STYLE & BEAUTY TICKING
STYLE & BEAUTY TICKING OVER In its pursuit of lightness, master of materials Richard Mille (richardmille.com) went to extremes with the new RM 50-03 Tourbillon Split Secs Chronograph Ultralight McLaren F1. To achieve the unprecedented weight of less than 40 grams with strap, the limited edition of 75 pieces is made with titanium and Carbon TPT, with the addition of graphene, or Graph TPT, a carbon nanomaterial that is one atom thick and six times lighter and 200 times stronger than steel. The extraordinary material was also incorporated in the rubber strap to increase elasticity and durability. An Italian design house known for extreme cars, Italdesign has contributed the lightweight materials of its limited-edition “hypercar” – the carbon- fibre body and aluminium and carbonfibre chassis – to Roger Dubuis (rogerdubuis. com), which has unveiled the Excalibur Spider Italdesign Edition of its trademark skeleton tourbillon, limited to eight pieces. The high-octane carbon and ceramic watch bears the national colours of Italy with red-tipped skeleton hands and a red rubber vulcanised titanium crown. One brand where the watches and cars have an intrinsic connection is Porsche Design (porschedesign.com). Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, grandson of Porsche’s founder, established the design firm in 1972. For this year’s Monobloc Actuator GMT Chronotimer, Porsche’s watch division joined forces with its automotive engineers. The innovative 45.5 mm titanium case, which takes its cues from the engine of the new 911 RSR race car, seamlessly integrates a rocker switch on the side of the case to activate the chronograph. Valves prevent dust or water from entering the case when the rocker is moving. Breitling’s (breitling.com) longstanding affiliation with Bentley continues with this year’s Breitling for Bentley Supersports B55, marking the launch of the Continental Supersports, the world’s fastest four-seat car. For the first time, Breitling outfits a Bentley watch with an electronic movement, a special edition of Breitling’s B55 connected calibre that links with your smartphone to deliver multiple functions including some specifically geared for the automotive world. The 500-piece special edition chronograph pairs a light titanium case with a dial in carbon fibre, a material found in accents on the car. The new Bugatti Aérolithe Performance flyback chronograph in titanium is a tribute to the 1935 Bugatti Aérolithe car made from a magnesium alloy. Parmigiani (parmigiani.com) uses laser technology to apply finishes that are finer than those that can be achieved with conventional machining. One such example is an inverted diamond point pattern around the perimeter of the case. The motif from the car’s upholstered seats is echoed on the quilted leather strap. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE WATCHMAKERS 36 CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM
Zenith (zenith-watches. com) pays tribute to vintage English motoring legend, the Range Rover, which hit the road in 1970, one year after the Swiss watchmaker introduced its high-performance El Primero chronograph movement. The Chronomaster El Primero Range Rover Velar Special Edition has a 42mm ceramised aluminium case, a subdued brushed grey dial with coppertoned details, and a black rubber strap coated with black-toned perforated calfskin, the same leather used in the cars. Fittingly, the watch debuted at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. Taking its cue from the motorsports mecca that is Italy, Bovet (bovet.com) has built on its partnership with Pininfarina, the famed Turin-based design house best known for its voluptuous Ferrari designs. The striking OttantaSei was designed to be light in every way, so engineers created a case of sapphire crystal framed in titanium or gold. The watch’s flying tourbillon mechanism appears to float at 6 o’clock, while the single barrel and 10-day power reserve are positioned at 10 o’clock. The airy 44mm case weighs in at 51.66 grams in gold and just 15.54 grams in titanium. Another close connection between car and timepiece can be found at Baume & Mercier (baume-etmercier.com), which engaged Peter Brock, race-car driver and designer of the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupé, to offer input on two new Clifton Club Shelby Cobra Limited Editions. The watches pay tribute to the sleek Daytona CSX2299 Coupé that broke a speed record at 196mph at Le Mans in 1964. Accordingly, the CSX2299 flyback chronograph is limited to 196 pieces. The striking bi-colour silverand-blue dial is a nod to the Daytona’s tail. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE WATCHMAKERS Also from the world of racing, the Renault Sport Formula One Team has partnered with Bell & Ross (bellross.com) for the new BR03- 94 RS17, which was developed to coincide with the launch of Renault’s new racing car, the R.S.17. Limited to 500 pieces, the watch’s ceramic case is paired with a sporty carbon-fibre dial evoking the steering wheel of the Formula One car, while the chronograph display is highlighted in yellow anodised aluminium, the Renault F1 team colour. The watch is the first of a RS17 trio that includes an automatic chronograph and a tourbillon. Another English marque, Jaguar, has a natural kinship with the UK watch brand Bremont (bremont. com). Its first Jaguar watch launched to commemorate the 1963 Lightweight E-type racer that led the GT4 class at the 12 Hours of Sebring. Taking the chequered flag that year was number 23 in Old English White with red and blue stripes, a design that inspired this year’s MKII White chronograph with a red-stitched leather strap. CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM 37
