Leading watchmakers TAG Heuer have teamed up with Mercedes-Benz to commemorate the launch of the German car manufacturer's new SLR McLaren sports car.
The SLR Chronograph has a design inspired by the 200mph, ultra-luxury McLaren - and imitates many unique design quirks distinct to the car itself.
For instance, the 14mm thick, 40mm diameter sapphire crystal wristwatch has uniquely placed chronograph push buttons, mirroring the SLR McLarens' unique steering wheel gear shift.
This ergonomic innovation is a first for watch design, according to the TAG Heuer website .
TAG Heuer technologies are used in all Mercedes-Benz's top vehicles. Both brand's logos grace the watch's black dial - designed to resemble and car dashboard - signifying their 20-year relationship.
The association between TAG Heuer and West McLaren Mercedes, the company's Formula One team, began in 1985 and is one of the most enduring car/watch partnerships in motor racing.
Unofficially, the winning relationship goes back further: motorsport legend Juan-Manual Fangio reportedly wore a TAG Heuer on his wrist while negotiating the notoriously hairy 1000-mile Mille Miglia race hairpins, in 1955.
 The TAG Heuer SLR Chronograph |
Two SLR "grill" patterns stamped at the watch's "three o'clock" pay homage to the McLaren's side-mounted rear exhausts, which are in tern inspired by the 1950s SLRs.
Within the watch - or, rather "under its hood" - is a Calibre 36 movement which promises an exceptional source of power, much like the McLaren's hand-built, supercharged 626-hp V8 engine.
Here, another innovation can be found: the Calibre 36 Regulator. The Regulator enables the watch's SLR dial to function similarly to a sports-car dashboard, with individual gauges for each function.
The watch was designed and developed by TAG Heuer's teams in Chaux-de-Fonds, in collaboration with the Geneva watchmaker Jean Francois Ruchonnet.
Each of the 50-metre water resistant watches will be marked with a limited-edition number, making this a highly collectible item for Mercedes-Benz lovers and watch enthusiasts alike.
