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8 Best Watches at the Intersection of Motorsports and Timekeeping

These timepieces prove that the bond between fine watchmaking and fast cars runs deep—sometimes in subtle nods, other times in roaring declarations.
May 20, 2025

Let’s talk about the cars and watches that can intersect the different worlds. Sometimes there are watches directly connected to the car company of the motorsports industries; sometimes they are pieces that are influenced by racing.

5750P Advanced Research Fortissimo

Let’s start off with something that will surprise people. You rarely connect Patek Philippe to automobiles, but they actually have really interesting and very personal connections for certain pieces.

Take a look at their 5750P Advanced Research Fortissimo. The watch is part of their Advanced Research family, so it will really go only to the most serious of the serious. It is a minute repeater and was the test bed for many interesting new complications and directions. They say the aesthetic is inspired by the wire wheels of vintage automobiles, but the story is better than that. Patek Philippe President Thierry Stern likes driving his David Brown Speedback GT for its combination of modern technology with vintage design. Sit down with him for lunch sometime and see how he feels about cleaning those wire wheels by hand to get the real story. You will see it in his eyes.

Also, race cars and vintage road cars are often a topic for their wonderfully ornate table clocks, as are the sailboats on Lake Geneva.

Vacheron Constantin Historiques American

The Vacheron Constantin American, part of their Historiques family, is a watch that is a bit different. The face is slightly canted, as is the crown. The story here is that this was requested by a client who wanted to be able to tell the time more easily without twisting his wrist. Or, if you think about how much strength was needed to muscle those olds cars around, without ever loosening your grip on the steering wheel.

Rolex Cosmograph Daytona

Now for the more easy and obvious examples. The Rolex Daytona, for example, which is actually the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona. It has been a staple of all the best race tracks and is indeed something that is on the wrists of most race car drivers (whether they admit it or not because of team sponsorships). The most valuable ones are the ones that are given to the winners of the Le Mans 24 Hour Endurance Race. An interesting thing to note here is that traditionally, it is the steel Daytonas that are the most coveted. In other words, those in the know wanted the steel.

TAG Heuer Carrera and TAG Heuer Monaco

A watch company with a hugely serious technical connection with racing is TAG Heuer. They had direct personal relationships with racing team owners and race car drivers and they were the first to really work with them in connection with their watches. They were also the people who timed the races themselves and developed the equipment over the years that was needed for motorsports timing and other sports timing. While the round Carrera model is often the one connected by most people to motorsports, it is actually the square Monaco that you will see on the wrists of race car driver and TAG Heuer engineers and design people when it’s on their own time.

Omega Speedmaster

People often think of the Omega Speedmaster as the watch that went into space, but the reason they had something that was chosen to go up in space was because they had developed the piece with very consistent and accurate chronograph abilities that was meant for racing. Also, they have a whole history of working with racing legend Michael Schumacher on some very interesting and highly collectible pieces.

Chopard Mille Miglia

Another watch company that has a huge connection with cars and water racing, but on a historic level, is Chopard. They have been supporting classic races including the Mille Miglia for decades. Their co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele (along with his sister and co-president Caroline) have always had their hearts in the vintage and classic racing scenes, and their Mille Miglia watch line provides some very popular sporty models that also have the level of finishing and complication for which the house is known.

Porsche Design 1

Prof. Ferdinand Alexander Porsche created the 911 in 1963. He also created the Porsche Design company in 1972, and their first product was a watch, the 1. That watch was groundbreaking at the time, with an all-black case and dial. They also were early in the use of titanium in wristwatches. They continue to produce luxury products today, and the Chronograph 1 has been re-issued for its 50th anniversary. Porsche Design watches are heavy on design and engineering daring sometimes, but then so was the 911.

Richard Mille RM UP-01 Ferrari

One of the more modern names to see in connection with motorsports and wristwatches is Richard Mille. This very specialist independent watchmaker has become a very flashy choice for a lot of race car drivers, and indeed his relationship with racing has been unusual in that you will see his watches across different teams because sometimes the relationship is with the drivers themselves. Their RM UP-01 Ferrari looks like a sheet of paper put on the wrist, but it is actually a 1.75 mm thick working wristwatch.

At the end of the day, the love for cars and watches goes way beyond just gears and engines or hands and dials. It’s about the stories, the craftsmanship, and the passion that fuels both worlds. Whether it’s a vintage ride or a modern marvel on your wrist, these pieces remind us why we’re drawn to speed, style, and the thrill of the ride.

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