In the complex world of status symbols, few brands carry the same weight as Bentley. It's why the Continental has been co-opted as the car of choice for famous singers and footballers keen to show off their hefty pay packets with a piece of automotive extravagance.
Unfortunately, you can't wear that slice of over-the-top British engineering to a party, so watchmaker Breitling has teamed up with Bentley to create a luxury range of watches, the latest of which is the B06 Midnight Carbon.
Compared to the Bentley B06 it's based on, the Midnight Carbon edition has been completely blacked out. That means the steel case and bezel are coated in a carbon-based black finish, while the dial is backed in black mother of pearl. In keeping with the Bentley connection, the bezel is still knurled to mimic the famous grille that sits proud at the front of cars like the Mulsanne and Flying Spur.
Flipping the watch over reveals a transparent caseback, allowing you to see an oscillating weight shaped to look like a wheel rim.
Making sure the whole thing runs like, well, clockwork is the Manufacture Breitling Calibre B06 self-winding chronograph movement. It's certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute, and includes a chronograph system which makes the watch's central hand sweep around the dial in half a minute, allowing for 1/8th of a second time readings.
In keeping with the automotive-inspired theme of the watch, there's also a system to measure average speed over any amount of time. Based on the circular slide rule, Breitling says it's a world first.
Just 500 Bentley B06 Midnight Carbon watches will be made. Pricing is in the order of US$12,500, which if nothing else is significantly cheaper than a Bentley of the four-wheeled variety.
Source: Breitling