News: Tudor announces Jay Chou as new brand and #BornToDare campaign ambassador

Musician. Actor. Director. Icon. For over a decade, the “King of Asian Pop” has pushed boundaries around the world. From Taipei to Hollywood, Jay Chou is always ready to go where the next challenge takes him.

The Tudor “Born To Dare” campaign reflects both the history of the brand and what it stands for today. Daring individuals have long chosen TUDOR while achieving the extraordinary on land, ice, in the air and underwater. It also refers to the vision of Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of TUDOR, who manufactured TUDOR watches to withstand the most extreme conditions, watches made for the most daring lifestyles indeed.

“Born To Dare” tells of the singular approach TUDOR is known for today, having pioneered now major trends within the watchmaking industry. The TUDOR “Born To Dare” spirit is expressed in a campaign manifesto and supported globally by ambassadors whose life achievements directly result from a daring approach to life. Jay Chou is one of them and Tudor is proud to welcome him to its family.

Devoted to the Classic
Brought up in a family of teachers in Taiwan, Jay Chou was introduced to the piano at the age of four, after he demonstrated an early gift for music. He later on picked up the cello and to this day, still mentions Chopin as his favourite composer. As a man of taste and culture, Jay Chou wears the new TUDOR 1926, a highly refined while understated mechanical timepiece blending traditional horology aesthetics and contemporary high-performance watchmaking.

Pushing the boundaries
In 2007 Jay Chou founded his own record company, JVR Music, which pioneered cross-cultural fusion of electronic music with Asian pop music. This stable of talents proved repeatedly that his approach as a producer is in perfect tune with the aspiration of the youth in most parts of Asia. Not only does he write, compose and produce music, he is also the director of a large number of music videos, including his own. Recognized in the directing circles, both in Asia and in the USA, as a successful ads director, he fully expresses in those short formats the vibe he feels among his fans, the deep and personal inspirations he passes on to the crowds.

Up for anything
Jay Chou plays the piano, the cello, the violin, the guitar and various types of percussion instruments. He started his career as a lyrics and music composer, and then put those talents to even better use when he started his singing career in 2000. He pioneered the blend of European music styles such as R&B and electronica with Asian classical music, inventing the “Chou Style”. After several albums, all sold in millions of copies, he took up acting. In several Asian super-productions and blockbusters and in major Hollywood productions, he proved to be as much in his place on a cinema set as on stage. His filmography also includes the writing and directing of two feature films, which gathered critic’s acclaim. In both of them, music naturally played a major part. While assuming many different roles, including actor, director and scriptwriter, he has never abandoned his first love, music, and rose to the top of the Asian charts touring the world with every new album.

Reinventing himself
Jay Chou is also a known philanthropist and advocate of good causes. He stepped up to provide critical support in the wake of disasters including major earthquakes in Wenchuan in 2008 and multiple earthquakes in Taiwan over the years. He is an ambassador, and a donor, to the Fubon Charity Foundation, which is dedicated to the cause dearest to him, the care and education of impoverished, distressed and disabled children. In 2016, Jay also joined WildAid in a new campaign against rhino horn, shark fin, elephant ivory and other products decimating wildlife around the world.

The Tudor #BornToDare manifesto

1. Product Philosophy
“We are devoted to the classic. But reject the status quo.” Born from the will to go beyond the standards, TUDOR’s watchmaking philosophy draws its inspiration from its heritage, while incorporating state-of-the-art technology, exclusive innovations and pioneering creativity. Created by the founder of Rolex, Hans Wilsdorf, the TUDOR Watch Company was born with a mission to explore new territories, offering “a watch that (his) agents could sell at a more modest price than (his) Rolex watches, and yet could attain (its) standards of dependability”. The TUDOR of today has not drifted away from the original vision. While strictly adhering to the fundamentals of excellence, the design of a TUDOR watch reinterprets a rich history to create something truly unique – a bold fusion of the original and the contemporary in an unrivalled proposition. — A TUDOR watch is born to dare.

2. Product Features
“We keep the best of the past, the best watchmaking practices, the best designs. And push the boundaries of what’s new.” TUDOR’s reinvention of the classics has kept their watches distinctive for more than half a century. Never afraid to redefine the rules, TUDOR’s new watches are strongly connected to the past while incorporating 21st-century technology. They also never shy away from pushing the boundaries of what’s new, experimenting with unusual materials, combinations and inspirations. Consider when TUDOR decided to revisit their diver’s watch history. They drew inspiration from the past while embracing modernity. The TUDOR Black Bay has direct antecedents in some of the most iconic TUDOR watches. The 1958 Oyster Prince Submariner reference 7924 contributed its oversized crown and general lines while the “Snowflake” TUDOR Submariner, worn by the French Navy in the 1970s, offered up its unique angular hands. Classic designs, contemporised for a new century. The Black Bay Bronze incorporates a golden-toned marine-grade aluminium bronze case specifically chosen for its proven durability in marine environments. That this alloy develops a unique patina overtime while paying tribute to TUDOR’s long-standing relationship with the French Navy is a bonus.
But design is nothing without performance. Indeed, the Black Bay incorporates a supremely robust Manufacture calibre that took the TUDOR R&D team 5 years to develop. Boasting a generous 70-hour power reserve, exceptional ergonomics and independently-certified precision, it sets higher standards. TUDOR standards. — A TUDOR watch is born to raise standards.

3. World of the Watch
“Born for a purpose. Field-tested to the extreme.” A TUDOR watch is built for those who dare to step out of their comfort zone. It is designed to perform in all and every condition. From a refined evening out to the most extreme environments imaginable. Over the years, TUDOR watches have been put at test on a daily basis strapped on the wrist of the most daring individuals, on land racing through rough Alpine roads, on ice accompanying the British North Greenland Expedition, in the air issued to the para rescue teams of the US Air Force and underwater with the frogmen of the French Navy. They never deceived them, constantly delivering robust and reliable time-keeping. Today, from pure purpose-built tool watches to timeless elegant dress watches, the TUDOR collection perpetuates that spirit of supreme dependability, having every single watch undergo a strict and demanding testing protocol guaranteeing precision, waterproofness and robustness, beyond industry standards. — A TUDOR watch is born to go above and beyond.

4. The Tudor Wearer
“For those who are up for anything. For those who face their fears. For those who reinvent themselves every day. A TUDOR is born to dare.” The wearers of a TUDOR today are not so very different to those of the past. They are people with unconventional attitudes. People with ambition. People who are willing to pursue their passions – no matter where they take them. Like TUDOR, they believe in learning from and building on past experiences to inform how they think and behave today. TUDOR wearers seek to find experiences that expand their world view. They appreciate exceptional craftsmanship and sense. They are as interested in how something is made as they are in what it is intended to do. They insist on owning the best tools for the job and pride themselves on being in the know. Those who wear a TUDOR share a thirst for discovery. A spirit of adventure. And the will to go further. They are curious. They are fearless. — They are born to dare.