Just for Kicks: 6 Watches That Celebrate Soccer


The eyes of the sporting world were on soccer’s European Championship yesterday, won by Portugal over France in a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Paris’s Stade de France. To celebrate, we re-present our feature showcasing six special-edition watches, from six luxury brands, devoted to the “beautiful game” and its players.

Hublot — headed by rabid fútbol fan Jean-Claude Biver — became official timekeeper for the FIFA World Cup in 2014. Accordingly, the brand used the opportunity to release a plethora of special-edition Hublot World Cup watches. The most technically interesting of these watches is the Hublot Big Bang Unico Bi-Retrograde Chrono, nicknamed the Hublot “Soccer Bang.” Designed to showcase the colors of host country Brazil’s flag, the watch is powered by a new in-house movement, Caliber HUB1260, which features a bi-retrograde chronograph function with the hands recording 15-minute intervals, making it ideal for timing the halves of a soccer match, plus 15 minutes “extra time.” The Hublot Big Bang Bi-Retrograde Unico is available in two cases, both with carbon fiber bezels, one in black ceramic ($26,600), the other in Hublot’s proprietary “King Gold” ($42,200). Click here for more information on the watch.

The Hublot Big Bang Unico Bi-Retrograde Chrono in King Gold
The Hublot Big Bang Unico Bi-Retrograde Chrono in King Gold

Parmigiani introduced its Pershing Chronograph 005 CBF at SIHH 2014. These chronograph watches have 45-mm-diameter titanium cases (one version with a rose-gold bezel) and are designed with the colors of the Brazilian national team (Confederaçåo Brasileira de Futebol, or CBF), which also happens to be the colors of the national flag. Blue is used for the côtes-de-Genève-finished dial, and green for the five “victory stars,” symbolizing the Brazilian team’s five World Cup championships and worn on the players’ jerseys, which are arranged in a circle at 3 o’clock. The watch comes on a blue Hermès alligator leather strap or a yellow rubber strap with the embossed logo of the CBF. The U.S retail price for each is $25,000. Click here for more info and other Parmiginai soccer watches.

Parmigiani Pershing Chronograph 005 CBF - duo
Parmigiani Pershing Chronograph 005 CBF

Audemars Piguet created a watch in honor of one of the world’s most accomplished footballers, FC Barcelona’s Lionel “Leo” Messi. There are several versions of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Leo Messi, which has an automatic chronograph movement with date display and small seconds, including a model with steel case and anthracite dial ($30,800, limited to 500); with rose gold case and anthracite dial ($52,000, limited to 400), and with platinum case and brushed blue dial and blue strap ($84,300, limited to 100, pictured). All have bezels made of tantalum.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Leo Messi
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Leo Messi

Lucerne-based Carl F. Bucherer showed its loyalty to the Swiss national team with the release of the Carl F. Bucherer Patravi ScubaTec SFV Special Edition. The black-and-red color scheme echoes the colors of the Swiss team, and the logo of the Swiss Football Association (SFV) appears at the 6 o’clock position on the rotating divers’ bezel. The engraved figures of footballers make up a subtle pattern on the black dial, and the rubber strap also carries the black-and-red color motif. Carl F. Bucherer presented a personalized watch to each member of 2014’s Swiss national team. You can’t get one of those, but you can purchase one of your own (with an engraved soccer ball on the caseback) for $6,400. For more info and specs on the Carl F. Bucherer Patravi ScubaTec, the brand’s first dive watch collection, click here.

 

Carl F. Bucherer Patravi ScubaTec SFV Special Edition
Carl F. Bucherer Patravi ScubaTec SFV Special Edition

Tissot’s history with soccer actually begins in 1976, when the Swiss brand produced its Tissot Football Chronograph, a watch designed for referees that included a colorful dial that indicated halftime. The Tissot Quickster Football is a modern-day take on that watch, with a soccer timekeeping function, this one powered by a Swiss quartz chronograph movement. The watch has an aluminum bezel, available in various colors based on the jerseys of teams. The stainless steel case is available with a black PVD coating (as pictured) and bears an engraving of a soccer ball on its back. The Tissot Quickster Football comes on a silicone strap; prices range from $450 to $525.

Tissot Quickster Football with black PVD case - yellow
Tissot Quickster Football with black PVD case

Jeanrichard entered into a global partnership with London’s Premiere League Football Club Arsenal in 2014. The brand also launched a limited edition of its Aeroscope Chronograph sports watch in support of the team. The Jeanrichard Aeroscope Arsenal FC Limited Edition has a 44-mm case of micro-beaded, sandblasted black titanium and a bright red dial with a stamped honeycomb pattern. The watch, powered by Jeanrichard’s automatic JR66 movement, is a chronograph and also features a small seconds hand in the shape of the Arsenal club’s iconic “cannon” logo. The titanium bezel has an engraved, red-paint-filled tachymeter scale and the chronograph pushers are made of a carbon fiber composite. The Jeanrichard Aeroscope Arsenal FC is limited to just 250 pieces worldwide and is priced at $6,200.

Jeanrichard Aeroscope Arsenal FC Limited Edition
Jeanrichard Aeroscope Arsenal FC Limited Edition

This article was originally published in 2014 and has been updated; prices are subject to change.

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  1. Jack T

    I like several of the Bucherer models, this one included. Haven’t been able to see any in person, have to get in to Manhattan one of these days.

    Reply
  2. Leonard Martinez

    These watches are fascinating, but soccer is still the most boring sport ever invented. A bunch of men running around a field, trying to kick a ball and never quite able to kick it into the goal…it’s incredibly and stupidly boring.

    Reply
  3. Debashish

    Out of these 6 watches, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Leo Messi is really an outstanding watch, unfortunately, this APRO Leo Messi timepiece is beyond the reach of ordinary watch lovers and football lovers as it is quite expensive.

    Reply
    • PRINCIVAL

      Très très intéressant et supers articles qui en tant que collectionneur me satisfont complétement !! s’il vous plait continuez !!Merci
      Joël PRINCIVAL.

      Reply
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