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

If you're going to be a world championship Formula One team, you're going to need your own watch line. Ferrari is with Panerai, McLaren is with TAG Heuer, and even Williams has Oris. The Honda team was in league with Seiko, but since splitting off as Brawn GP, the title-leading race team has been decidedly bereft of sponsors. But a new partnership with Graham-London brings the record-breaking team a new collection of timepieces to measure just how far ahead of the competition they are.

Far from the kind of capitalization you'd expect of the winning team's sponsor, Graham's line of Brawn GP wristwatches is limited to 250 examples, split between two models: the Chronofighter G-BGP-001 and the Silverstone G-BGP-001. Both feature 47-mm steel cases and are available with either black or white faces offset by the team's signature neon yellow accents. A transparent sapphire crystal case-back puts the intricate Swiss movement on display, secured to the wrist by a sporty rubber strap.

Made by the company that claims the origin of the chronograph movement, Graham-London was founded in 1695 and manufactures its movements in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. Details in the press release after the jump and high-res images in the gallery below.

[Source: Graham-London]

PRESS RELEASE:

The track is clear... put your foot down with Graham-London
BRAWN GP ANNOUNCES NEW TEAM PARTNERSHIP WITH GRAHAM-LONDON

On the eve of the British Grand Prix, Round eight of the 2009 Formula One World Championship, current Championship leaders Brawn GP are pleased to confirm a new long-term partnership with the iconic British watch marque Graham-London.

Founded in London by George Graham, the renowned 18th century clockmaker known as the 'Father of the Chronograph', the Graham-London brand is part of The British Masters, an Anglo-Swiss company based at La Chauxde-Fonds in Neuchatel, the heart of Switzerland's watch making industry. Graham-London combines the best of Britain's watch heritage with the Swiss passion for fine engineering detail to continue the spirit and dedication to timekeeping begun by Graham.

The British Grand Prix weekend will see the launch of two very special limited edition Brawn GP watches designed and created by Graham-London to reflect the distinctive brand and values of the Brawn GP team. The Chronofighter G-BGP-001 and the Silverstone G-BGP-001, available with black or white dials, will be limited to just 250 editions per range.

The Graham-London brand will feature on the wing mirrors of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello's Brawn-Mercedes race cars from the first practice running at Silverstone today as the team begins its on-track preparations for Sunday's race, Ross Brawn, Team Principal of Brawn GP said: "Our home race, the British Grand Prix, is a very special weekend for the Brawn GP team with our factory based just down the road from Silverstone. We are delighted to begin the weekend with the announcement of our partnership with Graham-London, one of the most prestigious watch brands in the world, and a brand with a strong British heritage. The two special edition Brawn GP watches created by Graham have been very thoughtfully designed to reflect the high level of technological and design consideration required in Formula One. We look forward to working closely with Graham-London and The British Masters over the coming months and sharing our on-track successes."

Eric Loth, CEO and Founder of The British Masters said: "I am delighted to see the start of this fantastic partnership between Graham-London and the Brawn GP team at the British Grand Prix this weekend. For Graham-London, this represents a great opportunity to share two extraordinarily advanced high technologies and an inspiring challenge for us to push our design and technical limits. As a mechanical engineer and materials scientist, my vision of sport is deepened by appreciating it as a science, the highest level of creation and development. Speed, racing, innovation and technology are all brought to mind from the sport of Formula One and we are delighted to launch our two new Brawn GP special edition watches this weekend, the Silverstone and the Chronofighter, designed with these values in mind."