The 1916 Company is demonstrating the marketing muscle of an aspiring Swiss watch brand with the type of partnerships normally only secured by the manufacturing class.
The coast-to-coast and international jeweler, authorized watch retailer and owner of the independent De Bethune brand has just announced a partnership with Australian PGA Tour star Min Woo Lee, who will be seen at the Truist Championship that begins today in The 1916’s home city of Philadelphia.
Mr Lee will be wearing a De Bethune DB28xs Starry Seas — a $90,000 watch at launch in 2023 — while playing and off the course, which combines haute horology engineering and finishing with an ultra-lightweight case in titanium with an advanced shock absorption system protecting its hand-wound DB2005 time-only movement.
“We are thrilled to welcome Min Woo as a friend of The 1916 Company,” says John Shmerler, CEO of The 1916 Company.
The impact shocks experienced by professional athletes make it unusual for them to wear what is perceived as a delicate mechanical instrument on their wrists.
The De Bethune DB28xs Starry Seas passes that test while also being recognized as a design and masterpiece from watchmaker Denis Flageollet who created the dazzling blue random guilloché dial.
With a bit of downtime in Philadelphia ahead of today’s opening round in the Truist Championship, Mr Lee headed into the city where he spent time at the grill of Angelo’s Pizzeria’s with owner Danny DiGiampietro.
The photo call was in honor of Mr Lee’s nickname, The Chef, and catchphrase, “Let him cook”, a term adopted by online gamers.