Relationships between watchmakers and carmakers, and the limited edition timepieces they inevitably yield, are a staple of modern watch branding, and have been since at least the early 1970s. The genre is always changing with one ending and another partnership beginning. The latest multi-year deal, between Richard Mille and Scuderia Ferrari.
From 2011 to late 2020, the luxury Italian automaker’s racing division was involved in a serious, highly prolific relationship with Hublot. It’s unclear why that partnership ended after nine years. Now, the carmaker’s tie-up with Richard Mille sets the stage for what may be the most authentic watch-car co-branding effort we’ve seen yet. The avant-garde watchmaker, known for making “racing machines for the wrist,” is a natural complement to Ferrari.
“Both brands forge their inspiration in the white heat of technology, combining age-old know-how with cutting-edge, state-of-the-art innovation,” according to a press release from Richard Mille. “This multi-year partnership extends from the pinnacle of motor racing in Formula 1 through WEC endurance programmes, Competizioni GT, Ferrari Challenge, Ferrari Driver Academy to the fast-developing Esports category.”
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Over the next few years, Richard Mille and Ferrari will develop a specific range of watches, sure to stand out from the luxury timepieces Ferrari has lent its name to in the past.
Founded by the late great Enzo Ferrari in 1972, the automaker has been involved in the world of prestige horology since 1971, when Heuer became the sponsor and official timekeeper of Scuderia Ferrari, marking the first time a watchmaker was associated with a Formula 1 team, and the first time a watch brand placed its logo on the body of a racecar.
Previously published on Robb Report.
