Watch out for Giuliano Mazzuoli

Last week, Motor Sport was invited to the Italian designer Giuliano Mazzuoli’s latest watch creation launch at Bibendium on the Fulham Road.

The Contagiri (Italian for rev counter) (top) was shown to me by Giuliano (above) earlier that afternoon and what a smart watch it is. The first 50 will be given to owners of the new  Alfa Romeo 8C later this year. Giuliano has a close relationship with Alfa Romeo and indeed some history with the Italian manufacturer: “I have received two official trophies from Alfa Romeo over the time I was racing with them and it was an honour. Now thirty years later I have come up with the Contagiri; the first version was inspired by the 8C rev counter.

Similar to his last watch – the simplistic Manometro (above) that was inspired by the Alfa Romeo tyre pressure gauge – Giuliano got his inspiration from the Alfa’s designs. “All I had to do was to be faithful to the car’s instruments”.

Also a friend and fellow racing partner of Paul Newman, he will supply the famous actor with 25 watches for his children’s charity auction later this year.

It wasn’t too far for myself, Ed Foster, Damien Smith and Victoria Newell from Motor Sport to attend, as our offices are a stone’s throw away and we were the first in line to sample the champagne and oysters they were serving.

The entrance to the building had the latest 8C on display surrounded by fire lamps and beefy bodyguards. Everyone from the world of watches and glamorous clientele were in attendance and they were there to support the auction with proceeds going towards the British Red Cross charity.

Ed, powered on champagne and oysters, ended up unsuccessfully bidding on some of the lots. He was slightly more successful at racing Jenson Button’s F1 Honda car on the Playstation game; sadly he didn’t win the fastest lap time, but he did give it a good go.