Watchmaking companies have long ago turned their attention to yachting. They issue limited series devoted to the yachting theme and sponsor large-scale regattas that are often named in their honour.
The America’s Cup has been a sailing regatta since 1851. Held once every 4 years, it is not only a competition of willpower and professionall skill of the brave yachtsmen, but also a private viewing of technical innovations. The average budget of a team is around $200 million a season. Sponsoring the race is considered an honourable deed, that’s why there are often prominent watch manufacturers among the patrons.
The well-known lap of the Cup is called the Louis Vuitton Cup. It’s an elimination lap (called elimination regatta) that gives the winner the right to fight for the Cup with the race winner. Today the Louis Vuitton Cup is held both in a match race format and as a fleet race; the teams get score for each lap. Louis Vuitton is the main sponsor and timekeeper of the race because the company has their own series of yachting watches, Tambour. It is represented by the XL-sized platinum chronograph (first ever platinum watch by this watchmaker) with sailing race functions - Tambour LV Cup Regate. The watch has a countdown of time and reverse function; it allows noting 10 minutes before the race (the white pools on the dial first turn blue, then red). Naturally, the model is waterproof up to 100 m. Tambour Regate LV Cup are sold in a leather slate-coloured Taiga case specially designed in the Asnières workshop. The wristlet is made of alligator leather. The price is €52,000.
Another well-known name in connexion with the Cup of America is Girard-Perregaux. It’s one of the oldest Swiss watchmaking brands known for their ultrasophisticated mechanisms and adherence to century-old traditions of watchmaking art. The company is a patriarch in the world of complications and one of the few watchmakers whose activities had formed the reputation of the Swiss watchmaking art. Each new model issued by Girard-Perregaux becomes a real discovery for the professionals. The famous tourbillon with 3 golden bridges by Girard-Perregaux that appeared in the 1860’s still remains the unreachable standard of craftsmanship that marked the beginning of a new era in haute horlogerie. BMW Oracle Racing Team USA 76 WW.Tc Chronograph is a model created specially for the American BMW Oracle Racing Team headed by Larry Ellison. The 43х13,4-mm body is made of high-quality steel and is up to 30 m waterproof. The watch is equipped with an own-made GP calibre 033C0 automatic mechanism, semi-oscillation frequency 28,800 ph, 63 stones, 46-hour power reserve.
Only the knowing aficionados of the Cup of America or experts of watchmaking brands know about the participation of other watches in regattas. Audemars Piguet invests the favourites of the race – the Swiss Alinghi. Omega presented their Seamaster America`s Cup watch. Since 2007 2 names were added to the list of watchmaking brands – team sponsors: Hublot and TAG Heure. The former made the watch to commemorate the successful Italian challenger Luna Rossa. As for TAG Heure, they presented the watch in honour of the Chinese participants of the regatta, a very young team that first took part in the race in 2005, headed by the young and ambitious millionaire Chao Young Vang.
But perhaps the most famous watch brand, patron of the most number of regattas is Rolex. The brand sponsors many prominent sailing regattas, and one of them is the annual Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in the Mediterranean, in Porto Cervo, Sardinia. Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup has been held there since 1980. It’s a competition of sailing yachts over 20 metres long. The participant yachts are subdivided in 3 categories: IMS, Wally and Cruisers. The organisers of the event are the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and the International Maxi Association (IMA). The event is sponsored by Rolex.
Another regatta is the offshore Rolex Commodores’ Cup. The participant yachts fall into 3 categories depending on the displacement and length. Several prizes are given to the winners of the regatta: for instance, the Edward Heath Trophy goes to the best European team, the Twee Gezusters Trophy goes to the yacht with no less than 2 female crew members. But the most prestigious is the Rolex Trophy: by tradition, besides the cup itself the winners get Rolex chronometres with a stainless steel and 18-carat gold body.
In connexion with their direct participation in regattas the brand issued many series of yachting watches. The latest is the mechanical chronometre Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master II with a сountdown timer. The special feature of a regatta timer is mechanical memory: depending on the race rules or personal needs one can set a different time for preparation (countdown time – from 0 to 10 minutes); at the next countdown the mechanism will remember the last time set. When setting the required time period a bezel is used as one of the ruling elements. The watch use the new 4160 calibre that consists of 360 components and is designed and manufactured by Rolex. According to the designers, the blue Parachrom® spiral that oscillates with a frequency of 28,000 ph on a Breguet reel is 10 times more vibration- and shock-resistant and less susceptible to magnetism. The watch has a COSC certificate (Controle officiel suisse des Chronometres). It has a power reserve of 72 hours.
A year ago Girard-Perregaux announced the launch of an exclusive model for the Golden Gate Yacht Club, called edition Sea Hawk pro 1000m, a co-project with BMW Oracle team for the 32nd America’s Cup regatta. The watch has a 44-mm body and a unilateral bezel. It’s waterproof up to 1000 m. It has a GP 033R0 mechanism with 27 stones and a power reserve of 46 hours. The watch comes in a limited edition of 1000 pieces.
Konstantin Startsev
Photoreport
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