In love with Gulf Racing, the BRM CNT-44-GULF watch is brimming with oil. Everyone knows that most mechanical watch movements contain oil in them as a necessary part of machine lubrication. So yea, most all watches already have oil inside of them. But not quite like this. For oil magnates and elephants (you oil people know what I am talking about), this is a timepiece that celebrates good ol’ black gold with a small container of motor oil right in the dial. This may just be BRM’s most intense wristwatch homage to motor sports ever.
French BRM makes many of its timepieces to look like pieces from race car engines. Some of their movements even look like engines. So I suppose including a capsule of motor oil from a race car engine is a logical next step. The watch is the CNT-44-GULF, and is further an homage to the former oil company Gulf and its historical connection with auto racing. Specifically, the CNT-44-GULF watch uses actual motor oil from a (current) Gulf Racing LOLA LMP2 GULF race car. No indication that the oil is actually Gulf’s though…
As an oil company Gulf ceased to exist back in the 1980s. In the United States, if you fill up at a Chevron gas station, you are more or less going to what Gulf Oil became. In the 1990s the Gulf name came back being used for certain types of products and as an entity to involve itself in motor sports. I don’t know all the details of the retro-revival, but even though Gulf was an American company, it seems to be Europe that has most of the association with it. Brands like TAG Heuer and others all have had Gulf Oil logos on their dials. Maybe they just really like that neat light blue and orange color and racing strip.
BRM puts the Gulf logo and racing stripe on the dial of the CNT-44-GULF watch, and the colors are mimicked in the double contrast stitched leather strap. Don’t miss those orange strap portholes!
In typical BRM style, the 44mm wide steel case of the CNT-44-GULF watch is “race-designed” with lots of drilled holes looking like it is part of a piston (or it needs pistons). The middle part of the case in done with black PVD for a nice visual effect. 100 meters water resistant, the case also has a sapphire crystal. Inside the watch is a mechanical automatic movement which has been off-centered to allow for the oil capsule.
Though many people consider oil to be an evil part of our contribution to environmental ruin, the power of the fossil fuel is undeniable, especially for engine lovers. While it may appear incredibly silly, there is a certain niche appeal to sticking a capsule full of used motor oil from a super car into a high-end sport-themed timepiece. BRM won’t produce many of them anyways. The CNT-44-GULF watch is limited to only 100 pieces with a price of 5,600 Euros. brm-manufacture.com