The history of the Official Timekeeper of Formula One is prefaced not by a watch brand, but rather by a person. Her name was Michele Dubosc, who began her career in motorsport as a rally co-driver before mastering the art of timekeeping. In an era when timekeeping involved a plethora of manually operated mechanical stopwatches, Dubosc’s reputation for accuracy was considered the gold standard. This was perhaps best illustrated at the 1971 Italian Grand Prix, where her timing results were presented and accepted as conclusive evidence against attempts at manipulating headlines.
From a technological standpoint, it was Heuer that laid the foundation for modern timekeeping with the development of their ACIT (Automatic Car Identification Technology) system which involved placing transponders in each car. The technology offered a profound improvement over independently operated chronographs with the ability to all but eliminate human error by accurately record timing data for multiple vehicles down to a thousandth of a second. By the late 1970s, the ACIT system had become the only timekeeping system used by Formula One.
1982-1991: Longines
In the context of modern sponsorship, Longines became the first Official Timekeeper of Formula One in 1982 along with Italian computer brand Olivetti, a position it retained until the end of the 1991 season. While Longines never produced Formula One watches, it did release a number of official co-branded Ferrari timepieces during that same era as a sponsor of Scuderia Ferrari.
1992-2003: TAG Heuer
Heuer had been acquired by Techniques d’Avant Garde in 1985, and was known as TAG Heuer by the time it took on official timekeeping duties in 1992. By then, the well-established Formula 1 line was a mainstay in the TAG Heuer catalog but had been discontinued after LVMH acquired the brand in 1999. In the early 2000s, the text “Official Timekeeper of the FIA F1 World Championship” was included on the case back of certain models such as the Micrograph F1 and F1 Kirium.
2006-2015: Jacques Lemans*
While there was no Official Timekeeper title involved, 2006 saw Austrian watch brand Jacques Lemans sign a 10-year agreement to produce officially licensed Formula One watches. With a consumer-friendly price range of €190 to €390, the aptly named F1 Collection was unveiled at that year’s Baselworld.
2010-2012: Hublot
Hublot would become the Official Watchmaker of Formula One in 2010, initially announcing the monochromatic Hublot F1 King and making a splash later that year with the infamous Bernie Ecclestone black eye ad. Appearing in the ad was the first F1 King Power, a line of watches that would go on to span several years.
2013-2024: Rolex
The Official Timekeeper title made its return in 2013 with Rolex, which simultaneously served as the Official Timepiece of Formula One. Despite having never produced any officially licensed watches with any team, driver, or the series itself, the famous brand has long enjoyed an established association with the pinnacle of motorsport including three-time F1 world champion Sir Jackie Stewart being a longtime ambassador. After Rolex announced their impending departure in 2024, LVMH has confirmed a 10 year agreement as a global partner of Formula One starting in 2025.
* There is an apparent overlap between Jacques Lemans and Hublot, and so far no information has been found that directly addresses this. One possibility is some form of limited licensing agreement similar to what Ferrari had with Hublot and Movado where the two brands stayed in distinctly separate price ranges.
Sources:
https://racingnews365.com/the-story-of-f1s-first-time-keeper
https://monochrome-watches.com/watches-formula-1-episode-1-history-rolex-official-timekeeper/
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https://www.ablogtowatch.com/rolex-replaces-hublot-as-official-formula-1-racing-timekeeper/