Ritmo Mundo, the Beverly Hills, Cal.-based maker of luxury timepieces, and The IndyCar Series, Indianapolis, Ind., on Tuesday announced a five-year partnership, making Ritmo the official timepiece of the IndyCar Series and Indy Pro Series. It is the watch brand’s first motor sports-related partnership.

Under the agreement, Ritmo will present a $100,000 watch to the IndyCar Series championship driver, a watch to each IndyCar Series race winner, a $25,000 watch to the Indy Pro Series championship driver, and a timepiece to each Indy Pro Series race winner. The first IndyCar watch is expected to be unveiled at the international 2007 BaselWorld watch and jewelry trade fair in Basel, Switzerland.

The deal also includes a licensing agreement for IndyCar Series-branded Ritmo timepieces that can be expanded to include driver-branded timepieces.

Ritmo will promote the sponsorship through the IMS Radio Network, IndyCar Series magazine, the Indianapolis 500 race program, indycar.com banner ads, and video displays at each series event. There will be an IndyCar Series-branded ad campaign focusing on Ritmo’s relationship with the series. Ritmo will include the IndyCar Series and Indy Pro Series champion drivers in separate campaigns.

Ritmo Mundo was founded in 2002 by luxury retailer and watch aficionado Ali Soltani. Its Swiss-made watches feature Italian design inspired by timepieces of the 1920’s, ‘30’s and ‘40’s, and are sold worldwide.

JCK