Time out. It’s been announced that Hublot, the luxury watchmaker, will become the official timekeeper for American football squad the New York Giants. And, as you’d expect, the reveal also heralded news of a special line of timepieces inspired by the partnership between the two.
While this is a major deal for both team and watchmaker, it’s certainly not the first time Hublot have been involved with American football, continuing, as they are, their partnership with another top team, the Dallas Cowboys.
However, it does mark a distinct change of pace for the company, who proudly showcases their passion for traditional football over on their official site, ‘Hublot loves Football.’ Addressing this at the NY Giants’ reveal, Hublot’s CEO, Ricardo Guadalupe said:
‘Our strategy in the U.S., where soccer is, unfortunately, not a big sport, is to turn to football. We can’t work with all the teams so you have to choose, and you want the best when you do that. The Giants are the perfect team because they are iconic and so is New York City. It all makes great sense.’
Those luxury Giants-inspired watches will be revealed at some point today, 20th September, having been kept well under wraps until then. Having said that, we understand that there are a certain number of details which have been leaked. Most notably, that the watches themselves have been worked on by famed Giants receiver Victor Cruz, a 29-year-old rising star who’s well known in the sport for his impeccable style. As such, he’s worked closely with Hublot in order to help create a watch considered truly beautiful, with a focus on the New York Giants’ blue colours.
Singing the praises of his receiver, the Giants’ CMO, Mike Stevens, stated that:
‘Cruz really loves, understands and lives fashion, so having him in on the development of the watch makes great sense. The watch is beautiful; it is reflective of us and of our city. It is a combination of elegance and toughness – much like football and our team.’
With its long association with sports, this team-up is very much a natural fit for Hublot. They have already previously been named timekeepers for the 2016 Bol D’Or Mirabaud yacht race, which takes place in Geneva, as well as officially overseeing the special ‘Scuderia Ferrari on Ice’ event. And with a philosophy that emphasises ‘the art of fusion’ – which essentially translates as a combination of innovation, creativity and flawless design – sporting events are the natural home for Hublot.
What is an Official Timekeeper?
We know that they’re vital in the world of sports, but precisely what does being official timekeeper actually mean? Beyond having your brand name on every clock at the event, how does it all work? And couldn’t the same be achieved with your regular Joe stopwatch?
Actually, becoming official timekeeper incorporates several factors. First, you need to make sure that the watches produced are intensely accurate. A millisecond out could mean the difference between silver and gold. That’s why such gigs tend to be given to watchmakers with a history of accuracy, such as Rolex’s work with Wimbledon, TAG Heuer’s partnership with the London marathon, or Omega’s long-standing association with the Olympics.
In the run-up to the 2016 Olympics in Rio, the National Post provided us with a fascinating glimpse of the intricacies involved with being official timekeeper of the world’s number one sporting event. According to them, ‘when Omega first became the official timekeeper for the Olympics in 1932, it sent one person, with 30 chronographs, to Los Angeles to handle the job. In Rio De Janeiro, in 2016, the Swiss company has a considerably larger presence. There are 480 professional timekeepers on site, along with 450 tonnes of equipment and 200 kilometres of cable.’
That, alone, tells you just how colossal a task this is. One that takes literally years of planning. Hans Grubler, one of Omega’s MDs with 36 years’ experience, has said that ‘the process started three years prior. We are involved in the design of the venues with the architects, consulting on room sizes and locations, with the organization for cabling, room sizes, room locations … there’s a lot of things that need to be done before our team actually comes in a couple of weeks before the Games.’
Despite the emphasis on accuracy – a matter, frankly, of life and death in the Olympics – sport has, for many years, been strongly resistant to technology, as Alain Zoborist, Omega Timing CEO, admitted.
‘It took the sports two decades to accept that technology would replace human judges operating with handheld stopwatches. It took time to change rules, to change habits. Time is never going to change. A second is always going to be a second, but the way we measure that second is what is going to change and has changed a lot in the past.’
Famous Hublot Fans
With its contemporary curves and bold stylings, Hublot has picked up plenty of fans across the world, particularly in the sporting world…
Seeking your own luxury watch and join these illustrious ranks? Then look no further than the incredible Big Bang King Gold, which features Hublot’s intense design and a black and gold ceramic style that is sure to catch the eye.