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Registered: November 2003
INDUSTRY NEWS - Jaermann & Stubi Luxury Golf Watch
Thu, 02 October 2008 08:55
Limited-Edition Made from Seve Ballesteros Golf Clubs
The golf legend Severiano Ballesteros and Jaermann & Stübi have come up with something truly unique based on the company's superbly crafted golf watch: a watch case forged from the golf clubs used by Seve Ballesteros to win the Chunichi Crowns Open in 1991. With the series limited to 50 pieces, each watch case can be traced back to an iron that Seve played with, which makes this exclusive watch even more special.
The Chunichi Crowns Open forms part of the Japan Golf Tour and was won by Seve Ballesteros in 1991in 275 strokes (five under par). The 1 to 9 irons he used on that occasion together with the Pitching Wedge and the Sand Wedge have been transformed into 50 watch cases for the "Seve Ballesteros" limited series. The method used to achieve this was developed in an intricate, multi-stage process in collaboration with the RWTH Aachen University and Dr. Bergfeld Schmiedetechnik in Solingen(Germany) – well known area for cutlery and precision instruments.
The first step was to analyse the heads of the clubs in order to obtain an alloy that would meet the requirements of a watch case while enabling a cavity-free casting. After extensive tests, the team succeeded in portioning and melting down the various clubs so that each golf club yielded a casting. These castings were then forged into watch cases at a temperature of around 1200 °C.
This method makes it possible to trace back each watch to one of the irons that Severiano Ballesterosused to win the Chunichi Crowns in 1991. This means that each owner of a "Seve Ballesteros" can take a specific iron with them on their round of golf.
Like all the models produced by Jaermann & Stübi, the "Seve Ballesteros" features both an automatic movement and a patented, mechanical golf counter complication. This allows a player to count the strokes per hole, add up the score and compare this to their handicap after completing the round of golf.
The watch face, the bezel and the entire packaging have been rendered in dark blue, Seve Ballesteros' favourite colour. Each watch has been individually numbered and the golf club used for each case has been engraved on the back. In addition, a certificate signed by Seve Ballesteros confirms that the clubs used in each case were genuine.
The "Seve Ballesteros" model will be available from the beginning of November at Uhrsachen in Berne and in selected specialist watch and jewellery outlets at a price of 21,500 Swiss francs.
- Jorge Merino