PRECISION TIMEKEEPING AT ITS BEST
2018’s top official watch partners in sport
HUBLOT
Having entered the world of football in 2006, by becoming the sponsor of the Swiss national team, high-tech watchmaker Hublot holds the titles “FIFA Official Watch” and “FIFA Official Timekeeper” for the third consecutive time, making it the official watch partner for a total of three World Cups and three Confederations Cups, in addition to three UEFA EURO editions, and three seasons of the Champions League and Europa League.
For the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, Hublot created a smart watch that instantly connected its owner to every decisive second of the matches in real time. Wanting a customised watch for the referees, FIFA asked Hublot to conceive the perfect watch to accompany them on the pitches during the matches. Hublot designed this connected watch, its first, for the footballing universe: the Big Bang Referee 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.
“It brings together everything that inspires the passion of football lovers! The FIFA World Cup is the Holy Grail of emotions for football fans, so just imagine what an object such as a watch that captures each and every one of its moments, its turning points, its stakes could suddenly represent? The football aficionados from among the brand’s friends have been waiting for this watch for a long time!” said Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe.
KICKING OFF WITH A BIG BANG
Limited to 2,018 pieces, available across Hublot’s boutiques worldwide, the Big Bang Referee 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia immediately shows its distinctive spirit with an application specially developed for the competition and a series of “fan” dials and matching straps in the national colours of each participating country. Thanks to its patented interchangeable “One Click” strap, the watch can easily be fitted to one of its two other straps that come with the timepiece: a cuff strap in sponge sporting the 2018 FIFA World Cup emblem and that of Hublot, and a black rubber strap.
It has all the attributes of the iconic Big Bang: its emblematic architecture cut out of the lightness of titanium, its bezel decorated with 6 H-shaped screws, its Kevlar insert. Even the digital display in analogue mode features the same aesthetic as that of the automatic models. In terms of size, the 49mm case is what makes the first difference, then its motor, which, for the first time, is driven by technology connected to digital intelligence.
ASSISTING REFEREES ON THE WRIST
The Big Bang Referee 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia was first tested discreetly on the wrist of the referees many times during the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017. 2018 marked the very first World Cup in which the referees were supported by video assistance, wearing the Big Bang Referee 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia with its smart technology. On top of all the aforementioned functions, the referees wearing the smart watch were connected to goal-line technology, an electronic video assistance system for refereeing which followed all the trajectories of the ball and determined for certain if the ball did or did not entirely cross the goal line.
From Saint Petersburg to Moscow via Ekaterinburg, Kaliningrad, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, Saransk, Sochi and Volgograd, Hublot was present across the 12 stadiums where the 32 teams competed in 64 matches by sequencing time, changes and extra time to the rhythm of its Big Bang-shaped referee boards.
TISSOT
The bond between Tissot and the dynamic world of sports was forged in its early days. Tissot then entered the field of sports timekeeping in 1938 to become a key player in the championships. Today, its sporting calendar unites high-profile events and a diverse spectrum of disciplines. In addition to its Official Timekeeping partnerships in the world of basketball with the NBA and FIBA; cycling with the Tour de France and the UCI World Cycling Championships; motorsports with
MotoGP and the FIM World Superbike Championship and rugby with the Natwest 6 Nations Championship, TOP14, the European Rugby Champions and Challenge Cups, the World Championships of Fencing, Ice Hockey and Table Tennis also entrust their timekeeping and data handling to the Swiss brand.
It has also provided timekeeping services for some of the world’s most important multi-discipline sporting events. Among them are the Summer and Winter Universiades, the biggest international multi-sport events for student athletes, in 2013, the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2007 and the Asian Games in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2014 and 2018.
PREPARATION IS EVERYTHING
For the 18th Asian Games Jakarta Palembang 2018, the timekeeping team was put in place months before. Tissot visited the venues, planned the event, worked with the local organisers, and the logistics are much more complicated. The network issues are paramount, as it’s vital to edit the results everywhere at the same time for the different competitions.
In Jakarta Palembang, Tissot has set up a technology operation centre, from which the Tissot team will monitor the games at every venue. One of the other challenges is that the timing and data management systems vary from sport to sport. Even if some sports are a bit similar, they are very different, so there is no one-size-fits-all solution. For example, basketball is one of the events at the Asian Games, and there is scoring and event timing; but for track and field, the races are all about timing and end position.
Despite the complexity of multi-sport events, the philosophy behind Tissot’s involvement is always the same ‒ to guarantee reliability and accuracy for the timing and the scoring. The accuracy of the systems is absolutely fundamental. The athletes have made such a commitment, have made great personal sacrifices, so it’s absolutely imperative to be right.
ASIAN GAMES SPECIAL EDITION 2018:
TISSOT T-TOUCH EXPERT SOLAR
The Tissot T-Touch Expert Solar ranks alongside professional sports equipment with functions such as meteo, compass, different chronographs, dual time zones, two alarms, a backlight and a perpetual calendar to complete the feature line-up, all protected by water-resistance to 10 bar (100 m/330 ft). The dial not only allows the Super-LumiNova indices and hands to glow in the dark but also to recharge the watch. It equips its wearer to tackle nearly every lifestyle situation. A light touch of the crown and scratchresistant crystal represents the key to the wide spectrum of functionality, making operation easy and fast for individuals with action-packed schedules.
TISSOT CHRONO XL
The big 45mm case on the Tissot Chrono XL Asian Games Special Edition makes this watch really is larger than life. Enabling sports fans to wear a piece of the lifestyle on their wrist, it celebrates everything that is great about the cycling life. The cool street feel of the watch tells of health, fresh air and independence. Its large dial is enhanced with contemporary Arabic numerals. The handy chronograph function adds a touch to the urban style.
LONGINES
As the Official Timekeeper of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, Longines drew a very positive conclusion from the event and was proud that its official timekeeping equipment captured 9 world record-breaking performances and more than 100 Commonwealth Games records during the eleven days of intense competition.
Longines Ambassador of Elegance Simon Baker was present at Carrara Stadium to attend the final celebration paying tribute to the remarkable performances of the athletes. This event was also the opportunity to pass the baton to the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
In addition, the Swiss watch brand hosted many events at the Longines Records Club on Broadbeach, notably the Longines Records Ceremonies, which saw a number of the world record-breaker athletes come to the Records Club to receive a Conquest V.H.P. Gold Coast 2018 Commonewealth Games, a personal certificate of achievement and and a $500 AUD donation in their names to UNICEF in recognition of their outstanding achievement. The record-breaking athletes were presented with a personal certificate of achievement and a $250 AUD donation in their names to UNICEF.
IN GOOD COMPANY
Moreover, Longines was honored to welcome Longines Friends of the Brand, such as Australian athletes Amy Pejkovic, Cam McEvoy, Charlie Taylor, Charlotte Caslick and James Roberts, international influencers, as well as its Ambassador of Elegance Simon Baker to the Records Club throughout the Games.
Other talented Australian and international athletes and former athletes such as Dawn Fraser (swimmer), Todd Woodbridge (tennis player), Leroy Loggins (NBL basketball player) Stephanie Rice (swimmer), Natalie Cook (volleyballer), Lisa Curry (swimmer), Sheryl McMahon (netballer), Georgie Parkes (swimmer), Teo Shun Xie (shooter), Jasmine Ser (shooter), Mitch Larkin (swimmer), Dane Bird-Smith (race walker), Rhys McClenaghan (gymnast), Henricho Bruintjies (sprinter), Josh Beaver (swimmer), Ben Treffers (swimmer), Adam Gibson (basketballer) and Matt Poole (ironman) were also welcomed to the Longines Records Club during the Games.
The Longines Boutique, situated next to the Longines Records Club, was the perfect place to discover the brand’s various collections, more particularly the Official Watch of the event, the Conquest V.H.P. Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. Bearing the colours of this unique international sporting event, this exceptional timepiece displays an engraving of the Gold Coast 2018 logo with the mention “Gold Coast 2018 XXI Commonwealth Games”.
PLAY TO WIN
As Official Partner and Timekeeper of the XXI Commonwealth Games, Longines proudly launched the Conquest V.H.P. Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
The Conquest V.H.P. represents a new achievement in the field of quartz, combining great precision, high technicality and a sporty look, marked by the brand’s unique elegance. Based on its many years of experience with quartz, Longines is revisiting a success story from the 80s. With the Conquest
V.H.P. (Very High Precision), it is marking a return to a technology in which it was a pioneer and expert, particularly through its timekeeping activities.
Bearing the colours of this great international sporting event’s brightly colourful logo and blue koala mascot, the Conquest V.H.P. Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games boasts a black dial with a red V.H.P.mention , orange indexes and blue accents on the watch hands, dial and flange indexes. The watch 43-mm-diameter caseback displays an engraving of the Gold Coast 2018 logo with the mention “Gold Coast 2018 XXI Commonwealth Games”. A steel bracelet with a folding safety clasp completes this exceptional piece.
OMEGA
In 1988, the Olympic Games arrived in Seoul, where the best athletes performed on the world’s greatest stage. 30 years on, the global sporting event returned to South Korea. This time, with the Winter Olympics, in Pyeongchang. While the sports and climate are different, Omega is more than poised to maintain precision in the face of cold, thanks to an ongoing history of excellence as the multi-sport event’s official timekeeper.
For the 28th time in history, Omega fulfilled its role at the Olympics. The official timekeeper moved in on Pyeongchang with 300 timekeepers, supported by 350 trained volunteers, 230 tons of equipment, including 30 public and 90 sports scoreboards, and many kilometres of cables and optical fibre, capturing the best performances and finest moments in the history of sports.
STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGIES
At Pyeongchang 2018, through incredible sensor systems, Omega provided continuous measurements from start to finish, meaning that athletes could gain an immediate understanding of where they gained or lost time, or where they won or lost points.
From the live speed of a single alpine skier ‒ to the formations of an entire ice hockey team ‒ the information provided by Omega added a brand new dimension to every performance. Additionally, this information meant that people in the venues, as well as those at home watching on television, could have a far greater understanding of each sport as it happened. Everything in 2018 was about enhancing the viewing experience and providing live information. This was the first time at the Olympic Games that such in-depth data were made instantly available.
ALL HANDS ON DECK
Created to mark the Olympic Winter Games 2018, the Seamaster Planet Ocean “Pyeongchang 2018” is guaranteed to perform with world-class precision long after the great event. Limited to 2,018 pieces, it is not only an aesthetically striking timepiece in bold blue and red (the colours of the Korean flag), but also a technological marvel. Cased in stainless steel, it features a polished blue ceramic dial with indexes, hour and seconds coated with white SuperLumiNova that emits a blue glow. The minute hand, in line with the dot on the bezel, emits a green glow.
The unidirectional rotating diving bezel is very special indeed. It features the world’s first polished blue ceramic ring with rubber and Omega Liquidmetal diving scale, with red rubber for the first 15 minutes. The new alveol-patterned screw-in caseback is engraved in blue with the words “Planet Ocean” and “Limited Edition”, as well as the watch’s limited edition number. Transferred to the caseback’s sapphire crystal are the words “Pyeongchang 2018” and the Olympic Winter Games logo. Beating at the heart is the Omega CoAxial Master Chronometer Calibre 8900. As a Master Chronometer, the watch has passed the highest level of watch testing in the industry, having endured 8 rigorous tests over 10 days, set by the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS).
With high-tech equipment developed and improved over the years, Omega brings the
most advanced precision timekeeping technology to the Olympics every time