The legend lives on
British watch brand Bremont formed a partnership with Jaguar more than a decade ago when it made a bespoke clock for the C-X75 concept car. It followed that four years later with gold watches to complement the continuation Special GT E-types built by Jaguar Classic, then produced a range named after the Mark I and Mark II saloons (and added a MKIII for good measure).
So when it was announced two years ago that Jaguar Classic would produce 25 continuation D-type racers to bring the number built to a round 100, it was only right that there should be another Bremont special – this time a run of 300 chronographs with dials in the blue livery of the Ecurie Ecosse Le Mans winners of 1956 and ’57.
You won’t be surprised to discover that the maker is set to mark this year’s 60th anniversary of the regular E-type with another round of limited editions, the designs of which honour the two 1961 launch cars.
The gunmetal grey coupé that was driven ‘flat-out’ from Coventry to the Geneva Motor Show by Jaguar PR man Bob Berry and the BRG roadster delivered the following day by the marque’s legendary test driver Norman Dewis after he was told to “drop everything” and get to Switzerland have been used as the inspiration for six matched pairs of fully-restored E-types.
Three pairs will be in a specially produced Flat Out Grey and three in Drop Everything Green in memory of the original show cars.
Accordingly, the watches that go with them will be made in two editions – 60 with grey ceramic bezels and grey ‘racing’ straps and 60 with green bezels. The steel chronographs feature winding rotors in the form of miniature Jaguar steering wheels and dials inspired by the E-type’s Smiths instruments. Each watch will be delivered in a bridle leather trimmed box along with a superb pair of rally timer stop watches, which can be attached to a car dashboard or used as desk clocks.
But that’s not all that buyers get, because the price also includes an otherwise impossible- to-obtain experience – a trip to Jaguar’s test centre for a drive of the Mark I E-type once owned by 10-times motorcycle world champion Mike Hailwood and a few laps in one of the lightweight E-type competition cars.
Bremont founders Nick and Giles English are especially proud of the project because they still own and drive the 1970 E-type roadster that belonged to their late father.
“He bought it as a wreck more than 35 years ago and rebuilt it from the ground up,” says Nick. “We still remember seeing it in hundreds of pieces on the workshop floor.”
Bremont Jaguar E-type 60th anniversary edition set, £12,995
bremont.com
French watch brand BRM (named Bernard Richards Manufacture after its founder) has backed numerous motor sport teams and drivers since its founding in 2003. Its latest partnership is with China’s DS Techeetah, the double Formula E champion with which BRM has collaborated on a run of 42 limited edition watches – 21 three-hand models and 21 chronographs. Each has a 44mm case, a dial mounted on tiny shock absorbers and a finish that mirrors the livery of the cars.
BRM DS Techeetah, £4500 (three-hand), £7000 (chronograph)
brm-manufacture.com
In its relentless pursuit of cool, Breitling has teamed up with Australian motorcycle customiser (and now international lifestyle brand) Deus to create a limited edition version of the Top Time chronograph. It features a case back engraved with the image of a speeding motorcycle and a dial carrying the Deus logo. Breitling CEO Georges Kern has also recruited Deus-backed motorcycle racer and surfer Forrest Minchinton to the brand’s ‘squad’ of inspiring individuals.
Breitling Top Time Deus, £4100
breitling.com