We’ve stated for years that watches and cars go together like cookies and milk. They’re two incredible pieces of mechanical art that compliment each other perfectly. Which is why so many car enthusiasts are also watch enthusiasts, especially premium buyers. But we wanted to check in with a professional, someone who knows watches better than we do, and get some professional insight on the combination of cars and watches.

So we recently spoke with Tom Pozsgay, Head of the Watch Department at WP Diamonds a leading luxury watch buyer, to talk to him about what he thinks about cars and watches.

BMWBLOG: In your professional opinion, which watches do you think would pair well with these BMWs: BMW M cars (high-performance), BMW 7 Series (Luxury) and the new BMW X2 (young, hip clientele-base)?

Tom Pozsgay: BMW M would be the Rolex Daytona, BMW 7 Series would be a Patek Annual Calendar and the BMW X2 would be the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore watch.

BB: Watches and motorsport have a rich history, with brands like Tag Heuer and Breitling sponsoring many racing teams over years, among many others. What’s your take on watches and cars and how they pair together?

TP: The car is a mechanical marvel that gets you from point A to Point B, and the timepiece is a mechanical marvel that measures time. They are a natural pairing. How fast did I go from point A to point B? My watch will tell me. How fast can I go from 0 to 60? My watch can measure that. And that only covers the timing aspect. From an aesthetic point of view, the dial on a watch can look like the gauges on the dashboard. The spokes on the tires can look like the crown. A great pairing happens when you look at the Cartier Roadster, for example, since so many of the components on the watch were borrowed from elements of old Roadsters. The Breitling Bentley pairing was another great one.

BB: I’ve heard some watch aficionados claim that a mechanical watch is far more complicated and intricate than an automobile. What do you think?

TP: Imagine what a perpetual watch can do. A perpetual watch is a mechanical marvel that remembers the long months apart from the short months, the leap years from the non leap years. The complexity is amazing. There is one gear in the movement that will move just once in 4 years. Then, of course, there is the Patek Sky Moon reference number 6102. Not only does it tell time alongside the phases and the orbit of the moon, it also shows you where the stars are in conjunction to the moon.

Patek Sky Moon reference number 6102

All of this was available in a Patek Calibre 240 LU CL C, which is composed of 315 parts. It is truly amazing. I can go on and on with different brands that are also making these amazing machines that measure time.

Patek Calibre 240 LU CL C

BB: Some watch enthusiasts find branded watches to be tacky. What are your feelings on car-branded watches, such as the Oris Audi Sport or Ball BMW?

TP: Honestly I really, really like both the Audi and BMW brands. I consider them high end luxury cars and I would rather see them paired with top of the line watch brands. This is not to say that Oris or Ball are bad watches, but I consider them to be mid-range rather then top of the line.

BB: Lastly, what are five must-have watches for car enthusiasts?

TP: Rolex Daytona, Patek Philippe Annual Calendar, Hublot Big Bang, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore and the Chopard Mille Miglia. 

Hublot Big Bang

Chopard Mille Miglia

These are some interesting takes. For instance, the idea that car-branded watches are fine but that the actual watch brands chosen aren’t up to the caliber of the car, according to Pozsgay. Also, I like the choice of the AP Royal Oak Offshore for the BMW X2, as some special editions of the Offshore cost as much as an X2. Also, hearing about how complicated watches can be, such as the Patek Phillipe Sky Moon, is mind boggling. It makes the automobile seem like its made from Legos.