Coffee Corner Watch Talk: Car Watches From Girard-Perregaux, IWC, And Atelier Jalaper

Good morning. How was your weekend? Good. Ready for another watch week? Let me kick off Coffee Corner Watch Talk with a question: where do you stand on collaborations between watch and car brands? I ask you this because Girard-Perregaux announced an Aston Martin F1 watch in high-tech materials. And IWC just released the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Edition “Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team”. There’s also an Atelier Jalaper series of watches with dials made from an Aston Martin DB5 bonnet. Perhaps these are nice topics to discuss over a cup in the coffee corner with like-minded watch fans. And you could also cause a bit of controversy by stating that you’re going to buy yourself a Hublot Big Bang Unico Summer Purple.

Who would like to see Sebastian Vettel (34) win a Grand Prix again? The four-time Formula 1 world champion is suffering from a seemingly endless dry spell and deserves a victory, in my humble opinion. The “veteran” Vettel is a very likable character, I think, and everybody loves an underdog, right? Speaking of underdogs, I think Girard-Perregaux is some sort of underdog nowadays. The brand with a rich and turbulent history is independent again after “breaking free” from Kering, the French multinational holding company with many luxury brands in its portfolio. Will this mean that “GP” can once again reach for the highest spot on the famous Haute Horlogerie pyramid? It didn’t happen when it was part of Kering, but it must happen now, or else I fear for the future of GP. But let’s not start the week and this week’s Coffee Corner Watch Talk with gloomy thoughts. Let’s have a look at a fresh Formula One watch.

Coffee Corner Watch Talk — Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Chronograph AM F1 Edition

The new Laureato Absolute Chronograph AM F1 Edition features a 44mm case. The material GP uses is a blend of titanium powder and carbon elements taken from two F1 race cars used during the 2021 season. According to GP, that has never been done before, but I do recall Roger Dubuis offering watches with straps made from used Pirelli F1 tires. Anyway, a tinted resin creates the British Racing Green color, the Aston Martin F1 livery.

The strap of this Laureato Absolute Chronograph is made in GP Rubber Alloy. Again, GP managed to use carbon elements taken from two 2021 Formula One race cars. No worries, though, because the rubber is supple and the carbon elements won’t cut either the tire — I mean strap — or your skin. Another first for this model is a sapphire case back that allows a view of the automatic in-house chronograph caliber GP03300-1058. The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Chronograph AM F1 Edition is limited to 306 pieces. That’s the total distance that Sebastian Vettel and his Canadian teammate Lance Stroll aim to cover on race day (5.891km × 52 laps) at the upcoming 2022 British Grand Prix. The new F1-inspired Laureato is ready to race for €27,900.

Find more information on the Girard-Perregaux website.

IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Edition “Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team”

What car watch also uses green but is made for another team? The IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Edition “Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team”, of course. It’s a long name for a pilot’s watch with green luminescent indexes, Arabic numerals, hands, and day and date indications. There are two straps to choose from. First is a textured black calfskin strap with stitching in Petronas Green, a calm sea-blue kind of green with the color code 38B09D that’s completely different from the dark green shade Aston Martin uses. There’s also a fully green smooth rubber strap. Both have a system to allow quick strap changes in true F1 style. Inside the 41 × 14.5mm Grade 5 titanium case beats the caliber 69385, an automatic, in-house chronograph movement with a column wheel. The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Edition “Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team” is an online-only watch that will set you back €8,400.

More info on the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One team watch can be found right here.

Atelier Jalaper creates watch dials from an Aston Martin DB5 bonnet

There are no carbon fiber or F1 team colors in this next collection of watches. But just like Girard-Perregaux did, Atelier Jalaper has used car parts in four different iterations of its AJ-001 and AJ-002 models. The dials are actually made from the bonnet of a vintage Aston Martin DB5. James Bond made the car world-famous, and it has become one of the most coveted collector’s cars. Now, after finding a DB5 bonnet in a garage in a London suburb, Atelier Jalaper has turned it into 600 unique dials. The four different models with a DB5 dial each show a unique patina, and they range from €800 to €1,150.

Find out more on the official Atelier Jalaper website.

Rounding out Coffee Corner Watch Talk — Hublot Big Bang Unico Summer Purple

Hublot used to be the sponsor of Ferrari F1, but alas, it no longer is. So there’s no car relationship I can speak about in the case of the new Big Bang Unico Summer Purple. All I can think of is that wearing this watch while cruising along the coast in a convertible with your left arm casually on the door could be a very pleasant experience. Maybe it’s a good idea to wear a matching purple shirt with this 42mm Big Bang that is cut from lightweight aluminum. It’s quite an unusual material to use, but it fits the non-steel philosophy of the Nyon-based brand. The case is anodized purple and received an alternating brushed and polished finish. It’s also good to know that the anodizing offers remarkable protection from scratches and impacts.

Velcro or rubber this summer?

Inside the aluminum case beats the HUB1280 manufacture chronograph movement. It has a power reserve of 72 hours, and the column wheel is also visible through the dial. The purple hands and indices that surround them have received touches of luminescent white. To match its all-purple look, the Big Bang Unico Summer comes with two straps in the same color.  There’s a Velcro strap with matching stitching, as well as a strap in natural rubber. Both straps feature the One-Click system to make strap changes a breeze. And we can all use a nice, cool breeze during those hot summer days. The Big Bang Unico Summer Purple is a limited edition of 200 pieces and has a price of €21,700. It’s available from June at Hublot’s e-Boutique online, as well as in the brand’s 125 physical boutiques.

Find your purple Big Bang on the official Hublot website.

I hope you enjoyed the car watches and pop of purple in this edition of Coffee Corner Watch Talk. Now, have a cup of coffee, put on Prince’s “Purple Rain”, and enjoy a great watch week!

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