PITTSBURGH -- They’re Pittsburgh’s version of perfect strangers – a German watchmaker and 337 pound offensive lineman.

But Mike Kobold and Steelers offensive tackle Max Starks have become fast friends over their love for watches worn by former President Bill Clinton and Soprano’s star James Gandolfini.

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“Max had come to look for a new watch and I made one for him called the SEAL -- our biggest watch at the time -- because he is a big guy, and he had to wear a big watch,” said Kobold.

Starks said the SEAL was the first major watch he bought since entering the NFL in 2004.

Kobold said Starks bought the watch just a few games before the team won Super Bowl XL against the Seattle Seahawks in Detroit.

Kobold said that if the team won, he would make a custom watch named after Starks.

“He won, so he called me right from the field and said, ‘Did you see me run for my watch?”” said Kobold.

Starks has the prototype for the watch, but decided he needed another one – perhaps for good luck before the Steelers’ divisional round matchup against the San Diego Chargers last week.

“I bought another one, so now we’re in the AFC Championship game. Not to call it superstition, but it’s funny how things work and Mike is a really good friend of mine,” said Starks.

The new watch design is called, “The Spirit of America,” with another Pittsburgh connection -- native Burton Morris hand-painted limited editions of it.

Kobold, 29, started making watches as a freshman project at Carnegie Mellon University.

“I wanted to have an American watch company. It was always my dream to make American watches. I love Pittsburgh, so I stayed,” said Kobold.

In a city known for its steel history and passion for sports, Starks was surprised to find a watchmaker as talented as Kobold.

“There are just so many things you don’t know about this city. I would never have picked Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as a place that would produce wonderful watches, let alone by a little German guy,” Starks said.

Kobold will miss Sunday’s game because he will be training with Navy SEALs for a climb of Mount Everest in April, but he will be in attendance at Super Bowl XLIII.

As for Starks, he said he has a surprise planned for his newfound friend after Sunday’s game.