Turbocharged tourbillon

摘要

There are collaborations aplenty between car marques and watch brands these days - but when did it all begin? The answer is way back in 1918, when a young Swiss watchmaker from Biel/Bienne called Georges Schaeren hit on the idea of creating timepieces that would serve as "members' badges" among well-to-do car owners. Produced under Schaeren's Mido dial name, the first examples were made around 1920. They were aimed at wealthy Bugatti drivers and had horseshoe-shaped cases based on the design of the cars' radiator surround, waffle dials inspired by the mesh grilles and top-mounted winding crowns that emulated the radiator caps.