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On a Friday evening in April, an expectant crowd gathered outside Alinghi Red Bull Racing’s base in Barcelona for the grand unveiling of its AC75 racing boat, dubbed simply ‘BoatOne’. Once the TUDOR watch projected onto the building ticked down to zero, the doors to the hangar pulled up and the high performance craft emerged in all its glory through a dramatic haze of smoke.
As the crowd cheered its approval, a troupe of 70 acrobats from Catalan’s La Fura Dels Baus, all clad in black, began an aerial routine above the boat’s hull that saw the artists form a human sail reaching high above the innovative AC75 design. It’s a spectacle that you might imagine appropriate for an Olympic opening ceremony or perhaps a particularly lavish Formula 1 Grand Prix, but the unveiling of a boat? Perhaps not so much. Then again, this is far from your average vessel. When it comes to sailing, there is simply nothing quite like the America’s Cup; it’s important to make a big splash.
Dating back to 1851, the America’s Cup is the oldest international sporting trophy in the world and is revered throughout the sailing community as the pinnacle of its sport. Aboard each competing raceboat you will find Olympians and championship medalists from multiple sailing categories, in the offices you will find world-leading aerodynamicists and boat designers, and in the background an army of nutritionists, trainers, and engineers all vying for the honour of being named the fastest crew on the ocean.
There is no second place in the America’s Cup – either you win or you lose, there’s no in-between. Indeed, despite a technological arms race unfolding in the three to four years between each competition – with the cost of a competitive boat rumoured to reach anywhere from $100m to $300m – the only prize is a trophy affectionately referred to as the Auld Mug.
The iconic America’s Cup winning team owner Larry Ellison perhaps said it best: “Why do we do these things? George Mallory said the reason he wanted to climb Everest was because ‘it’s there.’ I don’t think so, I think Mallory was wrong. It’s not because it’s there. It’s because we’re there, and we wonder if we can do it.”
The Cup comprises a unique format that sees the title holder, known as the Defender, automatically qualify for the final Match where they take on the top Challenger yacht who prevails through a battle royale series with the other competing boats. The New York Yacht Club held the trophy for a whopping 132 years before finally losing it in 1983 to Australia – it’s been hotly contested ever since.
Once the TUDOR watch projected onto the building ticked down to zero, the doors to the hangar pulled up and the high performance craft emerged in all its glory
From 22 August to 20 October this year, six teams take to the seas for sailing supremacy. Chief among the challengers to current title holders Emirates Team New Zealand is Alinghi Red Bull Racing. Founded in 2000 by Swiss billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli, the team’s current goal is simple: to regain the America’s Cup that they spectacularly won at the first time of asking in 2003 and successfully defended four years later. With BoatOne showing plenty of early promise on the water, expectations are high that this thrilling crew can take it to the Kiwis.
Alinghi and Red Bull are two of the biggest names in adventure sports, so it’s only fitting that its main partner should have just as strong affiliation in this sphere. Over the last decade, TUDOR’s reputation as the ultimate watch for those with a passion for adventure has grown to ever-greater heights. Its ‘Born to Dare’ ethos, more than just a catchy marketing slogan but a core value of the watchmaker’s pursuit of excellence, has seen TUDOR collaborate with some of the boldest sports teams and stars on the planet, including David Beckham, the All Blacks, and Visa Cash App RB Formula 1 team.
But its partnership with Alinghi Red Bull Racing, the first time the brand has ventured into the world of competitive sailing, goes beyond TUDOR’s emblematic shield proudly displayed on both the hull and mast of BoatOne – it’s a meeting of minds, shared values, and a commitment to continually push the envelope. After all, both disciplines – whether that’s high-end watchmaking or race-winning sailing – rely on precision engineering, technological innovation, and meticulous craftsmanship in order to succeed. But, above all, they are equally concerned with the resolutely human endeavour to follow the path least travelled in their quest for greatness.
TUDOR’s reputation as the ultimate watch for those with a passion for adventure has grown to greater heights
Encapsulating this shared ethos are two exclusive ARBR Pelagos watches, the time-only TUDOR FXD Pelagos and the TUDOR FXD Pelagos Chronograph, both designed to withstand the rigours of elite sailing and whatever else life may throw at you. Sporting Alinghi Red Bull Racing’s distinctive team colours of navy, black and red, the two watches are constructed using a high-tech carbon composite for the case and bezel insert, alongside titanium throughout the bezel, crown and chrono pushers, and 316L stainless steel for the case back. It’s a pleasing synergy with the unique AC75 design, which similarly comprises cutting-edge carbon, titanium and steel.
Utilising TUDOR’s wealth of experience in the diving world, both watches feature a water-resistant FXD case design that can withstand pressures up to 200m beneath the water’s surface, including use of the chronograph function at such depths, as well as featuring typical dive watch hallmarks such as a 120-notch bi-directional bezel and superior Super-LumiNova Grade X1 on the hands, indexes and bezel insert for enhanced legibility.
As a nod to the two editions’ sailing roots, the bezels are marked from 60 to 0, to allow the wearer to easily track the countdown at the start of a regatta – one of the most pivotal moments in any yacht race.
The cornerstone of any TUDOR watch is its ability to withstand even the most extreme environments, including life on board an America’s Cup racing boat. This doesn’t happen by chance: each watch is robustly tested at TUDOR’s new watch Manufacture located in Le Locle, Switzerland, to ensure it passes muster. This involves a gruelling series of water pressure, shock, and anti-magnetism tests designed to push the watches to the point of failure – only the most resilient make their way onto the wrists of their proud owners.
At its distilled essence, the America’s Cup is about timing – catching the perfect wind gust, clawing an advantage over the start line, and playing your cards right as the fickleness of the elements plan your demise. With that in mind, it’s no surprise to find that TUDOR has opted for two high-performance movements inside its ARBR special editions. Both the Manufacture Calibre MT5602 found inside the time-only model and the Manufacture Calibre MT5813 in the chronograph model are certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), with its performance exceeding the standards set by this independent institute with a precision of -2/+4 seconds’ variation per day. Additionally, each boasts approximately 70 hours of power reserve, as well as a silicon balance spring for added reliability.
Beyond the ARBR Pelagos, TUDOR’s watch collection, including the iconic Pelagos and vintage-inspired Black Bay models, also encapsulates the brand’s adventurous spirit. These watches are engineered for individuals who embrace a life of excitement and discovery, offering reliability and style in every endeavour.
In TUDOR, Alinghi Red Bull Racing has found a partner that understands the requirements of excellence and the challenge in pushing the boundaries. Come 20 October, it might just prove to be a winning partnership.
Shop the TUDOR Watches collection
Shop the TUDOR Watches collection at goldsmiths.co.uk, part of the Watches of Switzerland Group, the UK's largest luxury watch retailer. Shop in their showrooms, online or in a selection of TUDOR mono-brand boutiques.
