What We Know
Swiss sport isn’t limited to just skiing, soccer, and ice hockey. The Alpine nation is a tennis force. Besides the GOAT himself and Rolex testimonee extraordinaire Roger Federer, Switzerland has produced Grand Slam champs Martina Hingis and Stan Wawrinka; the Swiss team won the Davis Cup in 2014, while current WTA player Belinda Bencic took home singles gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
The global center for fine watchmaking is also a hub for tennis greatness. And with that in mind, Zurich’s Maurice de Mauriac is serving up the latest iteration of its tennis-themed Rallymaster series, the Rallymaster Swiss Tennis. A limited edition of 130 pieces in tribute to the 130th anniversary of Swiss Tennis is launching today at the Swiss Open in Gstaad.
This isn’t the first Rallymaster, that’s for sure. Designed by California creative and keen-eyed collector Carlton DeWoody (with whom I once drove to Geneva from La Chaux-de-Fonds – but that’s a story for another time), the sporty and practical Rallymaster has been produced in a slew of editions, taking inspiration from the Grand Slams, as well as modern tennis style and culture.
With a brushed stainless steel case measuring 39 millimeters in diameter and 12mm thick, and 100 meters of water resistance, the Rallymaster is designed to take you just about anywhere, from the tennis court to the beach and beyond. As Tim Vaux recently revealed, Russell Crowe is a fan of lawn tennis, and a Wimbledon-themed Rallymaster III sits proudly in the actor’s watchbox alongside superb examples of Patek, Rolex, Omegas, and Jaeger-LeCoultre.
The Swiss Tennis edition leans into the country’s colors with an opaline silver dial meant to evoke icy mountain peaks, with the model’s distinct small seconds framed in red at nine o’clock with yellow accents on the counter and hand. A red date function wheel sits below a cyclops magnifier at three o’clock, while red hash marks at the indexes and through a center strip down the middle of the vertically brushed dial that shifts between white and silver depending on the light.
Running horizontally across the middle of the dial is the Rallymaster’s tennis net graphic in white, framed by the brand name above in red and the model name below in red. The sloped rehaut reads more opaline than silver with subtle hash marks that give depth and contrast to the dial.
The round index plots are filled with Super-LumiNova, as are the hour and minute hands and the small seconds hand. Interestingly, the small seconds counter is marked at 20-second intervals. That was to mark the period allowed under professional rules between points. But the time allowed has since been raised to 25 seconds – so perhaps we might see a minor design update to the next edition?
The Swiss Tennis Rallymaster comes with two straps: a red stretchy fabric with quick-release spring bars for sporty occasions, as well as a brushed steel Milanese bracelet that also features quick-release for easy swaps. Pricing remains approachable, at just a hair under three grand.
As with previous models, and visible through the open caseback behind the Swiss Tennis logo, this edition is powered by the Landeron 24 movement. The automatic time and date movement with small seconds beats at 4 hertz and has a 40-hour power reserve. The watch is 12 millimeters thick, and the ‘Swiss Made’ signature is done ‘With Love,’ according to the script outside the sporty tracked rehaut.
What We Think
I got to spend a couple of days with the Swiss Tennis Rallymaster. As someone who used to play and watch a lot of tennis, I get the appeal. Tennis is a social, physical, and maddening sport with its own specific codes, and the Rallymaster series represents a watch line designed and made by folks who have both a passion for the game and an understanding of its culture.
On the wrist, the watch feels solid and ready for business. This iteration is certainly more subdued than some of the previous Rallymasters. But that seems appropriate for a watch marking the Swiss Tennis Association’s 130th anniversary. On the stretchy fabric strap, the watch is sporty and rather carefree. On the supplied Milanese steel bracelet, it’s a bit more serious and, with the classic opaline silver dial, is ready for the office or more dressy occasions. The dial, net, and ball small seconds are all done in a way that suggests graphic design elements and not a sports novelty or souvenir timepiece.
The case proportions will work well for both sexes and fit nicely on my relatively small (well below seven inches) wrist. The lume is strong and functional. The movement is nothing to get worked up about, but it gets the job done reliably.
As it says at the foot of the dial, ‘SWISS MADE WITH LOVE’, and that’s pretty clear. There are plenty of watches and brands associated with tennis, and a growing number of players serving as ambassadors for new brands. The Rallymaster is an ambassador for the sport as a whole. A fresh tin of balls, some might say.
The Basics
Brand: Maurice de Mauriac
Model: Rallymaster Swiss Tennis
Diameter: 39 mm
Thickness: 12mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Dial Color: Opaline silver
Indexes: Applied
Lume: Swiss Super-LumiNova BL-X1
Water Resistance: 100 meters
Strap/Bracelet: Milanese mesh bracelet and a two-piece stretch fabric bracelet designed for sports activities; both with quick-release system
The Movement
Caliber: Landeron 24
Functions: Hour, minute, small seconds, date
Diameter: 25.5 mm
Power Reserve: 40 hours
Winding: Self-winding
Frequency: 28,800 a/h (4 Hz)
Jewels: 25
Chronometer Certified: No
Pricing & Availability
Price: 2’500 CHF / 2’700 Euro / 2’950 USD
Availability: Pre-orders are live now on both Maurice de Mauriac and Swiss Tennis websites; also available to order at the brand’s atelier on Rämistrasse 5 in Zurich and the Swiss Tennis association’s headquarters in Bienne/Biel.
Limited Edition: Yes, 130 pieces.
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