TAG Heuer Commemorates Muhammad Ali with Special Timepiece

By Adrienne Faurote October 27, 2016

A remarkable gold TAG Heuer timepiece that pays tribute to the legendary Muhammad Ali debuted at a special charity gala that celebrated the boxer’s legacy on October 25.

Swiss haute manufacturer, TAG Heuer and Muhammad Ali Enterprises hosted the event at the iconic Gleason’s Gym in DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), Brooklyn, where the champion, who passed away on June 3, once trained.

Attended by Ali’s wife Lonnie Ali, TAG Heuer CEO and LVMH Watch Division President Jean-Claude Biver as well as a legion of boxers who faced off and looked up to Ali, the commemorative occasion-cum-auction culminated in the presentation of TAG Heuer’s unique Carrera Calibre 5 gold watch.

Gleason’s Gym in DUMBO, Brooklyn. — Gleason’s Gym in DUMBO, Brooklyn

(L-R) Boxer Roberto Duran, Professional Hockey Player Henrik Lundqvist, and CEO of TAG Heuer Jean-Claude Biver.

The one-off timepiece shared a Swiss custom studded leather box with a pair of red boxing gloves that bore Ali’s signature. Depicting Ali at the back of its case, the watch quotes TAG Heuer’s flagship 1957 Ring-master stopwatch that features seven sports rings of disparate scales, including one for boxing.

The exclusive Swiss leather box and its precious contents - Ali-autographed boxing gloves, the commemorative gold watch and certificates of authenticity. — The exclusive Swiss leather box and its precious contents – Ali-autographed boxing gloves, the commemorative gold watch and certificates of authenticity.

Housed in a 43mm case, the watch’s dial boasts a red-and-black outer ring divided into 15 sections of 4 minutes each. This combination reflects the original number and duration (a 3-minute fight followed by a one-minute recess) of the rounds of heavyweight boxing bouts. An additional cream-colored marking tracks amateur boxing of 2-minute duels.

The Carrera Calibre 5 gold watch features a boxing ring count.

The back of the case is engraved with Ali's portrait and signature — The back of the case is engraved with Ali’s portrait and signature.

Apart from the show-stopper gold watch, TAG Heuer also unveiled a special-edition collection of 750 steel timepieces, befitting named “Tribute to Muhammad Ali” and purportedly retailing at close to $4,000.

The exclusive 66-pound box together with its precious contents was bid away and all of the evening’s proceeds – amounting to nearly $120,000 – went to The Muhammad Ali Center in the boxer’s hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.