The passion with which Reto Baumgartner and his team build watches is also shared by their brand ambassadors in their respective sports. As valuable RB Baumgartner family members, they help to spread the brand around the world.
Swiss champion Kumite U21, No. 18 Worldranking U21 and No. 38 Elite
Member of Swiss Karate National Team
Karate is my passion. This martial art, which is full of power, discipline and precision fascinates me extremely and gives me a lot of self-confidence and safety in everyday situations. Since summer 2019, I visit the Gymnasium Hofwil, where I’ve been take-up in a talent class with sport guys, artists and musicians. As a young person, I feel bound to take care of our environment and prefer regional products what RB Baumgartner guarantees definitely. My daily routine is textured clearly what makes the time to a really important factor. RB Baumgarnter ticks the right tact. I’m looking forward to represent the regional brand and become a part of the friendly RB Baumgartner family.
2nd Olympic Time Trial Tokyo 2020
2nd World Championship Time Trial 2020 and 2021
European Champion Time Trial 2021, 2022 and 2023
Cyclist of the year 2020 and 2021
World Champion Mixed-Relay 2022 and 2023
Winner Gent-Wevelgem 2023
Winner Tour de Suisse and Baskenland Rundfahrt 2023
I grew up in Hindelbank on my parents’ farm. After graduating from high school, I studied medicine and worked as a surgical assistant. While I was still preparing for the Road World Championships in Innsbruck, I worked part-time as a doctor in the hospital in Langnau. I liked cycling from early on and at the age of 22 I was the youngest cyclist to take part in the Alpine Brevet. In 2017, I got my first licence and was able to celebrate my first successes; I became a two-time Swiss champion. In 2019, I won the European Games and reached sixth place at the World Championships. Ath the beginning of 2019 I decided to give up my job as a surgical assistant to dedicate myself to a professional career. In 2020 and 2021 I was runner-up in the individual time trial and a year later I won gold at the European Championships. But my biggest success so far is certainly the silver medal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. At the end of 2020, I was voted Swiss Cyclist of the Year, which really touched me. In the future, I want to continue to achieve good results and develop further in cycling.
Why am I a brand ambassador for RB Baumgartner? Quite simply, time and timing are central factors in cycling and clock my everyday life. Moreover, just like Reto, I am a career changer. We both have chosen the risk of a new beginning and that connects us.
Swiss top athlete with 3 world records in wheelchair sports
35 Paralympic medals, including 15 gold
14 world championship titles and 112 marathon wins around the world
Speaker
Born on January 28, 1958, my life developed, endowed with the vocation to move. This lasted until 9 July 1978, but was abruptly interrupted when a sports accident, a banal slip during a mountain hiking, made me a paraplegic. Learning to live in a wheelchair was at first a shock, a mental pain, giving up things I loved, but ultimately also a challenge and the beginning of a struggle against dependence and finding independence again. 44 years ago, I could not expect that this journey to discover my greatest quality of life would have so many things in store for me: it took a lot of patience, perseverance, perspective and a good dose of reality with objective goal setting over many years. Today, the reward is overwhelming and makes me extremely grateful and humble.
I have been named Paralympic Athlete of the Year in Switzerland 10 times. In the 2020 special election, I was even voted the best athlete of the past 70 years alongside Roger Federer and Vreni Schneider.
My motivation as an RB Baumgartner brand ambassador is the joy of wearing this wonderful timepiece on my wrist that is synonymous with passion, pride and gratitude. My time thus became even more precious, with a certain serenity, but also knowing that time must not escape me. The watch reminds me not to get carried away by stress and agitation.
112 Wreaths, 2 of them Federal ones
Victory at the Bernese Cantonal Festival 2014
I grew up in Studen and attended a Swiss “Schwing” training for the first time when I was 9 years old. Since then, “Schwingen” has been my great passion. I find the fight man to man particularly fascinating. But I am also impressed by the camaraderie, the tradition and the great fairness. The Federal Swiss “Schwing” Festival in Pratteln 2022 is certainly still one of my biggest goal. In addition, I hope to stay as healthy as possible, to continue having fun and to be able to “Schwingen” at the top for as long as possible. In “Schwingen” , besides endurance, it is important to overwhelm the opponent with the right move at the right time. Timing is extremely important. That’s why a timepiece suits me wonderfully. I also really like the sporty watches from Reto.
Goalkeeper Swiss national team 2004 – 2018
World Championship Bronze Medal 2012
Olympic Bronze Medal in Sochi 2014
Board of Directors of I Believe in You AG and Swiss Olympic Athletes’ Commission
I grew up in Oberengstringen and started to play ice hockey due to my two brothers. I was already on the ice as a goalkeeper for the GCK / ZSC Lions at the age of 4. At the age of 13 I received my first invitation for the Swiss senior national team. After various world championships and my 1st Olympic Games, I moved to North America and later to Sweden, where I also graduated with a Master of Science In Business Administration.
I am privilaged to carry the experience of 4 Olympic Games and 11 World Championships, 1 Olympic and 1 World Championship bronze medal and several other awards in my backpack. Currently, I support people to reach their full potential and hold a seat on the Board of Directors of I Believe in You AG and the Swiss Olympic Athletes’ Commission.
For me, a day without learning something is a lost day. Watchmaking definitely has a lot of learning potential for me. As with all athletes, time is an important factor for me, whether while planning my daily professional life or taking time for myself.
Swiss national handball player
Athlete in the Bundesliga with Thüringer HC
For almost 20 years my great passion has been handball. Handball is a fascinating sport that combines different components: Physical qualities, game intelligence and team skills. It is not enough to have only one skill to be successful and that is exactly the challenge in this impressive sport for me. I was allowed to win all the titles there are to conquer in the highest Swiss league (Swiss Champion, Cup Winner, Super Cup Winner) and am now in my third year abroad, where I was allowed to make handball my profession. Currently, I play in the Bundesliga for Thüringer HC, with which team I play in the Champions League in addition to the championship & cup.
In the near future, I want to develop personally, work hard on myself every day and find out what else I’m capable of. I still have big goals with the club team but also with the national team, with which the European Championship in Switzerland in 2024 will be a major event.
Planning, timing and precision are three decisive factors in achieving top performances in elite sport. And these are three factors that could fit no brand better than RB Baumgartner.
Being a brand ambassador for this wonderful Swiss watch brand is also something I associate with tradition, innovation and home, which I very much like to embody as a Swiss athlete.
Mountain runner in the Swiss national squad
Swiss and vice-Swiss champion 2022 and 2019
8th place at the European Championships 2019
When I was 3 years old, we moved from Freiamt to western Switzerland. I grew up in the beautiful wine village of Chardonne above Lake Geneva. I went to school there, later I went to grammar school in Burier, with an exchange year in Lucerne. After the Matura and a year in the USA, I started studying medicine in Lausanne, which I completed in September 2022.
During my childhood and youth, until I was 18, I was a gymnast. I did not discover running until I was 20, when I was looking for an “easy” sport that wasn’t too demanding as a balance to my studies. I went running twice a week with the uni group and quickly the sport grabbed me. A year later, in 2017, I ran my first road marathon, and to my amazement, I ran it in under 3 hours. In 2018, I ran my first big mountain races. Since the results were not so bad, I was accepted into the mountain running squad in 2019.
What I love about running is the feeling of freedom and happiness, the movement in nature and the energy you feel flowing.
Until I finished my full-time studies, I tried to balance competitive sports and university. Now I am doing a part-time doctorate (MD-PhD) in Health Science at the University of Bern and Inselspital, and dedicate the rest of my time to running.
Why RB Baumgartner? Authenticity and passion are values that connect us. Timelessness, sportiness and elegance are the characteristics of these beautiful watches. I am proud and happy to be an ambassador for RB Baumgartner.
Former Swiss track and field athlete and shot putter
19 Swiss championship titles and 20 records
Silver medal at the 1984 European Indoor Championships in Gothenburg
3x World Championship gold in Rome 1987, Tokyo 1991 and Stuttgart 1993
Bronze medal at the Olympic Summer Games in Seoul 1988
I grew up in Uttwil in Thurgau. Even as a little boy, I threw the stones further than all my colleagues on the shores of Lake Constance. Before I found my way to shot-putting, I dedicated myself to javelin throwing and was able to attract attention with a junior javelin record (71.72 with the old javelin). After my apprenticeship as a sanitary plumber, my professional career began in Magglingen at the then Federal Gymnastics and Sports School (ETS). Here I was able to train and at the same time start my studies as a sports teacher. My sport successes began in 1984 with silver at the European Indoor Championships in Gothenburg. After that, I was able to celebrate other wonderful moments of success; world champions (1987, 1991, 1993) Swiss championship titles and many records. In 1988 I won the bronze medal at the Summer Olympics in Seoul. I won another World Championship medal in Tokyo in 1991. At the peak in 1993 after gold at the World Championships again in Stuttgart I ended my professional career.
Today I work at the Federal Office of Sport (FOSPO) in the field of athlete training and events. Various representation tasks are also part of my job. My second passion is motorcycling. Besides my work in Magglingen, I also work as a driving safety instructor. I am very interested in precision mechanics. When I met Reto Baumgartner at the Bernese-Cantonal Wrestling Festival in Tramelan and he told me about his watchmaking studio, I knew we had a passion in common. I was probably born with ambition. In the Günthör house, they always said “if you do something, you do it right”. And that’s exactly what Reto and his team do. I am impressed by Reto’s courage to be independent and fascinated by the watchmaking craft, which I was able to get a taste of while building my own RB Baumgartner.
I am happy to be part of the RB Baumgartner family.
Floorball player with Floorball Köniz Bern U18
My name is Emil Walthert, I am 16 years old and a passionate Floorball Köniz Bern floorball player. Since my childhood I have been enthusiastic about this fast and dynamic sport, which not only gives me physical fitness, but also team spirit and discipline.
As a student of the Gymnasium Hofwil and with the daily trainings, time management is of great importance to me. The RB Baumgartner watches help me to keep an efficient and well-structured daily routine.
As I come from Aarberg, I am even more pleased to have found a partner from the region who supports me. In return, I am thrilled to be able to represent RB Baumgartner and its mechnical watches in floorball.
I am happy to be part of the RB Baumgartner family.
Ultra runner
Over 3,400 competitive kilometres in the past 2 years (2022/23)
Winner of 1’200 km non-stop run through the Mauritanian desert (in 12.5 days)
Specialises in multi-day self-supported runs (up to 520 km)
2021: 3rd place Swiss championship in the 24h run
2017: Vice Swiss champion in the 12h run
As the eldest of three siblings, I grew up in rural Jegenstorf. I spent a large part of my childhood outdoors in nature, where I was able to experience many formative adventures with my mates.
Back then, I still went to school on Saturdays. That was my luck, because my route to school crossed the 100km Biel course, one of the oldest ultramarathons in the world. I was simply fascinated by the runners who met me early in the morning. Jegenstorf was only the half distance for them. At the time, I couldn’t imagine how you could unleash such strength.
This fascination and thirst for adventure from my childhood have not left me to this day. On the contrary, it has developed into a great passion, which culminated in my greatest triumph to date in 2022: a non-stop run over 1,200 km through the Mauritanian desert. That was also the first time I was said to run like a Swiss watch – constantly, precisely and without interruption.
So it goes perfectly with my new “Les Dents du Midi” from RB Baumgartner. As functionality plays an important role in running, it cannot completely replace my current GPS watch. But in everyday life, where aesthetics take centre stage, it is my faithful companion – a real gem that I wouldn’t want to be without.
The preparations for my self-catering runs require a high degree of innovation and precision. In order for every “cog” to mesh perfectly on race day, the equipment, physical and mental aspects must be perfectly harmonised. Exactly the same as applies to the movements of RB Baumgartner. This fact unites us.
It is a great honour for me to be able to carry the RB Baumgartner brand to the most remote places in the world. Thank you for taking me into your family!
Canoe slalom racer in the Swiss Canoe Association U23
Already as a little girl, I realised that I was magically drawn to the element of water. It was at my father’s competitions that my passion for the sport of canoe slalom was finally ignited. I am currently attending the sports business school in Biel to combine my passion with my school education in the best possible way and achieve top performances. I love canoe slalom more than anything. I’ve been representing Switzerland at international competitions for a few years now – in the Canadian single scull (C1) and the kayak single scull (K1).
Canoeing and the functioning of a clockwork have more in common than you might think. Both require precision and skill to be successful. Just like the cogwheels of a clockwork mechanism, the movements in canoeing must be perfectly synchronised to ensure smooth operation. Every paddle stroke must be precisely dosed and synchronised in order to move the canoe efficiently through the water. Timing plays a crucial role in both canoeing and the movement mechanism to achieve the desired result.
I am very pleased to be part of the RB Baumgartner brand ambassador team and to promote the watch brand in the canoeing community.
Canoe slalom racer in the Swiss Canoe Association U18
My name is Arik Bütikofer, I’m 16 years old and I’ve been in a kayak since I could walk. I’ve been part of the junior team for two years now and am fully immersed in this sport. My heart beats for canoeing and I’m looking forward to developing my skills and getting to the top of the world. As of this the summer, I will be attending the sports business school in Biel to combine my passion for the sport with my education.
Canoeing and Swiss watches both have a connection to precision and timing. Canoeing is about coordinating your movements in harmony with nature, while Swiss watches are known for their precision and quality. Both require a keen sense of timing and accuracy, whether navigating the water or telling the time.
I am very grateful to be part of the friendly RB Baumgartner family and to help promote the brand in the sports world.
Junior Swiss champion 2018 and 2022
Several podium places at FIS level (including 2 victories)
4th place in the Alpine Combined Elite Swiss Championships 2022
My love for skiing began very early on. I was 2 ½ years old when I first got on skis because I never wanted to stay at home with my grandmother while my big sister was on the slope with my parents. Right from the start, I always wanted to be faster than my friends and my competitive spirit was awakened at ski school. Even away from skiing, I was active in sports from an early age and wanted to be the best at everything. I think this healthy dose of ambition and perseverance has put me on the path I am on today.
Time plays a central role in skiing – whoever finishes first wins. This relationship with time is also reflected in my passion for watches. Watches measure the seconds that make the difference, but they also teach us patience. Especially when I had to recover from a knee injury, I realised how long it can take. But I also realised how you can use this time to come back stronger and more determined.
I proudly wear my MRS. PEARL and I am delighted to now be part of the RB Baumgartner family.
Football player for BSC Young Boys
I grew up on a farm in Vorimholz and discovered my passion for football through my older brother when I was about seven years old in 2011. I was immediately hooked by the speed, technical and tactical aspects of the team sport.
In 2015, I was given the opportunity to move to BSC Young Boys, where I played with boys in top youth football for five years. I then moved to the women’s team at BSC YB in 2020 and made my debut in the professional team in 2022. At the same time, I successfully completed a sports apprenticeship as a commercial clerk at armasuisse in the summer of 2024.
As I learnt to play football on the Aarolina at FC Aarberg, I am all the more delighted to be a brand ambassador for this local watch brand.
I realised early on that the right position for me was in defence. Reliability and precise coordination within the team are not only essential characteristics of a defender, but also key features of a watch that displays the time accurately and whose components must be precisely coordinated.