Round-UpSuccessful Synergy: Eight Exceptional Collaborative Watches
In the past few years, the luxury watch industry has witnessed a surge in collaborations with other industries. Thanks to a host of partnerships with a wide range of companies and individuals, luxury watchmakers have introduced truly original and distinctive special editions that reflect these associations. Let's take a look at some of the coolest outcomes
May We Recommend
Following the announcement of their all-new partnership with British luxury automotive marque Aston Martin, Swiss watch brand Girard-Perregaux introduced their first Aston Martin special edition earlier this month. The Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges Aston Martin Edition perfectly showcases the high-standard craftsmanship, limitless creativity, and extreme mechanics for which both the brands are best known.
The 44mm timepiece, limited to just 18 units, is a testament to the fact that in the past few years, the luxury watch industry has increasingly warmed up to the idea of collaborations. One of the prime reasons for the popularity of these partnerships is that they result in truly original timepieces that appeal to those who appreciate the exclusivity that these special editions offer. Moreover, when two brands come together, it often leads to the expansion of each brand’s fan-base.
Therefore, it is not surprising to see so many high-end watchmakers breaking age-old traditions and norms and joining hands with not just the automobile sector, but with a wide range of companies and individuals from different backgrounds. For example, the association of Breitling and Outerknown, which is a clothing brand that manufactures sustainable garments, shows the growing concern among the watch manufacturers regarding sustainability. They have moved beyond supporting one or two charities and have begun to pay attention to their choice of raw materials, production facilities, packaging, events and more. On the other hand, the world of sports has been a popular playground for the forging of successful brand partnerships that transcend basic sponsorship. Case in point—brands such as Hublot and Panerai have associated with football clubs and cricket stars over the years, garnering appeal from fans of these sports.
Let’s take a closer look at eight exceptional timepieces born out of some of the coolest and most creative collaborations in recent times.
Breitling Superocean Heritage II Chronograph 44 Outerknown
Co-founded in 2014 by the 11-time world surfing champion, Kelly Slater, Outerknown are a sustainable clothing company. With a goal of producing recyclable and eco-friendly products, they have been manufacturing apparel and accessories made from a unique material called Econyl—a completely non-toxic yarn created from plastic waste materials, including fishing nets. Notably, the same fabric has been used to create the strap of the Breitling Superocean Heritage II Chronograph 44 Outerknown. Introduced in 2018, the timepiece is a result of the ongoing association of the Swiss luxury watchmaker with Outerknown and their firm commitment to sustainability. The 44mm watch is offered in a black DLC-coated stainless steel case with an ultra-hard scratch- and shock-resistant unidirectional-rotating ceramic bezel featuring a luminescent central dot at the 12 o’clock position. Meanwhile, the dial looks well-balanced and pretty legible despite the matt grey ‘SuperOcean’ inscription, three sub-dials, the central timekeeping, and day and date indicators. The deep blue hue of the dial perfectly complements the strap of the Superocean Heritage, which comes with the Outerknown ‘OK’ emblem. The clothing brand’s logo can also be seen engraved on the caseback of the timepiece with a water resistance of up to 200m. Overall, it is a sincere attempt by Breitling to integrate sustainability with their timepieces without compromising on quality, durability, and design.
Read more about Breitling’s sustainability initiatives and their partnership with Outerknown
Bremont MKII Black
For around two decades, Bremont have been spearheading the British horological industry with their exceptionally crafted timepieces that are truly present English tradition and culture. So, in 2010, when they announced their partnership with another British company—the premium car manufacturer, Jaguar—it came as no surprise. In the coming years, both the brands came out with some of the most stunning timepieces seen recently, including an in-car clock for Jaguar’s XJ75 Platinum Concept car and watches for the Queen of England’s fleet of Jaguar cars. However, the landmark moment arrived in 2014, when Bremont and Jaguar introduced a brand-new collection of wristwatches in celebration of one of the most iconic and coveted cars by the British carmaker—the Lightweight E-Type. The Bremont MKII Black is part of this range and sports a slew of features that are reminiscent of the high-powered and ultra-fast E-Type. It comes with a black dial that has a bi-compax layout, featuring a ‘red line’ placed inside one of its sub-dials, which mimics the tachometer of the E-Type. Not only this, at the six o’clock position, right above the date aperture, there is a sharply printed logo of Jaguar. Housed in Bremont’s unique 43mm ‘trip-tick’ case, the MKII Black offers a crown textured with a tyre-tread pattern—an aesthetic element that also enhances grip. On turning the timepiece around, we get to see the in-house self-winding calibre, BE-50AE, beautifully presented with a special, open-worked rotor that resembles the steering wheel of the aforementioned racing car.
Carl F. Bucherer Patravi ScubaTec Black Manta Special Edition
Manta rays are a rare and spectacular type of fish. They have been on this planet for more than 20 million years, and some of them can measure up to a whopping 23 feet. These large, flat, and diamond-shaped fish exhibit fascinating behaviour, and sometimes, they gather together to leap out of the sea and launch themselves into the air. However, they are now disappearing. Due to overfishing, pollution and loss of their habitat, manta rays have come to the brink of extinction. Thanks to charities such as the United Kingdom-based Manta Trust, whose aim is to study these fish and their ecosystem, the total disappearance of manta rays might get delayed. In 2017, Carl F. Bucherer tied up with the Manta Trust to support and raise awareness about their cause and introduced the Patravi ScubaTec Manta Edition. Two years later, the Lucerne-based watch manufacturer introduced a new edition—the Black Manta Special Edition—that comes with some formidable diving credentials. Presented in a 44.6mm DLC-coated titanium case with a two-tone unidirectional bezel, the watch offers a mesmerising black dial with an elegant pair of mantas in a bronze hue in its centre. The dial also features raised hour markers, a date aperture, and Super-LumiNova-coated timekeeping hands that make the timepiece perfectly legible in low-light conditions. Water-resistant up to 500m, the watch is equipped with a screwed caseback that features an impressive engraving of the manta ray. Keeping in line with the environmental theme of the timepiece, the Black Manta Special Edition is fashioned with a rubber strap, with a nylon overlay made from recycled plastic bottles.
Doxa Sub 300 Carbon Aqua Lung Sharkhunter
The partnership between Doxa and Aqua Lung International—a Paris-based diving equipment manufacturing company—is more than five decades old. It all began during the 1960s, when Jacques-Yves Cousteau, the co-founder of Aqua Lung and inventor of modern-day scuba diving, came across the Doxa Sub and was so enchanted by the timepiece that he decided to become the sole distributor of Doxa in North America. He did that through Aqua Lung’s subsidiary—the US Divers Company, which is now known as Aqua Lung America. During the production of the timepieces, an initial batch of the Sub 300s featured the Aqua Lung logo in black and yellow, which eventually became a collectible for Doxa fans.
To celebrate the history of this collaboration, Doxa and Aqua Lung once again came together in 2020 and introduced a limited-edition of the Sub 300, with a forged carbon case and black rubber strap. Just like the original model, the Sub 300 Carbon Aqua Lung Sharkhunter comes with a dial featuring the famous black-and-yellow Aqua Lung logo and looks perfectly legible. Along with a date aperture at three, the dial consists of an oversized minute hand in yellow, making it ideal for reading under deep seawater. Another attribute that makes this Sub 300 variant a go-to watch for professional divers is the quintessential patented Doxa unidirectional-rotating bezel, which comes with dual rings that relate to each other by corresponding the depth in feet with how long the diver can stay at that depth for a no-decompression dive. This ensures a safe ascent of the diver by calculating the correct dive duration. Water-resistant up to 300m, the timepiece is equipped with a COSC-certified movement, protected by a titanium-built caseback.
Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Juventus
No list of collaborative watches is complete without the mention of Hublot. The Swiss watchmakers have become known for their tie-ups with a wide array of personalities and artists from the world of music, art, cars, and sports. The association between Hublot and football goes back to 2006, and in the past few years, the brand have partnered with FIFA, UEFA, and the Premier League. One such eminent collaboration of Hublot’s is with the famous Italian football club—Juventus. Founded in 1897, it is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Italy. Having won almost all national tournaments back in the day, Juventus are considered the best Italian club and second-best European club of the 20th century. So, it was nothing but natural for these two legendary and iconic organisations to join hands and celebrate their partnership with a product made through collaborative efforts. Here is the limited edition Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Juventus, which comes in a black-and-white colour scheme—exactly like on the jerseys of the club. The 45mm timepiece exudes sporty yet elegant vibes, owing to its combination of a carbon-fibre bezel and satin-finished ceramic case. The black sunray satin-finished dial of the watch features the Juventus Football Club logo printed at three o’clock, in addition to a date display at six and two silver-tone chronograph sub-dials. The club’s logo can also be seen on the caseback of the timepiece.
Oris Big Crown ProPilot Day Date TLP Limited Edition
Unlike countless aviation watches out there in the market, this timepiece comes with a stamp from an actual high-end pilot training institute. Here is the Oris Big Crown ProPilot Day Date, crafted in collaboration with the Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP), an elite pilot training school based in the Spanish city of Albacete. Also known as the Pilot School of NATO, the TLP was founded in 1971 and formed by 10 NATO nations—Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK, and the US—participating in the programme. It is essentially a multinational centre of advanced training for pilots and crews with the aim of enhancing the effectiveness of the Allied Air Forces in the fields of combat and tactical leadership. Given the illustrious history of Oris in the genre of pilot watches, their partnership with the TLP seems to be a natural fit. To mark this brand-new collaboration, the Hölstein-based brand released 750 units to the TLP edition in 2021. The 44mm timepiece is offered in a matt grey PVD-coated stainless steel case with an oversized crown for better grip, and a jet engine-inspired coin-edged bezel. However, the most captivating attribute of the watch is its dial, which comes in a green hue—a nod to the green overalls worn by TLP pilots. Apart from this, it also features the Oris wordmark and ‘Big Crown Propilot TLP’ text at six in a beige hue, referring to the colour scheme of TLP’s eagle emblem that can be seen emblazoned in gun-metal grey on the caseback.
Panerai Luminor GMT MS Dhoni Edition
Known for crafting timepieces that are resilient enough to bear some of the most strenuous conditions on the planet, Panerai have always collaborated with those who showcase similar traits. Whether it is Mike Horn, who is one of the first men to travel to the North Pole without a dog or motorised transport during the winter season, or Guillaume Néry, a freediving champion, the ambassadors of Panerai are the epitome of peak human endurance and grit. So, it seemed nothing but obvious when the Italian luxury watchmaker chose the cricket legend, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, as their representative for the Indian market in 2019. The former captain helped the Indian cricket team achieve every single international title under his leadership. The team won the 2007 ICC World Twenty, the 2010 and 2016 Asia Cups, the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. To honour his impeccable legacy and countless achievements, Panerai introduced two special Dhoni editions of their timepieces and one of them was the Luminor GMT. What sets this 44mm timepiece apart is its caseback, which features a silhouette of Dhoni, along with his signature and an inscription that reads ‘Mahendra Singh Dhoni 183’—a reference to his top score in one-day international cricket. The Luminor GMT is presented in the brand’s familiar cushion-shaped case made from a solid block of AISI 316L stainless steel. For the dial, Panerai chose green—Dhoni’s favourite colour. Water-resistant up to 300m, this watch perfectly encapsulates the essence of who Dhoni is—a remarkable athlete and a true gentleman.
Zenith Defy 21 Land Rover Defender Edition
It is commonly believed that car people are also watch people. Behind this is a shared love for top-notch mechanics, extraordinary performance, and extraordinary designs. As a result, collaborations between luxury watchmakers and car manufacturers have prospered in the past few decades. A case in point is the partnership between Zenith and Land Rover, which began in 2016 and is still going strong. After introducing a variety of timepieces, both of these iconic brands, in 2020, launched a brand-new variant of the Defy 21 that takes its design codes from the completely revamped and updated off-road SUV—the Defender, which Land Rover first introduced in 1983. Housed in a 44mm matt grey, micro-blasted titanium case, this extremely lightweight timepiece exemplifies the rugged yet comfortable philosophy of the Land Rover Defender. Powered by the legendary El Primero 21 movement—capable of measuring 1/100th of a second—the dial of the timepiece doesn’t come with any Land Rover branding and looks uncluttered and clean. Instead, it is the five-spoked rotor of the Defy 21 that is designed to resemble the wheels of the Defender. The timepiece also features the word ‘Land Rover’ on one of the spokes of the rotor and the lower part of the caseback.
Shop The Story
-
Girard-Perregaux Bridges
99296-21-001-BA6A
-
Breitling Superocean Heritage
M133132A1C1W1
-
Bremont Motorsport
J-MKII-BK-R-S
-
Carl F. Bucherer Patravi
00.10632.28.33.99
-
Doxa SUB 300 Carbon Aqua Lung US Divers
822.70.101AQL.20
-
Hublot Classic Fusion
521.CQ.1420.LR.JUV18
-
Oris ProPilot
01 752 7760 4287-Set
-
Panerai Luminor
PAM01056
-
Zenith Defy
97.9000.9004/01.R787
