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Designa Accessories will be unveiling its latest watch and jewellery brand at the upcoming International Jewellery Fair, having secured an exclusive distribution deal with Aston Martin. | Source: Aston Martin

Sydney Fair: Start your engines, Aston Martin is here

Posted August 14, 2025 | By Samuel Ord

Designa Accessories will be unveiling its latest watch and jewellery brand at the upcoming International Jewellery Fair, having secured an exclusive distribution deal with Aston Martin.

Earlier this year, Timex Group announced a new partnership with the iconic British car manufacturer Aston Martin.

The company would design, manufacture, and distribute a collection of watches and jewellery under the Aston Martin and Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team brands as part of this licensing agreement.

At the time, Timex Group CEO Tobias Reiss-Schmidt said these collections would appeal to consumers with a passion for performance and luxury.

“Aston Martin has such a rich heritage that allows us to create new icons in both watches and jewellery,” he said.

Timex is distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Designa Accessories, and now, the wait is over for Aston Martin. The supplier will be showcasing a new collection to visitors at the Sydney Fair later this month, and general manager Ivan Meys said the timing was ideal.

“We think this is a very exciting opportunity to combine the watchmaking expertise of Timex with the luxury positioning of the Aston Martin brand,” Meys told Jeweller.

“Aston Martin is very much a design-driven brand with a rich heritage, and that is an excellent pairing with Timex and Designa.

“I think the most exciting factor in terms of consumer awareness would be the brand’s return to Formula 1, which should play a critical role in positioning the watch and jewellery brand for success.”

There’s certainly big money involved in Formula 1. The drought-breaking Aston Martin AMR21 was released in 2021. It marked the brand’s first appearance in Formula 1 competition in more than 60 years.

Late last year, Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy and Formula 1 announced a 10-year sponsorship agreement with an estimated value of around $1.47 billion. It marked the end of an 11-year sponsorship agreement with Rolex, which was estimated to be valued at around $75 million a year.

These lucrative sponsorship agreements have been driven in large part by the remarkable viewership of the competition, which exceeded 1.6 billion cumulative viewers in 2024. Audiences of millions attend one-off events around the world.

“Aston Martin has gained a great deal of brand visibility since returning to Formula 1, and motorsport is exploding in popularity,” Meys explained.

“The release of Brad Pitt’s new movie, F1, and the enduring popularity of Netflix’s documentary series Drive to Survive have certainly contributed to the hype.”

Beyond the excitement around Formula 1, Aston Martin has a rich history. The British vehicle manufacturer was founded in 1913 and rose to global popularity in the 1960s because of its association with the James Bond franchise, beginning with Goldfinger in 1964.

It’s reasonable to assume that, with the next James Bond instalment slated to hit cinemas in 2027, Aston Martin will once again be front and centre in one of the world’s largest film franchises.

The collection features a range of premium materials, including stainless steel, titanium, carbon fibre, sapphire crystal lenses, with Japanese quartz and automatic movements.

Each piece incorporates signature Aston Martin design elements, from dashboard-inspired details to upholstery textures, grille patterns, and wheel rim motifs. The collection includes 18 watches and six bracelets for men, each priced from $400 to $1200.

“We’re extremely pleased with the design of this initial collection. We’re beginning with a very targeted launch, and we’ll be gathering as much feedback as possible over the next few months,” Meys explained.

“This is all brand new, and we want to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to support retailers with the right products, and the information we gather will be able to guide our decision-making for the brand moving forward.

“With that said, we’re excited to showcase Aston Martin at the show in Sydney. It’s a brand with tremendous promise."

The International Jewellery Fair will take place at Sydney’s International Convention and Exhibition Centre in Darling Harbour, beginning on 23 August.