The Olympics, Formula 1, tennis, football, swimming; all have one thing in common. Time. When first or second place depends on 1/100th of a second, you need a chronograph that delivers a stellar performance to match that of the athletes. Here are 10 luxury watches worn by sports stars from areas as diverse as basketball to swimming and tennis.
Michael Phelps & The Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean LiquidMetal
As the most decorated Olympian to date, swimmer Michael Phelps is the poster boy for the Omega Seamaster. He won six gold medals at the Athens 2004 Olympics, eight at Beijing 2008, and added four more to his collection at London 2012. Phelps, now affectionately known as the 'Flying Fish' became an Omega brand ambassador in 2004.
The star of his luxury watch collection, the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Liquidmetal is a diver's dream. Water resistant to 600 m, it has a 45 mm titanium case and bracelet. The depth might be impressive but it's the Liquidmetal numerals and scale markers on the bezel that take this timepiece down to the next sea level. Three times as hard as steel, this incredible material can be moulded in a similar way to plastic. A helium escape valve enables the watch to withstand the kind of pressure divers routinely subject their equipment to. The watch has an automatic movement and a date window at 3 o'clock.
Hublot King Power Usain Bolt
The Hublot King Power Usain Bolt is a limited edition chronograph, created to celebrate the sprinter who made history by winning the 100 metres at London 2012 in a record breaking 9.63 seconds. Only 250 were produced. It's a luxury sports watch with an automatic movement that demands the attention. It's big. Really big. Just like the man himself. The 48 mm case is crafted from micro-blasted black ceramic. The strap is gold synthetic leather, a nod to the material from which Bolt's running shoes were made. Take a look at the face and you'll notice a transfer of Bolt's silhouette at 9 o'clock.
Novak Djokovic & Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
David Beckham & Breitling for Bentley
Roger Federer & Rolex
TAG Heuer 2000 Classic Tiger Woods Limited Edition WJ2110
Richard Mille RM 59-01 For Yohan Blake
Jamaican sprinter Blake wore his RM 59-01 Tourbillon when he ran the 100 m at the London 2012 Olympics. And won a silver medal. He's still the only sprinter who wears a watch while he races. Developed for the left-handed Blake (so he wears it on his right wrist) the RM 59-01 has an edgy, gritty look to it. Maybe it's the burnished case with the 12 spline screws in grade 5 titanium. Perhaps it's the “Beast bridges” that span out across the face in a claw-like fashion, a nod to Blake's running style. It could be the asymmetrical shape. This is an incredible piece of engineering that almost looks like a work of art. Built to withstand the G-force exerted by an Olympic sprinter's arms as they help propel him towards the finish line at record-breaking speed, the RM 59-01 might be lightweight in terms of composite but it's a heavyweight limited edition sports watch. Only 50 were made.
Seiko Astron Novak Djokovic Limited Edition
It seems somehow fitting that two of the biggest names in tennis, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, are ambassadors for rival luxury watch makers. Rolex might wear the crown (literally) at Wimbledon but Grand Seiko is the high-end development arm of Seiko, and is committed to making luxury watches that rival the finest Swiss timepieces.
The Serbian powerhouse was presented with the limited edition Seiko Astron GPS Solar Novak Djokovic, dubbed the world's first GPS solar watch. What that actually means is it's capable of adjusting to your particular time zone on Earth when you touch a single button. Regardless of where you happen to be (and Djokovic travels a lot), you'll always know the time.
Image Credit – @omegawatches, @Hublot, watchtime.com, Astrua 1860 (Pinterest), Marie Claire UK (Pinterest), rolexmagazine.com, officialwatches.com, officialwatches.com Hodinkee (Pinterest) vedere di piu rolex replicas e Breitling Aeromarine


