Why Breitling’s Partnership With Victoria Beckham Makes Sense

(Parts of this article by Roberta Naas first appeared in Forbes.com.)

In a collaboration that seamlessly blends high fashion and horology, Victoria Beckham has joined forces with Breitling to create the limited-edition Chronomat Automatic 36 Victoria Beckham collection.  The initial launch consists of six 36mm watches – three each in stainless steel and 18-karat yellow gold, with a variety of dial colors.

While many watch lovers may find this relationship — with the  world of fashion and women’s fashion — a little askew, we think it makes perfect sense. In the past, Breitling was a highly macho brand — with just a few women’s watches in the mix. Since Georges Kern took over the helm, though, he has been  changing this. In fact, the brand has a host of wonderful female brand ambassadors/role models and has released a number of great watches with pastel colored dials, lab-grown diamond accents and more.

Additionally Victoria Beckham beckons a younger audience — something every watch brand needs. And, while many brands are tapping into pop culture and Asian ambassadors, Breitling’s tapping of Beckham is a brilliant move. They also tapped into her keen fashion sense — asking for her input not only on the design but also on the dial  colors of the new Breitling X Victoria Beckham watches.

Crafted in either 18-karat yellow gold or stainless steel, the Chronomat Automatic 36 Victoria Beckham watches boast a diameter of 36 millimeters and a thickness of 10.01 millimeters. With a water resistance of up to 10 bar (100 meters), these timepieces are designed for both elegance and durability. The cambered sapphire glass, glare-proofed on both sides, protects the dial. The crown, adorned with two gaskets, ensures additional water resistance, while the unidirectional, ratcheted stainless-steel bezel adds a touch of functionality.

The dials of the Chronomat Automatic 36 Victoria Beckham watches, as mentioned, are colors inspired by her spring/summer 2024 fashion palette. The stainless steel watches are available with midnight blue, peppermint, or dove gray dials, each adorned with lab-grown diamond hour markers. The dials for the gold versions are midnight blue, peppermint green or sand, and also feature lab-grown diamond markers. In a fun twist, Victoria Beckham’s initials are on the tip of the seconds hand.

 The Super-LumiNova® luminescent indexes and hands enhance visibility in various lighting conditions. Each dial of the stainless steel watches states “One of 400” and the dial of the yellow gold versions reads “One of 100” – attesting to the number of that model being made – for a total of 1500 pieces.

The watches are powered by the Breitling Caliber 10, a self-winding mechanical movement with a bidirectional ball-bearing winder and offers a power reserve of approximately 42 hours. Operating at a frequency of 28,800 a/h or 4 hertz, the movement powers the hour, minute, and second hands, as well as a date display. Notably, each watch in the collection is a COSC-certified chronometer, attesting to its precision and performance.

Completing the ensemble is a Rouleaux bracelet featuring a butterfly clasp for secure and comfortable wear. The overall design and specifications of these watches reflect a harmonious blend of Victoria Beckham’s signature style and Breitling’s commitment to quality and innovation. The metal case back is also engraved with Victoria Beckham’s name. The stainless steel watches retail for $5,600 to $5,950, while the 18-karat yellow gold versions sell for $29,500.

Victoria Beckham said, “It has been wonderful watching Breitling’s craftsmanship and innovation come together with my ideas to create something so elegant and fresh.”

To roll out the new line, Breitling created a campaign starring model Annemary Aderibigbe and  shot by Italian fashion photographer Mario Sorrenti.