Jaeger-LeCoultre - New Polo Season in Argentina
No watch can claim to be closer to the world of polo than Jaeger-LeCoultre's Reverso. It was designed in 1931 at the request of British players in the Indian Army, who had had enough of having their watches shattered during their games. The famous reversible case was invented to protect the dial and the glass, exposing the metal back to possible shocks.
The one and only truly polo watch in the world, the Reverso became the first watch to be dedicated to a hobby, sacrificing neither elegance to efficiency, nor vice versa.
In 2011, the Reverso will celebrate its 80th Anniversary. Meanwhile, Jaeger-LeCoultre invites you to discover the legendary watch on the wrists of the best world polo players during the polo tournaments currently taking place in Argentina.
Argentine, land of polo
An exercise for ancient warriors turned highly exclusive sport, polo is currently practiced in nearly 80 countries and has some 500 clubs on five continents. One nation, however, reigns supreme over planet polo: Argentina.
Be it learning, playing or watching meets, Argentina is the unquestioned world capital of this sport. It is no surprise that the best players in the world are all Argentinian: currently, there are only around ten players with the maximum handicap of ten, while around fifteen players have a handicap of nine. All are Argentinians.
It is also this country that hosts the world's three most important annual tournaments - the Tortugas Open, the Hurlingham Open and the Palermo or ArgentineOpen - corresponding to the legendary "Triple Crown" that every polo player dreams of winning.
The decisive tournament, the Palermo Open, is played on a three-hectare field situated in the middle of the city, in a smart district of Buenos Aires. It is here that the most prestigious teams of the Argentinian championships and the best players from the rest of the world battle it out. And all the spectators have eyes only for the living gods of polo - Adolfo Cambiaso and Eduardo Novillo Astrada, both Jaeger-LeCoultre ambassadors…
Reverso on the wrist of Polo Stars
Naturally Argentinian, obviously with a handicap of ten, Adolfo Cambiaso is quite simply the best player in the world. Adolfo wears a Squadra Hometime Reverso, engraved with an Argentinian flag: "the date of the creation of this watch in 1931 is proof of the legitimacy of the Jaeger-LeCoultre brand in my favourite sport. The Reverso is an icon, but it has also been my faithful companion for the past three years."
Adolfo Cambiaso * Argentinian * Handicap 10 * 35 years old * Titles won: 8 Argentine Opens, 6 US Open, 5 British Open, 6 Hurlingham Open, 3 Tortugas Open, 7 Queen's Cup, 4 USPA Gold Cup, 1CV Whitney Cup* Best 2010 results: US Open, British Open, Queen's Cup, Pacific Coast Open, USPA America Cup, USPA Gold Cup, CV Whitney Cup, finalist Hurlingham Open * Jaeger-LeCoultre ambassador * Wears a Reverso Squadra Hometime.
Eduardo Novillo Astrada, started playing polo at the age of six, attracted by the world of horses. Later on he won the legendary Triple Crown accompanied by his three brothers and wearing their family club colours, La Aguada team! His watch? A ceramic Reverso Squadra, the first of its kind.
Eduardo Novillo Astrada * Argentinian *Handicap 9 (Argentina and Great Britain), 10 (United States) * 38 years old * Titles won: 1 Argentinian Open, 1 US Open, 3 British Opens, 1 Hurlingham Open, 1 Tortugas Open * Best 2010 results: USPA Gold Cup finalist * Jaeger-LeCoultre ambassador * Wears a Reverso Squadra World Chronograph Polo Field.
Jaeger-LeCoultre holds charity polo match at Hurlingham Club in Buenos Aires, Argentina
It is on the grounds of Hurlingham Polo Club that this Monday, November 29th 2010, Jaeger-LeCoultre held a special charity polo match with star players. For every goal scored during the match, Jaeger-LeCoultre donated the funds to the Christian Family Polo Movement, an organization supporting the schools for children coming from low-income families in Greater Buenos Aires.
Two teams of four players each, the White against the Black, competed on the field of Hurlingham Club. After each goal, the teams, watched by two referees on horseback and a third referee outside the field, changed sides as per polo rules.
The White team included: Clare Milford Haven, Eduardo Novillo Astrada and his brothers - Alejandro and Ignacio Novillo Astrada. In the Black team were Lia Salvo, Gabriel Iglesias, Juan Carlos Harriet and Will Johnston.
The intense match resulted in the score of 7:8, with the White team gaining the victory over the Black. Jerome Lambert, CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre, congratulated the players and announced that as a result of the competition, the amount of 10,000 US dollars is donated by Jaeger-LeCoultre to the Christian Family Polo Movement.