Michael Schumacher Designer Swiss Watch Launched, Costs a Whopping Rs 1.46 Crore
Conceived by Formula One legend Michael Schumacher, the world's first mechanical chronograph with consecutive lap timing has been launched by Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet.
- NDTVSports
- Updated: May 22, 2015 01:42 PM IST
Michael Schumacher dreams finally came true on Wednesday with a release of a watch he helped to create and designed. The world's first mechanical chronograph with consecutive lap timing and flyback functions, was presented to about 80 journalists from 15 countries at an evening staged at Corinna Schumacher's ranch in Givrins, Switzerland.(Schumacher's Wife Sells Private Jet: Report)
The project with Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet started back in 2010, when seven-time Formula 1 world champion wished for a wrist watch dedicated to motorsport, which would make it possible to measure and record an extended series of consecutive lap times.(Schumacher 'Crying' at the Sounds of his Children's Voices: Report)
The F1 legend put so much thought and energy into the project by visiting the designers and manufacture at several stages of its development. After almost five years, Audemars Piguet conquered that challenge and now pays tribute to the greatest F1 driver of all time by unveiling the USD 229,500 (1.46 Crore INR) Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher.(Schumacher Faces 'Long Fight' to Recovery: Manager)
Schumacher continues to slowly recuperate at his home in Switzerland, but reports seem to indicate that the motorsports world legend will never fully recover from his tragic 2013 skiing accident that almost took his life.(Vettel Pays Tribute to 'Hero' Schumacher After Winning Malaysian GP)
According to Forbes.com, racing chronographs are among the most popular types of sports watches around. Chronographs are timepieces with built-in stop watches designed to measure intervals of elapsed time. Traditionally, these have been used by drivers to time their own laps or those of observed cars.
Now that Audemars Piguet has achieved this mechanical feat, the sad truth is that Michael Schumacher will not likely ever have the opportunity to use the timepiece in the manner which he dreamed - at the track, measuring the time of two competing drivers at the same time.
As an honour to Schumacher, Audemars Piguet has placed his signature logo on the left side of the watch - which itself is a minor design evolution on the existing Royal Oak Concept family, writes Forbes.