​Alexander Zverev may now well be mulling over that old saying that time heals all wounds. Four years ago he faced a lengthy time off-court after horrifically tearing his ankle ligaments during the French Open semi-final match against Rafael Nadal. This year’s not over yet but it’s undoubtedly been the most successful period of the German tennis champion’s career as he celebrates lifting two Grand Slam titles.On Sunday night as he lifted the US Open trophy in New York, Zverev had one eye on the time back on the old continent too, as he brandished a Jacob & Co “The World Is Yours” Dual Time Zone Tourbillon — a piece with two sub-dials for a second time zone.Luxury watch brands have been competing hard to be in the winner’s photo for decades, and the final at Flushing Meadows is no exception. “The Open gets covered as a watch-spotting event in its own right”, says Quaid Walker, CEO of Bezel, one of the world’s leading platforms for buying and selling luxury watches.”Zverev played the tournament in a skeletonized Epic X on an elastic band and changed into this for the trophy, which has become a small ritual of sorts among players with watch sponsorships.”
Time for action: Alexander Zverev wearing a Jacob & Co. Epic X Skeleton at the 2026 US Open semifinal, New York, 10 September 2026
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AP Photo/Jacob & Co/Euronews composition
“The point of the swap is to be seen, and few watches are built to be seen like this one, with a globe-shaped dial and a tourbillon running at its center. It’s a sight to behold, which is essentially the whole idea”, adds Walker.The watch’s globe-shaped dial is detailed right down to the mountain ranges and coastlines. At its centre, a so-called 30-second tourbillon spins twice as fast as a standard one — and it made waves last year at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.
Alexander Zverev’s highly recongnisable “The World Is Yours” Dual Time Zone Tourbillon by Jacob & Co, New York, 13 September 2026
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AP Photo
Alcaraz brings out the collector’s holy grailEven though it did not lift the cup, Rolex — official watchmaker of the four Grand Slams and by far the watch brand most assossiated to tennis — stole the show during the entire event. The Spanish defending champion Carlos Alcaraz crossed the Atlantic wearing the Rolex Daytona “Le Mans,” launched to mark the 100th anniversary of the French endurance race in 2023.That “100” printed in red on the black Cerachrom bezel is enough to send collectors into a frenzy — the watch now fetches over €200,000 on the second-hand market.”Even when it was in production, you likely couldn’t get your hands on one. These went exclusively to the brand’s most established clients, with sub-single-year production runs per metal prior to discontinuation”, Walker recalls.
No wardrobe malfunction here to complai