Fratello’s Top 5 Watch Brand Ambassadors Ever
It’s Friday, and that means another Top 5! This week’s topic, however, is a bit different. Ever since we started this list series, we have focused on different iconic watches or watch series. We decided to shake things up a bit this time and explore another watch-related subject. This week, we have compiled a list of the top five watch brand ambassadors. Let’s discuss it!
Brand ambassadors are a recurring topic of discussion among watch enthusiasts. Lex wrote an interesting article about the world of celebrity watch ambassadors not too long ago. In that article, he questioned the effect that they have. Do brands sponsor them because doing so is part of today’s business practices? Do people really buy a particular watch because a celebrity wears it? And why are there so many seemingly obvious mismatches in the world of watch ambassadors? All points raised led to an interesting discussion in the comments. Most of you were very clear: a celebrity does not influence your watch-buying decisions. Honestly, in a community of enthusiasts such as this, that is hardly a surprise. I also do not let any ambassadors influence my buying decisions.
It’s not about influence but about association
It’s a sentiment that we all recognize. But as someone who has worked in design and marketing for 15 years, I am well aware of the effect of celebrities on the wider audience. By definition, brand ambassadors are not meant to target purists and connoisseurs. Those groups already have brand preferences that are often based on the products and personal experiences. They do not need a celebrity association to tell them what product to buy. I think it’s safe to say this goes for most of the Fratelli and the members of the Fratello team.
It’s about something different. As Thomas perfectly explained in an article last year, brand ambassadors work but not necessarily in directly increasing sales. They work in helping to drive brand perception. It’s all about the audience’s subconscious association of a face to a brand. And you can see their potential impact on a big audience. That’s what this week’s list is all about. And we’re not just talking about current brand ambassadors. This list is about the greatest ones of all time. As always, the list is the starting point of a debate, but for now, here are our five favorites.
Roger Federer — Rolex
There can only be one first on this list if you ask me. Roger Federer was and still is the poster boy of tennis. But he didn’t always have that perfect image that we have of him today. At the beginning of his tennis career, Federer was known as an explosive character on the court. In several interviews, he admitted to having to come to grips with his attitude for him to perform on the level that he eventually did. And that level and style of play were immaculate. Sure, Nadal and Djokovic have surpassed Federer when it comes to the number of Grand Slam titles won, but to me and many other tennis fans, Federer will always be the greatest.
His playing style was graceful and unmatched, his record-breaking achievements were unbelievable, and most of all, he seemed like a stand-up guy during all of it. He still does. Federer is well respected for his behavior on and off the court, making him a much-loved character all over the world. Those qualities make for a great brand ambassador. Add the fact that he is Swiss, and he’d be the perfect ambassador for any Swiss watch brand. But it makes sense that he became one of the main faces for Rolex. The greatest tennis player and the biggest watch brand — it’s a match made in heaven.
From Maurice Lacroix to Rolex
But as some of you will know, Federer was not always a Rolex ambassador. After sporting Rolex watches early in his career, back in 2004, he partnered up with Maurice Lacroix for a five-year deal. But in 2006, when Federer was 24 years old and well on his way to becoming one of the sport’s greats, he signed with Rolex. After the Crown paid a “break-up fee,” Federer signed a new ten-year contract for S15 million. In 2016, that deal was renewed for a massive yearly sum of $8 million. The deal has no end date, and it’s hard to think of Federer not being one of the faces of Rolex.
During his career, Federer has always worn the Rolex models that were relevant at that time for the brand. Therefore, he could be seen wearing a wide variety of different timepieces, from the Yacht-Master II to the Milgauss to a plethora of different Daytona and the colorful Oyster Perpetual models in recent times just before his retirement. I loved the recurring scene after every match as it was so fun to watch. After shaking his opponent’s hand, Federer would immediately go to his bag, put on a jacket, take his Rolex watch out, and put it around his wrist. As a watch fan, I miss those little moments. But there is no doubt that Federer will be a Rolex brand ambassador for a long time, so we haven’t seen the last of him yet.
Daniel Craig — Omega
Sure, the connection between Daniel Craig and Omega came about because of the brand’s partnership with the Bond franchise. In that light, you could say that Craig wasn’t necessarily the brand ambassador but James Bond was. But we shouldn’t forget that Craig also became an Omega ambassador later on and was seen in Omega ads as himself, not as 007. On top of that, he wore various Omega watches in non-Bond movies and while attending events. And let’s be honest; Daniel Craig made Bond as cool as he was in the five movies in which Craig portrayed the English spy. I believe that makes him one of the most iconic brand ambassadors of recent times.
In his role as James Bond, Craig wore some of the best Bond watches we have seen over the years. Without a doubt, a big fan favorite is the Omega Seamaster 300 “Spectre” that he wore in the 2015 movie of the same name. Omega produced 7,007 pieces of the watch, and the model has become a well-loved piece among collectors. You will only find a select number for sale, and they go for steep prices. While we all know Bond’s watch of choice was the Planet Ocean, I loved that he could also be seen wearing the Aqua Terra in Skyfall and Spectre. It was a classy choice for a man who was most certainly not a one-watch spy.
Image: Netflix
Not just an Omega ambassador as 007
Outside the Bond franchise, we have seen Craig wear a wide variety of Omega watches. One that immediately comes to mind is the De Ville Hour Vision that he did a campaign for. Additionally, he has worn the Speedmaster ’57 60th Anniversary, the quirky vintage Seamaster Memomatic, and the Seamaster 1948. Obviously, Craig has access to the best that Omega has to offer, making it easy to make an impact.
Image: Ian West/PA
A standout for me was the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra in Sedna Gold with a silver dial that he wore to the London premiere of No Time To Die. It wasn’t necessarily just the watch — although that was impressive in its own right — but the entire outfit that Craig wore. He got people talking with his pink velvet double-breasted jacket matched with a white shirt, black bow tie, black pants, and shiny black shoes. People were not ready for that much color, apparently. I, however, think he even made that look cool, and the Sedna Gold Aqua Terra was the brilliant cherry on top.
Chuck Yeager — Rolex
One of the most beloved Rolex ambassadors was, without a doubt, the legendary Chuck Yeager. The American, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 97, was a pilot who was active in the United States Air Force from 1941 to 1975. His time in the Air Force made him a World War II, Vietnam, and Cold War veteran. In 1969, Yaeger was promoted to brigadier general in the US Air Force after serving for almost 30 years. During his time in the Air Force, he was awarded a great number of military medals, including the Purple Heart, two Silver Stars, a Bronze Star Medal, and two Legion of Merit medals.
Yeager became known the world over in 1947 as the first pilot to break the sound barrier. He did so in the Bell X-1 plane, and during his record-breaking flight, he wore a Rolex Oyster Perpetual that he bought himself. It’s a famous story that Chuck Yeager sent a handwritten postcard to Rolex complimenting the creation of such an incredible watch. Over time, Yeager grew into one of the most recognized and most loved Rolex brand ambassadors ever. He could often be seen wearing his beloved GMT-Master ref. 1675 later in life.
An iconic brand ambassador
Rolex honored Yeager with a very nice ad 60 years after he broke the sound barrier in 1947. The ad is a great homage to one of the world’s greats. On top of that, Yeager was always loyal to Rolex and wore the brand’s watches with pride. The greatest proof was that he wore his very own Rolex watch during that record-breaking flight in 1947. His love for the brand never died, and that’s one of the best kinds of ambassadorship you could ask for. It’s a love for the brand driven by the product rather than the money.
Eric Clapton — Rolex
What better type of celebrity ambassador could a watch brand have than one who is an actual watch collector? We all know Eric Clapton as a passionate watch collector with a tremendous amount of impressive timepieces. While his love for Rolex is well documented, he also has a staggering collection of Patek Philippe watches. But despite his love for the two brands, his passion for watches is not limited to them. In that sense, Clapton is certainly not your archetypical watch brand ambassador. Nevertheless, he is one of the best thanks to his great love for watches.
If you have been in the world of watches for a while, you probably know about the famous auction that Christie’s held for some of Eric Clapton’s watches. When I looked it up, I couldn’t believe that it had been almost 11 years since his Patek Philippe ref. 2499 sold for CHF 3,443,000. But that was certainly not the last auction. Over time, we have seen more of Clapton’s pieces pop up and go for astronomical prices. As a Rolex ambassador, Clapton is featured in two great Rolex ads that you see here. I love reading the little pieces of text as they do nothing other than praise Clapton for his career. But as watch enthusiasts, we know it’s about way more than his career as a guitarist or that one watch in the ads.
George Clooney — Omega
The last spot on this list goes to George Clooney for his Omega ambassadorship. I had to look it up, but Clooney has been with Omega since 2007. It’s a loyalty that is pretty unique when it comes to sticking famous Hollywood faces to a watch brand. Clooney’s buddy Brad Pitt has connected his name to TAG Heuer and Breitling. The latter deal seems to be over, however, as his face is nowhere to be found on the Breitling website. Additionally, he has been spotted with the brilliant reissue of the yellow gold Vacheron Constantin 222 that came out last year. Anyway, back to Clooney.
Most of you will know that Clooney’s love for Omega is not one sparked by money. It was sparked by his fascination with space travel, a Speedmaster he received when he was young, and his father, who owned an Omega watch that Clooney has. It is a relatable story for so many of us whose love for watches has arisen due to similar experiences. I am one of those people as I grew up with my father wearing a Seamaster De Ville that he wears even to this day. So not only is Clooney a great face with a fabulous reputation, but the story is also one that resonates with many people.
Sixteen years with a variety of different models
Over time, we have seen George Clooney wear a great variety of Omega watches. He does have a strong love for the Speedmaster and was the face of the recent launch of the latest Speedmaster ’57 collection. But as you can imagine, during his 16 years of ambassadorship, plenty of noteworthy Omega models have graced Clooney’s wrist. The name, the face, the story, and the lengthy duration of this partnership make George Clooney one of the best watch ambassadors out there. As such, he closes out this Top 5 list of the best watch brand ambassadors according to us.
Final thoughts on the top watch brand ambassadors
Of course, this list could have been a lot longer. In the comments, tell us which watch ambassadors you relate to or which ones you feel suit(ed) their brands best. There are probably a lot of great examples that are missing. How about Lewis Hamilton for IWC, Cindy Crawford for Omega, Rafael Nadal for Richard Mille, or Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer for Rolex? We would love to hear about your favorite brand ambassadors. We will see you next week for another Top 5 list.
