SpotlightGirard-Perregaux And Aston Martin’s Partnership Begins

Formula One teams usually have a number of associated brands, whose presence we see on the drivers’ suits, and their race cars. However, several collaborations often go beyond branding and sponsorship, and among them is Girard-Perregaux’s with the Aston Martin Cognizant team. In fact, the Swiss watch label’s logo on the side-view mirror of the new race car unveiled on Wednesday is just one of many upcoaming collaborations between them and Aston Martin, the carmaker, over and above their participation in Formula One racing. In February, the two brands announced a new partnership, which will also include the creation of special edition watches to reflect this union.

This is the first Formula One car that Aston Martin have unveiled in over 60 years, as they haven’t participated in the popular races since 1960

This is the new race car that Aston Martin unveiled this week, for their Aston Martin Cognizant team, who will kickstart their Formula One participation in the 2021 season

Among all the branding seen on the vehicle, Girard-Perregaux's emblem can be seen on the side-view mirrors

The brand's presence on the race car is only the first aspect of this collaboration

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Past Collaborations

It’s quite common actually for watch brands and car brands to forge partnerships that often last decades even. Among the most well-known watch-and-car brand associations over years are IWC and Mercedes-Benz, Breitling and Bentley, Hublot and Ferrari, Roger Dubuis and Lamborghini, Zenith and Land Rover, and many more. The most recent one before this was the announcement of TAG Heuer’s collaboration with Porsche. In fact, Aston Martin were, until recently, associated with TAG Heuer.

This was a Ferrari special edition watch that Girard-Perregaux came out with back when the two brands were partners, between the 90s and the 2000s

This Aston Martin special edition from TAG Heuer's Carrera collection was as recent as 2018, when the brands entered into a partnership that didn't seem to last too long

And as it turns out, even Girard-Perregaux have had a similar tie-up, having been a partner of Ferrari back in the 90s and 2000s. So it’s not like an association of this nature is new to either of the brands. Yet, it’s quite an interesting one, owing to the commonalities between the brands, even though Aston Martin was founded in 1913, while Girard-Perregaux’s origins go back to the 18th century.

Shared Values

The Laureato Chronograph is a Girard-Perregaux bestseller. It's a steel sport watch, and features a chronograph, which is widely associated with motor racing. It would make perfect sense for the Swiss brand to create an Aston Martin edition of this watch

Instant recognition is a key factor in the products of both brands. For instance, the Aston Martin DBR1 from 1956, which was a predecessor of their DB road cars, featured signature details, such as the side air vent that is a characteristic aesthetic element of Aston Martin’s road-going sports cars even today. Similarly, Girard-Perregaux’s emblematic bridges that originated in the 1800s, with the famous Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges, is an element that has become the brand’s signature feature, in their skeleton displays, yes, but even in the brand’s monogram itself.

Aside from these design staples that have evolved into icons over the decades and centuries for these brands, even their values align. Each manufacturer is heavily informed by the legacies of the people who came before, and the products that laid the groundwork. Yet, they strive to push the boundaries of performance in their fields today, with modern innovations to excel.

Instant recognition is a key factor in the products of both brands

Aside from design staples that have evolved into icons over the decades and centuries for these brands, even their values align

Each manufacturer is heavily informed by the legacies of the people who came before, and the products that laid the groundwork

Yet, they strive to push the boundaries of performance in their fields today, with modern innovations to excel

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The Year Ahead

“The real beauty of partnerships such as this one is that, although we share very similar core values, the two brands can learn a great deal from one another,” stated Tobias Moers, CEO, Aston Martin Lagonda, when the partnership was announced. “Girard-Perregaux are prolific innovators in the use of materials and new technology. We both create highly desirable luxury products that are beautifully designed, deliver a powerful performance and exhibit flawless execution.” Patrick Pruniaux, Girard-Perregaux’s CEO, also weighed in, drawing parallels between the present milestones of the two brands’ journeys. “The year 2021 is an important year for both Girard-Perregaux and Aston Martin. We are celebrating an astonishing 230 years of watchmaking, while Aston Martin celebrate their return to Formula One as a works team for the first time in over 60 years,” he elucidated. “We have much to celebrate, so uniting our worlds to create something special is the perfect way to acknowledge and appreciate these milestones.”

Whether or not we'll see a Laureato Chronograph Aston Martin edition, it will surely be interesting to see what shape and form this partnership between the two brands takes

The first manifestation of this promising partnership is the watch manufacturer’s presence in the new Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One participation in the 2021 season. However, there is more to come, with a promise of the first Aston Martin special edition watch by Girard-Perregaux, slated to be unveiled later in the year.