Long live the sporty-chic aesthetic!

Pour séduire une clientèle plus jeune et s’accorder à la décontraction des dressings modernes, les montres sport chic s’imposent comme une évidence.

To conquer millennials addicted to their sneakers and street culture, watchmakers—even the most classic among them—are in turn launching their sporty-chic models. The watch to go perfectly with the much-loved jeans and trainer outfit. Such is the case with Cartier, which has enriched the Pasha family of watches with the sportiest of complications. Chronographs are also in the spotlight at Tudor. Its Black Bay Chrono model has been revisited in steel, powered by the watchmaker’s high-performance self-winding calibre with column wheel and vertical clutch. The reworked case and two dials with contrasting sub-counters are in the finest tradition of sports chronographs. These variations will undoubtedly seduce fans of “panda” watches, so-called because their “face” closely resembles that of the animal. Even Hermès is venturing onto the sports field. And it’s a success story! The cushion-shaped H08 with its edgy lines, graphene-filled composite case, black ceramic bezel, and tone-on-tone dial is simply irresistible! Classic with a Twist is Vacheron Constantin’s guiding principle in 2021. Among the new additions to the Traditionnelle collection is the watchmaker’s Split-Seconds Chronograph Ultra-Thin. This 950 platinum watch made in a limited numbered edition of 15 pieces is highly sophisticated. Earlier this year, Zenith reaffirmed its position as the undisputed master of high-frequency self-winding chronographs with the new Chronomaster Sport. The collection welcomes an elegant interpretation of this exceptional 1/10th of a second Chronograph powered by the latest version of the watchmaker’s star movement, the El Primero 3600 calibre, housed by a 41mm rose gold case with piston-type pushers.

On the starting grid
The links between motor sport and fine watchmaking are GROWING stronger and tighter. This year, Swiss watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen and German car manufacturer Mercedes-AMG, who have been in partnership since 2004, unveiled the Chronograph Pilot's Watch Edition AMG with a carbon fibre dial. Under the bonnet, the first IWC Chronograph Pilot's Watch in titanium is powered by an IWC Manufacture movement, calibre 69385. While Richard Mille unveils the RM 40-01 Tourbillon Automatique McLaren Speedtail, the fruit of its latest collaboration with McLaren Automotive, Girard Perregaux is rolling with Aston Martin. As an official partner of the British manufacturer, the watchmaker celebrating its 230th anniversary has seen its logo displayed on the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula OneTM team single-seaters since the launch of the 2021 season in Bahrain. The first timepiece resulting from this collaboration will be revealed later this year. Be patient! Finally, the partnership between watchmaker Breitling and car manufacturer Bentley Motors has produced a sublime limited edition of 25 pieces. Collectors are already snapping up the Premier B21 Chronograph Tourbillon 42 Bentley Limited Edition. Commissioned in 2002 by Bentley Motors to create an onboard clock for its legendary Continental GT, the watchmaker also pays tribute to Willy Breitling, the passionate Bentley driver whose watches changed the face of timekeeping.