Since launching her eponymous brand in 2008, Victoria Beckham has become synonymous with functional, elegant minimalism. At the end of 2023, her empire reported a profit, thanks in part to the popularity of her chain-detail clutch bag and the success of her Victoria Beckham Beauty line. Now, Beckham adds timepieces to her trending track record, thanks to a collaboration with the Swiss luxury watchmaker Breitling, on the Chronomat Automatic 36 Victoria Beckham collection, which is to be sold in a limited run of 1,500 watches.
“I wanted to create something timeless and elevated that had a real ease and effortless elegance to it,” Beckham explains. Her designs for the collection mix her passion for men’s watches—“I love their weight, the hardware,” she says—with her knack for mixing colours and textures.
Breitling Chronomat’s metal rouleaux bracelet and raised rider tabs at the 15-minute mark are instantly recognisable. But the dials are revived with new colours: peppermint, midnight blue, dove grey, and sand, all of which come straight from Beckham’s spring/summer 2024 palette. The cases are available in stainless steel (limited to 400 pieces) or yellow gold (limited to 100 pieces), a material that Breitling reintroduced specifically for this line. Victoria Beckham’s initials become a decorative detail of the second hand, with her full name emblazoned on the back of the watch.
Breitling’s CEO, Georges Kern, is open about the project’s challenges. “In fashion, you have a blank sheet of paper; you create things from scratch. But when designing a watch, there are certain technical constraints and given elements to be reckoned with,” he says. “Victoria Beckham didn’t have a blank sheet of paper; she had to choose an existing model and make it very her. It was a great collaboration, which saw Breitling’s craftsmanship and innovation come together with Victoria Beckham’s ideas to create an elegant and fresh new collection.”
Beckham herself is delighted with the result. “This is very in line with my brand DNA and ethos. I wanted to use bold colours, new materials and subtle details throughout. It really feels like an elevated, cool, and relaxed alternative in the female market of watches,” she says.
Ever since she was wearing her first cartoonish Flik Flak, Beckham has always loved watches. She has a penchant for vintage men’s timepieces, and industry insiders suggest she owns one of the largest and finest collections on the celebrity scene. “I’m very lucky that my husband has gifted me some beautiful pieces over the years, so watches bear a very personal significance and nostalgic memory to me. They are cherished pieces that remain timeless,” she says. According to VB, her watches can “take you from day to night and be worn with anything”. Her personal tip? “I like to wear mine looser on the wrist, with some great tailoring!”
This article was originally published on British Vogue.
