Luxury timepiece-maker Girard Perregaux needs no introduction when it comes to creating some of the most lust-worthy watches in the world. Just like a lot of other luxury timepieces, the company has close ties to auto racing, probably even more than most considering that since 1992 until 2010, the Swiss company has had the late Luigi Macaluso as its president.

The 1972 European Rally Champion and later president of both the Italian Motorsport Federation and the International Karting Federation, Luigi Macaluso had oil and petroleum running through his veins. As one of the most influential figures in auto racing before his passing last year, Macaluso was also fond of high-end driver’s watches, none more so than the products of Girard-Perregaux.

The Swiss watchmaker’s latest creation, the R&D 01, is a chronograph that features inverted push-buttons, dials styled after a car’s gauges, a tough rotating internal bezel, and a crown field that takes the look of a Formula One air intake. The watch actually took more than a few years to build with lengthy time given to research, development, and feedback given by Formula 1 drivers.

In the end, the R&D 01 is exactly what Luigi Macaluso wanted for the perfect driver’s watch: sporty, classy, and functional with a touch of subtle luxury.

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