Cars and Watches: A Match Made in Heaven
If you are enthusiastic about cars, you are also enthusiastic about watches, or you will certainly enjoy them. It is pretty clear why; just as a car reflects its driver’s personality and taste, a watch does the same for the wearer.
The love of cars comes from the love of mechanical greatness. Hundreds of parts with the smallest tolerances work in harmony to move something substantial, to get us from point A to B, and while doing so, sometimes give us indefinable excitement. Mechanical watches also get us with a similar effect; hundreds of parts, tiny parts, with the smallest tolerances, work in harmony. This time, to tell us what time it is. Both creations celebrate the art of engineering and design.
Even mathematics tells us that there is an inseparable connection between speed and time, as speed equals distance traveled divided by time taken. So cars and watches go together like bread and butter, coffee and donuts.
We know these analogies have been done to death, but they are fun, and here’s our take.
Presidential Candidates: Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Rolex Day-Date
Both have been picks of exceptional people and symbolized success for decades.
Picking the models from Mercedes-Benz and Rolex that represent each other is pretty easy. The ultimate Mercedes offer is the S-Class. And the ultimate you’ll get from Rolex? The Day-Date. The watch is the ultimate in sophistication and comes only in precious metals–yellow gold, white gold, or platinum. Like the Day-Date, the Benz S-Class oozes sophistication and is the pinnacle of automotive luxury. The S-Class and the Day-Date have become synonymous with “I made it” moments in people’s lives and will do so for many decades to come.
Timeless Icons: Porsche 911 and Rolex Submariner
You can't go wrong if you buy an icon.
There’s no need to wax poetic about how classic these two are: A Porsche 911 answers almost any question about sports cars, a Rolex Submariner answers almost any question about sports watches, and both are living legends. The Submariner is the most known sports Rolex since 1954, and it can accompany you anywhere from sunbathing at the beach all the way to black tie events. Just like the watch, a Porsche 911 is the epitome of the usable, flexible, everyday sports car with an immense heritage backing it up.
Speedy Professionals: BMW M3 and Omega Speedmaster
The two masters of speed and precision.
The BMW M3 is one of the most famous sport compact cars, the daddy of all, and it’s been busy being the reference point for many of its competitors when it comes to driving precision. Omega’s Speedmaster never falls short of the M3 when it comes to heritage; it has accompanied us in humankind’s greatest extra-terrestrial missions. But it started its life as a watch for racing. The first wristwatch that went to the moon, and a car that takes its drivers to the moon and back down here, on race tracks and winding roads. A killer duo!
Kings of Cool: Ford Mustang and Tag Heuer Monaco
Another two icons in their respective fields, with a very influential figure tying them up.
The King of Cool. Actor and racing aficionado Steve McQueen is an immortal legend himself, and he turns anything he touches into an icon, too. The Ford Mustang is undeniably the first car that comes to people’s minds when it comes to “the quintessential American sports car.” It is a milestone in American automotive history, and it was at least as cool as its driver, McQueen himself, while jumping through the streets of San Francisco in the movie Bullitt. A remarkable chronograph in the automotive and racing world is Heuer Monaco, again crowned by no other than McQueen himself in another legendary movie, LeMans.
Japanese Swords: Lexus LC and Grand Seiko Tentagraph
Take a Toyota and make it WAY better: You get a Lexus. Take a Seiko and make it WAY finer: You get a Grand Seiko.
The Tentagraph, Grand Seiko’s first-ever high-beat chronograph, boasts a new design grammar called Evolution 9 and a new caliber with a 72-hour power reserve. The watch showcases Japanese tradition, discipline, and precision. The Lexus LC is the brand’s top-tier offering with similar precision and represents all things Japanese when it comes to high-end sports cars.
Military Issued: Jeep Wrangler and Hamilton Khaki Field
Military roots and American spirit–and Swiss precision in one, as a bonus.
The iconic Jeep Wrangler, introduced in 1986, has deep roots in the US military. Its origins trace back to World War II when the US Army needed a compact, durable, and four-wheel drive vehicle for war zones. Willys won the contract and built the vehicle, which evolved into the Wrangler we know today. Similarly, Hamilton became the official watchmaker for the US Army in WWII. Their field watch, popular with soldiers back then, evolved into the Khaki Field series. It is now Swiss-made but carries the same rugged spirit, just like the iconic Wrangler.
The Dependables: Toyota Land Cruiser and Seiko SKX
Both are rock-solid, reliable, and Japan-made tools to tackle heavy-duty work.
Toyota’s Land Cruiser has been on the market since 1951, making itself one of the longest-running models in the brand’s history. Its ruggedness, reliability, and durability made the Land Cruiser a classic in the automotive and off-roading world. The perfect match to the Land Cruiser would be a classic Seiko SKX diver. Like the SUV, the watch is utilitarian, robust, and well-designed. It is a bomb-proof watch for professional and recreational divers…or desk divers! We have another similarity: Most SUVs ultimately see more asphalt time than unpaved roads, and most diver watches see more desk time than under the water!
Charmers: MINI Cooper Cabrio and Panthère de Cartier
This one’s for the ladies!
Rooted in British automotive history, the iconic MINI offers a widely known and charming design. It is the perfect companion for a woman who values style and freedom. Cartier wristwatches have been a symbol of luxury and sophistication, and the Panthère adds a touch of refinement to any outfit. The car and watch duo blend classic elegance and modern flair, accompanying a woman in her daily life with grace and charm.
BONUS: Battista Farina and Gérald Genta
One of the most influential figures in the world of horology, Gérald Charles Genta, was a Swiss watchmaker and a watch designer—or artist, to be more precise! Genta is known for designing some of the most remarkable wristwatches: Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak, Patek Philippe’s Nautilus, Omega’s Constellation, IWC’s Ingenieur, and Cartier’s Pasha de Cartier, to name just a few.
In an interview with his wife, Evelyn, she states that one of Genta’s favorite artists was Battista Farina, founder of the legendary coachbuilder Carrozzeria Pininfarina. Battista Farina established his name among many European car brands through the fifties. A close friend of Battista, Enzo Ferrari, used Battista’s designs on all his cars, making Pininfarina synonymous with Ferrari.
