James Clark OBE (March 4, 1936 – April 7 1968) was a British racing driver and two-time Formula 1 World Champion. Clark made his F1 debut in 1960 at the Dutch Grand Prix as a substitute for John Surtees who at the time was competing in the Isle of Man TT. In addition to spending his entire F1 career with Lotus and winning world titles in 1963 and 1965, Clark has also raced in select Champ Car events including a Indianapolis 500 win in 1965. This made him the only driver to win both a F1 title and the Indy 500 in the same year, standing out in an already short list of drivers who have won both. Clark has also been credited with recommending Mario Andretti for an F1 seat.
Clark was killed in an accident at the 1968 Deutschland Trophäe European Formula Two race.
Association with Enicar and Breitling
Clark had been sponsored by Enicar during his racing career, and like Sir Stirling Moss was associated with the Sherpa Graph. In what would be his last years, the British driver would also be known for wearing a Breitling Navitimer (ref. 806) both in and out of the car. So strong was the association with the latter that it became known among collectors as the ‘Jim Clark’.
Gallet
Clark was also known for wearing a Gallet MultiChron 12H. The Swiss brand announced the Jim Clark Legacy Edition Chronograph in 2018, with a planned limited run of 250 pieces. The Gallet website at the time stated that a portion of each sale would support charitable activities of the Jim Clark Trust as well as redevelopment of the Jim Clark Museum. However, no such timepiece was ever known to be produced.
Arpiem
French microbrand Arpiem released multiple Tribute TJC models as part of their 2018 Tribute Collection. While they appear to be unlicensed, they also include clear nods to the British driver.
Related Pages
References
https://galletwatch.com/jim_clark_legacy_edition_chronograph
https://petrolicious.com/articles/legendary-f1-driver-jim-clark-had-excellent-taste-in-watches
https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/best-f1-watches