Game, set, match! Maurice de Mauriac return serve with a new Rallymaster II
Zach Blass- The Maurice de Mauriac Rallymaster II is the second in a series of tennis-inspired wristwatches with Racquet magazine
- Once again, the watch has been designed with Carlton DeWoody – a creative best-known for interior design
- Limited in production, the pre-sale window is open strictly during the US Open tournament from August 28 to September 10
Tennis and watches are certainly culturally intertwined, and I would argue that the sport’s horological ambassadors display the most diverse range of brands and their timepieces. Everything from Rolex, Audemars Piguet, De Bethune, Richard Mille, Gerald Charles, Hublot, and more can be found on the wrists of elite tour players. With a deep respect for tennis and nearly two decades of experience sponsoring both events and athletes within professional tennis, it should come as no surprise that Maurice de Mauriac once made a limited edition tennis-inspired watch. Last year, Maurice de Mauriac and Racquet magazine teamed up with designer Carlton DeWoody to create the Rallymaster – a limited edition of 40 pieces that sold out in just a few hours. A shame for those who missed out, but you do not have to feel FOMO any longer. With the same team assembled, there is now a new sequel, the Rallymaster II, which has a much more accommodating order window and all the great aesthetic feels of the original.
Maurice de Mauriac explains: “Zurich-based watch brand Maurice de Mauriac is known for its exclusive mechanical watch designs and has been associated with tennis for almost two decades, starting as the official timekeeper of the ATP Tour event in Gstaad and having been associated with tennis champions — from charismatic WTA star Andrea Petkovic to French cult player Benoit Paire. Besides creating a dedicated timepiece with legendary Stan Smith, Maurice de Mauriac’s collections have set themselves apart by pairing sportiness and luxury with quality Swiss craftsmanship. Run by the Dreifuss family, who operate the brand with an independent spirit, their colourful personalities and unique styles come through vividly at the company’s atelier in Zurich.”
The layout of the dial remains largely the same, but now comes in a light blue colour with a texture inspired by the hardcourt surface of a tennis court. Visually, it has this sort of Wes Anderson feel with a picturesque motif of a white tennis court net across the dial from 3 to 9 o’clock, with a grey line only broken up by dial text running vertically from 6 to 12 o’clock simulating the lines of the service box. Framing the dial is a rally-style minute rehaut, utilising white-on-grey tones that provide contrast while also matching the colours of the broader dial. A step within, raised and metallically framed circular hour indices surround the dial with the exception of the third and ninth hour. At 3 o’clock, you have a magnified cyclops date with a black-on-white disc, and the running seconds counter is on the opposite side. The counter is split into three sectors, each in a different colour: blue, pink, and grey. The 20-second split in colour is a design cue that was inspired by a previously held serve time limit rule, one that has since changed.
Though hidden during the day, a really neat visual quirk of the watch is that not only do the central hands, hour indices, and small seconds hand incorporate luminous coating, but also the borders of the net, and parts of the lines that divide the sectors of the small seconds counter.
Its 100-metre water-resistant stainless steel case is fully brushed, which makes sense for a sporty watch as polished surfaces can be both distracting and much more prone to scratches. It will be accommodating for most wrists, with a diameter of 39mm, thickness of 12mm, and a lug-to-lug of 47mm. While the case has drilled lugs, you will probably be satisfied with the two straps bundled with the Rallymaster II: a pink and a blue stretchy fabric, each with white-lined accents – meant to evoke and feel like a wrist/sweat band players often wear while on the court. Each strap also has a quick-release system, so you are able to quickly swap between them with just a finger – no tools required.
Inside is the Swiss, automatic Landeron 24 calibre, originally designed as an alternative to the workhorse ETA 2824. It is a reliable performer with 40 hours of power reserve and a 4Hz beat rate. While the calibre itself is industrially decorated, the sapphire glass is livened with a racquet motif etching, and a tennis ball in its centre covers the bearing of the winding rotor.
With tennis being my favourite sport, I find the watch very visually tempting. The dimensions seem favourable too, at least on paper. Fortunately, I have a much longer order window to work with, being limited in production and available for sale during the US Open, rather than some 4o pieces I will only have hours to fight for. Definitely mulling this one over for myself.
Editor’s note: In the original press release provided, the depth rating was listed as 30m water-resistant. This has since been corrected, and the actual depth rating is 100m. The story has been edited after its publication with this new information.
Maurice de Mauriac Rallymaster II pricing and availability:
The Maurice de Mauriac Rallymaster II pre-sale window will be open for the duration of the U.S. Open tennis tournament: launching August 28 and closing September 10. Price: US$1,950
| Brand | Maurice de Mauriac |
| Model | Rallymaster II |
| Case Dimensions | 39mm (D) x 12mm (T) x 47mm (L2L) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 100m (screw-down crown) |
| Dial | Blue ‘hardcourt’ texture dial |
| Crystals | Sapphire crystal and exhibition caseback |
| Strap | Two stretch fabric straps (blue and pink) |
| Movement | Automatic Landeron 24 |
| Power Reserve | 40 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Availability | August 28 – September 10 (limited production) |
| Price | US$1,950 |