Arpiem is a French microbrand that was founded in 2018 by Vincent Repoux via a Kickstarter campaign, and takes inspiration from motor racing from the 1960s and 70s. The brand name is based on the acronym for “Revolutions Per Minute”. Arpiem has partnered with a number of French drivers including Patrick Bernardini, Eric Helary, Jean Pierre Jarier, Jacques Laffite, and Yvan Muller.
Tribute Collection
Announced in 2018, Arpiem’s tribute collection included unlicensed timepieces that honored specific drivers from the 1960s and 70s. Those from Formula 1 included Jim Clark (Tribute TJC), Graham Hill (Tribute TGH and RACEMATIC TGH2), Bruce McLaren (Tribute TBML), and Denny Hulme (RACEMATIC TDH).
Additional unlicensed but Formula 1-inspired pieces were announced in 2022. These included the Tribute TDFV which was a nod to the Ford Cosworth DFV Formula 1 engine, and the Tribute TBL which unofficially honored three Brazilian world champions with the names Ayrton, Emerson, and Nelson appearing on the dial.
Jacques Laffite Editions
Arpiem has released at least two Jacques Laffite edition chronographs, including the Tribute TJL “Jacques Laffite” in 2022 and the Tribute TJL 2 “Jacques Laffite” in 2024. The first TJL chronograph featured Laffite’s printed signature on the dial along with his “26” race number and quote “better is a fly fishing game than a debriefing”. The second edition appeared to come with different bezels, and featured a “6” on the dial in honor of his six Formula 1 wins along with his helmet design on the dial. The choice of several straps or steel bracelet was also available. All versions were limited to 3oo pieces each.
The RACEMATIC TJL 3 was also released, billed as the automatic version of the TJL 2. Laffite’s printed signature also appears on the dial, with an illustration of his helmet featuring on the rotor.
Jacques Laffite driving the Ligier JS5. (Photo: by Gillfoto, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
Related Pages
References
https://www.arpiem.fr/en/presentation
https://www.arpiem.fr/en/driversclub
https://www.watchreport.com/arpiem-debuts-tribute-collection-to-classic-motor-racing/
https://www.automotivpress.fr/arpiem-tribute-tbl-et-tcs-hommage-aux-champions/
https://www.arpiem.fr/post/denny-hulme-l-ours
https://www.automotivpress.fr/arpiem-presente-sa-nouvelle-collection-2022/
https://www.automotivpress.fr/retromobile-2024-nouveautes-horlogeres-arpiem-et-chopard/
https://www.arpiem.fr/en/montre-racematic-tjl-3