THE JOURNEY CONTINUES
TUDOR CELEBRATED ITS LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIP WITH BORN TO DARE AMBASSADOR DAVID BECKHAM WITH A STYLISH AND LIVELY EVENING AT SENTUL DEPOT, KUALA LUMPUR.
January 2024 ended on quite a festive note—or a royally festive note, we should say—for our neighbors in Malaysia, as the country celebrated the ascension of a new king under the nation’s unique rotational monarchy. As it happens, the event calendar for February in Malaysia, especially in the capital of Kuala Lumpur, was likewise quite exciting. And it all started on the very first day of the month with an exclusive evening held by Swiss watch brand TUDOR at Sentul Depot, with David Beckham.
A legend in soccer, a style superstar and a bona fide global cultural icon, Beckham has worked closely with TUDOR as ambassador for the brand’s Born To Dare campaign since 2017. Quite fittingly, the theme of the evening was “Beckham’s Born To Dare Journey with TUDOR,” and it certainly did an excellent job in showcasing the brand ambassador and the brand’s mutual passion for pushing boundaries and fostering creativity, to say nothing of Beckham’s genuine—and infectious—passion for TUDOR watches.
The star of the evening was, obviously, Beckham himself, along with showcases of the new TUDOR Manufacture in Le Locle, Switzerland, as well as interactive watchmaking experiences, and various performances highlighting Malaysia’s rich cultural heritage. But before the party started, DA MAN had the opportunity to join a small group of select media outlets from throughout the region to join an exclusive group interview with the star of the show led by Malaysian TV host and presenter Nadia Heng.
Man of the Hour
What had us particularly excited about the opportunity to sit down with David Beckham and discuss his partnership with TUDOR was the fact that we previously had the chance to chat with him back in 2018 during his visit to Singapore, shortly after his appointment as brand ambassador.
The collaboration with TUDOR was an easy decision for Beckham, “Okay, this it it.
This is the right partnership because it was like two families coming together” we were told some years back. And now, seeing him still as passionate as ever about working with the brand certainly drove home the “Beckham’s Born To Dare Journey with TUDOR” theme.
Fast forward six years to 2024 and that same enthusiasm is still there. “The journey of this partnership and being part of the TUDOR family has been incredible. We have done so many different things together,” Beckam recalled. “They have pushed me into different directions that I probably felt uncomfortable with, but I like to be challenged. It’s just amazing to be part of a family and a brand and a company that does things at a level that I could never have imagined, he reiterated.”
At the time, Beckham wore a TUDOR Black Bay with a burgundy bezel with a fivelink bracelet that he described as “one of the most comfortable bracelets to wear.” What has always been extra intriguing, however, was the story of David Beckham’s encounter with his first TUDOR watch, long before he became an ambassador for the brand.
“Well, it’s a funny and surreal story. I live in London and I’ve always loved walking down Burlington Arcade, where you have all these watchmakers and watch shops. It was early one morning, I stopped at one of these shops and there were some Rolexes in the window. I looked at one and thought, ‘I love that one. I’m going to go in and ask how much it is.’ So, I walked in and said, ‘Can I see the Rolex there?’” Beckham recalled. “And they were like, ‘It’s not a Rolex.’ And I was like, ‘ What is it?’ Because it was so beautiful and it was everything that I love about a watch. It had a blue dial and an vintge leather strap on it. And they said, ‘It’s a [TUDOR] Snowflake Submariner.”
And while he certainly loved his very first TUDOR watch and the Black Bay he wore that day, apparently David Beckham has a new favorite watch, the TUDOR Pelagos. “I love the Pelagos for many different reasons,” he elaborates. “One of the first watches that TUDOR gifted me was a very special one and it’s kind of a one-off. I loved it so much that I had more made for the other owners of Inter Miami. It was a Pelagos with a black face
“You’ve just got to enjoy the moment. And when you decide to go for something, go for it all the way, because that’s the only way to do it”
with the Inter Miami logo on the face, which is a very special one. That’s probably the most special watch that I have from TUDOR.”
It was clear from the onset that Beckham wasn’t your typical brand ambassador and that he was genuinely fascinated by TUDOR watches. And it was evident that his fascination has only grown. The way he lovingly described his first and current watches while delving into the minutiae of the designs was really captivating—especially from the perspective of a watch enthusiast.
“They have pushed me into different directions that I probably felt uncomfortable with, but I like to be challenged”
A Night to Remember
With the interview wrapped up, it was time to join in the festivities. The event space at Sentul Depot was decorated in a color palette of red, black and white as a nod to the aesthetics of the new TUDOR Manufacture. Glimpses into the state-of-the-art facility were showcased through static displays and an interactive watchmaking corner that—unsurprisingly— proved to be extremely popular among guests.
As the event started in earnest the partygoers started to settle into the rhythm of the festivities, a sudden announcement drew eveyone’s attention to the stage. And after the opening remarks by a TUDOR representative, David Beckham finally made his entrance to roaring applause. While his appearance on stage certainly showcased his legendary charm, it was how Beckham went out of his way to interact with his fans afterwards that really underlined just why people adored him so much. He took selfies with guests, signed everything from copies of his biography to eyeglass cases (he has his own eyewear line) and even a red hongbao envelope. And in what was perhaps the most memorable moment of the evening, he eventually came back on stage to take a massive wefie with the assembled guests.
There was, of course, plenty of other things happening on the same stage, including a traditional lion dance. Quite fitting, really, since the Lunar New Year celebrations was less than two weeks away at the time. A dance troupe performing an eclectic mix of traditional and modern moves came up next. Kuala Lumpurbased festival funk band RYÖTJONES further added to the festive atmosphere in the venue, while DJ duo BATE closed the evening with high energy beats.
When not taking in the various performances, guests enjoyed traditional Malaysian cuisine-inspired bites prepared by Michelin-starred restaurant Beta KL, perusing the displays of watches or trying out the various interactive experiences. The latter included a soccer game and a watchmaking experience, where guests could don the coat of a watchmaker and tinker around with a movement—all while learning about the Master Chronometer certification process for the newest TUDOR Black Bay.
All in all, the evening with David Beckham provided a truly heady mixture of star power and cutting edge horology, with a generous sprinkling of cultural expression from the host country. But above all else, it was a genuine celebration of how the Born To Dare campaign continues to push boundaries and dare to be different. Perhaps Beckham himself summed it up best.
Earlier in the day, when asked by emcee Nadia Heng what his advice would be to those looking to move beyond their comfort zones, Beckham replied: “I think just enjoy the moment. Especially as we get older, we cherish these moments and the memories that we create, and just enjoy what you do.” Then, he added: “We’ve all seen over the last five years the challenges that people, businesses, families have come up against. You’ve just got to enjoy the moment. And when you decide to go for something, go for it all the way, because that’s the only way to do it.”