This isn’t the first time that I have came out of a idea that I should write something about luxury watch and NBA, for my enthusiasm for both of them. NBA players, especially those first-team stars, earn the best salary and speak for a huge range of brands. However, it is not easy to associate them with luxury watches. In fact, there is very few NBA players with a title as spokesman for luxury watch brands, and even the greatest basketball player of all time can’t be one of the very few.

Micheal Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time and also one of the most marketed sports figures in history. 6-time NBA Champion, 6-time NBA Finals MVP, 5-time NBA MVP… The list of Jordan’s achievement in basketball field can be very, very long and ground-breaking. Another NBA figure Magic Johnson once said:” There is Micheal Jordan and then there’s rest of us.” MJ has been a major spokesman for such brands as Nike, Coca-Cola, Chevrolet, Gatorade, McDonald’s, Ball Park Franks, Rayovac, Wheaties, Hanes, and MCI. Yes, he has not spoken for any luxury watch brands (I don’t think Nike will view watches as its main products), but Micheal Jordan is truly a watch enthusiast, especially for Panerai.

You may think Rolex or Patek Phillipe can be a better match to Micheal Jordan’s performance on the court, which is extremely competitive and triumphant. However, MJ is famous for his silky skills and certain purity of energy, as well as the ability to dominant. And the people “in the know” would never doubt Micheal’s favor in Panerai. It is not surprising to hear the news that MJ wears a Panerai watch on a certain event or presents Panerai watches as gifts to his relatives or friends. I have to say, the signature big diameter of Panerai collection suits him very well.

As the official supplier of the Royal Italian Navy, Panerai is famous for its Radiomir and Luminor watches and precision instruments. Serving as a key role in the sinking of Allied naval vessels in WWII, Panerai watches are legendary and prestige. Among the devotees of Panerai can be found many celebrities, for its largest diameter and concise temperament. The movie superstar Sylvester Stallone spotted and bought a Panerai Luminor in a jewelry store in Rome in 1995 to wear during shooting of the film Daylight. He once ordered a small batch of such watches with his signature on the case back, called Slytech. He offered them as gifts to friends, including Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The sporting world is a field Panerai knows well. A new partnership was signed with Panerai to develop, manufacture and distribute watches under the Ferrari trademark, When the contract between Girard-Perregaux and Ferrari expired.

Panerai releases many watches as either limited or special editions producing fewer watches than the market demands. Retailers may only receive a few limited edition pieces each per year and long waiting lists for popular models are not uncommon.

Micheal Jordan and Panerai, are truly partners without a contract. And Kevin will continue the series of “Luxury watch and NBA” with stories between Audemars Piguet and Shaquille O’Neal.