Aston Martin x Girard Perregaux Collab on $146,000 Limited Edition Tourbillon Watch

Luxury automaker Aston Martin and Swiss Girard-Perregaux have collaborated for the first time to create the limited edition Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges “Aston Martin” watch.

Earlier this year, Aston Martin announced Swiss watch brand Girard-Perregaux as its Official Watch Partner and to celebrate have revealed the limited edition Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges “Aston Martin Edition” as their first collaboration timepiece.

“We are delighted to partner with Aston Martin, entrusting their team with arguably our most iconic timepiece, delivering a fresh perspective on Haute Horlogerie,” says Patrick Pruniaux, CEO of Girard-Perregaux. “Rarely do we work with others to reinterpret the Three Bridges, however, on this occasion, we have made an exception, mindful of Aston Martin’s prowess for design.”

“When viewing the design of an Aston Martin, you will note the firm’s distinctive front grille, first seen on the DB Mark III of the late 50s. Likewise, the scoops and side strakes found on the company’s modern-day models are functional elements, intended to improve airflow while enriching the overall appearance of each car.”

“At Girard-Perregaux we share a similar philosophy. For example, when the Maison released the now-legendary Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges in 1867, it transformed three functional elements into attractive aesthetic features and demonstrated an approach that we continue to employ today. Finally, this latest partnership provides a fascinating chapter in Girard-Perregaux’s 230-year history.”

This latest model reimagines Girard-Perregaux’s iconic Three Bridges pocket watch from the 19th century in a new way and features a 44mm case made of Grade 5 titanium, selected by Aston Martin for its lightweight properties, suffused with black DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) for a blacked-out look.

Appearing to float in mid-air, Girard-Perregaux’s iconic three bridges made of titanium with black PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) treatment span the dial and offer unhindered views of movement pieces that are usually hidden.

The cage of the tourbillon, positioned in the lower portion of the dial, is ‘lyre-shaped,’ a characteristic found on all the company’s tourbillons dating back to the 19th century, while a blued hand affixed to the cage imparts the running seconds. The tourbillon cage, measuring only 10mm in diameter, is composed of 79 components which collectively weigh only 0.25 grams and helps mitigate energy consumption.

The barrel, positioned at 12 o’clock, is open-worked, affording partial views of the mainspring. A white gold micro-rotor, positioned beneath the barrel, energizes the mainspring, and, unlike most automatic watches, it grants unobstructed views of the movement.

The words “Aston Martin” appear on the vertical flank of the micro-rotor and are filled with white luminescent material, which appears blue in restricted light. Likewise, the indexes and hands are also treated with white luminescent treatment and, once again, emit a blue glow in dim light.

‘The greatest of the challenges we faced with the design of this new timepiece were those of scale, as you can imagine,” shared Marek Reichman, Aston Martin Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer.

“We had to consider lines and proportion on a far smaller scale than we are used to in the realm of automotive design. That said, good design is good design, whether it is a watch or a car, the principles remain the same. I’m delighted with the finished watch and congratulate everyone who worked on this project as this collaboration has produced a timepiece of great beauty.”

The Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges “Aston Martin” Edition is priced at US$146,000 and limited to 18 pieces worldwide.