Step Back in Time: Vintage Watch and Antique Auto Show

Many people have a special liking for antique cars, just as many people are obsessed with antique watches, these old objects that have been aged and tempered over time have a strong sense of history, whether they are "driving" by controlling the steering wheel, or "worn" on the wrist Controlling" They are all full of accents and feelings. In addition to emotional factors, antique cars and antique watches are becoming more and more popular in the second-hand and auction markets because of their investment returns.

Perhaps because of the popular trend of antique cars, many watch brands have aimed at this market and made efforts in cross-border cooperation, hoping to win the favor of antique car fans. Let's take a look at some recent cooperation cases.

A. Lange & Söhne

A. Lange & Söhne sponsored two antique car shows, one is the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este antique car show held on the shores of Lake Como, Italy, and the other is the Concours of Elegance antique car show held in the Royal Garden of Hampton Court Palace in the suburbs of London.

A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph 18K White Gold "Concorso" Special Edition

Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este is an annual event in the world of antique cars with a long history. A. Lange & Söhne has been a partner of the show since 2012 and will create a unique watch As a prize for the winner of the Rare Car Contest. The 2023 model is a 1815 chronograph 18K white gold "Concorso" special edition with a hand-engraved cover with the motor show coat of arms on the back. This kind of watch bottom cover has a specific name called "general officer type" bottom cover, which can not only protect the movement, but also can be opened to appreciate the movement at any time, and it can also be engraved with special meaning patterns.

A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph "Hampton Court" special edition

A. Lange & Söhne also created a special 1815 chronograph watch "Hampton Palace" for the Concours of Elegance antique car show held in September last year, but it was not used for prizes, but for auction, and the proceeds will be Donate to The Prince's Trust, a charity founded by the Prince of Wales in 1976 to help children and young people acquire essential life skills, prepare them for the workplace and provide employment opportunities. On November 6 last year, at the auction held in Geneva, this watch was sold for 1,058,500 Swiss francs, setting the highest record in the history of A. Lange & Söhne watch auctions.

Breguet

Another antique car show also held in London is called London Concours. This year, it was held at the Honorable Artillery Company garden in central London from June 6 to 8, and the sponsored watch brand was Breguet.

Breguet's N°2023 chronograph exclusively for Bugatti

In the nearly 250-year history of Breguet, it has a lot of connections with the automotive field. For example, it has produced a series of dashboard timers with a speed scale in the center of the steering wheel for Bugatti's Royale model; in addition, it has also designed for Lamborghini's Diablo model. And manufactured 60 clocks. These timers and chronographs have been acquired by the brand in recent years and have become precious collections of the brand museum in Paris.

Richard Mille

2023 Princess Rally Poster

Racing is not a sport exclusively for men. There is such a rally in which all female drivers participate, and the cars are all antique cars. This is the famous Rallye des Princesses. Richard Mille has sponsored the race since 2015. Events, and organize teams to participate in the competition.

On June 3 this year, hundreds of antique cars, driven by female drivers, set off from Place Vendôme in Paris and headed for Nice on the Côte d'Azur after 5 days. Every year, the path and distance are different. In addition to the beautiful scenery, there are sudden rainstorms along the way. The rules of the race are not as fast as possible. There are more than 10 precise timed stages on the road, and the speed limit must be strictly followed, which is a test of the driver's skill.

Vigorously sponsoring the Princess Rally, witnessing Richard Mille's attention to women's racing career, breaking the monopoly of men, so that women can also show their pursuit of speed and driving skills. In order to support this hailed as "the most beautiful rally", Richard Mille released the RM 71-01 Talisman watch before, which has become the most beautiful talisman on women's wrists.

RM 71-01 Talisman watch by Richard Mille

From the Princess Rally, we can see Mr. Richard Mille's love for antique cars, so we have to mention the "Chantilly Arts et Elegance" sponsored by Richard Mille. This large-scale exhibition combining fine arts and top antique cars is held annually at the Château de Chantilly in the north of Paris, making the castle an open-air museum of antique car treasures.

I participated in this antique car show in 2017. To be honest, those antique cars are not "antique" at all. appeared a full century ago.

The watches mentioned above are either unique or limited, and it is difficult for ordinary consumers to own them. Let’s take a look at some of the watches we have a better chance of owning.

Breitling

In recent years, a cross-border antique car watch launched by a brand has become very popular, and that is Breitling's Top Time series. American-made classic racing cars, namely Chevrolet Corvette, Ford Mustang and Shelby Cobra.

The name of the Top Time series feels very powerful when you hear it. This was the 1960s, when Breitling had launched chronographs for land, sea and air professionals, such as Navitimer, Transocean, Superocean, Chronomat, and Co-Pilot. The "trendy watch" launched by the young generation full of freedom, vitality and unrestrained.

Breitling Top Time series B01 watch

The bold and color-contrasted designs of these 3 watches have received rave reviews after they were launched. By 2023, on the basis of these 3 watches, in addition to launching an upgraded version of the new work-the case size is 41 mm, all of which have been replaced with excellent brand reputation. The B01 independent movement, the back of the watch is also designed with a transparent bottom, and a new Ford Thunderbird is added, and the Milan steel chain is added in addition to the original leather strap.

Chopard

Chopard co-president Karl-Frederik Schaefer has been racing the Mille Miglia since 1989

Since 1988, Chopard has been the global sponsor and official timekeeper of the Mille Miglia event for 35 years. Mille Miglia means "1,000 miles" in Italian. As the name suggests, it is a car race that spans 1,000 miles. Although its history can be traced back to 1927, it has undergone repeated changes in the past century, and has been reborn since 1977. A classic car competition that does not emphasize speed blindly, but enjoys the pleasure of long-distance travel, embodying the true Italian Dolce Vita - La Dolce Vita. Take the 36th Mille Miglia in 2023 as an example. After 5 days, the participants traveled from Brescia in northern Italy to Rome and back again. It can be said that they traveled through the most beautiful region in Italy and became a classic car carnival that remembered history and culture. meeting.

Chopard Mille Miglia Series Classci Chronograph watch

Also since 1988, Chopard has launched the Mille Miglia series of watches every year to pay tribute to this special event. This year's 4 new works, the original racing elements are coming. With a diameter of 40 mm, it has a chronograph function. The shape of the dial is reminiscent of an antique racing car dashboard. There are black, red, gray blue and light green options; the dial and case back are marked with the Mille Miglia route. Some are paired with rubber straps, the strap patterns are derived from the tire pattern of Dunlop racing cars in the 1960s, and some are paired with vintage brown calfskin straps, just like traditional driving gloves, but whether it is rubber or leather straps, they all exude a strong and elegant atmosphere.

It is hard to imagine that in another 10 or 20 years, when fuel vehicles are replaced by new energy vehicles, when our physical and mental activities are replaced by AI, will mechanical watches or smart watches be replaced by a new way of reading time? Woolen cloth? Everything we use today will become antique. As for the fact that you will eventually be replaced, are you full of anticipation and curiosity, or are you full of fear and resistance?