Sports watches 2010 - real value is back – Sporting associations - Part 4 of 4

Sports and timepieces have a natural symbiosis, as many sports need to be timed. This year marked the announcement of many new partnerships and associations. First and foremost, Cabestan announced its association with Ferrari. Previously with Girard-Perregaux and Officine Panerai, Ferrari has chosen to work with Cabestan on a very exclusive, 300,000 Euro watch that can only be sold to Ferrari owners.
The Scuderia Ferrari One, designed by Cabestan’s Jean-François Ruchonnet, is limited to 60 pieces. “I met the people at Ferrari, and they said that there should be real value in the watch - you can’t just put the Ferrari logo on the dial and try to sell the watch,” he explains. “Every one of their cars has real value. We started with the Cabestan movement, the engine, then built the body around it using materials from Ferrari and Formula 1.”

Speaking of Formula 1, Hublot announced that it is now the official watch of Formula 1, supplanting Jacques Lemans. You can expect some Formula 1 themed watches in the near future. Bovet announced an association with high-end car builder Pinafarina, including a limited edition Bovet Tourbillon Grande Date by Pinafarina (limited to 80 pieces worldwide), while Graham is working with the Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One team

BOVET TOURBILLON GRANDE DATE by Pinafarina . Staying in auto racing, Luminox and Tony Kanaan introduced a new watch designed in partnership with Kanaan and featuring his colours. “At Luminox, we are delighted to be working with Tony Kanaan,“ says Luminox President Barry Cohen.”It’s an honour for a Luminox timepiece to be part of his essential gear. Having him so deeply involved with the design was a true pleasure and we look forward to developing this partnership in the years to come.“
TW Steel and Dario Franchitti worked together on a special watch. “I told Stewart Morrison, a fellow Scot who does the PR for TW Steel, that I’d love to do my own watch, because I love watches, and we came to an agreement,” Franchitti, the winningest British open wheel driver in history, remembers. “We worked on the design together and we launched the watch this year in Indianapolis at the Speedway.
“The company came up with the basic design, then I added my own touches,” he adds. “It was a fun process to get involved in - I wanted some detailing on the dial, to make it distinctive to me. The material of the strap was something I specified, it’s really comfortable and has an association with racing. I’ve shown the other drivers in IRL and the reception has been great.”

Alpina continued its relationship with the 12 Hours of Sebring, introducing a new Automatic Chrono GMT.
Certina, part of the Swatch Group, just announced the addition of young Swiss driver Fabio Leimer, driving in GP2. The Certina logo will be on Leimer’s race car, his helmet and his overalls.

In golf, Breitling announced its sponsorship of Rickie Barnes, an up and coming American golfer, who is currently ranked 39th on the PGA tour.
Jaermann & Stübi introduced a watch called the St Andrews Links Course Timer & GMT ‘The Old Course’, limited to 18 watches, with each watch representing one hole of the internationally renowned Old Course, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of The British Open. Like all the brand’s watches, these 18 timepieces will feature a G-Shock-Guard system with a flexible winding-stem, patented and specially designed for golf, as well as a course timer.

ST ANDREWS LINKS COURSE TIMER & GMT by Jaermann & Stübi

2010 was a great year for sports watches, seeing a return to value and to real-world usability, from the depths of the abyss to the dizzying heights of the boardroom, and everything in between.

Tissot virtual reality
One of the key questions watch people ask when they are thinking about buying a watch is “How will it look on my wrist?” Tissot recently introduced a web application called 3D Augmented Reality that will allow you to try watches on in front of your computer screen!
Focusing on the Tissot Touch collection, you will be able to virtually ‘try on’ a selection of styles and colours. In addition, all the watches will tell the correct time in digital and analogue.
“It’s really easy — all you need is a computer and a webcam,” says Duy Quan, Developer for Tissot. “You only need to install the software and then everything is automatic. The program starts the webcam by itself and all you have to do is cut the watch out with a pair scissors and show it to the camera.”
Is this the future of watch shopping? No one knows, but it certainly is fun.

• PART 1 of 4 – Sports watches 2010 – real value is back
• PART 2 of 4 – Unique designs in sports watches
• PART 3 of 4 – Professional specifications for sports watches
• PART 4 of 4 – Sporting associations

Source: Europa Star June - July 2010 Magazine Issue