WORLDTEMPUS - 15 April 2010
Elizabeth Doerr
Successfully handling a powerful 12-cylinder Aston Martin Vantage on the racetrack requires absolute precision and know-how. Making a timepiece to reflect this feeling is no less of a feat, nor is there less precision involved.
Jaeger-LeCoultre's Aston Martin-inspired line of timepieces launched in 2004. This past weekend, the Le Sentier-based brand revealed the fifth limited edition timepiece created in honor of the two brands' sporty collaboration. The fitting scene was the Paul Ricard racetrack in Le Castellet, France, with the Aston Martin racing team in the foreground participating in the 8 Heures du Castellet, considered the warm-up race to June's 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The AMVOX 5 World Chronograph is a complicated and demanding piece of micro mechanics that marks the first world timer in the exclusive collection. Caliber 752's 279 components allow the wearer to see every time zone on the globe at once, with the reference cities—which include Gaydon, the location of the Aston Martin factory, instead of London to represent GMT—easily clicking into place. The automatic column wheel chronograph with sturdy vertical clutch features a rotor running on ceramic ball bearings and a large balance wheel adjusted by variable inertia. 
The highly robust limited edition timepiece—comfortably test driven for two days on two race tracks as well as in the air by this Worldtempus contributor—is available in Jaeger-LeCoultre's own 44 mm ceramic case in combination with 18-karat rose gold or titanium. The AMVOX 5's open-worked dials are adorned with a grid motif evoking the radiator grille found on Aston Martin's automobiles.
Two racing versions inspired by the Lola Aston Marton LMP1 race car—one with orange and the other with black-and-white elements—in limited editions of 100 pieces each are available for 59,000 Swiss francs.
“This relationship needs to be something we are all proud of,” explains Jaeger-LeCoultre's CEO Jérôme Lambert. “And we have created something strong out of it, not just a gimmick or an extension of the car. Our customers want more—an added source of adrenaline and inspiration. The world of Aston Marton—including both the corporate and racing divisions—is strong inspiration.”
