Simon Baker joins Longines for Royal Ascot

Longines ‘Ambassador of Elegance’, Australian actor Simon Baker, joined the watch brand for a day at the races as it commemorated nine years of being the Official Timekeeper of Royal Ascot, as well as its Official Partner and Watch.

On Tuesday 16 June, the owners of Gleneagles, the winning horse at The St James’s Palace Stakes, received an elegant Longines watch from His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall.

In addition, Longines vice president and head of international marketing, Juan-Carlos Capelli, presented a watch to Ryan Moore, the winning jockey of The Ascot Stakes. Owner, trainer and lad of Clondaw Warrior, the winning horse of the race, were also presented with refined Longines watches.

Longines is the Official Timekeeper as well as the Official Watch and Official Partner of Royal Ascot with the brand having enhanced on-course presence including a branded chronometer close to the winning post. The brand said: “Renewing a partnership that began in 2007, [Longines] will continue to add a touch of elegance and style, synonymous with the prestige of the Royal Meeting”.

It added: “Royal Ascot is the perfect venue…to present [our] new Conquest Classic Moonphase chronographs featuring a moonphase display. The sophistication of these timepieces makes them eminently refined watches and echoes the excellence and elegance of the stars of the equestrian universe.”

Longines has paid homage to equestrian sport dates since 1878, when it produced a chronograph engraved with a jockey and his mount. Seen on the racetracks as early as 1881 and extremely popular among jockeys and horse-lovers, this model enabled its user to time performances to the seconds.