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The hungry wolf fights harder than the full wolf. Fernando Mendoza's journey from overlooked recruit to Heisman winner, and the watch built to commemorate it.
Brand to release ultra-limited, Swiss Made CFP and team-specific designs with exclusive pre-order benefits
WARREN, N.J., Dec. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AXIA Time (AXIA), creator of heirloom-quality, Swiss Made timepieces that commemorate defining achievements, today announced that it will once again serve as the Official Timepiece of the College Football Playoff (CFP). This marks the brand's second straight year in the role, reaffirming a partnership rooted in commemorating the pinnacle moments of the college football experience.
AXIA Time will design and distribute limited-edition CFP-branded watches, along with exclusive, ultra-custom watches for each of the 12 teams selected for the 2025-26 College Football Playoff. AXIA Time will release two bespoke designs from its ARGOS and LYTHOS lines for each of the 12 playoff teams. All watches will feature both the CFP and team logos, team colorways, and many "easter eggs" throughout - including the name of each of the 12 teams engraved on the rehaut (the inner rim of the case, just above the dial). Given the ultra-custom nature of these designs, shipping will begin in mid-January.
"At AXIA Time, we believe the most meaningful moments in life aren't just about the day they happen; they're about the journey that led there," said John Kanaras, founder and CEO of AXIA Time. "Partnering with the College Football Playoff, which represents the pinnacle of college football excellence, allows us to honor each team's season of grit, pride, and belief. Our Official Timepieces give fans a way to carry that meaning with them, every day, from now on."
"The College Football Playoff is built on moments of dedication, tradition, and pride, and AXIA Time captures that spirit beautifully," said Ryan Allen Hall, Senior Director of Public Events and Sponsorships at the College Football Playoff. "We're excited to once again partner with AXIA to offer these limited-edition watches to fans and teams, giving them a meaningful way to commemorate a season's journey and the achievement of reaching the playoff stage."
This year's AXIA Time launch includes an expanded pre-order program. Fans can secure their team watch on December 8, one day after the 12-team College Football Playoff teams are announced. Customers who place their orders by December 14 will also receive a complimentary CFP-branded quilted vest from Horn Legend, valued at $180, delivered in time for holiday gift giving, and the watches will ship in early January.
Additionally, customers whose team goes on to win the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship can also upgrade their purchases to the exclusive National Champions design at no additional cost.
Finally, any customer who pre orders any 2025-26 CFP watch, whether the CFP-exclusive design or one of the team-specific designs, will be automatically entered into the AXIA Time College Football Playoff National Championship Weekend Sweepstakes. The prize consists of two tickets to the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, along with a $1,000 gift card and a hotel reservation at a host hotel (the cost of the hotel stay will be borne by the winner). The drawing will take place on January 10, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET on AXIA's Instagram Live channel. No purchase is necessary to enter, and full rules are available on axiatime.com.
For more information about the AXIA Time CFP collection, visit axiatime.com/cfp26.
About the College Football PlayoffThe College Football Playoff (CFP) is the event that crowns the national champion in college football. The CFP selection committee ranks the top 25 teams at the end of the regular season. The five highest ranked conference champions and the next seven highest-ranked teams will be seeded into a 12-team bracket based on the final ranking, with the four highest-ranked teams receiving a first-round bye. The teams ranked Nos. 5-12 will play in the CFP First Round, with the higher seeds hosting the lower seeds. The Playoff Quarterfinals and Playoff Semifinals rotate annually among six bowl games – the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential and the Allstate Sugar Bowl. The College Football Playoff National Championship will be Monday, January 19, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. For additional information on the College Football Playoff, visit CollegeFootballPlayoff.com or follow @CFBPlayoff on social media.
About AXIA TimeAXIA Time, established in 2018, creates custom Swiss Made timepieces that commemorate life's greatest achievements. AXIA Time was born out of founder John Kanaras' love of horology and his alma mater. After helping to lead the 1988 Penn Quakers to an Ivy League Championship, the university gifted each player a championship watch. For John, the watch held great sentimental value but didn't match the significance of his journey. For 30 years, he looked for a watch of high quality and meaningful design to meet that moment. When he couldn't find what he was looking for, he built it himself.
AXIA (ahk-SEE-ah) means "value" or "worth" in Greek. The company serves as the Official Timepiece for the College Football Playoff, the Heisman Trophy, the Lott Impact Trophy, the Naismith Awards and the Tewaaraton Award. AXIA also partners with over 50 universities and organizations to create commemorative timepieces that honor defining achievements. Learn more at axiatime.com.
AXIA Time. Made for the Moment. Built for Forever.
Follow AXIA Time on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn: @axiatimellc
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AXIA partnered with sports artist Lili Cantero on hand-painted walnut display boxes for its FIFA World Cup 2026™ Collector's Box Sets. Limited to 20 sets per country, each is a one-of-twenty artwork.
Some gifts last a season, and others last a lifetime. When it comes to celebrating the passion, pride, and pure chaos that define college football, few brands understand the emotional stakes quite like AXIA Time. In addition to being the Official Timepiece of the Heisman Trophy for its second year, they also return this year as the Official Timepiece of the College Football Playoff. AXIA continues to do what it does best: transform season-defining triumphs into Swiss-made timepieces worthy of the journey that led there. For the super fan in your life, the one who can recite bowl history by heart and still gets misty replaying their favorite fourth-quarter comeback, this year’s College Football Playoff collection lands right on time.
Founded in 2018 by John Kanaras, AXIA Time was born from a deeply personal idea: that milestone moments deserve craftsmanship equal to the meaning we attach to them. After winning an Ivy League championship with Penn and receiving a commemorative team watch that didn’t quite match the magnitude of the achievement, Kanaras spent decades searching for a piece that could. Eventually, he decided to build it himself. Today, AXIA (Greek for “value” or “worth”) produces Swiss Made watches that honor life’s biggest victories—partnering not only with the College Football Playoff, but also the Heisman Trophy, the Naismith Awards, the Tewaaraton Award, and more than 50 universities nationwide.
This year, AXIA is expanding its CFP program in a way that’s tailor-made for collectors, die-hard alumni, and anyone whose calendar revolves around fall Saturdays. The brand will create both quartz and automatic Swiss-made watches for each of the 12 teams selected for the 2025–26 College Football Playoff. Every school will receive two bespoke designs—one from the Argos line and one from the Lythos line, each featuring team colorways, official logos, and a host of thoughtful “easter eggs,” including all 12 playoff teams engraved on the rehaut. There will be 50 pieces of each model for a total of 100 pieces per school. These aren’t merely team-colored trinkets; they’re well-engineered keepsakes that chronicle a season’s grit, pride, and improbable climbs up the rankings.
Consider this your early rundown of why AXIA’s CFP collection may just be the ultimate holiday gift for the college football super fan, whether they’re cheering from the stands, hosting a bowl-season watch party, or pacing the living room as the fourth quarter clock winds down.
In keeping with their ethos to deliver a top-notch customer experience, anyone who pre-orders a 2025–26 CFP watch, whether it’s the CFP-exclusive model or a team-specific design—is automatically entered into the AXIA Time College Football Playoff National Championship Weekend Sweepstakes. The winner will receive two tickets to the 2026 National Championship and join Team AXIA at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, plus a $1,000 gift card and a reservation at an official host hotel. The drawing will be held on January 10, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET on AXIA’s Instagram Live. No purchase is necessary to enter, and full details can be found on axiatime.com.
When your sports-loving friend inevitably asks which team-themed watches are actually worth a look, AXIA Time stands out for clear, tangible reasons. The brand produces officially licensed, Swiss-made designs for every College Football Playoff team and many more official athletic organizations, offers both quartz and automatic options, and incorporates thoughtful details like team colorways, official logos, and custom engravings. But beyond that, their aim is to create timepieces built to commemorate specific moments of achievement or fandom—rather than serve as generic fan merchandise—making them a solid consideration for anyone seeking a team-themed watch with a higher level of craftsmanship and purpose behind it.
Ultra-limited, Swiss Made commemorative designs honor Indiana University's first Heisman Trophy Winner
WARREN, N.J., Dec. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AXIA Time (AXIA), creator of heirloom-quality, Swiss Made timepieces that honor life's defining achievements, today announced an exclusive partnership with 2025 Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza to launch a special edition commemorating Indiana University's first-ever Heisman Trophy winner. Produced in ultra-limited quantities, the collection celebrates a historic moment in Indiana football history and the journey that led to it.
The Fernando Mendoza Heisman Trophy Timepiece collection includes two ultra-custom designs: the Titanium 5 DIASIMOS, the model worn by Mendoza when he won the Heisman Trophy, and the 316L stainless steel ARGOS, created for fans to commemorate this historic milestone. The Fernando Mendoza Heisman Trophy Timepieces are available for purchase now in limited quantities per design. For more information or to purchase, visit www.axiatime.com/mendoza.
"At AXIA Time, we believe the most meaningful moments aren't just about the achievement itself, but also about the people, places, and belief that carried you there," said John Kanaras, founder and CEO of AXIA Time. "It's an honor to partner with Fernando Mendoza to preserve a moment that means so much to him, to Indiana University, and to generations of Hoosiers. This celebration is exactly what AXIA Time was created to do: Mark life's defining achievements and keep them close."
The Fernando Mendoza Heisman Trophy Timepiece collection includes two ultra-custom designs: the Titanium 5 DIASIMOS, the model worn by Mendoza when he won the Heisman Trophy, and the 316L stainless steel ARGOS, created for fans to commemorate this historic milestone.
Both designs feature deeply intentional elements that reflect Mendoza's personal journey. At the 12 o'clock position on the dial, the Indiana trident appears, and is complemented with the Heisman wordmark at 6 o'clock. The engraved rehaut (inner rim of the case) features Mendoza's engraved name. At 3 o'clock, the engraved coordinates mark the start of his football journey in Miami; at 6 o'clock, the coordinates reference Berkeley, where he began his collegiate career; and the 9 o'clock, coordinates honor Bloomington, where his journey culminated in a Heisman Trophy. The watch rotor showcases the Cuban flag to commemorate Mendoza's family heritage.
Additional design details further reinforce the symbolism of the achievement. A repeating football pattern across the dial represents the teammates, coaches, family members, and fans who supported Mendoza along his journey. Each watch features a bronze-toned dial inspired by the Heisman Trophy itself, and the DIASIMOS features a square-grain alligator leather strap referencing the historic padding used in football helmets and worn by the iconic Heisman figure.
To complete the commemorative experience, limited-edition autographed custom box sets are available that include a signed display box and a premium autographed football. The DIASIMOS box set will be limited to 25 pieces and will retail for $3095. The ARGOS box set will be limited to 75 pieces and will retail for $1795. All purchases also include a complimentary Horn Legend vest, officially branded with both the Indiana University and Heisman Trophy logos, which will ship in advance of the limited-edition watches.
The Fernando Mendoza Heisman Trophy Timepieces are available for purchase now in limited quantities per design. For more information or to purchase, visit www.axiatime.com/mendoza.
About AXIA TimeAXIA Time creates heirloom-quality, custom timepieces that honor life's defining achievements. Guided by axia (value), philotimo (integrity and doing right by others), and the spirit of Ithaka (finding meaning in the journey), AXIA Time designs watches meant to be worn, cherished, and passed down. Every piece is crafted with Swiss Made movements, premium materials, and meticulous attention to detail, reflecting a commitment to quality, care, and personal service. From universities and championship teams to service organizations and individuals marking once-in-a-lifetime moments, AXIA Time builds watches that capture a story and keep it close. AXIA Time. Made for the Moment. Built for Forever.
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