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Swiss watch maker with American market in mind, CONCORD seems to emphasize its association with sports. Following its celebration on Singapore GP last year, the company makes a new partnership with French NBA player RONY TURIAF presenting the CONCORD C1 HEART2HEART CHRONOGRAPH WATCH. The timepiece is available in limited number of 25 pieces.

C1 is the basis of the entire new Concord’s collections since 2007 characterized by luxurious, oversized and sporty design. All new models revolve around this base case design including this RONY TURIAF WATCH. The launch of the C1 was highly touted and targeted the ever popular luxury sport market. The style and pricing were designed to compete with watches such as Panerai, AP and Hublot.

The name Heart2heart comes after the foundation founded by Ronny Turiaf in 2008. The RONNY TURIAF HEART TO HEART FOUNDATION aims to provide treatment and ECG testing for underprivileged patients, with a particular focus on children who suffer from heart disease. In particular, The Foundation is teaming up with the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) to try to make more people aware of the echocardiogram – a heart ultrasound – which likely saved Turiaf’s life.

Turiaf said, “This important exam changed my life. With this partnership between the ASE Foundation and the Heart 2 Heart Foundation, I hope to educate the medical community and the general public on the significance of echocardiograms and the importance of taking good care of your heart.”

When he was 22 years old, on a physical exam by LA Lakers four weeks after the NBA Draft 2005, RONNY TURIAF was founded having an enlarged aortic root in heart. An echocardiogram showed that it was serious enough to require surgery. Soon after, in July 26th, 2005, Turiaf underwent the six-hour open-heart surgery.

Less than six months after his surgery – quicker than expected, Turiaf felt himself recovered enough to be back in the game, and in a short period of time, the player was therefore re-signed with the Lakers. He was back on the court to play the remainder of the 2006-2008 seasons before signing with the Golden State Warriors 4-year deal.

In 2008, Turiaf established the Heart 2 Heart Foundation.

Concord C1 “Ronny Turiaf” Watch, Heart To Heart Chronograph

Constructed in the shape of standard C1 case in stainless steel with black PVD / rubber coating, the CONCORD RONNY TURIAF’S WATCH is fitted with a 3.3 mm thick sapphire crystal at front and back. The crystal at the back demonstrates the complex operation of the movement – a black rotor embellished with vertical Côtes de Genève; while it also bears the Ronny Turiaf’s signature and Heart To Heart logo.

Ronny Turiaf’s signature and Heart To Heart logo on the sapphire crystal case back

The watch also brings out a COSC-certified chronometer offering precision guarantee. Its layered carbon fibre dial features a sporty contrast between blood-red black and white. The blood-red color gives accents to the small seconds disc, the central seconds hands, the date “21” highlighting Ronny Turiaf’s NBA jersey number, and the saddle-stitching on the rubber-coated alligator leather strap.

French NBA player Ronny Turiaf wearing number 21 jersey on LA Lakers and Golden State Warriors
(photo by Getty Images)

As the new ambassador of Concord, Ronny Turiaf presents the very first of this special edition of C1 Chronograph at the Park Hyatt Vendôme Hotel with French Basketball team, Tony Parker and Boris Diaw attending the event to give their support.

Basketball player Ronny Turiaf on tuxedo and C1 Watch

Ronny Turiaf, Tony Parker and Boris Diaw at the launching event of Concord C1 Heart2Heart Chronograph Watch in Paris, September 23th, 2009

Concord Watch is part of the Movado group that owns Movado, Ebel, ESQ, Coach, Hugo Boss, Juicy Couture Watches, Lacoste, and Tommy Hilfiger watches. Founded in 1980 in Biel Switzerland, the brand has had a few innovations in their history such as being one of the first “private label” luxury watches to incorporate precious metals and gems in their watches. They were also the first company to make a wristwatch made of coins. In 1979 they had a major breakthrough with the invention of the Delirium Watch which was the thinnest watch ever made at the time at 1.98 mm thick. They subsequently released a delirium 2 which was even thinner at 1.5 mm.

In 2008, Concord won the prestigious “Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve” as “Best design of the year 2008” by its C1 Gravity Tourbillon.

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