Football Shirt Culture.com

The watch company Wyler Genève has signed a new licensing agreement to produce the official watch of the Italian national football team, almost 75 years after the pioneering Italian Wyler distributor Innocente Binda put the company’s watches on the wrists of the Squadra Azzurra for the World Cup 1934.

To coincide with Italy’s first qualifying matches for the 2010 World Cup, Wyler Genève renews its association with the Italian team through a new licensing agreement to produce the official watch of the Italian national football team.

The watch is built around the brand’s unique shock-absorbing case and bears distinguishing features that are sure to appeal to Italian football fans. The most obvious of these is the colour of the dial and rubber strap, which is identical to the famous blue of the team's strip.

More subtly, the small seconds counter at 3 o'clock shows off four gold stars at the quarters - representing the team's four World Cup titles. The small seconds hand itself is a miniature Italian tricolour in green, white and red. As a finishing touch, the transparent sapphire crystal case back has been laser engraved with the logo of the Italian football federation (FIGC) and the inscription

"OFFICIAL WATCH OF THE ITALIAN NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM".

Bruno Grande, Managing Director of Wyler Genève, on the partnership: “I’m immensely proud of this renewed association with the Italian football team, which takes us back to the roots of our company. The advertising slogan for our shock-absorbing chronograph is ‘Time Suspended’ and to come back to partner with the Italian team after 75 years certainly does feel like time has been suspended.”