With the arrival of warm spring temperatures, The opening of the professional soccer and baseball regular seasons is also being announced. One of the most common marketing methods for watches is sponsorship. By sponsoring sports or events with high viewership or interest, Or by becoming the official timekeeper, Brands aim to make their names known. As sports watches become more popular, Many watch companies are appearing in various sports fields. In this edition, We will look at which watch companies are partnering with which sports.

F1

In Korea, Netflix's 'F1: Drive to Survive' has increased public interest, But F1 is still not very popular. A small group of enthusiasts enjoy the world's fastest race. Unlike the subdued atmosphere in Korea, F1 has a very high status worldwide. Over 1.5 billion viewers enthusiastically support each team and driver every year. If you look at the circuit from afar during the tense wheel-to-wheel situations, You can see the Rolex banner with clear yellow letters on a vivid green background.

ⓒ truefacet

Rolex has been participating as a global sponsor and official timekeeper of F1 since 2013, But with F1 and the LVMH Group signing a 10-year contract, Rolex is expected to be replaced from 2025. There has not yet been a specific announcement about the form this will take, But it seems that TAG Heuer, Which has had a long relationship with F1, Will take the lead. In the 1980s, TAG, The parent company of TAG Heuer, Supplied engines to F1, And TAG Heuer served as the official timekeeper. The Formula 1 collection, Which used the latest materials of the time such as colorful plastics, Glass fiber, And rubber straps, Continues to this day. In May 2024, The brand recreated the sensibility of the 1990s with a Formula 1 collaboration with fashion brand KITH. Currently, TAG Heuer collaborates with the F1 racing team Red Bull, Releasing watches such as the Formula 1 Chronograph and adding vitality to F1.

TAG Heuer Formula 1 Series 1 ⓒ magazine.tagheuer

IWC has not been directly involved with F1, But it has partnered as an engineering partner with the Mercedes AMG-Petronas F1 Team, Which dominated until a few years ago. The 'Pilot's Watch Chronograph 41 Mercedes AMG-Petronas Formula One' and 'Pilot's Watch Performance Chronograph 41 AMG', Which use the team's livery color turquoise on the index, Create a strong impression and connect with F1.

TUDOR Black Bay Ceramic ‘Blue’ V-CARB F1 ⓒ tudorwatch

Tudor has released the Black Bay Ceramic Ref. m79210cnu-0007 with a black ceramic case and a vivid blue dial for the Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team. Unlike most F1 watches, Which are chronographs capable of measuring time, This model features a simple time-only function.

ROLEX Daytona ref. 126529 LN ⓒ watchesbysjx

Rolex has served as F1's sponsor and official timekeeper for over ten years, But has not released any special editions. The only exception is the Daytona Ref. 126529LN, Which was released to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the endurance race Le Mans, Featuring the number 100 in red on the tachymeter.

Daytona 126529LN

40mm, Black, 'Le Mans 24 Hours' 100th Anniversary Edition

Tennis

As the strongest player in the sports watch field, Rolex also demonstrates its dominance in tennis sponsorships. Since 2019, After Roland-Garros, Rolex has become the sponsor and official timekeeper of the four Grand Slam tournaments (Wimbledon, US Open, Australian Open, Roland-Garros). It is also a partner of the top-tier ATP Tour.

ⓒ FlashStudio

On the lush grass courts of Wimbledon or the ochre clay courts of Roland-Garros, You can see large fluted bezel clocks displaying the match time. Rolex has shared the glory of victory by sponsoring Roger Federer, Considered the most elegant player in tennis history, And is building connections with promising tennis players.

ⓒ amitdevhanda

As always, Rolex does not produce limited or special editions. However, In advertisements related to tennis, The Datejust often appears. The model, Nicknamed Wimbledon, Features a unique index. The green Arabic numerals are outlined in black, And only the 9 o'clock position uses a luminous bar index. The 9 o'clock bar index is reminiscent of a tennis net, And the green color of the index evokes the grass of Wimbledon, Which is why it is called Wimbledon.

Datejust 36 126233

36mm, Slate/Roman, Oyster

Datejust 36 126233

36mm, Slate/Roman, Jubilee

Datejust 41 126331

41mm, Slate/Roman, Oyster

Datejust 41 126331

41mm, Slate/Roman, Jubilee

Yacht

Rolex is also indispensable in yacht racing, The sport with the longest history. It is connected to various yacht races and yacht clubs around the world, Including the New York Yacht Club, With which Rolex first established a sponsorship in 1958.

ROLEX Yacht-Master 44 116688 ⓒ watchchest

Rolex demonstrated its commitment to yacht racing with the Yacht-Master II, Which features a regatta countdown function. Although the dazzling Yacht-Master II is no longer in production, Its legacy remains.

Panerai Submersible QuarantaQuattro
Luna Rossa Ti-Ceramitech™ ⓒ mrwatchmaster

Panerai has announced several watches in partnership with the sailing team Luna Rossa. In 2024, The Luna Rossa edition was unveiled in the Submersible collection, Using a new material called Ti-Ceramitech™, Which combines titanium and ceramic. The deep blue case is 44% lighter than steel and has ten times the fracture resistance of ceramic.

Yacht-Master 2 116688

44mm, White, Oyster

Yacht-Master 2 116680

44mm, White, Oyster

Golf

Rolex boasts a long partnership with golf. It began in 1967 with the legendary players known as the Big Three: Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, And Gary Player.

Courtesy Rolex / Chris Turvey ⓒ robbreport

Currently, Rolex partners not only with active players but also with the four major men's tournaments and the five major women's tournaments. As Rolex is a sturdy watch that can be worn with confidence during a golf game, Any model pairs well with golf, But the green dial models, Which use the color green of both the golf course and Rolex, Symbolize golf. Examples include the Oyster Perpetual with a green dial or the Datejust with a sunray green dial.

Oyster Perpetual 36 126000

36mm, Green, Oyster

Datejust 36 126234

36mm, Mint Green, Oyster

In addition, Watch companies follow sports that attract public attention, Such as equestrian, Skiing, Gymnastics, Track and field, And extreme sports. In racing or timed events, Chronographs are used, While diver's watches are used for underwater sports, Appropriately showcasing the functions of each watch and enhancing the excitement of sports. Thanks to this, Fans can enjoy both the fun of watching sports and the pleasure of appreciating watches, Making it the perfect combination for enthusiasts of both.