Athlete Michael Jordan spotted wearing a Girard Perregaux

Michael Jordan made an appearance at Darlington Raceway yesterday in support of his 23XI Racing team's championship pursuit, where he wore a timepiece as distinctive as his legacy: the Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges Aston Martin Edition (ref. 99296) in black DLC-coated titanium. The collaboration between the Swiss heritage manufacture and the British luxury automotive maker debuted in 2021, marking a rare instance where two storied brands prioritized design philosophy over conventional racing-watch typology.

The ref. 99296 houses a 44mm grade-5 titanium case finished in black DLC coating, a treatment that extends to the watch's most recognizable design element: the three flying bridges that define Girard-Perregaux's aesthetic vocabulary. Black PVD treatment applied to these open-worked bridges creates a tactile, contemporary appearance that contrasts with their traditional polished execution. The dial layout maintains vertical balance through an open-worked architecture, exposing the tourbillon carriage and allowing visibility of the mainspring barrel at the heart of the movement. The in-house Girard-Perregaux movement drives the tourbillon mechanism, delivering both precision and visual spectacle through the transparent caseback.

The Aston Martin Edition ref. 99296 remains extraordinarily limited, with production capped at just 18 examples worldwide. This scarcity, combined with the collaboration's distinctive positioning as a design-first alternative to sports-watch convention, has positioned the reference among serious collectors seeking horological crossover pieces. The watch rejects the chronograph complications typical of automotive partnerships, instead showcasing pure mechanical artistry through its exposed architecture—a philosophical alignment between watchmaking heritage and automotive craftsmanship.

Jordan's decision to wear this specific reference reflects a broader collecting sensibility that favours technical depth and design innovation over marketing narrative. The pairing of a retired athlete known for competitive excellence with a timepiece emphasizing artisanal precision rather than sports-watch aggression underscores the ref. 99296's positioning within contemporary luxury horology.

Retail pricing for the Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges Aston Martin Edition ref. 99296 sits substantially above traditional in-house tourbillon offerings due to collaboration premium and limited production. Grey-market examples command secondary-market premiums reflective of scarcity, with availability remaining restricted despite the reference's 2021 debut.