Rolex Daytona “Pastor Maldonado”, the unique piece by Skeleton Concept

We had the pleasure of interviewing Pastor Maldonado on the occasion of the launch of an incredible watch created in collaboration with the master watchmakers at Skeleton Concept.

Pastor Maldonado was born in Venezuela in 1985 and began his career as a car racer competing for the first time in Italy in 2003. The memory of his first Formula race accompanies him constantly, the excitement and adrenaline of those moments, the desire to compete, to put himself on the line, distinguish the young driver and are a sign that the world of racing belongs to him.

He competes in Formula Renault, finishing seventh in the drivers’ championship and collecting three podiums and a pole position. In 2012, Pastor became the first Venezuelan to carry his country’s colours to the highest podium by winning a Formula One Grand Prix when he raced for Williams in the Spanish Grand Prix.

Pastor exclusively describes his “watch concept” and presents us with the Rolex Daytona 116520 in the Skeleton version, which is customised down to the smallest detail to perfectly describe the personality and style of the F1 champion. With a smile, he says: “I am so happy with this design. The colours and materials suit my personality and style. They understood exactly what I wanted to achieve – a unique, elegant and minimalist watch.”

Maldonado turned to the craftsmen at Skeleton Concept for the skeletal customisation of the famous watch created by Rolex and inspired by the world of motor racing and racing cars.  The Daytona is the perfect watch to represent a man forged in the world of Formula One racing, and Skeleton’s master watchmakers understood from the outset that Pastor’s request was unequivocal: “To push the limits of the concept and to surprise”.

The Maldonado Concept must be immediately identifiable and cannot be confused with any other watch designed by the Parisian company; it must convey emotions like Formula One racing. Starting from the original Daytona, the bezel has been replaced with grade 5 titanium to give it an elegant and refined look. The Oyster bracelet and the case are in steel. All the elements that make up the fine watch have been hand-brushed in a circular fashion, reminiscent of the racing cars of the 1970s and 1980s.

The entire watch features matte finishes that are expertly matched to the skeleton dial made by master watchmakers in the warm and aristocratic shade of “Bleu Horloger”. This particular shade of blue-grey is rarely used in the world of Haute Horology as it requires specific levels of precision to achieve the specific shade. Still, Skeleton’s artisans have risen to the challenge and succeeded in achieving the aristocratic colour to perfection.

This new and exciting experience has been lived just like a preparation for a car race. Every detail has been the subject of careful consideration, studies and choices that have led to obtaining in collaboration with the master watchmakers of Skeleton Concept a unique creation of which Pastor is rightly proud.

 

Enjoy even more @ https://www.skeletonconcept.com  

Article edit by Giulio Grey

CEO Grey London Group Limited