It’s tennis season and we have a handful of the “Stan Smith Signature Watch” Limited Edition by Maurice de Mauriac for sale at a great price
Fergus NashEditor’s note: One of the great things about dropping in on a brand’s HQ is that you invariably learn things you never would normally. On a recent visit, I discovered a lot about Maurice de Mauriac and the Dreifuss family, Daniel, the father, and Leonard and Massimo, the sons. And mostly it is this: they are completely crazy. Like nuts. But in a totally charming way. In the way that immediately has you wondering which of their watches you might buy into. Based out of a shopfront slash man-cave in Zurich, the trio are enthusiastic, flamboyant and they know a hell of a lot about the business of running what is effectively a microbrand. However, that category doesn’t entirely do the brand justice, as their history long outdates the term, and it underplays how very well-connected the brand are. This is partly reflected in their modified movements (these are rarely stock ebauches), and also in their famous friends.
An example and a case in point is the “Stan Smith Signature” watch, which is endorsed by the great man himself. To cut this story short, because Fergus is about to enlighten you about the details of the watch, I saw one in the shop, sitting on top of a book about Stan Smith titled “I am not a shoe”, and asked about it. I was immediately taken by the tennis-themed NATO strap and the cheeky tennis references on the dial, including a ball on the second hand, and ‘SMITH MADE’, where ‘SWISS MADE’ usually goes on their watch dials. I couldn’t help but think how much I’d wear it in Australia’s tennis season – which is right now, as we head into the quarter finals of the Australian Open. Oh happy days. They told me that it was a Limited Edition, and they had some left. I asked if we could offer a handful to you, our readers, and they were happy to oblige. We’ve negotiated a special price that you’ll get as a subscriber or Club Member. It also includes some proper Easter eggs, including an invitation to a Zoom call to meet Stan Smith in “person”. Hit this link to see the shop listing, now it’s over to Fergus to tell you more about the watch – Andrew
If you’re a sneaker-head, you know the name Stan Smith. If you’re a tennis nut, you also know the name Stan Smith. If you’re a watch enthusiast, you’ll know the name Stan Smith soon enough, through the intrepid indie watchmaker Maurice de Mauriac’s “Stan Smith Signature Watch”.
Firstly, if you’re unfamiliar with Maurice de Mauriac, it definitely pays to give their website a visit and browse their designs. The core ethos for Daniel Dreifuss, the mastermind of Maurice de Mauriac, is to create watches that simply inspire moods among the people who wear them. This covers an enormous amount of styles, quite likely more than any other Swiss watch brand, and yet each watch carries a distinct character that fits in alongside any other watch in the catalogue. From hyper-complex pilot’s watches to Calatrava-style dressy numbers and everything in between, you’re sure to find something that aligns with your tastes.
Secondly, it’s time to brush up on our sporting history. Blasting onto the professional scene and taking his first Grand Slam in doubles at the 1968 US Open, Stan Smith would go on to become a formidable opponent and was ranked world number one in both 1971 and 1972. Although the Maurice de Mauriac watch is limited to just 100 pieces per colour supposedly in honour of Stan’s 100 tournament wins, this doesn’t quite capture the magic behind his combined 118 career titles in both singles and doubles. He went on to retire in 1985 after relishing an extended heyday and, most importantly for his future legacy, having a particular Adidas tennis shoe named after him in 1978. Now, the name Stan Smith is actually a lot more well-known in the sneaker world than the tennis world, especially considering that the Stan Smith shoe is also far too outdated to be used in the modern high-tech game. The “Stan Smith Signature Watch” is endeavouring not just to honour the man himself, but to bring the name back into the sport where it belongs.
The dial
The Maurice de Mauriac Automatic Classic “Stan Smith Signature Watch” is available in three colours, although one of them certainly feels way more on-theme than the others. While the blue and red versions are still lovely watches, the green reference more accurately represents the world of tennis that Stan Smith dominated. The main special detail, perhaps apart from the shapely Stan Smith signature above the 6 o’clock marker, is the neon green pip in the seconds hand, representing a tennis ball. But, by far my favourite feature is just a fun little Easter-egg, and that’s the “Smith Made” text on the bottom of the dial.
The rest of the dial is still full of interesting features, with modernised syringe-style hands across a sparse yet bubbly dial. The hour markers are rectangles and circles that aren’t all that ground-breaking, but moving the minute markers to the inside of those hour markers almost gives the watch a sector dial-like impression that also enhances the legibility and quirkiness of the watch.
The case
Just like Stan Smith’s personality, the Signature Watch is big. It’s by all means wearable by all average wrists, but the white dial, 42mm diameter, and the case’s thin bezel lends itself to appearing much larger from a distance than, for instance, a black dive watch. The 9mm height definitely helps slim the watch down, which is an impressive thickness considering its automatic nature, display caseback, and 100m of water resistance. Unlike some other manufacturers who shy away from defining depth ratings for fear of warranty abuses, Maurice de Mauriac are happy to specify that this watch can handle both swimming and showering if that’s your thing.
The movement
This watch utilises the ETA 2824-2, one of the absolute benchmarks for any and all mechanical movements in watchmaking. No matter how much R&D gets put into fancy in-house movements, when it comes down to pure utility, an off-the-shelf movement is as good as any. The “Stan Smith Signature Watch” doesn’t stop at the bottom rung though, opting for the Top Grade version of the 2824-2, meaning that it has a much higher level of decoration, an ETACHRON regulator, and it is adjusted in five positions to get a maximum timekeeping tolerance of +/-15 seconds per day, and an average of +/-4. It’s not as lofty as the Chronometer Grade movement, but getting that COSC certification tends to jump prices up, while the Top Grade achieves similar results on most occasions.
The verdict
The effect of the Maurice de Mauriac Automatic Classic “Stan Smith Signature Watch” is quite interesting, as it crosses over so many small niches as to actually reach a relatively wide audience. Between the sneaker and the tennis enthusiasts, I’m sure that there will be no trouble selling out all 300 pieces quite quickly. The RRP is $3590AUD (circa $2580 USD) that seems high at first for an ETA-powered watch, but when you consider the limited numbers, the specced up movement, the name that Maurice de Mauriac has made for itself, and the Stan Smith-signed tennis ball that comes with the packaging, the whole picture starts to come together. Also included with the watch is a matching key holder made of a NATO strap and a rubber strap.
There is better news, too which is the special pricing of $2,799 AUD (circa $1999 USD) for Time+Tide readers. Use the code: “Stan Smith” at checkout to receive 20% off. These buyers will also be invited to a Zoom call to meet Stan Smith, the man, not the shoe, or the watch. Hit this link to buy the watch now and click here to join the Time+Tide club.
And see below for proof of Andrew’s trip down the MDM rabbit hole in Zurich late last year!
