This weekend January 27-28, 2024 is the weekend for the legendary 24 Hours at Daytona Race now called The Rolex 24 at Daytona. Held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, it is considered one of the most prestigious races worldwide. A thrilling endurance race, The Rolex 24 at Daytona is the second most important endurance race in the world after the 24 Hours of Le Mans —24 Heures du Mans— in France.
Posts filed under Automobiles
Experience: Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Tourbillon Exclusively for Rolls-Royce
In response to a request from a client who collects both luxury cars and fine watches, Vacheron Constantin has created a bespoke on-board watch for their Rolls-Royce Amethyst Droptail motor car. Working closely with the British luxury manufacturer’s designers and craftspeople, Vacheron Constantin's teams have crafted the unique Les Cabinotiers Armillary Tourbillon timepiece, housed in a removable and secure holder that fits into the motor car's fascia.
Experience: 2023 Le Mans Classic by Richard Mille Record-Breaking Race
A record-breaking race was the 2023 Le Mans Classic with 800 competing cars, 900 drivers, 9,200 club vehicles and 235,000 spectators. These figures consolidate the Le Mans Classic’s position as the world’s largest classic car event. A faithful partner of the Le Mans Classic since it began in 2002, Richard Mille was keen to pay tribute to this wonderful event by revealing a particularly spectacular new watch adorned in the colors of this historical event.
News: A. Lange & Söhne Presents 1815 Chronograph to the 'Best of Show' at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d’Este
The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d'Este is one of the annual highlights of the global classic car community. Since 2012, A. Lange & Söhne has been a partner of this historic beauty contest for rare automobiles, which took place last weekend against the backdrop of Lake Como. This year, the German manufactory once again honored the winner of the “Best of Show” with a unique 1815 Chronograph in white gold.
From the Archives: Impressive Collection of Audemars Piguet Watches, Porsches and Diecast Scale Cars.
Continuing with the series where we showcase some of the most impressive and versatile watch collections in the world, this is the time to share with you a watch collection mainly composed of Audemars Piguet timepieces. Since often, it is quite common to find that watch collectors happen to also be collectors of many other objects of desire; this AP watch collection ended up taking the backseat as we were blown away by an even more impressive car collection —mostly Porsches— and one of the world's largest diecast scale 1:18 and 1:12 cars also in possession of this watch collector.
News: Richard Mille's Chantilly Arts & Elegance 2022. Record Attendance for its 6th Edition.
Under a glorious late September sky, the Domaine de Chantilly was once again the dream setting for the Garden Party, Chantilly Arts et Élégance Richard Mille which has now become must an unmissable date in the early autumn calendar. This year’s 6th edition attracted more visitors than ever before with a total of 20 000, many in their Sunday best, ambled down Memory Lane retracing the history of some of the world’s most iconic motorcars.
From the Editor: The Rolex Daytona with 24 Hours at Daytona 'Winner' Engraving is Not a Myth
This morning, I was asked by one of our readers via email if a Rolex Daytona bearing a 24 Hours at Daytona ‘Winner’ engraving on its case back was necessarily a fake watch or not. Since I’ve covered this topic before, I decided to talk about it again today and clear up the air for those of you still wondering. While some of those watches bearing the ‘Winner’ engraving could be absolute garbage fakes, there are some of them out there, that are as real as it gets.
Experience: Porsche 911 50th Anniversary Edition. A Modern Interpretation with Vintage Character Like a Patek Pilot Travel Time.
What could be more classic than wearing a Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time ref. 5524G while driving a highly rare 50th Anniversary Porsche 911. For five decades, the Porsche 911 has been the heart of the Porsche brand. Few other automobiles in the world can look back on such a long tradition and such continuity as the Porsche 911. It has been inspiring car enthusiasts over the world since its debut as the model 901 at the IAA International Automotive Show in September 1963. In 2014, to celebrate half a century of this iconic car, Porsche presented a modern iteration with vintage touches referred to as the 50th anniversary 911.
Experience: A Watch Collector that Loves Formula One Racing as Much as He Loves Watches
Every time we travel, we end up meeting new watch collectors that decide to open the doors of their homes to us and share their world and passion for watches and other indulgences. Some of them are OK with us documenting these visits and sharing them with our readers, and others are way too private to even allow us take any pictures of what they are sharing with us.
Experience: BMW 850Ci 'The Shark'. With a Very Short Production Run, Just like that of the Platinum Offshore 44.
If you were born in the 1970s or the 80s, the BMW 850Ci is no stranger to you. Nicknamed ‘The Shark’ because of its nose resembling that of the marine animal, the BMW 850 was presented in 1989 at the Frankfurt Auto Show and became an instant hit when it hit the market in 1990. Back then even before car or watch pricing bubbles were a thing, bimmer enthusiasts were already paying above retail for this 90s iconic automobile.
Experience: Ferrari California T Handling Speciale. Better when Paired with a Hublot LaFerrari King Gold.
Originally launched in 2008 as a hard-top retractable convertible Ferrari, the Ferrari California gained a lot of followers and attention from those looking for an entry-level Ferrari —if that is even possible— and a 'Cavallino Rampante' that offered the ability to seat more than two. Following the success of the Ferrari California, in 2016, Ferrari launched the California T, a turbocharged California with an 8-cylinder 3.9-liter engine capable of delivering a 553 horsepower.
Experience: Porsche Taycan Sport Chrono Package with Porsche Design Subsecond Chronograph
As early as 1963, the Porsche 911 was equipped with an electrically driven clock as part of the five-tube instruments. In the early 2000s, Porsche added a central auxiliary instrument in the middle of the dashboard that was originally intended to display lap times. Even today, the Subsecond watch in the new Sport Chrono Package is an electrically powered clock. First available for the Panamera at the end of 2020, the Porsche Design Subsecond Chronograph is now also available for the Taycan within the Sport Chrono Package option.
News: Girard-Perregaux Partners with Aston Martin Lagonda and Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team
After partnering in the past with watch brands like Jaeger-LeCoultre and Richard Mille, Girard-Perregaux has been announced as the Official Watch Partner of luxury British automotive manufacturer, Aston Martin. The Swiss Manufacture is one of the oldest names in watchmaking, known for making peerless exemplars of Haute Horlogerie. The two brands will collaborate on upcoming limited-edition timepieces. In the relentless pursuit of speed, time is the overriding concern.
Experience: Patek Philippe ref. 5960/1A and a Macan GTS with Bordeaux Red Interior. A Match Made in Heaven.
Every once in a while, certain watches are the perfect match for a particular car. Depending on the color of their dials, straps, or colorful accents —in their overall design—, one can sometimes perfectly match a watch to the exterior and interior of a car. While it doesn’t happen often, we believe that the combination between a Patek Philippe ref. 5960/1A and a jet black metallic Porsche Macan GTS with Bordeaux red Interior, is a match made in heaven.
Experience: Porsche 911 GT2RS Clubsport. Limited Like an AP Royal Oak Offshore Rubens Barrichello 1.
It’s been a while since we last talked about automobiles here on WCL, and as we begin delivering the content for the new year 2021, we said to ourselves, why not talk about the most impressive Porsche ever to start the year with a bang. Very much like an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Rubens Barrichello 1 ref. 26071IK.OO.D002CA.01, the Porsche 911 GT2RS Clubsport comes in a limited edition of only 200 units.
Experience: Lamborghini Urus and an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Ultra-Thin. Two Impossible to Believe Feats of Design.
When the Lamborghini Urus came out, everyone thought it was impossible for a supercar brand like Lamborghini to ever release an SUV that would still feel like a Lambo without losing its soul. In parallel, when the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Ultra-Thin was presented as a concept watch under the RD#2 name, everyone thought that such a thin automatic perpetual calendar only 6.30 mm thick would never be put into regular production. Well, Lamborghini and AP have proven everyone wrong.
Experience: Porsche 911 50th Anniversary Edition Geyser Gray. A Modern Interpretation with Vintage Character Like the Patek Philippe Pilot Travel Time.
What could be more classic than wearing a Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time ref. 5524G while driving a highly rare 50th Anniversary Porsche 911. For five decades, the Porsche 911 has been the heart of the Porsche brand. Few other automobiles in the world can look back on such a long tradition and such continuity as the Porsche 911. It has been inspiring car enthusiasts over the world since its debut as the model 901 at the IAA International Automotive Show in September 1963. In 2014, to celebrate half a century of this iconic car, Porsche presented a modern iteration with vintage touches referred to as the 50th anniversary 911.
Experience: Porsche Macan. The Perfect Summer Ride without Compromising on Power and Exhaust Sound.
Swapping a Porsche 911 Carrera S —991— for a Porsche Macan Sport Chrono Package seems like an awful thing to do. While you are forfeiting 152 horsepower as the Macan comes with only 248 hp versus 400 hp on the Carrera S, you are getting a lot more in terms of practicality, functionality, and space without compromising on the fact that you are still driving one helluva Porsche. Furthermore, if you choose to go with a Macan S, a Turbo, a GTS or even a Macan Sport Chrono Package, the sound of its exhaust won’t let you down, as all of these options come with the PSE —Porsche Sport Exhaust— system. In terms of torque, speed and sound, the Macan doesn’t let you down.
Experience: Aston Martin DB11 Volante. A Match Made in Heaven with an HYT H1 Dracula.
For this particular shoot, we could’ve not picked any other watch better suited for an Aston Martin DB11 Volante in China Grey with red and black interiors. If anyone at Aston Martin had thought of a watch with an identical color scheme, they would’ve never imagines that the HYT H1 Dracula with its black DLC titanium case, grey flange and red fluidic hours would be the perfect watch and a match made in heaven. In the world of Aston Martin ‘Volante’ refers to a drop-top —convertible— car. The DB11 Volante is not only a very sexy convertible but also a powerful V8 twin-turbo —as the V12 is not available on the Volante— machine that drives like a bat out of hell —perhaps dracula out of hell. Big, bold and with an incredibly loud roaring engine, the Aston Martin DB11 Volante is a great four-seater with a little bit more of room than a Ferrari California and of course with a steeper price tag but worth all the money.
Experience: The 2019 Rally Maya with Franck Muller. Latin America's Second Most Important Rally.
For a third year in a row, WCL joined the Rally Maya in its 6th edition this past weekend and this week. This exceptionally orchestrated rally with a route that reaches the confines of the most remote roads through the Yucatán Peninsula kicked-off this year from the archeological site of Uxmal to finish off in Tulum, one of the world’s most revered archeological sites. Despite the sweltering temperatures throughout the route that passed through Mérida, Izamal, Peto, Valladolid, the K’aak Cenote and Puerto Morelos, 110 classic cars were driven by their pilots and copilots —mostly classic Mercedes-Benz, Porsches, Jaguars, Alfa Romeos, Austin Healy, an Audi that belonged to former Mexican President Adolfo López Mateos and several Mini Coopers— in what is today the second most important rally race in Latin America after the Carrera Panamericana.
