Why Driver’s Watches Made History

They measured victories, timed exploits, and sat on the wrists of men who lived by the second. Driver’s watches are not just accessories: they are racing instruments, symbols of speed, precision, and timeless masculine elegance.

When time decided the race

Long before on-board computers and digital chronos, drivers relied on one thing: their watch.A mechanical chronograph on the wrist, a tachymeter scale engraved on the bezel—that was all it took to calculate a lap, check an average speed, or keep rhythm in a rally.

One glance could mean victory or defeat.

From this world of seconds and split-seconds came the legends: the Rolex Daytona, the Heuer Autavia, the Omega Speedmaster Racing. Watches built not to sit in a display, but to win on tarmac.

McQueen and Newman: when icons met steel

Some watches didn’t just tell time—they created myths.

• Paul Newman and the Rolex Daytona: more than a watch, it was his racing companion. Actor, gentleman driver, style icon. His “Paul Newman” Daytona sold for $17.8 million at auction in 2017, making it the most famous driver’s watch in history. Not because of technical rarity, but because it embodied charisma and attitude.

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• Steve McQueen and the TAG Heuer Monaco: in Le Mans (1971), McQueen chose it himself. Square, bold, uncompromising, it became an icon overnight. McQueen wasn’t acting a driver—he was one. With his pale blue racing suit and Monaco on his wrist, he cemented the image of the gentleman driver: virile, stylish, free.

They weren’t paid ambassadors. They were authentic men who lived what they wore—and that’s exactly what made their watches eternal.

Formula 1 today: a racing machine on the wrist

In modern Formula 1, watches are no longer just tools. They are mini racing machines, high-tech prototypes worn on the grid.

• Lewis Hamilton, now driving for Ferrari, wears Richard Mille, including pieces valued over $1 million—lightweight, ultra-technical watches capable of withstanding G-forces.

• Carlos Sainz, who joined Williams, also sports Richard Mille as his personal sponsor.

• Max Verstappen and Red Bull continue with TAG Heuer, a name that has been linked to racing since Jack Heuer’s era.

  
  

Ferrari, once tied to Hublot, is now fully partnered with Richard Mille. And since 2025, TAG Heuer became the official timekeeper of Formula 1, replacing Rolex, thanks to a global deal with LVMH.

And then there are marketing shocks—like Bernie Ecclestone’s infamous Hublot ad in 2010, when he posed with his bruised face after being mugged: “See what people will do for a Hublot.” Brutal, provocative, unforgettable.

Modern driver’s watches are no longer just timing instruments—they are communication weapons. But they still symbolize the same thing: performance, style, attitude.

Watches and cars: one same DNA

A movement and an engine share the same philosophy:

• parts working in harmony,

• a relentless pursuit of reliability,

• and that tiny detail that turns a machine into a legend.

That’s why automotive watches are more than accessories. They are the bridge between man, machine, and time.

Black Goose: the next chapter in driver’s watches

At Black Goose, we don’t just pay homage to racing—we live it.

Our designs are directly inspired by cars: dials carved like engine parts, color codes borrowed from legendary liveries, cases shaped with the same precision as bodywork.

And our watches don’t just sit in boxes—they go racing.

• Black Goose sponsors the Ferdinand Cup, where classic Porsche battle in period spirit.

• Our timepieces are worn by drivers like Stéphane Ehrhardt, Porsche instructor and racer, and Michel Disdier, the only Frenchman competing in NASCAR in the United States.

  
  

A Black Goose driver’s watch is not a marketing story—it’s a watch that has seen race starts, heard engines scream, and smelled burnt rubber.

Why they still matter

In an age of smartwatches and disposable tech, the mechanical driver’s watch still stands out.Because it lasts.Because it carries history.Because it’s passed on.

On the wrist of a gentleman driver, it makes a clear statement: every second counts. Whether on a winding Côte d’Azur road, in a paddock, or in a boardroom, it tells the same story—precision, performance, and style never go out of fashion.

Conclusion

From Paul Newman to Lewis Hamilton, from the Rolex Daytona to Richard Mille’s futuristic prototypes, driver’s watches remain in a class of their own. They are objects of desire, heritage, and masculine elegance.

And today, Black Goose is writing its own chapter in that history. With racing-inspired watches born on real tracks and built for men who live differently, the brand proves one thing: a true driver’s watch doesn’t just measure time—it makes you live it.