While we wonder which Marvel superhero will get the Audemars Piguet treatment next, here are some blockbuster franchises we imagine would work best with our fave blue-chip brands
Watch brands have woken up to the power of pop culture franchises — thanks in no small part to Audemars Piguet's big-budget collaboration with Marvel — which has seen the hotly debated Black Panther and Spider-Man watches released so far.
The appeal is easy to understand. Linking yourself to the right franchise gives you instant access to an enthusiastic and often cashed-up fandom. Of course, Audemars Piguet is far from the first watchmaker to put a cartoon character on a watch, heck — Gérald Genta was doing it way back in the 80s, but Audemars Piguet and Marvel is a move that's adding legitimacy and excitement to this sort of high watchmaking, pop culture partnership.
While we're very interested in which Marvel superhero will get the AP treatment next (I vote Hulk), it also makes us wonder what other blue-chip brands could team up with blockbuster franchises.
Fast & Furious and Breitling
The world of the Fast & Furious has come a long way since its eponymous 2001, which saw Paul Walker investigate Vin Diesel and the world of illegal street racing. The latest installment, Fast X, features an all-star cast of high-octane, overly orchestrated stunts and special effects, with a side-serving of family.
When it comes to the watch side of things, we could go a few ways. Hublot is an obvious choice, given a shared, over-the-top aesthetic, but we actually think Breitling is the stronger fit if not for the sheer diversity of styles on offer. Breitling can go from oversized Avenger to super-technical Emergency for the action scenes to vintage-inspired chronographs for the quieter moments. Plus, the brand is already quite strongly into the Hollywood aesthetic for marketing and ambassadors. Don't tell me a Fast Squad of actors, each wearing a Top Time inspired by the car they drive in the film, wouldn't work.
Harry Potter and Breguet
If you haven't kept up with the world of Harry Potter, you could be forgiven for thinking that it cast its last spell in 2011. But the billion-dollar IP has been keeping busy. Between the 'Fantastic Beasts movies, a stage play, theme parks, the Hogwarts Legacy video game and an upcoming small-screen reboot of the original series, there's plenty of magic left in the franchise.
Now, the question is, how could you seamlessly integrate watches into the Wizarding World? At first, it seems like a tricky question, as the well-established lore of the world sees wizard-types look down on mundane (or was that 'muggle') technology. But if you think about it, the answer can only be Breguet. Breguet's exceptionally classical watches would fit perfectly into Harry Potter's world and would be well-suited to magical contraptions, the wizard equivalent of Bond's tricked-out Omega. Finally, it would not be out of the question to see Abraham Louis Breguet represented on the big screen, as his creations are still as magical as ever.
Transformers and Roger Dubuis
In 2007, Michael Bay tapped into a deep well of nostalgia with the live-action Transformers film. The premise of robots in disguise has now, with 2023's 'Transformers: Rise of Beasts' made it to the big screen seven times, with a convoluted plot that does little to distract us from the core appeal of watching big robots fighting.
Transformers is an unashamedly bold and fantastic franchise, so it needs a horological partner who isn't afraid to amp up these elements. Which is why we think Roger Dubuis is a strong contender. The boutique brand has built its recent identity on the concept of Hyper Horology, which feels like something Michael Bay could get behind. On top of that, the design language is full of technical, contemporary skeletons, just waiting for some Autobot and Decepticon branding.
Mission Impossible and Tudor
Unlike our other mega-franchises, Tudor has already made an appearance in the spy-vs-spy world of Mission Impossible. Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt for a Tudor Heritage Chrono in 2011's Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.
Honestly, it's a great fit. Mission Impossible feels like a younger, cooler spy franchise compared to James Bond, and Tudor channels a similar forward-facing energy and seems like a brand that has its sights set firmly on future growth. Tom Cruise is top tier when it comes to star power, and the laid-back versatility (yet rock-solid) of the brand fits Ethan Hunt as a character. While the Black Bay would be the obvious choice, we'd go with the technical Pelagos.
