There’s just something about watches that pairs with cars like cookies and milk. Maybe it’s the mechanical precision of both or the craftsmanship, but either way, watches and cars are a wonderful pair. It’s why most car collectors also have a fine watch collection. If someone is passionate about one of the two, chances are, they’re passionate about both. This is doubly true for automotive inspired watches.
Of that variant, there are literally hundreds. The motoring-inspired watch has been around since the the first automobile, probably. Some of these watches, that draw parallels between horology and motorsport, do so in a tacky fashion while others do so tastefully. Some come from companies with no business discussing motorsport (Chanel J12 Superleggera), others have real history and pedigree in the automotive world (Tag Heuer Monaco, Rolex Daytona). The watch we’re going to talk about today is of the latter variant.
In 2013, Tudor was named the official “Timing Partner” of the FIA World Endurance Championship. Tudor has been partnering with different motorsport affiliates for years now and this partnership with FIA is just another feather in Tudor’s cap. So when buying a motorsport-inspired watch from Tudor, you know that you’re getting something with real pedigree, a real connection to the world of motorsports. For a car and enthusiast, that’s as good as it gets.
The Tudor Grantour Chrono Flyback is the latest in motorsport-inspired watches from the famed Swiss brand. The Grantour Chrono Flyback is a 42mm chronograph with a Flyback function. What the Flyback function does, is allow for the chronograph to be reset by the push of one button. On a normal chronograph, when the the chrono is started, it must be stopped and reset before starting off again. So, from start to finish, the process takes three button pushes. With the Flyback function, it takes one to start, but then one to reset each and every time. This is incredibly helpful for when, say, timing laps around Circuit Of The Americas. Both chrono buttons can be locked, with a quarter turn of each, to insure to no accidental pushes.
The Grantour Chrono Flyback features self-winding, 28,80 bph movement with a 46 hour power reserve. It is available with a stainless steel bracelet, with either a white or black face, a small or large perforated leather strap and even in a stainless steel/18k gold combination. The Flyback can look excellent while being worn on a racetrack, at a suit and tie event or even just messing around in the backyard. It’s a true everyday watch with respectable motorsport pedigree and an actual racing function. Prices vary between $3,000 – $5,000, which isn’t bad for the level of quality, fit and finish and pedigree that comes with a Tudor watch.
