A Blog to Watch 2026 - Backes & Strauss Partners With Tennis Player Elina Avanesyan For An Upcoming Special Watch Collection

Backes & Strauss has announced a new partnership with professional tennis player Elina Avanesyan, bringing together the London watch and diamond house with an athlete whose Armenian heritage provides a particularly meaningful connection to the brand. And this is more than an ambassador announcement: The partnership will ultimately result in a dedicated “Elina for Backes & Strauss” collection, while Avanesyan will also serve as the face of the brand’s Piccadilly Mayfair 33 collection.

In the meantime, Avanesyan is being introduced in the partnership imagery wearing a diamond-set Mayfair 33 SP. The 33mm stainless steel watch has two rows of diamonds around its bezel, with 120 diamonds totaling 1.07 carats set into the case. Another diamond is set into the crown, bringing the total to 121 diamonds and 1.13 carats. The mechanical movement is visible through an open caseback, while the steel bracelet gives the watch a sportier character than its diamond setting might initially suggest.

That combination makes the Mayfair 33 a fitting introduction to the partnership. In the campaign photographs, the watch is shown not simply as a formal diamond timepiece but alongside Avanesyan’s tennis identity — including images on the court and with a racquet. The effect underscores the idea behind the collaboration: Diamond watchmaking need not be confined to traditional notions of evening luxury.

The Mayfair 33 SP is offered with blue, purple, or white dials, each featuring hand-polished white Roman numerals. The dial itself is stamped with a pattern designed to evoke the facets of a diamond, extending the jewelry theme beyond the stones surrounding the case.

Avanesyan’s role with Backes & Strauss, however, is intended to extend beyond representing an existing collection. The forthcoming Elina for Backes & Strauss watches will give the, with the company specifically promising a collection informed by her story and Armenian background. Details on the designs, movements, pricing, and release timing have yet to be announced.

For Backes & Strauss, which traces its history as a diamond company to 1789 and today operates as part of the Franck Muller Group, the partnership offers a contemporary way to connect its jewelry and watchmaking traditions with the world of professional sport. For Avanesyan, meanwhile, the relationship begins with the diamond-set Mayfair 33 on her wrist (CHF 12,500; USD $15,500) — and will eventually lead to a collection bearing her name. For more information, visit the Backes & Strauss website.

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