Breitling and Bentley end their 19-year Partnership in Style

Swiss luxury watchmaker Breitling, and British luxury automaker and marketer, Bentley, have announced the end of their 19-year partnership that has been heralded as the longest ever collaboration between an auto and watchmaker brand.

In celebration of this iconic and largely successful partnership, both brands look back on the key moments and products of their 19-year history together.

Timeline of the Breitling – Bentley Partnership

2002:

The Breitling for Bentley onbaord clock — **The onboard clock for Bentley that Breitling made till 2007. Image courtesy of Breitling**

Bentley commissions Breitling to create an onboard clock for the first-ever Bentley Continental GT. The clock was made to reflect the unparalleled luxury, quality, and performance of the new grand tourer, which was debuted in 2003.

2003:

The Bentley Le Mans Limited Edition chronograph — **The Bentley Le Mans Limited Edition Chronograph featured elements from the auto brand’s models, as well as the Le Man’s race. Image courtesy of Breitling**

After a more than 6-decade absence from Le Mans, team Bentley returns to the racing competition where the famous ‘Bentley Boys’ had achieved their greatest victories in the late 1920s. Breitling was Team Bentley’s proud main sponsor and celebrated their return with the Bentley Le Mans Limited Edition Chronograph. The timepiece features a 24-hour dial in honour of the race’s duration.

2004 – 2014:

Barnato gold racing watch — **The Barnato models celebrate Joel Woolf Barnato. Image courtesy of Breitling**

Breitling continues to produce high-end timepieces with Bentley. Notable models from this period include the Breitling for Bentley Barnato timepieces in honour of Joel Woolf Barnato – the most successful of, the ‘Bentley Boys’ and financier of the brand from 1924 until the Wall Street Crash of 1929.

Another remarkable model is the Breitling for Bentley VI complication made in honour of the coupe with the same name, while the Breitling GT racing models celebrate the sportsmanship of the Continental GT coupé.

2014:

Bentley returns to the world motorsport competition with the Continental GT3. Breitling creates the limited-edition Bentley GT3 watch one a year later featuring a sporty black titanium case and racing car-inspired carbon fibre dial in celebration.

Breitling tourbillon clock for Bentley Bentayga — **The $160,000 Breitling Tourbillon for Bentley Bentayga. Image courtesy of Extreme Tech**

In the same year, Breitling also creates a dashboard clock featuring a Tourbillon complication for the ultimate luxury SUV, the Bentley Bentayga. This is in fact the most valuable item that Bentley has ever installed in a car, aside from the cars themselves!

2015:

The Bentley Continental GT Speed Breitling series — **The Bentley Continental GT Speed Breitling Jet Team Series is limited to only 7 pieces. Image courtesy of Dupont Registry**

Breitling and Bentley unveil the Bentley Continental GT Speed Breitling Jet Team Series at the Seattle Boeing Seafair Air Show. In tribute to the teams of engineers, flight controllers, and pilots, a limited edition of just seven totally unique Bentley Continental GT Speeds was commissioned by Breitling. The magnificent seven autos featured two-tone exteriors of Onyx and Hallmark to reflect the striking livery of the Breitling jets.

2018:

The B01 Chronograph 42 British Racing Green — **The B01 Chronograph 42 Bentley British Racing Green. Image courtesy of Bentley**

Breitling launches the Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Bentley British Racing Green. Powered by Breitling’s flagship Manufacture Caliber 01 in-house mechanical movement, which is visible through a unique transparent caseback with a metalized Bentley logo. These timepieces also have an engraved plate with a “Bentley” inscription inspired by the dashboard of the historic supercharged 1929 “Blower” Bentley.

2019:

Premier Bentley Centenary Limited Edition — **The centenary timepiece. Image courtesy of The Hour Glass**

A year later, on the occasion of Bentley’s centenary and to celebrate its partner’s 100 years of luxury motoring excellence, Breitling creates the Premier Bentley Centenary Limited Edition. Produced in 18 k red gold and stainless-steel versions, they featured unique brown elm burl dials, a nod to the wood inserts in their Continental GT Number 9 Edition taken from the seat of Sir Tim Birkin’s legendary Bentley Blower from 1930.

To mark the end of their iconic partnership, Breitling is shipping the last of the Premier B21 Chronograph Tourbillon 42 Bentley Limited Edition, produced in an exclusive series of 25 pieces to its owner. It is indeed a remarkable collaboration characterized by their joint commitment to the pioneering spirit, expert craftsmanship, exquisite design and technological excellence.

Source: Breitling