Girard-Perregaux dips into Aston Martin paint pot for shimmering new watch

There’s a debate about who created the first wristwatch, with opinions varying between Breguet’s effort for the Queen of Naples (1810) to the one Cartier made for pioneer Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont almost a century later in 1904.

But it’s widely accepted that the first men’s wrist-worn watches to be made in significant numbers were commissioned in 1879 when Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany placed an order with Girard-Perregaux at a Berlin trade show. The Emperor wanted a batch of watches on which his naval officers could tell the time ‘at a glance’ by dint of being strapped to their wrists instead of stuffed in their pockets.

The Kaiser chose Girard-Perregaux because it was (and is) one of the oldest and most celebrated watch companies in existence, having been founded in 1791. But Girard-Perregaux didn’t become interesting from a motoring perspective until 1992, when it was on the brink of failure having unsuccessfully attempted to turn its focus to producing quartz watches. It was then that 44-year-old polymath Luigi ‘Gino’ Macaluso stepped in to buy it.

As well as being a watch designer, an architect and an art collector, Macaluso was also handy as a rally navigator. He won the 1972 European Championship with Raffaele Pinto and the 1974 Italian Championship with Maurizio Verini.

Two years after acquiring Girard-Perregaux, Macaluso struck a deal to become Ferrari’s official watchmaker – a role it held until 2004, after which Panerai took over.

As some readers will recall, the early 2000s was a time when several such car/watch partnerships were being established, including Jaeger-LeCoultre with Aston Martin. The alliance lasted until 2016 and produced some innovative models, after which TAG Heuer took over in 2018 before handing the reins to Girard-Perregaux four years ago.

The latest result of that collaboration is the Laureato Chronograph Aston Martin, above, a take on Girard-Perregaux’s integrated sports watch first seen in 1975 (named after the Italian title of the Dustin Hoffman film The Graduate).

The main feature is its dial finish, which comprises 15 layers of automotive paint twice-baked to give an iridescent effect that, depending on the light, appears to change from a green akin to that of the Le Mans-winning DBR1 of 1959 to a warm orange. Indexes and counters are grey PVD to complement the titanium case and bracelet, while inside you’ll find Girard-Perregaux’s GP03300 self-winding chronograph movement.

And although ‘those who know’ might associate that dial colour with Aston, those who don’t will have to turn the watch over to find the ‘scarab wing’ logo and name discreetly engraved on the sapphire case back, inset.

Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph Aston Martin, £18,200. girard-perregaux.co

As well as producing tough watches for aviators and sailors, Germany’s Mühle-Glashütte has previously collaborated with Mercedes to create a series of models to complement the cars. The new Sportivo Power watch, however, above, is directed more at drivers in general. It has a scratch-resistant ceramic bezel insert and a highly luminous display for night driving. The movement is the maker’s second modular mechanism that combines a conventional chronograph function with an additional feature in the form of a power reserve display. It’s limited to just 200 examples.

Mühle Glashutte Sportivo Power, £4300. muehle-glashuette.de

Founded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania way back in 1892, Hamilton ceased making watches in the US in 1969 after acquiring the Swiss Buren company and shifting manufacturing across the pond. It was in 1969, too, that Buren, in partnership with Heuer and Breitling, perfected the first automatic chronograph. That horological landmark is celebrated in this hefty, 48mm driver’s watch with a distinctively shaped case designed to protect its crown and push-pieces and a suitably ’70s blue and orange colour scheme, above. Just 150 examples will be available, each supplied on a perforated leather racing strap.

Hamilton Chrono-Matic 50, £2300. hamiltonwatch.com