and the Squadra win the 113th polo

Argentine Open

The Watch Quote™ - January 2nd, 2007

In 2006, 75 years after the birth of the Reverso, a one-of-a-kind Reverso Squadra Hometime model featuring a carrier engraved with the Argentine flag celebrates the signature of an agreement with the world’s top polo players, two internationally recognised Argentinean professionals now wearing the new Reverso Squadra on their wrist.

Adolfo Cambiaso became the youngest player ever to reach the maximum 10-goal handicap at the age of 17. Now aged 31 and still carrying the same handicap, he is considered the world’s best player. His team, “La Dolfina”, composed of Lucas Monteverde, Mariano Aguerre, Bartolomé Castognola, won the semi-final on Saturday December 2nd and was officially awarded the semi-final cup in a ceremony attended by Jaeger-LeCoultre CEO, Jérôme Lambert.

A fierce struggle during the final took place between the two ambassadors of the new Squadra. Adolfo Cambiaso and his “La Dolfina” team on the one hand, and Eduardo Novillo Astrada together with his brothers forming “La Aguada” team.

The recipient of numerous awards, Eduardo Novillo Astrada is a brilliant sportsman. He has exercised his talents on polo fields the world over and won the most prestigious accolades, including this year the the US Open, the British Gold Cup, the Sotogrande Silver Cup Award in Spain. As the oldest son in the famous Novilla Astrada family, he plays alongside his brothers Miguel, Ignacio and Javier in “La Aguada” team, one of the most popular in Argentina.

The new Squadra line evokes the original values of the Reverso by celebrating the revolutionary ties binding Haute Horlogerie to sport and to polo in particular. These top-class champions are the special emissaries of the brand and bear eloquent testimony that the values of sport and polo are more closely than ever in entwined with those of the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre.

In 2006, the Reverso celebrated its 75th anniversary by unveiling a Reverso with a square case: the Reverso Squadra. Clearly designed with men in mind, it is distinguished by a blend of elegance and sturdiness.

Through sports partnerships supported by the brand in many different countries and the announcement of an agreement signed with the world’s finest polo players, the longstanding ties between Jaeger-LeCoultre and Polo are stronger than ever.

Nobility, speed, accuracy and impeccable dexterity are the principles that have consistently inspired the rules of polo, based on respect for the security of the competing teams. Characterised by patient preparation of horses and players and the melding of these two entities through the game itself, the very essence of polo lies in this mutual support and almost symbiotic relationship.

1931. Colonial India.

Polo was a favourite occupation for British army officers in India, and they duly challenged Jaeger-LeCoultre to create a watch that was both elegant and yet sturdy enough to stand up to hard knocks and survive a match. Capable of accompanying players’ sporting feats while maintaining its exemplary discretion, its stainless steel case slid in its support and swivelled completely to turn its back on time. The Reverso was born.

Ever since, Jaeger-LeCoultre has regularly associated its name with numerous polo events around the world.

2006 : a resolutely Polo Year for Jaeger-LeCoultre

75 years after its sporting debut, Jaeger-LeCoultre returned to the hallowed birthplace of the legendary reversible watch by sponsoring the prestigious “Maharaja Sir Pratap Singh Cup”, attended by the Maharaja of Jodhpur.

In Italy, the Manufacture enjoyed the honour of taking part in two major tournaments: the Cortina Winter Polo Gold cup, held from February 19th to 25th 2006, as well as the Costa Smeralda Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup in April 2006. The Jaeger-LeCoultre team was led by Mario Robbiano.

In Switzerland and for the fourth year running, Jaeger-LeCoultre sponsored the Geneva Polo Masters that took place from August 23rd through September 3rd 2006, at the Veytay Polo club.

Finally, on the Stedham polo grounds in England, Jaeger-LeCoultre associated its name with an exceptional “40 goals” match featuring the world’s best players. The Manufacture sponsored this tournament on behalf of the Andrew Seavill Foundation, named after a professional polo player paralysed after a car accident. The captain of the winning team, Adolfo Cambiaso, was presented with the new Reverso Squadra Hometime watch.

The Reverso Squadra

Quite obviously designed with men in mind, the Reverso Squadra features a blend of vigorous strength, elegance and sturdiness. It is endowed with an exceptionally powerful design and clearly readable functions that are useful for today’s man wishing to travel while keeping his temporal bearings. The new Squadra line evokes the original values of the Reverso, while celebrating the revolutionary ties binding Haute Horlogerie to sport in general and to polo in particular.

Elegant and sturdy, innately refined and high on performance, the Reverso Squadra is interpreted in three different models dedicated to measuring the times of sporting feats: the Reverso Squadra Hometime and the Reverso Squadra Chronograph GMT in steel or 18-carat gold; as well as the Reverso Squadra World Chronograph in a limited titanium edition. For 2006, a one-of-a-kind model featuring a carrier engraved with the Argentine flag celebrates the announcement of an agreement signed with the world’s top polo players.

On players’ wrists

The Manufacture has chosen to associate with a charming ambassadress in England and with the world’s finest players – two internationally recognised professionals from Argentina.

In 1992, Adolfo Cambiaso became the youngest ever player to reach the maximum 10-goal handicap. Currently aged 31 – and still carrying the same handicap – he is considered the world’s best player.

The recipient of numerous awards, Eduardo Novillo Astrada is a brilliant sportsman. He has exercised his talents on polo fields the world over and has won the most prestigious accolades: the Palermo Masters championship and the Triple Crown Open in Argentina, the Gold Cup, the British Warwickshire Polo Cup final and the US Open.

For the past five years, Clare Mountbatten, Marchioness of Milford Haven, has been competing under the Jaeger-LeCoultre colours. She has displayed her skills in many countries including England, Spain, Italy, South Africa, Mexico, Argentina and Chile. An enthusiastic and active member of the Cowdray Park Polo Club, she is one of the increasing number of women distinguishing themselves in this fascinating and thrilling sport.

75 years after the birth of the legendary reversible watch, these players are the special emissaries of the brand and bear eloquent testimony that the values of polo are more closely entwined than ever with those of the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Adolfo Cambiaso

Adolfo Cambiaso (h) (Junior), is an Argentine polo player, considered by many to be the best player in the world, and one of the few players with a 10-goal handicap, which he reached at the record age of 17.

Because his father bears the same name, Adolfo Junior is often referred to as Adolfito.

Adolfito was born in Cañuelas, Buenos Aires Province on April 14, 1975. He started playing at a very young age, and at only 12 years old, he got his handicap moved to 1-Goal. A year later, with a 3-goal handicap, he won the Eduardo Heguy Cup with the La Martina team, playing with his father Adolfo.

1992 brought another series of championships and cups, but the most important event is that he started playing the Abierto Argentino de Palermo with the Ellerstina team. On his first match, against Los Indios, Adolfo scored 16 times to set the record of goals in one match.

He received several distinctions, among them the Olimpia de Plata award as the most important Argentine polo player of 1997, best player at the final of the Abierto Argentino 1997, and the record of 67 goals, in the 1998 Abierto Argentino. He has also been playing for the Argentine national team since 2002.

In 2005, with his newly formed La Dolfina team, he again won the coveted 'Abierto Argentino' at Palermo, triumphing over the previously unbeaten Ellerstina team. The final score, standing at 20-19, represented the highest scoring Abierto ever, with Cambiaso scoring 15 of his teams 20 goals, including the golden goal in extra time.

Today, at age 31 he has already won a total of 14 Grand Slam Titles such as the Argentine Open and US Open, both 5 times, as well as the British Open. To date, he has already earned a total of 24 Polo Masters Cup titles, which includes 6 Queen’s Cup and 6 Prince of Wales Trophy victories.

Argentina, United States, UK, Switzerland and Spain are the outstanding cities in which Adolfo plays fervently.

Among his horses, the most notable have been Lili, Ilusión, Sospechosa, La Osa, and his favourite; Colibrí.

Eduardo Novillo Astrada

Eduardo Novillo Astrada is the mind and spirit of each team; he is one of the most highly recognized Argentinean Polo players in the world. At age 33, he has already won important awards such as the Palermo Masters Championship and the Triple Crown Open (Tortugas, Hurlingham and Palermo) both accomplished in 2003. These awards have been gained at elite tournaments during the most demanding season worldwide: the Argentinean Polo season.

Eduardo has been part of renowned international teams: the Argentinean La Cañada, Ellerstina and La Aguada teams - where he currently plays with his brothers. In the United States, he is part of the Coca-Cola and Las Monjitas teams. In the UK, he plays every year with the Black Bears, successfully winning the Great Britain Open two years ago.

Argentina, United States, UK, Switzerland and Spain are the outstanding cities in which Eduardo plays fervently and always to the limit. He never considers a game over until he has given his all: the Novillo Astrada brothers’ game is widely recognized as capable of producing memorable results. A case in point takes us to last year?s event when they won El Paraíso from the Merlos brothers in Hurlingham; at two chukkers to go they were losing by 10 goals, but ended up victorious!!

In 1990 and barely 18, he was awarded his first grand prize: the Argentinean Republic Cup. However, it wasn’t until 1999 that his team was a finalist at the Palermo Open, a year of continuous triumphs. Then, during the last 4 years, he has conquered the Gold Cup in Great Britain, the United States CV Whitney, the Palermo Masters Championship and the Triple Crown Open (Tortugas, Hurlingham and Palermo) and the British Warwickshire Polo Cup Final which he won twice. Last year, he was also in the finals at the Queen’s Cup and the Gold Cup held in the UK, and obtained the Sotogrande Bronze Cup award.

Eduardo was born in October 1972, in London while his father played the season in the UK; he is the eldest of six children and is followed by Miguel, Javier, Ignacio, Alejandro and Veronica, all five men are professional polo players.

His professional obligations have taken much of his time; with only two subjects to finalize his degree in economics, he has so far been unable to finish.

Although he spends most of his time away from Argentina, Eduardo lives in the aristocratic neighbourhood of San Isidro, in Buenos Aires with his wife Tina Anchorena and his two twin boys: Justo and Cruz.