Cut For Time: IWC's Flying Car, Breguet's New Pilot, Blancpain, And Chopard Mille Miglia
Chopard celebrates the start of the Mille Miglia, IWC supports flying car races, Blancpain furthers its Ocean Commitment initiative, and Breguet’s new titanium Type XXI.
IWC Takes to the Sky
IWC is partnering with the first flying electric car racing series. Yes, you heard that correctly. Flying cars are a reality. The race is called Airspeeder, and it’s the brainchild of Matt Pearson, who owns the world’s first performance electric flying car manufacturer, Alauda. His idea: “[T]o create a new kind of motorsport to accelerate the advanced air mobility revolution and transform passenger, logistical and even medical transportation,” according to IWC.
The eVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) flying cars will participate in races in locations all over the world. And Alauda’s latest vehicle, the Mk3, is the first fully functional electric flying racing car. The remotely piloted Mk3s can fly to heights of 40 meters at speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour.
“It’s fantastic to play a part in bringing Matt’s bold vision to life. The Airspeeder team are true pioneers of aviation, and they are bringing together two things that are really close to IWC’s heart,” said Christoph Grainger-Herr, IWC’s CEO. “We are proud to collaborate on an endeavor that will make such a progressive impact on society.”
The New Breguet Type XXI 3815 in Titanium
The aviation theme continues with Breguet’s newest watch, the Type XXI 3815 chronograph in titanium. Breguet has been crafting watches specifically for aviation since 1918. In the 1950s, Breguet launched to the forefront of aviation chronographs with its Type XX, specifically created for the French Armed Forces. It’s safe to say that the brand knows a thing or two about aviation timepieces.
The new Type XXI 3815 watch’s design is inspired by the Type XXI 3817 that was introduced in 2016. The new piece is distinctive in its design aesthetic, with a black sunburst textured dial and Breguet’s Arabic numerals. Titanium is an ultra-strong lightweight material, and it’s a perfect choice for the watch’s case.
There will be two versions produced, both limited to 250 pieces each. What’s the difference? The luminescent color of the hands, numerals, and markers will be available in either orange or green. The watches are equipped with the automatic winding Breguet Caliber 584Q flyback chronograph movement. The case size is a robust 42mm, and the watches feature a screw-down crown and a bi-directional rotating bezel.
Chopard at the Legendary Mille Miglia
Over its 34 years of sponsoring the iconic Mille Miglia, the name Chopard has become practically synonymous with the world’s most renowned classic car race. Chopard’s Co-President, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, is an avid vintage car collector and drives in the race every year with a partner. This year, Scheufele was joined by legendary race car driver Jacky Ickx at the start of the race, in Brescia, Italy.
Chopard also continued its tradition of introducing special limited-edition watches to commemorate the race. As with all the Mille Miglia watches, precision timing is the logical focus. The pieces have all the functions that a race driver needs, including a stop-seconds chronograph with a center sweep seconds hand, a 30-minute counter at 12 o’clock, hours counter at 6 o’clock, and a small-seconds display at 9 o’clock. A tachymeter scale attains high visibility with white lacquered numerals on black ceramic as well.
Two versions will be made of the 44mm Chopard Mille Miglia 2021 Race Edition – one in stainless steel limited to 1,000 pieces, and the other in two-tone stainless steel with 18K rose gold accents limited to 250 pieces. The watches’ movements are COSC-certified with a power reserve of 48 hours.
Blancpain Furthers Its Ocean Commitment with a New Photography Award
The annual Ocean Photography Awards competition draws some of the most spectacular photographs of the seas. Both from above and below. Amateurs and professionals alike from all over the world are welcome to enter the contest. Produced by Oceanographic magazine, the aims is to: “[C]ommunicate the beauty of the ocean, as well as the many perils it faces.”
Blancpain is the 2021 contest’s leading partner, in step with the Blancpain Ocean Commitment initiative, which has evolved ever since the introduction of the Fifty Fathoms watch. “We have established intimate connections with the world’s oceans and the communities dedicated to their preservation,” Blancpain said in a statement. “We have come to understand and support vital initiatives aimed at ocean preservation and the building of public understanding of the cause.”
Blancpain has added a new category to the photography award’s lineup this year in the form of a women’s only award. The award specifically calls out female photographers, who are vastly outnumbered by their male counterparts. The winner will receive a Fifty Fathoms diving watch and participate in Blancpain’s communications centered around the beauty of the ocean.
(Images provided by the brands)