The Art of Luxury Issue 44 2020 | Page 69

WATCHES & TIMEPIECES Georges Kern, Breitling’s CEO, says that the new chronograph underscores one of his brand’s most important partnerships: “The Premier Bentley Centenary Limited Edition that we launched a year ago was warmly received both by Bentley and Breitling fans. The Premier Bentley Mulliner Limited Edition, with its clear links between Bentley’s and our DNA, is a logical next step in our shared story. It is also a testimony to Bentley Mulliner, whose name is synonymous with heritage, craftsmanship, and outstanding performance.” Adrian Hallmark, Bentley Chairman and CEO, commented: “The long-standing relationship between Bentley and Breitling is a reflection of the values we both share and our dedication to world-leading performance, luxury, innovation, and refinement. The links between the new Premier Bentley Mulliner Limited Edition watch and Bentley’s Continental GT MullinerConvertible are evident in the exquisite engraving detail of the watch and the design features that reference the Breitling clock on the GT’s dashboard – a perfect display of Mullinercraftsmanship.” The Bentley Mulliner Workshop Bentley’s Mulliner workshop is an extension of Mulliner, a family company that can be traced back to carriers and saddlers in 1559, just one year after Elizabeth I came to the throne. However, real prominence came to the family in 1760, when Francis Mulliner was commissioned to build and maintain carriages for the Royal Mail. In 1870, Francis’s son, Robert Bouverie Mulliner, started his own coachbuilding company called Mulliner London Limited – sharing his father’s restless pursuit of perfection. For nearly 150 years, Mullinerhas been renowned for its bespoke handcrafted coaches, created to the highest standards to meet the exacting requirements of its customers. Mulliner first began coachbuilding for Bentley in 1923, before entering into a partnership with the automotive brand in 1959, and for more than sixty years the workshop has given life to Bentley’s creativity and to its customers’ dreams. Each Bentley Mulliner model is a product created with an exquisite level of detail. Issue 44 2020 The Art of Luxury 69