We’re told ad nauseam that watches and cars are a match made in heaven – but what about watches and motorcycles? That’s an area into which plenty of high-end brands have strayed, but few have had much success in persuading bikers to part with cash or, indeed, in working out what they really want in a watch.

One of the bolder efforts was made in 2007 when Jaeger-LeCoultre recruited MotoGP star Valentino Rossi as a brand ambassador, marking the association with special versions of its 46mm Extreme World Alarm and Master Compressor Chronograph models. But with prices ranging from £5500 to £12,300 when £10,000 bought a 170mph superbike, there were few takers and the partnership fizzled.

At around the same time the now-defunct JeanRichard signed a deal with MV Agusta to produce a watch celebrating the F4 1100 CC. Then Tudor had a go at the motorcycle market by signing up as the official timing partner of Ducati in 2011, a move followed by Baume & Mercier teaming up with Indian Motorcycle in 2017.

Breitling, however, appears undaunted by the failure of other watch houses to make a significant go of the two-wheeled world. Last year it produced a sell-out limited edition in collaboration with custom bike builder Deus, prior to which it had entered a partnership with Norton that it was forced to sever when well- publicised management ‘irregularities’ sent the celebrated British marque into administration.

But now Breitling is back in the dusty arena of motorcycling through a new deal struck with Triumph that makes it the official watch of the manufacturer, which built more than 75,000 machines last year. To celebrate, Breitling has launched this special version of its Top Time chronograph, a model first seen in the 1960s and worn by Sean Connery in Thunderball.

The new Triumph version gets a dial based on the Thunder Blue livery of the 1951 Thunderbird with the Top Time’s ‘squircle’ subdials being finished in black and set into paler blue triangles to create a pattern that Breitling buffs call the ‘Zorro’ look. The only outward reference to the partnership is a Triumph logo above six o’clock.

There’s a bike to go with it too, in the form of a £16,000 limited edition version of the 1200cc Speed Twin, above, featuring a blue fuel tank, top specification Ohlins rear suspension, billet aluminium clutch cover and a speedo and rev counter based on the watch. There’s also a grey-stitched leather seat that mimics the Top Time’s strap. Just 270 will be available and each buyer gets the option to buy a Top Time engraved with the same edition number as their bike.

Breitling for Triumph Top Time Chronograph, £4500
breitling.com

 

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To mark its role as timekeeper of the Extreme E off-road race series, Zenith has announced five special editions of its Defy Extreme chronograph, one for each round of the competition. The first is this Desert X Prix, produced for the Saudi Arabia event held at the site of future city Neom (first phase to be completed by 2025). The carbon fibre and titanium watch has a ‘crushproof’ case with a lid coated in material produced from old race tyres and a plate covering made from a recycled tarpaulin. Just 20 examples are available.

Zenith Defy Extreme E Desert X Prix Edition, £22,700
zenith-watches.com

 

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Laurent Ferrier is a former racing driver who competed in the Le Mans 24 Hours seven times, achieving third in 1979 in a Porsche 935. He had a good idea of what to do when he set out to create ‘the ideal watch to wear during the race’ – and the Sport Auto is it. The 41.5mm effort features a titanium case and bracelet, and a legible running seconds subdial and highly luminous hands and hour markers. There’s also a new in-house movement that’s visible through the caseback.

Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto. SFr 46,000 (£37,800) excl taxes
laurentferrier.ch