Watch For Cars

Believe it or not, sports cars and motorsports are inextricably tied to the world of horology

- JQ QIU And Akshay Khanna

Beyond the “luxury” image that many are happy to exploit, there’s a deeper kinship between the worlds of horology and that of performance sports cars and racing that most people don’t realise. If you think about it, both are highly engineered mechanical machines that have been precision manufactured and tested to superlative standards (and we’re not just talking about chronometers), because they are both intended to be used hard – sometimes to the very limits of endurance – and cannot afford to suffer any form of mechanical failure.

More importantly, these two indulgences are part of a very few number of hobbies that men can dabble in; compared to art pieces, cars and watches are “mobile” enough to be brought out and about for drives and gatherings (often at the same time!), because camaraderie is a large part of these hobbies.

Regardless of whether you’re talking cars or watches, passion is the defining trait of a true enthusiast that cuts through the murk of the “me-too” social influencer posts and brand-wagon jumpers. It’s a big difference from snobs who are drawn to the brand image, its perceived status and the sugar and spice of all things new and shiny, and less for the sake of horology or all things automotive.

To put it succinctly, a true petrolhead is equally enthused by both advanced Ferrari FXX-K and humble Caterham; by that token, enlightened collectors could have eclectic Greubel Forseys rubbing cases with Grand Seikos and a menagerie of vintage sports Rollies in their watch boxes without prejudice, because they appreciate the nuances in each mechanical timepiece, as opposed to slavish devotion to any one brand.