JPS TEAM BMW WATCH
Inspired by a legend of the track
Commemorating the legendary 1980s Australian racing team, the JPS Team BMW timepiece features many references to the iconic black and gold 635 CSi - one of the most significant Australian racing cars of the era.​
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Piloted by Jim Richards, the JPS Team BMW 6 series claimed a range of victories during its 1982 to 1986 racing career. Most significant was a trio of Australian touring car titles in 1985 - including the Australian Touring Car Championship, Australian Endurance Championship and the AMSCAR Series.​
PHOTOS
BUILD VIDEOS
Laser cutting test index ring (0.5mm 6061 Aluminum)
Laser cutting v2 index ring (1mm Carbon Fibre)
Laser cutting JPS logo (0.3mm 316L SS)
Laser etching the watch crown
3D RENDER
Starting initially with concept sketches, the design was then build in CAD software and provided to the customer prior to the build process commencing.
WATCH SPECS
The design includes:
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0.2mm carbon fibre dial
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stainless steel black case
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laser cut index & number ring with gold accents
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gold JPS logo formed into the dial
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minimalist watch hands
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laser engraved case back and crown
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hand wound ETA Swiss movement visible through an exhibition case back
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black and brown leather bands with quick change connection
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black steel band with quick change connection
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leather travel case
MECHANICAL MOVEMENT
​ETA 6497
Drive type: Hand wound mechanical movement
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Manufacture: Swiss made by ETA
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Power reserve: 46 hours on a full wind
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Diameter: 36.6mm
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Jewels: 17
The ETA 6497 movement has been used in luxury timepieces for almost 70 years and has a reputation of being a beautiful, reliable and long lasting Swiss movement.
The base design for this movement was originally developed for use in pocket watches, and slowly transitioned into wristwatches as the popularity of larger modern wrist watches gained momentum through the 1980s to today.
Over the years this movement has been used by the likes of IWC, Panerai and Omega.
CARBON FIBRE DIAL
Carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer is a lightweight and strong material commonly used in automotive racing. Many times stronger than steel for its weight, its strength to weight ratio makes it a favoured material where speed and time is of the essence. The material can be identified by its intricate woven texture, which provides the key to its strength, while also giving it a recognisable pattern for those who know what to look for.
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The dial of this design of the watch makes use of specially sourced carbon fibre of <0.2mm in thickness, laser cut to size. It incorporates a gold JPS logo formed directly into the dial and a laser cut index ring hovering above it.
WATCH CASE
​​Diameter: 43.5mm (excluding crown)
Thickness: 12mm including domed front glass. Steel body alone is 9mm
Back: Exhibition glass back
Finishes: Mix of polished and brushed metal finishes
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This case is a mix of polished and brushed metal surfaces allows the watch to suit both casual and formal attire. Some photos of the case are included below.
DESIGN CUES
Inspired by the BMW design legacy, the watch includes cues from across the brand's history.
JPS Team BMW - 1985 championship race car
A key inspiration in the design of this watch is the iconic Jim Richards JPS Team BMW championship car.
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Winning a trio of Australian racing titles in 1985, the iconic BMW 635csi showcases a unique black and gold colour scheme that is represented on this custom timepiece.
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A key element incorporated into the face of the watch if the JPS team logo - coated in gold and inset into the carbon fibre dial.
​Font
BMW has always a strong connection to the Helvetica typeface, with the brand utilising it across its vehicles for more than 50 years.
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The watch design acknowledges this history by using the BMW Helvetica font in the wording used around the case.
Numbers
Iconic for their unique shape and design, the model numbers on BMW vehicles serve as inspiration for the 3, 6, 9 and 12 markers on the watch.
Hofmeister Kink
The watch features index markers around the dial for each of the hours. In order to provide a subtle link back to the BMW design language, each marker includes a Hofmeister Kink - a design cue used across BMW vehicles since 1961, pioneered by the then BMW design chief Wilhelm Hofmeister.
