TUDOR ANNOUNCES DAVID BECKHAM OBE
AS NEW BRAND AND #BORNTODARE CAMPAIGN AMBASSADOR
One of the most admired, gifted and successful football players of all time, a philanthropist, an entrepreneur and a global style icon, David Beckham’s life journey embodies the daring values that made Tudor what it is today.
Tudor is Born to Dare
In 2017, Tudor launched a new campaign with the “Born To Dare” signature which reflects both the history of the brand and what it stands for today. Daring individuals have long chosen Tudor while achieving the extraordinary on land, ice, in the air and underwater. This signature also refers to the vision of Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Tudor, who manufactured Tudor watches to withstand the most extreme conditions, watches made for the most daring lifestyles indeed. It finally tells of the singular approach Tudor is known for today, having pioneered now major trends within the watchmaking industry.
The Tudor “Born To Dare” spirit is expressed in a campaign manifesto (below and extended version in annex) and supported globally by ambassadors whose life achievements directly result from a daring approach to life. David Beckham is one of them and Tudor is proud to welcome him to its family.
“We are devoted to the classic. But reject the status quo. We keep the best of the past, the best watchmaking practices, the best designs. And push the boundaries of what’s new. Born for a purpose. Field-tested to the extreme. For those who are up for anything.For those who face their fears. For those who reinvent themselves every day, a Tudor is born to dare.”
Devoted to the classic
David Beckham is a multi-faceted man with a taste for finer things. “Especially as an Englishman I think you really appreciate a nice suit and a nice watch. They go very well together” he says. A long-time wristwatch lover, he came to know Tudor through its sibling brand, Rolex, of which he owns several timepieces. “I was attracted to Tudor by the attention to detail I could see in their watches. I then learned about the history of the brand. One of adventure, pioneer diving and daring expeditions. I was instantly hooked”.
David Beckham wears the Black Bay S&G, a vintage-inspired steel and gold diver’s watch as well as
the Black Bay Chrono, a COSC-certified chronograph with column-wheel manufacture calibre drawing upon Tudor’s diving and motorsports heritage.
Born for a purpose
As a child, David Beckham had a dream. Whenever asked about what he would want to be later in life he invariably answered “a football player”. This early drive led him to become one of the most acclaimed, loved and successful players in the history of the game. With three major clubs and 115 selections in the English football team, 59 as captain, he left his mark: 6 England Championship titles, 2 Major League Soccer cups, one time Champion of Spain and one time UEFA Champion.
He might not have been the best scorer, nor the fastest player, but he had a unique style, both precise and spectacular. One of perfect passes, extraordinary kicks and supreme accuracy that proved decisive on the field. “Bend it like Beckham” says it all about his brand of game. By daring to go all the way, always, David Beckham made his childhood dream a reality.
Reinventing himself, constantly
David Beckham is one of the hardest-working players in the history of football. Never taking anything for granted, even when injured, or on loan to another team, he trained harder than most. As a player, he reinvented himself every game.
Even though retired from professional sports, he still continues to inspire. His philanthropic activities focus on the protection and welfare of children worldwide. A long-time UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and malaria foe, he dedicates his energy and time to the health and education of children in Africa.
Pushing the boundaries
Beyond philanthropy and football, David Beckham has worked his way up to the status of much more than a legendary player. Facing the fear of what comes after a sports career and building on his ambition, he established himself as a global style icon. His influence on popular culture transcends the pitch. He is a model and counts hundreds of millions of fans around the world.
About Tudor
TUDOR is a Swiss made watch brand, offering mechanical watches with sophisticated style, superior quality and unique value for money. The origins of the TUDOR brand date back to 1926, when ‘The Tudor’ was first registered on behalf of the founder of Rolex, Hans Wilsdorf. He created the Montres TUDOR SA company in 1946 to offer watches with the quality and dependability of a Rolex, at a more accessible price point. Over the course of history, TUDOR watches became the choice of daring individuals worldwide on land, ice, in the air and underwater. Today, the TUDOR collection includes flagship models such as Black Bay, Pelagos, Glamour and Style and since 2015 it has offered mechanical manufacture movements.
THE TUDOR BORN TO DARE MANIFESTO – EXTENDED VERSION
- PRODUCT PHILOSOPHY
“We are devoted to the classic. But reject the status quo.”
Born from the will to go beyond the standards, Tudor’s watchmaking philosophy draws its inspiration from its heritage, while incorporating state-of-the-art technology, exclusive innovations and pioneering creativity.
Created by the founder of Rolex, Hans Wilsdorf, the Tudor Watch Company was born with a mission to explore new territories, offering “a watch that (his) agents could sell at a more modest price than (his) Rolex watches, and yet could attain (its) standards of dependability”.
The Tudor of today has not drifted away from the original vision. While strictly adhering to the fundamentals of excellence, the design of a Tudor watch reinterprets a rich history to create something truly unique – a bold fusion of the original and the contemporary in an unrivalled proposition.
A Tudor watch is born to dare
- PRODUCT FEATURES
“We keep the best of the past, the best watchmaking practices, the best
designs. And push the boundaries of what’s new.”
Tudor’s reinvention of the classics has kept their watches distinctive for more than half a century. Never afraid to redefine the rules, Tudor’s new watches are strongly connected to the past while incorporating 21st-century technology. They also never shy away from pushing the boundaries of what’s new, experimenting with unusual materials, combinations and inspirations.
Consider when Tudor decided to revisit their diver’s watch history. They drew inspiration from the past while embracing modernity. The Tudor Black Bay has direct antecedents in some of the most iconic Tudor watches. The 1958 Oyster Prince Submariner reference 7924 contributed its oversized crown and general lines while the ‘Snowflake’ Tudor Submariner, worn by the French Navy in the 1970s, offered up its unique angular hands. Classic designs, contemporised for a new century.
The Black Bay Bronze incorporates a golden-toned marine-grade aluminium bronze case specifically chosen for its proven durability in marine environments. That this alloy develops a unique patina overtime while paying tribute to Tudor’s long-standing relationship with the French Navy is a bonus.
But design is nothing without performance. Indeed, the Black Bay incorporates a supremely robust Manufacture calibre that took the Tudor R&D team 5 years to develop. Boasting a generous 70-hour power reserve, exceptional ergonomics and independently-certified precision, it sets higher standards. Tudor standards.
A Tudor watch is born to raise standards
- WORLD OF THE WATCH
“Born for a purpose. Field-tested to the extreme.”
A Tudor watch is built for those who dare to step out of their comfort zone.
It is designed to perform in all and every condition. From a refined evening out to the most extreme environments imaginable.
Over the years, Tudor watches have been put at test on a daily basis strapped on the wrist of the most daring individuals, on land racing through rough Alpine roads, on ice accompanying the British North Greenland Expedition, in the air issued to the para rescue teams of the US Air Force and underwater with the frogmen of the French Navy. They never deceived them, constantly delivering robust and reliable time-keeping.
Today, from pure purpose-built tool watches to timeless elegant dress watches, the Tudor collection perpetuates that spirit of supreme dependability, having every single watch undergo a strict and demanding testing protocol guaranteeing precision, waterproofness and robustness, beyond industry standards.
A Tudor watch is born to go above and beyond.
- THE TUDOR WEARER
“For those who are up for anything. For those who face their fears. For those who reinvent themselves every day … a Tudor is born to dare.”
The wearers of a Tudor today are not so very different to those of the past. They are people with unconventional attitudes. People with ambition. People who are willing to pursue their passions – no matter where they take them. Like Tudor, they believe in learning from and building on past experiences to inform how they think and behave today.
Tudor wearers seek to find experiences that expand their world view. They appreciate exceptional craftsmanship and sense. They are as interested in how something is made as they are in what it is intended to do. They insist on owning the best tools for the job and pride themselves on being in the know.
Those who wear a Tudor share a thirst for discovery. A spirit of adventure. And the will to go further. They are curious. They are fearless.
They are born to dare.
