Religion of Time and watch idols. Cult watch “Admiral's Cup” – Corum (Part 4)

Cult watch “Admiral's Cup”

One thing can be said about this watch: Admiral's Cup has been so famous that many fans of watchmaking still do not realize that “Admiral's Cup” is not a company, but the model name, and the manufacturer of this model is the watch company “Corum”. Indeed, “Admiral's Cup” watch is one of those rare models, the glory of which eclipsed the glory of its company, almost turning Corum into one-model brand.
Many people call “Admiral's Cup” a cult watch - and this is true, if we follow its appearance on the stage of the watch market, its popularity, which allowed the model existing with great success in the watch market for twenty years without any changes in its design and technical "appearance."
The 12-sided waterproof watch case with engraved sailboat on the back case, symbolizing yacht race, and hour markings, designed as symbols of international maritime code, are famous and well known throughout the world. However, the famous 12-sided case came only twenty years after the success of the "maternal" model...

The cult watch “Admiral's Cup” appeared in the watch market in 1960, designed for the famous British regatta of the same name - Admiral's Cup. The main feature of the model was a rectangular waterproof case, which in an instant (less than a year!) received a cult status. The watch with a rectangular and waterproof case with engraved sailboat on its back became a revelation of its time. The list of advantages was completed by the certificate of chronometer: every self-respecting sailor dreamed of owning “Admiral's Cup” watch. The success of the model was so incredible and deafening that the glory of the cult watch “Admiral's Cup” eclipsed even the name of the watch company - Corum. And today it is possible that asking someone in a prestigious Asian resort about the watch “Admiral's Cup” you will hear in response that this is a watch brand.
So, “Admiral's Cup” has become one of the most desired and cult accessories among yachtsmen. The accessory was extremely popular that a few watch companies can boast of. And the cult watch “Admiral's Cup” existed without changes and with resounding success for twenty years, despite the fact that it was brazenly faked by everyone who felt like it, and even when a no less legendary “Royal Oak” watch from the company “Audemars Piguet” appeared. Even "Royal Oak", which appeared in the beginning of the 70s and defined a new generation of watches “sport de luxe”, could not shake the "admiral" positions. “Admiral's Cup” has become as trendy and prestigious watch model, as, for example, a yacht with the emblem “RORC” (Royal Ocean Racing Club) on board.

The history of “Admiral's Cup” regatta and its "own" watch

The author of one of the most famous yachting regattas – Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) – is a great sea power - the United Kingdom. In 1957, Europe finally recovering from World War I feels once again the craving for luxury and beautiful events. It was at that time when two avid sailors - Sir Peter Green, the world famous insurer in “Lloyds of London”, and Sir Miles Wyatt, the director of one of the world's largest airline companies “British Airways”, decided to invent and organize a competition of ocean sailing yachts. As it turned out, Britain did not have any competition of that class. The friends decided that such fact was very shameful for the country that was considered to be the mistress of the sea and began to act. Both Sirs, who were members of the Royal Ocean Racing Club, entrusted RORC with patronage of the regatta.
And the name of the regatta has come up in almost an odd moment in the dialogue of sailors, during which Sir Peter asked Sir Miles about Admiral’s rank gained in RORC and suggested calling the regatta “Admiral's Cup”. Of course, Sir Wyatt, by virtue of modesty, tried to refuse such an honor, but as the time has shown, Sir Green insisted on his own and also said that such name would be associated with Admiral Nelson. That only adds the name of the regatta a kind of "historicity" and a pleasant sound.
Admiral's Cup immediately won success: the first regatta brought together participants from 19 countries, among which there were the best skippers on the best sailing yachts. They decided to hold a regatta every two years, and the level of organization of “Admiral's Cup” was so high that it almost immediately received the status of unofficial world championship.
Since then, the "Admiral" regatta has become one of the brightest events in the yachting world, at the first competition of which the organizers themselves won (since they have won the title of winner seven times), the German team had four wins, the Australians were right next to them...

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Today, among watch brands it has become quite popular to occupy a sport niche, thus promoting their goods at a fairly specific market, with its own standards and requirements.
Almost every watch company has a collection of sport watches. This kind of co-operation between sport and watch represents a sponsorship of various sporting events. This marketing provides watch companies with a certain range of clientele and solid promotion. If famous athletes or just celebrities are involved in a sporting event - it's just an extra plus.
Another advantage of this kind of activities that watch companies can sponsor is a possibility for watches to become an official "face" of the event. In addition, this marketing approach is fully justified in the sense that, besides the main market function, brings the world of sport events and activities an enjoyable part of aesthetic revival.
The watch “Admiral's Cup” was among the first watches, which became the "face" of such a large-scale sporting event - it has become one of the components of unique success.
Today, Admiral's Cup is considered to be a cult model, on which the company Corum is constantly working, representing the fans of “admiral” model new and improved watches in both design and technical terms.
However, before we talk about the “Admiral's Cup” watch of new time, we suggest diving into the history of sailing, feeling all its beauty and aesthetic freedom...

About the sea, sailing, yachting, and of course watches!
The origin of sailing

Sailing - a contest, counting a history of more than six years. In its early history, when the vessels did not go to sea, when sailing on the rivers, the sail did not play a significant role - it was just an auxiliary piece of the vessel. Its role became more significant when the vessels began floating more in the sea: here the sail was the main "engine" of the ship.
Motives of sea "conquest" have different nature, but even at the dawn, navigation was not only a necessity, but also an entertaining enthusiasm...
As such, yachting begins finally developing to the end of XV century, as a special branch of maritime sailing on special ships - yachts. Yachts usually were designed for sailing for fun and for competitions.
Over 400 years of its existence and development, sailing today can be divided into several types: long-distance sailing, pleasure yachting, ocean marathons and regattas.

It is natural that sailing could arise and develop only in the countries situated on the sea coasts and in the countries with developed and high culture. Such countries at the turn of the XVI and XVII centuries were Belgium and Holland, located in the basin of the Rhine and the Scheldt. As history has shown, the Dutch were the first to sail just for fun. In the second half of XVII century Holland reaches its peak, and the Dutch become recognized masters of the sailing shipbuilding. They begin to build special small sailboats for racing - the prototypes of modern yachts. The main criterion of yachts and recreational sailing is the sense of beauty: a vessel, which did not evoke admiration by its equipment and shape, could not be regarded as yacht.
In addition to a beautiful ship, there were also unwritten rules for yachtsmen. So, the one, who did not recognize rules, secret laws of the partnership, etiquette of the sea, could not earn the title of yachtsman. The first document about amateur sailing, which the history has kept, is the application for permission for the trip from Vlissingen to London of Dutch surgeon Henri de Vocht. He said that the flight would be conducted "in a small open boat completely independently, relying only on foresight." The route distance was about 130 miles. Although it is still unknown whether the surgeon received the permission to sail, and whether it was made, however, the existence of such document proves the fact that amateur sailings took place in the history long ago.

The first sailing race

Gradually, the influence of the Dutch began to spread to neighboring countries. Thus, the English King Charles II Stuart, being in exile in Holland, became interested in sailing so much that on his return to the throne ordered a yacht.
The royal yacht was launched on May 21, 1661, and then organization of official sailing events became popular in England. The first officially registered sailing race was held in England, in October 1, 1661 on the Thames - from Greenwich to Gravesend and back. Charles II himself on the yacht "Catherine" and his brother the Duke of York on the yacht "Anna" took part. The bet of competition was 100 guineas. It should be noted that on the stage to Gravesend the Duke of York was leading, but on the way back the king won back the bet.
Sailing in England was a hobby of only privileged persons, and the king had 18 yachts.

Gradually, with the spread of yachting, informal communities of their owners appeared. One of the first yacht clubs is “Corc Harbour Water Club”, which appeared in South Ireland in 1720. That time yachts were usually managed by professional mariners, and the yachtsmen themselves just had pleasure of sailing. Such division into yachtsmen and crew was kept in the world yachting for about three centuries.

Development of sailing

Until the middle of the XIX century yachting in its modern sense did not exist. First of all, yachts were used for pleasure trips and travels. However, in 1775 in England, they created the Cumberland Fleet, aimed at organization and holding of regattas, which greatly change an "amateur" attitude to yachts.
Then in 1812, in Cowes, one of the oldest British yacht clubs - Royal Yacht Squadron – is established. It was at that club, where for the first time the decision to disqualify any participant in case of using a steam engine in yacht was taken. That decision allowed to keep the true spirit of sail yachting: from that time only a sailing yacht has been considered as sport.
After that, in many countries there was a tendency to found yacht clubs. Thus, the oldest and most famous clubs of the world are considered to be "Royal Swedish Yacht Club" (founded in 1830), "Le Havre Racing Society" (1838), "New York Yacht Club" (1844), "Imperial St. Petersburg Yacht Club" (1846), “Yacht Club de France” (1858).

Gradually, passion for yachting begins to gain more and more countries, becoming one of the brightest events of cultural life, wherever it is carried out. The history of yacht races is replete with the most original and interesting stories. So, for example, the first historically established single voyage was made by the American, J.M.Cranston in 1849 on the yacht "Tokka" of about 12 m length. And the first single voyage across the Atlantic in the east direction was made by an ordinary fisherman, Alfred Jensen on the yacht "Centennial" to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the US independence. In 1891, the first transatlantic race of individuals with the participation of J.W. Lawlor on the yacht "Sea Serpent" of 4.5 m length and Andrews on the centerboarder "Mermeyd" was carried out. Lawlor, who finished first, landed on the coast in 45 days, and Andrews did not managed to finish the race as he turned over and lost all supplies.

Olympic sports and sailing regattas

In 1900, sailing races are included into Olympic Games (II Olympiad in Paris). And, despite the fact that in the first race a few crews took part, however, it was a real international regatta. The competitions were conducted separately for each class: "6 meters", "8 meters", "10 meters", and separately for the yacht class of above 10 meters.
Prior to 1904, there was no single organization that protected interests of sailors from different countries, and in 1904, the International Union of Sailing was created. And in three years at the international conference in London, the first general rules of racing in England, Germany and France were set. As many sailors noted, the effect of organization by the international union was significant. First of all, they have established clear rules of racing, introduced regulations of the competition, defined classes of yachts that could participate in races...

New time of Admiral's Cup

...the 20-year anniversary of the cult model became a reason for the development and improvement of the well-known model. In the 80s, the craftsmen of the company “Corum” decided to breathe a new life into the cult watch, realizing the tough competition at the watch market. First of all, they changed the exterior design: the legendary rectangular case was transformed into a 12-sided one, borrowed from another successful model by Corum – the watch “Lion Heart”. However, it is in “Admiral's Cup” that the 12-sided case got so special and "powerful" design - namely, hour marking with numerals-symbols – an idea, suggested by an Italian dealer of the company, who managed to convince the designers of the watch that it would be very stylish and conceptual.
The dealer could not be more right: today, the hour marking of Admiral's Cup in the form of flags is one of the most recognizable brand features of this model. Today, the "evolved" model (or, rather, models, because today there is quite a large number of varieties of the legendary watch) can be seen with numerals-flags at the automatic winding rotor too, where they indicate the year of manufacture.
In addition, changes were made in size of the case - it has increased to 44 mm in diameter, and staples for the bracelet have become "greater", reminding a silhouette of yacht from the side, and the crown is made in the form of knight (a steel or cast-iron pedestal, to which the rope is attached). A traditionally engraved sail on the back case reminds of the original...