What is Aston Martin’s new partnership with Breitling?
Aston Martin, the Gaydon, England based manufacturer of high-performance grand tourers (GT) and supercars has announced that Breitling, the Grenchen, Switzerland based watch brand will be its new Official Watch Partner.
“Aston Martin and Breitling have crossed paths at key moments in design and culture. The partnership is a perfect showcase of excellence, design mastery and performance, something that is integral to everything that Aston Martin puts its name to.” – Adrian Hallmark, CEO of Aston Martin.
What does the partnership entail?
This “global, multi-year partnership connects Aston Martin’s world of handcrafted high-performance vehicles with the precision and craftsmanship involved in watchmaking.” Breitling also becomes the Official Watch Partner of the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team.
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Will there be new watches?
Yes. This partnership that encompasses “the worlds of design, engineering, and speed” launched with the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team. This watch marks Breitling’s return to motorsports. The first Aston Martin x Breitling watch “born from this collaboration” is slated to be launched during Q3 2006.
“Aston Martin builds cars that are as much about presence as performance. We share that same heritage of iconic design: every line, finish, and proportion has purpose. Nothing is left to chance.” – Georges Kern, CEO of Breitling.
Are there historical similarities between the two brands?
Yes.
“Parallels between the two brands date back to the earliest days of the automobile. In 1907, Leon Breitling introduced Vitesse. French for “speed,” it was the first chronograph to measure speeds up to 250 miles or kilometers per hour. The device was so precise it was adopted by Swiss police to issue the first speeding tickets. A few years later in England, Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford were testing their hand-built sports car in a defining race up a steep, chalky slope – Aston Hill. The car won, and the name endured.”
What do we think?
Partnerships between watch brands and automotive brands / motorsports are interesting, exciting, and often important. The “right fit” amongst them is paramount. When the brands do not align, the partnership does little for the parties concerned. But when they do align, they successfully connect the two worlds of horology and petrol heads.
We look forward to witnessing how the Aston Martin and Breitling journey unfolds, and the new watches that will be born as a result.
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