Keeping time

One of its most iconic watches was the special edition Clipper Race Crew Watch – produced within a two- month period – and commissioned following the brand becoming the official timekeeper of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race in June 2015.

The team moved mountains to deliver race-ready watches for the skippers at the race start in August 2015. That was the beginning of a very special relationship, one with a sense of shared endeavour that naturally led to continued support for the 2017-2018 edition of the race with a brand new watch, developed after feedback from skippers and crew.

The new Broadstone collection

The new watch is the first of a new collection named ‘Broadstone’. The race-specific model is known as the Clipper Race Crew UTC edition. Each one is numbered and production is strictly limited to 1,000 pieces worldwide. The dial features an additional 24hr hand that uses the 24hr markings on the outer bezel to indicate time in a second time zone – ideal for checking the time at home while racing round the world. The letters ‘UTC’ stand for Coordinated Universal Time, which is the time standard under which the race operates and are unique to this model. The dial also features red and green hour markings that signify port and starboard channel marks; it has become a trademark of Elliot Brown/Clipper Race watches to feature this special kind of detail. Furthermore, the case back carries the Clipper Race insignia and an individual number.

This new watch packs a real punch with race-honed features including, deeply inset crowns to avoid being caught on deck fixings and rigging during rough conditions. The inner timing bezel is just as handy for race starts as it is for cooking duties, while the triple seals and shock-protected Swiss movement ensures reliable timekeeping as crews battle across the world’s oceans.

Withstanding the world’s toughest race

Before the 2015 race start, the team at Elliot Brown mounted a watch to the mast of one of the Clipper 70’ yachts to see if it could survive the entire circumnavigation and 11 months of constant saltwater conditions. During its 40,000-mile journey it suffered extremes of temperature, vibration, constant salt-water conditions and intense UV radiation without any care or attention. The yachts took a pounding in waves up to 90ft and winds of 89 Knots as they crossed five oceans and six continents, yet the watch withstood this barrage, shrugging it all off with only the cold metal mast as its travelling companion. It’s the kind of testing you only do if you are confident in your product and it says a lot about how Elliot Brown go about constructing their watches.

This very collectable and unique Clipper Race Crew UTC watch is priced at £495 and available to purchase from August 2017. Hurry though, if it’s anything like the first version it will likely sell out.

Further information
www.elliotbrownwatches.com