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ReviewCuban Tribute To An English Statesman: Presenting The Cuervo Y Sobrinos Churchill Collection

Initially created to commemorate a historic meeting between former UK Prime Minister and Cuervo y Sobrinos patron Winston Churchill and US President Roosevelt in Ukraine, the Cuervo y Sobrinos Churchill collection grew to become much larger, now boasting multiple dial options and useful everyday functions

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“Smoking cigars is like falling in love. First, you are attracted by its shape; you stay for its flavour; and you must always remember never, never to let the flame go out.” Former British prime minister Sir Winston Churchill’s love for cigars was legendary. So much that a whole new size of cigar was created to commemorate the statesman’s preferred length and girth. The cigar-toting Churchill, a frequent visitor to Cuba, was a patron of the Cuervo y Sobrinos boutique in Havana. To honour their patron and his connection with their own roots, the brand released the Cuervo y Sobrinos Churchill watch in 2020. This single limited edition timepiece later grew into a whole collection. As far as tributes go, this collection is quite like the person that inspired the watch—stately, and with a strong presence.

Cuervo y Sobrinos Churchill 'Sir Winston' guilloche dial blue watches
To honour their patron and his connection with their own roots, the brand released the Cuervo y Sobrinos Churchill Yalta watch, followed by the Churchill ‘Sir Winston timepiece in 2023. This stately watch with a guilloche dial had as stong a presence as the man who inspired it

Churchill And Cuervo Y Sobrinos: A Cuban Connection

Churchill’s first visit to Cuba was in 1895, when the Englishman was only 21 years old. Having joined Spanish forces in their fight against Cuban revolutionaries, Churchill’s first visit to the island nation was rather action-packed. This experience in his formative years helped define his opinion of war. Many years later, after having led his country in the second world war, he returned to Cuba in early 1946. More mature on this visit, the statesman stayed at the Hotel Nacional with his wife, and, while on the island, visited the Cuervo y Sobrinos boutique.

Cuervo y Sobrinos Churchill collection British prime minister Sir Winston Churchill
During his visit to Havana, Cuba, after the war in 1946, UK prime minister Winston Churchill stayed at the Hotel Nacional with his wife, and, while on the island, visited the Cuervo y Sobrinos boutique

Cuervo Y Sobrinos Robusto Churchill ‘Yalta Edition’

Winston Churchill of England, Franklin D Roosevelt of the United States and Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union met near Yalta, in Crimea, Ukraine in February 1945, where they discussed the future of Europe after the war. The Cuervo y Sobrinos Robusto Churchill ‘Yalta edition’, released in 2020, marks 75 years since the conference in Yalta that cemented the friendship between the US and the UK. ‘Robusto’, the Cuban term used for a short, robust cigar, best suited the new limited-edition timepiece inspired by Churchill. Its stainless steel case is sized at 43mm, and features titanium sides that give it a three dimensional aesthetic. Resistant to 100m, the case features a hinged lever that serves as a crown at three o’clock. The sapphire crystal glass window on the steel caseback features an etching of Churchill and Roosevelt, as a nod to the inspiration for the watch.

On the silver clous de Paris dial of the Yalta edition, sword-shaped timekeeping hands, numerals and indexes stand out in 4N gold. The day of the week and date windows at six o’clock are also decorated with a gilded frame. Limited to 300 pieces, the watch is paired with either a facetted steel bracelet or an elegant brown alligator leather strap.

Cuervo y Sobrinos Churchill
Cuervo y Sobrinos Churchill
Cuervo Y Sobrinos Robusto Churchill ‘Yalta Edition’ In A Nutshell
  • Case: 43mm, steel, titanium
  • Crystal and caseback: Sapphire crystal; caseback features an etching of Churchill and Roosevelt at the Yalta conference
  • Dial: Silver, clous de Paris; sword hands, numerals, markers in 4N gold
  • Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, day of the week, date
  • Movement: CYS 8127; automatic; 38-hour power reserve
  • Strap: Steel bracelet or brown alligator leather

Cuervo y Sobrinos Churchill ‘Sir Winston’ Editions

Following the success of the Cuervo y Sobrinos Churchill Yalta edition, the brand released three new versions of the Churchill collection. In petrol blue, British green or burgundy hued dials, the ‘Sir Winston’ series seemed a greater success than their predecessor. With a three dimensional construction, the 43mm case boasts a height of 12.45 mm. The hinged lever crown sits flush against the case at three o’clock. A sapphire crystal glass window on the caseback offers a view of the engraved oscillating weight of the automatic CYS 8127 calibre, which is based on the Sellita SW240-1. Also displayed on the caseback is an inspiring quote by Sir Winston Churchill, “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”

The Watch Guide

The Cuervo y Sobrinos Churchill ‘Sir Winston’ series seemed a greater success than their predecessor, the Robusto Churchill Yalta edition

The Watch Guide

With a three dimensional construction, the 43mm case boasts a height of 12.45 mm, with a hinged lever crown flush against the case at three o’clock

The Watch Guide

A sapphire crystal glass window on the caseback offers a view of the automatic CYS 8127 calibre and an inspiring quote by Sir Winston Churchill

The Watch Guide

The robust Cuervo y Sobrinos Churchill 'Sir Winston' timepiece with a petrol blue gulloche dial is limited to 200 pieces

On the rich blue, green or burgundy dials, the clous de Paris motif resembles intersecting arc-shaped lines. At six o’clock on the dial are two windows that display the day of the week and date respectively. These collectively offset the brand logo at 12 o’clock, enhancing the symmetry of the timepiece. On the blue and green dial versions, sword hands, numerals, markers and the frame for the day and date windows are rhodium plated. Whereas on the burgundy dial version, these accents stand out against the rich maroon in gold. Limited to 200 pieces each, the watches are paired with a facetted steel bracelet featuring brushed and polished finishes that match those on the case. For the petrol blue version, the brand provide an additional blue alligator leather strap.

Cuervo Y Sobrinos Churchill ‘Sir Winston’ In A Nutshell
  • Case: 43mm, steel, titanium
  • Crystal and caseback: Sapphire crystal; caseback features a quote by Churchill
  • Dial: Petrol blue, British green, or burgundy; clous de Paris motif; sword hands; Arabic numerals and markers; date and day windows at six
  • Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, day of the week, date
  • Movement: CYS 8127; automatic; 38-hour power reserve
  • Strap: Steel bracelet; additional blue alligator leather (with petrol blue version)
The Watch Guide

On the Cuervo y Sobrinos Churchill 'Sir Winston' timepiece with a British green dial, sword hands, numerals, markers and the frame for the day and date windows are rhodium plated

The Watch Guide

On the burgundy dial version of the Churchill 'Sir Winston' timepiece, accents stand out in gold against the rich maroon backdrop

The Watch Guide

The watches are paired with a facetted steel bracelet featuring brushed and polished finishes that match those on the case

The Watch Guide

The alligator leather strap features a buckle decorated with the Cuervo y Sobrinos logo

Cuervo y Sobrinos Churchill 1895 GMT

This year, the brand introduced the Cuervo y Sobrinos Churchill 1985 GMT timepiece to the collection named after the English statesman. With a second time zone displayed on the dial, this timepiece is not just a fitting tribute to Churchill but also a very practical approach to timekeeping today. The watch commemorates Churchill’s first visit to Cuba. Then 21 years old, Churchill was based in Arroyo Blanco, a village where he could watch the conflict between Spain and Cuba from a vantage point. Meant for those who appreciate adventure as much as Churchill, the watch is available in two dial versions—blue or silver—with strap options that include steel bracelet or alligator leather straps.

Sized at 43mm, the timepiece displays all the features that define the Churchill collection. On the dial, the guilloche motif is interrupted by an inner ring that displays a second time zone with a short pointer hand with a red arrowhead. Alternating Arabic numerals and dauphine indexes decorate the dial, with a date window at three o’clock and the brand logo at 12. Sword shaped hands tell the time. On the blue dial, these accents are in a rhodium plated finish to offset the rich guilloche pattern, while they stand out in gold on the silver dial version of the Churchill 1895 GMT watch.

The Watch Guide
The Cuervo y Sobrinos Churchill 1895 GMT watch is not just a fitting tribute to Churchill, a man who loved adventure, but also a very practical approach to timekeeping today, with a second time zone displayed via a short pointer hand on the guilloche dial
Cuervo y Sobrinos Churchill 1895 GMT In A Nutshell
  • Case: 43mm, steel, titanium
  • Crystal and caseback: Sapphire crystal
  • Dial: Silver or blue; guilloche motif; sword hands; Arabic numerals and markers; GMT indicator on inner ring; date at three o’clock
  • Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, second time zone
  • Movement: CYS 8122; automatic; 42-hour power reserve
  • Strap: Steel bracelet or alligator leather strap

Love him or hate him, Sir Winston Churchill commanded a respect that is legendary. He is still remembered as among the greatest leaders Britain has ever had. Much like the person that inspired this collection, the Cuervo y Sobrinos Churchill line commands a fair amount of respect too. Respect for a rich history of Cuba, Churchill and watchmaking traditions such as guilloche that go back centuries. It is also inspiring to see the collection evolve to include practical everyday functions that make a dressy watch more than just an accessory.

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