Discover the elegance and precision of eight luxury timepieces inspired by Olympic sports. From diving depths to sprinting seconds, these watches embody the essence of athletic excellence and horological craftsmanship. While comfort is essential during intense physical activity, shock resistance and easily visible markers allow for practical advantages such as quick time checks during gameplay. Yes, not all the luxury watches on this list are intended to be actually worn during physical sport, LUXUO analyses how their features and backgrounds make them appropriate timekeeping accessories. Be it the durability of physically demanding sports or water resistance to go beyond sweat and occasional splashes without damage, LUXUO “dives” into the world of high-performance timepieces that capture the spirit of the Olympics in every tick.

Golf: Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day Date with President bracelet

Rolex has a long-standing partnership with golf that originated in 1967 with Arnold Palmer. Today, the relationship extends to the leading institutions and biggest events as well as the sport’s elite players and younger talent. Therefore it is only fitting that the Rolex Day Date be worn on the wrist of the world’s best golfing athletes during the games.

The Day-Date provides excellent water resistance ensuring that the watch can withstand exposure to sweat, occasional splashes, and light rain showers typically encountered during outdoor sports activities like golf. The President bracelet, known for its comfortable fit and elegant design, ensures that the watch remains securely on the wrist without causing discomfort or hindering movement during swings and strokes in golf.

On another note on Rolex’s legacy with golf, Rolex is a partner of the Rules of Golf, defined by the sport’s governing bodies – The R&A and the USGA (United States Golf Association). As such, the luxury brand is part of the perpetually evolving tradition of golf and in doing so, they support young and emerging amateur golfers by sponsoring the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) and various non-professional men’s and women’s tournaments.

Cycling: Tudor Pelagos FXD Cycling Edition

This timepiece is specifically engineered for riders of the Tudor Pro Cycling Team. The Tudor Pelagos FXD Cycling Edition was made with lightweight and functionality in mind. With a carbon composite case fitted with a high-performance Manufacture Calibre, this watch echoes the daring spirit of a team competing in some of the most challenging cycling races around the world, including, from 2024, the Giro d’Italia. To assist with the robust nature of the sport. the watch includes the implementation of titanium elements to help make the watch necessarily durable, as it will certainly face the unpredictable conditions presented by cycling. What makes the “Cycling Edition” special is that the scale is presented in a way that’s suited for the speeds that cyclists can sustain. The chronograph scale is “wrapped” around the dial in a spiral, allowing the average speeds that cyclists routinely operate at to be read at a glance. The tachymeter function on the Pelagos FXD Chrono “Cycling Edition” has been specifically designed for cycling.

The matt black dial with red accents puts legibility at the forefront while the signature square hour-markers and “Snowflake” hands were designed back in the sixties by TUDOR to offer larger luminous surfaces and improve legibility in challenging conditions. Around the circumference of the dial, printed on a 45°-angled rehaut, is a re-calibrated tachymeter scale whose inner ring focuses on the speeds that cyclists ride at. Lastly, the Pelagos FXD models features a highly technical strap construction was developed by TUDOR and Julien Faure. Made up of a 22mm solid black jacquard-woven technical fabric and a traditional buckle, it’s perfect for putting in time on the bike.

Basketball: Tissot WNBA Edition

Earlier this year, Tissot, Wilson and the WNBA collaborated to unveil a series of limited-edition watches, marking the first official watch in basketball league history. The creation of the two new 40mm Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA watches highlights the Swiss watchmaking and timekeeping expertise of Tissot, Wilson’s innovative and official WNBA basketball, as well as the cultural influence of the WNBA. This new edition features two exclusive models: one powered by the Powermatic 80 movement, offering the allure and esteemed mechanics associated with automatic watches, and the other by a high-quality Swiss-made quartz movement, known for its precision and reliability.

Let’s break down the features of why this timepiece is suitable for basketball. The flexible, high-comfort approach to the watch’s straps is a key element in the watch’s versatility and usability. The Tissot WNBA Edition is designed to be comfortable on the wrist, with a strap that doesn’t cause irritation or interfere with the player’s movements. In connection with Tissot’s ownership as the official timekeeper of the NBA and WNBA shot clocks – the rotating bezels incorporate the 24-second basketball shot clock time. This feature allows players to time various aspects of the game, such as quarters, timeouts, or individual player performances, enhancing their strategic awareness and performance monitoring. A secure clasp or buckle ensures that the watch stays in place securely throughout the game, preventing distractions or potential loss during active play. Ultimately when it comes to aesthetics, the design of the Tissot WNBA Edition reflects its association with basketball, often featuring elements like the WNBA logo or team colours, which resonate with players and fans alike.

Diving: Omega Seamaster

The Aqua Terra is known as a symbol of Omega’s ocean-inspired style, with a symmetrical design that is reminiscent of the brand’s heritage diving watches. The timepieces are modern in their own way, however, and combine Co-Axial Master Chronometer precision with integrated bracelets that feature redesigned rounded links for a contemporary and comfortable fit.

Omega utilises robust materials such as stainless steel, titanium, and ceramic in the construction of Seamaster watches. These materials are corrosion-resistant and capable of withstanding the harsh conditions of rigorous diving activities. Through the sapphire crystal casebacks, customers can view the Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 8900 for the 41 mm models, and 8800 for the 38 mm and 34 mm models – each certified by METAS at the Swiss industry’s highest standard of precision, performance, and magnetic-resistance. Last (but not least) the watches are water-resistant to 150 meters (500 ft).

Diving: Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Quantième Complet Phases de lune 5054

While Blancpain does have Fifty Fathoms models in ceramic and bracelets in various materials, the brand has never ventured into the realm of the full ceramic bracelet. The high-tech ceramic bracelet itself is 25 percent lighter than steel while being nearly five times harder. Aside from the Bathyscaphe 5054, this material is also used with the time-only model and the chronograph, both of which also now have the same bracelet option. Blancpain is raising expectations on its bracelet, claiming ideal ergonomics and comfort plus the 300m water-resistance is superb and certainly puts this complicated timepiece in a class of its own.

Read More: Blancpain Dives Into New Territory With The Bathyscaphe 5054

Swimming: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300

The TAG Heuer Aquaracer stands for durability and exceptional performance with its story of endurance and the unbreakable connection between time, land, and sea. The key features of the TAG Heuer diving watch are its unidirectional rotating bezel for the Aquaracer Professional 300 Date and bidirectional rotating bezel for the GMT versions, a screw-down crown, 300m water-resistance, luminescence, and double safety clasp. While these elements have reinforced its position as the quintessential watch for explorers of the deep and the high seas, it also lends itself well for the art of swimming and water-based sports.

These models, true to their legacy yet tailored for today’s divers, are crafted to be the ultimate companions for life’s endeavours, embodying comfort and strength akin to the Aquaracer Professional 300. With iconic 12-facet ceramic bezels facilitating effortless turning and luminescent pointers ensuring precision at any depth, they guarantee reliability in all conditions. Additionally, their casebacks proudly display diving helmet engravings, symbolising their aquamarine essence. The Aquaracer Professional 300 Date and the Aquaracer Professional 300 GMT are sculpted for those who defy depths and time zones and represent TAG Heuer’s innovative spirit, combining outstanding design with unrivalled functionality.

TAG Heuer’s Aquaracer Professional 300 Date is crafted with a focus on easy legibility and smooth handling. The updated minute track and more prominent hour hand, now featuring the shield shape, ensure immediate legibility, while the second hand and wave pattern on the dial capture the essence of aquatic exploration. The introduction of a case with reworked proportions has elevated ergonomics and comfort to another level, transitioning from 43mm to 42mm. The case’s balance has also seen improvements, gaining 0.5mm in thickness and now measuring 12mm thick, ensuring comfort for all kinds of adventures (and sporting activities).

Sailing: Panerai Luna Rossa

Although watch collectors will be much more familiar with Panerai as the military secret that equipped Italian navy divers with precision instruments than anything else, the contemporary Panerai watchmaking brand has been associated with all manner of marine activities for the better part of this century. Since 2017, Panerai has created wristwatches with the sorts of materials that America’s Cup teams were experimenting with. One might even say that Panerai’s penchant for material innovation makes it an ideal partner for a racing team such as Luna Rossa, which is precisely how team Luna Rossa describes the watchmaker.

Of course, Panerai recognises its own virtues in exploring new frontiers in watchmaking, as the brand knows how to maximise the emotional qualities of being innovative, which points to a certain spirit of boldness. Here, we enter the realm of character, as Panerai connects the dots between past and present, and thus hopes to build bridges with a community of watch lovers. “Storytelling is pivotal in cementing Panerai’s legitimacy, intertwining its deep-seated maritime roots with its modern identity,” said Ficarelli. “By chronicling its journey from creating robust instruments for the Italian Navy to embracing the adrenaline of performance boating, Panerai underscores its heritage and authenticity.

Read More: Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Sees Boats Fly

Football: Hublot Big Bang e Gen3 UEFA EURO 2024

In the spirit of this grand football celebration, Hublot unveiled the Big Bang e Gen3 UEFA EURO 2024 watch. A testament to Hublot’s relentless pursuit of innovation and excellence, this timepiece comes with an extraordinary fusion of high-tech innovation with a 44mm-wide masterpiece that features a satin-finished and polished titanium case, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon WearTM 4100+ processor. With its AMOLED display, comprehensive sensor suite, and compatibility with both Android and iOS, the Big Bang e Gen 3 sets a new standard in connected watches.

Equipped with an impressive array of sensors, including a heart rate monitor, accelerometer, gyroscope, and ambient light sensor, the Big Bang e Gen 3 ensures that wearers stay connected and informed in any environment. It provides real-time updates on match scores and events and a customisable screen backgrounds and interchangeable straps allow the wearer to personalise their watch to reflect their favourite teams’ colours, making it a true celebration of football. Advanced connectivity options make it the ultimate accessory for the tech-savvy football fan.

While not all watches are inspired by or designed for specific sports, nevertheless, each one evokes a connection with sporting excellence.

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