I can’t remember which love came first, racing or watches.
The 2003 Isle of Man TT stands out as likely the first time I was truly captivated by the sport. It was around then that I purchased my first nice watch, a Tissot V8 (how appropriate), earned after a long summer of hard work and savings. To think that 21 years later I would be at Le Mans, watching a prototype car powered by my company’s technology win after 24 grueling hours is surreal. The completeness of that journey only strikes me now as I’m writing this blog. We have been supporting United Autosports as their AI & machine learning partner for 4 years now, building up to the point where they are now leading the prototype class. I cannot express what it feels like to be part of a team that wins Le Mans. The experience amplifies your anxiety, excitement, hopes, and fears up to eleven. Crash, and you're devastated, win, and you're elated. It will likely be the singular highlight of my relationship with racing… short of racing myself as that seems to be the next appropriate chapter in my own journey.
The two passions, watches & racing, truly go hand in hand if you pardon the pun. There’s something intoxicating about a machine built with absolute precision, yet obsessed with design. Watches and racecars have that in common, they can be gritty yet elegant, precise yet spirited.
For our week long trip I took two of my favorite classic chronographs; a modern Monaco “Steve McQueen” (because, it’s Le Mans afterall) and a very special limited edition IWC Ingenieur. There are tomes written about the former, and the accolades are well deserved. The Caliber 11 Monaco is a fantastic watch that I’ve cherished since 2017. The denim blue dial and quirky yet natural square case is truly a design industry staple. The black leather band is comfortable and infinitely adjustable, with rally style perforations that add a degree of credibility to an otherwise completely amateur driver. I swear wearing this watch helps me shave a few tenths off a lap. For those who have fully lost the distinction between film and reality, I suggest pairing it with white racing overalls and gloves – sprayable champagne sold separately. In all seriousness though, this is a wonderful watch, with my top two complications (date & chronograph) and a size that suits quite universally. One could easily make the case for this as a one watch collection. My dear friend Eric Bruce brought his Gulf Edition Monaco which was a refreshing splash of color and vibrance to the design staple. That version is an excellent eccentric addition for a collector, but for the one watch collector, I’d stick with the classic.
Before I get to the IWC, I’d also like to highlight the classic Speedmaster that was brought by another friend, Andrew Peters. I triple checked for any mention of the moon, NASA or astronauts, expecting that one had been secretly etched in a discreet corner of the watch. It was refreshing. We always forget that Speedies were in racing cockpits long before Apollo, but that was their original purpose. This particular example is full of wonderful complications, yet it retains very pleasing proportions. It’s grown to become one of Andrew’s favorites, and if you see him in the wild today, you’ll find it nicely paired with a mocha nato strap, a gift from yours truly.
All three of these watches are excellent pieces, each one capable of launching their own defense as the best choice, but my highlight from the weekend was the IWC.
If you are seeking a manufacturer with a complicated story look no further than IWC. Here is a brand with an incredible legacy, storied and punctuated by accomplishments in racing, and the military, but also fraught with conflict. Design has oscillated between complacent and feverish, with eras that progressed the industry, and eras that left them forgotten. I will freely admit, I am not an IWC guy. It doesn’t feel like a match for my energy and I haven’t found one that has inspired me… with one exception.
This watch, the IWC Ingenieur “Rudolf Caracciola” edition, may be my favorite watch in my whole collection. It was an edition limited to 750 pieces that was released to celebrate the new direction IWC was taking the collection. I first saw the watch in 2016 in Dubai, and immediately appreciated how special it was. The band is made out of quilted leather, as an homage to the driver Rudolf Caracciola and his Mercedes formula car which featured the same stitching on the seats. It’s a comfortable band, keyholed for slightly smaller wrists than mine, but the style makes it worth it. The case is stainless steel with a sunburst dial which is also steel, but has a titanium hue about it. The lume has a slight patina and the red accents adorn the gauges which create an obvious allusion to a racing instrument cluster. The watch is tall, but also features an open caseback. I certainly have brands that I am fiercely loyal to (particuarly Omega & JLC), but this is a very special watch to me. Ironically, very little design language carried over from previous generations, nor did it follow, making this piece a super unique IWC effort. It’s not my only watch but I don’t think my collection would be complete without it.
Spending time with loved ones, some of my favorite watches, and the top step on the podium makes this year a Le Mans to remember. I loved timing laps on the watches as we walked the circuit, and felt a bit like I was bringing them back to where they all came from. Classic chronos blend tradition and excitement in a way that’s truly unique for a collector, and in a paddock that’s constantly looking for the next Richard Mille or team-inspired Hublot, I couldn’t have been more confident with the authenticity of these hallmarks of racing legacy.