NORQAIN Appointed as the Official Timekeeper of the BMW Berlin Marathon

In 1974, a group of racers from one of Germany’s most prestigious athletics clubs, SC Charlottenburg, organised the first Marathon. Then, in 1981, the race moved from Grunewald to the centre of West Berlin. Over the years, the event, known as the BMW Berlin Marathon, has become an important cultural milestone in Berlin.

 Independent watchmaker NORQAIN has now been announced as the official timekeeper of the BMW Berlin Marathon. The announcement marks the brand’s second partnership with one of the Abbott World Marathon Majors — a series of six elite races hosted around the globe that includes the BMW Berlin Marathon. To celebrate the partnership, NORQAIN has just revealed a limited-edition Wild ONE timepiece, scheduled for release in 2024, marking the 50th anniversary of the BMW Berlin Marathon. 

 Says Ben Küffer, Founder and CEO of NORQAIN, "As a brand deeply rooted in the world of adventure and exploration, we are thrilled to embark on this multi-year partnership with the BMW Berlin Marathon.” He adds, “We are honoured to be the Official Timekeeper of the BMW Berlin Marathon, an iconic event that embodies the values of perseverance and determination, and the pursuit of excellence, which are at the core of NORQAIN's DNA.”

 The 47th edition of the BMW Berlin Marathon, often considered one of the fastest marathons in the world, will take place on September 24, 2023. Twelve world records had been set during the past editions. The latest one is attributed to Kenyan long-distance runner Eliud Kipchoge, who completed the marathon in 2:01:09 hours. The flat surface has many straight sections and participants must cover 42.195 km as the race passes through some of the historic cities. The race has got something for everyone; in addition to runners, many skaters, wheelchair athletes, and hand cyclists also take part in the marathon, and there are races for children as well.

 Now, as far as the watch is concerned, the Independence Wild ONE, an innovative 100% Swiss-made sports watch, is made of NORQAIN’s own ground-breaking material, NORTEQ. This revolutionary material is six times lighter than steel and 3.5 times lighter than titanium, and is presented with the Wild ONE line. The Wild One collection comes in a bold 42 mm case. It is powered by a  Swiss-made automatic mechanical movement, Manufacture Calibre NN20/1 by Kenissi, certified by the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (the institute responsible for certifying the accuracy and precision of Swiss watches) and boasting a 70-hour power reserve.