Throughout their history, many luxury watch brands have forged special links with the automotive world. Whether through watches inspired by iconic racing cars, sponsorship contracts or simple collaborations, cars – vectors of performance, innovation and design – appeal as much to speed enthusiasts as to lovers of exclusive timepieces.
With Netflix airing a 6-episode mini-series dedicated to the legendary Brazilian driver – and eternal TAG Heuer ambassador – Ayrton Senna, 30 years after the tragic death of this three-time world champion – and holder of 41 grand prix victories and 65 pole positions – on the Imola circuit during the San Marino Grand Prix, it’s too good an opportunity not to revisit the intimate link between many watchmakers and the automotive world.
After all, the world of watches shares with motorcars an exacerbated concern for high precision, mechanical engineering and design.
In the early days, watchmaking in the automotive world was essentially on-board, attached to the dashboard, steering wheel or central rear-view mirror. In 1918, the Biel-based Mido brand drew inspiration for its dials directly from the radiators of Bugatti, Lancia and Delage racing cars, once again criss-crossing thepost-war European countryside.
It wasn’t long before watches were fitted with rotating crowns or domed cases to make them easier to read for a whole generation of emerging drivers.
However, it wasn’t until 1940 that the first racing drivers began to measure their performance with unprecedented precision. Timekeeping was born, generating several decades of sponsorship for races and other automotive events. From then on, watchmakers were constantly seeking to associate their name or certain models with certain competitions, or even with an established manufacturer.
TAG Heuer
Owned by the LVMH group since 1999, TAG Heuer has a long history in sports timekeeping, particularly in the world of motor racing. The Swiss watchmaker, based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, has been the official timekeeper for numerous Formula 1 races and the World Rally Championship. The brand has been associated with iconic watchmaking moments, such as the Monaco chronograph, launched in 1969 and worn by actor Steve McQueen in the cult film Le Mans (1971). In 1988, the brand passed a milestone by becoming the official watchmaking partner for all Senna products, and in 1993, racing driver Ayrton Senna, a devotee of the chronograph S/EL (Sport & Elegance), became a brand ambassador.
In the roaring world of F1 racing, TAG Heuer has chosen to support the Porsche team in addition to Red Bull Racing.
Much more than a simple sponsorship contract, the brand has forged a number of collaborations with the German sports car manufacturer, both in the Porsche Carrera Cup competition and in product development through co-branded watches. In their respective fields, these include the Heuer Carrera and the Porsche 911 Carrera.
The latest addition to the collection, the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Extreme Sport incorporates the cutting-edge TH 20-09 movement. Its bi-material construction combining 18 K SN rose gold on its 44 mm case, bezel and crown, offers a striking contrast to its DLC-coated titanium.
In fact, the brand founded in 1860’s most distinctive automotive heritage is undoubtedly the TAG Heuer Carrera, a true benchmark in luxury chronographs. Created in 1963 by Jack Heuer, the sleek, stainless-steel case was inspired by the equally famous and, at the time, highly dangerous Carrera Panamericana, an automobile competition held in the middle of the Mexican jungle. Right from its launch, this cult timepiece was equipped with a tachometric bezel, enabling drivers to calculate their average speed. In 2023, the timepiece celebrated its 60th birthday with a campaign immortalizing the arrival of Canadian star Ryan Gosling at the wheel of a 1973 Chevrolet Malibu in the film Drive.
In tribute to Ayrton Senna, the Swiss watchmaker has released a limited edition: the TAG Heuer Carrera Extreme Sport Tourbillon x Senna. Equipped with a skeleton dial and a TH20-09 caliber tourbillon chronograph movement with a tachymetric scale reaching 400 km/h, this timepiece is in the image of this motorsport legend.
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Featured Photo: © TAG Heuer
