From Function to Fashion: How Sport Changed Watches - part 1

TAG Heuer watches, for example, provided the dashboard timing instruments for the magnificent machines of the first Monte Carlo Rally in 1911. This relationship formed the foundations of a motorsport heritage that continues to this day, and which once brought us the legendary 1969 Monaco chronograph watch, favoured by adrenaline-fuelled drivers and Steve McQueen alike. TAG Heuer were also the official timekeepers for all three Olympic Games in the 1920s, a mantle they passed to Omega in 1932, whose chronometers are still used at the Summer and Winter Games to this day, while in the world of international yachting, the Rolex Daytona (available in Time² Westfield) is prized by competitors for its unwavering accuracy.

As is clear from the football referees who wear two timepieces during matches (the second one is to work out injury stoppages, in case you were interested), or the elite runners who rely heavily on the information on their wrist while breaking through the pack, sports watches remain vitally important.

However, as well-paid international sportsmen find their private lives and sartorial choices under the 24-hour scrutiny of the world’s media, the role of the watch in sport has slowly shifted from function to fashion. For a professional footballer, a sophisticated chronograph watch isn’t used as a precise measurement of time, but rather a measurement of status. Adrian Maronneau Head of Buying & Merchandising at Time², explains the role of a timepiece for the modern sportsmen: “The business of watches can be linked to the business of cars. They say a lot about you – not only that you have the money, but that you’ve managed to get hold of one. For this reason, sportsmen now are looking for something quite rare on the market.”

Sportsmen changing the world of watch fashion

By favouring a particular brand or design, stars from the Beautiful Game or the racetrack can influence the purchasing habits of watch collectors all over the world. David Beckham arguably launched Jacob & Co on to the world stage. It didn't take long before the New York jeweller was overwhelmed by demand for their diamond-encrusted collection, once spotted on his much photographed wrist.

Watchmakers, of course, have become wise to the power of getting their products on the wrists of the sporting elite. Thanks to lucrative endorsement deals, it is difficult to pass a high street jeweller without seeing Lewis Hamilton or Jenson Button extolling the virtues of TAG Heuer’s Formula 1 range, Tennis champion Roger Federer enjoyed a five-year endorsement deal with the Swiss artisans at Maurice Lacroix up until 2009, at which point he joined fellow racket star Andy Roddick as an ambassador for Rolex, frequently wearing a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-date during trophy presentations. And Hublot has taken the unique approach of sponsoring an entire team, producing the 99-piece limited edition ‘Red Devil II’ to mark their affiliation with Manchester Utd.

Continued in From Function to Fashion - How Sport Changed Watches - part 2

About the author: Ryan Bailey is an award-winning writer and presenter who has worked on websites, magazines, newspapers and TV channels across the world. Currently, Ryan writes about lifestyle and sport for Men’s Health and Yahoo, and he presents a show on The Travel Channel.