Kick-Off For The 1911 TEKTON "AFC Ajax"

On Monday, December 15, 2008 at 7.00 pm the kick-off will be on the Millionaire Fair Amsterdam – together with Gassan Diamonds the Swiss Luxury watch brand EBEL and the traditional football-club AFC Ajax will present the symbol of their partnership: the 1911 TEKTON “AFC Ajax”. Representative for all Ajax-players – Maarten Stekelenburg, goal-keeper and member of the Dutch-national-team, as well as Ajax-striker Miralem ‘Miki’ Sulejmani have come to the Millionaire Fair Amsterdam to get a first glance at the prominent timepiece. Also attending the presentation was Ajax-Fitness-Trainer René Wormhoudt.

Ebel 1911 TEKTON AFC Ajax

A true world-premiere is the presentation of a spectacular timepiece at this year’s Millionaire Fair Amsterdam! For the very first time the 1911 TEKTON “AFC Ajax” will be shown to the public. Exclusively for the Millionaire Fair Amsterdam and for that reason before the official launch in spring 2009, the first 15 watches of the only 150 pieces worldwide limited chronograph are offered for sale. “We are honored to be the first retailer in Holland to distribute this special edition and to present it at the Gassan Diamonds-stand”, says Benno Leeser, President Gassan Diamonds.

The premiere of the 1911 TEKTON „AFC Ajax“ at the Millionaire Fair Amsterdam marks the beginning of the partnership between EBEL and the AFC Ajax as “Official Timing Partner”. Ajax Acting Managing Director Henri van der Aat said: “The introduction of EBEL into the Ajax family will be of great mutual benefit to both parties, raising one another’s profile in exciting new territories. For Ajax this is a significant step forward.” For the lifelong Ajax-fan and Managing Director EBEL Northern Europe, Loek Oprinsen, this partnership is “the natural and ultimate expression of an alliance between EBEL and the world of sport which began over two decades ago. We expect a deep penetration of this partnership in the Dutch market and this, for sure, will accelerate the process of re-building our brand and reaching our goals, particularly our goals in the men’s watch segment.

The new model is issued in a limited edition within the “1911 TEKTON” and was developed in close cooperation with representatives from AFC Ajax and Gassan Diamonds President Benno Leeser. The 1911 TEKTON “AFC Ajax” promises sporty elegance. The timepiece includes actively the club-colors red and white in its design: one will not only find the colors of Ajax within the red flange of the white dial but also on the red chronograph seconds and minute pointer. Framed between two small white stripes the index at 12 o’clock shows a parallel with the typical Ajax-jersey.

EBEL has powerfully expressed its deep and lasting commitment to football by developing a proprietary movement specifically designed for this sport, since it keeps effective track of football match time. This exclusive chronograph movement was developed by EBEL watchmakers and is assembled and tested in-house in its La Chaux-de-Fonds workshops. Designed to measure match half times and code-named “245” standing for 2 times 45 minutes, it even indicates extra time where required. The oversized 45?minute counter at 12 o’clock on the watch dials serves to read off elapsed time, while the disk at 6 o’clock indicates the hours in periods of 45 minutes. Doubtless the most distinctive feature of all is the signature football-shaped oscillating weight, personalized with the club logo of AFC Ajax and numbered according to the limited edition.

EBEL has thus created the ultimate football watch in terms of both technique and design, a timepiece that is bound to appeal to the respective clubs’ countless football fans the world over as well as to mechanical watch enthusiasts – and doubtless doubly so to those who happen to be both!

Since 2007 Arsenal F.C. belongs to the “Ebel-Football-Equip” – in 2008 the following elite-clubs joined: AFC Ajax, FC Bayern Munich, Rangers F.C., Olympique Lyonais; and Real Madrid C.F.