Aston Martin partners with Breitling 

MANILA: Aston Martin tapped Swiss watchmaker Breitling and named the latter the former’s “Official Watch Partner” for its Formula One race outfit. 

Per the British luxury car manufacturer, the said deal marks “a compelling collaboration between the two brands born from a fascination with speed and meticulous attention to detail.” 

The partnership — the Gaydon-based automaker noted —  will span the worlds of design, engineering, and speed, culminating in the launch of its first timepiece in the third quarter of 2026. 

“Aston Martin and Breitling have crossed paths at key moments in design and culture,” Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Adrian Hallmark was quoted as saying. 

“The partnership is a perfect showcase of excellence, design mastery, and performance, something that is integral to everything that Aston Martin puts its name to,” he added. 

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Parallel words 

According to Aston Martin, it shares parallels with the St.-Imier-based watch brand, and the said collaboration looks to re-establish a connection that the two entities have in common. 

In 1907, Breitling’s founder (Leon Breitling) introduced the Vitesse (French for speed), a chronograph that can measure speeds up to 250 miles or kilometers per hour. Aston Martin said that the device “was so precise,” it was adopted by the Swiss police to issue the first speeding tickets. 

Years later, Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford (founders of Bamford & Martin, which later became Aston Martin) began testing their hand-built sports car in a defining race up a steep, chalky slope — Aston Hill. 

By the 1960s, both marques became symbols of style and modern engineering. 

In 1964, Sean Connery drove the Aston Martin DB5 as British spy extraordinaire James Bond in the movie Goldfinger. 

The nameplate made a comeback in 1965 in Thunderball, where it shared screentime with the Breitling Top Time, a chronograph introduced by Will Breitling — the founder’s grandson — which was made for a new generation of speed- and style-seekers. 

In James Bond lore, the Breitling Top Time was the first Q-modified gadget watch in the movie franchise. 

Appearing together in the same film, they captured the cultural fascination with the fictional Royal Naval Reserve Commander's world, where sophistication met speed and high-tech intrigue.

“Aston Martin builds cars that are as much about presence as performance,” Breitling CEO Georges Kern commented. 

“We share that same heritage of iconic design: every line, finish, and proportion has purpose. Nothing is left to chance,” he concluded. 

Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Formula One Team 

As noted earlier, Aston Martin and Breitling are set to release a timepiece born from their collaboration in the latter part of the year, which will be from the Navitimer family. 

Currently available for “pre-order,” the Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Formula One Team is a piece that brings to life “the partnership between Breitling and Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team.” 

Here are some details of the wristwatch, which is touted as a Breitling Navitimer, “conceived for a world where milliseconds matter.” 

• Limited to 1,959 samples 
• Carbon fiber dial 
• Lightweight titanium case 
• Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01 movement with matte black rotor with Aston Martin Aramco logo 
• 30-meter water resistance 
• 70-hour power reserve 

“Originally developed as a pilot’s instrument, with a circular slide rule for real-time calculations, the Navitimer made its way from sky to circuit, worn by drivers who demanded the same precision on the track,” Breitling wrote on the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Formula One Team product page. 

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