The Mission to the Sun watch from the MoonSwatch collection. Photo: Omega
Source:
https://scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3175007/top-luxury-watch-news-know-right-now-rolex-celebrating-10 Luxury
The top luxury watch news to know right now, from Rolex celebrating 10 years as Formula 1’s official timepiece to Panerai joining the NFT craze, and even a new Omega and Swatch collaboration
- Panerai ventures into Web3 with NFTs associated with its Radiomir Eilean Experience Edition watch while Omega and Swatch’s latest collab bridges the gap between luxury and streetwear
- Kicking off the Bahrain Grand Prix, Rolex joined forces with Formula 1 to celebrate the brand’s 10th global partnership as the official timepiece of the competition
The long-awaited collaboration between Omega and Swatch has sent watch fanatics over the moon. Photo: Swatch x Omega
Find out all you need to know about the latest news in the world of watches, from Omega and Swatch’s latest collaboration that sent watch lovers around the world scrambling to buy one for themselves, to Rolex celebrating its achievements in equestrian sports and motor racing.
Omega Swatch MoonSwatch Collaboration
Omega and Swatch’s latest collaboration bridging the ever-tinier gap between luxury and streetwear is the Bioceramic MoonSwatch collection, featuring 11 celestial designs inspired by and named after planets, etched from a mixture of ceramic and castor oil-derived products. There are nods here to the classic Speedmaster Moonwatch – the symmetrical case, the tachymeter scale around the rim and the trademark sundials – but the bright palate brings a contemporary feel.
Each watch has its own mission statement and inspirational phrase engraved upon it, while its namesake planet is depicted on the battery cover. Hour, minute and second hands are coated in Super-LumiNova, adding a further otherworldly luminosity to the designs.
All the timepieces are badged with Omega and Swatch together on the dial and the crown, and finished with a Speedmaster Velcro strap, adding an appropriately adventurous and athletic appeal to the collection.
The MoonSwatch collection is now available in select Swatch stores.
Panerai embraces NFTs
Panerai NFT collectors will receive unique pieces built around the Radiomir Eilean Experience Edition. Photo: Panerai
Italian watchmaker Panerai is venturing into the brave new world of Web3 by launching non-fungible tokens associated with its Radiomir Eilean Experience Edition watch.
The project is a partnership with Arianee, an NFT platform for the luxury and fashion industry. Collectors will receive unique pieces from among the Panerai Genesis NFTs, built around the Radiomir Eilean watch. Each NFT is secured in a cryptographic wallet that guarantees watch collectors sole ownership of the given digital token.
Named after a 1936 classic yacht designed by celebrated boat builder William Fife and restored by Panerai, the Radiomir Eilean Experience Edition is crafted with a bronze accent, an inspiration drawn from the process of restoring the original vessel. The 45mm watch has also inherited its unusual shape – from the house’s classic 1930s Radiomir model.
Only 50 pieces of the watch are to be made available, though the brand also treats watch collectors with a cruise along the Amalfi Coast aboard the boat.
Rolex’s partnership with the Formula 1 Driver’s World Championship
Racing cars line up at the exit of the pit lane during a practice session. Photo: Rolex
Rolex has traditionally championed excellence in sports. Now, the latest addition to its endorsement family, Daniel Deusser, has won the first major equestrian event of the year, The Dutch Masters – Indoor Brabant Horse Show. It is an event requiring discipline and trust, which resonates with Rolex’s commitment to perpetual excellence, so it’s no surprise that the Swiss watchmaker has been the main sponsor of the show since 2014.
Rolex also has a connection with motor racing dating way back to the 1930s, and continuing today in its partnership with the Formula One World Championship. This season marks Rolex’s 10th as a global partner and provider of the official timepiece, and it should be an intriguing one after a host of administrative and technical changes aimed at producing more competitive racing.
Whether fostering the elegance of equestrianism or the advanced engineering and competition of Formula One, nurturing long-term relationships is clearly fundamental to Rolex.