Watchtime Wednesday: 5 Watches to Celebrate Football and the FIFA World Cup 2014

It’s Wednesday, so it’s time for our next installment of Watchtime Wednesday! This week our American Watchtime colleagues have compiled a list of special-edition watches, specially devoted to the sport, its players, and the FIFA World Cup that is currently being held in Brazil. Just a few weeks ago we also wrote about a “football watch”: the stunning Richard Mille RM 11-01 Roberto Mancini. So let’s have a look at the list that was compiled by people who still refer to football as “soccer.” 

As we’ve reported about previously on WatchTime.com, Hublot — headed by rabid fútbol fan Jean-Claude Biver — is the official timekeeper for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Accordingly, the brand is taking the opportunity to release a plethora of special-edition Hublot World Cup watches this year. The most technically interesting of these watches is the Hublot Big Bang Unico Bi-Retrograde Chrono, nicknamed the Hublot “Soccer Bang.” Designed to showcase the colors of host country Brazil’s flag, the watch is powered by a new in-house movement, Caliber HUB1260, which features a bi-retrograde chronograph function with the hands recording 15-minute intervals, making it ideal for timing the halves of a soccer match, plus 15 minutes “extra time.” The Hublot Big Bang Bi-Retrograde Unico is available in two cases, both with carbon fiber bezels, one in black ceramic ($26,600), the other in Hublot’s proprietary “King Gold” ($42,200). Click here for more information on the watch.

Parmigiani introduced its Pershing Chronograph 005 CBF at this year’s SIHH watch fair back in January. These chronograph watches have 45-mm-diameter titanium cases (one version with a rose-gold bezel) and are designed with the colors of the Brazilian national team (Confederaçåo Brasileira de Futebol, or CBF), which also happens to be the colors of the national flag. Blue is used for the côtes-de-Genève-finished dial, and green for the five “victory stars,” symbolizing the Brazilian team’s five World Cup championships and worn on the players’ jerseys, which are arranged in a circle at 3 o’clock. The watch comes on a blue Hermès alligator leather strap or a yellow rubber strap with the embossed logo of the CBF. The U.S retail price for each is $25,000. Click here for more info and other Parmigiani soccer watches.

Audemars Piguet has created a watch in honor of one of the world’s most accomplished footballers, FC Barcelona’s Lionel “Leo” Messi. There are several versions of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Leo Messi, which has an automatic chronograph movement with date display and small seconds, including a model with steel case and anthracite dial ($30,800, limited to 500); with rose gold case and anthracite dial ($52,000, limited to 400), and with platinum case and brushed blue dial and blue strap ($84,300, limited to 100, pictured). All have bezels made of tantalum.

Lucerne-based Carl F. Bucherer shows its loyalty to the Swiss national team with the release of theCarl F. Bucherer Patravi ScubaTec SFV Special Edition, announced in late May. The black-and-red color scheme echoes the colors of the Swiss team, and the logo of the Swiss Football Association (SFV) appears at the 6 o’clock position on the rotating divers’ bezel. The engraved figures of footballers make up a subtle pattern on the black dial, and the rubber strap also carries the black-and-red color motif. Carl F. Bucherer presented a personalized watch to each member of this year’s Swiss national team. You can’t get one of those, but you can purchase one of your own (with an engraved soccer ball on the caseback) for $6,400. For more info and specs on the Carl F. Bucherer Patravi ScubaTec, the brand’s first dive watch collection, click here.

Jeanrichard announced its global partnership with London’s Premiere League Football Club Arsenal in March. The brand is also launching a limited edition of its Aeroscope Chronograph sports watch in support of the team. The Jeanrichard Aeroscope Arsenal FC Limited Edition has a 44-mm case of micro-beaded, sandblasted black titanium and a bright red dial with a stamped honeycomb pattern. The watch, powered by Jeanrichard’s automatic JR66 movement, is a chronograph and also features a small seconds hand in the shape of the Arsenal club’s iconic “cannon” logo. The titanium bezel has an engraved, red-paint-filled tachymeter scale and the chronograph pushers are made of a carbon fiber composite. The Jeanrichard Aeroscope Arsenal FC is limited to just 250 pieces worldwide and is priced at $6,200.

Check out a sixth “football watch” over at Watchtime – click here