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The Adventures of Vintage Cars and Watches

by Bhanu Chopra . Jun 29, 2022

The Adventures of Vintage Cars and Watches

The synergy between cars and watches has always existed, from the fine dash chronographs created by the esteemed watchmaker Breguet for the extravagant ‘Royale’ cars produced by Ettore Bugatti in the 1930s to the Heuer timers on the rally car dashboards. There are movies about car racing with icons like Steve McQueen and Paul Newman making watches part of the car culture. More recently there have been several collaborations between watch companies and car brands – IWC and Mercedes AMG, TAG Heuer and Porsche, Bremont and Jaguar to mention a few. Needless to say, that many car enthusiasts are also watch collectors, and vice-a-versa.

Ultimately there is nothing quite like a drive along your favorite road on a sunny summer day, especially if you’re equipped with a beautiful wristwatch to track your travels. With eBay Motors, you can shop for the dream car that has always lingered in the back of your mind. The marketplace has everything from exciting sports cars to classic vintage models dating all the way back to the turn of the 20th century. With watches purchased from eBay, you can expect to find a collectible timepiece you will cherish with options like eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee in the U.S., where all watches $2000+ are verified at no additional cost. For watches $1,000-$2,000, you can opt-in for expert verification for a fee. With the millions of listings on eBay Motors, the range of inventory can’t be found anywhere else – from vintage components and maintenance parts, to performance parts that add an extra edge. In this article, Revolution will give you a whimsical look at the adventure offered through the eBay marketplace by exploring a few vintage car and watch pairings for a dream adventure.

Vacheron Constantin Historique American 1921 and a Ford Model T

We’ll begin by going way back to the 1920s with a pairing that is sure to turn heads. On eBay Motors, you can pick up an authentic 20s era Ford Model T for a vehicle that is sure to be the talk of the town. And while it’s true that Ford said, “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it’s black,” there were models released after 1925 in several colors including blue, red, grey and green for some exciting options.

1927 Ford Model T Runabout

What better companion for a car made in the 20s than a unique watch inspired by the Vacheron Constantin American 1921? The watch featured a cushion shaped case with a display that was rotated to a diagonal timekeeping so that drivers could read the dial without taking their hands off the wheel. As part of its 100th anniversary celebration, Vacheron Constantin released their Historiques American 1921 as an homage to that innovate timepiece. It’s available in two sizes, 40 mm and 36 mm, and a several case options including white gold, pink gold and platinum.

Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921 Mens Yellow Gold 82035000J

Rolex Daytona and the Volkswagen Beetle

Our next pairing is inspired by the inimitable actor and driver, Paul Newman. His love of wristwatches was well known and his own 1968 Rolex Daytona sold for $15.5 million at an auction in New York. The Daytona is an iconic timepiece that tops many a collector’s list for dream timepieces. With models that range in size, color and materials, there are several options to select one of these beauties for your own collection.

Rolex Watch Daytona Patrizzi Dial Zenith Movement Stainless Steel

When it comes to automobiles, nothing is more newsworthy than Newman’s famous “Indy VW.” In 1963, he purchased a little red convertible Volkswagen Beetle and brought it to Jerry Eisert. Eisert used his race car building skills on the little car for an incredible mechanical overhaul and turned the unobtrusive car into a racer with 300 hp. The car remained a favorite of Newman for years to come with many entertaining anecdotes shared over the years.

1963 Volkswagen Beetle

Bremont Jaguar MK1 and a 1960s era Jaguar E-Type

While there are many collaborations between watchmakers and car manufacturers, we chose to take a close look at the fantastic partnership between Bremont and Jaguar. In 1961, the Jaguar E-type was launched during the Geneva Motor Show. This sleek and elegant sports car was the perfect melding of performance, beauty and competitive pricing and its impact on the world of consumer sports cars is notable. In fact, fifty years later it was ranked first on a list of the “100 most beautiful cars of all time” by The Daily Telegraph.

1968 Jaguar E-Type

Bremont is an English based watchmaker known for their aviation and military watch models. Bremont and Jaguar have a relationship that dates back to the release of the Jaguar C-X75 when the watchmaker created the unique analog dashboard clock in homage. In the years that followed, many more clocks and timepieces were created, including a very special collaboration upon the 60th anniversary of the Jaguar E-Type. The three-hand Bremont Jaguar MKI and the bi-compax chronograph Bremont Jaguar MKII were both inspired by the tachometer of the Jaguar E-Type and deliver a striking and unique sport watch.

Bremont Jaguar Jaguar MK III Men's Watch in Stainless Steel

TAG Heuer Monaco and a Porsche 911

Our final exploration centers around another iconic movie star, Steve McQueen. In his 1971 racing movie, Le Mans, he sports a TAG Heuer Monaco Grand-Prix Edition timepiece with vintage style and race inspired logo. This watch was the first automatic chronograph to feature a square case for a recognizable and iconic timepiece. In fact, the watch was so successful that in 2020 TAG Heuer released a limited edition of their TAG Heuer Monaco Grand Prix de Monaco Historique in homage to that original worn by McQueen.

TAG Heuer Monaco Automatic Chronograph Stainless Steel Men’s Watch CAW211P.FC63

Steve McQueen was also famous for his incredible collection of automobiles. While taking acting lessons, he earned money by competing in local motorcycle races and developed a love of motor sports that would stay with him. One of his most recognizable cars was the black on black Porsche Speedster that he purchased in 1958. He kept the car in his collection until the late 1960s, when he sold it to real estate magnate, Bruce Meyer. It wasn’t long until he convinced Meyer to sell the Chassis 84855 back to him and he kept the beloved car until his death in 1980. His son, Chad, has kept the car in his own collection since.

1968 Porsche 911 L Coupe

Unlimited Possibilities

We hope you enjoyed this fun exploration of the opportunities for using eBay’s incredible ability to bring collectors and sellers together. With eBay Motors, you can shop the massive collection for your own dream car. With eBay’s vast inventory of luxury watches you can buy a timepiece with confidence through their Authenticity Guarantee service, which includes all watches bought and sold in the US. For watches $1,000-$2,000, you can opt-in for expert verification for a fee you can rest easy knowing that you are receiving exactly what you expect when buying that special collector’s timepiece.

Damian Butt, presenter of both TheCarGuys and TheWatchGuys YouTube channels explains, “Cars and watches go together so well because they require similar decision making to buy and collect. They are both often expensive, shiny, beautifully designed, well-engineered, and portray an image and character beyond words. eBay is the perfect way to grow your own collection and create your own adventures.