IT may only be February, but the nation’s leading footballers were already making good time at the official partnership announcement of the AFL’s new timekeeper, Swiss watchmaker Tissot, on Tuesday evening in Melbourne.

The big guns were blazing just 23 days out from the start of the season – Judd, Bartel, Goodes, Hodge, Thomas and Ball - on the red carpet at Docklands for the launch of the AFL's latest sponsor.

Brownlow Medallists Jimmy Bartel, Adam Goodes and Chris Judd were announced as ambassadors for globally-respected watchmaker, Tissot and each of the trio was presented with an AFL official Tissot watch during the lavish social event at Sketch at Central Pier.

Judd was thrilled with his new timepiece, which he proudly sported throughout the formalities, and he said a few of his teammates at the Blues could do with something similar.

"The O'hAilpins don't have much of a sense of urgency about them, they could definitely do with one of these beautiful watches," the 24-year-old said, referring to Carlton's Irish brothers Setanta and Aisake O'hAilpin.

Judd was joined by other big-timers and their partners including Luke Hodge, Dale Thomas, Luke Ball, Adam McPhee, Brodie Holland, Lenny Hayes, Shane Crawford, Brad Miller, Matt Maguire and fellow Saint Nick Riewoldt.

The St Kilda champ attended with girlfriend Stephanie McIntosh, formerly of Neighbours and now a globetrotting entertainer, and she said the new watches both were wearing might help Riewoldt track her down.

"It might help Nick know which time zone I'm in," she said.

"Hopefully now he'll know what time to ring me now."

Earlier on Tuesday, AFL general manager of football operations Adrian Anderson announced Tissot as the official timekeeper of the AFL for the next three years.

The partnership also includes exclusive rights to be the official watch of the AFL.

Tissot has a long history of sports timekeeping globally as official timekeepers of NASCAR, MotoGP, cycling, ice hockey and fencing.