Raynald Aeschlimann, CEO of Omega, sheds light on the watch brand’s latest collaboration with the latest upstart in competitive golf
It is golf, but don’t come expecting silence or lags between shots. TGL (‘Tomorrow’s Golf League’), the new golfing format that is currently in its second season, is a high-energy, high-octane spectacle—held indoors under bright lights for a hyped-up atmosphere, complete with a 40-second time limit for players to make their shot.
Traditionalists may baulk, but not so for Omega. The Swiss luxury watchmaking house, has partnered with TGL as its official timekeeper, ensuring zero-error precision with its support of the competition’s 40-second shot clock. Omega is no stranger to timing global sporting events. Since 1932, Omega has served as the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games, constantly upping the ante with increasingly advanced timekeeping technologies and innovations.
Omega’s partnership with TGL, however, signals a shift in how the brand is approaching such collaborations—showing a willingness to embrace evolution in the sporting area even as the brand itself moves with the time.
“The unique format very much appeals to our pioneering spirit, and we love how the competition emphasises our brand values of team dynamics, precision, power, time and technology,” says Raynald Aeschlimann, CEO of Omega.
When you first saw TGL, what made you think this was right for Omega?
It’s something different. It’s something special. We especially see it as a new way to create emotion around golf. There’s a lot of emotion with this sport because there’s a new generation coming, and that’s exactly what this TGL is all about.
We’re talking about a sport that is attractive and already has a lot of success worldwide. But we’re also talking about how to make it a bit more dynamic. And that’s what we like at Omega. We are pioneers.
TGL is designed with a younger audience in mind. How important is this consideration when Omega considers where to invest in the future of sport?
Especially in luxury, the new generation has grown up in a world full of brands. So, we certainly see interesting opportunities to build genuine connections. We’ve had Cindy Crawford with us for 30 years as an ambassador. She was the biggest influencer of her time in 1995. Generation after generation, we’ve been able to work with inspiring people like that.
Of course, now, we have a different way of communication, different ways of being inspired. But it’s always been our way. I always say sport is the best because, as we’ve seen at the Olympic Games many times, the athletes are influencers by definition, because everybody wants to be in their position, or at least representing their country.
Regarding the Omega shot clock, how does the emphasis on time and precision change the way the audience experiences the game?
It highlights the thing I always say in sport; that one second is much longer than you think. At the Olympic Games, our timekeeping is so important to the results, so it’s interesting to bring that kind of role into golf, and to be the one that have an influence.
Omega is known for heritage and innovation. TGL is a league that is redefining a traditional sport through innovation. How do you see this balance between tradition and innovation?
That’s what Omega is all about. I love it when we can bring these things together. We were pioneers in chronograph watchmaking in the 1920s, and that’s why we became the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games. Our brand is the guarantee, like the guardian of integrity and precision at the Olympics. We are a traditional watchmaker, but we’ve always wanted to go the next step.
Luxury cannot just be legacy from the past. Luxury is a mix between legacy and finding new ways to create, and new ways to promote these creations. We are a brand that is very interested in growing, in having new ideas, in bringing magic into our watches and magic into the events we’re supporting.
How do you actually know a partnership like this is working? How do you measure the metrics of success?
As a partner, we share the destiny of the competition. It was clear when speaking with Rory Mcilroy and Wyndham Clark (key participants in TGL ) that we’d found a partnership that has everything we like. We’re not just waiting for a lot of viewers. We’re not selling a watch. We’re just showing how totally involved we are. Success comes from the conversations we create on a worldwide basis. People already want to talk to us, and ask more and more questions. It gets our Omega values out there in a new and exciting way.
