basis, but if you have the means and missed the 25 Zagato watches being offered, don't fret - let your bank manager do that for you. The same case design is being used on Wyler's new tourbillon, a complicated rotating form of watch movement that typically sells well into a likewise very automotive five-figure range.

Click on the image gallery below to see more. Complete press release after the jump.

[Source: Wyler Genève]

Gallery: Wyler Geneve Zagato

Continue reading Zagato designs for Wyler Genève

Zagato designs for Wyler Genève originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Porsche fanatics recognize the German sportscars for their engineering, less so for their design, which changes very little from one successive model to another. The company's merchandising design studio, however, is being recognized for its design prowess with another iF Product Design Award.

The product for which Porsche Design is being honored is the Worldtime P'6750 on which we reported earlier. The watch features an innovative movement, enclosed in a very Porsche-like minimalist case, that uses two windows to display the time in a second time zone and which time zone is being displayed, which can be switched at the push of a button.

This isn't the first time Porsche Design is winning the award, having taken home the prize seven times before. The citation is awarded by the International Forum Design and will be awarded this coming March at the CeBit Information Technology show, which is taking place concurrently with the Geneva auto show in nearby Hanover, Germany.

[Source: TimeZone.com and Porsche Design]

Porsche studio wins iF Product Design Award originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Dec 2007 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If the model name sounds familiar, you're thinking back to the circa-1984 Ferrari 308 GTB/GTS Quattrovalvole, which incorporated the Italian name for the four-valve cylinder heads that the Maranello-based automaker pioneered. Meccaniche Veloci, literally "mechanical speed", recalls the still-prevalent technology with its wristwatch that features four distinct faces for tracking time in four different time zones, each with its own Swiss mechanical movement, all enclosed with titanium fixtures in a billet aluminum casing made in the same process as competition-spec pistons.

The Quattro Valvole watch is available in a wide assortment of color combinations, none of which are available without your dipping into Junior's college fund: its asking price is $5,500.

[Source: Meccaniche Veloci via Racer magazine]

Quattro Valvole watch by Meccaniche Veloci originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Dec 2007 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

There are car watches, and there are car watches. And this, boys and girls, is a car watch. The kind that will make the likes of the "Ferrari Engineered by Panarai" and "Breitling for Bentley" look like cheap marketing gimmicks.

What you see here is the Contragiri; tachometer in Italian. It's being made by one of the watchmaking industry's best kept secrets, Giuliano Mazzuoli, who just happens to be a huge Alfa Romeo fan, having raced Alfa GTAs in the 70's, created the Contragiri as a tribute to the iconic Italian automaker. It features a unique rev-counter black dial concealing the 25-jewel automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve, encased in black and white gold with sapphire crystal and revolving bezel, and held onto the wearer's wrist by a sleek black rubber strap.

Mazzuoli unveiled the Contagiri this past summer, and while he hasn't unveiled the price, it's sure to have a good number of zeros at the end. Somehow we don't think the price tag will prevent them all from selling the limited run of 500 copies, though. Only through authorized dealers, of course, but you can reserve yours on the website, or check out the Luxe.TV video by clicking here.

[Source: Giuliano Mazzuoli via Inside Line]

Bellisimo! Italian watchmaker crafts unique Alfa Romeo timepiece originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Dec 2007 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

F1-themed watches tend to be very big, very shiny and named after a current F1 driver, or at least one living. The Hubolt Big Bang Ayrton Senna All Black Rattrapante fits just one of those categories, and we'll give you a clue: it's not the bling and it's not the pilot.

The exclusive chronograph flies in the face of fancy with its stealth-like matte black finish and black rubber strap, picking up on the contemporary trend of matte-finish cars. At the heart of the 44.5mm ceramic resin case is Hubolt's HUB44 RT mechanical movement, automatically powered and driving the full array of timing sub-dials.

This big, black muted timepiece is launching the watchmaker's foray into Brazil, Senna's home country, and the watch is the result of a partnership between the Swiss company and the Aytron Senna Institute, the foundation started by his sister Viviane. Part of the proceeds from the sale of the 500 numbered watches go to the Institute, and at $25,000 apiece, it had better be a big chunk.

[Source: Luxist]

Senna chrono goes stealth originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Oct 2007 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Click image to view the high-res version, the DBS gallery

The Aston Martin DBS is one exclusive, expensive ride, with only 500 copies of the $250,000 car scheduled to be made each year. To up the exclusivity factor while also giving deep-pocketed DBS owners the ability to play James Bond, Swiss watchmaker Jaeger LeCoultre has designed a very exclusive chronograph strictly for DBS owners. The AMVOX2 chronograph has over 400 parts and costs an absolutely stunning $34,500. The timepiece, which is limited to 999 grade 5 titanium editions and 300 more exclusive Rose Gold wrist jewels, can actually open your DBS for you. Spending $35k on a good looking watch so you don't have to carry a key fob seems drastic to us poor folk, but when you've got money to burn, it's nice to pony up for items that are at least functional.

While the exclusive chronograph is an impressive piece of Swiss engineering, the best part of the equation is that the watch will likely never lose its value, and owners will undoubtedly be rewarded handsomely if they ever try to sell their prized bauble. Funny thing about a watch with 400 parts: when an autommaker over-engineers a part with too many components, it leads to more recalls and lower resale value. In a Swiss watch, a bunch of fancy parts makes it worth 1,000 Casios.

[Source: Auto News (subscription req'd)]

Gallery: 2008 Aston Martin DBS

Own an Aston Martin DBS, get a watch... for another $34,500 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Sep 2007 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A quick look at any racing car tells you that association with motorsports is a precious commodity for any number of companies, especially for watchmakers. A growing number of horologers are paying top dollar to link their names with the image that motor racing projects. All the more so with high-profile vintage racing events, which add a measure of heritage to the formula.

Like Chopard, which famously sponsors the annual Mille Miglia revival race, Swiss watchmakers Blancpain recently sponsored the 2007 edition of the famous Peking to Paris classic rally, the same event after which Spyker named their Super Sport Utility Vehicle concept. This year's running started on May 27 in China, passing along the Great Wall, through Mongolia, the Steppes of Asia, the Gobi Desert, Siberia, Moscow, St Petersburg, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Germany before finishing in Paris on June 30.

As official timekeepers of the Peking to Paris rally, Blancpain produced two limited editions of 130 special fly-back chronographs, one with red accents and the other with yellow, the two official colors of the rally.

Blancpain (which ironically means "white bread") was founded way back in 1735, and is today run by the son of Swatch's chairman as part of the Swatch Group. The company is known for producing some of the most elaborate movements, for their deep-sea diving watches used by the US Navy and by Jacques Cousteau, and as the world's oldest watchmaker.

[Source: Blancpain and TimeZone]

Blancpain commemorates the Paris to Peking rally originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Jul 2007 17:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Say what you will of the late John DeLorean, but when push came to shove, he never tired of searching for creative ways to promote his business interests.

One of the last initiatives he undertook was a time machine of sorts. Not quite like the one that immortalized his creation -- the stainless-steel, gull-winged DMC12 in the Back to the Future trilogy -- DeLorean Time was an initiative to sell a unique wristwatch. While you could certainly argue that any merchandising initiative - be it a timepiece or anything else - is simply another way for an automaker to raise income through alternative means, DeLorean was a little more direct about it. With the purchase of the DeLorean watch, the buyer would be entered into an unofficial contract to get first crack at the DMC2, the ill-fated sportscar which DeLorean had hoped to build before passing in 2005. By selling enough watches, DeLorean hoped, he could raise enough money to get the DMC2 into production.

Follow the jump to view a video of John DeLorean promoting the watch, or follow the link to view more photos.

[Source: Watchismo]

Continue reading Time Machine: the DeLorean wristwatch

Time Machine: the DeLorean wristwatch originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 May 2007 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It seems you just can't make an exotic sportscar these days without offering a wristwatch to go with it. Bugatti's got one. Koenigsegg has two. McLaren and TAG Heuer are on their third. And Ferrari's got a whole series. Is it a shameless ploy to capitalize on the merchandizing potential of their supercars, or do their creators simply want to provide their moneyed customers with an adornment for their pampered wrists as bold and unique as the hand-made supercars in their garage? The complication, exclusivity and, if nothing else, sheer price on some of these limited-edition timepieces would seem to indicate the latter.

Enter Pagani into the fray with what seems to be the first licensed piece of merchandise the independent carmaker has produced since first releasing the original Zonda back in 1999. Made in partnership with a likewise new craftshop called Cvstos, the Zonda F chronograph draws its inspiration from its namesake supercar. The crown is patterned on the dials in the Zonda's cabin; the sub-dials on the face are arranged to mimic Pagani's signature exhaust pipes; even the rotating disc, visible through the clear case-back, recalls the Zonda's wheels.

The Cvstos Pagani Zonda F chronograph is available in pink gold, yellow gold or titanium, at an unspoken cost and availability suitable to a creation bearing the Zonda's name.

[Source: Sybarites]

The Pagani Zonda of Wristwatches originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Apr 2007 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Who needs Ferrari? That's the rhetorical question asked by Girard-Perregaux, the noted Swiss watchmaker. For years GP made watches under license from Maranello, but since Ferrari moved their timepiece contract over to Panerai, Girard-Perregaux hasn't missed a beat.

Unveiled together with several other timepieces at the recently concluded watch and jewelry show in Basel, Switzerland, the Girard-Perregaux Monte Carlo Fly-back chronograph pays homage to one of the most famous runnings of the most famous rallies in motor racing history. In 1970, Björn Waldegaard drove and Lars Helmer navigated their #6 Porsche 911 S through a notoriously tricky course spotted with icy patches but no snow to claim victory at the legendary stage of the Monte Carlo Rally.

Their names are engraved on the case back along with a reproduction of the car's registration plate. The words "Monte-Carlo 1970" appear in bold red letters on the black face that displays the unique chronograph and tachymeter movement, a fly-back complication that doesn't lose a second in re-setting the mechanism on the fly. It's all held in a steel case fastened with a black alligator strap and limited to an edition of 250.

[Source: TimeZone via Luxist]

Girard-Perregaux remembers Monte Carlo 1970 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Apr 2007 17:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

You might have thought that building one of the very best-performing exotic supercars in the world would be enough to put a company like Koenigsegg on the map, but apparently no sportscar-maker has really made it until they've got their own laptop and wristwatch. Having already covered the former, the Swedish meisters of speed are taking the raps off their new range of timepieces.

Of course, Koenigsegg couldn't simply commission an ordinary wristwatch, slap on their logo and call it a day. Instead, Koenigsegg turned to Quinting, an exclusive Swiss watchmaker that produces completely unique transparent watches. We don't mean the case is transparent allowing you to see the movement; the movement itself is transparent, each component having been painstakingly crafted from fine-cut sapphire crystal.

For Koenigsegg, Quinting has created two unique timepieces, the Ghost chronograph and the Advance. Both are available only in limited quantities, and only to owners of Koenigsegg supercars, who can join the already-exclusive cadre of world presidents past and present who wear Quinting's innovative creations.

[Source: Sybarites and Cardisiac]

Gallery: Koenigsegg timepieces by Quinting

Now you see it, now you don't: Koenigsegg's transparent watch originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Apr 2007 10:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

With the Baselworld watch show still underway, TAG Heuer released a trio of new driver's watches, including the latest SLR chronograph. Not to be outdone, the sketchers over at Porsche Design used to occasion to take the wraps off their latest timepiece, the P'6750 Worldtimer GMT.

Like any other GMT wristwatch, this one keeps track of two time zones - a handy feature if you're taking your Carrera on a cross-country tour, or want to know what time it is at the other end of your Cayenne. Instead of using a fourth hand like other GMT watches, however, the P'6750 uses an indicator window placed at 9 o'clock on the dial to display the secondary time zone, and another indicator window at 3 o'clock to select the time zone by city.

The unique features are driven by an Eterna ETA Valgranges automatic movement, enclosed in a titanium case in either matt finish or with black PVD coating. The dial can likewise be ordered in either titanium color or in black, featuring decidedly avant-garde numerals and detailing, while the watch fastens to the wrist with a wide black rubber strap.

Related posts:

• Porsche gets its feet wet... with Viper power
• From sportscars to sportswear: Adidas by Porsche Design
• Porsche's Martini Racing collection leaves us stirred, not shaken
• Porsche makes time fly with new calendars
• Porsche Design launching personal navigation system

Full press release after the jump.

[Source: Porsche Design]

Continue reading Porsche Designs a Wristwatch for the World

Porsche Designs a Wristwatch for the World originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Apr 2007 10:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The market for automotive timepieces has become flooded in recent years. Automotive what, you ask? Watchmakers have been clamoring to find ways to associate their products with cars and racing, to the point that selecting our ten favorites from the field was a difficult task, and several fine examples had to be left out.

Chopard, meanwhile, has been one company on the forefront of the convergence with their sponsorship of the famous Mille Miglia classic rally in Italy, producing a line of wristwatches in association. The Swiss watchmaker has just unveiled the latest, a pair of jumbo chronographs that commemorate the historic race.

The Mille Miglia GT XL Chronograph is being produced in two versions. The first has a steel case with Chopard's trademark rubber strap with a tire-tread pattern taken from vintage Dunlop racing tires, and will be produced in a limited run of 2007 editions. The more exclusive edition of 500 has a black leather alligator strap and a rose gold case. Since the extra large face is crammed with the chronograph sub-dials, Chopard laser-etched the numbers 12 and 6 on the sapphire crystal itself. Flip it over and you'll find a map of the race course - from Rome to Berscia to Ferrara and back to Rome - engraved on the case back. Inside the case is the ETA 7750 automatic chronograph movement, enclosed in an exclusive package which will go on sale at Chopard boutiques worldwide next month.

[Source: Sybarites]

Chopard goes XL with latest Mille Miglia chrono originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Apr 2007 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The crossover world of automotive timepieces is not short of mouthwateringly stylish examples, but some stand out more than others. Autoblog's Top 10 Car Watches featured the Breitling Flying B, a supremely stylish (and expensive) rectangular-faced wristwatch. The partnership between Breitling and Bentley has now given birth to a variation arguably even more stylish: the Flying B Chronograph.

The chrono features the same elegant shape as its unconventional conventional counterpart, but the face has been redesigned to accommodate the split-second timing sub-dials of the automatic chronograph movement. Its center features the same striking knurled metal finish you'll find on the switchgear of the most exclusive Bentleys (and surrounding the face on the aforementioned standard Flying B), graced with three square dials for timing functions and art-deco mother-of-pearl hour indicators.

In place of Bentley's usual 6.75-liter V8 or twin-turbo W12, the luminescent hands are motivated by Breitling's COSC-certified, 38-jewl Calibre 44B movement. The Flying B chronograph will be officially unveiled - in steel, white gold or rose gold - at the Baselworld watch show in November, after which it will likely sell for considerably more than its $10,000 counterpart...in true Bentley form.

Looking for more ways to spend big bucks adorning your hand with Bentley luxury? Check out these related posts:

• Iced-out Bentley knob
• Leather is the Key for Bentley owners
• Write-Hand Drive: Bentley diamond jubilee pens by Tibaldi

[Source: TimeZone]

Crewe's Chrono: Breitling for Bentley Flying B Chronograph originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Mar 2007 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TAG Heuer is a watchmaker with a long history in motorsports, sponsoring racing events, drivers and teams for decades. Even Steve McQueen wore one. Now the Swiss watchmaker has unveiled the "TAG Heuer SLR for Mercedes-Benz", the third timepiece made in collaboration with the German automaker.

The automatic chronograph features the TAG Heuer Calibre 17 movement enclosed in a uniquely-designed case that takes its styling cues from the SLR McLaren and boasts a number of unique features. While conventional chronographs have the function buttons mounted on the side of the case, TAG Heuer patented a mechanism placing the buttons next to the bezel, like on the previous SLR wristwatch, only angled at 45 degrees. TAG Heuer managed to eliminate the functional tradeoff between a diver's watch and a chronograph by using two bezels: a black titanium bezel with markings against which the user can measure between mileposts to calculate the exact speed all the way up to 400 km/h (248 mph), and a unique second bezel for counting down - handy for qualifying sessions and rally-style timed stages. The designers avoided taking the easy way out: it's the inner bezel that rotates, adjusted by a second crown positioned at 9 o'clock.

Follow the jump for the rest of the details, an official press release, and a second photograph of the timepiece.

Related posts:

• Top 10 Car Watches
• Have a good Time with your Mercedes CL
• Time flies with a Tag Heuer SLR for Mercedes-Benz watch

[Source: DaimlerChrysler]

Continue reading TAG Team: Heuer and Mercedes unveil new SLR Chronograph

TAG Team: Heuer and Mercedes unveil new SLR Chronograph originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Feb 2007 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Precision engineering. Artful design. Exclusive prestige. The kind of machine you can enjoy using every day. Are we talking about the finest automobiles or timepieces? We're referring to both, because these and so many other superlatives and qualities can be attributed to both, and both are among the favorite purchases of those with the means.

It should come as no surprise, then, that these two industries have been crossing over at increasing frequency. The result of the mingling of the two worlds has been a wide array of automotive-inspired watches, taking more or less design cues and construction materials from the automotive industry. On some of the most lusted-after timepieces in jeweler's windows today you'll see such materials as aluminum, titanium, ceramics and carbon fiber; you'll see rubber wrist straps with tire-tread patterns; and you'll see ultra-exclusive watches sharing their name with the most prestigious automobiles and motor races in the world. Of course, some of them cost as much as some cars as well, but there's a wide range of choices for every budget. Here are our Top Ten favorites.

Continue reading Top 10 Car Watches

Top 10 Car Watches originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Dec 2006 11:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.