Above: Buben & Zorweg products on sale at the Sparkle Roll Luxury World Showroom in Chaoyang District, Beijing
The Object of Time One-77 model, named after an Aston Martin, no less.
You’ve got the expensive watch collection, but where do you keep your horological treasures? Look no further than Buben & Zorweg’s stunningly crafted watch safes, which are also winders and even house iPod docks. Burglar-proof mini palaces for your timepieces, these are every serious watch collector’s dream Text by Chris Anderson
ronically, $155,000 (Dh570,000) is the amount you might want to keep in a safe, rather than spend on one. But if you happen to have a very expensive watch collection, and you’re still feeling flush after acquiring it, then this sum could get you one of Buben & Zorweg’s luxury Magnum watch safes – although unless you spend more, you will still be looking at the entry model. But the good thing is, these are no ordinary dull, grey metallic boxes, and are as exquisite as the watches contained within, using the finest materials and packed with useful modern features, making them desirable pieces of furniture and likely to be put on show, yet still safely securing their precious cargo.
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The Magnum example mentioned is just one model currently on offer, built from hand-polished stainless steel, coated in a highgloss anthracite metallic lacquer, with a black velour interior and finishing touches made from bull leather. Any watch would be proud to call this home, placed inside one of the sliding drawers and hooked up to Buben & Zorweg’s Time Mover watch-winding technology. The price will vary depending on how many models this needs to accommodate, or if you choose the optional hi-fi system with an iPod dock. It may seem elaborate, but there are other versions that raise the bar further, adding Bluetooth functionality, remotecontrol lighting and an electronic humidifying system to the mix. “Certainly, we at Buben & Zorweg share the drive to break new ground, and we love to develop objects that nobody has seen before,” says co-founder Christian Zorweg. “When speaking to our customers and listening to their needs and thoughts, we’ve seen a huge potential in the luxury safe sector. Security is becoming more important for the consumer, and it fits perfectly with our strategy to create unique and multifunctional objects for the artistic enhancement of any living ambience. This is why we started creating safes in 2008.” Christian, who is managing director of the company, is responsible mainly for product design, working with his own department. He launched the brand in Germany with his childhood friend, Harald Buben, its president and CEO, back in 1995. The two initially made packaging for other watch and jewellery companies, but this quickly grew to creating their own products. Today, with an in-house team of around 30 and premises in both Austria and Germany, Buben & Zorweg offers its luxury Time Mover watch winders, the timepieces range – which includes both watches and standalone clocks – watch safes, and also the Objects of Time, which tend to combine all of the above, creating a heavy-duty safe with tourbillion movements, designed to store and display other prized possessions such as jewellery or cigars. With a number of boutiques across the globe, including Dubai, it is becoming easier for customers to get their hands on a Buben & Zorweg products and keep their watches safe. Well, apart from the steep price tag, naturally. “But if you look at the design, each is like a unique piece of art,” Christian argues. “You can have it in your living room, because look at the materials we use – Italian Nappa leather with croco imprint, wood like Macassar, Ebony Grigio or walnut
alpha.’s suggested playlist for your Buben & Zorweg hi-fi system Mr Nice Watch – J Cole feat. Jay Z
As Time Goes By – Louis Armstrong
Rock Around The Clock – Bill Haley and his Comets
(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life – Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
Safe And Sound – Taylor Swift
burl, mother of pearl, brushed stainless steel, two-way mirror spy glass…” The list of materials is long, and no doubt leads to a wealth of design possibilities. When Christian pauses for breath, we ask him to elaborate. “Look at the X-007 safe,” he says. “At first glance it is hard to tell what it is, and even harder to see how it opens. Then when it does, there are all of these secret compartments. “Or there is the Titan, where if you press a secret button, the Time Mover watch-winding element glides forward and turns 180 degrees, showing a display of 18 watches. If someone was robbing you, they would not guess there were more hidden around the back. All of our products are manufactured in Germany, and every safe is VDS certified, which is the German security standard used by insurance companies.” If we were to purchase a Buben & Zorweg product to house a precious watch collection, it might be better not to hold back, and look to the Objects of Time line for the ultimate display case. Scanning past such names as The Treasury, Solitaire and The Grand Collector, there is one model in particular that catches our eye. “Ah, the Object of Time One-77,” smiles Christian. “This was a collaboration with Aston Martin, and is named after the One-77 sports car. We released it in 2012, as we felt that the Aston Martin One-77 and Buben & Zorweg share the same values, which are uncompromising craftsmanship and a passion for innovation and design.” And what that led to was an all-inclusive safe with Time Mover watch winders, humidors, drawers dedicated to storing watches and jewellery, four world clocks and a built-in sound system with Bluetooth and an iPod dock. In a nod to the car with which it shares its name, the Object of Time One-77 is 1.77 metres high, but it is a limited edition, with only 77 made. There is no doubt a market for Buben & Zorweg – as long as people enjoy luxury watches, there will be a desire to keep them secure, along with the dilemma of having a collection on display, but away from the light-fingered. As a result, Christian seems confident. “We will continue to build as an international luxury brand,” he says. “More boutiques will open, and we always intend to be as exclusive as our customers are. We are a luxury brand for those seeking to express their individuality in our exclusive and often unique masterpieces. “Our creativity and drive for innovation is within the DNA of Buben & Zorweg, and is to stay with us for another 20 years and beyond.” The Buben & Zorweg boutique is located in Wafi Mall, ground level (04 324 4434). The company’s products can also be found in Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons at The Dubai Mall, BurJuman and Mall of the Emirates.
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