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Breguet reveals 30-year-old ultra-rare Lamborghini clock
By Gabriel Power | 6 July 2022 | Cars & Yachts, Lifestyle, Style
The Swiss watchmaker made just 60 of these bespoke ‘Diablo’ dashboard clocks in the early 1990s, with all going to private owners. But this year, they got their hands on one of their old masterpieces…
Last week, to celebrate its links with the automotive world, the House of Breguet once again collaborated with the London Concours to stage a spectacular showcase of vintage cars and first-class watchmaking. The prestigious event, which took place between 28-30 June 2022 in the garden of the historic Honourable Artillery Company, brought together 80 exceptional cars from around the world.
But while Breguet's history with the automotive industry is no secret — they have made bespoke pieces for Bugatti and Lamborghini in the past, after all — a unique oddity wrenched from the annals of time made an appearance at this year's Concours; one of the few Breguet Lamborghini Diablo dashboard clocks still in existence.
* An original 1990s Lamborghini Diablo — the model in which the clock could be fitted
Breguet first became the watchmaker of choice for the motor industry after catching the eye of one M. Ettore Bugatti in 1932, with the two brands subsequently collaborating on a dashboard chronograph dubbed the “Spécial pour Bugatti”.
And after a few decades away from the automotive sector, Breguet once again found itself being courted by a carmaking giant — this time Italian powerhouse Lamborghini. In the early 1990s, the luxury car maker asked Breguet to create a dashboard clock for its new “Diablo” model, to be offered as an optional upgrade to owners. The clock, a gorgeous stainless steel piece with a gilded green lacquer featuring a silvered dial with Breguet blue steel hands, was popular upon its launch but fleetingly rare, with only 60 having ever been made.
Until this year, Breguet had retained none of the original pieces, with all 60 understood to be in the hands of private owners. However, in a private sale completed early in 2022, Breguet managed to procure one of its very own Diablo dashboard clocks.
The piece is due to be put on display at the watchmaker's museums in Paris, but first took in the sights of the British capital, being exhibited for the first time ever during the London Concours.