A. Lange & Söhne is supporting the Regularity Time Trial at the 2019 Veteran Car Run. Image credit: A. Lange & Söhne
Richemont-owned watchmaker A. Lange & Söhne is highlighting its connection to motoring history by sponsoring an annual veteran car run in the United Kingdom.
Now named the A. Lange & Söhne Regularity Time Trial, the timed section of the Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run encourages participants to estimate their average speed over the course of a portion of the route. Similar to the timepieces themselves, this event emphasizes precision engineering.
Time trials
The world’s longest-running motoring event, the Veteran Car Run was first held in 1896 – more than 50 years after the German watchmaker was established.
The time trial was first introduced in the event in 2015, with 75 percent of run participants entering this portion of the competition in 2018.
A. Lange & Söhne and the Veteran Car Run both date back to the 19th century. Image credit: A. Lange & Söhne
“Speaking from experience, I know that there is a great deal of common ground between car and watch collectors: ultimate craftsmanship, technical innovation and unrivaled heritage are the key values of both vintage cars and A. Lange & Söhne’s approach to watchmaking,” said Wilhelm Schmid, CEO of A. Lange & Söhne, in a statement.
The Royal Automobile Club will host the Bonhams Veteran Car Run on Nov. 3, with thousands of spectators expected to attend.
Sporting competitions are valuable sponsorship opportunities for luxury watchmakers.
For instance, Swiss jeweler Chopard is linking up with Porsche Cars Canada, extending its partnership with the automaker to a new market.
Chopard has been named the official timing partner of Porsche Cars Canada, and the jeweler is also serving as the automaker’s sponsor for the 2019 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama. Timing partnerships enable luxury brands to align themselves with sports and their enthusiasts (see story).