A Closer Look at Purnell x Ballon d'Or 2022 Unique Pieces
Presented to Ballon d’Or winners Karim Benzema and Alexia Putellas.
As well as scooping the world’s top football accolade earlier this week, Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema and Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas were also each presented with unique sapphire crystal watches from Ballon d’Or partner, Purnell.
It’s the second year that the Swiss haute horlogerie brand has presented the winners with watches, which are this year housed in 48mm polished titanium cases with a vast sapphire crystal glass showcasing the handwound calibre P10 movement.
The twin mainspring barrels are engraved with text that references either the male or female winner – depending on the watch – as well as the movement’s creator, Eric Coudray.
“Football is the most popular sport in the world and the Ballon d’Or its most prestigious distinction,” says Maurizio Mazzocchi, CEO of Purnell. “Purnell stands for the best, for the ultimate in the watch industry and could only attach its name to the very best players, the Ballon d’Or winners.”
While customers won’t be able to get their hands on the exact same watches, the brand has made a limited run of three Purnell x Ballon d’Or watches priced at 1M CHF (approximately $990,000 USD) and encased in transparent Swiss made sapphire crystal.
Like the winners watches, the 2022 Purnell x Ballon d’Or features a flying tourbillon hidden inside an 18K pink gold football at the six o’clock position, which completes a rotation every 30 seconds.
Elsewhere in watches, Girard-Perregaux introduces midsize Laureato with copper dial.
