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WATCH AFICIONADO
Brought to you direct from the heart of the Swiss watchmaking industry
Special Web Edition USA & CANADA VOL.47 N掳01 FEB./MARCH 2011
A WEEK IN GENEVA Watches for real men 路 Time for the girls 路 Retailers in the digital era www.europastar.com
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EUROPA STAR WEB SPECIAL
WATCH AFICIONADO
Maximum minimalism EDITORIAL
R Pierre M. Maillard Editor-in-Chief Europa Star
Since time is in the form of a spiral, meaning that it always returns upon its x-axis but not on its y-axis (or the opposite, if you like), we always return to the same trends even if they are a bit different every time. The ultra-thin movement, since we are talking about it, of 2011 is not exactly the same as the ultra-
cial community that started the crisis with activities that were closer to casino gambling than healthy financial management, but they evolved in a larger universe that permitted all this, that pushed them into this. In its own way, watchmaking is a good mirror of society. Larger, more extravagant, more visible, heavier, and more expensive were the words of the day that everyone, not only the bankers, more or less followed. But watchmakers, seeing the land beneath their feet suddenly falling away, changed direction. And, like a single individual, they decreed that the times of excess were over, that it was necessary to Source: wlppr.com
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‘The minimalism superhero’
thin calibre of the 1960s of the last century. Just try, for example, to return exactly into your footprints left in the snow or in the sand… Based on the expression of the architect, Mies van der Rohe, that “less is more,” the artistic minimalism of the 1960s seemed to be a reaction against subjectivity, against emotional overload, against the ornamentation that prevailed up to then. We might also say, history repeating itself, that today’s new watchmaking minimalism is a reaction against the stylistic overload and the ornamental and mechanical excesses of the preceding years. With too much excess killing excess, we are now returning to an era of much greater simplicity, like a person who is sickened by the sight of food after a very rich meal. In analyzing this return to stylistic frugality, there have been many reasons, if not explanations, beginning with the ‘crisis’. Watchmakers, however, have nearly always evoked this crisis as if it had nothing to do with them, as if it was merely a fatality that fell upon them without warning. This is faulty reasoning, in our opinion, because watchmaking, like many other sectors, has nourished the terrain of the crisis with its excesses. Clearly, it was the finan-
return to more measured thinking. They thus turned, in unison, to what they imagined to be their new savoir—after the maximalist era, long live minimalism. The creation of new collections is measured in many months, and in this case, they all reached maturity at the same time, more than two years after the initial direction change. But the simultaneous flood of propositions involving three hands and small seconds also sends a cloudy message. If we in the watch community know who has true legitimacy in the thin movement and who does not, if we know who has worked steadily and consistently and who is merely being opportunistic, the public at large understands this to a much less degree. To maximize the minimalist offer, we again run the same risks. Those who are on a diet of bread and water for so long will, in turn, become sick of it all, and thus will want to order a copious meal. But while waiting for the next change of direction, which should not be long in coming, let us slowly savour our pleasure in the frugal offerings, made of a pure product, one devoid of sophisticated sauces and other garnishing. And, between us, what is more beautiful than a watch in its most simple form?
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WITH PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT FROM
NEW YORK'S FIRST LUXURY WATCHMAKING FAIR
AN EVENT CREATED BY EDITIONS TEMPS INTERNATIONAL editions@temps-international.com.
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www.europastar.com Europa Star WORLDWATCHWEB
SPORTING WOOD by Ralph Lauren The Ralph Lauren Sporting watch with wood dial, recalls the refined interior of Ralph Lauren’s personal 1938 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe. This timepiece features a stainless steel case with a warmly handsome dial in rich loupe d’orme or elm burlwood–in honor of the car’s iconic wooden dashboard and trim detail. The Ralph Lauren Sporting is equipped with a manual winding mechanical movement–caliber RL98295 made by IWC for Ralph Lauren– featuring a power reserve of 45 hours and a frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour. www.ralphlaurenwatches.com
All the watch information you will ever need to be best informed; what’s happening in the watch making world; who’s making it; the Swiss and international news and developments; special features and reports on global brands and markets. It’s all here – daily :
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Maximum minimalism Ralph Lauren: Staying the course and broadening the offering Classical offensive and retreat of the UFOs Time for the girls Watches for real men WORLDWATCHWEB Retailers in the digital era SPOTLIGHTS Today’s Spark Tomorrow’s Sparkle Ice-Watch® The King of Cool Post-80s artists sponsored by TITONI Ltd. return to China SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS Jaeger-LeCoultre – Reverso The High-Precision Path from Icon to Cult-Object The SeptagraphTM by BorgeauD
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MANUFACTURING The Swiss watch planet in movement Part 3 MECHANICAL GALLERY Harry Winston, Pequignet, Corum, Chopard, Moritz Grossmann, Zenith SIHH PREVIEW Vacheron Constantin takes its Quai de l’Ile to a new level Parmigiani takes on the classics Montblanc honours the chronograph JeanRichard goes deep with the Diverscope Girard Perregaux stays classy with small seconds SIHH GALLERY Baume & Mercier, Cartier, Greubel Forsey, Panerai CASE STUDY MB&F, the strategy of bachelor machines GENEVA SHOWS GALLERY Laurent Ferrier, Louis Erard, Panerai, Zeitwinkel, Ali Zandidoust, Bovet, DeLaneau, Peter Tanisman, BRM, Bulova, Marvin, Tempvs Compvtare, Badollet, Catorex, Pierre DeRoche, Ritmo Mundo, Artya, Hautlence, Rebellion, Valbray BEHIND THE SCENES Exotic straps could turn around and bite you RETAILER PROFILE Panama’s La Hora-Alta Relojeria LETTER FROM PARIS The suburbanites love their watches WORLDWATCHWEB® Understanding China’s clientele of luxury watches online
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Century – elegant, resistant and transparent Titoni, China from the inside Rodolphe – What’s in a name? Postcard from Glashütte Simonetta Orsini – Time in Buenos Aires Comeuppance time down south
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RUE R OYALE Collection CALIBRE ROYAL
featuring multiple integrated complications. Fully designed and built in Pequignet’s Haute Horlogerie laboratory. This unique 13 ¾ Calibre, with a maximum thickness of just 5.88 mm, houses all complications on its original main plate: Double Large Day and Date Windows, 88-hour Power Reserve Indicator, Large Moon Phase and dual direction automatic winding system. 21,600 oscillations/hour (3 Hz). Initial force distribution by a central large barrel axis. High-inertia large balance with compensating screws. These features create an exceptionally accurate and reliable timepiece. This masterpiece of watchmaking innovation and technology represents Plato’s “Beauty is the splendour of the truth”, when the multiple complications of Haute Horlogerie combine in perfect symmetry and elegance. Tel. +33 (0)3 81 67 30 66 - Contact : patleibundgut@pequignet.com www.pequignet.com
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EUROPA STAR WEB SPECIAL – COVER STORY
RALPH LAUREN: STAYING THE COURSE AND BROADENING THE OFFERING alph Lauren watches are mandated to be classic, traditional, high quality timepieces with an uncompromising attention to detail. A fashion icon, Lauren was determined to make a watch brand of which he could be proud, and Ralph Lauren watches are designed to appeal to the sensibilities of America’s most famous arbiter of taste and style.
R
From the beginning, Ralph Lauren Watches & Jewelry has had a clear vision about its direction and with this year's SIHH novelties the brand is demonstrating that it is successfully on track.
Brief history In 2009, Ralph Lauren Watches debuted at the SIHH, with its three core collections, the iconic Stirrup, the elegant Slim Classique and the more casual Sporting, using some of the best movements in the entire Richemont Group. Last year, as the brand was entering the Asian market, Ralph Lauren Watches deepened its offering with diamond pieces and some smaller versions in each collection. “When you are a newcomer, you need to build credibility,” explains Guy Châtillon, CEO of Ralph Lauren Watch & Jewelry Co. “Our objective is to build a strong foundation with these three collections. This doesn’t mean that we aren’t going to be working on new products, but for the time being it’s line extensions, not new collections. We are using the best manufacture movements and prestigious materials. Over time, our coherent and consistent approach will help us build credibility and legitimacy in the industry.” Ralph Lauren watches certainly feature iconic styling with great movements and they are perfectly positioned for the times, with classic, traditional designs and high quality. This year at the SIHH, Ralph Lauren Watches has continued to focus on its three collections, introducing interesting new shapes, materials and designs to broaden its offering, both at the lower and higher ends of the price spectrum. –8–
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EUROPA STAR WEB SPECIAL – COVER STORY
SPORTING 45MM CHRONOGRAPH
SLIM CLASSIQUE SQUARE WATCH
New for 2011 Ralph Lauren has broadened its offerings for 2011, introducing a new square case shape in the Slim Classique line, three new Sporting watches, one inspired by Ralph Lauren’s classic car collection, a chronograph reinforcing the brand's sophisticated sporty style with elegant guilloche
craftsmanship on the dial and bezel, and another chronograph in striking black ceramic, and new steel versions of the Stirrup, lowering the entry price to Ralph Lauren Watches. The most intriguing new watch is the Sporting with a wood dial, directly inspired by the interior of Lauren’s model 1938 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe. The dial uses loupe d’orme – or elm burl wood – to echo the Bugatti‘s iconic wooden dashboard and trim detail. The black calf leather strap is meant to be evocative of the black leather seating in this incredible car. This watch is powered by calibre RL98295, a hand wound mechanical movement made by IWC for Ralph Lauren (45-hour power reserve). “We wanted to reinforce the Ralph Lauren touch – this is the first watch inspired by his vintage car collection,” Châtillon details.
“We used Arabic numerals to match the car’s counters and an elm burl wood dial on the car’s dashboard.” The other new Sporting edition is the 45mm chronograph in black ceramic, a first for Ralph Lauren Watches. The chronograph’s case and bracelet are ceramic zirconia, a high-tech material used in such demanding and industrial applications as jet engines, and the ceramic features a silky mat finish. The result is a bold watch with black on black styling (except for the white markers and a red chronograph second hand) that is nearly scratchproof and extremely light weight that makes it as comfortable as it is resilient. The movement is the calibre RL750, made by Jaeger-LeCoultre for Ralph Lauren, with a 48 hour power reserve and a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour. This timepiece is also available in a 39mm version,
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with the centre chronograph hand in classic white. “We looked at industries where strength, robustness, attention to detail, quality and longevity were important,” Châtillon says. “We looked at aeronautics, sailing, medical, cars and we discovered ceramic zirconia, used in the aeronautical and medical industries. You can work with a high level of detail and precision with this material. This new Sporting Chronograph is full of ceramic except for the screws and the buckle. It is really a material that has strength, resistance and longevity.” The Slim Classique Square Watch is the first square watch in the Ralph Lauren collection. Inspired by the grand era of Art Deco style, the dial mixes Roman and Arabic numerals to great effect. Thin and classic, the Slim Classique Square uses calibre RL430, made by Piaget for Ralph Lauren, with a 40-hour
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EUROPA STAR WEB SPECIAL – COVER STORY
ers on the gold watches. The steel models are presented on calf leather straps with pin buckles whereas the gold models are on alligator straps with folding clasps. The large steel model features the automatic, chronograph calibre RL750, made by Jaeger-LeCoultre for Ralph Lauren, while the medium steel model is powered by the automatic calibre RL514, made by Piaget for Ralph Lauren, with a 40 hour power reserve.
Staying Ralph Lauren The brand is keen to maintain the unique aesthetic of Ralph Lauren while continuing to offer high quality, attention to detail and incredible craftsmanship. “Breaking the rules and introducing new materials helps create a distinct Ralph Lauren identity,” Châtillon details. “We wanted to widen the collection, with 50 different models in three collections, for different customers preferences.
SLIM CLASSIQUE SQUARE WATCH
power reserve. This watch is available in rose gold or white gold, including a white gold guilloché version that continues Ralph Lauren’s devotion to the fine art of guilloché craftsmanship (and featured on the original, round Slim Classique). “We wanted to introduce a square watch, while keeping the timelessness and the thinness of this collection,” Châtillon recalls. “It had to be in rose or white gold, and we wanted a unisex watch. The resulting watch, the Slim Classique Square, sized at 27.5mm, strengthens what makes Ralph Lauren unique – modernity and timelessness. We used a Piaget movement, so the watch would be very thin. “I think the Square is very well balanced, with a unique design in line with the Ralph Lauren DNA, while breaking the rules in a good way,” Châtillon continues. “We wanted an eclectic, Art Deco look on the dial and came up with the idea of doing Arabic and Roman numerals.” In the Stirrup collection, Ralph Lauren introduces a large and medium size in stainless
steel, for the first time. To make it easy to see which versions are steel, several design adaptations were made. For example, the steel versions use open minute markers on the dial versus the railroad-track style mark-
“The key words that describe Ralph Lauren watches are qualitative, authentic and distinctive,” he continues. “The unique aesthetic of Ralph Lauren is present throughout the collection. We have reinforced the style and soul of Ralph Lauren with the new watches.”
STIRRUP
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In addition to the above, Ralph Lauren introduced a high jewellery Stirrup, a timepiece that combines jewellery and watches. This watch was introduced when Ralph Lauren debuted its new jewellery collection. This version of the Stirrup features 1500 diamonds, in 12 different sizes, for a total of nearly 25 carats.
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WORLDWATCHWEB
EUROPA STAR WEB SPECIAL
RETAILERS IN THE DIGITAL ERA
CLASSICAL OFFENSIVE AND RETREAT OF THE UFOS
Like the brands that promote and sell watches, most retailers also have a place in cyberspace. This digital presence reflects the inevitable evolution in the behaviour of watch buyers and, as a consequence, that of retailers. The Internet plays an increasingly important role today in the purchase of a watch. As Danny Govberg, President of Govberg Jewelers, stated in the 2010 edition of the WorldWatchReport study, edited by IC-Agency, “more than 70 per cent of clients do research online before coming through the doors of our store.” Generally, potential buyers begin by clicking on a search engine, where they type in the name of the brand, the collection, or the model
Photo: Hamilton & Inches
they are considering for purchase. The searches will lead them to the brand’s official site, where they can consult detailed descriptions and photos of each product of interest. Many watch aficionados, however, will be tempted to purchase their dream timepiece each time they turn the page of a catalogue. To narrow down their search, they will look at the price of the models as a more rational criteria of choice. Yet, unfortunately for them, the great majority of official sites don’t list the prices of their watches.
Desperately seeking prices The buyer will then click on the ‘Store Locator’ section of the official watch site, looking for stores that are near to him. He will then contact the store to Continued on page13
t a very opportune time, the 17th of January, at the very same moment the SIHH was opening its doors and the first guests were lining up to pass through the mandatory electronic security detectors, Richemont published its numbers for the last quarter of 2010. Verdict: sales were up 23 per cent at a constant exchange rate (33 per cent in local currencies), providing a turnover of €2.107 billion. In the stands that bordered the vast hallways of the Salon, the CEOs rubbed their hands together while waiting for their regular customers. The ‘elements of their communication language’ had been carefully chosen and the collections they were about to reveal bore witness to this strict selection: ‘rigour, classicism and thinness’ would be the key words this year. But for those diehard macho fans of the ‘Hummers’ of the wrist or those amorous of bling bling, they need not worry. There will always be something for everyone and, despite this neo-classic offensive, they will have no trouble finding, here or there, what they require to adorn their substantial wrists (on this subject, see the article Watches For Real Men by Keith Strandberg in this issue). If they didn’t find what they wanted among the 19 exhibitors at the SIHH, they could always slide into one of the limousines that were already warming up their engines in the adjacent hallways, waiting to take visi-
A
tors to private suites in a number of hotels along the lakeside or to the GTE, a show for independent brands. Paradoxically, in spite of the efforts made by the SIHH, external exhibitions have taken on greater and greater importance each year. Around this grand flagship, increasing numbers of brands—and not the least significant among them—gather to showcase their wares. The Swatch Group was quite present this year and inaugurated two exhibitions—Jaquet-Droz and Breguet—with a world first, the Type XXII ticking at 10Hz, or 72,000 vibrations per hour. LVMH also came out in force with TAG Heuer where they showcased, along with fabulous race cars, another world first—the TAG Heuer Carrera Mikrograph, a column-wheel chronograph displaying 100th of a second. Zenith, in full renaissance, held its exhibition at the Kempinski Hotel, while Hublot made a big splash at the Métropole Hotel on the other side of the lake. The Franck Muller group organized its ritual ‘World Presentation of Haute Horlogerie’ at its site in Genthod near Geneva. A number of powerful independent brands also took place, including Corum, which took advantage of the occasion to reveal the coherence of its new collections (see our next issue). In addition, all of the Genevabased brands, in a more discreet manner, invited the most influential retailers to their headquarters. We also must mention the luxury niche watchmakers that exhibited
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along the lakeside, such as De Bethune, Christophe Claret, Jean Dunand, Urwerk, Bovet, Antoine Preziuso, DeLaneau and deLaCour, to cite only a few of the more than 100 brands present during this hectic week in Geneva. Given all this outside activity, the SIHH tried to eliminate or at least contain as far as possible this potential loss of visitors and capital. This year, the Salon was much stricter in the selection of its invited guests and the rules were more clearly defined and communicated to the interested parties—quite understandable since it was the SIHH brands that paid the plane tickets, hotel rooms and nights on the town for their guests.
The importance of consistency Let’s visit, first of all, the corridors of the SIHH (even if, as residents of Geneva, the journalists at Europa Star owe nothing to anyone and are thus perfectly free in their movements). We noted from the beginning that the key word of neoclassicism was followed to the letter at the Salon and that a strict low-calorie diet was energetically enforced, everywhere. Sizes had been reduced, the excess trappings had melted away and the faces had been cleaned up. But, in this exercise of generalized fitness, those brands that have always been fit are the ones that did better. In this category, the uncontested prize went to Piaget, which saw itself rewarded for never having deviated from its line, for always remaining faithful to its genes—in other words, for being thin and elegant. “The ultra-flat is our religion,” affirmed the brand’s CEO Philippe Léopold-Metzger, who was happy to note that it was not the brand that needed to follow the trend but rather that the trend caught up to it. (...) Full report on www.europastar.com
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WATCHES FOR REAL MEN watches. Our Academia line is a very Dewitt line, big, bold and strongly styled.” Franck Muller was one of the first brands to capitalize on the larger watch trend. “Franck Muller watches have always been about design,” says Ron Jackson, President, Franck Muller North America. “We are succeeding with design watches. We’re not doing well because we have big watches, we are succeeding because we have design watches that feature great shapes and interesting complications.”
find the cost of that special timekeeper that fills his dreams since he discovered it on the web. With increasing frequency, retailers are receiving emails from prospective buyers inquiring about the prices of the models they sell. The price is obviously not the only concern of the online buyer. He will also consult various blogs and chat rooms, such as Timezone, where watch aficionados share their experiences and offer lots of informed advice to the buyer, whose heart waivers between two complications.
BIG FUTURE THE LEGACY by Audemars Piguet – Ø 48mm
s a result of the economic crisis, many watch brands have revisited their collections and refocused on traditional values – elegant, timeless, traditional timepieces that are thinner and smaller. However, that doesn’t mean that big watches are depassé. In fact, big watches are alive and well and selling strongly – as long as they are big for a reason.
A
BIG FOR A REASON The bigger watches that are succeeding are big for a reason – sports watches with great features, watches with incredible complications or watches with high water resistance, for example. Audemars Piguet introduced the new Royal Oak Offshore dedicated to Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Legacy (48mm). “A brand has to stick to its values and to what it believes in,” explains Octavia Garcia, Designer, Audemars Piguet. “We’ve been established in big watches since 1992 with the Royal Oak Offshore. It’s always been part of the way we develop things. It’s not about what’s in and what’s not, it’s about who we are. And these are still selling. “The Legacy is really a powerful watch,” Garcia continues. “The basis of this piece is the T3. We have been playing around with ceramics and we thought this piece was
TWENTY-8-EIGHT REGULATOR by DeWitt – Ø 46mm
appropriate for a full ceramic body, as it’s light but really robust. We wanted it to be finished like our steel pieces, which are polished and sandblasted, but ceramic is seven times harder than steel, so it was a real challenge.” DeWitt has seen no downturn in interest in bolder timepieces. “The very, very large and heavy-in-look watches are of less interest, because they were like prototypes almost,” acknowledges Jerome de Witt of DeWitt. “We can’t continue to make watches that are too large. Our 46mm watch isn’t too large, they are still in very high demand. People have not stopped buying these
Big watches are not dead, in fact, they are still selling strongly. Today’s normal sized watches, 42mm – 45mm, would have been considered oversized ten years ago. Sure, the 50+mm watches are losing steam, but large, impressive, bold watches are still quite popular. “Being a global brand, successful across the world, it’s logical that TAG Heuer needs both large and small watches,” says JeanChristophe Babin, President, and CEO, TAG Heuer. “44mm is our biggest watch. We never went to 48mm because it’s not serious. We have a duty to be timeless and a 48mm timepiece will never be an every day watch.” (...) Full report on www.europastar.com
Photo: Wempe
The recommendations offered on these communal sites can also influence the choice of retailer and make or break a store’s reputation. The buying experience, whether abominable or excellent, may become the subject of conversations in focused chat rooms and may even end up on sites such as Yelp or various social networks, depending on the location of its members, such as Foursquare. This results in a public evaluation of the quality of the welcome and the service offered by the retailer.
Internet, the best enemy of the retailer?
GIGA TOURBILLON by Franck Muller – 41.40 x 34.40mm
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AQUARACER 500M by TAG Heuer – Ø 43mm
Armed with all the information and opinions that he could glean online, the buyer that crosses the threshold of a retail store is often better informed than he was in the past. He is also more demanding in terms of quality of service and the advice he expects from the salesperson. His better understanding of the products also gives him the advantage of being in a better position to negotiate the price. Continued on page14
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TIME FOR THE GIRLS Photo: Wempe
Sometimes, the watch purchaser goes to a store only when he cannot do something online such as touching the product, holding it in his hand, comparing it to other products, and trying it on. Then, he will return to the Internet to buy it for a better price or better conditions. For retailers, then, the competition may come directly from those brands that sell online directly to the final consumer. Confronted with the changes in behaviour of their clientele, retailers must adapt. They must develop new types of services with added value. The Internet can, in fact, help them to do this.
Cyberspace, the land of opportunity for retailers Most retailers today have a website, where they generally present photos of their store, its location, the list of brands they sell, and their contact information. These elements are still not, however, enough to guarantee the necessary visibility on the Internet to meet the expectations of their clientele. The website is an ideal platform to promote various types of services, such as having the prospective purchaser make an appointment with a salesperson, chatting with the buyer online, signing up potential clients for exclusive store events, and listing guarantee information and after-sales service benefits. Maier, a retailer located in Lyon, France, carries several brands including Baume & Mercier, Blancpain, Omega, Rolex, and IWC. On their website, they display the prices of watches and offer the buyer the possibility of ordering certain models online. (...) Full article on www.europastar.com
tion, is the Rotonde de Cartier Polar Bear. This enamelled timepiece is created using plique à jour paillonné enamel. The technique dates back to the 14th century and is a complex process that results in a stained glass window effect (For enamel techniques see The witchcraft of watch craft on www.europastar.com). White gold stars, called paillons, are also applied to the enamel to create a starry night sky effect.
adies’ timepieces were certainly not forgotten this year as brands at the SIHH, the GTE and those presenting in the suites of the Geneva hotels presented some exquisite ladies’ timepieces, exclusively and unconditionally designed for women. New designs, creative concepts, magical mechanics and experimental techniques were all called upon to seduce the female client who has never had such a large choice of fine timepieces.
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A voyage with Van Cleef & Arpels
METIERS D’ARTS One of the most delightful trends currently sweeping the watch industry is the revival of traditional watch crafts. Enamelling, gemsetting, engraving, wood marquetry, the use of semi-precious stones and more have returned to modern day watchmaking after a long intermission. This return to the arts follows the general tendency towards traditional watchmaking. It started over a decade ago with the rebirth of the mechanical watch, and has now embraced a multitude of historical watchmaking crafts whose techniques came very close to disappearing forever. Jewellery brands are perhaps the best qualified for artisanal work in their watchmaking workshops thanks to their expertise in a variety of different crafts. Cartier is one such brand that has been developing its artistic timepiece collections that they call their Métiers d’arts collections. This year Cartier presented a menagerie of animals using a variety of new and traditional techniques.
ROTONDE POLAR BEAR by Cartier
with 1,167 pieces of stone measuring only 0.75mm square and 0.4mm thick. Onyx, tiger’s eye, falcon’s eye, yellow Pietersite, carnelian, yellow jasper, palm jasper, Kalahari jasper, yellow agate, moss agate, coral and mother-of-pearl are delicately cut and positioned to give the turtle its colour, shape and form. All the stones are fixed and cemented to ensure an even surface, a process that takes over 60 hours to complete. Another artistic piece in Cartier’s collection this year, and that definitely deserves a men-
Cartier’s menagerie There are six different timepieces in this new collection that not only continue these artistic crafts, but reinvent them in totally new ways. One of the most stunning examples of this is the Rotonde de Cartier Turtle whose dial is created as a miniature mosaic
EXTRAORDINARY DIALS by Van Cleef & Arpels
Van Cleef & Arpels presented another anthology of Poetic Complications and Extraordinary Dials this year with a number of collections dedicated to the author and adventurer Jules Vernes. Jules Gabriel Verne was born in France in 1828 and is often referred to as the father of science fiction. His most famous novels include Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, A Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Around the World in Eighty Days. Verne’s tales relate the wonders of space, air and underwater travel even before the invention of the airplane or the submarine. Verne’s adventures gave Van Cleef & Arpels’s designers strong themes for inspiration. “We take something, a book, a place, a work of art, and see how we can translate it into watches and jewellery,” notes Nicolas Bos, Van Cleef & Arpels’s Vice President and Director of Creations. “Plato, Shakespeare and Jules Verne are all storytellers…we continue their stories in new directions,” he explains. The stories that the brand has chosen to continue take the watch lover to the South Pole, through the jungle and across the planes of Africa using a variety of artistic crafts that bring each timepiece to life. (...) Full report on www.europastar.com
www.europastar.com is brought to you by Europa Star HBM SA, 25 route des Acacias, 1227 Carouge, Geneva Switzerland For full information on Europa Star click on www.europastar.com ABOUT US and CONTACT US
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The King of Cool THE WATCHES ICE-WATCH® ARE LIVING THE HIGHLIFE WITH SALES THAT HAVE BEATEN ALL RECORDS AND FANS THAT INCLUDE THE FAMOUS BLACK EYED PEAS. BUT ALL THE ATTENTION HASN’T GONE TO THEIR HEADS AS THEY TAKE TIME OUT TO THINK ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND CHILDREN IN NEED.
Make-A-Wish®
The Black Eyed Peas Six-time Grammy award-winning, multi-platinum recording artists, The Black Eyed Peas have announced that they will release a brand-new album, entitled The Beginning, on November 30th, 2010, on Interscope Records. The Black Eyed Peas’ sixth album, The Beginning is the follow-up to the group’s blockbuster CD The E.N.D. Released in June 2009, The E.N.D. has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide, while spending 52 weeks on the Billboard Top 200 chart. The Black Eyed Peas have shot a video for “The Time (Dirty Bit),” first extract of the new album, with director Rich Lee, who also directed the Peas’ “Imma Be Rocking That Body” video, as well as clips for Eminem, The All-American Rejects, Fergie and the Pussycat Dolls. The watches Ice-Watch® collaborated with the superstar group «The Black Eyed Peas» by placing a watch “Sili White” in the new music video of the group. The Black Eyed Peas are massive global pop stars whose music can be heard in any country around the world. Their unique combination of electro rhythms, dance, soul, funk and hip hop has won them legions of fans worldwide and has seduced Mr. Jean-Pierre Lutgen.
The watches Ice-Watch® have joined the many Make-A-Wish® contributors who make seriously ill children’s wishes come true around the world. To achieve this, the watches Ice-Watch® have joined the Belgian initiative of Make-A-Wish South Belgium with a real desire to participate also in the global effort to obtain donations to help children around the world by creating a watch MAKE-A-WISH® by Ice-Watch® with the full price of 99 € being dedicated to the association. Your donation to Make-A-WISH® will make a difference and support the watches Ice-Watch® in their global efforts at www.makeawishsud.be
We Forest The watches Ice-Watch® make their contribution to reforestation in Ethiopa with WeForest®. The name “Ice-Watch®” itself demonstrates the concern of Mr. Jean-Pierre Lutgen about unseasonal ice-melting and in particular its concern for the preservation of the environment. With this in mind, the watches Ice-Watch® have joined together with the many other donors throughout the world of the international association WeForest® which is committed to slowing down climate change. The watches Ice-Watch® have chosen to make their contribution in Ethiopia, with an investment in the immediate planting of 10,000 trees. If you would also like to take part in this movement and become a part of the watches Ice-Watch®’s gesture, all you have to do is buy an Ice-Watch® WeForest® watch at a price of €99 from the website www.weforest.org. All proceeds from the sale go directly to the Association.
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THE SIMPLICITY OF INNOVATION. LUMINOR MARINA 1950 3 DAYS AUTOMATIC Automatic mechanical movement P.9000 calibre, two spring barrels, 3-day power reserve. Water-resistance 300 metres. Steel case 44 mm Ă˜. Steel buckle.
www.panerai.com
Available exclusively at Panerai boutiques and select authorized watch specialists.
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