Girard-Perregaux: Official Watch Partner for Aston

British automotive manufacturer Aston Martin announces Girard-Perregaux as Official Watch Partner of luxury. The Swiss Manufacturer is one of the oldest names in watchmaking, known for making peerless exemplars of Haute Horlogerie. The two brands will collaborate on upcoming limited-edition timepieces.

The race against the clock

In the relentless pursuit of speed, time is the overriding concern. The race against the clock has captivated fans of motorsport for more than 100 years. The measurement of time has challenged watchmakers throughout history. The similarities between both domains are clear to see.

Visionaries with an innate passion founded both Aston Martin and Girard-Perregaux. Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford founded Aston Martin in 1913. Girard-Perregaux can trace its origins to 1791, when Jean-François Bautte, aged just 19, produced his first watch.  But most notably, it was a love story that led to the birth of one of the greatest names in watchmaking when Constant Girard married Marie Perregaux in 1854.

Aston Martin DBR1

The now-legendary Aston Martin DBR1 (1956) was a precursor for some of the marque’s most well-known heritage ‘DB’ road cars. Frank Feeley, a highly talented in-house designer styled the car. The shape of the DBR1 remains one of the most beautiful and graceful of all time. Moreover, the design incorporates a key functional attribute – the side air vent – which debuted on this car and remains a key functional and visual characteristic of Aston Martin’s road-going sports cars to this day. This functional element has become a key aesthetic detail that imbues the marque’s models with their distinctive personality. In fact, one glance at an Aston Martin car immediately reveals the identity of its maker.

Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon

Similarly, when Girard-Perregaux released its now-famous Tourbillon ‘With Three Gold Bridges’ in 1867, it transformed three functional components, often hidden from view, into attractive aesthetic features. With the advent of this watch, the once invisible was deliberately made visible. Throughout its 230-year history, the Swiss Manufacture has demonstrated its creativity, often playing with different shapes. Indeed, it is this mindset that inspired the brand’s slogan ‘Shaping the now for those in the know.’

A Beautiful Partnership

While both organisations have amassed a wealth of skills and traditions, they continue to look ahead. Indeed, it is this progressive mindset which sees both firms embrace continuous improvement and pursue superior performance.

Tobias Moers, Chief Executive of Aston Martin Lagonda remarks: “The real beauty of partnerships such as this one is that, although we share very similar core values, the two brands can learn a great deal from one another. Girard-Perregaux is a prolific innovator in the use of materials and new technology. We both create highly desirable luxury products that are beautifully designed, deliver a powerful performance and exhibit flawless execution.”

Otmar Szafnauer, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One^™️ Team Chief Executive Officer and Team Principal says: “We at Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™️ Team are thrilled to be announcing a partnership with Girard-Perregaux today. Aston Martin and Girard-Perregaux share so many brand touchpoints – a rich history, a glorious heritage, and a relentless devotion to the pursuit of premium quality combined with high technology.

On the racetrack, time, too, is of the essence. Formula One™️ and Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™️ Team in particular will prove themselves to be respectively a fantastic promotional platform and a brilliant marketing partner for Girard-Perregaux, whose timepieces lead the way in terms of quality and desirability.”

Return to Formula 1

Patrick Pruniaux, Girard-Perregaux’s Chief Executive Officer, adds: “2021 is an important year for both Girard-Perregaux and Aston Martin. We are celebrating an astonishing 230 years of watchmaking, whilst Aston Martin celebrates its return to Formula 1 as a works team for the first time in over 60 years. We have much to celebrate so uniting our worlds to create something special is the perfect way to acknowledge and appreciate these milestones.”

Girard-Perregaux branding will feature on the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One^TM Team cars at the start of the 2021 F1 season in Bahrain. The first timepiece to be borne from the collaboration between Aston Martin and Girard-Perregaux will be revealed later this year.

For more information visit: www.astonmartin.com.