This week, we take a look at the Swiss-made watch microbrand Axia, which became the first officially licensed World Cup watchmaker, and the big business of World Cup merchandise, which is attracting big brands like Nike, as well. Luxury brands have been involved with the World Cup for years, and watch brands are no different. Brands like Hublot and Tag Heuer have dabbled in being official timekeepers or event sponsors. But until now, no brand has ever made officially licensed World Cup watches.
Axia, an 8-year-old Swiss-made premium microbrand based in the U.S., snagged the honors of being the first this year. The brand makes watches in the $1,000-$2,000 price range, putting it in a similar range to larger brands like Tag Heuer. Axia is releasing a series of watches tied to each team in the tournament, as well as general World Cup-branded watches and an upcoming World Champion edition for the team that eventually wins the tournament.
It’s an unlikely exclusive for a brand that sells around 5,000 watches per year. CEO John Kanaras told Glossy the partnership came together quickly, in a matter of six months. A friend introduced Kanaras to someone at FIFA shortly after Hublot ended its partnership with the organization. Hublot had been a sponsor for the last four tournaments, and without an official watch partner, FIFA was more open to experimenting with watches, Kanaras said.
