The association between the watchmaking world and the motoring world is not only historical, but also natural: there is a sharing of common values, such as mechanics, aesthetics and prestige. This attraction to the most beautiful cars and the most beautiful timepieces is easy to understand. After all, there is a common mechanical field between the two sectors and it is commonly said that cars and watches are the two socially accepted «jewels» of men. They are also perfect vehicles for flaunting their status quo...
While the car is the most obvious example of a product of mechanical engineering, a watch endowed with a traditional mechanism can be considered the most perfect machine ever produced by man: it is the only one capable of working 24 hours a day for decades on end and with an almost absolute degree of precision. The fascination with mechanics forms precisely the emotional basis for the multiplication of associations between the most prestigious watch and car companies.
The origins of the automobile can be traced back to the end of the 19^th century, at a time when the art of watchmaking was already several centuries old. The use of recognised watchmaking manufacturers in the design of on-board instrumentation for cars in the first half of the 20^th century became obvious, and this relationship has remained latent or always apparent, through partnerships and sponsorships. Because there are more affinities between the car and the watch than those that exist between the hands on the dial and the speedometer: they are both products of high-level mechanical engineering, products endowed with a mechanical heart, cult objects that arouse strong emotions.
Of course, the more influential the watchmaking manufacturer and the car manufacturer, the more original and technical the product of this union will be. As is the case with Richard Mille and Ferrari, IWC and Mercedes or TAG Heuer and Porsche. And although in some cases this interdisciplinarity has been more successful than in others, the success is a clear indication of the fascination exerted by machines of time and speed – at the end of the day, watches and cars are man’s favourite toys...