Breitling has been announced as Official Watch Partner of ultra luxury British automotive manufacturer Aston Martin, marking a compelling collaboration between two brands born from a fascination with speed and a meticulous attention to detail. Aston Martin and Breitling have joined forces to re-establish a connection that has been shared throughout history, with their stories moving in parallel for over a century.
The collaboration will span the worlds of design, engineering, and speed, culminating in the launch of its first timepiece in Q3 2026.
Parallels between the two brands date back to the earliest days of the automobile. In 1907, Leon Breitling introduced the Vitesse. French for “speed,” it was the first chronograph to measure speeds up to 250 miles or kilometers per hour. The device was so precise it was adopted by Swiss police to issue the first speeding tickets. A few years later in England, Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford were testing their hand-built sports car in a defining race up a steep, chalky slope – Aston Hill. The car won, and the name endured.
“Aston Martin and Breitling have crossed paths at key moments in design and culture,” says Adrian Hallmark, CEO of Aston Martin. “The partnership is a perfect showcase of excellence, design mastery and performance, something that is integral to everything that Aston Martin puts its name to.”
By the 1960s, both marques had become symbols of style and modern engineering. Willy Breitling, the founder’s grandson, shook off the austerity of postwar watchmaking with another watch, the Top Time, a chronograph made for a new generation of speed- and style-seekers. When it appeared on Sean Connery’s wrist in Thunderball (1965) as the first Q-modified gadget watch in the James Bond franchise, it became an emblem of the era. Aston Martin’s DB5, which made its debut in Goldfinger (1964) and returned in Thunderball, did the same on four wheels. Appearing together in the same film, they captured the cultural fascination with James Bond’s world, where sophistication met speed and high-tech intrigue.
“Aston Martin builds cars that are as much about presence as performance,” says Georges Kern, CEO of Breitling. “We share that same heritage of iconic design: every line, finish, and proportion has purpose. Nothing is left to chance.”
As this shared legacy continues to evolve, fans of Breitling, Aston Martin, and the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team can look forward to exclusive releases throughout the partnership’s multi-year run, which launches with the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Formula One™ Team, a timepiece that marks Breitling’s return to racing.
