Europa Star Europe 3.12 June/July by Europa Star HBM

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THE WORLD’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WATCH MAGAZINE EUROPE

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EUROPE EDITION All Europe Central & Eastern Europe, Russia

N° 313 3 /2012 June / July

Post-Basel: Highlights • New brands • Ladies’ & sports watches •

CH F 1 2 / € 1 0 / U S $ 1 0

Letter from China

4 EDITORIAL europa star

Mechanical globalisation R Pierre M. Maillard Editor-in-Chief In 1969, Seiko won the Chronometry Competition at the Neuchâtel Observatory. The Swiss response was immediate: the Chronometry Competitions would no longer be held! In the midst of the “quartz crisis”, it was deemed necessary to put up a firewall and prevent the Japanese from seizing the advantage. Well, we all know the rest of the story: the long descent of the Swiss industry—devastated by the quartz invasion—into the watchmaking inferno, only to climb back to the surface, followed by its triumphant return to legitimacy on the royal road of the mechanical timepiece. This renaissance was made possible by major efforts in terms of industrial rationalisation conducted by Nicolas Hayek as head of the SMH, which would later become the Swatch Group. Becoming almost the exclusive supplier for the entire expanding Swiss mechanical watchmaking sector—to which he regularly supplied strategic components (during this time, Europa Star was full of ads for ETA), the Swatch Group then reoriented its industrial strategy to increasingly benefit its own growing brands. Hayek thus announced in 2001 that the Swatch Group would gradually stop supplying movements to third party brands that had gradually become, in part thanks to him, major competitors. Who would have thought that this decision would cause a breach in the walls of the Swiss fortress, a breach that would allow the Japanese to make their resounding entry today, twelve years later, into the heart of Swiss watchmaking territory? And, it is happening at the same moment that the

Federation of the Swiss Watchmaking Industry and the Swiss government agreed to strengthen the criteria for Swiss Made. Because they failed to develop their own alternatives required to cope with a progressive limitation of Swatch Group deliveries, Swiss brands are now seeing Japanese brands setting up in the strategic zones of the industry. Citizen has purchased the movement maker, La Joux-Perret, one of the (partial) alternatives to ETA, from right under the noses of the groups and the Swiss brands. (The Swatch Group could not have outbid them, since the Competition Commission would certainly have blocked them.) At the same time, TAG Heuer, suddenly deprived of assortments from Nivarox-FAR, turned to Seiko for balance springs. So the two Japanese giants have managed to set up operations to varying degrees at the very heart of the Swiss watchmaking fabric. Undoubtedly, for Seiko, this comes at an opportune time since the brand has never stopped making high-quality mechanical movements. Although these timepieces have been, up to now, essentially distributed only on the domestic Japanese market, the company is today launching a major campaign to promote its mechanical watches on a global scale under the label Grand Seiko. As for Citizen, the purchase of La JouxPerret will allow it to gradually establish itself as the only real mass-market alternative after the withdrawal of ETA. Yet, the Japanese group will have to devote considerable resources to its new acquisition, which should be no problem for the giant Citizen Holdings. But everyone says that this will not

affect, in any way, the sacrosanct Swiss Made. Well, perhaps not on paper, no. In reality, the horological “Swissness”, at 50 or even 60 per cent or more, seems to be nothing more than an empty shell. The importance, however, is not in the supposed “purity” of this label. Rather, the importance is in the preservation of the most tightly woven industrial and artisanal fabric, and ideally, that this fabric remains as independent as possible. But, that is another story, much more complicated, a story that relates to the growing pre-eminence of groups in all economic sectors around the world. Whether they are called Swatch, Richemont, LVMH, Seiko or Citizen doesn’t really make any difference…

SPHÉROTOURBILLON (0,000558 KG) VS. EARTH (5 973 600 000 000 000 000 000 000 KG). A FAIR GAME?

DUOMÈTRE SPHÉROTOURBILLON. Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 382. On the one hand, a planet and its incredible power of attraction. On the other, a complex mechanism weighing less than one gram.The Duomètre Sphérotourbillon features a multi-axis tourbillon capable of compensating for the effects of gravity in all positions. The ingenious Dual-Wing concept once again paves the way for extraordinary functions: this exceptional model can lay claim to being the first multi-axis tourbillon watch adjustable to the nearest second thanks to the small seconds flyback system.

YOU DESERVE A REAL WATCH.

Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre, Vallée de Joux, Switzerland, since 1833. www.jaeger-lecoultre.com

6 CONTENTS europa star

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THE WORLD’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WATCH MAGAZINE EUROPE

N° 313 3/2012 JUNE/JULY

EDITORIAL Mechanical globalisation

COVER STORY DeWitt, when the emotion comes from the quality

POST-BASELWORLD And so, BaselWorld 2012…?

36 38

GALLERIES Prestige mechanical watches Unusual designs

POST-BASELWORLD (continued) Monsters, machines, mechanical marvels and masterpieces

55 56

STRATEGIES Philip Stein – Operating at an altogether different frequency Fortis celebrates its 100th anniversary

GALLERY New collections

STRATEGIES (continued) No price hikes at Tissot

LADIES’ WATCHES New creative impulses in ladies’ watch design

GALLERY Rectangular ladies’ watches

NEW BRANDS New (and nearly new) brands

PRICE LADDER – SPORTS WATCHES Sports watches by price

GALLERY Sports watches

RETAIL WORLD Dealing in Doha – The Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition

RETAILER PROFILE Fifty One East, Qatar

LETTER FROM CHINA Fiyta – Vertical take-off!

CONNECTING ICONIC BRANDS TO THEIR CLIENTELE ONLINE

WORLDWATCHWEB® Sina Weibo, the social media platform of reference for watchmaking in China… but is it enough?

EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

LAKIN@LARGE Turning the page

DIGITAL-LUXURY.COM media partner

ADVERTORIAL: L’DUCHEN

TWENTY-8-EIGHT SKELETONISED TOURBILLON HIGH JEWELLERY by DeWitt 18-carat white gold, 43mm timepiece equipped with DeWitt’s Calibre DW8028S with 72-hour power reserve. Manually-wound mechanical movement with hours and minutes display, tourbillon and skeletonised movement visible through transparent sapphire crystals on the front and back.

Montres DeWitt SA Rue du Pré de la Fontaine 2 Case postale 58 CH 1217 Meyrin 2 Switzerland Tel.: +41 22 750 97 97 Fax: +41 22 750 97 99 www.dewitt.ch

Europa Star HBM SA 25 Route des Acacias P.O. Box 1355 CH-1211 Geneva 26 Switzerland Tel +41 (0)22 307 78 37 Fax +41 (0)22 300 37 48 www.europastar.com contact@europastar.com © 2012 EUROPA STAR Audited REMP 2011 The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily Europa Star.

ONLY ONE WATCH MANUFACTURE CAN SHOW YOU THIS.

Our collection of mechanical calibres, all made in-house, is unique in the world with unparalleled breadth in shape, design and level of complication: for every watch its own calibre. Since 1833, we have produced 1,231 different mechanical calibres. Out of the 60 calibres in creation today, the most exceptional are shown here. Absolute leadership in the history of fine watchmaking.

YOU DESERVE A REAL WATCH.

Jaeger-LeCoultre in partnership with UNESCO to raise awareness and protect marine World Heritage. A real commitment to a precious cause. www.jaeger-lecoultre.com

MATTE BLACK HIGH-TECH CERAMIC

www.chanel.com

A powerful aesthetic unites with watchmaking excellence in the J12 Calibre 3125. Exquisitely crafted in 18K yellow gold and matte black high-tech ceramic, a highly scratch and stain resistant material, this arresting timepiece features a self-winding mechanical movement. The CHANEL - AP 3125 (40 jewels, 21,600 vibrations per hour) comes fitted with a high-tech ceramic rotor visible through a sapphire crystal. This threehand Haute Horlogerie movement pays homage to the roots of the highest watchmaking tradition.

12 COVER STORY europa star

DeWitt, when the emotion comes from the quality “The only rational aspect of luxury is quality,” as Jérôme de Witt likes to say. “For the rest, it is only the irrational, the emotional, the dream.”

RPierre Maillard

“Irrational” may very well be the appropriate term for the most illustrative piece revealed by DeWitt during BaselWorld 2012—the XWatch. Under the steel cover in the shape of an “X” that partially hides the dial is a competition mechanical engine. Let’s take a closer look. The unique movement, placed in a reversible case, displays a tourbillon on one side and a chronograph on the other, while both sides display the bi-retrograde hours and minutes. A peripheral oscillating rotor drives the ensemble. This very powerful engine— comprising 544 component parts—is the third 100-per cent in-house movement manufactured by DeWitt, and answers to the unassuming name of Calibre DW 8046. When the cover is closed, all the indications still remain perfectly readable. On the tourbillon side, they are especially easy to see, and the watch shows off its very striking face, evoking both its precious and sporty nature. At 6 o’clock, the tourbillon serves as the small seconds indicator. At the left are the retrograde hours, while, on the right, the retrograde minutes clearly stand out from the background. At 12 o’clock, the indication of the power reserve—shown by a hand—looks like a gauge taken right out of a cockpit. Four push-pieces located on the upper and lower parts of the Grade 5 titanium case activate the cover of the X-Watch, which opens from the middle and raises at a mechanically

controlled speed to majestically reveal the entire dial. A central applique in the form of an hourglass stands out from the sunray guilloché background. By pivoting the case, you can then discover the chronograph side of the X-Watch. It is a skeletonised chronograph movement that stands out boldly and clearly from the background—a plate made of blackened nickel silver. This plate separates the chronograph part of the movement mounted under the tourbillon. This 1mm thick plate alone represents an engineering feat since it is drilled with 58 holes,

all adjusted to the nearest micron. The retrograde hours and minutes are read in the same manner as on the tourbillon side, in two segments placed at the left and right of the dial. The seconds counter of the chronograph is in a window on a disc at 12 o’clock. The 30 minutes counter is located on three different levels of ten minutes by a three-arm hand with a small disc at the end. The peripheral oscillating rotor is attached to a ring with a sinusoidal profile on its inner edge. This interior curve activates the patented Automatic Sequential

europa star

Winding (ASW), which uses two arms to wind the barrel to 96 per cent. They then let it unwind with no contact until it reaches 92 per cent before again hooking onto the winding train. This sequential winding thus provides a constant and stable flow of energy to the escapement, in an ideal operating range between 92 and 96 per cent of the mainspring torque. After closing the cover of this sporty yet elegant chronograph, the hours, minutes, and short time intervals can easily be read between the branches of the X, emphasising even more the stylistic strength of the piece. Three years of research and development were necessary to create this visually and economically “irrational” timepiece—25 will be available, for CHF 399,000 (excl. tax) each. Yet, at its first presentation, during the Only Watch 2011 auction held last September in Monaco, the X-Watch reached a price of €410,000, or approximately CHF 492,000.

COVER STORY 13

An architectural skeleton Perhaps more “rational” than the X-Watch is DeWitt’s Twenty-8-Eight skeletonised tourbillon. Certainly as “emotional” in any case, these timepieces were also introduced this year, and are equipped with the manual-winding calibre DW 8028s, the first skeletonised version to be completely manufactured in-house. The skeletonising of the calibres was not done to extract the maximum amount of material— thus running the risk of making them fragile— but rather to create a true three-dimensional vision of their architecture. The movement comprises two plates, in sandblasted nickel silver with black-gold surface finishing, of two different thicknesses and positioned on two different levels. The lower plate is thinner than the upper one, thus offering unusual plays of light and shadow. In this architectural theatre, the tourbillon is particularly emphasised. Driven by a Straumann

TWENTY-8-EIGHT SKELETONISED TOURBILLON HIGH JEWELLERY

14 COVER STORY europa star

balance spring with Phillips terminal curve, made of an unbreakable, self-compensating, non-oxidizing, and anti-magnetic alloy—and equipped with a variable-inertia balance beating at 18,000 vibrations per hour—this high precision movement has a power reserve of 72 hours. At 12 o’clock, the skeletonised barrel lets us see the spring as it unwinds. The 18-carat rose or white-gold case for this robust movement measures 43mm in diameter, with a thickness of 10.78mm. The sides are decorated with the now famous “imperial columns” that are so emblematic of the DeWitt style, but here they have been interpreted more discreetly than usual. The lugs have been redesigned in a delicate yet lively manner, while the interior flange on the dial of the white-gold model has a diamond-polished surface that presents a sparkling play of light.

This play of light is multiplied by the brilliance of 3.8 carats of 36 baguette and 104 brilliant diamonds on the white-gold high jewellery version. The combination of the geometrical orientation of the dazzling diamonds and the three-dimensional architecture of a calibre— that has been hand chamfered, polished, and satin finished—gives this watch a high level of sophistication—sophistication that evokes solidity, delicacy, and sportiness.

Made in Neotitanium

TWENTY-8-EIGHT TOURBILLON

The same in-house movement, DW8028, drives the Twenty-8-Eight Tourbillon, which has a new case this year, one made in rose gold and “Neotitanium”. This is a form of titanium whose structure has been modified by anodising it, which makes it two times harder (and thus stronger and lighter) than the “sturdy” Grade 5 titanium. The light grey sand-blasted finish eliminates all reflection from the top of the case. The result-

europa star

COVER STORY 15

ing contrast with the lively warmth of the dial is therefore even stronger. The colour of the rose-gold grille at the centre of the dial stands out strongly from the background of the engine-turned designs of the black and grey patterns, dotted with the rose-gold numerals and hour markers. The rose-gold grille ends with a gold ring that encircles the tourbillon, which is suspended under a semi–transparent black net that opens onto the beating heart. Just like its design, this luxurious Twenty-8-Eight Tourbillon, chic and shimmering on the inside, is not ostentatious on the outside. Smaller than usual (10.28 mm thick, 43 mm in diameter), it is, after all, not so “irrational” as that. It is priced at CHF 143,000 (excl. tax).

Pre-Raphaelite inspirations All in the golden afternoon Full leisurely we glide; For both our oars, with little skill, By little arms are plied, While little hands make vain pretence Our wanderings to guide. Taken from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, this poem serves as inspiration for DeWitt’s feminine collection, Golden Afternoon. Reminiscent of Pre-Raphaelite feminine dreaminess, its mother-of-pearl dial evokes an iridescent garden, sprinkled with flowers and diamonds in the form of water lilies that are reflected on a surface that is both misty and shimmering. Above the flowers are two open-worked hands in the form of angel wings, plus a delicate seconds hand that is topped with a little flame. A number of variations are possible. The one with a dial composed of a chocolate motherof-pearl sky, with flowers in white and salmon mother-of-pearl, is set in a case of rose gold. Tone-on-tone purity is seen in the version with a white-gold case and white mother-ofpearl dial. These are among the many poetic

GOLDEN AFTERNOON

versions that DeWitt has created for its very feminine 39mm Golden Afternoon timepiece, driven by an automatic movement with a power reserve of 42 hours.

“The only rational aspect of luxury is quality,” repeats Jérôme de Witt. The man harkens back to the key principles of his own manufacture to reaffirm his credo. Totally unwilling to give in to current conformism, resolutely determined to follow the gradual and progressive development and integration of his manufacture, banking on a strong and discriminating style—and giving his constructors, master watchmakers, and master dial makers the time to attain the desired quality— Jérôme de Witt continues to follow, more than ever, his own road. And so much the better for the diversity and poetry in timekeeping. O For more information about DeWitt click on Brand Index at www.europastar.com

16 BASELWORLD REPORT europa star

And so, BaselWorld 2012...?

RPierre Maillard

The question that we are always asked when returning from BaselWorld can be summed up in a word: “So?” Well, so what happened? What are the trends, the gossip, the rumours, the strategies, the tactics, the changes, the continuations, the new models, the successes, the concerns…? Each time, we are a bit embarrassed because how can it be possible to sum up this enormous and impressive Aladdin’s cave that we call BaselWorld, in which we find, almost democratically, items ranging from sumptuous treasures to modest trinkets? How can we easily answer such a (much too) simple question, since watchmaking, like society, moves at very different speeds according to whether you are powerful and recognised or weak and unknown? And yes, the global figures are excellent and the outlook seems quite positive, but, behind this alluring and smiling façade there are much more varied and contrasting landscapes.

Gnawing anxiety This year, there was something rather strange in the atmosphere at BaselWorld, something that felt like a slight yet perceptible anxiety. With total exports of CHF 19.3 billion (+19.2

per cent), the year 2011 will certainly go down in history.These numbers were achieved, however, in the general context of accelerating levels of concentration, whether in production or in distribution. The entire watch sector—particularly in Switzerland—is undergoing structural modifications as it searches for a new balance. And, without a doubt, this rebalancing process—although this term is not really strong enough to describe what is in fact a veritable mutation—is going to accelerate even more over the year ahead. A vast game of go is taking place, which explains the feverishness of some players who see their positions crumbling and their territories shrinking.Among these players are brands, agents, distributors and retailers who all fear the effects of all the major vertical integration that began symbolically twelve years ago when Richemont purchased LMH (JaegerLeCoultre, IWC, Lange & Söhne) for more than CHF 3 billion, and the acquisition of TAG Heuer by LVMH for $739 million (CHF 1.138 billion at the time). At the same time came the announcement by Nicolas Hayek of his intention to gradually stop delivering movements to third parties. It has taken a decade for the effects of this “big bang”—the formation of the large groups and the planned stoppage of deliveries by ETA and Nivarox-FAR—to make themselves fully felt. On one hand, this situation has been for the better, namely the progres-

sive re-industrialisation of the Swiss watch industry. On the other hand, however, it has been for the worse, since it has resulted in the gradual suppression of brands, distributors, and independent retailers. This reconfiguration will accelerate even more with the planned closing of a large number of independent doors. As an (unsubstantiated) example, rumours in the corridors of BaselWorld stated that of the 80 or so Omega retail outlets in Switzerland, only maybe ten will still be around in two years. Clearly, this is to benefit the brands themselves and their own networks of boutiques, but it also benefits the large distribution groups and their watch “multiplexes” that are being built nearly everywhere.

Focusing on Asia Other considerations have also added to the prevailing nervousness. Among them was the very recent announcement of the strategic acquisition of the movement maker La JouxPerret by Japan’s Citizen group (as a reminder, Citizen is valued at CHF 1.5 billion, the near equivalent of LVMH’s watch division). Yet another was the symbolic, but still striking, passage of Eterna (which produces a part of its own movements) into Chinese hands. Then there was the acquisition of de Grisogono by a group of Portuguese and Angolan interests. Besides Citizen—which is settling into the heart of the Swiss watchmaking landscape and will thus soon be able to offer Miyota Swiss Made mechanical movements—the

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X-TREM-1 by Christophe Claret

other Japanese giant, Seiko, is providing vital support to TAG Heuer, which has been without Nivarox-FAR assortments (Swatch Group) since the start of the year, by supplying specially developed assortments produced by its subsidiary Seiko Instruments Inc. (SII) using the advanced LIGA process. Today, the cards are being totally reshuffled and the players who reacted a little late to the Swatch Group’s clear threat are frantically trying to improve their hands (see our editorial on this subject). Another subject that provoked many concerned discussions at BaselWorld was the industry’s dependence on the Chinese empire (China, Hong Kong etc.), which absorbs more than half of the watches exported from Switzerland. Some worried voices consider this as a large “bubble” that could very well burst, if there should be some sort of political or economic reversals. Confronted with all these challenges—real for some, still imaginary for others—the first backfires are being heard here and there. “Distributors and retailers now know that they are going to lose their cash cows,” explains Jan Edöcs, who left Milus (in Chinese hands) to join Consalve, a consulting firm for “business development” and a “family office” based in Bern. He intends to develop alternative solutions, including coordination platforms that group together investors, brands, and independent distributors. Edöcs even wants to find viable alternatives for independent retailers who see themselves either deprived of key brands or forced by them to fill their shelves to overflowing.

The importance of independent creativity At BaselWorld, a good number of these small independent brands demonstrated the importance of their presence in the global watchmaking landscape. Because of their generally unbridled creativity, they serve as a stimulus

and laboratory for the entire profession. Forced to propose technical and aesthetic innovations, they showed great creativity this year, as they broke new ground and mixed traditional horology with technologies from other areas. One example is Christophe Claret, who presented an amazing piece that answers to the sweet name of X-TREM-1. We use the term “amazing” because, for the first time in watchmaking, the indications of the hours and minutes are not connected to the movement. There is, in fact, no mechanical link between the retrograde display that is composed of two small hollow spheres encased in two sapphire tubes placed at each side of the

middle case and the movement itself, which is regulated by a 30º inclined flying tourbillon and mounted on a curved plate. These two small spheres move by magnetic attraction, pulled along by two micro-magnets attached inside the movement by cables of woven silk. Because magnetism is the worst enemy of mechanical movements, the two magnets have been configured in such a way that they exert their magnetic field in only one direction, which means that it does not interfere with the rest of the movement. A high user of energy, this magnetic display is powered by a dedicated barrel, while the second barrel is reserved for the tourbillon, which regulates the gears for the time indication. The energetically independent display gears are regulated by a paletts that is driven by a cam linked to the time gears that frees one tooth in the paletts wheel of the display gear train every 25 seconds. An exceptional piece, in a limited series of eight for each version (white gold and titanium, rose gold and titanium, or platinum and titanium), whose retail price is CHF 264,000.

O F F I C I A L T I M E K E E P E R O F T H E 34 T H A M E R I C A’ S C U P

Tambour America’s Cup LIMITED AND NUMBERED EDITION

Automatic chronograph with countdown function manufactured in Louis Vuitton’s watchmaking workshops in Switzerland Sold exclusively in Louis Vuitton stores and on louisvuitton.com.

20 BASELWORLD REPORT europa star

H1 by HYT

tight. (A single micro-drop more or less would produce five minutes of error in the display.) This hydraulic and mechanical machine is available in its basic titanium version for the price of CHF 43,800. Do these innovations, whether magnetic or hydraulic, have a genuine future? In other words, will they really open new horizons in the art of watchmaking? At HYT, they firmly believe the answer is “yes” and a development plan is already in place until 2015, with new special products: an H2 in 2013, an H3 in 2014 and an H4 in 2015.

Copernican displays

Fluids and gear trains Another highly original piece that made a big impression at BaselWorld was the HYT watch with its hydraulic display. This wild idea came from Lucien Vouillamoz, whose background is anything but horological. He is, in fact, a nuclear physics engineer and even a theologian.Around him is a “dream team” composed of Patrick Berdoz, investor, Bruno Moutarlier, former industrial director at Audemars Piguet, and Vincent Perriard, a “wonder boy” and a wellspring of timekeeping ideas (formerly with Concord and Technomarine). These various skills and competencies were necessary to ensure that these “Hydro Mechanical Horologists” would succeed in making their first watch that dared to mix fluids and gears. So, how actually does this new type of machine work? Two pumps in the form of bellows, which are very flexible yet resistant, are placed at 6 o’clock. Powered by a manual-winding mechanical movement that drives a cam instead of the hour hand, a piston activates the bellows, or the transmitting pump, thus gradually pushing the liquid mixed with fluorescein into a capillary tube that circles the dial.

The hour is thus read as a function of how far the fluorescent liquid moves through the tube, while also forcing the transparent liquid back into the receiving bellows. When it reaches 6 o’clock, the fluorescent liquid moves back into its initial position before again beginning its twelve-hour course. The idea seems simple enough, but its realisation was anything but. Seven patents have been filed for its complexity. The difficulties also involve the nature of the very special component parts that had to be developed (namely the bellows in a plated alloy, and the molecular composition of the two liquids that touch but do not mix, as well as the capillary tube itself) and the “nanometric solutions” that had to be found in order to make the tube perfectly water-

These two innovations relate essentially to the technologies of display, and the same can be said of the very poetic new Opus from Harry Winston, twelfth in the series. Credit for this new Opus goes to the French watchmaker Emmanuel Bouchet who, along with the constructors Nicolas Dürrenberger and Christophe Lüthi, created Centagora in 2008, an enterprise specialising in the development of movements. Their idea was brilliant—just as the earth rotates around the sun, why not have the hour revolve around the centre of the watch? The trio developed this “Copernican revolution” thanks to an agreement with Harry Winston, which made it the brand’s Opus 12. It must be said that this spectacular effect is all at once gripping, graceful and lyrical. Imagine a watch with no central hands but one that contains twelve pairs of superimposed hands placed around the circumference of the dial. One of the hands is longer— the minute hand—while the hour hand is shorter. At each five-minute interval, the minute hand turns on itself and displays its blue face. As the hour changes, an intriguing aerial ballet begins. In turn, all the small hour hands gradually rotate around the minute hands, showing their blue face for an instant before disappearing until the “new” hour

22 BASELWORLD REPORT europa star

OPUS 12 by Harry Winston

hand pivots around the large minute hand to place itself above it and show its blue face, thus indicating the new hour. To really understand this unique sort of animation, you need to watch the video on our website. Although the major display shows time to the nearest five minutes, a more exact reading can be seen with a small counter near the centre of the dial using a retrograde hand on a scale from 0 to 5 showing the minutes as they pass (with additional precision compared with traditional displays, since the passing of the seconds can be read off the scale in 15second increments). Finally, a floating small seconds hand turns at the centre of the dial.

This complex and yet very readable Copernican ballet (accompanied by sound since we can distinctly hear the clicks of the hands as they turn on themselves) is conducted thanks to two crowns that orbit around the dial, whose toothed sections engage with the gears that drive the hands step by step. Powered by a manual-winding mechanical movement oscillating at 18,000 vibrations per hour, the Opus 12 is equipped with two independent barrels. One is dedicated to the animation and the other to the movement. Each has 45 hours of power reserve. Aesthetically, the watch is also very attractive as the semi-transparent effects of its surface confer upon it a mysterious depth. The Opus 12 is available in 120 pieces made in Harry Winston’s proprietary Zalium alloy (plus twelve pieces set with baguette diamonds and twelve set with brilliants). The retail price is CHF 243,000, showing that, more than ever, this is a beautiful toy for millionaires.

Scientific explorations At TAG Heuer, a brand that decidedly likes to explore, the emphasis is not so much on variations in the display as it is on a profound

reflection on the heart of the matter of regulation in watchmaking. Whether through research conducted with scientific rigour on high frequencies, on magnetic fields (with the Pendulum regulator), or on the micro-blades of the Mikrogirder (on this subject, see Europa Star 2/12), one would think that, after having surpassed the threshold of 1/100th and then 1/2000th of a second, TAG Heuer would slow down a bit. But, no, not at all. At BaselWorld this year, the head of research at TAG Heuer, Guy Semon, enjoyed showing off his latest invention, the Mikrotourbillon. It involves two tourbillons regulating two different chains (the “dual chain” that is found in the Mikrograph, the Mikrotimer, and the Mikrogirder). The first tourbillon is a “standard” 4-Hz assigned to the hours and minutes. The second is a 50-Hz tourbillon that oscillates at 360,000 vibrations per hour and that regulates the chronograph function of the watch, displaying 1/100th of a second (with 80 minutes of power reserve). At this oscillating speed, the tourbillon makes one rotation in five seconds. It is also the only tourbillon that can be activated and stopped at will.

While this is certainly evidence of high performance—which results in an original display—this watch is, above all, an example of chronometric research. Is this really the case? Or, in other words, does this ultra rapid tourbillon, used directly to calculate short time intervals, offer increased precision and better regulation? The few master watchmakers that we questioned on this subject do not dismiss this theoretical possibility, but nonetheless they remain circumspect. Whatever can be said—and Europa Star will return to this sub-

1st Prize in the Classic Category

tissot Le Locle Automatic Chronometer

chosen by Tony Parker – Professional Basketball Player Classic watch with an automatic COSC certified movement, stainless steel case 316L, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and water resistance up to a pressure of 3 bar (30 m / 100 ft).

in TOUCH with your time Get in touch at www.tissot.ch

24 BASELWORLD REPORT europa star

MIKROTOURBILLON by TAG Heuer

ject later—TAG Heuer has demonstrated an exceptional level of dynamism with its Mikrotourbillon, as well as its large competitive advantage in the domain of research on high frequencies, a subject that drew a lot of interest from the mechanical watchmaking community last year. At a retail price of CHF 220,000, some twenty pre-orders for the Mikrotourbillon were received at BaselWorld.

Bread and butter As interesting as these advances are, however, they are not the bread and butter of TAG Heuer. For that, we must look at the chronograph on a much more industrial scale. Let’s begin with the Calibre 1887. It made the news when the brand only revealed that it had bought the blueprints from Seiko and transformed them once these revelations had already been made in the blogosphere. Production of the 1887 has increased this year to reach 50,000 units (on this same subject, see our editorial).

LINK LADY DIAMOND STAR by TAG Heuer

In parallel, TAG Heuer has started working on another chronograph calibre, totally in-house this time, under the code name 1888, which will first leave the production line at the end of 2013. This new integrated calibre will have a different architecture than the 1887, whose counters are placed at 6/9/12, while in the “1888” they are placed at 3/6/9. This new chronograph calibre will thus allow TAG Heuer to cover the full range of chronograph designs. TAG Heuer’s other projects include ladies’ watches. Today, they account for around 25 per cent of the total and the goal is to increase this share to 35 to 40 per cent. The driving force behind this conquest is called Link Lady, a watch that is “easy-to-wear, sparkling, and feminine,” according to the brand’s ambassador, Cameron Diaz. They are pebble-shaped quartz watches, measuring 29.5mm or 34.5mm in diameter, whose dials are engine-turned in the form of concentric waves. A central attach connects them to the fluid bracelets that were redesigned for the occasion. At the summit of the Link Lady pyramid, the Diamond Star is a small automatic timepiece whose oscillating weight—larger than the

movement and in the form of diamond-studded stars—rotates as if suspended between two transparent sapphire crystals (29mm, 18-carat pink gold, 192 diamonds). The buzz at BaselWorld was that Cameron Diaz herself would come to launch this feminine offensive. It turned out to be true and the celebration in her honour was clearly one of the most popular at the show.

Rolex’s buzz But other buzz, which—right from the first day and even before the doors opened— drove the tweeters and other bloggers crazy, took on the form of a quasi-existential interrogation in the watch milieu: Rolex was going to launch an entirely new collection!!! And here again, the buzz proved true. The new Sky-Dweller moved into the spotlight (although it was soon “eclipsed” in the media by the Deep Sea timepiece carried by James Cameron to the bottom of the Marianas Trench). Rolex does not usually launch a new collection hastily and we can imagine the many obstacles that this model had to surmount before being duly approved for eternal

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26 BASELWORLD REPORT europa star

SKY-DWELLER by Rolex

beautiful in reality than in the photos—will join the long line of Oyster legends. For its introduction, it is offered in a gold case and priced at around CHF 37,000, which places it fairly high among the brand’s 180+ models and 3,000 combinations.

Tudor dives into its past

glory. It is Rolex’s first annual calendar. We repeat that the annual calendar that was “popularised” (if we might use this term) by Patek Philippe is the main useful complication, well ahead of the chronograph, which we know is hardly ever used. From a design point of view, a very interesting innovation allows this “Rolexised” annual calendar to forego all the habitual modes of display. The months are indicated by one of twelve coloured rectangles that are placed above the twelve Roman numerals of the hours. The date is classically placed in a loupe-window at 3 o’clock. The Sky-Dweller also has a second time zone. The reference time is read on an open dial displaying 24 hours, with the right time being denoted by a red triangle placed just below the Rolex crown. This very intuitive display of the annual calendar, the local time and the home time is adjusted by the Ring Command rotating bezel (three positions, date and month, local time, home time), which interacts with the new automatic calibre 9001, equipped with the patented Saros mechanism. This system, which manages the irregular alternating months of 30 and 31 days, is con-

structed around a central planetary wheel driven by the instantaneous date jumping disc— a few milliseconds is enough to pass from 30 or 31 to the first day of the following month. From the beginning, this timepiece—more

Rolex’s little brother, Tudor, continues the thoughtful work of revitalising its own heritage. And, up to now, it has been very successful. Proof is the new Heritage Black Bay, a re-interpretation of a 1954 standard, with its curved dial, maroon bezel, and “snowflake” hands that are typical of the first diver’s watches. Revisited and resized to 41mm, it is waterresistant to 200 metres and equipped with an automatic Calibre 2824. It comes mounted on either a leather bracelet with a patina finish (CHF 2,950) or a steel bracelet (CHF 3,250). The retro-chic and highly readable Pelagos, with its helium valve, can descend to a depth of 500 metres. In titanium with a satin finish HERITAGE BLACK BAY by Tudor

europa star

5940J by Patek Philippe

7140R by Patek Philippe

that gives it a raw appearance, it is mounted on a titanium bracelet with a self-adjusting spring mechanism that contracts or expands depending on the water pressure. It is also available with a rubber strap that allows the watch to be worn over a wet suit.The Pelagos draws its stylistic heritage from several models that have marked Tudor’s history. Its price tag of CHF 3,950 makes it a serious competitor in the popular diver’s market (see also the article by Keith Strandberg in this issue on sports watches).

Patek Philippe is focusing on complications this year, particularly on perpetual calendars, intended for men as well as for women. For him, it is the Perpetual Calendar Reference 5940, with its emblematic ultra-thin cushion case (44.6mm by 37mm), driven by the famous and very precise (-3/+2 seconds per

The most beautiful and the most simple watch at the show On the other side of the royal corridor that goes through Hall 1.0 is the Guggenheimstyle stand of Patek Philippe (a location that the Geneva manufacture will keep next year, as Thierry Stern explained, along with a few details about the “veritable war of locations” that is under way at BaselWorld in light of the changes for 2013). In this temple of Baudelairean timekeeping (“there, everything is luxury, calm, and pleasure”), we discovered more than 26 new products. Besides the star of the year, the Reference 5204, a perpetual calendar split-seconds chronograph that we talked a lot about in our previous issue (see www.europastar.com),

BASELWORLD REPORT 27

day) Calibre 240 Q, automatically wound by an off-centred mini rotor (3.88mm thick). For her, it is the Ladies First Perpetual Calendar, a complication that equips, for the first time, a ladies’ watch in the “current collections” of the family-run Geneva manufacture. Ultra-thin (35.1mm in diameter, 8.8mm thick), equipped with the Calibre 240 Q automatic movement (composed of 275 component parts), dressed in a rose-gold case encircled by diamonds, the Reference 7140 evokes true timeless elegance, if we dare employ this so over-used term. “Timeless” is also the term that comes to mind when looking at the new manual-winding Calatrava Reference 5123—a beautiful example of simplicity, elegance, and watchmaking prowess.This 38mm circle of rose gold, discreet, pure, with superlative finishing and perfect proportions, was perhaps the most beautiful watch seen at BaselWorld 2012. Far, far from the ostentatious platforms, with no ballyhoo, with no demonstrative accents, 5123J by Patek Philippe

28 BASELWORLD REPORT europa star

TWENTY-8 by Kari Voutilainen

featuring two hands and small seconds, with a finely engine-turned dial. But, when the watch is turned over, we discover a suspended tourbillon that apparently does its work all by itself. There are seemingly no gear trains linking it to anything, although there is an amazing escapement with a swivel detent. The lever does not have a stop lift but rather a round stone, with cut faces and a face at rest, which is mounted on the axis of the detent. “A configuration that is very tiny and very solid,” adds Voutilainen. The tourbillon’s carriage does not have a pillar. It is the bridge that carries out this function. The patron has, it seems, done well to wait, since this is a tourbillon that has all the time for him.

Seiko’s legitimacy this watch definitely makes an impression with its manual-winding Calibre 215 PS and its delicate small seconds hand, an example of true horological art. It is a watch that, after seeing so many exhibitionist pieces with their entrails spilling out, allows us to quite simply rest our eyes.

Hand made Another beautiful classic was found in a unique piece by Kari Voutilainen. On its dial, this tourbillon bears not the somewhat wornout term of “Swiss Made” but rather the prouder notation of “Hand Made”. Along with only 13 employees, Kari Voutilainen is a bit like a miniature Patek Philippe. The company is a complete manufacture where nearly all the component parts of a watch are made— movement, case, dial, decorations, etc. Only the balance spring (Straumann, of which he makes the curve), the crystal and the leather strap are not included in this type of “total liberty,” as Kari Voutilainen explains. It is really quite simple, “either the subcontractors are inundated with work because they are

good, or they don’t have any work at all because they are bad. On one hand, the deadlines are impossible, while on the other, the quality is lacking,” he says frankly. Recently introduced by this small but beautiful manufacture is the in-house Twenty-8 movement, powered by a direct-impulse escapement in nickel silver with two escapement wheels in gold, that calmly reaches a power reserve of 165 hours. With its transparent case back, finely engine-turned silver dial, the Twenty-8 watch comes in a choice of white, yellow, or rose gold case. Selling at a price of CHF 82,000, only 18 pieces will be manufactured. As for the company’s Tourbillon, it is a unique piece that was started in… 1996. What a change from the frantic projects that are rushing to get into showcases. In the beginning, Voutilainen made this tourbillon for himself, but in 2006, a very patient collector became interested in the piece. “Not a collector,” he corrects his words, but rather a “patron of the horological arts”. This patient individual thus had to wait until 2012 before finally getting a look at what seemed to be a beautiful piece

Let’s return now to more industrial considerations, while still remaining on the subject of fine mechanical timekeeping. Perhaps in Europe, at least, people will finally realise that in Japan, Seiko has possessed true mechanical and chronometric legitimacy for a long time, a legit-

GRAND SEIKO HI-BEAT 36000 by Seiko

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30 BASELWORLD REPORT europa star

ASTRON by Seiko

Zenith takes off

imacy that many Swiss watchmakers can envy. (Weren’t the traditional Swiss timing competitions stopped in 1969 after Seiko’s victory?) We mentioned earlier the precision of Patek Philippe’s Calibre 240 Q (at -3/+2 seconds per day), but Seiko’s new Hi-Beat 36,000 offers a very honourable and comparable -2/+4 seconds per day. “This is the most precise highfrequency watch that we have ever made,” explains the multilingual Shu Yoshino, “and it is very difficult to make this on a large scale.” The MEMS escapement, LIGA technology, inhouse Spron 610 alloy for the balance spring and Spron 530 for the barrel spring play an important role in this impressive industrial performance. The special edition of the Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 in rose, yellow or white gold (around €23,000) or in steel (around €6,500) is spearheading the brand’s global strategy that aims to fully authenticate the mechanical and traditional watchmaking legitimacy of the Japanese enterprise (which, we remind our readers, is preparing to deliver balance springs to TAG Heuer). Seiko’s demonstration of mechanical knowhow in no way prevents the company from

presenting an impressive technological innovation with a new Astron equipped with GPS. This integrated GPS is a very powerful module, designed and produced by Seiko, that works everywhere in the world. Whether you are in a desert or in the middle of the ocean, it gives you the local time with the precision of an atomic clock (in other words, one second variation every 100,000 years). Covering all the 39 time zones around the globe, this solar-powered watch is totally autonomous and thus requires no change of battery. The key to this success is the science of energy management acquired through the brand’s successive developments, namely, the first Astron Quartz in 1969 that triggered the Swiss watchmaking crisis, the Kinetic in 1988, and the Spring Drive in 1998. This perpetual calendar—it also includes one—has a strong, very readable, and classically modern appearance, and its functions are adjusted with nearly childlike simplicity. The first limited edition of 2500 pieces in titanium and ceramic or steel and ceramic is on sale for between €2,000 and €3,300, depending on the version.

Horological excellence, sound value for money and stylistic classicism signal the triumphant return of Zenith to the heart of Swiss watchmaking. In a few short years, Jean-Frédéric Dufour has not only put the venerable manufacture back on the right track, but he has given it a new direction. The entire collection has been reviewed and the number of references has been drastically reduced to 135, none of which are more than three years old. Dufour has built on the know-how and exceptional heritage of Zenith in terms of movements (100 per cent of movements are inhouse), while investing massively (CHF 20 million) in the rehabilitation and reorganisation of the manufacture that dates back to 1865. A former “sleeping beauty”, Zenith had been seriously shaken up under the reign of Nataf, with somewhat baroque dreams of grandeur, but now the brand is fully awake and lucid, and has found a strong identity in line with its extraordinary history. This year finds Zenith under the sign of aviation, where it has a very rich history begin-

PILOT MONTRE AÉRONEF TYPE 20 by Zenith

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BASELWORLD REPORT 31

Maurice Lacroix refines its re-positioning

PILOT BIG DATE SPECIAL by Zenith

PILOT DOUBLEMATIC by Zenith

ning with the first crossing of the English Channel by Louis Blériot on July 25, 1909, with a Zenith on his wrist. A new Pilot Montre d'Aéronef Type 20, inspired directly from a model that belonged to Blériot, recalls this historic event. A large watch, it features a titanium case with a diameter of 57.5mm! It is driven by an historic movement, the manualwinding 5011K, a movement that equipped marine chronometers and pocket watches and that, in its time, was awarded more than 277 watch prizes. Limited to 250 pieces, (Zenith found, in all, 350 historic movements that have been entirely brought up to current standards), the watch sells for CHF 9,500. The Pilot Big Date Special is inspired by a chronograph from the 1960s, intended for the Italian air force. A 42mm steel case, impeccable sandblasted matt black dial, classic symmetrical display, SuperLuminova hands, pure lines, and a perfect big date at 6 o’clock all suggest sporty classicism in this chronograph powered by a self-winding El Primero 4010 calibre. Its price: CHF 6,500 on a leather strap or Milanais style link bracelet. For just under double this price tag, or CHF 11,900, the discerning customer can get the third model in the brand’s aeronautical year: the Pilot Doublematic. The world time disc,

the day and night disc, big date, chronograph, alarm (loud and long, i.e. 30 seconds, it has its own barrel), are all driven by an El Primero 4046 calibre beating at 36,000 vibrations per hour, for a power reserve of 50 hours. What more could you ask for at this price?

An excellent price/quality ratio is also at the core of the repositioning under way at Maurice Lacroix, which has just been acquired by DKSH, a Zurich group that reported a CHF 7.34 billion turnover in 2010. Active in distribution services in Asia, DKSH employs more than 24,000 people in 630 Asian and 20 European and American subsidiaries. Recently listed on the Swiss stock exchange (one of the largest listings over the last few years), this family enterprise was born out of a merger with SiberHegner, a trading firm that is also solidly established in Asia. A new CEO, Marc Gläser, has just been appointed. After having gradually moved upmarket, heavily invested in its manufacture in Saignelégier, purchased the case maker Quéloz and launched the production unit for component parts used in movements, Manufacture des FranchesPONTOS S by Maurice Lacroix

32 BASELWORLD REPORT europa star

MAESTRO PETITE SECONDE by Raymond Weil

continues Reginelli, who goes on to reveal a lovely new Pontos S with its interior rotating ring that is activated by the same crown as the start, or the very pretty Pontos Excentrique (for more detail on these new pieces, see the article by Malcolm Lakin in this issue).

When it is the market that comes to you

Montagnes, “we realised that we were no longer very ‘accessible’ in relation to the brand and the expectations created,” explains Sandro Reginelli, Product and Marketing Director. Since 2008, the brand has been patiently repositioning itself, lowering the prices of watches with in-house movements from CHF 10,000/ 15,000 to CHF 6,000/9,000, and offering more accessible models, equipped with sourced mechanical movements and even quartz, priced between CHF 1,000 and 5,000. Maurice Lacroix’s strong stylistic identity, definitely contemporary classic, that can be largely credited to Sandro Reginelli, pervades the five pillars of the brand, with the collection leader being Pontos. Until now, the brand has hardly been present in the field of sports watches, and its ladies’ collection was also weak. The focus was thus placed this year on the sports pieces and in 2013-2014 attention will shift

MAESTRO QUANTIEME A AIGUILLE by Raymond Weil

to the ladies’ timepieces. “It is a long-term process, and one that involves the injection of more traditional watchmaking codes into our contemporary approach, which pushes us to find innovative solutions, especially in the cases, solutions that preserve our identity, but allow us to offer more accessible products,”

Another independent brand and a family-run company (even very familial since Olivier Bernheim and his two sons are at the controls), working for many years in the price segment comparable to that which Maurice Lacroix wants to re-conquer, Raymond Weil seems to be doing extremely well. Its strategy is clearly explained by Olivier Bernheim: “We have gradually increased our average price, not by increasing the prices of the models, but rather by making the pieces represent even more of the art of watchmaking.” This approach seems to delight the strong and loyal international network of the brand’s retailers. “We have not run towards the marketplace, it is the market that has evolved in our direction, that has come even closer to the brand,” continues Bernheim. “The attitude of the large groups gives us new opportunities because we are now known for our stability, the consistency of our approach, and the solidity of our offer. The family side is also reassuring in a context of instability and frenzied consolidation of territories.” With a network of 27 boutiques developed in partnership with local retailers, Raymond Weil has woven its global fabric through a group of subsidiaries that allow the brand to “walk on several legs”. One example is the complete reorganisation of the American market conducted directly during the 2009 crisis. This has allowed the brand, now with the market in recovery mode, to step into its historically strong positions, but with an horological added value in its collections, since mechani-

34 BASELWORLD REPORT europa star

ADMIRAL'S CUP LEGEND 46 MINUTE REPEATER ACOUSTICA by Corum

cal timepieces now account for 40 per cent of the line. This automatic mechanical offer is also highly appreciated in China. The spearhead for 2012 is the Maestro collection, available in 39mm or 41mm, as an automatic, with moon phase and date hand or with month, week, date, day and moon phase. Available in steel and rose-gold PVD with an irreproachably classic finishing, they are offered at around €3,500. But this is only one example, since the brand’s offer includes, with the same relevance, the large sectors of the watch market: sports, contemporary, classic, or very subtly feminine.

Consistency, consistency We cannot help but speak of the well-understood necessity at this 2012 edition of BaselWorld—the consistency and continuation of brands’ offers. In this world saturated with “story telling” it is much better to limit oneself to a particular line, and to stick to it. Let’s take the example of Antonio Calce who, at the helm of Corum, has clearly and consistently structured the brand’s offer, and allowed it to reach full maturity. Two distinct and immediately recognisable pillars hold up the entire edifice: the Admiral's Cup and the Corum Bridges. The two collections are strongly identifiable and historically legitimate, and offer all the successive stages of the sports watch on one hand (Classic, Sports, Extreme Sports) and contemporary mechanical invention on the other hand (with three in-house movements—automatic, manual, tourbillon). Calce’s strategy can be summed up in a few words: “don’t bank on volume but choose intelligently so that the products will leave the stores.” It is clearly a question of consistency. In passing, we must mention a world first: The Admiral's Cup Legend 46 Minute Repeater Acoustica. With a name as long as the fifth major and sixth minor chords that the two hammers simultaneously strike

on the four gongs, this minute repeater is water-resistant to 30 metres, and the repetition function can be activated by rotating the crown 27 degrees.

To come later... It is unfortunately impossible to cover in these few columns, and even in this single issue, all of the brands visited during BaselWorld. You will, however, have the opportunity to read many other reports in the “post- BaselWorld” section of this issue by Malcolm Lakin, who had a fruitful shopping experience, as well as by Paul O'Neil, who concentrated on the new brands and, in the company of experts in the field, has assembled an anthology of the most beautiful ladies’ watches. In his articles, Keith Strandberg has tested the value for money of the most striking sports watches of the season. And, we will return over the next few issues to many other brands, such as Bulgari and Vuitton, both under the umbrella of LVMH Horlogerie, newly managed by Francesco Trapani. On a whole other level, we will take a look at brands that maintain their consistency

and are rising, such as Blacksand that has quietly created an exclusive and superb inhouse calibre, or Rodolphe who, after 16 months of existence of his Manufacture Rodolphe Cattin, is now presenting a complete collection—for gents and ladies—of strong and inventive pieces, ranging from three hands to the tourbillon. In our next edition, 4/12—Mechanical Watches —we will also talk about those brands that have succeeded in truly industrialising the production of their own movements, such as Ulysse Nardin and Chopard. On a more modest scale, we will also look at brands such as Armin Strom and the second generation of its very lovely manual-winding movement AMW11. It has also presented a third calibre with a double barrel, integrating carbon plates into the movement. With the world of communication doused in tweets and other buzz coming from almost everywhere, wouldn’t it be better to take a little distance in order to filter through all the media hype… and to see what is really happening? Time will sort things out. O

MONTRES VENUS S.A.

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36 GALLERY – PRESTIGE MECHANICAL WATCHES europa star

UPSIDE DOWN by Ludovic Ballouard The original display of the Upside Down watch belies a mechanical complexity that is revealed through the transparent case back. Twelve Maltese crosses drive the rotation of the individual hour discs, which spin from upside down to right side up to display the correct hour faster than the blink of an eye. Patented Calibre B01 manual winding movement with 40-hour power reserve, case in 950 platinum, titanium dial and blued-steel hands, hand-stitched black alligator leather strap with 950 platinum buckle.

DB28 ST by De Bethune The DB28 ST features the fastest and lightest tourbillon on the market, weighing 0.18 grammes and operating at 36,000 vibrations per hour. It is equipped with the brand’s patented silicon/white-gold balance wheel and self-regulating twin-barrel, which offers a power reserve of 96 hours for the hand-wound Calibre DB2119 movement. Case in polished titanium, 43mm diameter, patented floating lugs, platinum bezel, sterling silver chapter ring and silver toned dial, solid hunter-style case back, black alligator leather strap.

HM3 SIDEWINDER by MB&F Horological Machine No. 3 by Max Büsser and Friends displays the time in two separate cones—one for the hours and one for the minutes. Two versions are available: the Sidewinder (pictured), with the cones perpendicular to the wearer’s arm, and the Starcruiser, with the cones in line with the arm. Case in 18-carat white gold and titanium, 50mm x 47mm, three-dimensional horological engine movement designed by Jean-Marc Wiederrecht and powered by a Girard-Perregaux base with a 22-carat rose gold battle-axe shaped “mystery” oscillating mass.

MVT01/D01 by 4N The first watch presented by 4N is a limited edition of 16 pieces available in 18-carat white gold or platinum. The unique patented movement has been developed in conjunction with Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi (APRP) and uses four jumping discs to display the hours, five to display the minutes and one for the ten minutes using large 5.5mm numbers. The movement comprises 520 components and 87 rubies and has twin barrels that ensure a power reserve of 237 hours (10 days).

IVRESSE by Badollet This intriguingly named piece (“Ivresse” in French means drunkenness) was designed by Eric Giroud and hides a flying tourbillon in the domed, manually-wound Badollet Calibre 2012 movement with a conical going train and a 120-hour power reserve. Case in 950 platinum, 53.80mm x 30mm, dark blue satin-brushed dial, sapphire crystal front and back, midnight blue alligator leather strap with 950 platinum pin buckle.

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38 GALLERY – UNUSUAL DESIGNS europa star

LA CROIX by Cecil Purnell The La Croix model preserves the original CP design of a “floating” dial but presents a bold new 51mm x 47mm case designed around five axes and incorporating a convex cylindrical sapphire crystal that is built in four separate parts. It is available in 18-carat rose or white gold and is powered by the CP-V11 manually-wound tourbillon calibre, which is a redesign of the CP3888 in use since 2010. The CP-V11 operates at 21,600 vibrations per hour and offers a power reserve of 55 hours. Water resistant to 50 metres.

PARIS FOREVER by Tournaire and Technotime This highly unusual timepiece is the result of nearly 18 months of work to reproduce, in a tourbillon, the architecture familiar from Philippe Tournaire’s rings. The watch design represents the French capital through its architectural highlights and the case, in gold and sapphire, is constructed around four classic architectural columns: Doric, Ionian, Tuscan and Corinthian. The TT791.00 calibre powering the watch was awarded first prize in the tourbillon category at the 2011 Chronometry Competition and boasts a double barrel that offers a five-day power reserve.

KLEPCYS by Cyrus Cyrus presented two limited editions in its Klepcys collection dedicated to the red planet at BaselWorld this year. The Klepcys incorporates a number of patented features, such as the three-dimensional calendar and retrograde time displays, as well as the innovative three-dimensional moon phase display. It is powered by the Cyrus CYR598 self-winding calibre, which is 100 per cent Swiss made and was developed in conjunction with Jean-François Mojon.

TOURBILLON MANÈGE by Revelation The Tourbillon Manège takes its name from the unique configuration of the tourbillon design, which resembles a merrygo-round (“manège” in French) due to the way in which the regulating organ is fixed to a rotating platform—the bridge of the tourbillon, which is inserted between two wheels mounted on the central axis of the watch. The timepiece is available in 18-carat white, yellow or rose gold using the signature Revelation case, which features a hinged cover that can be lifted to admire the Tourbillon Manège movement in all its splendour.

CHERRY BLOSSOM FEMININE POWER by Quinting This watch is part of Quinting’s Art Collection and celebrates feminine power with two animated birds flying around a cherry blossom tree, which represents feminine power and beauty in Asian cultures. It is powered by Quinting’s Tech 5 movement, which creates the beautiful animation through a combination of seven perfectly aligned sapphire crystals housed inside the 39mm stainless-steel case. The yellow bird is on the hour sapphire, the blue one on the minute sapphire, and the cherry blossom tree on the base sapphire crystal.

ADVERTISER’S SPOTLIGHT europa star

L’Duchen: L'esprit de la Suisse SPACE COLLECTION: SUPERNOVA

SPACE COLLECTION: SATURN

he history of Swiss brand L'Duchen began when some passionate watch collectors found in a small antique store an old L'Duchene&Fils pocket watch with an attractive classical design, a beautifully decorated movement and the finest enamel inlay on the back cover. Inspired by this true specimen of classic watchmaking art, they decided to create their own brand, which would meet the highest standards of the modern watchmaking industry but at the same time preserve the aesthetics, elegance and sophistication of the classical Swiss watch. L’Duchen is proud of its history and values, which is why the oak leaf was chosen as a brand logo, since it represents wisdom and longevity. The slogan of the brand “L'esprit de la Suisse” reflects its commitment to the traditions of the Swiss watchmaking art and indicates the origin of its watches. In 2004 the first collections of mechanical models were produced, equipped with self-winding ETA movements in three classic case shapes. These watches were designed firstly for an intimate circle of collectors of classic Swiss mechanical watches. But surprisingly for the brand owners these watches were a commercial success with the mainstream audience, so it was decided to broaden the line and manufacture quartz men's models and elegant ladies' models inlaid with crystals in stylish small cases. This year L’Duchen was present at BaselWorld for the first time, where it presented a new flagship collection of timepieces for men under the name Space Collection, incorporating the best practices and progressive developments of the company’s design studio. The collection includes four automatic watches based on the Soprod movement, with a handengraved logo, circular graining and the classic Côtes de Genève decoration on the oscillating mass.

All the new models have a transparent crystal case back that reveals the complexity of the movement and its bevelled and polished edges. The multilevel dial of the new models has a deep structure. At least 30 manual operations are required to produce the dial of most models. The new models feature specially designed ergonomic cases with a convex shape and rounded sides that visibly reduce their size. They are fitted with anti-reflective sapphire crystal and a leather strap with a folding clasp. The Supernova and Saturn models have dials decorated with stars and feature an open balance. Furthermore, the Supernova model features an unusual spiral pattern on the dial that creates a funnel effect leading to the open balance at its centre. As L’Duchen’s chief designer and creator of the new collection, Alexander V. Pay, says, “I was inspired by the photographs of Supernovae from the Hubble Space Telescope. I thought it was exactly what I wanted to embody in watches.”

172 COLLECTION

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191 COLLECTION

ADVERTISER’S SPOTLIGHT

582 COLLECTION

462 COLLECTION

The space theme was further developed in the Saturn models, whose open-balance design prompted the designer to think about using planetary images. The multilevel dial of the Saturn watches has an additional decorative element—an applied ring that recalls the image of the ringed planet. A special circle symbolising the sun is also found on the dial, producing a miniature representation of the solar system. The watch has a complicated “sculpture” crown designed specifically for the Space collection and used on all models in the collection. L’Duchen also presented new collections of quartz watches both for men and ladies. The gents’ models combine classic design with sports functionality in a chronograph with date based on the Ronda 530D movement. The dials feature skeletonised hands that improve the readability of the chronograph indicators and the ribbed chronograph pushers are particularly easy to operate. Presented in round cases, the models in the 172 collection come with straps with contrasting stitching that underscores their sporty nature. “While sporty models tend to be more complicated in design, we tried to create simple watches with ‘clean’ design,” says the chief designer.

201 COLLECTION

The simple geometric shape of the L'Duchen 582 collection looks more sophisticated due to the play of light on the case facets. And while the horizontal structure of the dial gives the model a compositional integrity, the 191 watch collection opts for a different aesthetic. “The diagonals of the calendar aperture create compositional dynamics on the simple, traditional dial. Special elements of the case have the same shape as the date indicator. To emphasise the sporty look of the models we use Arabic numerals and hour markers with simple and strict geometric shapes. The case has both brushed and polished finishing,” says Alexander V. Pay. The new ladies’ quartz watch collection follows the trend of combining sporty style and classics. L’Duchen stays true to the main brand values and embodies the combination of elegance and aesthetics in ladies’ watches. In addition to a balanced mix of classic elegance and slight sportiness, these new watches have additional decorative elements: both the bezel and the dial are decorated with zircons and some models combine stainless steel with trendy new yellow or pink PVD colour coatings on the bezel and crown. The vertical structure of the dial and the applied hour markers create a special “helical” look and the ergonomic leather strap is integrated into the case. For further information please visit www.lduchen.com or contact the L'Duchen office by e-mail at sales@lduchen.com or info@lduchen.com.

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Monsters, machines, mechanical marvels and masterpieces Reminiscences of a BaselWorld that left me somewhat bemused, a little frustrated and, for some inexplicable reason, dissatisfied. Naturally, there were many highly notable exceptions!

RD. Malcolm Lakin

Before I’m defrocked, declared a heretic and drummed out of the ‘BaselWorld Fan Club’ for including seemingly critical terminology in my sub-heading to this article, let me avow to being an unequivocal aficionado of this incomparable watch-fest. From the editorial point of view, some vintages are better than others, but as many a BaselWorld devotee claims, there’s no such thing as a bad show, it’s just that some are better than others. So it is with a slightly heavy heart that I say, for me 2012 was one of those others. Let me explain why. Many years ago, a very good friend of mine who also happened to be a world-renowned jewellery designer said to me that however clever, innovative, daring and unconventional a piece of jewellery is, if it’s unwearable it’s a failure because the objective of jewellery is that it is made to be worn and to enhance the wearer’s appearance. Today, I am applying that concept to wristwatches.

35,576 feet dive, could also be worn at a black tie event. I suddenly realised that some of today’s most brilliant watchmakers, along with many who don’t fit into that category, seem to have lost sight of a watch’s function: to show the time at a glance. When I want to know the time, I do not want to have to put my wrist into various contortions to be able to decipher it from a multitude of dials, perpetually rotating mechanisms, oscillating wheels and a multitude of hands. I want to be able to simply look at my wrist and confirm at a glance that the rumbling in my stomach is because it is twelvethirty and it’s lunchtime. I fully accept that I may never again be allowed to stroll amongst the heady creations in the Palace, but answer me this: who do you know, other than the designers and watchmakers of these monstrous machines, that actually wears one on a daily basis?

Let’s take an example, the HM4 Thunderbolt RT by MB&F. It looks as though once it’s strapped onto your wrist you could zoom off to Krypton faster than Superman himself, pick up a few pieces of kryptonite to be used as dials in more mundane timepieces, rid the world of all its evil dictators and lunatics and be back home for tea before anyone notices you’ve even left the office. The Thunderbolt may well be a mechanical marvel and maintain the MB&F brand name at the forefront of horological modernism, but to put it another way, how many pieces will be purchased versus, let’s say, the new Omega Speedmaster? Another case in point is Harry Winston’s Histoire de Tourbillon 3 (which was featured in our previous issue). A feat of technical prowess that combines a bi-axial double tourbillon with an outer cage that has a two-minute rotation and an inner cage that rotates in 40 seconds; a second single axis tourbillon that rotates in 36 seconds with the time being displayed on rotating discs. Avant-garde design yes, but take a careful look at the watch and consider whether or not you would actually wear this 65 x 45.9 mm machine as a time-

Monsters As I wandered around the halls searching for my utopian timekeeper, it was impossible to ignore the preponderance of massive monsters and machines that purported to be the ideal, if not perfect watch that, in addition to surviving the rigorous corrosive tests of ‘The Big Blue’ or the pressure of a James Cameron

HM4 THUNDERBOLT RT by MB&F

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CHRONOMAT 44 GMT by Breitling

keeper. Given that this monster is in 18-carat white gold it will probably take someone of Schwarzenegger’s proportions to even lift it. Additionally, I can’t help but ask myself what do these 120-second and 40-second tourbillons accomplish? If you are going to wear a watch on your wrist on a regular basis, there’s no need for a tourbillon since the effect of gravity is no longer a consideration. And as much as I love to see a tourbillon in full flow, a watch with two tourbillons is not only doubly redundant, but also a perfect example of overkill. One thing is for sure, by the time you’ve let your eyes meander over the entirety of its surface, checked whether or not the 50hour power reserve indicator needs a boost and admired the complexities of the rotating tourbillons, not only will your retinas have a problem decrypting the time on the rotating discs, but also you’ll more than likely have a parking ticket stuck under your Ferrari’s windscreen wipers because the parking meter will have long ago clicked on to the red ‘Penalty’ indicator! But then if you can afford the Histoire de Tourbillon 3 and the Ferrari, I suppose the fine would be insignificant. Since time immemorial monsters roam the earth in groups of three, so to complete my triumvirate let’s look at the H1 by HYT. But before I do, I want to state loud and clear that I have a lot of time for Vincent Perriard, the brand’s CEO and Partner, and I really appreciated him taking time out to explain to me the H1’s intricacies and functions. Now to business. The H1 is what I would call a ‘fun’ monster, a timepiece that seems to operate a little like a pacemaker, with a pair of pumps resembling bellows at 6 o’clock that pump a yellow luminescent liquid through a tube that encircles the watch to indicate the hour. The small seconds counter is situated between 9 and 10 o’clock and is reminiscent of a miniaturised waterwheel you might find

at an ancient flour mill or on the sides of one of the paddle steamers that chug up and down the Mississippi river. If you turn the watch over, the transparent caseback reveals an insight into the working heart of the H1. The timepiece is supremely innovative and it is a brilliant example of how visual creativity is as much a part of modern watchmaking as the mechanical prowess required to construct it. However, for me it is a mechanical monster. I love it, but I wouldn’t wear one in a month of Sundays. (See Pierre Maillard’s article in this issue for more technical details on the H1 and HYT’s plans for the future). These timepieces are but three examples of many of what I mean by watchmakers going off on a tangent: they display in an extraordinary manner the time but forget about the basic concept of a wristwatch. A watch by definition is a small portable timepiece usually worn on the wrist. Okay, how small is small? Don’t get me wrong, all three of these timepieces are exceptional creations that demonstrate inspired mechanical expertise and workmanship, but for me their complexity detracts from what I believe are the two fundamental aims of a wristwatch: an instant visual reading of the time and, given that the male of the species often considers his wristwatch as his only adornment, the enhancement of his appearance. I’m fully aware that by saying that I won’t win many friends, but for me a

mechanical or quartz wristwatch is an intricate mechanism worn on the wrist whose raison d’être is primordially to give the time and not look like a machine from a Nobel prize winner’s laboratory.

Mechanical marvels Having moaned and groaned about the monsters, I’m now going to take a look at some of the mechanical marvels that I would be happy to put on my wrist. Some of them are large, but their size slots comfortably into my “Big is Beautiful” category, which is, give or take a millimetre or two, the size of the new Transocean Chronograph Unitime by Breitling. In stainless steel or 18 carat red gold the 44 mm Transocean is equipped with a Breitling Calibre 05 manufacture self-winding movement with a 70-hour power reserve. There is a central quarter-second chronograph hand with 30minute and 12-hour counters, a date aperture between 4 and 5 o’clock and a world time feature that features two mobile discs – a 24-hour disc and one bearing the names of cities representing 24 time zones. The time shown by the hour and minute hands is the local time—or that of the city/zone at 12 o’clock. To change the time zone, you pull out the crown and turn it forwards or backwards in one-hour increments to change the city disc and the 24-hour disc, and the date is simply adjusted in both directions to that of the corresponding local

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BR 01 ALTIMETER

BR 01 TURN COORDINATOR

BR 01 HORIZON

time. During these adjustments, the minute and seconds hands continue normally without any loss of precision and without affecting any chronograph timing operation in use. The dials are available in black or polar white and the watch is water resistant to 100 metres. The Transocean Chronograph Unitime is easy to use, easy to read, offers the time at a glance and it looks great on the wrist anywhere in the world. Breitling’s other gem this year is the Chronomat 44 GMT. Using the manufacture Breitling selfwinding Calibre 04 movement, this “traveller’s chronograph” offers three time zones: home time, a 24-hour second zone indicated by the red-tipped hand and a rotating ratcheted bezel providing the 24-hour third zone. Turning the crown forwards or backwards to change the time zones doesn’t interfere with the minutes function. The watch is in stainless steel with a quarter-second chronograph and 30-minute and 12-hour counters with a date aperture between 4 and 5 o’clock. The dial comes in various colours and the strap is available in leather, rubber or as the iconic Pilot bracelet. Water resistant to 200 metres, this watch combines all the features I would want in a timepiece and looks remarkably elegant if you’re wearing denim or dinner jacket.

are inspired by cockpit instrumentation, but if you are, then the new Aviation Collection is a must. At 46mm they are more or less the standard for the brand’s BR collections, but although they are big they are supremely comfortable on the wrist and they certainly don’t fall into my monster category since readability of the time remains a priority—as it is indeed for those wonderful men in their flying machines. The three limited-edition “from cockpit to the wrist” models—the BR 01 Horizon, BR 01 Altimeter and BR 01 Turn Coordinator—have been recreated in the style of the actual navigational instruments they are named after, with the added impetus of an appealing graphic styling. The BR Horizon’s styling is based upon an attitude indicator (or artificial horizon) with the lower part of the watch in black representing the earth and the grey representing the sky. A white horizon line on the 9 o’clock to 3 o’clock axis separates the two sections. The hour indices are on a raised dial to ensure clear legibility and the bridge at 12 o’clock, which is evocative of the attitude indicator, conceals the attachment of the hands. The watch is equipped with an ETA 2892 automatic movement and the case has a black PVD steel finish. Water resistant to 100 metres the BR Horizon comes with a black rubber strap and one in a heavy-duty canvas. The BR Altimeter bears a very strong resemblance to an altimeter. The window at 3 o’clock displaying the date is where normally the

atmospheric pressure would be indicated and the typeface used is reminiscent of that on the genuine altimeter. The watch is equipped with an ETA 2896 automatic movement showing hours, minutes, seconds and big date. The size and case details are the same as on the Horizon. Lastly we have the BR Turn Coordinator, an innovative timepiece that uses ultra-light concentric discs to display the hours and minutes. Each disc weighs thirty times more than a conventional watch hand, thus requiring special materials and techniques to ensure that not only are they not deformed by friction, but also can maintain the power reserve and, therefore, the accuracy of the wristwatch. It is fitted with an ETA 2892 automatic movement and three black concentric discs to indicate the hours, minutes and seconds. I’m not a pilot, in fact I have problems navigating between the drinks cabinet and the chaise longue on the terrace, but I have to admit that when I tried on the BR Turn Coordinator I had the impression that I would be more than capable of navigating through the hordes of families with their dogs and prams along the Champs Elysées in Hall 1 on a Sunday afternoon.

You don’t have to be an aviation aficionado to enjoy the timepieces by Bell & Ross that

Choosing a watch to illustrate a brand’s participation at BaselWorld is usually easy but sometimes it is problematic. This is one of those difficult times because Maurice Lacroix launched a dozen timepieces each as worthy

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MASTERPIECE LUNE RÉTROGRADE Stainless-steel 43mm watch equipped with an automatic manufacture movement ML 192. Hours and minute hands, date by retrograde hand at 10 o’clock, day by hand at 6 o’clock, moon phase on disc at 6 o’clock, power reserve hand (52 hours) at 2 o’clock. Adjustments made by 5 crown positions, navy blue dial on a solid silver plate, sapphire crystal caseback, water resistant to 50 metres.

MASTERPIECE ROUE CARRÉE SECONDE Rose-gold 43mm watch equipped with a mechanical ML 156 movement. Dial created on the movement main plate, trailing square wheel for the seconds display driven by a clovershaped wheel, seconds pointer with luminescent coating, stick hand for the power reserve indication engraved on dial, stamped hours and minutes hands with diamond-cut head, sapphire caseback, water resistant to 50 metres.

PONTOS DÉCENTRIQUE GMT Stainless-steel 43mm watch equipped with a self-winding ML 121 automatic movement. Off-centre display of hours, minutes and seconds with diamond-cut faceted hands with luminescent coating, date at 6 o’clock, GMT display at 4 o’clock with an opening for day/night disc indicator. 38-hour power reserve, sapphire crystal caseback, water resistant to 50 metres.

as the next of inclusion. Consequently, I’m going to dispense with a long eulogistic text and let the illustrations do my job for me. The choice of watches is subjective, but they more than adequately cover the spectrum of watches that Maurice Lacroix now offer. They are: the Masterpiece Lune Rétrograde, the Masterpiece Roue Carrée Seconde and the Pontos Décentrique GMT.

where he developed his style and styling, which he terms as “When Bauhaus meets Dali.” But back to the watch business. Teaming up with Modex Time & Jewelry, Ltd. Fredi Brodmann has created and developed a new timepiece called Angolo Suisse that he de-

scribes as his “first high-end jewellery object that also tells time”. In fact it is a bangle watch available in 18 carat white, yellow or rose gold that “parallels modern high-tech and architecture with surrealism”. It comes with a variety of surface treatments from leather inlays, to wood veneer and guilloché to a variety of diamond settings, all of which are made to order for a client. However, the Angolo features an exclusive, first time patented bent sapphire crystal. Milled out of a solid block of sapphire to create a 90º angle—“twenty break before one comes out perfect” —the watch is equipped with an ETA quartz movement or, if requested, a mechanical movement. By definition, each watch is unique and as Fredi explains, “The Angolo Bangle watches are Swiss Made and individually numbered. They are served in an egg shell piano lacquered luxury gift box and range from US$ 50,000 to 150,000, depending on the model and the finishing.” As Fredi says, “Give me luxury, the rest I can live without.”

I really don’t recall the first time that I met Fredi Brodmann at Basel, but he’s always around in some capacity or other because Fredi is, amongst his many talents, a watch designer. I say many talents because the designer tag is very appropriate in his case since in addition to having designed watches for many leading watch companies internationally, he has also designed chairs, cuff-links, written books and created the Brodmann Blades – a remarkable ping pong bat without a handle. Check it out when you have a moment. Born in Vienna, Fredi Brodmann attended the Academy for Applied Arts, then moved to New York where he founded Visual Visions Inc.,

ANGOLO SUISSE by Modex Time & Jewelry, Ltd.

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REFLEX by Ritmo Mundo

I usually pop into Ritmo Mundo to see Ari Soltani and his latest collections because he always has something a little different. Last year it was the Puzzle watch, this year it’s the Reflex, a “fun” watch made up from a colourful silicon strip that is slapped on so that it wraps itself around the wrist. Although the concept is not new, the Reflex is new because it has an ultra bright colour LED digital display that shows the time and the date. There are two buttons on the strip marked Set and On. By pressing the On button the LED numbers light up for five seconds with the hour display in the left column and the minute display on the right. By pressing the On button a second time, the LED numbers light up to display the month on the left and the day on the right. After five seconds, the watch returns back to the a.m/p.m display mode. The Reflex comes in seven colours: white, red, black, green, blue, yellow and pink, is washable with a mild soap and water and a clean cloth and is water resistant to 10 metres, making it ideal for land sports and an eyecatching adornment if you’re feeling in a disco mood. The wearer gets around 3000 readings before a change of battery is required – which is easily done via a small screw-down back plate. Ritmo Mundo also produce watches in partnership with the Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation to license men’s and women’s watches under

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IZOD Collection by Ritmo Mundo

the IZOD brand. The 2012 Collection offers inexpensive (US$75 to 300) and colourful timepieces in a spectrum of ten bright colours featuring simple three-hand models and chronographs with sporty rubber, canvas and leather strap options. Sizes range from 41.1 mm to 55 mm depending on the model and are in stainless steel and aluminium and stainless steel and polycarbonate. Water resistant to 30 metres the watches are fitted with Miyota quartz movements. And as an added bonus,Arnold Schwarzenegger visited his pal Ari Soltani on the stand at BaselWorld and he wears Ritmo Mundo watches – when he’s not visiting Audemars Piguet that is.

deLaCour was tucked away in Hall 2 amidst the glittering jewellery exhibitors with a booth entrance almost hidden from view to passersby. Hopefully the brand will be more visible next year because they have some eye-catching models just waiting to be discovered. The first of the deLaCour creations was the Bichrono. Designed by Pierre Koukjian the timepiece had a dual time zone powered by two independent chronograph movements and won several prizes around the world. From there the brand went on to produce a Bitourbillon and by 2007 there was the Birepetition followed later by other innovative watches such as the Bichrono Hommage using wood as the dial, the Bichrono Fidelidad using tobacco leaf and the Bichrono Asphalt using pulverised asphalt. All powerful pieces designed to enhance the male of the species. The ladies haven’t been forgotten though and this year deLaCour offered an abundance of colourful timepieces that underline the creativity of the brand’s designer, Pierre Koukjian. The first collection to catch my eye was the City Leap Garden, watches inspired by the beauty of field flowers: hand-painted mother-

CITY LEAP GARDEN by deLaCour

CITY LEAP PASSION by deLaCour

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CLASS LADY 15TH ANNIVERSARY by Gc

MEN’S GC-4 15TH ANNIVERSARY by Gc

SPORT CLASS XL-GLAM MATTE by Gc

of-pearl dials adorned with diamonds, rubies, tsavorites and yellow sapphires. The cases are in either 18-carat rose gold or steel PVD equipped with DC 225 quartz movements. Another collection, the City Leap Passion, plays with the emotions by contrasting black motherof-pearl dials with diamonds, pear-shaped peridots, citrines, amethysts and pear-shaped diamonds. The watch cases are in 18-carat rose gold or titanium PVD and they feature a quartz movement. The City Leap Web recreates that enigmatic asymmetrical creation of the spider, the web. Lattice lines forming intertwined rows of diamonds (2.25 carats) adorn

a black or white mother-of-pearl dial.The watch is equipped again with the quartz DC 225 movement and like all the ladies’ watches it is water resistant to 50 metres. For something completely different there was the Promess Glamour. The brand’s first round watch was launched a couple of years ago, but the new model offers an almost three dimensional appearance as the silky lines of the case contrast dramatically with the dials made up from baguette diamonds and rubies enhanced by peridots, iolites, citrines, pink tourmalines and amethysts. The watches are in stainless steel equipped with a DC 221

quartz movement and are water resistant to 30 metres. If you are looking for a stunning kaleidoscope of precious colour, deLaCour is the answer. The only problem was finding them—a mustlook-at problem that the BaselWorld organisers will hopefully rectify with the new halls in 2013.

CITY LEAP WEB by deLaCour

PROMESS GLAMOUR by deLaCour

Once again, the combined Gc and Guess booth was teeming with buyers, would-be buyers, journalists and Basel’s younger generation. Fortunately, the indefatigable CEO of Gc, Cindy Livingston, cleared a space for me in her busy schedule to explain that Gc enjoyed a bigger increase than Guess in 2011, partially due to the brand’s marketing and packaging being just right and partially because Gc now has 5,000 retail outlets around the world including thirty-five Gc boutiques— increasing to fifty by year-end. Continuing with its Smart Luxury concept of a commitment to providing quality Swiss watches at a genuinely accessible price level, this year sees the creation of the Gc Class Lady 15th Anniversary Limited Edition (115 pieces): a stainless-steel version with rose gold accents on the transparent dial; one in rose gold PVD; and one with 46 finely-cut diamonds set in two crescent shaped curves on the stainlesssteel case. The watches are equipped with an

CHANGE. YOU CAN.

I C E - A L U COLLECTION 10 ATM Duracouche coating Aluminium case & band

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DARING by Guess

FIERCE by Guess

combines a reflective bronze and gold-toned leopard print on a stainless-steel case and bracelet, with a dial made up of animal glitz and gold-toned markers. Other versions are the snow leopard with crystal-set bezels. And if you’re having doubts as a buyer, eat your words, for they are going like the proverbial hot cakes.

Not to be forgotten …

ETA 2801 mechanical movement with either a translucent mother-of-pearl dial or transparent dial and sapphire crystals front and back. The watch is water resistant to 50 metres and comes with either a polished steel bracelet or a black croco-embossed leather strap. Men also have an anniversary model: the Gc-4 15th Anniversary Limited Edition (115 pieces). This 44 mm mechanical watch with a skeleton movement combines what Gc explain as “traditional savoir-faire meets bold and expressive design”. Equipped with an ETA 2801 manual wound movement with a 42-hour power reserve, the watch comes in two versions, either brushed and polished stainless steel or black matte PVD. With a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and a screw-down caseback, water-resistance to 50 metres, this powerfully built timepiece is a typical example of Gc keeping its finger—make that wrist—on the pulse of the sporty, elegant market. For the ladies who want to join in the “black is beautiful” trend in timepieces, Gc offer the 36 mm Sport Class XL-Glam Matte in high-tech black ceramic. The watch is equipped with a Swiss quartz movement with two counters indicating the date at 3 o’clock and the day at 9 o’clock. The bezel design has metallised matte black crystal inserts between the ten-minute markers to give a tone on tone contrast.There is a matte black dial with hand-applied Roman numerals and indices, a screw-down case and

crown, a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and the watch is water resistant to 100 metres. Guess watches are all about trend, design, eyecatching marketing and prices that belie belief. Take for example the 45 mm Daring with its mixture of textures, treatments and finishes. Rose gold combined with a bronze top ring enhanced by a rich brown croco-embossed leather strap. Hours, minutes and central seconds hands, a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock and a day counter at 9 o’clock, the watch is water resistant to 100 metres. Now for something ferociously à la mode: Fierce; a gold-toned leopard print watch that is outrageously bold in concept and appearance. Not for the faint-hearted, this timepiece

CONTINUITY KOALA COLLECTION by Blacksand

There are a few brands and watches that I would have liked to include, but my colleagues at Europa Star insisted that they got there before me. So, in no special order here are some of the memorable pieces that nevertheless I have to mention … Blacksand and the deliciously elegant Continuity Koala Collection. My preference was for the model in white gold with the diamond-set bezel and the painted and cloisonné enamelled koalas. Boucheron for its Hibiscus Tourbillon in white gold with a hummingbird and a flower with pavé diamonds, blue and pink sapphires, white mother-of-pearl dial and hand-wound mechanical movement with a flying tourbillon.

HIBISCUS TOURBILLON by Boucheron

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1001 by Ressence

RAKETA Last year I stopped very briefly to browse in the showcases of the Russian brand Raketa in Hall 4, promising myself to return when I had more time. A year later I found the time and was greeted with a “Welcome to Russia” from Count Jacques von Polier, Raketa’s Managing Director, who is also the Head of Design and Propaganda. Count von Polier explained that although the Raketa (Russian for rocket) brand name was only created in 1962 in honour of Yuri Gagarin, the Russian cosmonaut, the Petrodvorets Watch Factory where the watches are manufactured is Russia’s oldest factory, having been founded by Peter the Great in 1721. The Petrodvorets factory is still located in its original building in St Petersburg and is one of the relatively rare watch factories manufacturing its own movements. It is also now the only Russian watch manufacturing company. “In the 1970s and 80s the factory was huge,” Count von Polier told me. “It produced about five million mechanical watches a year. Before the Second World War the factory had about 600 employees and during the war a third of the employees were killed. In 1945, the remaining 400 workers started to rebuild the factory that had been heavily damaged in the siege of Leningrad as it was then called. “From 1945 onwards, the factory continued to grow, reaching almost 8,000 employees by the end of the 70s with a production of five million watches a year. The city and the Raketa Factory were almost like a single unit: the factory had its own symphonic orchestra with 150 professional musicians and an Olympic-size football stadium and was heralded as the epitome of communism with its happy, smiling workers. “After the fall of Soviet Union, Russia entered a chaotic era—the Yeltsin epoch. This period of the 90s under the Yeltsin regime saw literally hundreds of factories close one after the other, because not only were they incapable of adapting to the new economic environment, but also because the economy was governed by what became known as the Russian mafia. “During this period our factory also suffered badly.Watch production fell drastically, sales collapsed and qualified workers became taxi drivers and grew potatoes in their garden to feed their families. But despite all this, thanks to a few state orders essentially for the Russian army, the factory survived. Its size was seriously reduced with time and when I arrived at the factory for the first time in 2009, I found 100 watchmakers, 300 machines, but a rare know-how. “Based on this and with the help of Swiss engineers, the Petrodvorets Watch Factory was reorganised and last year modern watchmaking equipment was purchased from the Swatch Group resulting in an immediate improvement of the quality of Raketa watches. I think it’s fair to say that we arrived just in time to save the last Russian watch manufacturer - one of the very rare watch factories in the world that produces entirely its own movement from A to Z including the hairspring, balance wheel and escapement. Currently we have a production capacity of 2,000 watches a month and by next year we should double that figure. “Today, our priority is to initially develop the Russian market and then continue with the rest of Europe.” At BaselWorld, Raketa presented a prototype of its new automatic movement the Automat Raketa. Designed and produced in-house, the new Automat is thinner and of a smaller diameter than the automatic movement the factory manufactured back in 1975. The new movement will come in two versions: the Automat 2615 with three hands and the Automat 2627 with a double date feature. As Count Jacques von Polier explained, “By the end of this year we hope that some of our models from the collection will be available with the new automatic movement. The first model will most probably be our actual ‘best seller’, the Petrodvorets Classic. Then eventually we will adapt other models to our automatic movement including the Vodianova, which at present is equipped with a Raketa 2609 engraved and gold-plated movement.” The Vodianova to which Count von Polier refers is the new Raketa watch presented this year that was designed by Nathalia Vodianova, the Russian supermodel. Having delved into the Raketa archives, she decided to use as the basis for her design a popular Raketa model from 1974. The new watch has a mother-of-pearl dial decorated with red crystals in the form of the famous red star that adorns the four corners of Moscow’s Kremlin, and in Cyrillic on the rotating bezel are the city names representing the various time zones. As they say over there, Хорошее здоровье и Успех!

Ressence and the highly original timepiece with its revolving dial plate that points out the minutes with a central hand and orbiting sub-dials inside the main dial plate indicating the hours, seconds and a.m/p.m. indication. Frédérique Constant for two watches: the Black Beauty Double Heart Beat. A beautiful rendition highlighting a mechanical movement through heart-shaped apertures and enhanced by a diamond-set bezel for the utmost sophistication; the Index Moon Timer with its FC-330 mechanical movement and moon phases at 6 o’clock and circular date indicator using a white hand with a red-tipped arrowhead pointer.

INDEX MOON TIMER by Frédérique Constant

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CARROUSEL RED PASSION by Peter Tanisman

Peter Tanisman and two elegant timepieces each with a spinning cylinder containing synthetic red rubies for the Red Passion model and a sunburst guilloché cylinder with two diamonds for the Black Attitude. Franc Vila watches have a very bold and distinctive look. This year Franc Vila introduced a melodic blackened titanium 5 Minute Repeater in his Superligero Concept series and a Cobra Automatic Chronograph with Big Date in blackened steel and titanium that outweighed the Repeater but is very comfortable on the

CAPONE by Pilo & Co.

wrist. The dial is carbon fibre with a distinctive guilloché pattern and the three counters, hours at 9 o’clock, minutes at 6 o’clock and seconds at 3 o’clock, along with the date aperture at 12 o’clock are very legible. To meet the ever-increasing demand by the ladies for mechanical timepieces, Franc Vila has launched the No 1 Tourbillon Planétaire in DLC DieHard Extreme steel. It has two rubies on the lower part of the combined elliptic and circular bezel and sapphire crystals front and back.The dial is in black mother-of-pearl embellished with Clous de Paris and red numerals. There is a 120-hour power reserve indicator and the suspended tourbillon is colourfully prominent at 6 o’clock in red, gold and steel. As Franc Vila states, “This is an ultra-limited edition of 8 pieces.” Luminox had a miniature submarine on their stand so I met up with Andreas Lehmann, the Marketing and Sales Director, to find out why. Renowned for its ultra-rugged watches, the Luminox brand has teamed up with the intrepid underwater explorer and extreme diver

Scott Cassell and, working together, they have created special edition watches that will function and not fail during his deep-sea dives and his world record long-distance attempt. Scott Cassell gave a talk on his underwater expeditions and his continuing battle to preserve the deteriorating condition of the oceans, closing with “The oceans need warriors. Not more words!” Checking out the ambience inside the miniature submarine with Scott Cassell in attendance, I can only admire his fortitude and dedication to rest entombed in this metal shell for hours on end hundreds of feet below the surface of the sea. He deserves all the Luminox watches they give him! Pilo & Co Genève presented its new Capone Collection, an imposing 44 mm x 52 mm tonneau-shaped day/date timepiece. In stainless steel or black PVD it has a domed sapphire crystal with an internal loupe over a very distinctive red dial and a transparent caseback. The watch is equipped with an ETA 2834 day/date movement with a screw-down crown.

COBRA by Franc Vila

SCOTT CASSELL DEEP DIVE AUTOMATIC SPECIAL EDITION by Luminox

David Van Heim, Pilo’s sister brand offered two new timepieces. The Omina unisex double time zone watch with day/date and 24hour indication and two crowns, one of which has a protective guard. Water resistant to 30

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POST-BASELWORLD 53

MELTON 160 CUSHION COLLECTION by Marvin

metres, the watch is available in either rose gold or black PVD with a silicon bracelet. The other new model is in the Irea Collection, a Limited Edition (500) diver’s watch equipped with a mechanical movement, a ceramic dial with legible numerals and indices, a seconds counter at 9 o’clock and luminous hands. The watch is water resistant to 50 metres and comes with a silicon bracelet. For those readers new to the Pilo and David Van Heim collections, the prices are highly competitive, a factor worth remembering in today’s difficult economic climate.

through the watch and strap, is Marvin’s interpretation of “Boy meets Girl”. The watches are available with either a Sellita SW200 automatic movement or a Ronda 715 quartz movement, both with 3 hands and date. In stainless steel (42 x 42 mm) this cushionedshaped collection has a guilloché dial, bold numerals and indices, an ultra-resistant sapphire crystal and is water resistant to 50 metres. The collection was designed by Sébastien Perret and Jean-François Ruchonnet and the colourful options make the watches perfect for those who enjoy coordinating their summer and autumnal outfits.

Marvin, having been shuffled around various BaselWorld locations through no fault of its own, could be found this year in Hall 4. As if to underline the fact that everything is not as it should be even if it is in black and white, the brand launched a black and white version of its Melton 160 Cushion Collection that contrasted dramatically with the new vibrant multi-coloured models. Reminiscent of something from the Commedia dell'Arte of the Renaissance period, this half white and black watch with a dividing line running vertically

When I began writing this article I have to admit as to feeling a little disappointed and negative about this year’s BaselWorld. Having now completed it, I can see from the illustrations that it really wasn’t as lacklustre as I first thought. My comments about the monsters still stands, but as I toiled through the numerous press releases and then plugged in and unplugged all the USB keys, company by company, it

OMINA DOUBLE TIME ZONE by David Van Heim

IREA DIVER by David Van Heim

Conclusion

dawned on me that I was less dissatisfied with those hectic few days in springtime than I had anticipated. To those watch companies that supplied a press kit that included a USB key, thank you. To those that made me go to their website to download illustrations, please think again because in some cases it took hours rather than minutes and as you’re in the business, time is of the essence. To my cigar-smoking friend Guillaume Tetu, I’m delighted both for you and the company that a group of shareholders represented by Georges-Henri Meylan had the good sense to ensure the future of Hautlence and I look forward to following the evolution of your timepieces. To the organisers of BaselWorld, I look forward to the “new” show in 2013. However, I am a little worried about its conception since, if I understand correctly, there will be 20,000 square metres less than this year, watch brands will have larger stands and exhibiting costs will be between twenty and thirty per cent higher. I know BaselWorld is supposed to be the Greatest Show on Earth as circus people emphasise, but in addition to acrobats and performing seals there are always the little people. But will they still be participating next year? If not, send in the clowns! O

Cal. 3540.D – Chrono 1⁄ 10 Sec., Date

Cal. 3520.D – Chrono, Date

Cal. 3540.D – Chrono 1⁄10 Sec., Date

Chronos 10 1⁄ 2 x 11 1⁄ 2’’’ – One movement for small to big watches NEW Series 3500 – ronda-startech.com

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STRATEGIES 55

Philip Stein – Operating at an altogether different frequency RPaul O’Neil

Since securing the worldwide exclusivity for the use of Natural Frequency Technology in luxury products, the Philip Stein watch brand has gone from strength to strength. At BaselWorld this year, Will Stein, President of the company, confirmed that production could reach up to 80,000 watches this year and that a further 10 to 15 own-name boutiques or shop-in-shops will be opened in the South-East Asia region. This adds to the existing network of 10 boutiques, of which five are in the Philippines, where Philip Stein claims to be the number one watch brand.

ROUND PRESTIGE LIMITED EDITION KUDOKE

the renowned German engraver Stefan Kudoke at BaselWorld in a bid to attract a masculine clientele. Unlike many of the brand’s other timepieces, in which the Natural Frequency Technology is infused into a disc visible on the case-back, the entire 45mm stainless-steel case of the Round Prestige Limited Edition Kudoke has been infused with the technology.

invited to test the Philip Stein Life Card – a credit-card sized piece of metal – by tasting slices from two halves of the same lemon, one of which had been placed over the card for several minutes. The frequencies somehow reduce the acidity of the lemon and I cannot deny that there was a noticeable difference in taste between the two slices. The same technology is also used to help wine breathe (using the Philip Stein Wine Wand) and air travellers sleep easier (using the Philip Stein Sleep Bracelet, which is sold on a number of major airlines).

“We are selling around 70 per cent of our watches to ladies,” Will Stein told Europa Star. “This is for two reasons. Firstly, it is a beautiful watch and they appreciate it; secondly, it is also a well-being accessory. When a lady feels better after wearing the watch, she convinces her husband to buy one as well, which generates a lot of follow-up sales.”

Will Stein is keen to validate the well-being claims he makes for the Natural Frequency Technology. He has even appointed Professor Dr. Neil Branda, who has a PhD in organic chemistry, to the Philip Stein NFT Scientific Advisory Board in order to conduct further research and studies into its benefits. “We aim to have three independent studies on the American, Asian and European continents to validate the technology beyond reproach,” he explains.

“Our goal is to evolve more and more into a luxury lifestyle brand,” Will Stein concludes. “We plan to open more shop-in-shops and more of our own boutiques. We are also working on more and more validation of our technology. It is so mind-boggling that we haven’t even scratched the surface yet.” O

Philip Stein presented a new limited edition of 25 hand-skeletonised and engraved watches by

To demonstrate the technology, visitors to the brand’s serene stand at BaselWorld were

For more information about Philip Stein click on Brand Index at www.europastar.com

Will Stein

56 STRATEGIES europa star

Fortis celebrates its 100th anniversary RPaul O’Neil

Ten years after he first set up the Fortis watchmaking factory opposite the railway station in Grenchen in 1912, Walter Vogt met English watchmaker John Harwood, who was touring Switzerland looking for someone to take on his idea for a self-winding wristwatch. Vogt understood the significance of Harwood’s invention and agreed to work with the English watchmaker. Fortis presented the first Harwoodbranded watches to an international audience at the Basel fair in 1926. 1937

F-43 FLIEGER CHRONOGRAPH ALARM GMT CHRONOMETER

2012

Since then, the company has quietly pioneered in the shadow of its much bigger competitors in nearby Biel-Bienne, producing the first water-resistant automatic Swiss watch, the Fortissimo, in 1943 and setting itself apart with its Manager model, which was the first water-resistant alarm chronometer in 1956.

The brand has also become well-known for its association with the field of space exploration, notably becoming the “Official Cosmonauts Chronograph” after completing endurance tests at the Star City Training Centre in Russia. As the official watch of the Russian space programme, Fortis timepieces have been orbiting the Earth continuously since 1994 and have notched up a total of 100,000 Earth orbits – a longer period in weightlessness than any other watch manufacturer. Fortis has introduced a number of limited editions in its anniversary year that celebrate the brand’s iconic models. The flagship among

them is the F-43 Flieger Chronograph Alarm GMT Chronometer, which is fitted with the company’s F-2012 calibre, combining two sprung barrels – one for the timekeeping and one for the mechanical alarm – with their respective power reserve indications, plus time, date, am/pm indicator and a central GMT hand that can be adjusted by a crown in the 10 o’clock position. This top-of-the-range complication in the Fortis collection has a 43mm stainless-steel case that is available with either a brushed or polished finish and is a tribute to the first-ever automatic chronograph alarm, which Fortis presented in 1998.

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Introducing a slightly different take on its space-related theme, Fortis teamed up with German architect and designer Professor Karsten Krebs to produce the limited-edition B-47 Mysterious Planets piece, whose dial symbolises the orbits of the planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars and Jupiter around the sun. The watch’s original interpretation of the jumping hours complication involves the entire dial rotating over a period of twelve hours, revealing the hours in an apparently random fashion in one of five windows placed on each of the symbolised orbit trajectories. A total of 1000 of these pieces are available, 500 each with a blue or black dial on the 47mm stainless-steel case. Another collaboration, this time with German designer Rolf Sachs, has produced a talking piece in the brand’s Art Edition collection. The “Frisson” (the name means “chill” or “shiver” in French) has a unique mineral crystal with a frosty effect. The time is only revealed by wiping the crystal with a damp finger, similar to

STRATEGIES 57

SIMULATING THE TOUGHEST SPACE MISSION A real-life mission to the planet Mars may still be something of a dream, but a plucky group of astronauts agreed to take part in a simulation of the journey to Mars. The record-breaking project saw the team of six shut away for 520 days in an experiment in which every detail of the epic journey (including a communications delay of up to twelve minutes) was replicated. Each “marsonaut” was given a Fortis automatic chronograph for the ride and, like the participants, who emerged pale but healthy after 520 days in isolation, the watches also passed the test with flying colours. In recognition of this extraordinary feat of human mental strength and endurance, Fortis has produced a limited edition of 500 pieces of a B42 Mars 500 Chronograph in titanium and black PVD with the mission logo engraved on the side of the case. The emblems of the Russian space authorities, with whom Fortis has been working since 1994, are embossed on the case back.

removing condensation from a window, and encourages the wearer to interact with the

watch. A brushed stainless-steel case with a diameter of 40mm and a white silicone strap complement the icy look of the Frisson, which is a limited edition of 999 pieces. Fortis is set to continue its birthday celebrations with the revival of a truly iconic model from the 1960s. The “Flipper” was one of the first colourful plastic watches to be launched by a Swiss watch company and became an instant hit thanks to its interchangeable bezels. Fortis’s answer to the quartz crisis was to launch the “Flipper Quartz Leader” in 1975, which enjoyed continued success, not least thanks to celebrity fans such as the Rolling Stones and Roger Moore who were seen wearing it. For 2012 Fortis will enhance its range with the Colors collection, which will be launched later in the year as an entirely new incarnation of this classic. O

B-47 MYSTERIOUS PLANETS

For more information about Fortis click on Brand Index at www.europastar.com

58 GALLERY – NEW COLLECTIONS europa star

V-TEC GAMMA by Ventura The v-tec Gamma was designed by Michel Huber, the man behind the Ventura Square model in the 1990s. The clean lines of the curved case are interrupted only by the signature Ventura EasySkroll® crown. Hardened Durinox® case, 41.85mm x 36.50mm, sapphire crystal, multifunction VEN_10 digital module with backlit LED display in five languages, water-resistance to 50 metres, orange rubber strap with adjustable folding buckle.

JOLLY ROGER by Steinmeyer German brand Steinmeyer has collections dedicated to an impressive number of sports, from aerobatics to yachting via boxing and roller slalom. Its latest collection is a range of diver’s watches that feature a screw-in crown, rotating bezel, helium escape valve and water resistance to 1000 metres. A luminous Jolly Roger symbol at 12 o’clock cheekily reaffirms the watch’s credentials and is also embossed on the case back. Powered by a Japanese Miyota quartz movement, the collection is in stainless steel with a PVD coating, hardened mineral crystal and comes with a black rubber strap.

MISS AVANTGARDE by Alexander Shorokhoff The flagship model in the new Avantgarde collection by Shorokhoff is a limited edition of 500 pieces with an automatic movement and a design that takes its inspiration from avant-garde artists such as Gaudi and Hundertwasser. An oversized 60 for the minutes replaces other more conventional markers and is set amidst a mass of different colours and shapes competing for space on the dial. The sober round case contrasts with the effusion of artistry at its centre and is complemented by a natural leather strap.

890 by Skagen The 890 collection is characterised by its gradient dials, which radiate from a steel-coloured centre to charcoal or brown. The polished stainless-steel case with contrasting satin-finished bezel perfectly complements the sunburst effect of the dial, which is enhanced with sleek bâton hour markers and a day-date display in keeping with Skagen’s minimalist designs. The 890 is powered by a Japanese quartz movement and is available with black or brown Italian leather straps.

MILANO by Jacques Lemans Austrian brand Jacques Lemans presents a complete new collection with the Milano, which is available in a multitude of versions for both men and women, in styles that range from classic to sporty, colour to jewellery versions with Swarovski crystals and even multi-function digital chronographs. The model pictured is a classic three-hander with ceramic inserts in an unusual blue-grey shade on the stainless-steel case.

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STRATEGIES 59

No price hikes at Tissot RPaul O’Neil

Our recent coverage of Tissot has shown that the brand is well equipped for future growth, having inaugurated a new space-age logistics centre in Le Locle last year and presented a broad range of new products, covering everything from sports to classic watchmaking, to the brand’s buyers at BaselWorld. Towards the end of the show Europa Star caught up with François Thiébaud, who has been President of the brand for sixteen years and is also Chairman of the Swiss Exhibitors' Committee, for his feedback on the development of Tissot and the global watch market in general. In one of his many interviews during BaselWorld Mr Thiébaud had said that the key to Tissot’s success was not to increase prices. This may seem surprising, especially given the strategies pursued by other brands within the Swatch Group and the strength of the Swiss franc, but Mr Thiébaud has overseen sixteen years of continuous growth at Tissot – even during the crisis year of 2009 – which mean that his explanations are worth listening to. “Obviously there have been increases in price over the past sixteen years while I have been president,” he says. “A watch that cost 250 francs sixteen years ago may cost over 400 francs today. That’s because I have other costs that have increased, such as salary costs and component costs.” Nevertheless, Mr Thiébaud maintains that customers should be able to purchase a Tissot

T-RACE TOM LÜTHI

watch at a “Tissot price”. “All too often, companies increase their prices to increase their margins,” he continues. “I say we should increase our margins by producing greater quantities.” As Chairman of the Swiss Exhibitors' Committee, Mr Thiébaud said that the general feedback from BaselWorld had been “very good”, not just for watches but for jewellery as well. “But there is no guarantee that this will continue. Maybe things will slow down later in the year. After all, we had explosive growth towards the end of 2008 but then things came to an abrupt halt.” Nevertheless, he is less concerned about a possible downturn than his colleagues at the upper echelons of the Swatch Group’s brands. “In the middle of the range Tissot is protected because if things do slow down then the per-

son who may have bought an Omega will buy a Longines and the person who may have bought a Longines will buy a Tissot.” Despite the continuing rise in importance of China as a market, François Thiébaud stresses that Switzerland is the brand’s most important market. “Not in terms of units, of course,” he says, “but taking into account the density of the population. If I sell ten watches in Switzerland, for example, it’s not the same as selling ten watches in Asia.” It is perhaps no surprise, therefore, that one of Tissot’s latest limited editions for the 2012 MotoGP is dedicated to none other than Swiss rider Thomas Lüthi. O For more information about Tissot click on Brand Index at www.europastar.com

60 LADIES’ WATCHES europa star

New creative impulses in ladies’ watch design RPaul O’Neil

There was certainly no shortage in the creativity applied to new ladies’ watch designs at BaselWorld this year, which include the use of new materials, new applications of colour and collections based around the four seasons. In this article we single out the brands who are pioneering these different areas of design.

Century’s unusual new crystal Century, which is famous for the facetted sapphire crystal it uses for its cases, introduced an innovation in the form of an entirely new case material. The brand has succeeded in synthesising the crystal structure of alexandrite, a naturally-occurring mineral that changes colour according to the light, taking on a greenish tinge in daylight and a reddish tinge in artificial light. The changes in reflection are due not only to the chemical properties of the mineral but also to its crystallisation, which made synthesising it no easy task. Furthermore, while Century’s sapphire crystals can only be worked with diamond-tipped tools, its synthetic alexandrite – which registers 8.5 on the Mohs hardness scale – can only be scratched by sapphire. This new material, which took three years to develop, finds its expression in the new Mogul Alexandrite limited-edition pieces, which are available in 18-carat red or white gold with a natural mother-of-pearl dial that is enveloped by an alexandrite crystal with 192 facets that have been cut and facetted by hand. With only two people at Century capable of working the alexandrite, the collection is limited to 222 pieces of each model.

MOGUL ALEXANDRITE by Century

A touch of glowing colour by De Grisogono After presenting its first tourbillon for ladies before BaselWorld, with an enormous 60mm by 45mm case adorned with a staggering total of 642 diamonds for approximately 8.57 carats (see our article in the previous issue), De Grisogono turned its attention to the theme of colour. Fashion watches already come in a wide variety of colours, but De Grisogono has applied the colour theme in a manner more befitting of the luxury segment in which it operates. In the new Tondo By Night collection presented at BaselWorld, rather than contenting itself with a simple coating to add colour to its pieces, De Grisogono uses an original pearleffect photoluminescent fibreglass composite for the case of the Tondo By Night.

The oscillating mass of the calibre SF 30-89 in-house movement used in the new collection has been located on the dial side of the watch, blackened and set with 60 coloured precious stones to match the 48 stones set on the bezel, all of which match the colour of the case. The result is that by day the reflections of these stones catch the eye and draw attention to the colour of the piece, while by night the subtle colourful glow generated by the photoluminescent case draws attention to the watch like a beacon. Colourful Galuchat straps match the case, with a black PVD-coated steel folding clasp accentuating the colour and matching the black diamond set into the crown. “I dedicate this watch to happy summer days and glamorous night life. It’s not only a luxury timepiece but can be also worn as a magnificent

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LADIES’ WATCHES 61

TONDO BY NIGHT by De Grisogono

jewellery piece, with a twist,” explains Fawaz Gruosi, Founder and President of De Grisogono. The colours available clearly back up Mr Gruosi’s claim, from the classic white with diamonds to orange, pink and yellow with matching sapphires, green with tsavorites or violet with amethysts. Whatever the colour, it is definitely not a watch for ladies who wish to remain discreet.

DeLaneau captures the seasons DeLaneau returned to BaselWorld in style this year after a ten-year absence, creating its stand out of shipping containers in the open courtyard at the centre of Hall 2. The original idea came from the same lady who is responsible for the designs of DeLaneau’s watches, Creative and Marketing Director Brigitte Morina. “I have always been fascinated by containers,” she says, “and I wanted to see how far we could go with them.” The enamellers at DeLaneau – all ladies and all referred to by first name – are heavily involved in the creative process, too, and are allowed to express themselves fully using a mixture of old and new enamelling techniques. The new collection presented at BaselWorld, entitled Cerisier, is the first in a series of “four seasons” themes at the brand. It uses the

cherry blossom tree to depict the different colours and hues of the four seasons in champlevé enamel, with the dial representing winter using the rare grisaille enamel technique, which only uses black and white. The four watches in the collection are enhanced by precious stones set around the rectangular bezel and the edge of the strap, curving around the slender attachments to the case, which helps to further accentuate the stunning craftsmanship on the dial – the result of

around three months of high-concentration work by DeLaneau’s in-house enamellers.

A new ladies’ collection from Ebel Ebel is not just thinking about the design of its ladies’ watches. The brand was boldly announcing that it is refocusing its collection towards ladies and will be introducing an entirely new collection targeted at younger female customers (under 35 years old) this

CERISIER by Delaneau

62 LADIES’ WATCHES europa star

BELUGA GRANDE by Ebel

BRASILIA MINI by Ebel

autumn. In the meantime Ebel introduced new versions of two of its classic ladies’ watches at BaselWorld this year. A new Brasilia Mini watch, with the 23.7mm case in stainless steel with contrasting brushed and polished finishes, is adorned with two rows of diamonds totalling 34 brilliant-cut stones for approximately 0.544 carats. The stones delimit the classic silver-toned dial with its central guilloché section, Roman numerals and blued hands, while a Swiss quartz movement takes care of the timekeeping functions. This elegant look is also carried over to a new diamond-set version of the Beluga Grande, on which 36 diamonds (approx. 1.692 carats) follow the curves of the 36.5mm round case to meet the first links of the integrated stainlesssteel bracelet with its contrasting brushed and polished surfaces. Here too, the dial takes the Roman numerals and guilloché central part with blued hands, differing only through the discreet date window at 6 o’clock.

in short supply after the Second World War. After soaking in water for 20 minutes, the bamboo can be bent into shape. It is then dried out in an oven before being burned to give it colour. It has been used consistently by Gucci in everything from handbags to timepieces, where it was first used in 2003 in a design by Creative Director Frida Giannini. The latest incarnation of the Bamboo timepiece is available with a black, brown or silver sun-brushed dial with bamboo inlaid around the bezel and used in the bangle-style bracelet, which consists of the signature Gucci “horse bit” links. At BaselWorld Gucci also introduced new yellow and pink-gold PVD versions of its G-Gucci models and a white-ceramic version of its GG-GUCCI by Gucci

Gucci’s bamboo theme The renowned Italian fashion house celebrates forty years in watchmaking this year with a new piece in its bamboo collection. Guccio Gucci, the founder of the brand, used to use bamboo as an alternative to steel, which was

BAMBOO Collection by Gucci

Chrono model, in which the signature “G” of the case design is overlaid on the 44mm stainless-steel case in white ceramic. O

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CHAMELEON by Fendi The Chameleon curves to fit the wrist and is equipped with a Swiss Made quartz movement. It is available in two different case sizes, 49.2mm x 29mm or 31mm x 18mm, with a polished stainless-steel or yellow-gold tone case and a black lacquered or sunray-effect champagne dial set with two diamonds (one at 12 o’clock and one at 6 o’clock). Leather straps are available in a variety of colours, as well as the double-wrap strap pictured for the smaller models.

ALACRIA MINI TWO TONE by Carl F. Bucherer The distinctive concave flanks on the side of the rectangular case (21mm x 30mm for the Mini version) of the Alacria recall female forms and are delimited by two vertical rows of diamonds. The case and bracelet of the Two Tone model is in stainless steel and 18-carat rose gold. An elegantly symmetrical silvered dial is adorned with large rose-gold Roman numerals at 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock and surrounded by rose-gold bâton hour markers, while the timekeeping is provided by an ETA 280.002 quartz calibre.

GALLERY – RECTANGULAR LADIES’ WATCHES 63

IVY by Van der Bauwede The original lace strap on the Ivy carries the colours of autumn and is finished with a delicate bow. The stainlesssteel case with pink-gold PVD treatment has a bezel set with 0.1 carats of diamonds and Gothic-style 6 and 9 Arabic numerals that are dusted with diamond powder and form an elegant mirror image of each other. The dial has an intricate lace-effect design and is available in a variety of colours, with glossy leather straps to match.

VELVET LADY by Balmain The diagonal lines criss-crossing the bracelet and case on the Velvet Lady break the rectangular shape to produce a hexagonal dial, which is bordered above and below by 44 Wesselton diamonds. Case in polished stainless steel, white mother-of-pearl, black or silver arabesque dials, sapphire crystal, polished stainless-steel or PVD steel bracelet or black leather strap, water resistance to 50 metres.

NICEA by Peter Tanisman The Nicea model in Peter Tanisman’s Carrousel collection pays tribute to Iznik ceramic and features an Iznik pattern in grand feu enamel on the dial and carrousel. 18-carat white gold case, 41mm x 30mm, set with 62 diamonds (approx. 0.93 ct), quartz movement, white satin strap with red leather inner and white gold pin buckle featuring the Iznik pattern.

64 NEW BRANDS europa star

New (and nearly new) brands at BaselWorld De Motu

RPaul O’Neil

The explosive growth experienced by the watch industry last year means that new brands continue to spring up like mushrooms and the imposing construction work visible all around the exhibition centre in Basel this year is the clearest indication of the number of brands still waiting for a space within the hallowed halls of BaselWorld. We offer here a selection of brands who were either making their debut at the show or returning after both short and long absences, no doubt buoyed by the excellent results for the watchmaking industry last year.

De Motu’s manufacturing base at Helsinki’s Malm airport may just beat the Petrovorets watch factory of intriguing Russian brand “Raketa” (see Malcolm Lakin’s article in this issue) to the title of northernmost watch factory. This new Finnish brand offers a g-force meter combined with its own electro-mechanical watch movement (made in Finland using Swiss parts) in a 48mm case available in steel, titanium or with a patented coating developed by Finnish company DIARC. “Mechanical movements cannot cope with high g-forces because they affect their accuracy,” says co-founder Jouni Karvo, “and if you’re a combat pilot those seconds matter.” But why the need for an instrument that can measure up to 11g? “Small aircraft such as a Cessna don’t have a g-force meter installed and some gliders can even pull 4g, so it is useful for such pilots. Also, because the g-suits

used by professional pilots are so effective, these pilots need to be able to check the gforces they are experiencing in order to avoid injuries.” De Motu will produce 30 pieces of each version of its DMG-11 Pilot Instrument and will start delivering in the autumn. The brand is already planning to reverse the dial configuration, giving more importance to the time and less to the g-force meter, and promises new limited editions using aircraft parts, as well as a new instrument for next year that could be used for navigation.

Kienzle Kienzle returned to BaselWorld this year after a three-year hiatus. The brand has strong German roots, having previously been owned by Mannesman and produced alarm clocks, tachographs, parking meters and even the first computers with Nixdorf, but it was incorporated into a Swiss holding structure at the end of 2009.

DMG-11 PILOT INSTRUMENT by De Motu

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NEW BRANDS 65

4’clock on the brand’s flagship Force 4 collection. The star new model for this year is the “Octopussy”, which features a robust and angular case with the chronograph pushers and crown on the left-hand side and a dualtime indication on the side of the case at 3 o’clock. Offshore also presented new “Sonar” versions in the Force 4 collection, whose dials mimic the display of radar or sonar screens, with a sweeping line of light caught in mid flight around the grid on the dial. A successful BaselWorld in 2012 allowed the brand to increase its global presence from 35 to 50 countries in its €300-600 price bracket. K 1822 by Kienzle

K CORE by Kienzle

The brand was back in Basel with a new collection at a price point below €500. “At the beginning of 2010 we were too expensive,” says CEO Rolf Wüthrich. “We developed great products but we spread ourselves too wide and people didn’t know what we represented. So we asked ourselves what is Kienzle and came to the conclusion that we are the people’s watch.” Keinzle’s range is currently divided into four collections, K Core, Lady K, K Spirit and K 1822 – all powered exclusively by Ronda quartz movements. Mr Wüthrich promises further new developments later on this year. “We have 160 references, which is relatively low,” he says. “We also have pocket watches, but we stock these mainly for the Germanspeaking markets.We plan to launch automatic and radio-controlled watches in the autumn.”

Offshore timepieces carry their own distinctive traits, from the subtle, such as the lefthanded arrangement of crown and pushers on certain models, to the not-so-subtle, such as visible springs that link the pushers to the offset dial on the Commando range and the separate time zone dial on the side of the case at

Swarovski Swarovski is hardly a new brand, but it did make a bold statement with its first gents’ watch collection this year. Its cornerstone is the Piazza Grande model, which is available with quartz or self-winding mechanical movements, all supplied by ETA. The case (42mm for the quartz, 43mm for the automatic) is

Offshore This was only the second year in Basel for Offshore but the gents’ collection presented last year was so liked by ladies that the brand launched a separate collection for them this year. The watches are characterised by their strongly fashion-oriented French design but use Swiss movements.

OCTOPUSSY and SONAR by Offshore

66 NEW BRANDS europa star

PIAZZA by Swarovski

OCTEA by Swarovski

available in stainless steel for all models, with additional models in black and gold PVD launched in the quartz collection. Naturally, the Piazza Grande is available with dials that feature Swarovski crystal batons as hour markers, but more sober versions are also available with applied hour markers and Arabic numerals at the four quarters. In all cases, Swarovski’s personal touch is the facetted crown in ceramic that is surrounded by matching ceramic inserts on the case middle. They can be mistaken at first glance for pushers, but are in fact a very subtle form of crown protection. The Octea collection transfers the use of facetted black ceramic to the bezel to create an original diver’s watch in a 44mm case in stainless steel, black PVD or a very original matt orange aluminium. Although Swarovski already has its own strong retail presence, Robert Buchbauer, CEO Consumer Goods at Switzerland-based Daniel Swarovski Corporation AG, was keen to stress the importance of independent retailers for the brand: “We have over 2000 monobrand stores but we are also present in 500 multibrand stores. Without the independent retail-

ers we would have no way of establishing a serious image.”

Venus Having migrated from its original home in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Venus was revived in 2011 in Geneva.The brand, whose name was inspired by the only planet that rotates clockwise, can look back on an illustrious past that saw it grace the GENESIS by Venus

wrists of Hollywood icon Jane Mansfield and Soviet Union leader Leonid Brezhnev. Venus celebrates its comeback with the Genesis model, a sporty chronograph with a black PVD steel case, black rubber strap and sober black dial with oversized Roman numerals. The Genesis is water resistant to 100 metres and is powered by the Venus calibre 175, which is based on the ETA Valjoux 7750. The Genesis Black is a limited series of 250 pieces. A ladies’ Genesis model, using the same 44mm diameter case but in rose-gold PVD steel, is also available, in which the oversized Roman numerals are set against a leopard-skin design on the dial, which continues on the bracelet. The ladies’ model is powered by a Ronda calibre 505 quartz movement. Venus also offers a splash of colour with its Chroma collection, which is available with a black PVD case in two sizes – 40mm or 44mm – with vibrant colours for the large Arabic numerals and hour markers on the dial and the matching rubber strap. The Chroma is also water resistant to 100 metres and uses the Ronda calibre 515 quartz movement with hours, minutes, seconds and the date. O

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Sports watches by price RKeith W. Strandberg

Under €1000 is a busy price range, as there is so much available. It’s really tough to get anything really robust under €500, and if you are

a fan of Swiss mechanical movements, you are going to have a tough time finding something to buy. There are some mechanical watches under €500, but not with Swiss movements. It’s true that in watches, especially when you are in the lower price ranges, you get what you pay for. All the extra features you have come to love in sports watches (high water resistance, great luminosity and readability, rotating bezels, chronographs and other complications, better quality, great design, toughness and more) have a price tag attached. Here are the best offerings this year for the under €1000 section. The Technomarine Locker comes directly from the beaches of St. Tropez, with the strap modelled after the bracelets from the beach lockers there. This 40mm stainless-steel quartz chronograph is water-resistant to 200 metres and retails for €410-430, depending on the colour. The strap and the matching colour cover are instantly interchangeable as well. The Divemaster from Victorinox Swiss Army was a big hit when it was introduced a few years ago, and now it comes in a smaller size, perfect for women who want a rugged, waterresistant timepiece that has feminine touches.

The 38mm quartz Divemaster 500 comes in steel with a Black Ice matte anthracite coating and is still water resistant to 500 metres, rare for a women’s watch. This diver’s watch retails for €625 (€650 for the green/gold version). The Locman Change is a watch where you can quickly and easily swap out the strap, depending on your mood and your outfit. It comes in a gents’ version, the One, and a woman’s version, the Donna. The One is a chronograph, which can be either mechanical or quartz, while the ladies’ is a three-hand quartz. The Change ranges from €315-595, with additional straps available separately.

DIVEMASTER by Victorinox Swiss Army

CHANGE 1861 by Locman

BLACK & GREY CHRONOGRAPH by Skywatch

One of the greatest things about BaselWorld is the ability to see all the new watches and think about what watches I’d buy for what use. As Europa Star’s resident sports watch authority (I’ve been writing about sports watches for longer than I care to remember and I might be the only one on the staff to have broken a sweat since the last BaselWorld), I keep a special eye out for sports watches. I can see myself donning these watches before my run or to time my next sparring session, or any number of other activities. This year, I was charged to group the new sports watches in different price categories, comparing apples to apples will be an interesting way to look at this year’s great new sports watches.

Under 1000 Euros

LOCKER by Technomarine

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PRS 330 CHRONO QUARTZ TONY PARKER by Tissot

EXTREME DIVER by Alpina

KHAKI X-PATROL by Hamilton

Skywatch is a new line of watches from the former founder of Oceanaut watches. Very well priced and attractively designed, these watches, which are water resistant to 100 metres, are meant to be impulse purchases yet have the quality to last several seasons. The black and grey Skywatch Chrono pictured here retails for €395. A limited edition for Tissot’s ambassador, basketball pro Tony Parker, the new PRS 330 Chrono Quartz Tony Parker features a quartz chronograph movement, Parker’s number 9 highlighted on the dial and the caseback, a bright orange strap, along with orange details

on the watch. Limited to 4999 pieces, the PRS 330 Chrono Quartz Tony Parker retails for €465. Alpina has had a resurgence of late, and last year’s introduction of the pilot’s watches was very successful. This year, Alpina continues with the very attractive Extreme Diver’s Collection. Powered by an automatic movement, this 44mm stainless steel timepiece is water resistant to 300 metres and comes on a rubber strap or a steel mesh bracelet. Alpina, since its relaunch, has been about value for money and the Extreme Diver collection continues this trend, priced at €995 on a rubber strap and €1095 on a metal bracelet. At BaselWorld,

Alpina announced that actor/director William Baldwin will be the face of the campaign for this new collection.

FIELD VALJOUX AUTO CHRONO 1861 by Luminox

TYPE 23 by Dodane

1000 – 2500 Euros This price range is probably the most competitive and it’s where you can find watches with great features, excellent movements, great designs and much more. These watches are great value and truly qualify as high-quality sports watches. All of the watches featured here are mechanical, as the price range allows for the inclusion of a quality automatic movement. Continuing in its heritage of aviation watches, Hamilton introduced the Khaki X-Patrol, a watch that includes useful features for pilots in its design. With this watch, pilots can do conversions for distances in miles (nautical or statute) and kilometres, heights or altitudes in feet or metres, volumes in gallons and litres, as well as weights in pounds and kilograms, using a turning bezel. This automatic chronograph in steel, sized at 42mm, is great value at €1295. Luminox, which made its name with the Navy SEAL line of watches at very affordable price points, has moved up market in recent years, augmenting its offering with select special editions as well as several models with mechanical movements. This year, the star of the Luminox booth was the new Field Valjoux Auto Chrono 1861, which retails for €1900 -

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TITANIUM POSEIDON by Reactor

1940. Especially attractive is the Blackout, a special black tone on tone version, but still incorporating the luminosity for which Luminox is known. Besançon, France-based Dodane introduced the new Type 23, slightly larger than the previous Type 21, at 42.5 mm. Dodane has been making flight chronographs for the French Air Force for many years and is now marketing to end consumers, with great success. The price of the Type 23, with a solid case back and a standard chronograph movement, is €2250. Equipped with a flyback chronograph, with high-end finishing and an exhibition back, it is €2980. There is also the option to add the Viper certification of precision from the Besançon Observatory, for €390 more. Reactor Sports Watches introduced the new, mechanically-powered Titanium Poseidon in solid titanium. Having pledged to produce the world’s best sports watch (the Poseidon is water resistant to 1000 metres, has classleading luminosity with Never Dark technology and is built like a tank), Reactor is answering its customers’ requests for mechanical movements. At €1200, it’s a great buy. To help raise awareness and protect the Tubbataha Reefs National Park in the Philippines, Oris created the Tubbataha Limited Edition. A great looking diving watch, with a unique regulator layout, this 46mm timepiece is water resistant to 500 metres, retailing for €2350.

TUBBATAHA LIMITED EDITION by ORIS

2500 – 5000 Euros

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PONTOS S by Maurice Lacroix

This price range is a bit of an anomaly, to be honest, as the range isn’t high to start talking about precious metals, but it is high enough for lots of extras. What we do see are more interesting movements (like the world time chronograph from Ball) and better attention to detail (which costs money and time). Here are the highlights: Maurice Lacroix’s Pontos S, for sport, is an attempt at merging the worlds of sport and elegance, with a great result. Water resistant to 200 metres and available on a NATO strap, this 43mm chronograph has good looks and

the toughness to go just about anywhere. Retail price: €3150, or €3450 in red. The Ball Trainmaster Worldtime Chronograph combines two great complications at a very affordable price, €2920. Very attractively designed, the 42mm Trainmaster Worldtime Chronograph shows the time in 24 time zones, and is shock resistant to 5000 g. In addition, tritium tubes grace the dial and hands for nighttime luminosity. A sponsor of the World Rally Championship, Edox has taken what it has learned from that series and put it into the new Chronorally Automatic Chronograph. The official WRC

TRAINMASTER WORLDTIME CHRONOGRAPH by Ball

CHRONORALLY AUTOMATIC CHRONOGRAPH by Edox

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D-STAR by Rado

ARACNO by EJE Watches

WW2 RÉGULATEUR HERITAGE by Bell & Ross

timepiece, it has a very attractive carbon fibre dial with an oversized aluminium chronograph stop/start pusher, perfect for operating the timer while bouncing around in the passenger seat of a rally car. The Chronorally Automatic Chronograph is 42mm and is water resistant to 100 metres, retailing for €2600. Staying in the diving world, Rado introduced the new D-Star 200 Automatic Chronograph. In steel, with a marine blue dial and a unidirectional turning bezel with blue ceramic inserts, the D-Star retails for €2900. The new Aracno Automatic from EJE Watches is a boldly designed timepiece powered by an

ETA 2892-A2 automatic movement. The dial is carved from a single block of 316L steel for a great 3-D effect. At 45mm, water resistant to 50 metres and available in steel, titanium, aluminium or gold, the Aracno Automatic certainly makes a statement. Retail price starts at €4900. The Bell & Ross WW2 Régulateur Heritage is a very cool watch, with a shaped bezel that was originally designed to be used by pilots wearing gloves. Displaying the time with a regulator display, emphasising the minutes over the hours, the 49mm WW2 Régulateur Heritage is powered by a Dubois-Depraz automatic regulator movement, and is highly legi-

ble, rugged and water resistant to 50 metres. Retail price: €4800.

TURBINE DIVER by Perrelet

SEAMASTER AQUA TERRA GMT by Omega

5000 - 10,000 Euros In this price range, customers can start getting into more high profile and recognisable brands (like Rolex, Zenith, Omega). Some of the more notable introductions include: Several years ago, Perrelet introduced the Turbine to great fanfare. Known for its double rotor on the dial side, Perrelet made it an aesthetic feature with the Turbine, and now has taken that one step further with the Turbine Diver. The watch comes in steel or steel and black, with a variety of colourful, SuperLuminova coated dials that are fascinating when the turbine spins, especially in the dark. Water resistant to 300 metres, the 47.5mm Turbine Diver is powered by an automatic movement and retails for €5200-5650. Using the famous Co-Axial movement, Omega introduced the Seamaster Aqua Terra GMT this year. Available in a 43mm stainless-steel, 18-ct red gold or bi-colour steel and rose-gold case, the Seamaster Aqua Terra GMT is the first watch with the Co-Axial escapement to feature a GMT function. Water resistant to 150 metres, the Seamaster Aqua Terra GMT is a great looking watch that can perform well in just about any conditions. Retail price, €5940 in steel. Zenith has a long heritage of pilot’s watches, and in fact has a trademark on the word

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SPORTS SPECIAL 73

PILOT BIG DATE SPECIAL by Zenith

OKTOPUS II DOUBLE DATE by Linde Werdelin

TRANSOCEAN CHRONOGRAPH UNITIME by Breitling

“Pilot” when it comes to watches. This year at BaselWorld, Zenith introduced the new Pilot Big Date Special. A thoroughly modern watch with some vintage touches, it is everything a pilot’s watch should be, starting at €5400. Linde Werdelin’s new Oktopus II Double Date debuted at BaselWorld. A serious diving watch with the option to add an instrument to become a true diving computer, the Oktopus II Double Date retails for between €8580 and €18,000, depending on case material. Water resistant to 300 metres, this timepiece features a two-level dial that adds depth to the watch and exposes the two big date wheels,

which are colour coded for each variation. The Breitling Transocean Chronograph Unitime is a great new worldtime watch, with its roots in the 1950s. Breitling first introduced the Unitimer back then, and the new timepiece shows how far Breitling has come – it uses as its base Breitling’s in-house calibre 05 movement, retailing for €9880 in steel. Inspired by classic German racing cars from the 1930s, which were predominantly silver in colour, Chopard introduced the new Mille Miglia GTXL Speed Silver this year. This is the latest edition in the Racing Colours collection (last year it was Italy and racing red), and is a

limited edition with an automatic, COSC-certified chronograph, with just 1000 pieces for the world. The Mille Miglia GTXL Speed Silver retails for €7,170.

MILLE MIGLIA GTXL SPEED SILVER by Chopard

TITANIC DNA by Romain Jerome

Over 10,000 Euros Over €10,000 opens up a wide range of possibilities, from precious metals to out-of-thebox designs, and also making niche brands like Romain Jerome and Graham London a possibility. Now, chances are that first time better watch buyers won’t be jumping into this price range, but for someone who is already a watch buyer and has bought some of the Rolexes and Omegas, they might be ripe for a jump into this price range. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and Romain Jerome has finally added a diving watch to its Titanic DNA collection – the Octopus (retailing for €11,900-12,900, depending on material). Equipped with an internal unidirectional rotating bezel system, and infused with metal from the Titanic, the Octopus is water resistant to 270 metres (888 feet). Plans are for the Octopus to become its own collection, part of an expanded sports offering from Romain Jerome. One of the highlights of the show was the Graham London Oversize Prodive, which combines real-world usability with the signature Graham design. Big, bold and proud of it, the Graham can’t be missed on anyone’s wrist. A

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OVERSIZE PRODIVE by Graham

SPIN TIME REGATTA by Louis Vuitton

VICTORY by Bremont

chronograph with Graham’s trigger mechanism, the 45mm Prodive is water resistant to 200 metres. €11,750 The innovative Louis Vuitton Spin Time collection debuted in 2010, and this year Louis Vuitton has expanded it with the Spin Time Regatta, designed for the new regatta rules for the faster catamarans in the Louis Vuitton Cup. Water resistant to 100 metres, this 45.5mm Tambour model will have your head spinning. Price: €45,000. Staying in the ocean, Bremont is introducing a new chronograph with a solid link to the past. This new timepiece features pieces of the

legendary ship HMS Victory, the last remaining 18th century ship in the world. Bremont is working with The National Museum of the Royal Navy (Portsmouth, England) to issue a chronograph with retrograde seconds and date that includes parts of oak timber and copper from the original ship. Part of the proceeds of each watch will go towards the refurbishment and preservation of HMS Victory. In stainless steel, the Victory retails for €14,395, and in rose gold €23,995. Linked to Blancpain’s involvment in GT racing, the new L’Evolution features a flyback chronograph and with lots of carbon fibre, a

L’EVOLUTION by Blancpain

RM038 TOURBILLON BUBBA WATSON by Richard Mille

material often used in racing. Touches of racing red are throughout this 43mm watch, making it very sporty indeed. Though it is inspired by GT racing, it is also comfortable in the sea, being water resistant to 300 metres. Retail price: €43,000. OK, Richard Mille’s RM 038 Tourbillon Bubba Watson debuted at SIHH, but it’s worth mentioning here, as it was just on the cover of Sports Illustrated (the world’s largest circulation sports magazine, with a circulation of eight million), after golfer Watson won the Masters while wearing the watch. This amazing tourbillon timepiece retails for $590,000. There you have it, the cornucopia of sports watches that is the BaselWorld fair. I could see myself wearing just about every watch featured here. My personal choice, not that it matters much, is the Graham Oversize Prodive – I like the looks of it, it’s big, it makes a statement and it’s rugged, well engineered and features a mechanical chronograph movement. Or maybe I’d choose the Alpina Extreme Diver. Or the Zenith Pilot. Come to think of it, maybe the Ball Trainmaster Worldtime Chronograph is the right choice, or the Hamilton, which is one of my favourite brands (with its American heritage) or the Dodane Type 23. At the same time, I couldn’t go wrong with the Omega. I better go through the choices again... O

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QUATTRO VALVOLE POWER RESERVE by Meccaniche Veloci Available in a 42mm case diameter in titanium or with a black IPB treatment, the power reserve model in the new Quattro Valvole collection uses a Soprod 9060 module on an ETA 2892/2 base calibre to offer day, date and power reserve displays visible on three sub-dials in addition to the central three-hand time display. The fourth sub-dial, at the top left of the dial, features a prominent Meccaniche Veloci logo.

STRATOGRAPHE by Blacksand This new chronograph model from Blacksand Genève features the brand’s first movement designed and produced in house. Fitted into the familiar Uniformity case with its contrasting sections, the Blacksand calibre 2002 is a finely decorated mono-pusher chronograph with a power reserve of 50 hours. Two different dial variants of the Stratographe are available: one with a tachymeter dial and one with a pulsometer dial.

SPEEDMASTER RACING by Omega The “Racing” appellation has always stood for a sportier look within the Speedmaster collection. The latest models in this line combine sporty splashes of colour with more classic watchmaking design in the form of Clous de Paris decoration on the sub-dials. Stainless-steel case, 40mm diameter, COSCcertified Omega calibre 3330 co-axial column-wheel chronograph with 52-hour power reserve, black rubber strap with yellow Speedmaster inscription.

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MACH ONE SKYMASTER by Ellicott Ellicott transfers the colours theme, which is more frequently found on fashion watches, to a sports watch in the SkyMaster line of its Mach One collection, with colours ranging from white, pink and red to orange, combined with carbon fibre dials. Tripartite case in monolithic carbon epoxy and black steel DLC, 54mm x 44mm, luminescent hour markers and hands, sapphire crystal front and back, matte orange alligator strap with contrasting black stitching.

DESIGN POWER RESERVE by Raidillon This model by Belgian brand Raidillon (named after a corner on the famous SpaFrancorchamps circuit) has a silvered dial with galvanic effect, 55 in red, a 24-hour hand on a sub-dial at 12 o’clock and a fan-shaped power reserve indicator at 6 o’clock. It is powered by an ETA 2892/2 calibre with a Soprod 9035 module. Limited edition of 55 pieces with a 42mm diameter stainless-steel case, sapphire crystal front and back.

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Dealing in Doha The Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition RKeith W. Strandberg

The Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition is nothing like any of the shows I have ever been to. It is the first and only show that is solely for consumers, designed to showcase the best retailers and the best brands, resulting in impressive watch and jewellery sales. Instead of brands having individual booths, the retailers have their own huge spaces inside the 15,000 square metre Doha Exhibition Centre.

A brief history This is the ninth year of the show, now sponsored by Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA). The idea is to promote Qatar as a tourist destination, while at the same time sell high-end watches and jewellery. A $600,000 Rolex watch and a $2.2 million necklace sold on the first day of the show,

at the same booth. More than 300 international and local exhibitors attended, with the total amount on display topping one billion US dollars. “The exhibition has made a name in the market and we are becoming the leading show in the region,” QTA Chairman Mr. Ahmed Al Nuaimi says. “Our show differs from everything else because of the way it is branded – we target luxury and the big brands and don’t allow the little brands here. We focus on brand names and as a result, the brands have trust in our exhibition.” Some of the key Qatari exhibitors included Ali Bin Ali Watches & Jewellery, Fifty One East, Amiri Gems, Alfardan Jewellery, Blue Salon, Al Majed Jewellery, Al Muftah Jewellery, Makki Jewellery, Marzook Al Shamlan, Paris Gallery and Al-Zain. In addition, high-profile international brands featured in the show included, among others, Audemars Piguet, Backes & Strauss, Cartier, Century, Chanel, Chopard, Franc Vila, Hautlence, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Maurice Lacroix, Montblanc, Patek Philippe, Piaget, Ralph Lauren, Richard Mille, Ritmo Mundo,

Vacheron Constantin, Van Cleef & Arpels and Zenith. “You have to use this show as part of your overall presence in the region,” says Vartkess A. Knadjian, Group CEO, Backes & Strauss. “We don’t just come here to sell, we are here supporting our partner as well. Qatar and the Middle East is a very important market. The customers like high-value items, they are very discerning and knowledgeable.”

The palaces Qatar is governed by the Emir, who lives in his palace with his wife. In addition, the key ministers and officials also live in palaces. These palaces come to the show to buy individual watches, but the more important purchases are for gifts. “Gift giving is a tradition in the Middle East,” says Ali Soltani, president of Ritmo Mundo, Drops and Reflex. “When a head of state comes to Qatar, for example, it is tradition to give a very nice gift, as hospitality is very important. There are different ministries – the Palace (the Emir and his wife), the Prime Minister, the

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Foreign Minister and other palaces and they all have to buy gifts, which they do at this show. The brands exhibiting in Doha call this gift buying “corporate” business, but it’s really for the palaces. “There is the Emir himself, who buys for his personal use and the palace buys for gifts,” details Backes & Strauss’s Knadjian. “The ‘Corporate’ business is really ministries who buy from the show to support the effort. It’s always been like this. The extravagant gift giving has been going on for centuries. They make you feel like an honoured guest.”

The Qatar market Qatar is becoming a centre for luxury goods, and especially for watches, with a very educated customer base, along with travellers from all over the world. “The men here are knowledgeable about the movements and the craftsmanship of aesthetical products,” says Alain Riguidel, brand director for the Middle East for Piaget. “There are more and more collectors. The women who are looking more about the aesthetics are becoming more knowledgeable about the products. They are looking for something that has a long-term recognition and they come to brands that have a history. We have

tradition and we respect the tradition. We are very creative.” Vacheron Constantin did a special world time with Doha on the dial, just for the Qatar market, and a world time with a unique burgundy hand, ordered by the palace. “Every part of the world is important for Vacheron, but the Middle East is an important region because it is very active, it’s booming in terms of watchmaking maturity, retail is really growing and tourism is really coming massively here,” says Yassin Tag, brand manager for the Middle East and Indian Sub-Continent for Vacheron Constantin. In the past, more traditional and ornate jewellery and watches were the most popular, but that is changing, according to Andrea Hansen, president, Ivanka Trump. “The show has been fabulous for us,” she says. “The younger generation of Qatari women have come out – they aren’t just looking for the ornate pieces. In the first year I showed here, 2009, everything sold was like a museum piece and then Ivanka Trump did very well. I think it’s good to be different here. The Palace loves Ivanka, they have been very supportive of the brand.” Showing in Doha is important for the visibility of any brand that wants to be successful in Qatar and the Middle East. “It’s important to

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stay active and present in the market here,” says Caroline Scheufele of Chopard. “All the leading brands are present. Qatar is an old market for us in the Middle East, we have a lot of Chopard fans. It’s important that the clients see you year after year and they see the continuity of the products.” Mouawad had incredible jewellery pieces on display, and unlike other shows, where these pieces would serve as talking pieces, the chances of them selling here were very high indeed. “We like this show very much,” says Fred Mouawad, co-guardian, Mouawad, who had on display a US$6.8 million Snow White Princess Diamond women’s watch. “It’s a way to display our masterpieces. The clients we see here in Qatar have a great affinity for rare gems, they are sophisticated, knowledgeable and they appreciate it.” For luxury watch brands, the Qatar Watch and Jewellery Show is a great opportunity to enter a strong and still growing market, showcase their best products and make lucrative sales. And if the palaces come and buy, so much the better. O www.dohajewels.com

78 RETAILER PROFILE europa star

Fifty One East Qatar’s watch market is continuously growing and Europa Star sat down with one of the key movers and shakers in the industry in the Middle East.

RKeith W. Strandberg

East are not the same. For some of our brands, we had the most growth of anywhere in the world. Our turnover in watches in 2011 was $225 million. Jewellery and watches are about 30 per cent of our business in the department store.

While in Qatar, I had the good fortune of meeting with Bader Al Darwish, the owner of Fifty One East, the first and, many might say, the finest department store in Qatar. I visited his store and sat down with him for an exclusive interview.

ES: Do you like watches?

Bader Al Darwish

ES: How is business? Europa Star: Can you give us a little history of your store? Bader Al Darwish: Our company has been in business for more than 90 years. Our store was the first department store in Qatar and it didn’t even have a name when it opened, since it was the only one. Ten years ago, we gave it the name “Fifty One East”. We have been the Rolex dealer in Qatar since 1951. We have been working with some brands for more than 50 years.

AD: I’m proud to say that we have been making double-digit annual growth for the past ten years. In 2008, we had 25 per cent annual growth. I am proud of my market, the market is growing. Recently, I spent about $45 million just to decorate my store. It’s risky, but I believe in my market. In 2011, I did 35 per cent growth in all of our products. With many brands, we have a long history and we still have this excellent growth, which has shocked our partners. The other markets in the Middle

AD: I don’t like watches, I love watches. The products and people that I represent have become part of our family. I know the CEO of Rolex, and we have a long-term relationship. These relationships play a big role in our success. With Boucheron, the president came here for the first time just for the opening of our jewellery exhibition. He was shocked and amazed by the interest and the sales. He told our employees that he was proud to be in Qatar and to be working with us. We started with Boucheron a year ago, and our sales are already phenomenal. I love all the watches we carry, but there are watches and there are Rolexes. I like the quality of Rolex watches. I have been wearing Rolexes for the past 40 years, so I am biased.

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If you want to buy a quality watch, a statement watch, it’s Rolex. I respect the other brands, but 65 per cent of the upmarket watches we sell are Rolex watches. ES: What is your biggest challenge? AD: My biggest challenge is to keep the growth and to grow my market share. I have the biggest market share in the Middle East, and there is still growth and liquidity in my market. We have an excellent location, an excellent database, we have excellent partners and we have excellent relationships with our customers, they are also part of my family. I have salespeople who have been with us for more than 30 years and 40 years. We have great loyalty. ES: How do you handle after sales service? AD: We have excellent after sales service here. Every year someone from Switzerland comes to do the training for my team, and we send people to Switzerland for training. Before our employees join us, we see what experience they have. We give them training courses, and we teach them about the competition and what our own brands are doing. Training is very important for us. We have a team that can learn all the time. I am so grateful that I have a qualified team we can mould. I treat my employees like they are part of the family. The secret of our success is not me, it’s our employees.They deserve an award, because they are the success of our store.

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ES: What gets you up in the morning?

ES: Are you a collector yourself?

AD: I enjoy making a profit. I want to have bigger market share and bigger growth. My achievement is to see these things happen in my market. I love everything about what I do. I love the challenge. For me, everything is a challenge. I look at the future and I think about long-term relationships. I always choose what I take and blend it in with what we have in the store. I enjoy my business, I enjoy the challenge.

AD: I have some watches that are more than 80 years old, and someone recently offered me $50 million for my entire collection. I have a Rolex watch that is more than 60 years old, I have four or five Paul Newman Rolex watches, I have been collecting watches for quite a long time.

ES: What do you think about the Qatar show? AD: The show is fantastic for us. I can see that there has been a growth in this show. The show is always improving and the companies I am representing see how organised the shows are, and the results are fantastic. There is growth here.The customers are more educated and they like to choose the best.As there is uncertainty in the market, they will spend their money on quality products. I only have quality products, and I know they are worth every penny. ES: Have you been selling during the show? AD: My stand has been so busy. The most expensive piece in Rolex is one of five in the world, which sold on the first day, for $600,000. It was a Qatari who bought it. The majority of customers are from Qatar. Also, a $2.2 million dollar necklace sold here in our stand.

ES: What is your perspective on time? AD: Time is life, every minute you lose, you lose one minute of your life. Time is more than money, it’s vital, and you have to value every minute. Time is essential. Time is life. You have to make every minute count. ES: How is your relationship with other retailers? AD: Excellent. I have respect for them. We have been in the business for a long time. I wish them all the luck. We talk to each other from time to time. Many thanks to Bader Al Darwish for taking the time to meet with Europa Star. O www.51east.com.qa The Brands: Amore & Baci, Armand Nicolet, Boucheron, Cacharel, Crislu, Diamanti, Faberge, Feraud, Guy Laroche, H. Moser & Cie, Joelli, Nina Ricci, Parker, Pasquale Bruni, Rolex, Trisi Jewellery, Tudor, Victor Mayer, Waterman, Zeno-Watch Basel and more.

82 LETTER FROM CHINA europa star

Vertical take-off! RJean-Luc Adam

BD: Ten years. We will also adjust our plan as a function of the process…

Composed of three characters “飞,” “亚,” and “达 ,” FIYTA is pronounced “fi-ya-ta”. Based in Shenzhen, on the 20th floor of the FIYTA Hi-Tech Building, the brand has been around since 1987. “Its origin, however, goes back some forty years, because its founder, Men Tengshan, was himself a watch expert and aficionado,” explains Bruce Du, CEO of this well endowed watch brand—it belongs to the Chinese military aviation giant, CATIC (China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation). In spite of this, however, the watch subsidiary is managed as a private independent enterprise, and has been listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange since 1993. Its management anticipated the massive arrival of foreign watch brands and thus created one of the most extensive sales networks in the nation, comprising 200 Harmony World Watch Center stores that represent 70 Swiss brands. “It has also been a good opportunity for us to represent Swiss watches, since it has let us develop our own style,” says Du. As for CATIC, it has certainly helped FIYTA to reach the stars because, in 2003, the brand became the official timekeeper for the Chinese space programme. Since 1990, it has also been announcing the “official time” on the state television channel CCTV. FIYTA also stands out from its Chinese competition by the originality of its designs. Some of its watches have been created by young designers who have won the “FIYTA Cup Watch Design Competition”, while others are by confirmed stylists. “We even have a tourbillon signed Luigi Colani, the Da Vinci of the 21st century,” adds an enthusiastic Bruce Du. In 2010, FIYTA acquired a majority stake in Montres Chouriet SA, a Geneva manufacturer

Bruce Du, CEO of FIYTA Holdings Ltd.

that is primarily focused on the Asian market with its Emile Chouriet brand. Its more recent success was becoming the first Chinese watch brand to exhibit in the prestigious Hall 1 at BaselWorld. Europa Star: Exhibiting in Hall 1 at BaselWorld was a sign of recognition—for the brand or rather for the country? Bruce Du: Exhibiting in the “Hall of Dreams” is, above all, proof of recognition for FIYTA. We have worked very hard over the last few years and have become the most representative in the high-growth Chinese watch market. I might add that many professionals and consumers have noticed our progress, mainly because of our space watches. On one hand, we are concentrating on high technologies such as our unique alloy of titanium-chromium-carbon and on the other hand, we are investing in traditional savoir-faire, as shown by the new collection of enamelled watches. But our access to Hall 1 is also a strong symbol that has reverberated throughout the entire Chinese watch industry. ES: Long established in China and Southeast Asia, is FIYTA now targeting the global market, using BaselWorld’s Hall 1 as a launching pad? BD: Yes, we want to become an international brand, and yes, we are already targeting the large markets such as North America. But our expansion plan is prudent and we will move ahead one step at a time. ES: Prudent—what does that mean in terms of years?

ES: Isn’t that a bit risky? Your colleagues at Ebohr and Sea-Gull still dream about this… BD: The core market will continue to be China where we are enjoying remarkable growth. For outside of China, we will select only the best distributors. ES: The Chinese space programme, enamelled watches with Chinese motifs, a Chinese name and the “China Made” label sometimes marked on the dial… In your opinion, is the image of China really exportable? BD: Overseas, we must persevere, but we are not going to create another brand nor are we going to modify the name. We are very much aware of the difficulty of equating “Made in China” with “Quality Made”, but the watches we hope to sell overseas are built upon our own concept and present a specific design. As proof, our collection of space watches was successful not only with Chinese customers, but also with foreigners who bought them in China to take back home. ES: The conquest of space by China certainly evokes a positive image, but the power of China is also somewhat frightening… what about the spectre of the famous “Yellow Peril?” BD: We understand these fears, which is why our plan of expansion is spread out over the long term. We do not have a short-term vision in order to make a quick profit. ES: If the brand becomes global, would that be perceived by your Chinese customers as having added value? BD: I do not think so. In any case, we are not looking in this direction because FIYTA is already confronted with global brands in our domestic market. The good development of a brand is what is key to its success, here as elsewhere.

europa star

Enamel Collection, model E2120.PSB "Dai’s little girl", ETA7001 ultra-flat mechanical movement, red-gold case, sapphire crystal, hand-painted enamel silver dial, lambskin strap, water resistant to 30 metres, thickness 8.15mm, diameter 40mm. "Aeronautics" collection, model GA8500.HBH "MARS500", case, bracelet, screw-on bezel and crown in titanium, engraved case-back, chronograph with mission timer, AM/PM indicator, date, 44mm diameter, limited edition of 520 pieces (mission duration). “Photographer” collection, model GA8238.WBT, self-winding Citizen movement, steel case with yellow gold plating, sapphire crystal front and back, small seconds, 40mm diameter, water resistant to 50 metres.

ES: You mentioned making your “own movements”, yet don’t these calibres come from other suppliers, such as Sea-Gull for the tourbillons? BD: Some come from the Shanghai Watch Factory. But most of the time the movements are designed at FIYTA and we use only these manufacturers to produce them. ES: They come from Japan as well! Is Chinese production not reliable enough yet? BD: We are used to using Japanese movements and two models are equipped with Swiss movements. But all of these calibres are carefully checked by us. I think that the quality, the production, and the research and development of Chinese movements have progressed a lot recently. Compared to Japanese and Swiss companies, however, we have much less experience. Sea-Gull has already seriously improved its technology. Whatever the case, we are still very careful in choosing movements, all of which must meet our criteria of stability

and quality. In the future, though, we will increase our purchases of Chinese movements. ES: Because of the difficulty in procuring movements after the tragic events in Japan? BD: This is not the main reason, because we work with several suppliers, which guarantees our supply. If we are now buying more Chinese movements, it is because their quality meets our demands. If not, we would not purchase them, even if Japanese companies reduced their production. ES: So then, more movements are coming from Sea-Gull? BD: We select the best of their production. ES: According to what kind of standards? BD: I am not in charge of the technical part of the business, but our own watchmakers conduct a whole series of tests, and I can assure you that our standards are clearly more demanding than those of other Chinese brands. ES: FIYTA has acquired Montres Chouriet, a small Geneva manufacturer. What is the status of your cooperation with them? BD: We are simply shareholders. The Emile Chouriet watches are produced in a totally independent manner, and developed in Switzerland by Swiss personnel. We don’t have any type of cooperation with them. ES: Yet, you are the main shareholder… Wouldn’t this be a wonderful opportunity?

LETTER FROM CHINA 83

BD: They are also independent in terms of the distribution and promotion of their brand. But if some day, we sell in Europe or if they come and set up shop in China, then we would happily cooperate with them. ES: Sea-Gull is planning to have a watch designed by a designer at Tissot, sold under the label of “Swiss Design”. Couldn’t you do the same thing with a designer at Chouriet? BD: This is pure marketing. I think that Chinese consumers are becoming more and more mature and can tell the difference between “Swiss Design” and “Swiss Made.” This is not enough. Customers want, above all, watches that are special, attractive, and that appeal to them. It is vital to respond honestly to their demands. ES: It has been said that the Chinese prefer watches with classic styling. Is this still true? BD: Our market is very large and thus very complicated. To simplify things, let’s just say that we offer the boldest models in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, the four most fashion-forward cities. For the second or third tier cities, we offer more classic collections. ES: In 2011, how did FIYTA perform? BD: Very well. We generated turnover of 2.56 billion yuan [369 million Swiss francs], which gave a net profit of 156 million yuan [22 million Swiss francs], and we employ 4400 people.O For more information about Fiyta click on Brand Index at www.europastar.com

84 WORLDWATCHWEB europa star.com

Sina Weibo, the social media platform of reference for watchmaking in China… but is it enough? RPablo Mauron, General Manager, DLG China

Sina Weibo, China’s tool of reference for microblogging (“weibo” in Mandarin) needs no introduction. It was created in 2009 using the same concept as Twitter and allows people to share text messages, photos and videos with their friends. It has quickly become the social media reference in the Chinese digital ecosystem. With 300 million active users, the platform has naturally attracted the attention of luxury watch brands, to the point that it is becoming an alternative to the choice of institutional websites, which are often deficient or poorly adapted for the Chinese market. Sina Weibo does have a number of assets for luxury brands, thanks to its high level of penetration in tier-one cities, a network that includes numerous opinion leaders, local and international celebrities and all the socialites in Shanghai and Beijing. The watch brands are on the right track in using Sina Weibo. Many of them now use this channel to develop their social media strategy by setting up a dialogue with web surfers in China, just as they do with Twitter and Facebook for western markets. But China has many facets and the increasing use of the Internet and the significant demand for watches from the rest of the territory means that it is important not to limit one’s strategy to the

tier-one cities. According to the WorldWatchReport 2012, the reference study published by Digital Luxury Group, 47 per cent of demand for luxury watches in China expressed on search engines came from inland provinces. A single digital strategy for the Chinese market ? Although there is no question that a brand needs to increase its influence in tier-one cities if it wants to expand in China, the commercial importance of secondary provinces is already strategic for a watch industry with major ambitions in this market. In regions that are not yet covered optimally by the distribution networks, brands need to find complementary channels in order to increase their visibility without necessarily having an in-store presence. The digital channel is an ideal alternative in this scenario. Nevertheless, the disparities within the Chinese market in terms of luxury consumption, digital penetration and even socio-cultural status still complicate things. A digital strategy that focuses on an avant-garde city such as Shanghai, or the maturity of consumers in Beijing or Guangzhou, will not necessarily be suitable for tier-two cities, whose use of digital media differs greatly.

Source : http://weibo.com/longineschina – The Longines Sina Weibo account has almost 30,000 followers

What is the alternative for low-tier cities ? Unsurprisingly, the success of Sina Weibo has spawned numerous copies, from simple replicas to versions with varying levels of innovation. Among them are Tencent, Sohu and Netease… names which may be unfamiliar to some watchmaking brands, for whom the move to Sina Weibo already represented a major step. But there is one platform that, because of its history within China’s digital landscape and its current user base, should be on the luxury brands’ radar: Tencent Weibo.

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WORLDWATCHWEB 85

Source: Digital Luxury Group – WorldWatchReport™ 2012

Historically, Tencent is the biggest digital player in China. It is also commonly referred to as the Tencent Galaxy because of the wide scope of its services. Tencent offers tens of different services in China, from e-mail to instant message clients and online gaming platforms. Its numerous services include a competitor to Sina Weibo… logically called Tencent Weibo. The size of the Tencent Galaxy is such that many Chinese web surfers in secondary cities consider Tencent to be the Internet.

Although the positioning of Tencent Weibo is logically less qualitative than that of its alter ego Sina Weibo, its penetration in tiertwo and tier-three cities in China makes it, if not a priority, then a complementary solution for brands which are looking to develop beyond China’s principal urban centres. To date there have been no significant efforts on this platform by the major watch brands. Nevertheless, luxury brands such as Audi or BMW, which enjoy an extraordinary notoriety in China, are already active on this channel.

Source : http://e.t.qq.com/BMWChina2011 – The official BMW account on Tencent Weibo has more than 1 million fans

There are still a lot of open questions regarding the best use of social media, both in China and globally, for the promotion of the big names in the watchmaking industry. What is certain, however, is that the Chinese market is in full development and digital is the perfect example of this. For the watch brands which are looking to occupy this territory, it is vital that they take a closer look at the landscape and do not limit their strategy to using a single channel. O

Editorial & Advertisers’ index A A. Lange & Söhne 16 Alexander Shorokoff 58 Alpina 70, 74 Amore & Baci 79 Antopi COVER III Armand Nicolet 79 Armin Strom 34 Audemars Piguet 20, 76 Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi 36 B Backes & Strauss 76, 77 Badollet 36 Ball 71, 74 Balmain 63 BaselWorld 16, 18, 24, 27, 34, 42, 48, 55, 59, 60, 61, 62, 64, 68, 70, 73, 74, 82 Bell & Ross 44, 72 Blacksand 34, 50, 75 Blancpain 74 Boucheron 50, 79 Breitling 43, 44, 73 Bremont 74 Bulgari 34 C Cacharel 79 Carl F. Bucherer 63 Cartier 76 Cecil Purnell 38

Century 25, 60, 76 Chanel 8-9 Chopard 34, 73, 76, 77 Christophe Claret 18 Citizen 4, 16, 39 Concord 20 Corum 34 Cousins 86 Crislu 79 Cyrus 38 D David van Heim 52, 53 De Bethune 36 De Motu 64 de Grisogono 16, 60 deLaCour 47, 48 DeLaneau 61 DeWitt COVER I, 12-15 Diamanti 79 Digital Luxury Group 6 Dodane 70, 71, 74 E Ebel 61, 62 Edox 71 EJE Watches 72 Ellicott 75 Emile Chouriet 82, 83 Ernest Borel 33 ETA 4, 16, 44, 46, 50, 52, 63, 66, 72 Eterna 16

F Fabergé 79 Fendi 63 Feraud 79 Fiyta 82, 83 Fortis 56, 57 Franc Vila 52, 76 Frédérique Constant 51 G Gc 48, 50 Girard-Perregaux 36 Graham 73, 74 Gucci 62 Guess Watches 48, 50 Guy Laroche 79 H Hamilton 70, 74 Harry Winston 20, 22, 42 Harwood 56 Hautlence 53, 76 HKTDC 80, 81 H. Moser & Cie. 79 HYT 20, 43 I Ice-Watch 49 Ivanka Trump 77 IWC 16 J Jacques Lemans 58

Jaeger-LeCoultre 5, 7, 16, 76 Joelli 79 K Kari Voutilainen 28 Kienzle 64, 65 L La Joux-Perret 4, 16 L’Duchen 40-41 Linde Werdelin 73 Locman 68 Longines 59, 84 Louis Vuitton 19, 34, 74 Ludovic Ballouard 36 Luminox 52, 70, 71 LVMH 4, 16, 34 M Marvin Watch Company 53 Maurice Lacroix 31, 32, 44, 46, 71, 76 MB&F 36, 42 Mecchaniche Veloci 75 Milus 18 Miyota 16 Modex Time & Jewelry Ltd. 46 Montblanc 76 Mouawad 77 N Nina Ricci 79 NIVAROX-FAR 4, 16, 18

Editorial & Advertisers’ index O Offshore 65 Omega 16, 42, 59, 72, 74, 75 Orient Watch Company 45 Oris 71 P Panerai 17 Parker 79 Pasquale Bruni 79 Patek Philippe 2-3, 27, 28, 30, 76 Perrelet 72 Peter Tanisman 52, 63 Philip Stein 55 Piaget 76, 77 Pilo & Co. 52, 53 Promotion SpA 67 Q Quinting 38 R Rado 72 Raidillon 75 Raketa 51 Ralph Lauren 76 Raymond Weil 21, 32 Reactor 71 Ressence 51 Revelation 38 Richard Mille 74, 76 Richemont Group 4 Ritmo Mundo 47, 76 Rodolphe (MRC) 34 Rolex COVER II, 1, 24, 26, 72, 78, 79 Romain Jerome 73 Ronda 53, 54 S Sea-Gull 83 Seiko 4, 18, 24, 28, 30 Sellita 53 Shanghai Watch Factory 83

SIHH 74 Skagen 58 Skywatch 68, 70 Stefan Kudoke 55 Steinmeyer 58 Swarovski 65, 66 Swatch 4 Swatch Group 4, 18, 59 T TAG Heuer 4, 16, 18, 22, 24, 30, COVER IV Technew 69 TechnoMarine 20, 68 Technotime 38 Tissot 23, 59, 70, 83 Titoni 29 Tournaire 38 Trisi Jewellery 79 Tudor 10-11, 26, 79 U Ulysse Nardin 34 V Vacheron Constantin 76, 77 Van Cleef & Arpels 76 Van der Bauwede 63 Ventura 58 Venus 35, 66 Victorinox Swiss Army 68 Victor Mayer 79 W, Y Waterman 79 Yonger & Bresson 37 Z Zenith 30, 31, 72, 73, 74, 76 Zeno-Watch Basel 79

Managing Director: Philippe Maillard EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief: Pierre M. Maillard • pmaillard@europastar.com Senior Editor: D. Malcolm Lakin • mlakin@europastar.com International Editor: Keith W. Strandberg • keiths821@aol.com Managing Editor: Paul O’Neil • poneil@europastar.com Editorial Consultant: Casey Bayandor • cbayandor@europastar.com Asst. Publisher: Nathalie Glattfelder • nglattfelder@europastar.com CONTRIBUTORS • Italy: Paolo de Vecchi • Germany: Gerhard Claussen, Timm Delfs • France: Antoine Menusier • Australia: Martin Foster • Russia: Vyacheslav Medvedev • Portugal: Miguel Seabra • Romania: George Gisca • Art & Techniques of Watchmaking: Jean-Claude Nicolet ART Alexis Sgouridis • asgouridis@europastar.com Dummy: Fonderie Grafix, Geneva MARKETING & CIRCULATION PRINT/E-MEDIA Marketing & Circulation Director: Nathalie Glattfelder • nglattfelder@europastar.com Marketing & Circulation Manager: Jocelyne Bailly • jbailly@europastar.com PUBLISHING & PRODUCTION PRINT/E-MEDIA Advertising Manager: Laurence Chatenoud • lchatenoud@europastar.com Editorial, Production & Advertising Coordinator: Talya Lakin • tlakin@europastar.com ADVERTISING / INTERNATIONAL SALES MANAGERS Switzerland / Italy / US: Casey K. Bayandor. Tel: +41 22 307 78 37 Fax: +41 22 300 37 48 • cbayandor@europastar.com Europe & International: Nathalie Glattfelder. Tel: +41 22 307 78 37 Fax: +41 22 300 37 48 • nglattfelder@europastar.com Spain: Carles Sapena, Sisserou s.l. Tel & Fax: +34 93 112 7113 • csapena@europastar.es Asia: Maggie Tong Tel: +852 9658 1830 Fax: +852 2527 5189 • maggietong@europastar.com Ukraine: Sergiy Kuzmenko Tel: +38 044 205 4089 Fax: +38 044 205 4099 • skuzmenko@karavan.ua ACCOUNTING Business Manager: Catherine Giloux. Tel: +41 22 307 78 48 • cgiloux@europastar.com Credit Manager: Alexandra Montandon. Tel: +41 22 307 78 47 • amontandon@europastar.com MAGAZINES Europa Star - Europe - International - USA & Canada - China - Latin America / Spain Ukraine, Europa Star Première, Bulletin d’informations, Eurotec, CIJ International Jewellery Trends & Colours WEBSITES www.worldwatchweb.com, www.europastar.com, www.watch-aficionado.com, www.watches-for-china.com, www.horalatina.com, www.europastar.es, www.europastarwatch.ru, www.CIJintl.com, www.eurotec.ch Head office: Europa Star HBM SA, Route des Acacias 25, CH-1227 Carouge/Geneva - Switzerland Tel +41 22 307 78 37, Fax +41 22 300 37 48, www.europastar.com. Help Desk: jricher@europastar.com Subscriptions, one year 6 issues, CHF 100 Europe, CHF 140 International. www.europastar.com/subscribe

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88 LAKIN@LARGE europa star

Turning the page I had hardly recovered from the hustle and bustle in Basel, when I heard a piece of shocking news: the publishers of the Encyclopaedia Britannica announced it would no longer continue to publish its printed editions, instead the organisation would focus on its online version. The amazing source of information was made up with a dozen or so volumes of Micropaedia for the relatively short articles on subjects from A – Z and the balance of volumes, the Macropaedia, for the detailed and scholarly articles which could run anywhere from one page to three hundred pages. First published in 1768 in Edinburgh as a three-volume encyclopaedia, it eventually became a 32-volume set and grew to become one of the most popular living room adornments in the western world. My first wife gave me a 29-volume set of the Britannica for Christmas in 1975 and I have given myself several hernias over the years as I ceremoniously carried them with me as I moved from apartment to apartment as if it was the climax of a religious ritual. But now, call in the usual suspects because it’s official, the Internet murdered the Encyclopaedia Britannica – come to think of it, it might be a mass murderer because it has most probably killed off most encyclopaedic publications. I can’t help wondering what will happen to all those redundant, hardly used sets of Encyclopaedia Britannica that sit undisturbed on specially made bookcases or shelves gathering dust? Seven million of them were sold over the years so I can’t imagine that their value as an investment will follow the heady heights of say gold, rare they are not, but they could eventually become items of nostalgia, iconic objects of cult worship by ageing wordmongers and Scrabble addicts who would hold Encyclopaedia Britannica soirees in hushed church halls with random readings from their revered pages followed by that staple of refined refreshment, tea and biscuits. I can’t wait. The average weight of a single volume of Encyclopaedia Britannica is somewhere around two kilos, so we’re probably talking about more than 50 million kilos or 500,000 tonnes of paper and cardboard for the seven million sets that were sold. Can you imagine what would happen if you put that amount of paper in one place? The earth would tilt on its axis and all those expensive tourbillon wristwatches that previously had nothing to do except look pretty would have to work overtime to fight gravity and maintain some semblance of order. But back to the Internet. Not so long ago whenever there was mention of computers and computerisation everyone tut tutted and cursed the progress curve because we saw our lives being controlled à la style de 1984 by monstrous banks of computers being fed highly paid programmers and computer boffins. Today, most of us use a desktop or laptop computer that is n times more powerful than rooms full of IBMs and we have become dependent on having instant access to the Internet world. We have evolved into seasoned virtuosos capable of

dextrously running our fingers across the computer keyboard to discover, within seconds, everything we want to know about animals from aardvarks to zebras and people from Azorin to Zwingli. And to ensure we continue to be informed via the magic of Internet, on any given day around 250 million photos are uploaded to Facebook and 864,000 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube. What is even more indicative of our attachment to the Internet is that postal authorities and governments are facing up to the fact that mailing a letter is a thing of the past. At the time of writing this, 294 billion emails are sent every day. As they now say, home is where you hang your @. Despite the availability of this mass of information, my set of Encyclopaedia Britannica continues to be an integral part of my life and I would have a genuine problem if I tried to get rid of it—because it’s piled up on the floor in my office at home next to an ageing, overloaded and warped Billy bookcase from Ikea to stop it from keeling over. All of which reminds me of a story about a door to door encyclopaedia salesman who rings on a doorbell and when the door opens there’s a ten year old boy standing there smoking a rather large Havana cigar with an opened beer can in his other hand. The encyclopaedia salesman is somewhat taken aback by this unexpected sight and takes a few moments to marshal his thoughts and in his usual courteous salesman’s manner says, “Hello young man, is your mother or father home?” The boy looks at the salesman, takes a puff on the cigar followed by a swig of beer from the can and with a disdainful look on his face replies, "What do you think?" Well, you’ve got to laugh haven’t you.

D. Malcolm Lakin Roving Editor