TW STEEL · PDF file1 tw steel - magazine ... celebrating a decade of big time top 10 tw steel moments miss tw steel looking back on 10 years of big time. ... voyeur

TW STEEL - MAGAZINE1| www.twsteel.com |

M A K I N G A S T A T E M E N T

TW STEELS U M M E R E D I T I O N 2 0 1 5

MOTORSPORT

CELEBRATINGA DECADE OF BIG TIME

TOP 10TW STEELMOMENTS

MISSTW STEELLOOKING BACK ON 10Y E A R S O F B I G T I M E

TW STEEL - MAGAZINE2

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DAVID COULTHARD TECH FEATURESSteel case with PVD black coated bezel -

carbon dial - precision chrono movement -

sapphire crystal - black silicon strap -

10 ATM water resistant

CE4019 Ø 44 MM

CE4020 Ø 48 MM

“THIS IS MY TIME”David Coulthard


10 Years of Big Time. It’s a statement that really brings a smile to my face as we celebrate our 10th anniversary in 2015.

When my father, Ton, and I first started TW Steel back in 2005, we simply had an idea and a drive to deliver an affordable oversized watch. The global lifestyle brand that has since followed is just part of a phenomenal journey and one that’s far from over.

It’s only fitting that our first four models, the genesis of our Canteen Collection, have remained amongst our most popular selling watches. They were an immediate hit and their longevity has proved the appeal of their timeless design. The Canteen is a true contemporary classic.

To celebrate our 10th anniversary we’re extremely proud to be introducing the next generation of Canteen models. They perfectly represent the very brand DNA that has made TW Steel so successful while at the same time they represent a very modern style statement, one that we’re confident will propel us well into the next decade of the TW Steel story.

We’ve indulged a little in our latest magazine, looking back on some of the key moments since ‘The Watch in Steel’ emerged from my basement and grew into a worldwide brand with sales in over 120 countries and marketing platforms as diverse as Formula One™ and MotoGP™ through to Electronic Dance Music.

While it’s fun to reflect, the focus at TW Steel is very much on the future. It’s about building on marketing partnerships with the likes of Movistar Yamaha MotoGP™ and VR|46 while at the same time ensuring that the message being delivered is one of a product that represents the very best of our brand, put simply, excellence in oversized timepieces.

2015’s a big year for us and we’re delighted to be at BASELWORLD in March, sharing our passion for what we do. We’ll be following that up with a suitably ‘BIG TIME’ party in our home city of Amsterdam in the summer. In addition to Canteen, the likes of our Grandeur TECH and Slim Line collections will also be welcoming appealing new additions.

There’s a lot going on and I wouldn’t have it any other way. As always, we’re delighted to share with you the busy world of TW Steel through our magazine.

Enjoy.

Jordy CobelensCo-Owner & CEO, TW Steel


CANTEEN CB141 / CB142

Ø45mm / Ø50mm – 3-Hand 2415

Miyota movement, 2-tone brushed

steel case with PVD rose gold plated

bezel, sunray blue dial, steel bracelet

with PVD rose gold plated mid-pieces.


TON COBELENS ON CANTEENTHE SECRETS BEHIND TW STEEL’S FLAGSHIP

MODEL AND A CONTEMPORARY CLASSIC.

TOP 10 BEST SELLERSREPRESENTING THE VERY BEST OF

TW STEEL, THESE MODELS ARE THE

HOTTEST TICKET IN OVERSIZED LUXURY.

STATE OF MIND MISS TW STEEL OLIVIA ORTIZ SHARES HER

THOUGHTS WHILE MODELING HER FAVOURITE

TIMEPIECES.

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23

39BIG TIME NEWS ............................................... 10

BIG TIME AMBASSADORS MESSAGES ................... 12

Q&A TIM CORONEL ........................................... 33

TON COBELENS TOP 10 MOMENTS ...................... 35

VOYEUR .......................................................... 43

SHARE YOUR TW STEEL ..................................... 46

TW STEELcontentsJORDY COBELENS

THE CEO CASTS HIS MIND BACK OVER A

DECADE OF MEMORABLE MOMENTS AND

SHARES HIS FAVOURITES.

MISS TW STEELTHE COMPETITION THAT PUT TW STEEL ON

THE MAP AROUND THE WORLD AND LAUNCHED

A BIG TIME CAREER.

CELEBRATING A DECADE OF BIG TIME MOTORSPORTFROM THE GLAMOUR OF THE MONACO GRAND PRIX TO THE

DUSTY DUNES OF THE DAKAR RALLY – TW STEEL HAS ENJOYED

A SIZEABLE SPONSORSHIP PRESENCE IN GLOBAL MOTORSPORT.

6

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JORDY COBELENST O P 1 0 T W S T E E L M O M E N T S

AS CO-FOUNDER AND

CEO OF TW STEEL,

JORDY COBELENS’

HARDEST CHALLENGE

MIGHT JUST BE

NARROWING DOWN A TOP

10 TW STEEL MOMENTS

FROM THE FIRST DECADE

OF ‘THE WATCH IN STEEL’.

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10 TOP MOMENTS

Regardless, we presented the challenge to

him and in no particular order; here are the

Top 10 defining moments he came up with.

Formula One™ Team Sponsorships“Having been a sponsor of both the Lotus F1™

Team (formerly Renault F1™ Team) and Sahara

Force India Formula One™ Team, it’s incredible

to think that we accomplished that given we

started in F1™ when the company was barely

even five years old.”

“We were approached by F1™ teams during

our period of sponsorship with A1GP and when

that began we had only been operating for three

years. I was immensely proud to see our logos

on the Renault F1™ Team car for the first time

and the platform delivered tremendous results

for the brand bringing global recognition and

some outstanding opportunities for activation

and consumer engagement.”

Opening of TW Steel HQ“This was a big move for us to take on a new,

bigger HQ but it represented our growth at the

time and quite frankly, we definitely needed

the space. Equally pleasing was the fact that

we were almost full as soon as we moved into

our new building. Our HQ is a great place to

welcome our partners and showcase the world

of TW Steel.”

David Coulthard Becoming a Brand Ambassador“David is an outstanding brand ambassador for

TW Steel. When we announced our relationship

with him at the Monaco F1™ Grand Prix in

2010 it was a big moment. He carries obvious

global recognition but more importantly he’s

representative of the TW Steel lifestyle.

“He’s very much his own person, he’s into

making bold statements and he’s proven

himself to be adaptable time and time again

from racing cars to the business world to being

a world-class F1™ commentator. His ability to

connect with people is a key factor for us and

he’s been brilliant in all we ask him to do on

behalf of TW Steel.”

CEO Tech World Centennial Timepiece“To me the one-off CEO Tech World Centennial

model, which we produced to celebrate

reaching the milestone of TW Steel retailing in

over 120 countries, represents the very best of

what we can do. Our product has always been

the most important factor in the success of

TW Steel so it was an easy decision to make

this one-off timepiece a highlight celebrating the

very best of our design capabilities. The fact it

won the ‘People’s Choice’ Award at the Couture

Time Awards shows we got it right!”

Jay Z Pictured Wearing TW Steel“This was a true ‘stop and stare’ moment

when we first saw pictures of Jay Z wearing a

TW Steel watch. The fact that our design had

appealed to a global artist with such a powerful

consumer-facing influence was phenomenal.

He’s one of the best-known people on the

planet and here he was sporting our model on

his wrist. We were still an emerging brand at

the time but the publicity and the credibility it

brought to our company was just huge. It got a

lot of people talking and we made sure people

knew about it!” ››


Amsterdam Distributors Conference“We hosted our first ever distributors conference

in Amsterdam in 2010 and again, it was a

landmark moment as we brought all our partners

together here in our home city. We’d all been

working hard for almost five years by that point

to really establish TW Steel globally. To see so

many territories represented at the conference,

and to enjoy the opportunity to share best

practices and outline the future vision for the

brand was an experience as a young CEO

I’ll never forget.”

Monaco Grand Prix“To be at the Monaco F1™ Grand Prix, on a

yacht, as a sponsor of a Formula One™ team

was a very proud moment for me looking back.

We used the opportunity the first two years of our

involvement to bring guests to the race, enjoy the

lifestyle that comes with being there and to host

a major party onboard each weekend.

“I think we created quite an impression,

which again, for a young emerging brand was

extremely important given the weight of the

major brands already involved in the sport. We

hosted VIP’s from the F1™ community, golf,

soccer, business, modeling and of course, the

watch industry. It was of course a lot of fun but

crucially it made a bold statement about who

we were as a brand.”

World’s First TW Steel Boutique Store“The opening of the world’s first TW Steel

boutique store in Manilla once again served

to showcase the growth and popularity of our

products. The demand was significant enough in

the market that we could make the investment

and deliver a retail environment dedicated to our

brand. The Philippines has been tremendously

successful for TW Steel as a market and what’s

more pleasing is that we now have several brand

boutiques in the region highlighting the popularity

of affordable but luxurious oversized watches.”

MotoGP™“Other than just the sheer excitement of

being involved with one of the leading

teams in MotoGP™, our partnership with

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP™ is significant

and undoubtedly a highlight for me due to the

opportunity to associate ourselves with such

a major brand as Yamaha.

“Their commitment to performance and

teamwork is exceptional and our shared values

have seen us grow our partnership and engage

not only their global distributor network but their

loyal consumer base too. While we love the

team’s success on-track, with Valentino Rossi

and Jorge Lorenzo, we love the brand building

opportunities that lie beyond the circuit.

VR|46 Relationship“I love our partnership with VR|46 for a huge

variety of reasons but primarily because I

admire what Valentino Rossi has achieved

creating a lifestyle brand with such widespread

appeal. As a MotoGP™ legend he has

exceptionally high standards and a commitment

to success that is unrivalled. I’m immensely

proud that he saw the value in a relationship

with TW Steel to produce the VR|46 / Yamaha

Factory Racing Collection – the first timepiece

family to be affordable to his fans and one that

proudly incorporates the famed VR|46 logo and

colour schemes.” ■

10 TOP MOMENTS


CEO TECH WORLD CENTENNIAL

Designed to celebrate the brand retailing in over

100 countries, this unique Swiss Made model is a true

showcase of our design talents and passion for luxury.

Swiss Made ETA Valjoux 7750, 25-jewel chrono Automatic

movement (28.800.Hz) with incabloc shock protection.

484 diamonds, VVS-grade and full cut, totaling 7.08 carat.



The Abu Dhabi F1™ Grand Prix

presented TW Steel’s partners in the UAE,

the Rivoli Group, the perfect opportunity

for an in-store retail competition.

Customers who purchased a TW Steel in

the build up to the event were entered in

for a chance to meet Sahara Force India

driver, Nico Hulkenberg. Promoting the

brand’s association as ‘Official Timing

Partner’ to the team, the lucky winners

attended the ‘Meet & Greet’ with Nico at

the Hour Choice store just a couple of

days before the Abu Dhabi F1™ Grand

BIG TIME RACES INTO UAE

Prix raced into the region. A successful

retailer promotion mirrored the consumer

incentive with sales up 100% compared

to the same period the previous year.

Following the success of our ‘Pilot Your Life’ promotion last

year, it was the turn of our Australian winner, Bill Mackay, to

receive his prize of a ‘Meet & Greet’ with brand ambassador,

MotoGP™ legend and fellow Australian, Mick Doohan.

The day included a memorable jet boat ride in Port Jackson

and lunch at the prestigious Opera Bar in Sydney. Mick

signed the day off by presenting to Bill his very own Mick

Doohan TW Steel CE4010 Limited Edition timepiece.

PILOT YOUR LIFE Australian Winner

MOVISTAR YAMAHA UNVEILS 2015 YZR-M1 IN MADRID

The Movistar Yamaha MotoGP™

Team gathered in Madrid to officially

launch their 2015 campaign in the

quest for title victory. A winter of

development by Yamaha engineers

and exhaustive training by the riders

sees a formidable team gathered

and ready to prove themselves

against the best in the world. The

2015 season will be the third

year of partnership between the

Yamaha Factory Racing Team

and TW Steel. The collaboration

started in 2013 and has resulted

in some extraordinary TW Steel

collections such as the Yamaha

Facotory Racing collection and

VRl46 collection.

BIG TIME NEWS


BIG TIME NEWS

PILOTING HIS LIFEPilot Your Life winner Jonathan

Marques-Maycock has passed

his helicopter exam. Authorized

and capable to now fly

helicopters solo, the prize winner

of our 2013 global campaign

continues to literally pilot his

life. We extend our Big Time

congratulations to Jonathan

and encourage him to fulfill his

ambition of becoming an Air

Ambulance pilot.

March will see the planned introduction of a new-look TW Steel website,

the redesign of which has been managed by RedKiwi. Visually the site will

blend high-end stylized shots with a user-friendly interface, one which

will allow plenty of opportunity to browse the entire TW Steel collection

while fully immersing the user in the world of TW Steel. The official TW Steel

webstore will also be accommodated into the design in the second phase

of development set for late Spring.

NEW-LOOK TW STEEL WEBSITE COMING

An ecstatic Jonathan explained

how the helicopter training has

also impacted him outside the

cockpit: “The forward planning

in flying a helicopter brought

me a lot in my personal life. We

must be certain where we want

to be; what is our plan? How

you are going to get there and

if something goes wrong, what

is your plan B? Aviate, navigate

and communicate.”

TW Steel recently celebrated

a new retail platform in

The Philippines following

the launch of a brand new

boutique in the Century City

Mall in Makati. The design

and layout mirrors the newest

store concept introduced by

TW Steel and offers a bright

and contemporary home

THE PHILIPPINES CELEBRATES LATEST BOUTIQUE

for the latest timepieces to be

displayed. Situated in the heart

of the vibrant mall, renowned

as a shopping mecca, the

location boasts a wide array

of shops, services and

restaurants. The TW Steel store

sits in a high traffic area – sure

to turn plenty of heads and

attract new fans to the brand.


10“TW Steel has come a long way in a

relatively short period of time. I wish

everyone there a Happy 10th Anniversary.

“To establish the TW Steel brand and turn

it into a globally recognized timepiece

company is a massive achievement.

Jordy and his team must be very proud,

and of course, congratulated. “I’m a

watch enthusiast and extremely proud

to be a TW Steel ambassador with a

couple of special editions baring my

name in the collection. To utilize their

own catchphrase, they have a ‘Big

Time’ range of timepieces. It’s always a

challenge to choose just one to wear –

that’s a happy problem to have.”

MICK DOOHAN:

KELLY ROWLAND

“I’ve known everyone at TW Steel a

long time and it’s great to be part of the

family celebrating their 10th anniversary

this year. I was so honoured to become

a TW Steel ambassador and work with

such a great lifestyle brand, especially

one that’s as equally passionate about

music as I am. The fact that we’re both

Dutch is another added bonus but our

aspirations have always been global.

I’m proud to wear my TW Steel watches

and love the fact I now have my very

own special edition Canteen model.

Congratulations TW Steel and here’s to

another 10 years at the top!”

MITCHELL NIEMEYER:

“Huge congrats on your 10 Year

Anniversary, TW Steel! Best watches

out there and I look forward to what

you develop in the coming years!”

EMMAMCFERRAN

“10 years of big time – that’s a fantastic

reason to celebrate! I’ve loved TW Steel

since I was first gifted one of their

timepieces. To then go on to become a

global brand ambassador is something

special as the relationship is based on a

genuine love of their statement making

watches, it fits well with my own values.

I’ve had some great fun with TW Steel and

we’ve hosted some amazing events all

over the world from London , Hong Kong

and New York through to Dubai and Los

Angeles. My congratulations go to everyone

at TW Steel on their 10th anniversary

celebrations and especially Jordy and

Ton Cobelens for their inspired vision.”

‘In just 10 years TW Steel has broken

the mould and created a range of highly

fashionable, affordable watches which

make a big statement. It’s a remarkable

story of great entrepreneurship and the

sort of challenge to the supremacy of

multi-billion dollar business that is every

student’s dream. For sure, the next 10

years will be big in watches for TW Steel’

Paul Griffiths, CEO - Dubai Airports

PAUL GRIFFITHS

BIG TIME AMBASSADORSMESSAGES

10 YEARS OF BIG TIME


“I am proud to be a TW Steel brand

ambassador. Time and again they

surprise me as they’re not afraid

to do things differently, which is

quite unique for a business that is

traditionally very conservative.

I like that and it’s also a quality that’s

reflected in their watches. In this day

and age people are looking to stand

out a little more and wearing a

TW Steel certainly does that.

“I’ve represented TW Steel all

around the world at store openings,

industry exhibitions, and at F1™ and

MotoGP™ races and everywhere

they go they truly build relationships

– people and product are at the very

heart of what they do. I think the

back story to the brand, with it being

family owned and operated by Jordy

and Ton, really helps and it brings a

much more personable approach to

their business. “Congratulations to

everyone at TW Steel on celebrating

your 10th anniversary in 2015. I

know the amount of sheer hard work

that goes into the brand each day.

The end result is not only a luxurious,

yet affordable, watch but also the

creation of a lifestyle brand that

people are attracted to and have a

lot of fun with. 10 Years of Big Time –

I can’t argue with that!”

DAVID COULTHARD:

“I’d personally like to wish both

Jordy and Ton and the whole TW

Steel team a big congratulations on

reaching their 10th anniversary. It’s

been a pleasure to be associated

with the brand having first been

introduced to them when we were

both involved in the A1GP World

Cup of Motorsport. “I’ve seen the

EMERSON FITTIPALDI:

brand grow, not only in terms of its

global popularity but in its activities,

such as its Formula One™ team

sponsorships and its roster of

brand ambassadors. I’m delighted

to be one of those ambassadors

and I’m exceptionally proud of the

two TW Steel watches designed

to carry my name. “Those watches

have proved to be very popular I’m

happy to say and it’s always a talking

point when people see you wearing

a TW Steel. People are passionate

about their TW Steel’s and in turn, the

company is equally passionate about

designing oversized watches that will

appeal and make a big statement. I

wish them well for the next 10 years!”

“BIG TIME Congratulations to our friends

at TW Steel celebrating their 10 years

anniversary this year. We too at Yamaha

are celebrating our 60th anniversary

this year so together we are already

70! Looking forward to celebrating

together at our first MotoGP™ win of

the season….. hopefully that will be very

soon following the start of the season on

March 29th in Doha…”

Lin Jarvis, MD Yamaha Motor Racing Srl

“I want to send my best wishes to

all friends at TW Steel for their 10th

birthday! TW Steel and I have designed

the “VR|46” watch together and I am

very proud for this creation as I know

many people working there are huge

motorsport fans. 2015 is going to be

an important year for both of us and I

hope it’ll bring plenty of victories! Happy

birthday TW Steel!” Valentino Rossi

VALENTINO ROSSI

LIN JARVIS

“Congratulations to TW steel on

their 10th anniversary, I am proud

and honoured to have started my

motorsport career as a friend of

TW Steel and look forward to both of

our continued success together”

Charlie Eastwood WRS driver 2015.

CHARLIEEASTWOOD

10 YEARS OF BIG TIME


MOTORSPORT

CELEBRATINGA DECADE OF BIG TIME

WHEN YOU THINK OF THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS FORMS OF MOTORSPORT, FROM FORMULA ONE™ AND

MOTOGP™ THROUGH TO MARQUEE EVENTS SUCH AS THE INDY 500 AND DAKAR RALLY, TW STEEL IS

PROUD TO STATE THAT IT’S ENJOYED AN ASSOCIATION WITH KEY PLAYERS IN EACH OF THOSE FORMATS –

AND THAT’S JUST A SAMPLING OF THE BRAND’S HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL ASSOCIATIONS IN THE FAST-PACED

WORLD OF GLOBAL MOTORSPORT.

A DECADE OF MOTOSPORT


The pairing of promoting a watch brand through motor-

sport certainly isn’t a new concept and there’s a reason for that. The attributes of power and perfor-mance, timing and teamwork are shared values found in both the building of a watch brand and of course, in being successful on-track whether you’re a dedicated club racer or an established F1™ team.

TW Steel’s introduction to motor-sport was through its very first brand ambassadors, Tim and Tom Coronel. The Dutch racing twins,

famed for their exploits in every-thing from the World Touring Car Championship through to the challenging Dakar Rally, were the first drivers to sport the TW Steel logo on their overalls and helmets.

In terms of accelerating brand awareness of TW Steel in its native Holland, the Coronel brothers delivered and then some thanks to the sizeable following they enjoy. An enduring relationship, forged in TW Steel’s infancy, the relationship continues to this day – a testament to the success enjoyed by both brand and brothers!



With the series competing in key growth markets, TW Steel, together with its distributors in each territory, used A1GP visits for consumer activation, client hospitality and of course, PR and marketing – driven primarily through the hosting of the popular ‘Miss TW Steel’ competition at each event. TW Steel’s successful activation in A1GP quickly attracted the interest of several Formula One™ teams – all keen to provide a home for the brand at the very pinnacle of international motorsport.

With the largest audience in the world for an annual sports platform, beaten only by the FIFA


It wasn’t long however before TW Steel sought out global aware-ness opportunities and in 2008, just three years into the com-pany’s lifespan, Jordy Cobelens committed the brand to its first global marketing platform as ‘Of-ficial Watch and Timing Partner’ to the A1GP World Cup of Motor-sport for the 2008-09 season.

An innovative single-seater racing series pitching nation versus nation, with events hosted globally from South Africa to Malaysia, New Zealand to Great Britain, A1GP offered TW Steel an exciting opportunity for brand awareness and consumer activation.

World Cup and the Olympics – hosted every four years, Formula One™ and the reach it enjoys was appealing to TW Steel. While a considerable investment was required to make the leap, the brand knew the opportunity for significant brand awareness was too good to pass up.

TW Steel was subsequently an-nounced as the ‘Official Timing Partner’ to the Renault F1™ Team for the 2010 season. Barely even five years old, the company was now investing in a platform some companies can only aspire to but the pay-off would be substantial and it wasn’t long before TW Steel’s




footprint in the paddock, and with consumers, was estab-lished.

While the team morphed into Lotus Renault GP and then Lotus F1™ Team over the following two seasons, the opportunities for engagement within F1™ provided a rich vein for TW Steel to tap into.

Consumer activation was key, spearheaded with watches


produced on behalf of the team and through the likes of its ‘Every Second Counts’ competition – allowing lucky winners the opportu-nity to drive one of the team’s F1™ cars, a truly outstanding prize.

A switch to Sahara Force India Formula One™ Team followed for the 2013 season but that year brought an additional twist to the TW Steel story in motorsport as the brand announced a partnership with Yamaha Factory Racing in the MotoGP™ series – its first official foray into the equally competitive world of motorbike racing.

As an ‘Official Sponsor’ of Movistar Yamaha MotoGP™, as the team is now known, TW Steel has brought out a dynamic line-up of team watches with the relationship con-tinuing to provide both the brand,



and its retail partners around the world, an exceptional platform for promoting TW Steel’s product and values.

TW Steel also enjoys a partner-ship with VR|46, the lifestyle brand created by nine-time MotoGP™ World Champion, Italy’s Valentino Rossi. In a rela-tionship forged in collaboration with Yamaha Factory Racing, the partnership with VR|46 has produced a timepiece collection reflective of the Italian’s lifestyle choices and attractive to his massive worldwide fan-base.

While team and series asso-ciations within motorsport have served TW Steel well, its brand ambassador relationships have proved to be equally important over the past ten years. Each

personality has achieved ‘Big Time’ success in their field and as bold, statement-making individuals, they perfectly reflect TW Steel’s values.

Reading like a motorsport ‘Hall of Fame’, the brand has enjoyed relationships with the likes of Emerson Fittipaldi – the Brazilian a two-time Formula One™ World Champion and two-time Indy 500 Winner, Mick Doohan – the Australian four-time MotoGP™ World Champion, Dario Franchitti


– the Scottish racer a four-time IndyCar Series Champion and 3-time Indy 500 Winner, and David Coulthard – the Scot a 13-time F1™ Grand Prix Winner and current F1™ commentator for the BBC.

Motorsport has undoubtedly played a significant role in promoting TW Steel over the past decade and it will continue to do so given the many synergies shared and the global reach and influence it has to the people who matter the most – the consumer. ■


TW Steel’s first foray into an international

sponsorship platform was its involvement in

the 2008-09 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport.

TW STEEL MISS

L O O K I N G B A C K O N 1 0 Y E A R S O F B I G T I M E


INSPIRING

big investment and commitment from the fledgling brand, the opportunity also gave the com-

pany a chance to showcase its fun side and actively engage with consumers and motorsport fans around the world.

The on-site marketing initiative, created to compliment the various branding opportunities that came with being a sponsor of the series, came in the form of the ‘Miss TW Steel’ competition.

With a $25,000 US prize on offer, along with a photo-shoot with the Dutch edi-tion of FHM and the opportunity to be a TW Steel Brand Ambassador for a year, needless to say the interest in competing was substantial.

Events were hosted at each A1GP event around the world during the 2008-09 season with the ‘Miss TW Steel’ judging contest always a popular draw in the paddock. Guest judges included A1GP drivers and series officials, TW Steel CEO Jordy Cobelens and select VIP’s attending those particular races.

Each local winner was duly crowned and then flown to England in June 2009 where the final of the competition was held in conjunction with the prestigious ‘British F1™ Grand Prix Ball’ – attended by the great and the good of the motorsports community as well as celebrities and VIPs. ››

A


The seven finalists on the night in-cluded, Miss Chantal de Kruijff – ‘Miss TW Steel The Netherlands’, Miss Dyan Zou Xiao Qian – ‘Miss TW Steel China’, Miss Parveen Brar – ‘Miss TW Steel Malaysia’, Miss Carena West – ‘Miss TW Steel Australia-New Zealand’, Miss Amy Lombard – ‘Miss TW Steel South Africa’, Miss Olivia Ortiz – ‘Miss TW Steel Portugal’ and finally Miss Kimberly Cooper – ‘Miss TW Steel Great Britain’.

Ultimately it was Miss Olivia Ortiz who triumphed on the night having impressed the judging panel which consisted of TW Steel CEO Jordy Co-belens, former F1™ team boss, Eddie Jordan, model and fashion designer, Caprice Bourett and finally singer, Rick Parfitt Jnr.

The 22-year-old, who was studying to be a physiotherapist at the time, re-

membered her shock at winning and collecting the cheque for $25,000.

“To be honest it was a complete sur-prise. I was just stunned to be one of the three finalists along with Carena and Amy. I honestly didn’t believe my name would be announced. It took me a few minutes to realize that it was really me who had won. I was so happy I could barely talk. I loved every element of the competition.”

Her success hasn’t stopped there we’re pleased to report. Winning Miss TW Steel launched her into a full-time modeling career and now Olivia is also an accomplished ac-tress and TV presenter in Portugal. We continue to congratulate Olivia on making the most of her BIG TIME opportunity with TW Steel! ■

INSPIRING


Olivia

STATE OF MIND

“BECOMING A GLOBAL BRAND AMBASSADOR FOR TW STEEL MADE

ME DISCOVER MY PASSION FOR TRAVELLING AND EXPLORING NEW CULTURES.

IT WAS INSPIRING EXPERIENCE AND ALLOWED ME TO CHASE

MY CAREER WITH CONFIDENCE.”

***

STATE OF MIND


STATE OF MIND

“I JUST HAVE A LOVE AND FEEL FOR

TW STEEL AND ITS STYLES – I WEAR

THEM OFTEN AND LOVE THE

CONFIDENCE AND ELEGANCE THEY

PROJECT.”


“I’VE LEARNED THAT TIMING IS

EVERYTHING. BEING IN THE

RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME

CAN MEAN A LIFE CHANGING

OPPORTUNITY.”

STATE OF MIND


STATE OF MIND

“WHEN YOU LIVE A LIFE WHERE YOU’RE CONSTANTLY RUNNING

FROM ONE STUDIO TO ANOTHER, GETTING UP EARLY AND GOING

TO BED LATE…THE BEST THING YOU CAN OFFER SOMEONE IS YOUR

TIME! IT’S THE MOST PRECIOUS THING YOU HAVE.”


“I LOVE MY TW303 BECAUSE IT

HAS A CLASS AND AN

ELEGANCE THAT SUITS MY

STYLE, IT’S PERFECT FOR EVERY

OCCASION.”

STATE OF MIND


***

“I AM LIKE THIS TODAY, BUT TOMORROW I WILL HAVE ALREADY

REINVENTED MYSELF. I REINVENT MYSELF EVERY TIME LIFE DEMANDS

A LITTLE BIT MORE OF ME.”

STATE OF MIND


TON COBELENS ON CANTEEN

TW STEEL’S CHIEF

DESIGN OFFICER, TON

COBELENS, IS A MAN OF

FEW WORDS. INSTEAD

THE DUTCHMAN LETS

HIS DESIGNS SPEAK

FOR THEMSELVES AND

PERHAPS NO ONE

CREATION REFLECTS HIS

PASSION BETTER THAN

THE BRAND’S FLAGSHIP

CANTEEN COLLECTION.


The original TW Steel

collection, Canteen has

evolveda over the years and

with the company’s 10th

anniversary being celebrated

in 2015, homage to the design

is only fitting given its status

as a mainstay of the brand.

We managed to sit down with

Ton and get him to open up

about the birth of all things

‘Big in Oversized Watches’

and Canteen’s origins. Here we

present Ton in his own words!

On the inspiration for TW1,

the original Canteen design:

“I was inspired by a watch

from the Second World War, I

believe it was from an American

brand called Elgin. It featured a

simple hook on which the crown

cap was attached to the case.

This allowed the watch to be

waterproof because the crown

cap took away the pressure from

the crown in water.

“While we don’t need to do that

these days with current watch

technology, it was a style element,

almost a vintage touch, that I was

attracted to initially. I expanded

upon it for our original Canteen

models, designing my own hook,

one that was much bolder and

more solid than the relatively

fragile one that first inspired me.

Now it’s our hook design that’s

replicated more than any other

brand!”

On one simple watch design

leading to TW Steel becoming

a major global lifestyle brand:

“I certainly didn’t imagine in the

early days that it would take TW

Steel to where we are now in

the watch industry. That said,

the success of Canteen was

immediate, there was no slow burn

to its popularity. It was instantly a

hit with consumers and we grew

from there to meet the demand for

affordable oversized watches.”

On his emotions seeing the

success of Canteen

after its initial introduction:

“Well obviously it was a great

feeling. Even without advertising

the watch was selling extremely

well. It was captivating in the

window of a jewelry store,

people were drawn to it because

it was new and bold.”

On the global popularity of

TW1 and the Canteen Collection

in general:

“It’s an eye catching design first

and foremost. There’s a strong

vintage appeal to TW1 which

isn’t comparable with other

models from our competition.

Undoubtedly its price-point is

also a key factor in its success

but that, fused with its simple,

elegant looks, has ensured it has

a timeless appeal and why TW1,

and other Canteens, sell

so well.” ››

DESIGN


CS3 / CS4

CS25 / CS26

The big danger is that the changes

can damage the look and feel of

the watch. Re-styling isn’t done

for the sake of it; it’s done only to

improve the design esthetically or

technically. The watch has to keep

its DNA to satisfy the consumer

demand for this style.”

On getting carried away with a

watch design and dialing himself

back a little:

“I can really only think of a couple

of occasions in the past ten years

where I’ve gotten a little carried

away. I simply just have to remind

myself that our designs have to

be commercial and appealing to

On the challenge of evolving the

Canteen Collection and keeping

the consumer happy:

“It’s a challenge for sure! Since we

first introduced Canteen almost

ten years ago I think we’ve re-

styled the concept around three

times. We always focus on minor

adaptions and improvements.

DESIGN


COMPETITION

CB141 / CB142

a significant part of the market. In

the two instances that I can recall,

the construction of my design was

proving to be too difficult – and by

that I really mean too expensive!”

On the temptation to perhaps

produce an even larger case

dimension for Canteen, larger then

its current biggest size of 50mm:

“There was a slight demand in the

early days but personally I don’t

like anything bigger than the 50mm

we have now. Anything bigger than

that and I think it looks a little too

much, it’s not attractive around the

wrist. We know what works best for

our consumer so there’s been no

temptation on my part to go bigger.”

On what’s next for the Canteen

Collection as it gets set to celebrate

10 years on the market:

“For 2015 we’re going to add more

metal bracelet executions in the

Canteen range. We’ll also add a few

more leather strap editions very much

in the same style as TW1 and TW2

but with an even bolder vintage look.

“In terms of being completely new,

all models will now be available as

three-hand quartz editions, three-

hand automatic and chronograph

too. Those new executions will be

recognizable by having another bezel

or strap attachment also. I’m excited

about the future of the Canteen

Collection. It’s showed its staying

power in the market and we know

how much people love their Canteen

timepieces.” ■

DESIGN

CB93 / CB94

CB31 / CB32


These day’s Tim has swapped the challenges of the race

track for the ultra-extreme off-road conditions of the Dakar Rally – an event he lives for and uses to test is own TW Steel to the maximum!

Q: You’ve recently returned from the latest edition of the Dakar Rally – can you tell us about your experience this time?

Tim Coronel (TC): “As always, the experience was just fantastic. But I had to stop on Day 3 after 24 hours straight in the desert – it was a long time!”

Q: You have been a valued ambas-sador of TW Steel for quite a while. Can you describe the first time you were connected with TW Steel?

EAT MY DUST!TIM CORONEL

TC: “It was love at first sight! The watches were really my style, I loved them immediately and couldn’t wait to get them on my wrist and show them off.”

Q: Can you describe TW Steel in three words?

TC: “Big, clear, stunning.”

Q: What similarities do you share with TW Steel?

TC: “Great question! I think we’re both innovative, pioneering, adven-turous, and of course, very ‘chic’.”

Q: What are your favorite TW Steel memories?

TC: “Undoubtedly for me it was the release of my first Dakar Limited Edition timepiece. That was a spe-cial moment and one that I could share with my partners and fans.”

Q: TW Steel and motorsport has long been a successful marriage. Why do you think that’s the case?

TIM CORONEL, TOGETHER WITH HIS TWIN BROTHER

TOM, IS ONE OF HOLLAND’S BEST KNOWN RACE

CAR DRIVERS. TOGETHER THE BROTHERS HAVE THE

DISTINCTION OF BEING TW STEEL’S AVERY FIRST

BRAND AMBASSADORS AND THE RELATIONSHIP

CONTINUES TODAY IN A PARTNERSHIP THAT HAS

WORKED WELL FOR ALL CONCERNED.



Q&A WITH TIM CORONEL

TC: “Both require innovative think-ing and the motorsport and watch worlds are highly competitive. Everyone’s focused on performance and of course timing. They work well together because it’s a relation-ship that can be easily promoted.”

Q: What do you believe are the main reasons for TW Steel’s success over the past ten years?

TC: “I think you can simply put it down to the strength of their product. They have an outstanding range of watches in the collection

with designs and styles catered for a wide variety of tastes. They haven’t limited their audience which is a great thing.”

Q: Of the events you’ve been involved in with TW Steel sponsor-ship, which has been your favourite?

TC: “I’d say Dakar in 2010. We were the first in the solo class to make it to the finish.”

Q: What is the craziest thing you’ve done while wearing a TW Steel?

TC: “Every year I test my Limited Edition watch during the Dakar Rally. It’s a product test like no other and each year, the piece always does the business.”

Q: Where do you think TW Steel will be in 2025?

TC: “Still on my car and definitely on my wrist!”


TON COBELENSTOP 10 TW STEEL MOMENTS

TW STEEL’S CO-FOUNDER AND CHIEF DESIGN

OFFICER, TON COBELENS, PREFERS TO

LET HIS DESIGNS DO THE TALKING BUT WE

MANAGED TO CATCH UP WITH HIM FOR HIS

TOP 10 MOMENTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE

COMPANY AS IT CELEBRATES ITS TENTH

ANNIVERSARY IN 2015.

ORIGINAL TW1FROM 2005


The Birth of TW Steel“The very start of TW Steel was a great

moment for me personally. Seeing our first

four Canteen models selling out within the

first two months without any marketing or

PR was fantastic. Finally people could afford

an oversized watch that was beautifully

designed and well built. The models really sold

themselves but that’s where it all started and

has led us to where we are today.”

Spanish Take Off“Spain was one of the first markets to

distribute TW Steel and in one year, between

2006 and 2007 we launched ourselves into 250

points of sale. That’s fantastic for an unknown

brand and naturally, as a result, we became a

known brand pretty quickly thereafter.”

German Successes“The satisfaction I take from the German

market was that it took some time to get

TW Steel going there but once it went big,

it went really big! I’m pleased to say that

Germany became one of the best selling

markets in the world for TW Steel. This is a

great achievement, especially considering

the start we first had there.”

TW1 Canteen – Best Seller“The very first TW Steel Canteen model,

TW1, is to this date the best selling

timepiece in the history of TW Steel. It

truly is timeless but a modern classic at

the same time. It shows the strength of the

design and obviously it’s enduring appeal.

It’s very difficult for me to pick a favourite

watch but this one definitely comes close

given it’s success as one of the anchor

models in the whole of the TW Steel

collection.”

Jordy Cobelens – Award Winner“As a father, and as his business partner,

I was immensely proud when Jordy was

named ‘Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year’

in the Ernst & Young Awards in Holland in

2011. It was testament to his hard work

and leadership in growing TW Steel from

a basement in Amsterdam into a truly

global lifestyle brand. It was a top moment

both personally and professionally and one

I’ll never forget.” ››

10 TOP MOMENTS

Ernst & Young Awards Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year


Combating the Internet“While this moment is less ‘exciting’ shall we

say, it’s a critical one in terms of what we’re

doing to keep building TW Steel as a brand

with real value to the consumer. My other son,

Barry, works tirelessly to stop illegal sales

of TW Steel over the internet – an issue that

naturally impacts our distributors and in turn

their retail partners who so diligently sell

TW Steel the proper way. It’s an on-going role

but it’s so important in ensuring the consumer

purchases their TW Steel legally and with the

appropriate warranty.”

TW Steel and Formula One™ Team Sponsorship“Like Jordy I was so excited to see TW Steel

logo’s on the Renault F1™ Team car when

we invested in our first Formula One™ team

sponsorship. Knowing that millions of people

around the world would be exposed to

TW Steel through that platform was

incredible and of course, our partners in the

sport helped us greatly through activation

and engagement. We were still such a

young brand but we weren’t afraid of the

investment. We knew it was the right thing

to do and it worked.”

Yamaha and VR|46“Similar to our accomplishments in Formula

One™, it was a bold move to then partner

with Yamaha Factory Racing in MotoGP™

at the same time but again, we knew the

opportunity for consumer outreach was huge

given the audience watching. The fact the

team has Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo

racing, both multiple World Champions,

undoubtedly helps. That relationship led

to our partnership with Valentino’s VR|46

lifestyle brand. Designing watches carrying

such an iconic logo is a great honour but

we also know the strengths we bring to the

relationship and we work very well together.”

Grandeur Tech Collection Introduction“The introduction of our Grandeur Tech

collection was a significant moment in the

growth of TW Steel. It was a completely new

concept and the design had to tackle a few

innovative elements but we succeeded. It’s

been an extremely popular collection ever

since. I think people are really drawn to the

fusion of style, almost with an industrial

element. They’re statement making timepieces,

rugged and sporty at the same time.”

One-Off Timepiece for Mohammed Ali“I couldn’t not include this in my Top 10

moments with TW Steel. I had the honour of

designing a one-off timepiece for Mohammed

Ali. I chose to base it around a Tech design and

it was an unbelievable thrill to see pictures of

him then wearing it before it was auctioned off

for charity. I believe it sold for €12.000 which

was fantastic.” ■

10 TOP MOMENTS



101

TOP 10 BEST SELLERS

Is there a better way to make a

bold statement than to sport a

TW Steel watch? We don’t think so!

Highlights: Simply put – a modern classic in the TW Steel family. The original Canteen design and as equally popular today as it was when first launched in 2005. The elegant cream dial is stunningly off-set with the brown leather strap. Features a 3-Hand Miyota 2415 movement. Reinforced mineral crystal. 10 ATM water resistant.

CANTEEN TW1 SIZE – Ø 45MM

PEOPLE’S CHOICE


4

PEOPLE’S CHOICE

CE5011

2Highlights: A truly bold, statement making timepiece, the Canteen Automatic was an instant hit, in no small part to its stylish camel leather strap. With a steel case featuring sleek A-grade PVD black coating and a PVD black coated hammered steel bezel, this model exudes masculinity. Features a Miyota 8215 Automatic movement with a TW Steel designed rotor (Genova pattern) with an engraved TW Steel logo. Reinforced mineral crystal. 10 ATM water resistant.

CANTEEN TWA203 SIZE – Ø 50MM

3CANTEEN FASHION TW500SIZE – Ø 45MM

Highlights: From perhaps the boldest, at least colour-wise, collection in the TW Steel family, this Canteen Fashion works at so many different levels. Undoubtedly on-trend, the sunray dark blue dial radiates style and is beautifully mirrored by the use of a dark blue silicon strap with steel clasp. Features a 3-Hand Miyota 2415 movement. Reinforced mineral crystal. 10 ATM water resistant.


CEO CANTEEN CE1005SIZE – Ø 45MM

Highlights: From the ‘Collection ExtraOrdinary’, this luxurious CEO Canteen represents a simple, clean sense of elegance. The crispness of the white dial is matched with the richness of the brown Italian leather strap with white stitching and steel clasp. Features a 3-Hand Day/Date Function Miyota 2405 movement. Reinforced mineral crystal. 10 ATM water resistant.


PEOPLE’S CHOICE

6

7

5PILOT TW403SIZE – Ø 48MM

Highlights: Perfect for pairing with high-fashion denim, but equally smart enough for dressier occasions, this Pilot execution is a stand-out model. Its vibrant sunray blue dial works effortlessly alongside the steel case for a fearless look. Features a Miyota OS20 Chrono movement. Reinforced mineral crystal. 5 ATM water resistant.

PILOT TW407SIZE – Ø 48MM

Highlights: Perhaps visually the most luxurious looking Pilot timepiece, this model adds a touch of glamour to the range courtesy of the PVD rose gold plating used on its steel case. Its sunray blue dial is paired with a blue leather strap – one that also incorporates a PVD rose gold plated clasp to compliment the case. Features a Miyota OS20 Chrono movement. Reinforced mineral crystal. 5 ATM water resistant.

CEO TECH CE4020SIZE – Ø 48MM

Highlights: The third timepiece produced in collaboration with brand ambassador and 13-time Formula One™ race winner David Coulthard. Designed to look good when worn with casual or formal dress, this CEO Tech execution is a one-style fits all occasions piece – as per David specific style inputs. Features a Miyota 6S20 Chrono movement – accurate to 1/20th of a second. Sapphire crystal. 10 ATM water resistant.


8Highlights: One of our special edition Yamaha Factory Racing timepieces, the Pilot version incorporates style elements inspired by the team’s stunning YZR-M1 racing bike. A sporty black carbon fiber design dial hosts bold white numbering while the brushed steel case is further accented by PVD yellow gold plated pushers. Features a Miyota 6S20 Chrono movement. Hardened mineral crystal. 5 ATM water resistant.

9SLIM LINE TW1300SIZE – Ø 45MM

Highlights: The innovative Slim Line collection fuses oversized appeal with a more formal, dressier and sleeker watch case – perfect for pairing with a designer shirt. This model offers a refined, under-stated look with a sunray black dial and black turn edge leather strap. Features a 3-Hand Miyota 1S13 movement. Sapphire crystal. 5 ATM water resistant.

10SLIM LINE TW1304SIZE – Ø 45MM

Highlights: With a nod to a more classical look, this very contemporary Slim Line execution embraces its formal design with a stately sunray silver dial housed in a steel case with A-grade PVD rose gold plating. A dark brown turn edge leather strap adds to its opulent looks. Features a 3-Hand Miyota 1S13 movement. Sapphire crystal 5 ATM water resistant.

YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TW927SIZE – Ø 48MM

PEOPLE’S CHOICE


The move to the bigger venue

followed ten straight sold-out

editions at smaller venues in the

city such as Jimmy Woo and Club

Air. The re-location proved to be

massively popular with all 4000

tickets for Heineken Music Hall’s

edition of ‘VOYEUR’ selling out

quickly along with 35 VIP tables for

those seeking that added element of

luxury on the night.

TW STEEL’S OFFICIAL ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION, STEEL ENTERTAINMENT GROUP,

HOSTED ITS BIGGEST EVER SELL-OUT EVENT ON DECEMBER 6TH 2014 WITH ITS POPULAR

ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC CONCEPT, ‘VOYEUR’ BEING STAGED IN AMSTERDAM’S

HEINEKEN MUSIC HALL FOR THE FIRST TIME.

VOYEUR


PEOPLE & LIFESTYLE

TW Steel brand ambassador Mitchell

Niemeyer led the artist line-up, joined by

the likes of Aaron Gil, Delivio Reavon and

Mister VI in getting the crowd pumped up

and the music blasted to a new extreme in

the bigger arena – effectively turned into

one huge nightclub for the event.

Commenting after the successful, capacity-

packed night out, Harith el Jilali, co-founder

of Steel Entertainment Group alongside

TW Steel CEO Jordy Cobelens, commented;

“VOYEUR has been taken to a new level

following our experience at the Heineken

Music Hall. The demand for a bigger

venue was there and we packed the place

with people looking for a totally different

nightclub experience. We showcased the

best of real House music and the crowd

there contributed to one awesome party.

“When you combine the talent of the artists

we had on the night, with a great crowd

and an amazing location, you can’t go

wrong. We’ve set the bar high for the next

edition of VOYEUR but our goal is simply to

be bigger and better each time out!” ■


“THIS IS MY TIME”Mitchell Niemeyer

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KELLY ROWLAND CANTEEN BRACELET

SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES40 mm Steel case with A-grade PVD black

coating - Precision chrono movement - Mineral

crystal - Steel bracelet with PVD black coating

10 ATM water resistant.

TW312

“THIS IS MY TIME”Kelly Rowland

www.twsteel.com

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TW STEEL · PDF file1 tw steel - magazine ... celebrating a decade of big time top 10 tw steel moments miss tw steel looking back on 10 years of big time. ... voyeur