Gears, wheels, movements galore. There’s no shortage of connections between mechanical beauties worth driving and those that can be worn on the wrist.
For the Formula 1 fan, WWD picked a quartet of watches that are likely to get the heart racing thanks to innovative materials, high-flying complications and feats of engineering.
Tag Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph, From $1,800
Tag Her Formula 1 Solagraph
Courtesy of Tag Heuer
When it was introduced in 1986, the colorful Formula 1 model design broke into a landscape dominated by gray scale metallic tones and serious timekeepers, fast becoming a bestseller that sold some 3 million units for its first generations, the watchmaker’s heritage director Nicholas Biebuyck told WWD last year.
With a 38mm size and a solar-powered movement, its 2025 descendants are just as color-filled as the original and already have a cool-kid collectible feel to them.
- Two minutes of sun exposure are enough to power the watch’s Solargraph movement for a day. Once fully charged, it has 10 months of autonomy in total darkness.
- The life accumulator that stores the energy in the Calibre TH50-00 movement has a 15-year lifespan — 10 times longer than a traditional battery. It is hidden under the semitransparent dial.
- Its vibrant color-filled versions are made of TH-Polylight, a new lightweight, durable bio-sourced material that has been introduced for the occasion.
Which Formula 1 fan are you? Nine colors say that motor racing isn’t your only competitive sport. When it comes to fashion, you’re up to speed, too.
IWC Schaffhausen Ingenieur 40, $12,900
IWC Schaffhausen Ingenieur
Courtesy of IWC
Marking its 70th anniversary this year, this design family is best known for the Ingenieur SL, aka “Jumbo” or reference 1832, designed in 1976 by the legendary Gérald Genta. While not a commercial success at launch — the company even dubbed it “our most brilliant failure” in a short film released after Watches and Wonders — it’s getting its movie star ending.
Originally a custom prop worn by Brad Pitt in the upcoming “F1” feature film, one of the most anticipated releases of the year, its 1,000-piece limited edition with a striking green dial has the markings of a classic.
- The caliber 32111 is automatic with pawl winding, a 4Hz frequency and 120-hour power reserve. It has a hacking seconds hand and quick-adjust date, too.
- The movement is encased in a soft-iron inner cage, which shields it from magnetic fields that can negatively affects the accuracy of mechanical timepieces.
- Its glass is secured against displacement by drop in air pressure, and it is water resistant to 100 meters.
Which Formula 1 fan are you? You’re all about those racetracks where experience and a sure hand are the only way to win.
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Pirelli RDDBEX0826, $81,500
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Pirelli
Courtesy of Roger Dubuis
The partnership between Roger Dubuis and Italian tire manufacturer Pirelli races on. Meant as a watch for those who live in the fast lane, the design brings together the “no rules, our game” ethos of the watchmaker with a winning flair: pieces of tires that won the world’s most demanding motor races in the world are inlaid in the straps.
- Its automatic skeleton caliber is powered by a micro-rotor positioned at 11 o’clock and reduced to its most pared-back expression.
- This iteration takes the line’s customization possibilities a step further thanks to a patented innovative lock technology that makes changes pit-stop fast. In addition to the strap and crown’s quick release system, the bezel has a precise position alignment snaps into place with one click.
- Only winning Formula 1 tires make the cut as watch straps and you can trace the race and driver via a code on each one.
Which Formula 1 fan are you? Staying in the lead is all about shaving seconds wherever possible, whether it’s on a track or changing styles.
Richard Mille RM 43-01 Tourbillon Split-seconds Chronograph Ferrari, From $1.3 Million
Richard Mille Ferrari Carbon TPT
Courtesy of Richard Mille
What do Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton have in common? Richard Mille timepieces, of course.
This million-dollar number comes in two versions, one in titanium and the other in Carbon TPT, a high-tech material that shares properties of lightness and resistance with those used in Formula 1 cars. The former has red detailing while the latter sports Modena yellow tones. And of course, there are nods to the design elements seen on Ferrari cars, giving markers and even the logo plate on the bottom left corner a distinctive silhouette.
- The skeletonized caliber has been tested to resist shocks of over 5,000g — the highest g-force crash survived by a human clocked in at 214.
- Just like a car’s gearbox, the function indicator allows you to see the winding, neutral and hand-setting positions as the crown is pulled out.
- Its latest-generation split-seconds mechanism was developed by Richard Mille and movement manufacturer Audemars Piguet Le Locle, or APLL. Among its features is the tourbillon at 5 o’clock, two six-column wheels to operate the different levers of the split-seconds function, a specific clamp design and a blade instead of the traditional helical spring.
Which Formula 1 fan are you? Everything comes down to precision and that’s exactly how you like it.