THAT GQ keeps a post called The David Beckham Look Book should erase doubts, assuming there is any in the first place, over the star footballer’s (retired though as he is now) and OBE title-holder’s status as a certified fashion plate. That David Beckham is also a watch lover only makes him way cooler.

But Beckham right winging as Tudor brand ambassador raises this cool factor a couple of notches higher — the watchmaker’s and the celebrity’s individualistic streak and unpretentious appeal simply make for a perfect match. And witnessing this affinity up close, like during the global premiere of the Tudor Glamour Double Date, is quite an experience.

While the anticipation for Beckham’s appearance in a hall at The Murray in Hong Kong is palpable — every announcement is taken by the gathered crowd as the one that finally says Beckham has entered the room — it is also expected. Beckham is definitely A-list, after all, so his presence in any venue is guaranteed to cause a certain degree of excitement. What is more revealing, and which transcends the structure of a prepared script, is his relationship with timepieces.

In the interview following his arrival on stage — he flew into Hong Kong only three hours earlier — he shares his fondness for a particular watch, one he can’t even remember the brand of. But he quickly explains; “It’s my grandfather’s, and right before he passed away seven years ago, he gave this watch to me…. He used to wear this elegant watch — gold, and sophisticated looking. My first memory of a watch was my grandfather’s, and it’s the most important watch in my small collection.”

Beckham, whose wrist wear has always piqued the interest of not a few watch spotters, admits he indeed has been able to acquire a few timepieces over the years. His acquisitions, though, seem not to be driven by whim but by a sincere appreciation for what a watch could represent in one’s life. “It’s like music, it’s like sports events. It reminds you of certain times in your life,” he says.

Apparently, he also built a collection because he wants to continue some sort of a family tradition, one that was inadvertently started by his grandfather.

“I want to have something that I can pass down to my children, and then to my children’s children,” Beckham says.

Of course, he’s as much of a watch lover as he is a style icon. Now while he credits his wife Victoria’s “great experience in the fashion world” for his own lofty status in this field, he says he also realizes he now needs to become a “bit more classy… [like getting] a change of hairstyle.”

“I’m 43 years of age, I want to look classier. [The]English does classic very well,” he says.

Obviously, so does Tudor. And this lends its association with Beckham — a partnership the ambassador says his grandfather “would have been very proud of” — an honesty lacking in most other celebrity product endorsements. Because in this case, moody photographs of Beckham wearing a Tudor Black Bay Chrono or a Black Bay Bronze appear natural and connected, rather than contrived. Largely, this comes as a result of the timepieces actually reflecting the man’s lifestyle and personality, instead of them serving as mere wrist candy for a photo shoot. Boosting this proposition is Beckham gracing the launch of a dressy Tudor piece; the act succinctly communicates his current pursuit of a classier look.

This new watch is the latest evolution in Tudor’s Glamour line — the Glamour Double Date. True to its name, the model is a glamorous dress watch defined by two large date apertures on its dial. It comes in steel, or steel and yellow gold cases, which are matched to alligator straps, or steel, if not steel and gold, bracelets.

Its dial selection is even more diverse. Choices available are silver, black, champagne and white. Considering the segment to which it belongs, the Glamour Double Date flaunts a dial that is pretty ornate. The dial has two concentric rings, with the central one adorned by vertical gadroons while the outer piece receives a sunray finish. Balancing the double date windows at 12 o’clock is a petite second subdial at the bottom. Tudor’s shield logo serves as the noon/midnight marker while elongated diamond-shaped indices indicate the rest of the hours (some versions even have diamond settings on the tips of the indices). Clearly, the watch’s aesthetics are classical. But bringing these up to date is the relatively generous size of the case, which measures 42 millimeters across and, as a Tudor, gets a screw-down crown that helps it to a 100-meter water-resistance rating. Another contemporary touch is a sapphire crystal exhibition caseback.

This last feature is unusual for a Tudor, but there’s a completely logical reason for this; the Glamour Double Date is powered by a new in-house movement, which is Tudor’s cal. MT5641. It’s a self-winding, 32-jewel ticker that spins at 28,800vph and has an ample power reserve of 70 hours. It also carries a COSC chronometer certification, meaning it should not lose more than two seconds a day, or gain more than four seconds during the same period.

Plus, the cal. MT5641 has been lavished with such horologic niceties as a bi-directional-winding, openwork rotor; a variable inertia balance with micro-adjustment screws; and a silicon balance spring. The rotor has satin-brushed and sand-blasted details, and the bridges and plate have alternately sand-blasted surfaces and laser decorations. So, yes, it deserves to be exhibited, and Tudor can hardly be blamed for doing so.

The Glamour Double Date immediately went on sale in Hong Kong, and will soon be available in neighboring parts of Asia, before it makes its way to the US and Europe in early 2019. Clearly, there will be a bit of a wait in some markets. But then, as Beckham puts it; “…watches are the most special things to look forward to.”

The arrival should be a (double) date to remember.