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

Sportsmen become watchmakers

While many international footballers take pride in their horological collections, some have taken their love of wrist wear to the extreme of actually producing their own ranges. As a reward for qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, Inter Milan striker Samuel Eto’o rewarded his Cameroon teammates with watches from his own luxury collection - they were reportedly made of solid gold and diamonds, and worth around £29,000 each. At the other end of the price spectrum, Spanish defender Carles Puyol has released the CP5 watch, whose colourful and sporty pieces retail for around £125. Shortly after winning the World Cup, the Barcelona star rewarded each of his teammates with a bold and sporty looking CP5.

Launching one’s own watch range is no easy feat, but as the worlds of sport and watch fashion continue to merge, perhaps it will become increasingly commonplace.

Sporting trends

Having established the inextricable link between watch fashion and sport, one question remains: what kind of watches are sportsmen wearing? Adrian Maronneau explains: “In the past few years oversized watches have been hugely popular, which was a trend started by Panerai. However, now we are also seeing the return of smaller and simpler pieces with a classic feel. The vintage business is really booming.”

In terms of materials, the stainless steel and titanium that has traditionally adorned sports watches has been replaced with highly fashionable rose gold. “There’s no real point in a chronograph or diver’s watch in rose gold, but it looks great and it’s what customers want.”

To some, the rose gold chronograph might represent the victory of fashion over function in the watch world, but this is not necessarily the case. “The fashion element of modern sports watches is great, but they still need function to be relevant,” asserts Maronneau. And nowhere is this symbiotic relationship more apparent than in the Richard Mille RM 027 Tourbillon. The beautiful luxe piece would not look out of place in the most exclusive of fashion circles, but its unique selling point is its weight – just 20 grams including the strap. This makes it perfect for sport, which is why tennis star Rafa Nadal wore one during the French Open and which the thewatchlounge.com recently reports was stolen. An RM 027 Tourbillon may cost upwards of £320,000, but as a symbol of the continued dedication of watchmakers to improve the sporting function of wristwatches, it is surely invaluable.

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

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.