By Harlan Chapman-Green
There are many instances of watches being pared to sports or even motorsports. For instance, Bremont’s sponsorship of the Oracle Team USA sailing crew or Rolex’ involvement with motorsports resulting in the Daytona line. But have you heard of a watch that was meant to pair with boxing? What if this watch also included a round timer mechanism inside it? Perhaps you might be interested in this special edition TAG Heuer that pays a fine tribute to the greatest boxer, and perhaps the greatest athlete, to ever have lived.
A Ring-Master stopwatch from 1957
This idea isn’t entirely new to us. In fact, it was Heuer who first made a watch that could be used to keep a track of the rounds in a boxing match, it was based on the Calibre 5 Driver Timer. Heading back to the present, there is, perhaps, a catch with the new TAG Heuer Ringmaster. Up until the 1980s boxing matches did have 15 rounds to them, as highlighted around the bezel of the watch itself, but now modern boxing after the 80s only has 12 rounds to it. Happily though TAG Heuer was kind enough to cater for both genders and added the rounds for women’s boxing, they’re printed in white own the bezel, the gaps in between are for the 2 minute breaks between each round. To move the bezel around there is a second crown at 11 O’clock
Also, like the original, the hour markers have been replaced with five minute markers instead, but the time hands still move at the same pace, so you can still use it as a wristwatch. Inside the case is a Sellita SW200 automatic winding movement, but you can’t see it as the caseback’s been closed off from the eye and in place of the sapphire on the back is a lovely tribute to the man himself who recently passed away at the age of 74. Having spent years of his life suffering from Parkinson’s disease after an extremely successful career, Muhammad’s tributes from people around the world continue even now, I remember on the day it happened the BBC stopped all its programming to show a tribute to a man who inspired generations.
Although devoted to the most successful boxer in history, the TAG Heuer Calibre 5 ‘Ringmaster’ watch won’t necessarily cause a ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ when you take it home to show the other half. Not only is it really well presented in its own box with a memorial medallion, the price of the watch new is $4100 which is a reasonable price for a 43mm stainless steel wristwatch with Muhammad Ali’s face and signature on it.
There is, however, a version I neglected to mention until now. TAG Heuer also produced a one off of this watch in rose gold. That one came with a huge leather wrapped steamer trunk style case complete with various bits of memorabilia and a pair of signature boxing gloves for the wearer, that one’s already been sold though with the funds going to Muhammad Ali center in Louisville, Kentucky. Only 750 of the steel watches will be made so if you’re boxing-mad this could be the one for you.
Interestingly, IWC has also made a watch tied to the boxer, their Big Pilot’s Muhammed Ali Edition watch is very nice, but doesn’t come with the round timer complication or the design on the caseback, though, just his signature. Still, it shows we will remember him for a long time to come. For more info, please visit tagheuer.com
‘Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee’
