Weir & Sons Style Magazine by thecontentagency

MAGAZINE

Breguet La Marine Chronograph 5527

DIVER 300M

MASTER CHRONOMETER CERTIFIED Behind the elegance of every Master Chronometer timepiece is the highest level of testing: 8 tests over 10 days, to ensure superior precision and anti-magnetic resistance.

Big Bang Unico. Case in 18K King Gold invented and developed by Hublot with a ceramic bezel. In-house chronograph UNICO movement. Interchangeable strap using patented One-Click system.

hublot.com

HAPPY HEARTS COLLECTION

WELCOME

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ANDREW KILPATRICK

our 150th anniversary year draws to a close, for this, the second and last of our commemorative issues, we are in full celebratory mode. To honour it, we have a commemorative cover illustration by renowned Irish artist Dermot Flynn, evoking many of the festive moments our landmark store has witnessed over the decades. And so, as our iconic windows on Grafton Street remain among the few constants since shoppers first flocked to this bustling street in the 19th century, they have now been lovingly rendered for this collectible cover. One of the historic moments the store has borne witness to was a visit in 1920 by Irish politician and revolutionary Michael Collins. On page 32, we recall the remarkable story of a purchase he made here, which in itself played its part in modern Irish history. It is a story that is linked to one of the original cornerstones of our business and, on page 90, we continue to mark our historic birthday with the hidden history behind our Silver Department, and how its evolution has reflected that of our society and its people. On page 27, we bring things right up to date with some modern trailblazers who are effecting change right now, with a unique look at this year’s Rolex Awards Laureates, while, on page 95, we round up the local eateries, hotels and stores that are breaking new ground with an eco and sustainable approach. We look at Hublot’s innovative new limited edition Spirit of Big Bang Yellow Sapphire watch on page 51, available exclusively at Weir & Sons, while our news updates, from page 15, are the first place to find out about a host of other exclusives arriving over the coming months. On page 72, we celebrate Montblanc’s new Heritage Collection, then, on page 82, we go behind the scenes at Jaeger-LeCoultre’s magnificent Métiers Rares Atelier, the origin of many of the brand’s extraordinary Art of Precision timepieces. And if you need any help in choosing your perfect watch, we

have the definitive buying guide on page 61 written especially for us by QP editor James Buttery, a must-read for anyone thinking of making a purchase. One of the biggest jewellery purchases for many is an engagement ring, so, on page 45, our expert staff combine their decades of experience to advise on picking the perfect ring, from every type of stone and shape to all the services the store provides, plus the best pieces to buy now. Meanwhile, on page 55, we look back on the legendary man behind the world famous Mikimoto jewellery house, charting his journey from creation of the first cultured pearl to truly groundbreaking designs. You will never look upon these treasures of the sea in the same way again. Our festive celebration continues beyond our cover too. On page 34, we herald the coming of party season with a sneak peek at some of the best statement jewellery and watches in store and online at weir.ie. As this is the season for gifting, we have plenty of perfect present ideas in our shopping

highlights on pages 22 and 24, and also in our Pop Art shoot on page 66, which celebrates some of the modern classics. Elsewhere, on page 87, we have our pick of the best new keepsakes and gifting options in our Leather Department. And as this is the time to eat, drink and be merry, we talk to some of the city’s most colourful culinary characters about their watch loves on page 75. We really hope you enjoy this second commemorative issue; it is our pleasure to continue to bring you lovingly made watches, jewellery and gifts 150 years since we were first established. We would like to thank all our staff and our customers for their continued support, and to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. The Weir & Sons team

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Elegance is an attitude Kate Winslet

Conquest Classic

Style Editor Jessie Collins Art Director Clare Meredith Sub-editor Sharon Miney Publisher Richard Power, The Content Agency Ltd

Contents 51

For Weir & Sons Executive Editor Lucinda Andrews Contributing Editor Lisa Freeman Silver Editor David Andrews Jewellery Editor Aoife Doyle Watch Editor Yvette Walsh Fashion Editor Chris Andrews Assistant Fashion Editor Magda Olos Weir & Sons would like to thank all contributors and advertisers for their continued support. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of information, Weir & Sons accepts no responsibility for any inaccuracies that may arise. No liability can be accepted for illustrations, artwork or advertising material while in transmission or with the publishers or their agents. Weir & Sons Style Magazine is published by Weir & Sons in association with The Content Agency Ltd, The Park, Ballycrean, Co. Wicklow. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part (including photocopying or storing in any medium by electronic means) is prohibited without prior permission of The Content Agency, please contact richard@thecontentagency.ie. The reproduction of colours is as accurate as the printing process will allow. Whilst Weir & Sons Style Magazine accepts third party advertising, it does not endorse or take any responsibility for products or services outside those of Weir & Sons. Please contact the advertiser directly. All terms are subject to availability. Weir & Sons has made every effort to ensure that product information and prices are correct at time of going to press. Some of these, including price, may change after publication. Weir & Sons 96-99 Grafton Street, Dublin 2, Ireland +353 (0) 1 677 9678; weir.ie Level 1, Dundrum Town Centre, Dundrum, Dublin 16, Ireland +353 (0) 1 215 7845; weir.ie sales@weirandsons.ie @WeirandSons /WeirsJewellers @weirandsons

Cover illustration by Dermot Flynn dermotďŹ&#x201A;ynn.com

34 15 NEWS

The The best buys and luscious fi finds nds from our Jewellery, Watch, Fashion and Silver departments.

22 RING TRUE

The most dazzling engagement rings for every taste and pocket.

24 GOLDEN HOUR

Watches and jewellery in gilt and dark tones for day to night glamour.

27 BRAVE NEW WORLD

Meet the 2019 Rolex Awards Laureates who are changing the world, one project at a time.

32 A SILVER TALE

The extraordinary story of how a Weir & Sons sugar bowl played its part in history.

34 TAKE ME OUT

Jewellery and watches made to live in the limelight in our seasonal shoot.

45 FINDING THE ONE

Your guide to finding your perfect match in engagement rings, with expert tips from our in-house team.

51 BLOND AMBITION

Hublot’s latest Big Bang Sapphire watch is as daring on the outside as it is in its technological firsts.

55 PEARLS OF WISDOM

The amazing story of Kokichi Mikimoto and the creation of the first cultured pearls and jewellery empire.

61 CRACKING TIME

QP editor James Buttery’s essential guide to buying a watch.

66 SMASH HITS

Meet the modern pieces destined to be forever classics.

72 LASTING LEGACY

Montblanc’s Heritage Collection mixes modern precision with classic styling.

75 75 KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL Some of Dublin’s top chefs and foodies reveal their go-to timepieces.

82 ART HOUSE

A journey inside Jaeger-LeCoultre’s magnificent Métiers Rares Atelier.

87 HIDE & SEEK

The covetable new collections from Weir & Sons’ leather department.

90 LUSTRE FOR LIFE

Weir & Sons’ history as seen through its formative Silver Department.

95 GREEN LIGHT

Our guide to the best eco shopping and eating spots in the city.

MONACO CALIBRE 11 AUTOMATIC CHRONOGRAPH

Steve McQueen’s legacy is timeless. More than an actor, more than a pilot, he became a legend. Like TAG Heuer, he deﬁned himself beyond standards and never cracked under pressure.

MASTER OF MATERIALS

RADO CAPTAIN COOK INSPIRED BY OUR VINTAGE ORIGINAL. SERIOUSLY IRRESISTIBLE.

NEWS

Dive Time A limited edition exclusive available in Ireland only at Weir & Sons, the Citizen Promaster Aqualand 30th Anniversary Limited Edition (€745) comes packed full of technological innovations and groundbreaking features that are the hallmark of the original, with an updated and upgraded set of additions. Still an ISO compliant dive watch with a host of great attributes, including a maximum depth memory to record your deepest dive, a rapid ascent alarm, an autostart dive mode plus a power

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reserve indicator, it is water resistant to 200 metres. The watch sports an ultra tactile, one way rotating bezel and has an anti-magnetic, anti-shock case construction, a screw back case and screw down crown as well as a depth display to 70 metres. The diver friendly strap extension, meanwhile, means it can fit snugly over your wetsuit with ease. For this anniversary model, Citizen has given the original a makeover too, with a pink gold and black ion plated case and buttons complete

with a sleek, black polyurethane strap and black dial. Restricted to just 6,000 pieces worldwide and only two pieces in Ireland, it also comes with a custom Promaster 30th Anniversary caseback. But its smart credentials go beyond just its looks. Containing the J250 calibre with Citizen’s famed Eco-Drive technology, the Promaster Aqualand 30th Anniversary Limited Edition can be powered by any light, so you’ll never need to worry about upgrading or replacing the battery. A dive watch worthy of a celebration.

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NEWS SIZING UP

Daniel Wellington’s Petite Mesh has been a perennial favourite since its launch, and the brand has just added a new larger size to complement the original. The new Petite Mesh 36mm (€169) features the same minimalist dial in either black or white, with a mesh strap available in a Melrose rose gold shade, Sterling silver chrome style or Ashfield black.

GOLD STAR

An exciting new brand from Weir & Sons, N9NE is located on the Fashion Floor of the store and features gold pieces in a mix of styles, each designed with a delicate aesthetic. Perfect for layering or wearing as subtle, standalone pieces, all are crafted in 9k gold. The N9NE range encompasses a variety of forms from necklaces to bracelets and earrings, including these gold star earrings (€135) and matching necklace (€180). Each piece is specially made to feel luxurious yet understated and the range also includes the must have Huggie earrings.

CASTING A SPELL

#MAGICbyTS is the new collaboration between jewellery house Thomas Sabo and singer Rita Ora. The collection features a host of motifs in a wide range of styles including pendants, rings, bracelets and earrings. With themes like Magic Stones, Magic Stars and Magic Cat, there is an emphasis on statement pieces like this Coloured Gemstone Cross Pendant (€498). The collection was designed, says Ora, “to convey the special power of jewellery and women to personal looks full of vitality”.

RISE AND SHINE

Continuing to reference the beauty of nature, watch and jewellery brand Olivia Burton has taken its signature 3D bee motif and elevated it further, with the addition of glitter dials in a range of hues and styles to give it an extra luxe, celebratory feel for the season. Available in black, silver, gold and this pale rose gold (€215, pictured), the radiant 34mm face gleams in the light and is perfect for adding another layer of glamour to your party look. 16 WEIR & SONS

ART SCHOOL

Montblanc’s new PIX white ballpoint pen (€240) is inspired by the groundbreaking German Bauhaus architecture movement, which celebrated its centenary this year. Incorporating some of the movement’s iconic aesthetic, from its minimal lines to its love of white, it is named after Montblanc’s historical PIX trademark. Coming with a white precious resin cap and barrel, its sleek looks are complemented with gold coated detailing. WEIR.IE

NEWS SECRET SERVICE World famous for its iconic, celebratory gifts, Fabergé now offers a private commission service, giving customers the chance to create one of a kind pieces incorporating their own unique designs. Perfect for commemorating special occasions or anniversaries, customers can participate in every step of the process, including private consultations with the dedicated design team in order to realise their personal vision. With little or no restriction in terms of the style of piece or image created, many employ Fabergé’s renowned enamel techniques and coloured gemstones to create something totally bespoke and original. For more information, please enquire in store.

DREAM TEAM Created by American designer Jacqueline Rabun, Mercy is a new collection of sterling silver jewellery from Georg Jensen. It is the result of a collaboration that goes back over a decade, when Rabun originally presented three designs to the Danish brand in 2003. However, other projects prevented them from completing the collection at the time and the three designs went in under Rabun’s own brand. Now the Mercy collection has been reimagined with Georg Jensen, adding 12 new designs to the original line. Merging Georg Jensen’s organic, Scandinavian aesthetic with Rabun’s unique forms, the two have created a timeless set of collectibles. Pictured left is the Mercy large pendant in sterling silver (€265).

DRINK IT PINK The K Club’s superlative resident sommelier Lisa O’Doherty has created an original in-house gin that is brimming with botanicals grown on the resort’s very own grounds. The K Gin’s distinctive ingredient is its Straffan red rhubarb, which is mixed with juniper, hibiscus, pink peppercorns, cardamom, lemon, lime and orange peel to create a balance of sweetness and spice, all distilled into a pretty pink hue. With it comes a signature cocktail, the Straffan Rhubarb Sour, which includes The K Gin, fresh lemon juice, rhubarb syrup and egg white, served chilled in an Old Fashioned glass garnished with maraschino cocktail cherries. kclub.ie 18 WEIR & SONS

LOVE ACTUALLY Marking 25 years since its release in 1994, ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ by Mariah Carey remains one of the most iconic festive songs of modern times, charting every year since its ﬁrst release. To celebrate the anniversary, Swarovski has teamed up with Carey to create a luxury star shaped ornament made with a blue Aurora Borealis effect that catches the light and changes colour as it turns. The 25th Anniversary Holiday Ornament by Mariah Carey (€69) comes complete with a red satin ribbon featuring the famous song title along with Mariah Carey branding.

THE LOOK OF LOVE When, as the story goes, an Irish sailor first crafted the Claddagh ring for his sweetheart, legend has it he christened it by saying: “With these hands, I give you my heart and I crown it with my love.” Centuries on, the Claddagh ring still symbolises love and devotion, with the newest versions coming in ever more precious metals and set stones. This 14k white gold heart ring (€2,160) by Solvar features a diamond heart with diamond surround and, having been Irish hallmarked in Dublin Castle, makes the perfect keepsake gift. WEIR.IE

NEWS TIME SAVER

Oris has just released its Ocean Trilogy (€8,575), a limited edition of 200 sets of three Aquis diver watches, all stunningly presented in a box made from recycled PET plastic. The set contains the Oris Blue Whale Limited Edition watch, available exclusively as part of the beautifully packaged set, as well as the Oris Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition III and the Oris Clean Ocean Limited Edition. The Oris Blue Whale Limited Edition is a chronograph inspired by the blue whale and continues the brand’s commitment to saving and protecting the oceans. The timepiece, with its aqua blue ceramic bezel and graduated aqua blue dial, carries an embossed blue whale and limited edition number on the case. It is the first first chronograph in the Aquis range with a 3/6/9 configuration, configuration, is water resistant to 500 metres and comes with a large 45.5mm steel case.

PEAK PERFORMERS

Garmin’s collection of luxury tool watches is now available at Weir & Sons and comes bearing all the innovative qualities of this groundbreaking brand. The MARQ collection features ﬁve outstanding timepieces, each with its own distinctive character and hardware. The Captain (€1,896) comes with a regatta timer enhanced with GPS technology, a Tack Assist and a ‘man overboard’ button in a navy ceramic bezel and jacquard weave strap. The Aviator (€1,999) meanwhile features NEXRAD weather radar with Garmin avionics, a mirror polished 24 hour GMT bezel and two additional timezones. The Athlete (€1,538) packs its own punch with VO2 max scales on the bezel, integrated maps, advanced running dynamics, as well as built-in biometrics. The Driver (€2,563) features 250 preloaded global racetracks, a tachymeter bezel, Auto Lap splits and live delta time. And ﬁnally, the Adventurer (€1,794, pictured) has topographic maps and real time ascent data, a Pulse Ox sensor to monitor your blood oxygen saturation levels and built-in ABC navigation sensors.

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HOLD ME NOW

Gucci’s new Grip collection comprises four new quartz timepieces, each with a rounded square case with three windows displaying three white rotating discs to indicate the hour, minute and date. Christened the Grip due to its snug ﬁt around the wrist, the One edition features both a yellow gold PVD case and yellow gold PVD bracelet, each engraved with Gucci’s signature interlocking G logo, with an option of a steel model for a sleeker look. The remaining two styles come with coloured calf leather straps in the form of a green shade with a steel case or bordeaux (€1,600, pictured) with a yellow gold PVD case.

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KEEPS

From three stone beauties to oval marvels and solitaires, we have your perfect match in engagement rings.

1 18k white gold three stone diamond ring, €16,740 2 Platinum diamond oval ring, €36,565 3 Platinum four stone diamond ring, €10,620 4 Platinum three stone diamond ring, €30,600 5 Platinum diamond solitaire ring, €12,040 6 Platinum and oval cut diamond ring, €3,575 7 Platinum marquise diamond ring, €5,899 8 Platinum marquise diamond ring, €14,940, all Weir Collection 22 WEIR & SONS

1 3

5 7 WEIR.IE

PHOTOGRAPHY TREVOR HART ART DIRECTION & STYLING ELEANOR HARPUR

FOR

GILT

TRIP

Mix your metals in dark and gold tones for extra day to night glamour

6 1 18k gold diamond hoop earrings, €4,830, Weir Collection 2 Happy Hearts bangle, €2,695, Chopard 3 9k gold oval onyx signet ring, €800, Weir Collection 4 18k red gold black stone ring, €499, Weir Collection 5 Centrix watch, €1,820, Rado 6 Marine Chronograph watch, €31,300, Breguet 7 9k gold black onyx cufflinks, €915, Weir Collection 8 18k gold B.zero1 ring, €4,710, Bvlgari 9 18k rose gold and diamond ring, €2,650, Weir Collection 10 Seamaster Planet Ocean watch, €14,250, Omega 11 Maestro The Beatles Sgt Pepper’s Limited Edition watch, €1,450, Raymond Weil 24 WEIR & SONS

7 8

9 WEIR.IE

PHOTOGRAPHY TREVOR HART ART DIRECTION & STYLING ELEANOR HARPUR

PRINCESS FLOWER COLLECTION

THE GAME CHANGERS Where innovation meets hope and optimism, magic happens. Nathalie Marquez Courtney delves into the amazing stories behind the 2019 Laureates of the Rolex Awards for Enterprise.

João Campos Silva, near Carauarí in the Amazon

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anted, the ad read. Five enterprising people to undertake challenging project. When Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf – AKA ‘the man behind the crown’ – first launched the iconic Rolex Oyster, the world’s first water resistant wristwatch, he was following a hunch. The year was 1926 and, though pocket watches had been the status quo when Wilsdorf first founded the company, he strongly felt that a new, more adventurous era was on the horizon. Thus he was keen to create timepieces to match – timepieces for explorers, risk takers, innovators. Just a year later, a young swimmer named Mercedes Gleitze became the first British woman to swim the English Channel, and she did so wearing her Rolex Oyster. Fifty years on, with its status as a watch for pioneers and trailblazers firmly established, Rolex celebrated the Oyster’s anniversary by launching the Awards for Enterprise in 1976. The above call for entries was seeking out “enterprising people” working on “original and imaginative projects involving exploration and discovery”. It’s safe to say that the awards, currently in their 43rd year, are still doing just that. It is hard to imagine that Hans Wilsdorf, lover of all things innovative and forward thinking, wouldn’t be impressed with this year’s crop of winners. They are tackling some of the biggest challenges of our generation – including animal extinction, plastic pollution and disease diagnosis – and are doing so with boundless energy, passion and enthusiasm. The beauty of the awards is that they are not merely a pat on the back for a job well done; they are a way of propelling these projects forward, offering financial support and phenomenal exposure. “These are not achievement awards,” said Rebecca Irvin, director of philanthropy for Rolex, at the ceremony earlier this year – which, fittingly, closed out the National Geographic Explorers Festival. “They are awards for people who are on the verge of doing something really important.”

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“This year’s winners are tackling some of the biggest challenges of our generation” AMAZING WORK IN THE AMAZON: JOÃO CAMPOS SILVA measures have also brought back The Amazon is a beautifully complex other threatened species, including system, one that relies on every manatees, giant otters and giant piece of the puzzle to run effectively. turtles, and helped support local Which is why the work that Brazilian communities. Yields have gone up, conservationist João Campos Silva resulting in extra income, which is doing is of such vital importance. in turn has provided healthcare, João is on a mission to save the schools and jobs. giant arapaima. It’s the largest scaled Using tagging and radio freshwater fish in the world, weighing tracking, João hopes to study up to 200kg, and it’s headed for the arapaima’s movements across extinction – which would have the landscape, training locals devastating repercussions for the rural to efficiently manage their fish communities in Amazonia, who rely on population numbers, and create it both as a food source and for trade. supports so that women can earn a The project started by closing small, living from professional fishing and river-connected lakes to fishing, and fisheries management. “I believe that this, combined with careful fisheries community based management of management by local people, has resulted in a whopping 30-fold recovery arapaima is the most powerful tool that we have to ensure a sustainable future in arapaima numbers. And, of course, for the Amazon floodplains.” there’s the beautiful ripple effect: these

Rolex awards ceremony, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC, 14 June 2019

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Above right: Grégoire Courtine Above: A selection of Rolex Oyster models from top: Lady DateJust, €16,100; 40mm Milgauss, €7,700; Explorer 39mm, €6,150, all Weir & Sons

ONE STEP AT A TIME: GRÉGOIRE COURTINE It sounds like the stuff of science fiction: an electronic brain implant that helps paralysed people to walk again. But French scientist Grégoire Courtine is working on just that. He has developed an electronic ‘bridge’ that is implanted between a patient’s brain and their lumbar spinal cord. The system, which is also supported by wireless technology, links brain signals with electronic stimulation of the lower spinal cord. Using this innovative tech, Grégoire and his team recently helped seven longterm paraplegic men to stand and walk short distances on crutches. Even more incredible is that the bridge will actually encourage regrowth of the spinal nerve, with an aim to restoring permanent control over paralysed leg muscles when used alongside rehabilitation therapy, eventually doing away with the need for an implant altogether. Grégoire’s clinical trials are not just helping the patients taking part in them either – his work is making huge strides to create a framework for neuroprosthetic technology, and to shape and define how this cutting edge, revolutionary tech evolves, with the ultimate aim of creating a range of life changing treatments for people whose legs have been paralysed by spinal injury. WEIR.IE

RAPID DISEASE DETECTION: BRIAN GITTA “I can’t actually count how many times I’ve suffered from malaria since I was a kid,” says Ugandan IT specialist Brian Gitta. Brian is from one of five countries that account for nearly half of all malaria cases worldwide, so it’s no surprise that it’s an issue close to his heart. Around 220 million people worldwide will suffer from malaria this year. The disease kills almost half a million people a year, mostly small children living in Sub-Saharan Africa. Speedy diagnosis is key to fighting the scourge, but that’s not always possible, as current tests require a blood sample and a microscope as well as a highly trained analyst. Tests can also take up to 30 minutes or longer, or may need to be sent to distant towns for analysis, severely limiting the number of people who can be diagnosed in a given day. Brian’s technology, dubbed the ‘Matiscope’, hopes to change that. It’s a portable electronic device that uses light and magnets to detect the presence of the malaria parasite, and can give a reliable reading in less than two minutes. Innovative technology like this can sometimes have a touch and go success rate, but the Matiscope is already at 80 per cent diagnostic accuracy, and improving. This is all without the need to even draw blood – which is one of the biggest game changers – as it means the device could potentially be used without the need for a specialist, making it easier to detect the disease quickly in remote, rural communities. “Malaria is a curable disease, if you know you have it. Rapid diagnosis empowers the patient to take quick action that may save their life and other lives,” says Brian. 30 WEIR & SONS

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE: KRITHI KARANTH As the daughter of a tiger biologist and conservationist, Krithi Karanth grew up with a love for India’s wild natural wonders, helping her father track tigers and leopards from a young age. But she soon discovered that not everyone had such a good relationship with wildlife. Every year in India, there are hundreds of thousands of clashes between communities and the surrounding fauna. The densely populated country reserves only five per cent of its terrain for nature – despite having 70 per cent of the world’s tigers and 50 per cent of its Asian elephants. When property is damaged, crops are destroyed or livestock is injured or killed, communities can retaliate, often killing wild animals. Though compensation from the Indian government is available, making a claim can be an arduous process, so it is estimated that thousands of people don’t, further increasing animosity. Through her Wild Seve project, Krithi is focused on educating people and improving attitudes and awareness, helping communities understand that wild animals are not well attuned to human made boundaries. There’s a free number that people can call for help in filing compensation claims (which Krithi says increases trust and reduces hostility), and she’s planning on experimenting with other pragmatic, practical solutions in high-conflict zones, such as predator-proof sheds and fences that can help minimise crop damage and keep people and livestock safer.

Attitudes and awareness are crucial, says Krithi, so she has also set up Wild Shaaele, a conservation programme aimed at 300 schools in high-conflict areas, and she hopes the two programmes combined are the beginning of a new worldwide model for conservation. “I’m always an optimist and never give up,” she says. “A lot of species are in trouble, but we have technology and more public support for wildlife conservation. We have resources that the world didn’t have 10 years or 20 years ago. We just need to be smart about deploying them in time.” TURNING TRASH INTO TREASURE: MIRANDA WANG It’s safe to say that awareness around plastics and the importance of recycling has skyrocketed, but still less than a tenth of the world’s used plastic is recycled. Much of what we use ends up in landfills or worse: clogging up rivers and oceans, and polluting our soil and atmosphere. Entrepreneur and molecular biologist Miranda Wang is on a mission to quite literally turn the dirtiest, most difficult waste into treasure. Her company has developed innovative technology that can transform previously unrecyclable plastics into renewable, high value industrial chemicals that are incredibly useful in manufacturing. This is a game changer in so many ways: Miranda’s process is not only cheaper than the current methods (which would see the same substances extracted from petroleum) but equates to an astounding 40-fold increase in the value of plastic waste – which will go a long way to incentivising businesses to work towards a more sustainable waste management model. “We specifically focus on these problem plastics that nobody else wants to touch,” says Miranda. By doing this, she is creating a vital missing link in efforts to truly turn plastic production into a circular economy. rolex.org WEIR.IE

NIVACHRON™ – ANTI-MAGNETIC

COUNT ON ME

The Wedding Party Back row, from left: Julia O’Donovan, Michael Collins, Gearoid O’Sullivan, Mrs O’Keeffe, Sean Hyde, Dennis Lynch, Alice Lynch, Jim Murray. Middle row, from left: Fr Bonaventure, Sheila O’Donovan, newlyweds Lill Clancy and Michael O’Brien, Mick Lynch, Joe Clancy, Pat Barry. Front row, from left: Teddy, Quinn, Eileen O’Donovan, Sean O’Donovan, Una O’Donovan, Tadhg O’Donovan Right: Michael Collins

THE GENERAL

& the sugar bowl

Every piece that Weir & Sons produces tells a story. Some pieces even find themselves at the heart of crucial moments in history. The story of Michael Collins and the wedding chalice is just one of those moments, writes Jessie Collins.

ublin, 22 November 1920. It was perhaps like any other Monday in the city at that time, except that it wasn’t. The 22nd of November was the day after what would become known as the infamous Bloody Sunday killings, when 32 people died, including 13 British soldiers and police, 16 Irish civilians and three Irish republican prisoners, in the ongoing struggle for Irish independence. Events of the day were set in motion when an Irish Republican Army operation, organised by the then head of IRA intelligence, Michael Collins, set about assassinating the so-called ‘Cairo Gang’, a team of undercover British intelligence agents working and living in Dublin. In retaliation, British forces opened fire on the 5,000-strong crowd at a Gaelic football match between Dublin and Tipperary in Croke Park, killing 14 and wounding at least 60 others. Three Irish republican suspects being held in Dublin Castle were beaten and killed.

32 WEIR & SONS

A replica of the Ardagh Chalice bearing the Weir & Sons ‘TW’ hallmark, given to Michael O’Brien as a wedding present by Michael Collins. Photograph: Gary Belcher

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“Collins carried a solid silver sugar bowl, handmade by silversmiths in Weir & Sons, purchased just days before Bloody Sunday” That night Michael Collins stayed in the Royal Marine Hotel in Dún Laoghaire along with his fiancée, Kitty Kiernan (according to hotel records they stayed in separate rooms), using the spot as a place to lie low as tempers boiled over. The next morning he took a train and then a carriage to Terenure, to attend his friend Michael O’Brien’s wedding. O’Brien was also a covert member of the IRA intelligence staff at the time. With him, Collins carried a solid silver sugar bowl in the form of a replica of the famous Ardagh Chalice, hand decorated with Celtic weaving and triskelion motifs, as a gift for the newlyweds. The bowl had been handmade by the silversmiths in Weir & Sons, where Collins had purchased it just days before. But despite the inauspicious times, it turned out to be a blessed gift. The chalice was passed from Michael and his wife Lill to their children, and then on to their grandchildren. It now resides with Michael’s granddaughter Emer O’Dwyer in her home in Dublin. “We call it the sugar bowl as that’s what it has always been used for,” explains Emer. “We always knew of the story of it being given to my grandparents for their wedding by Michael Collins, but we didn’t know where it came from otherwise.” A cousin took images of the markings and through some investigation realised that they were the hallmarks of Weir & Sons. “It is wonderful to complete the story,” says Emer. “We are really proud of its origins, and it’s always meant a lot to our family. It, and its history, is something we will pass on through the generations.”

Weir & Sons Silver Department stocks a wide range of Irish silver and giftware. The company also provides a full engraving, polishing and repair service. WEIR.IE

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TAKE ME

OUT

Embrace the darker days and longer nights with jewellery and watches that belong in the limelight. PHOTOGRAPHY TREVOR HART, ART DIRECTION & STYLING ELEANOR HARPUR HAND MODELS CAOIMHE O'DWYER & MAX MURPHY, WARDROBE BROWN THOMAS

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: 18k white gold drop diamond earrings, €3,520; 18k white gold diamond necklace, €12,059; platinum radiant cut diamond ring, €11,295; platinum diamond ring, €67,500; platinum diamond ring, €17,300, all Weir Collection; Classima watch, €2,950, Baume et Mercier; 18k white gold and diamond bracelet, €12,059, Weir Collection

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: 18k gold pearl and diamond drop earrings, €8,530, Mikimoto; 18k rose gold diamond circle pendant, €3,890, Weir Collection; Twenty-4 18k rose gold self winding watch, €42,200, Patek Philippe; 18k gold and diamond bangle, €4,225; 18k gold and diamond bangle, €2,530, both Roberto Coin; 18k rose gold diamond ring, €4,660; 18k white and yellow gold diamond ring, €2,965, both Weir Collection; Ice Cube ring, €840, Chopard; Bloom ring, €15,000; 18k rose gold diamond ring, €7,620, both Weir Collection 36 WEIR & SONS

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Platinum pear diamond ring, €26,550; sapphire and diamond ring, €31,600, both Weir Collection; Aquis watch, €2,150, Oris

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Diamond and ruby drop earrings, €14,475; diamond and ruby ring, €17,815; diamond and ruby bracelet, €6,780; diamond and ruby bracelet, €5,985, all Weir Collection; De Ville Trésor watch, €4,300, Omega; 18k white gold ruby and diamond cluster ring, €97,500; 18k gold diamond and ruby ring, €13,920, both Weir Collection

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: 18k white gold diamond ball earrings, €8,815, Weir Collection; Seamaster Diver watch, €4,510, Omega; 18k white gold Nautilus cufflinks, €4,995, Patek Philippe; palladium wedding band, €1,335, Weir Collection WEIR.IE

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: Platinum yellow diamond ring, €9,785; 18k white gold yellow diamond ring, €6,865; 18k white gold and yellow diamond bangle, €13,115, all Weir Collection; Ice Cube watch, €15,120, Chopard; yellow canary diamond ring, €194,350; platinum yellow diamond ring, €7,855, both Weir Collection

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: 18k rose gold wedding band, €1,095, Weir Collection; 18k gold Calatrava cufflinks, €4,370, Patek Philippe; Day-Date watch, €54,550, Rolex

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: Platinum classic wedding ring, €605; platinum wedding ring, €1,185; silver citrine cufflinks, €440, all Weir Collection; Santos de Cartier watch, €10,600, Cartier

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: 18k gold Roman Barocco earrings, €4,825, Roberto Coin; 18k rose gold diamond ring, €7,620, Weir Collection; Reine de Naples watch, €34,900, Breguet; Treillage bangle, €4,125, Fabergé; 18k gold Flexˇit bracelet, €6,030; 18k gold Flexˇit bracelet, €4,180; 18k gold Flexˇit bracelet, €3,150, all FOPE; 18k rose gold morganite ring, €9,255; 18k rose gold pear shaped morganite pendant, €2,820, both Weir Collection WEIR.IE

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DEFY EL PR I M ERO 21

Z E N I T H - W AT C H E S . C O M

T I M E T O R E A C H YO U R S TA R

T H E W O R L D â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S TA L L E S T B U I L D I N G . F O R N O W .

T H E F U T U R E O F S W I S S WATC H M A K I N G S I N C E 18 6 5

SET STONE in

When looking for the perfect engagement ring, finding ‘the one’ is the ultimate challenge. And once you’ve met your match, how do you go about ensuring the ring is just as perfect a fit? Nathalie Marquez Courtney explains why, at Weir & Sons, help is at hand… PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHNNY SAVAGE, ASSISTED BY EMMET BANAHAN

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“WE

joke and say there is no such thing as a diamond emergency – but some people have been looking forward to this moment for so long!” For Andrew Meehan, it’s hard not to get swept up in the excitement of a proposal, even after 15 years in the business. His role at Weir & Sons involves selecting the perfect stone for a mount and then helping that piece find its forever home with the perfect couple. “I genuinely don’t think there’s a better job,” he enthuses. “You’re with a couple celebrating probably the most momentous occasion they’ve experienced together up to that point. It’s incredibly special to be part of something like that and to be privy to those moments.” WEIR & SONS 45

SHE SAID YES – NOW WHAT?

When a newly engaged couple walk through the gleaming, elegant doors of Weir & Sons, they are welcomed into one of four private ‘ring rooms’, an intimate, luxurious space complete with wood panelled walls, expertly designed lighting and bespoke furniture. These are plush, private, comfortable spaces within which to explore, talk and, of course, try on rings. “We’ll have a little bit of a chat to see if they have any particular style in mind and if they don’t, we bring down a selection,” Andrew explains. “The consultation could take half an hour; it could take two hours – there’s no cut-off for us whatsoever: we’ll spend as long as is required for the couple.” Though the sparkling glass cabinets upstairs are heaving with different ring styles, whittling it down to ‘the one’ isn’t as daunting a process as it may first seem when you have expert help at hand. “There are many ring styles but most fall into four main categories,” says Chris Andrews, Operations Director. “There’s solitaire, solitaire with diamond shoulders, a multi-stone ring or a halo style ring. I usually try to identify which direction they’re leaning towards and then offer more in that particular style, and get it down to the final two or three.” Picking the right ring is a fine art, and all about finding the balance between aesthetics and more practical considerations, as the ring is intended to be worn for a long time. This is where the experience and expertise of the team really come into play. “We’ll try to identify what the lady does day to day,” explains Andrew. “For example, if someone uses their hands a lot, certain styles of rings would suit more than others.” It’s important to think ahead: the majority of the engagement ring collection at Weir & Sons are Wedfit, which means the settings are designed in such a way as to seamlessly fit with a future wedding ring. “It’s incredibly important to be aware of the style of the engagement ring you’re buying, and whether it will sit comfortably next to a wedding ring.

The engagement team, from left: Breffni O’Connell, Eva O’Sullivan and Nina Motsonelidze

“We have a fully functioning workshop on site, so we’re very lucky that we can have items adjusted quickly,” continues Chris. A valuation is provided so the couple can easily add their ring to their insurance and come back an hour or two later to collect it. “So yes, we say there’s no such thing as a diamond emergency, but I’m often going up to the workshop and asking if we can get it done in a hurry,” laughs Chris. “Once the couple have made their selection, they just cannot wait to get the ring on their finger and that’s completely understandable – we do absolutely everything in our power to make it a priority and get the ring back to them as quickly as possible.”

“The consultation could take half an hour; it could take two hours – there’s no cut-off for us whatsoever: we’ll spend as long as is required for the couple” 46 WEIR & SONS

FROM STONE TO BOX

Of course, the process begins long before the loved-up twosome arrive at the store. Every diamond is hand selected to ensure the highest possible quality before it is matched to a mount and introduced to the collection. “We inspect the diamond before the stone is set to make sure that there are never going to be any concerns with the stone,” explains Chris. “Almost every diamond you’ll purchase will have some sort of inclusion in the stone – most inclusions need to be viewed under x10 magnification. So it’s just about finding those perfect stones for the perfect price. It’s a very thought out process, but it’s an incredibly enjoyable experience for me.” Knowing the stock so well means that when a couple arrive in store and start describing what they’re after, all of the Weir & Sons team are well positioned to present them with some handpicked pieces. Each ring sold comes with a history, and couples can be walked through its journey, with the expertly trained team able WEIR.IE

to provide detailed information about where the ring has come from, who it’s certified by and what its credentials are.

CHANGING TRENDS

In his 15 years in the business, Andrew has seen many trends come, go and come around again. These days, he’s noticed an increasing interest in yellow gold. “Platinum is still the most popular, but yellow gold has become a serious competitor again,” says Andrew. “For a while, rose gold was a popular request but now people are going back to yellow gold, which is incredibly warm and flattering to Irish skin tones. “When it comes to ring styles, halos were very popular for about five to eight years, and now we’re starting to see solitaires and traditional three stone rings becoming more requested.” Changing times have also meant changing schedules – the Grafton Street store started opening on Sundays for the first time this year, and the Dundrum store is open late every

From picking the right token ring to caring for your stone, Weir & Sons’ engagement ring experts shares their top tips.

TAKE CARE WITH TOKEN RINGS “Always be aware of the size of stone that you’re selecting for the token ring,” advises Chris. Often someone might simply want to replicate the ring they were proposed to with. “But if it’s the region of a one, two or even a three carat, it can be extremely expensive to replace that with a real diamond.” Keep a token ring small and simple so as to not set yourself up for stress and disappointment down the line. FROM HERE TO ETERNITY If you’ve fallen in love with an eternity ring style for your engagement or wedding ring, Andrew recommends considering going for a half or three quarter eternity to give yourself 48 WEIR & SONS

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER

Part of the fun of helping a couple find the perfect ring is getting to be a part of future celebrations as well. Something as simple and practical as a ring cleaning becomes a point of true connection: Weir & Sons offers free steam cleaning for life with its engagement rings, meaning there are plenty of opportunities to see how a couple are getting on. “Customers like to avail of the cleaning service and come in and just have a chat,” says Chris. “They might be talking about the wedding and how the planning is coming on – it’s just a really lovely experience here. The staff are almost like family and the customers that come in are almost like friends.”

WITH THIS RING…

BE SKIN SAVVY If you suffer from allergies, consider a platinum ring.

evening. “It can be very difficult for couples to get time together to go and do all the tasks required ahead of their wedding, so opening late nights and opening on a Sunday really does make a difference for couples.”

wiggle room down the line, as full eternity rings can’t be resized. “It leaves you room to manoeuvre, especially if you hope to pass the ring on to future generations.” SHINE ON A regular clean will keep your gems looking gorgeous. “Diamonds love grease, so the oils in our skin, perfumes and cosmetics create a ﬁlm around the stone,” explains Chris. “More times than not, they just need a quick steam clean, and then they look like the day you purchased them.” DIAMOND TLC It’s important to bring your rings in for regular check-ups to ensure everything is as it should be. “This is all part of the service we provide here at Weir & Sons,” says Chris. “It’s not just about a one-off purchase, but a lifelong connection to the store.”

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7 8 9

1 Platinum 3.50ct solitaire diamond ring, €67,930 2 Platinum three stone diamond ring, €13,410 3 18k yellow gold ring with 0.50ct marquise diamond, €2,625 4 18k yellow gold, 1ct diamond solitaire, €9,750 5 Platinum diamond solitaire ring, €12,040 6 1.17ct radiant cut diamond in a four claw platinum setting with diamond set shoulders, €11,470 7 1ct diamond, surrounded by halo of diamonds in a diamond and gold half band, €11,500 8 Platinum 0.30ct princess diamond ring, €2,625 9 Platinum 3.54ct diamond ring, all Weir Collection

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@YOKOLONDONPEARLS

THE BOLD THE BEAUTIFUL Chemistry, engineering and artistry all combine to bring Hublotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest release to bright, new heights, writes Nathalie Marquez Courtney.

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Hublot founder Carlo Crocco was putting the finishing touches on the company’s very first creation in the late 1970s, he made a surprising decision: when it came to the strap to accompany his high end timepiece, he was determined to go with natural rubber, a highly unusual choice. It took a further two years of intense development alongside the world’s leading experts in vulcanisation to make this unconventional combination of materials work, resulting in a complex, high tech process that quite literally fused metal bars within the rubber strap in order for the two pieces to connect seamlessly. It was a horology first – the first time a natural rubber bracelet had accompanied such a classic watch. This was the start of Hublot and the beginning of the ‘art of fusion’, a concept which is now at the heart of the company’s Big Bang timepieces. Fast forward 39 years and these themes – innovation, fusion, cutting edge chemistry and a boundless love of the unexpected – are still core principles at Hublot, and the driving inspiration behind all Big Bang and Hublot pieces. This can be seen in the latest release, the Spirit of Big Bang Yellow Sapphire 42mm. A quintessential Hublot piece, it is designed to loudly and proudly go where other haute horologists dare not tread. The bright, sunny yellow, completely transparent case is made entirely of custom created, coloured sapphire crystal. Beneath it beats a chronograph based on Zenith’s legendary El Primero, resulting in a truly one of a kind timepiece. Scratch resistant, it is almost as hard as diamond, but a feather-like 107 grammes on the wrist. CATCH THE RAINBOW While Hublot’s Big Bang pieces are known for their unabashedly bold aesthetic, many people overlook the truly cutting edge engineering that goes into making them. A special kind of alchemy is at work to create the warm solar hue of the Spirit of Big Bang Yellow Sapphire, which marks the first time

The limited edition Spirit of Big Bang Yellow Sapphire 42mm, €104,000, is available exclusively at Weir & Sons

in the history of watchmaking that sapphire has been created in this colour. The 42mm case is created by mixing aluminium oxide with copper to achieve that distinctive lemon yellow shade. But, of course, this isn’t the first time the brand has experimented with coloured sapphire. Hublot first explored the concept of custom created sapphire back in 2016, making headlines with one of the very first completely clear luxury timepieces, the Big Bang Unico Sapphire. The brand quickly went

“A quintessential Hublot piece, it is designed to loudly and proudly go where other haute horologists dare not tread” 52 WEIR & SONS

on to create cases in smoked black, blue and red. However, the Spirit of Big Bang Yellow Sapphire is one of the most eye catching to date, thanks to the high contrast between the cool, monochromatic grey of the openworked movements and the bright yellows of the hands, markers, rings, case and strap. In just three short years, Hublot has become the industry leader in the complex art of materials science. It’s safe to say the brand has revolutionised the creation of manmade sapphire, mastering a notoriously complex, unpredictable process and continuing to explore ways to create new colours. FUN FUSION It should come as no surprise, really, that Hublot should be the one to push boundaries and breathe new life into known materials. WEIR.IE

From 2012’s renowned ‘Magic Gold’ watch, the Big Bang Ferrari Magic Gold, a revolutionary unscratchable gold (codeveloped with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) to 2018’s vibrant, eye catching Big Bang Unico Red Magic (featuring a case made of solid red ceramic), a disruptive, innovative spirit is a core part of the Big Bang ethos. Since 2005, when the Big Bang collection was first unveiled under the watchful guidance of the legendary Jean-Claude Biver, unusual materials presented in bold and unique ways have been top of the agenda, giving new life to the original ideas that founder Carlo Crocco explored. That year saw the renaissance of the famed Hublot case and rubber strap combination, which was awarded Best Design at the prestigious Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. The piece thrust the brand firmly into the spotlight, and Big Bang could not have been a more apt name for the collection. “We launched a watch with a gold case and a rubber strap – this was the first time you could find them together in one piece, in the watch industry,” said Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe. “So the name Big Bang comes from the beginning of time, where everything was unified. It was the only moment where you had rubber and gold together at the same time.” TO BOLDLY GO Since then, Big Bang has become a byword for bold, daring, innovative designs, for making high end sports watches like no other. The collection continues to challenge perceptions of what a ‘traditional’ watchmaker can make by fusing the old with the new, encasing old-world mechanics

From top: The Big Bang 2005 Anniversary Edition, €33,100; Big Bang Ferrari Magic Gold, €41,400; Big Bang Unico Sapphire, €57,100; Big Bang Unico Red Magic, €27,900

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in cutting edge materials. Its irreverent, slightly rebellious streak has marked it out as the wild child of the Swiss watchmaking industry. Many of its limited edition pieces have become beloved by anyone wanting to make a statement, leading to high profile collaborations with A-listers like Usain Bolt as well as Ferrari and soccer club Juventus. The brand doesn’t rely on these celebrity collaborations, nor does it rest on its laurels, striving to stay at the bleeding edge of horological design. This has meant creating patented processes and techniques, expanding its R&D and bringing case creation in-house, something few others do. Its factory, near the Swiss Jura Mountains,

contains micromechanics workshops, a suite of CNC machines and an actual gold foundry, where the famed ‘Magic Gold’ is created. This inventive spirit has led to a dizzying array of products released at a breakneck speed that would be more familiar to Silicon Valley app makers than traditionally trained Swiss watch designers. “It’s a really entrepreneurial approach; we don’t think about things over a lot of months,” said Guadalupe in an interview with luxury watch magazine QP. “If we think something is innovative and suits the brand, we go, and we go very fast.” In with a bang, and, it seems, showing no signs of slowing down.

THE BIG BANG: A TIMELINE OF INNOVATION From mixing gold and rubber, denim and diamonds, to creations of coloured sapphire and even silver embroidery – since its launch, each Big Bang collection has dared to push the horological design envelope even further. 2005 Simply called the Hublot Big Bang, the critically acclaimed original Big Bang marked a stark departure from traditional watchmaking in so many ways and set the course for the innovative new direction the brand would take. It is still being made today and remains one of Hublot’s bestselling timepieces. 2012 The launch of the Big Bang Ferrari Magic Gold saw Hublot introduce a new revolutionary 18k gold. Dubbed “the most scratch resistant gold ever created”, it cemented Hublot’s status as masters of materials science in the watch world. It also marked Hublot becoming the official high end timepiece maker for Ferrari. 2013 Not pausing for breath, Hublot added to the Ferrari collection with a range of new models, including the innovative Big Bang Ferrari Red Magic Carbon, which featured a solid carbon ﬁbre case made entirely in-house at Hublot.

2015 Hublot celebrated the tenth anniversary of the Big Bang by taking its mastery of materials to new heights. As well as new anniversary models, such as the Big Bang Unico (with a proprietary Unico movement), Hublot released decidedly quirkier collections and pieces like the Jeans Ceramic Limited Edition (featuring a watch face inlaid with actual denim) and the award winning Big Bang Broderie range, which featured a skull design rendered in carbon ﬁbre and silver embroidery. 2016 A completely clear watch, the Hublot Big Bang Unico Sapphire featured a case middle, bezel and caseback all cut out of blocks of sapphire crystal and hinted at the custom made sapphire creations that would follow. 2018 Made almost entirely of a bright red ceramic, Hublot patented the unique material it used in its headline grabbing Big Bang Unico Red Magic. 2019 After working with transparent, smoked black, blue and red sapphires, Hublot released the shimmering Spirit of Big Bang Yellow Sapphire, which features a ﬁrst of its kind intense yellow sapphire case. WEIR & SONS 53

#ThisIsYourTime

TISSOT seastar 1000 AUTOMATIC. WATER RESISTANCE UP TO 30 BAR (300 M / 1000 FT). TISSOT, INNOVATORS BY TRADITION

A CULTURAL REVOLUTION

For millennia the preserve of royalty and the rich, pearls were prized to the brink of extinction, until Japanese innovator Kokichi Mikimoto shared his cultured creations with the world â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and democratised the pearl, writes Annmarie Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor.

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fortune favours the brave, then pearls are, without a doubt, fashion’s abiding currency. As the world’s oldest known gem, their decorative history boasts a mix of myth, folklore and symbolism. For millennia, pearls were retrieved, at great risk, from oysters by divers in the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. Believed to attract wealth, love and protection, ancient civilisations viewed the iridescent spheres as magical talismans, mysterious in formation and, thus, harbingers of good luck at burials, birthing and wedding ceremonies. From rites of passage to birthright, nobility and royalty co-opted the nacreous baubles as markers of prosperity and social status. Julius Caesar mandated that pearls be worn only by the Roman Empire’s aristocracy; medieval Europeans used them to decorate regalia, while Elizabeth I crowned Renaissance lore with rumours of owning 3,000 pearl clad gowns and a collar for her pet ermine. The semiotics of adornment soon widened to include wealthy global merchants, Belle Époque café society and dynastic American families like the Astors and Vanderbilts. Such was the demand for pearls, especially high quality seawater specimens from Japan, they continued to be gathered without restraint and traded, often for high prices. By the 19th century, their unsustainable market growth resulted in dwindling oyster

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Previous page: Kokichi Mikimoto This page, from top right: An early oyster diver; Mr Mikimoto at work Opposite page, below: Shopping for pearls in the 1930s

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18k white gold, Akoya cultured pearl, morganite, spinel, sapphire, tanzanite and diamond necklace, POA, from the recent Jardin Mystérieux collection

supplies and the near extinction of pearl producing oysters. Then a new culture dawned. In 1893, Kokichi Mikimoto, the son of an udon shop owner in the Japanese town of Toba, created the world’s first hemispherical pearl. Inspired by a childhood fascination with the pearl divers of Ise and a desire to protect the balance between man and nature, Mikimoto propagated pearls in protected Akoya oyster beds. The method? By manually implanting an irritant into the oyster to stimulate the secretion of nacre – a crystalline substance which builds up around the invasive object to form a pearl. As with most innovations, Mikimoto’s wasn’t without challenge, from oyster-eating octopi to typhoons and a ‘red tide’ of toxic algae blooms that almost wiped out his crops. His persistence paid oﬀ when, in 1896, he was the first person to be granted a patent, basing his business on Ojima Island (now known as Mikimoto Pearl Island), where his first pearls were grown. By 1905, his dream came full circle in culturing a perfectly round pearl. This iconoclastic discovery would radically alter the international market and sink the value of natural pearls. No longer were these glistening orbs the remit of the elite; a new democracy had been created, one which would facilitate

“From the early suffragettes to the liberating influence of Coco Chanel, donning pearls became part of the growing aesthetic of personal power”

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the entrepreneur’s dream to “adorn the necks of all women around the world”. Mikimoto’s egalitarian vision aligned beautifully with the spirit of emancipation in the USA and Western Europe, which allowed for social reinvention through the codes of fashion. From the early suﬀragettes and the emboldened flapper girls of the Jazz Age to the liberating influence of designer Coco Chanel, donning pearls became part of the growing aesthetic of personal power. Anything that disrupts the status quo, however, elicits opposition. For Mikimoto, defending the honour of his product against industry naysayers and pearl dealers who questioned its authenticity and price point became part of his mission. Determined to futureproof his eﬀorts and to have Japanese pearls recognised worldwide as first class gems, Mikimoto used public forums and public gestures to elevate his work. He opened his first boutique in 1899, situated in Tokyo’s chic Ginza shopping district, a destination for Western fashion trends. In 1907, he established the Mikimoto Gold Work Factory – Japan’s first full scale jewellery production facility, where he would hone the brand’s signature style: a unique amalgam of European manufacturing techniques and traditional Japanese crafts, including millegrain, openwork, decorative metalwork and keshi pearl beadwork. Subsequent boutiques appeared between 1913 and 1933 in London, Shanghai, New York, Paris, Bombay, Los Angeles and Chicago, and by 1935 Mikimoto’s 350 pearl farms were producing 10 million cultured pearls a year. The world was taking note, including Thomas Edison and the Japanese Emperor, both of whom endorsed the legitimacy of his cultured pearls and reputation as a visionary and vanguard. It became apparent: Mikimoto wasn’t simply a technical artist; he was also a master marketer. In 1926 he submitted a five tiered pagoda covered in 12,000 platinum set pearls, modelled after Horyuji Temple, to Philadelphia World’s Fair. He upped the ante in 1933 with a model of George Washington’s Mount Vernon residence embellished with 24,328 pearls, followed by a resplendent replica of the Liberty Bell, nicknamed ‘the Million Dollar Bell’, presented in 1939 at New York’s World’s Fair. The world also took note when Mikimoto infamously burned 720,000 inferior pearls made by his rivals to protest the lax standards that were threatening the industry he had tirelessly worked to serve and protect. It’s this ethical and artistic commitment to quality which has earned him the titular honour ‘the King of Pearls’. Mikimoto died in 1954 but his passion for craftsmanship remains part of the brand’s living legacy. Each harvested pearl is chosen according to five strict quality benchmarks: lustre, surface perfection, shape, colour, size. Once selected, the edit is cleaned with specialised techniques and handed over to the WEIR & SONS 57

expert sorter to be examined again by northern light, morning light and daylight. Only 18k gold, platinum, all natural colour gemstones and the finest silk threads are used in crafting jewellery which is easily identifiable by the outline of an oyster, or the Mikimoto name, engraved on every jewel and a signature (M circle) logo charm on cultured pearl strands and bracelets. Moreover, each collection, in both ready to wear and high jewellery lines, is an extension of the founder’s ideology – a union of innovation and tradition. Over 80 years ago, the brand’s yaguruma sash clip, with interchangeable settings in 12 diﬀerent forms, set a new trend for multifunctional jewellery. Today, the ethos of serviceable style continues. The Geneva Collection’s 40in scarf necklace blends pearl stringing with metalwork to allow greater flexibility for the wearer, so unique that only three Mikimoto craftsmen have perfected this technique. Les Pétales de Ginza bracelets feature white South Sea and Akoya cultured pearls enveloped in diamond set rose petals with the trademark Pearls in Motion™ mechanism, allowing the pearl to be placed at any point within the bracelet and worn at a variety of lengths. Most recently, as part of Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2019, Mikimoto premiered Jardin Mystérieux,

Clockwise from left: 18k white gold, natural pearl (Conch), natural freshwater pearl, sapphire, tourmaline, garnet, aquamarine, alexandrite and diamond ring, POA; 18k white gold, natural freshwater pearl, sapphire, tourmaline, garnet, alexandrite, and diamond brooch, POA; 18k white gold, white South Sea cultured pearl, sapphire, tanzanite and diamond earrings, POA, all from the Jardin Mystérieux collection

an elaborate couture collection inspired by the secret gardens of European royals and aristocrats. Designed to showcase the majestic power and aesthetic refinement of their lords and ladies, these baroque enclosures also served as the seat of secrets and intimate exchanges. The philosophy of the garden is captured in the minutiae of motifs, from undulating olive branches and climbing roses to posing peacocks and wrought iron arches adorned with intricate scrollwork – a symbolic interplay of the interior and exterior worlds. The main attraction? An elaborate 18k white gold bib necklace adorned with Akoya cultured pearls, morganite, spinel, sapphire, tanzanite and diamonds. The design echoes the expectation of standing at the entrance of a private sanctuary, uncovering the landscape of the soul – the vulnerable space between what is concealed and revealed. After all, it’s in the risk that real reward is found. Who knows this better than Mikimoto?

A CHARMED LIFE – THE MAKING OF MIKIMOTO 1893: Kokichi Mikimoto cultures the world’s first semispherical pearl. 1899: The first Mikimoto Pearl Store opens in Tokyo’s chic Ginza shopping district. 1905: Kokichi Mikimoto cultures the world’s first spherical pearl. 1913: The first overseas Mikimoto Pearl Store opens in London. 1914: Mikimoto establishes a black South Sea pearl farm in his oyster beds off Ishigaki Island; in 1931, he cultures his first black South Sea pearl, measuring 10 millimetres. 1969: Mikimoto wins the prestigious De Beers Diamonds International Award for the brooch ‘Prelude to Space’. 1975: New York store opens on Fifth Avenue. 1986: Paris store opens on Place Vendôme. 1995: London store opens on New Bond Street. 2001: Mikimoto launches the Princess Grace Collection – a limited edition line of jewellery with a portion of sales donated to the Princess 58 WEIR & SONS

The Mikimoto building, known as Ginza2, in Tokyo

Grace Foundation. 2002: The Pearls in Motion™ Collection debuts, featuring a patented mechanism that allows each pearl to be individually repositioned along an 18k gold chain for multiple looks. 2005: Mikimoto Ginza2 Store opens, designed by the famed architect Toyo Ito. Inspired by a jewellery box, it has since become a Ginza landmark. 2007: Mikimoto and Japanese fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto launch the Stormy Weather Collection – a limited edition line of ﬁne jewellery. 2013: Mikimoto celebrates its 120th anniversary. 2014: Mikimoto x Hello Kitty Collection launches in Paris to coincide with Hello Kitty’s 40th birthday. 2018: Mikimoto is made an official Haute Joaillerie member of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. WEIR.IE

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HOW TO BUY A

WATCH

It might seem like a simple transaction but there are plenty of factors to consider before buying your first watch. James Buttery offers some insider advice on choosing the right timepiece for you.

atches tend to be a big purchase whatever your budget, whether you’re in the market for a perpetual calendar or your first serious timekeeper. The reason for that, and the reason we buy watches at all, has changed completely in the last few decades. Gone are the days of buying a watch to keep you on time throughout the day. Today we are constantly surrounded by digital smart devices far more accurate than any mechanical watch could hope to be, so we have no real need to carry a watch with us; instead need has been replaced by desire, and the idea of having a single watch has become as antiquated as the idea of watching television in black and white. Watches in the 21st century are a more romantic, symbolic purchase with a host of factors worth considering before arriving at a final decision – although if you’ve always had your heart set on an iconic design, say a Rolex Submariner or Cartier Tank Anglaise, congratulations and thank you for reading this far. If you’re new to watches and intimidated by the terminology, remember we all started somewhere. It takes time to learn the many intricacies of watchmaking, a craft that is hundreds of years old. By picking up a specialist magazine like this or scouring the internet for answers, you’ve already started learning, but the most useful distinction to make early on is between mechanical and quartz watches.

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GMT-Master II Oyster Perpetual in white gold, €34,400, Rolex

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MECHANICAL VS QUARTZ Mechanical watches rely on wound mainsprings for power, and a much finer hairspring and balance wheel for timekeeping. Both hand wound and automatic flavours exist; the former needs to be wound every day or so by hand using the crown, while the latter keeps the mainspring wound by means of a freely rotating weight as long as the watch is being worn. Advocates of the hand wound watch appreciate their direct connection with it and the ritual of winding it, while automatic watches offer great convenience if you intend to wear them all the time. Quartz watches – a relatively modern development celebrating their 50th anniversary this year – take their power from a battery and the regular vibrations of a tiny quartz crystal to help them keep much more accurate time than mechanical watches. Quartz watches are often sold on the convenience of not having to reset the time after the watch has been sitting stationary for some time, when the mainspring of an automatic watch would have long since depleted its power reserve. But it’s worth remembering that eventually the battery will run out and you’ll need to take your watch to have a replacement fitted, which we can all agree is less convenient than being able to restart an automatic simply by putting it on your wrist. In theory, of course, we should all be wearing quartz watches or even smartwatches by now, eminently smug at their superior timekeeping abilities, but, as I previously mentioned, our reason for buying Classique 9068 rose watches has completely changed. automatic strap watch, Today, the mechanical watch is an €25,900, Breguet antidote to the digital age. Those smart devices we’ve become so reliant on are far more functional than a mechanical watch could ever be, but they are also cold and impersonal. These days, we buy mechanical watches precisely because of how anachronistic the springs, wheels and levers inside them seem: they are a link to a different time, a symbol of humankind’s ingenuity that’s much easier to relate to than one consisting of microprocessors and capacitors.

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BUDGETING In an ideal world we wouldn’t need to begin by working out a budget, but – with so many watches to choose from – having a ballpark figure in mind can often assist in narrowing down the field a little. Whether you’re looking to spend a few hundred euros or several thousand, work out what’s achievable and realistic. With all that said, it is also worth mapping out the sort of watches you could afford if you were to spend perhaps 10 or 20 per cent more, and add up whether that might be worth it to you. It might not sound like the best financial advice to stretch beyond what you’ve budgeted for, but the number of people I’ve spoken to who wished they’d spent a little bit more to buy a watch they were proud of, rather than merely content with, still surprises me. Even with a few hundred euros to spend, your options include mechanical as well as quartz watches but much of the cost in this segment will have been diverted to how the watch looks on the outside, so the movement will look industrial rather than a finely finished mechanical movement and will almost certainly be hidden behind a solid caseback. For this, among other reasons, I’d suggest looking to Japan, and to Seiko in particular. The grand Japanese brand is perhaps the most comprehensive watch ‘manufacture’ in the world, which simply means it produces every major component necessary to make a watch under its own roof, rather than buying parts in from suppliers. It is also unique in producing watches at every price

Presage Automatic watch with rose tone white index dial and brown strap, €495, Seiko

point, from entry level quartz through to finely finished Grand Seiko and, finally, masterpieces of haute horlogerie under the Credor banner. If Seiko’s watchmakers are capable of producing exquisite grande sonnerie striking watches, then you can rest assured the brand will have made a good job of an elegant three handed watch from Seiko’s dressy Presage collection, or perhaps an iconic Turtle from the brand’s excellent dive-centric Prospex range. Beyond €1,000, build and design start to become more elaborate, as do the materials used to make the watch. Bezels might be made of high tech ceramic instead of anodised aluminium; more scratch resistant sapphire crystal will be used instead of mineral glass. More of the watches you look at in this bracket will include those manufacture movements: you’ll have to decide whether that’s important to you, but know that third party movement builders like ETA and Sellita make great, reliable movements too.

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FINISHING As you go further up the price spectrum, finishing will begin to improve, both on the case – where lines will be sharper – and eventually the movement. The apt thing about buying a fine watch is that you are often paying for someone’s time. Take Patek Philippe’s classic Calatrava, the Ref. 5196, a simple time-only gold watch with small seconds. Its 215 PS Movement consists of 130 tiny components – a relatively modest number in watchmaking – but each one of those components will be hand polished and finished to the highest standard, often requiring several hours Calatrava 5196J 001, each, despite being hidden behind a solid €19,410, Patek Philippe caseback. It is those countless hours that add so much value to the finished piece. You’ll also have to consider complications, the functions beyond timekeeping offered by certain watches. Chronographs are the most popular with buyers (although I can’t imagine what they’re all timing) while perpetual calendars will mean you don’t have to set the date until 2100, a mechanical miracle for sure. My favourite by far, though, is the GMT: a genuinely practical complication for anyone who travels or, perhaps more accurately, anyone who would like to return to the golden age of commercial aviation, when flying to some distant clime was a genuine event, not a clammy long haul chore. The GMT complication was created by Rolex in 1954 at the behest of Pan Am, which wanted a practical dual timezone watch for its pilots and received the GMT-Master. While we’re basking in the warm glow of Rolex, we should also discuss the issue of branding. The effect is powerful and – considering the hundreds of millions of Swiss francs that watch manufacturers spend on building their story every year – it should not be underestimated. If you’re even vaguely interested in watches, different brands will speak of different things to you, which probably have very little to do with watchmaking. Whether you feel a particular affinity with Breitling’s authority in the air, Panerai’s nautical origins or Omega’s part in the moon landing… honest advice? If one brand speaks to you louder than others, let it: you’ll be happier in the long run.

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DO: TRY IT ON This may sound like the most basic advice but put the watch on your wrist before you buy. It might look great in the brand’s somewhat unrealistic photography, but until you try it on you won’t know for certain whether it’s the right watch for you. CONSIDER YOUR OWN STYLE Do you see yourself as traditional or at the cutting edge? A carbon fibre Hublot Big Bang might look out of place if you spend most of your time in tweed, while the refined silhouette of a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso probably wouldn’t make much sense if you’re sporting the latest Yeezys.

DON’T: FORGET SERVICING COSTS Mechanical watch movements are just like car engines, full of moving parts, and as such they will need a service every once in a while. A watchmaker will disassemble each and every component in the watch, clean and re-oil them, and final regulate the watch for optimal timekeeping. Servicing costs vary depending on the level of complication, and from brand to brand. GIVE IN TO PEER PRESSURE Watch enthusiasts rarely operate in a vacuum – you’ll either have friends interested in watches or be part of the extremely active online community. Just remember to buy your watch for yourself, not for how others will react to it.

WHO ARE YOU? Now all that’s left to do is select the right watch, and here a bit of self reflection wouldn’t go amiss. You’ll know your own routine, lifestyle and tastes better than anyone and the kind of watch that will fit to help you arrive at a shortlist. Do you hanker for a classic dress watch from Breguet for all those black tie events or something robust like a Tudor Pelagos, capable of withstanding the knocks and scrapes of an active lifestyle? But this is all merely a guide: don’t take the various categories of watch too seriously. Don’t feel you shouldn’t buy a diver’s watch capable of reaching the ocean depths because you’ll only get it wet in the shower each morning. There are no established rules anymore, so buy the watch you feel most comfortable with. James Buttery is editor of QP Magazine, the world’s most authoritative watch magazine.

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ENJOY A MAGICAL CHRISTMAS

The K Club in Straffan, Co. Kildare is the perfect location for you and your family’s Christmas & New Year’s celebrations. Open log ﬁres, Christmas trees in every bedroom and yuletide decorations bring the festive season to life. Sink into a deep sofa beside a crackling ﬁre, enjoy a glass of mulled wine and let someone else do the hard work!

LET OUR FAMILY LOOK AFTER YOURS THIS CHRISTMAS! For more information on our festive packages please contact us on +353 1 601 7200 | reservations@kclub.ie | www.kclub.ie

K CLUB GIFT VOUCHER a luxury Christmas gift

re y, the et r e l l e e w and je making. M . s e h c at he yle s to w already in t o out of st e m o it c its er g When e classic h ho will nev m w are so p Art stars T HAR the Po VO R TRE R PHY ARPU GRA O IDGE T OR H PHO L E DW EAN N L E E H ING STEP ST YL IONS TRAT S U L IL

G-Shock Bluetooth smartwatch, â&#x201A;¬570, Casio

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Bumblebee pendant, â&#x201A;¬175, Alex Monroe

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Dive watch, €1,345, Gucci; Born choker, €149, Calvin Klein

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Radiomir 3 Days Acciaio watch, €9,950, Panerai; Classic watch, €185, Mondaine

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Serpentˇs Trace bracelet, €605, Shaun Leane; PRC200 watch, €475, Tissot

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Strawbeon watch, €70; Grassneon watch, €70, both Swatch

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THE NEW CLASSIC

The pinnacle of Swiss watchmaking, Montblanc’s elegant new Heritage Collection marries sophisticated vintage styling with precision horology, writes Jillian Bolger.

riginally known as the maker of the world’s finest fountain pens, Montblanc channelled its reputation for craftsmanship and excellence into the competitive world of watchmaking, with its first styles appearing in earnest in 1997. Nine years later, acquiring Minerva – a historic Swiss watchmaker specialising in mechanical movements – Montblanc copper-fastened its status, becoming a major player in the world of fine watchmaking. This year, Montblanc’s impressive new Heritage Collection looks to the strengths of Minerva, drawing on more than 160 years of tradition. Celebrating its historical functions, precision mechanics and design codes, it is directly inspired by Minerva’s classic wristwatches of the 1940s and 1950s. Elevating retro to a whole new level of desirability, the Heritage Collection’s aesthetics include domed dials with two finishes and sophisticated vintage colours – think salmon, smoked caramel and silvery white. Inspired by sharp tailoring, luxurious fabrics and masculine elegance, the collection translates into a cool, confident and relaxed style. Fully polished cases feature curved horns with facets, each fitted with sapphire crystal glass boxes for an elegant historical look. New three, six and nine minute chronograph markers pay a design nod to the old rotary payphones of the era. The beautiful sfumato leather straps are fashioned at the Montblanc Pelletteria, the luxury maison's own leather workshop in Florence. Montblanc manufactures the collection in Villeret – the former home of Minerva dating back to 1858 – and it’s here that the extraordinary archives’ bank of watchmaking knowledge and design provides a constant source of inspiration for the maison’s creative and technical teams. Behind the retro aesthetics lies a comprehensive range of movements marrying Minerva calibres from the past with modern engineering. For superior performance, the entire Heritage Collection is water resistant to five bar and certified by the Montblanc Laboratory Test 500. Just like the uncompromising quality of a Montblanc writing instrument, a Montblanc watch is crafted with the same attention to detail, purity of design and desirability.

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THE HERITAGE COLLECTION MONTBLANC HERITAGE PULSOGRAPH LIMITED EDITION 100 In the mid-20th century, wristwatches with a pulsometer found favour with the medical profession. Known as doctors watches, these timepieces displayed a patient’s pulse rate directly on the watch’s dial. Minerva had much experience crafting pulsometers, and Montblanc has drawn on its archives to create this limited edition beauty. The 40mm timepiece in steel, featuring a pulsation bezel to count 30 heartbeats, is powered by the Montblanc manufacture monopusher chronograph calibre MB M13.21, visible through the caseback. Design aficionados will be drawn to the curved salmon pink dial, with two dauphine style hands and blued baton hands for the seconds and subdial indications. The hand wound movement provides 60 hours of power reserve and this handsome, limited edition timepiece, of which only 100 exist, comes with a masculine anthracite sfumato leather strap.

From top: Heritage Pulsograph Limited Edition 100, €29,000; Heritage Monopusher Chronograph, €4,900; Heritage Perpetual Calendar Limited Edition 100, €25,700; Heritage Automatic Day Date, €2,530, all Montblanc

MONTBLANC HERITAGE MONOPUSHER CHRONOGRAPH Offering an accessibly priced model at the heart of the Heritage Collection, Montblanc’s great looking new monopusher chronograph builds on the technical nous of Minerva’s movement-crafting knowledge. Featuring the latest chronograph design within the Montblanc collection, there’s a domed, silvery white dial with two different finishes, anthracite Arabic numerals and blued baton hands for the seconds and subdial indications. This 42mm timepiece comes in a fully polished stainless steel case with a domed sapphire glass WEIR.IE

“Behind the retro aesthetics lies a comprehensive range of movements marrying Minerva calibres from the past with modern engineering” reserve, the limited edition watch comes in an elegant 18k red gold with distinctive silvery white dial.

box and the Minerva Manufacture embossing on the caseback. Choose from a sfumato leather strap or steel Milanese mesh bracelet. MONTBLANC HERITAGE PERPETUAL CALENDAR LIMITED EDITION 100 The Montblanc Heritage Perpetual Calendar is elegant and old school, its pared back dial belying the technical brilliance. Featuring a brand new manufacture movement, it indicates the hours, minutes, day, date, month, moonphase and leap year in a simple to read format. The new movement took three years to develop, with an adjustable crown in both directions making it far simpler to set than traditional perpetual calendars. A clever new safety feature prevents you from setting the watch between the hours of 8pm and 12pm, when any manipulation could damage the movement. Powered by a self winding movement with a 48 hour power WEIR.IE

MONTBLANC HERITAGE AUTOMATIC DAY DATE A subtle tweak on the Automatic, the Heritage Automatic Day Date enjoys the same pared back style with domed silvery white dial and striking blue seconds hand. In addition, you’ll enjoy the practicality of a day and date display neatly styled into the dial. In a 39mm, fully polished stainless steel case, the hands have been rhodium plated to match the colour of the case. With a 38 hour power reserve, the sfumato leather strap completes this fresh and masculine offering. From top: Heritage Automatic, €2,220; Heritage GMT, €2,790, both Montblanc

MONTBLANC HERITAGE AUTOMATIC The core of the new collection – and entry level point for the less complicated pieces – the Heritage Automatic comes in a 40mm stainless

steel case with a choice of silvery white or salmon coloured dial. Both enjoy the same cool retro aesthetics: dials with Arabic numerals, dots as indexes, and hands that are rhodium coated or anthracite coloured and enhanced with SuperLumiNova. An 18k red gold version with smoked caramel coloured dial is also available, complete with red gold coated applied dots as indexes. Choose from a grey sfumato strap or steel mesh Milanese bracelet. The watches are powered by Montblanc’s MB 24.27 automatic movement, with a 38 hour power reserve. MONTBLANC HERITAGE GMT Elegant and authentic looking, there’s no denying the vintage appeal of the Heritage GMT. Available in three versions – with a silvery white domed dial and grey leather strap, with a steel mesh Milanese bracelet, or with a signature salmon coloured domed dial and leather strap – it’s the latter we love the most. Powered by an automatic calibre equipped with a 24 hour GMT complication, the Montblanc Heritage GMT comes in a 40mm, fully polished stainless steel case with the Minerva Manufacture embossing on the caseback. WEIR & SONS 73

The maestro Moon Phase: a celestial timepiece that synchronises the rhythms of time with the lunar cycle. The maestro, meaning â&#x20AC;&#x153;masterâ&#x20AC;?, echoes the mastery of handcrafted Swiss horology.

TIME OUT David Izzo, Bar Italia

When it comes to a great meal, timing is everything. So for many chefs, a watch is one of their most prized possessions – not just for its accuracy, but for its beauty and durability too. Leslie Williams talks to some of Ireland’s food heroes about their most trusted timepieces. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHNNY SAVAGE, ASSISTED BY EMMET BANAHAN

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David’s family has been involved with food since the early 1900s. His mother’s family had vineyards and farmland in northern Puglia, where he spent his summers helping on the farm and making pasta sauce. David opened Bar Italia on Dublin’s Ormond Quay in November 1999. The restaurant makes all its own pasta, the pizza dough is fermented for at least 48 hours, and David sources his meat directly from farmers. Bar Italia’s wine list has one of the best Italian selections in the city. “I first became aware of quality watches when I was a teenager,” David says. “My dad told me that he would get a Rolex from his job at Alitalia when he retired, and this inspired me. What a generous way to thank an employee, I thought, and it really must be special if it takes 40 years of effort to get it! “A watch was always important to me. Some of my first words in English were: ‘What’s the time?’ A watch can also change how the world sees you. “Once I started working, I bought lots of fashion watches but I noticed that they never lasted. I smoked a lot when I was younger and one day I decided to give up. Every day, I put the price of two packets of cigarettes into a piggy bank. Unbelievably after just one year, I had the price of a Rolex Datejust (pictured), so every time I look at my watch, I think about willpower and how you have to work for your dreams. I also realised I would never need to buy another watch – durability is the key thing with Rolex for me – but also it is a store of value; it is as good as money in the bank. Remember at the end of Marathon Man where a Rolex saves Dustin Hoffman? “Now I have a second Rolex for dress wear – a Cellini on an alligator strap. I also bought a Rolex for my beloved wife and she loves it. I have one planned for my 50th birthday in four years, so I've put my name on the waiting list at Weir & Sons for a Rolex GMT-Master II with a blue and red 'Pepsi' bezel. The real dream is a Daytona, though. Maybe one day!” baritalia.ie WEIR & SONS 75

FIELDFORCE SPORT CHRONO MAKERS OF THE ORIGINAL SWISS ARMY KNIFE | ESTABLISHED 1884

Shiva and Lina Gautam, Montys of Kathmandu Shiva and Lina Gautam opened Montys of Kathmandu Nepalese Restaurant in Temple Bar in 1997 and it has only grown in reputation since. Shiva is the restaurant manager and an occasional chef, while Lina mainly works on menu development. Montys’ legendary wine collection is Shiva’s other passion – currently he has over 1,000 wines on the list, including some legendary Grand Cru Bordeaux and Burgundy, and iconic wines such as Penfolds Grange. Originally from Nepal, Shiva spent his formative years in the UK at a scholarship school, graduating as an engineer. “I had always aspired to owning a good watch, and with my second pay cheque I bought a Gucci, which I still own. When I met Lina, I bought her a Gucci watch as an engagement gift, shortly before we moved to Ireland to open Montys.” Lina, also a Nepalese native, still has fond memories of her first timepiece – a digital watch with a red display that her dad gave her for her tenth birthday. The early success of Montys allowed Shiva to switch his Gucci for a sleek, black ceramic Rado Automatic. Soon after, as a Christmas present in 2005, Lina visited Weir & Sons and bought Shiva a two tone Cartier Tank (pictured) and he has rarely taken it off since. Lina followed suit, this time with a two tone Rolex Datejust (pictured) bought at Weir & Sons as a Christmas present after a tough year. “I hoped that Lina’s Rolex would bring us better luck in 2011, and it did! I love the graceful nature of an automatic movement: the smooth sweep of the hands, its independent nature, the mechanical magic of it all,” says Shiva. For Lina, wearing a watch is an essential part of everyday life. “I’ve been wearing one longer than I have my wedding ring or any other piece of jewellery. “My Rolex is perfect,” adds Lina. “But I think I could be persuaded to consider a ladies’ gem set Omega Constellation – it could even be in gold. I don’t mind!” Shiva’s heart’s desire is equally as luxe. “I have looked longingly at the Patek Philippe range whenever I pass the store window. They are such beautiful machines. Perhaps some day soon, but I am trying not to be greedy…” montys.ie WEIR.IE

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Luca de Marzo, Rosa Madre In 2014, Luca de Marzo, who is originally from Rome, and wife Patricia opened Rosa Madre in Temple Bar. The restaurant, which specialises in seafood, has an extensive wine list and perhaps the best Champagne and sparkling wine selection in the country. “My first watch was a Swatch featuring the Italian comic book character Corto Maltese,” Luca remembers. “I think I still have it somewhere. I always had this sense that a watch ‘makes the man’. Flash is not important; quality is what I care about. Working in Venice as a waiter, I had to assess my customers quickly and I realised the watch was a great shortcut: I learned to guess what kind of wine a customer might like just by looking at their watch. “My father had an Omega Constellation that I loved – my mother bought it for him. I didn’t know it was valuable, but I knew it was stylish and important. My first good watch was also an Omega, a gold Seamaster, but thanks to my uncle I also fell in love with Rolex. “My uncle trained as a watchmaker in his younger years and has a large collection of Rolex, including a Daytona and Submariner. His love of horology inspired me. I thought I would buy a standard Datejust but once I tried on his GMT on a Jubilee Bracelet, I was hooked. It took some patience but finally four years ago I bought my Rolex GMT-Master II (Ref. 16710, pictured) with the ‘Coke’ bezel. It has not been off my wrist since. It is easily the most comfortable watch I’ve ever worn – I feel complete when it is on my wrist. “My wife didn’t quite understand my love of watches at first and she was more interested in a Chanel bag but, after a year or two of seeing my Rolex, she understood, and so of course I went to Weirs and bought her a Lady-Datejust. She loves her Rolex as much as I love mine. “I’m content for now but if I buy another watch, I think it has to be Patek Philippe; a Nautilus would be great, but I will have to work hard!” rosamadre.ie 78 WEIR & SONS

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PHOTO RETOUCHÉE

#lovemyantares

Antarès with interchangeable straps

When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been making watches for as long as we have, some things just come naturally.

Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115

Marcus O’Laoire, Food writer, chef & DJ Marcus O’Laoire describes himself as a modern day food nomad. Having worked in kitchens in his early 20s, he soon began contributing food writing to magazines and appearing on television, while also becoming one of the most in demand techno DJs in the city. “My first watch memory is from when I was five or six years old – I wanted a specific Flik Flak watch so badly,” Marcus recalls. “Something about watches spoke to me, even at that age. I remember playing with my dad’s watch, a Swatch with a bubble case which I still have, and treasure, and it grew from there. “As I got a bit older, I became deeply fascinated by the complexity of automatic movements, by the deep history surrounding watches, as well as my own relationship with time. “The watch I wear the most in my collection is my trusty Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000 (Ref. 16600, pictured) from 2007. I wanted a Rolex but I also wanted a bombproof daily watch and, after trying it on, as well as a couple of Submariners, I decided the slightly larger case suited me better, and I bit the bullet. Since then it’s been on my wrist everywhere from thermal pools in Iceland to cave diving and jungle hikes in Vietnam, with countless gigs, meals and mischief in between, and it’s still in better shape than I am!” His most ‘lust have’ purchase? “There’s quite a list: a Patek Philippe 5740, a ‘Paul Newman’ Rolex Daytona, and maybe even a Flik Flak with dinosaurs on it, just for old times’ sake! On a more practical level, I’ve had my eye on a steel Sky-Dweller with a blue face for a while now. It’s a stunning watch and I’m absolutely sure it’s going to be considered a classic collector’s Rolex sooner rather than later.” Instagram: @marcusthedj WEIR.IE

Marcus O'Laoire, shot exclusively for Weir & Sons Style Magazine at Ukiyo Bar, ukiyobar.com

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CRYSTAL MAZE

Aoife Carrigy explores the labyrinthian legacy of Antoine LeCoultre, whose art of precision remains at the heart of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture today.

he philosopher Jean-Christophe Bailly once characterised natural light as an infinite workshop, because it is light that sets us human beings to work, nurturing our curiosity and driving us to excel. In the Vallée de Joux near the Swiss Jura Mountains, where the light is as crystalline as the air is crisp, sits a glass labyrinth. Here, master craftsmen excel at their art of precision, building on centuries of Swiss inventiveness to improve upon technical perfection. This Métiers Rares Atelier – or rare handcrafts workshop – lies at the heart of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Maison and its historic Manufacture, established in 1833 and committed to the art of precision to this day. Every element of each Jaeger-LeCoultre watch is designed, produced and assembled under one roof. Each timepiece marries elaborate watchmaking based on technically sophisticated complications with intricate artistic expressions of the rare handcrafts practised here. From outside the Métiers Rares Atelier’s glass exteriors, visitors can observe up to 30 artisans deep in concentration at their wooden benches, including clusters of chamferers and engravers, enamellers and guilloché specialists, gem setters and polishers. Inside, at the heart of the light-bathed labyrinth, a dedicated worktop provides a blank canvas onto which a live feed of the artisans’ process is projected, magnified 40 times to showcase the painstaking skill involved. Visitors can also watch the work through glass panels for a real scale observation of the delicate hand gestures at play. At five separate engravers’ workbenches, the intricate skills of line, gem set, lacquered and modelled engraving are practised. The simplest engraving might take two hours of intense concentration, while it can take up to a full week for one master artisan to hand produce a complex image such as a coat of arms. A full three weeks is required to skeleton work the minute series of movements within the most complex calibres, for which 82 WEIR & SONS

specialised engravers use a miniature hacksaw to remove a tiny 0.2 grammes of material from a total 0.98 grammes. Meanwhile, at one of seven enamellers’ workbenches, artisans literally play with fire to apply motifs using enamel fragments coloured by finely crushed metal oxides. The grand feu enamelling carried out at Jaeger-LeCoultre is a particularly delicate technique. Each piece is fired more than 20 times in an 800°C kiln, and each firing risks cracking not only the decorative coloured layers of enamel but up to 10 transparent protective layers that coat each motif. Eleven separate workbenches are dedicated to the particularly precise art of gem setting. Visitors can watch as these practitioners carry out the preparatory mitraillage (milling and drilling) to create seats for each stone to settle into, before applying signature techniques that Jaeger-LeCoultre has adopted from fine jewellery traditions. These include invisible or mystery setting, where diamonds of varying diameters are juxtaposed without the tiniest gap to create an entirely smooth surface of gemstones. Even the work of the guilloché specialist is treated here as a handcraft. Although guilloché translates as ‘engine turning’ and refers to a method of mechanical engraving, the art of this specialised work lies in an ability to treat the rose engine ‘machine’ like a hand tool. Under the firm pressure of the artisan’s thumb, the decorative surface is moved in a circular or linear fashion across this sharp edged, immobile tool, and metal shavings are successively removed to reveal a shimmering motif. It is not just visitors to the historic Manufacture who are encouraged to observe here. Reflecting the emphasis on interaction that is central to the Jaeger-LeCoultre philosophy, the physical layout of the Métiers Rares Atelier fosters co-operation between various clusters of techniques, with the artisans organised into centres of competence. When decorating the timepiece’s movement, for example, the technique of engraving follows that of chamfering (or bevelling); therefore, these workbenches WEIR.IE

A technician working in the Métiers Rares Atelier in Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Grande Maison Below: Hand engraving at the Métiers Rares Atelier

MASTER ULTRA THIN DATE The latest Master Ultra Thin Date watch expresses JaegerLeCoultre’s art of precision with a refined aesthetic finesse to match the mechanical exactitude of its self winding movement. Just 7.8 millimetres in thickness and 39 millimetres in diameter, this classic dress watch model has been revisited with a slender 18k pink gold case now surrounding a bold eggshell dial. This understated shade makes a strong backdrop for the pink gold bezel and the elongated, golden polished hour markers that complement the elegant dauphine hands. At six o’clock, an unobtrusive aperture displays the date. The case is water resistant to 50 metres and the hand stitched brown leather

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strap – secured with an 18k pink gold pin buckle – is interchangeable. On the reverse, a solid pink gold, oscillating rotor engraved with the Jaeger-LeCoultre logo can be admired through its sapphire crystal caseback, along with some of the 219 components, of which 32 are jewels, that make up the Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 899/1. As with all Jaeger-LeCoultre movements, this self winding mechanical movement has been exclusively designed, produced and assembled in the historic Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture workshops in the Vallée de Joux village of Le Sentier, where Antoine LeCoultre established it back in 1833.

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Almost 180 specialist skills and trades go into manufacturing each watch

are neighbours. Besides expressing a Swiss understanding that everything has its own logical place, this has a highly practical purpose, as an excessively chamfered component may not leave enough surface for engraving. Their carefully considered proximity eases observation and communication between these coworking artisans, encouraging each to practise their art with a precision that allows perfect conditions for their colleague’s process. This free flow of technical expertise and artistic inspiration is reflected in the relationship between masters and apprentices within the Atelier, creating an environment in which new working methods are developed and innovations born. The marriage of fresh thinking with age old skills has fostered many ‘world first’ moments for the Maison. These milestones began with the invention by founder Antoine LeCoultre of a machine that could cut from steel the watch pinions – or small cogwheels – so central to the precise art of Swiss watchmaking. This invention led him to establish his own watchmaking workshop in 1833, in the Vallée de Joux village of Le Sentier, where the company’s Manufacture remains based today. In 1844, LeCoultre invented the Millionomètre, the first instrument to measure the micron, a unit that represents one millionth of a metre and that is still used in many technical and scientific fields. LeCoultre’s contribution to timepiece precision

“Every element of each Jaeger-LeCoultre watch is designed, produced and assembled under one roof” 84 WEIR & SONS

and mechanisation was internationally recognised with a gold medal at the first Universal Exhibition in London in 1851. His legacy lived on after his death in 1881, thanks to the work of his son Elie LeCoultre, with whom he had established the Vallée de Joux’s first Manufacture. This move to bring under one roof each of the watchmaking skills previously housed in separate workshops proved to be a key strength of what became the ‘Grande Maison of the Vallée de Joux’. That pioneering legacy endures, expressed by many technical breakthroughs over the years, and matched by the elevated artistic expression of the Maison’s in-house Métiers Rares artisans. In 2004, when the Gyrotourbillon became the first grande complication wristwatch to feature a tourbillon gravitating on two axes, the traditional skills of hand guillochage, fine hammering (martelage) and grand feu enamel were given contemporary expression to showcase the mesmerising multi-axis tourbillon. In 2007, the Dual-Wing concept of the Duomètre watch took inspiration from the flight of a bird to unite two independent mechanisms – one dedicated to the functioning of the complications, the second to the precise measurement of passing time – by a single regulating part. The aesthetic harmony of its symmetrical dial and pink gold case was hand decorated with a host of high precision methods, such as the patented côtes soleillées technique that creates on the metal an impression akin to rays of sunlight. One of the Maison’s finest expressions of technical precision married to artistic technique is its 2018 reimagining of the Reverso. This iconic Art Deco model was first designed in 1931 to be suitable for players of polo, with a reversible case that can swivel in its carrier to protect the watch glass from potential knocks. The Reverso Tribute Enamel caseback was reinterpreted as a second watch face on which an enamelled miniature of one of three iconic paintings – representing the highly technical styles of European Pointillism, Chinese ink wash painting and Japanese woodblock printing, respectively – was created. The watch front displays handcrafted details in harmony with the back of the watch. For example, the dial of the Pointillist-inspired Reverso Tribute Enamel is guillochéd with small lozenges embossed under a deep green translucent enamel, while the ink wash model boasts delicate geometric guilloché patterns under opalescent ivory hued enamel. From top: Master Ultra These handcrafts practised within that light-washed Thin Moon enamel watch, €36,900; Master Ultra glass labyrinth represent just some of almost 180 specialist Thin Date watch, trades and artisanal skills plied at the Manufacture today, €15,100; Rendez-Vous where over 400 patents are applied to produce nearly 1,250 Date medium quartz calibres. It’s a legacy that Antoine LeCoultre could surely watch, €14,900, be proud of. all Jaeger-LeCoultre WEIR.IE

Capella Diamond

MARQ COLLECTION ™

SECOND SKIN

From expertly crafted, handmade wallets to buttery soft totes and ingenious laptop cases, our leather department is your go-to for savvy, statement pieces.

Lovingly crafted with centuries old techniques, a leather accessory is much more than just an everyday item. Made to last and constantly improving with age, this unique material is as versatile as it is hardwearing. At Weir & Sons, we pride ourselves on stocking everything from bags, wallets and passport holders to laptop cases, cardholders and belts by some of the finest makers. Whether it is for personal or business use, we have a range of styles suitable for personal and corporate gifting.

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Orlando leather holdall weekend bag, €380, Saddler The perfect weekend bag, this tan leather holdall also doubles as a suit bag and comes with zip and shoe pockets.

Mini wallet with perforated leather in cognac, €65, Secrid

Extreme 2.0 folded pocket credit cardholder, €200, Montblanc

Innovators in protective cardholders and cash wallets, Secrid wallets are made using the best leather with a patented magnetic strip protector built in. This model comes with space for six cards, all neatly released with one click.

Coming with a carbon fibre print motif and a leather interior, this pocket holder has eight slots for credit cards with two additional pockets and features Montblanc’s Shield technology with RFID-blocking lining.

Barolo black wash bag, €83, Saddler Made with Saddler's distinctive luxury high quality leather, the lid of this neat bag contains a zip pocket while inside a middle divider keeps contents separate.

Laptop case in leather, €150, Tony Perotti Designed not just to hold your laptop but your laptop accessories also, there is room too for business essentials, all neatly tucked into lined zip pockets.

Leather passport holder with credit cardholder, €59, Tony Perotti Handcrafted with strong, durable leather and soft, satin lining, this features Perotti's superior double stitching and three large pocket slots for credit cards, boarding passes or plane tickets.

Black leather belt, €250, Montblanc This black cut-to-size belt comes with a rectangular high shine, ruthenium coated pin buckle for extra durability. Self adjustable, it measures 4cm x 120cm with a black printed leather strap.

Double pocket wash bag, €125, Tony Perotti

Leather tote, €175, Saddler The perfect day to night bag, this tote by the Swedish label comes in sustainable premium leather in a maroon hue with a zipper and two inner compartments.

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Made with the highest quality Italian leather and using the brand's unique eco vegetable tanning process performed by master tanners in Tuscany, this comes with internal pockets and embossed logo.

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Industrial design and fashion come together in our pocket-sized essentials secrid

secrid

SILVER DREAM

Silver is a key part of the Weir & Sons story. Jessie Collins charts the evolution of its lustrous history.

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“IT

was on silver that the strength of the company was built. It was really the foundation of the business.” David Broughan, manager of the silverware department at Weir & Sons, should know. Working at Weir & Sons since the 1970s, his experience is second to none. The truth is, if you want to know about Weir & Sons, you have to tell the story of silver. As soon as Thomas Weir established his business in 1869, it quickly became the largest goldsmiths and jewellers in the country. While it sold everything from scarf pins to wedding rings, its silver oﬀering was its cornerstone. WEIR.IE

NATHALIE MARQUEZ COURTNEY

At the time, David explains, the watch department was still a small part of the business. Silver, however, was the mainstay. “The core stock would have been domestic table silverware, everything from condiment sets to candlesticks and coasters as well as tea sets, trays, cutlery, teaspoons, all in an array of styles and variations for people buying wedding gifts. Silver was really at its peak.” Though some silver was imported from England, Irish silver was sought after even then, and Thomas Weir soon set up a silver workshop in-house to cater for the growing demand. There were also the repair and engraving services that became a vital part of the business. “The company had a full team of silversmiths including chasers, spinners, polishers and engravers oﬀering a full bespoke service.” This continued for the best part of the next 50 to 60 years. At times too, global events meant that Weir & Sons had unique access to the best pieces. “They had silver during the war years that no one else had,” says David. Ireland’s modest size, in comparison to other

silver producing nations, meant that the silver made here never became mechanised and so never lost its artisan craftsmanship. The hand skills stayed, and thus Irish silver continues to be highly sought after. “Metalwork goes back centuries in Ireland. And it’s always been centred around Dublin. Antique Irish silver now commands premium prices,” explains David. Times and styles changed, however, and gradually the market for household silver began to wane. Instead, people started to seek more keepsake items in silver, with photo frames, christening gifts and traditional presentational items soon becoming more popular. There was a functionality to the silver that was being sought

“Ireland’s modest size meant that the silver made here never became mechanised and so never lost its artisan craftsmanship” WEIR.IE

Clockwise from left: The silver plate made to commemorate Weir & Sons' 150th anniversary; the TW hallmark, used by Weir & Sons since 1872; a detail from the RDS Horse Show Perpetual Cup, made by Weir & Sons; the silver crozier commissioned by the Church of Ireland in 1959 for the Bishop of Clogher; a set of silver spoons, made by Weir & Sons

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also a large demand for the rings during the late 19th century. They returned to vogue in the 1920s, with a Celtic revival born out of the Art & Crafts movement reigniting interest. The style then languished again before being picked up in the 1970s. And its popularity is once again on the rise, but this time it is not just something that’s seen as either a souvenir or a token piece but as part of our Irish heritage and an iconic Irish design. Now both Irish and international customers want to buy into the Irish and Celtic story in a more luxurious way, investing in more precious metals and stone set pieces, while still drawing on that classic heritage. The jewellery is always Irish made, explains David, and its authenticity is key to the business. “With it gaining in popularity again in the past 10 years or so, we have started to build and develop the range of brands we stock. And we are selling serious pieces of jewellery, with diamond and Claddagh rings worth thousands of euros. We are getting more and more commissions to have individual pieces made, which is something not really seen before. It is a growing area and it’s wonderful to have it going so strong again.”

NATHALIE MARQUEZ COURTNEY

too, with decanters doubling as water jugs, and a desire to have pieces that had both design quality and a dual purpose to them. The perennially popular commemorative and bespoke pieces also endured, a part of the business that has been thriving for decades. Weir & Sons continues to be responsible for the Aga Khan Trophy, along with medals and trophies for other major international sports tournaments. Special commemorative items include a piece to mark joining what was the EEC in 1973 (now the EU) and one to celebrate the Dublin millennium in 1988, as well as medals for the 1916 centenary and the millennium year in 2000. To celebrate Weir & Sons’ 150th anniversary, the team also created an Irish silver plate, the first piece to be hallmarked in 2019 at the Dublin Assay Office when it opened on 3 January, with smaller replica versions also made. But the silver story wouldn’t be complete without charting the lasting success of Irish Celtic silver and gold jewellery. The Claddagh ring in particular, though designed around 1700 by a jeweller in Claddagh, Co Galway, only became popularised in Victorian times, and there was

Clockwise from top left: Irish show jumper Jessica Kürten holding the Aga Khan Trophy; a detail from one of the sporting trophies made in the silver workshop; Irish silver picture frame, designed and produced exclusively for Weir & Sons.

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‘green’, the acronym here stands for: Go with the seasons; Local produce; Avoid food waste; Sustainable practices. Everything grown and farmed on the estate is turned into seasonal dishes, supplemented with produce by top Irish artisans. Sustainable dishes are highlighted on the menu and include a garden herb omelette and delicious organic garden salad plate with brown bread. airfield.ie

EMERALD CITY

The Fumbally

Fancy greening up your shopping credentials? Jillian Bolger charts the Dublin restaurants, hotels and stores with sustainability at their heart. EAT

Airfield Estate

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AIRFIELD ESTATE The farm to fork movement seems a little difficult to achieve in a city setting, but not so at Airfield Estate in Dundrum. The unique urban farm has seen its excellent restaurant, Overends Kitchen, utilising the farm’s fresh produce to deliver a seasonal menu with extra-low food miles. Maintaining an ambitious food ethos, culinary lead Luke Matthews oversees four simple principles, labelled GLAS. The Irish for

THE FUMBALLY Laidback, hip and welcoming, the buzzy Fumbally café manages to be all things to all people. A melting pot of food styles – drawn on from the international staff – the Dublin 8 hotspot serves great coffee and prioritises delicious local, organic and seasonal produce, with ethical and sustainable sourcing to the fore. Vegan and vegetarian dishes are always available, takeaway packaging is biodegradable and you’ll find plenty of fermented foods, homemade drinks and vinegars that have been created using the leftover juice pulp. Next door, in beautiful old refurbished stables dating from around 1750, is the lovely Fumbally Stables, billed as a ‘Food and Community Space’. The Fumbally family uses this large building to host food, cultural and educational events, workshops and classes. Alongside yoga sessions and holistic treatments, the space, which includes a commercial kitchen, can be rented out for private events too. thefumbally.ie CORNUCOPIA An old favourite, Cornucopia has always worn its vegetarian heart on its sleeve. The familyrun wholefood restaurant has been serving vegetarian and vegan food since 1986 in a casual space with counter service. The 90 per cent plant based menu changes daily, with everything freshly produced in-house. Diners can enjoy organic vegan wine, juices and craft beers alongside treats like jackfruit curry, aubergine fricassé, sweet potato sambar, and cauliflower and tofu pie. The minimal dairy and eggs used are organic. Striving to be as ethical as possible, Cornucopia’s waste management policy includes compostable and biodegradable packaging and a discount for customers who bring their own cup. Zero waste products are for sale, including reusable Chilly’s bottles and Ecoffee cups. Staff are encouraged to cycle to work with a bike to work scheme. Best of all, the food is delicious and really good value. cornucopia.ie WEIR & SONS 95

Aimsir

AIMSIR Cornwall born chef Jordan Bailey and his Danish wife and front of house manager, Majken Bech Christensen, have looked to Ireland’s natural larder for inspiration in Aimsir, their dazzling new destination restaurant named after the Irish for ‘weather’. Opened in the Cliff at Lyons in Celbridge, just outside Dublin, the stylish fine dining space serves only what can be “sown and harvested, fished and foraged” on the island of Ireland. Previously head chef at a three Michelin star restaurant in Norway, Jordan’s kitchen trickery and careful sourcing mean the operation keeps an enviably low carbon footprint – with the beautiful kitchen gardens around Cliff at Lyons primed to supply herbs, salads, fruits and vegetables. Guests can stay overnight in Cliff at Lyons, but it is also open to non-residents, with bookings selling out within minutes of release, so be sure to get in early. aimsir.ie

SHOP

Small Changes

SMALL CHANGES Horrified by the plastic you strip off your supermarket shop every week? So too was Peadar Rice, who opened Small Changes in Drumcondra in 2010. Today the eco friendly shop aims to reduce both household and food waste, with a self service refill station containing over 100 unpackaged products. Small Changes’ biggest sellers are its eco friendly and cruelty-free household products which are much cheaper to refill in your own container. Dried foods, such as rice, nuts, pasta and coffee beans sell well too and the majority of the fresh food is loose. Zero waste alternatives like natural deodorant and eco soap are popular and this ambitious neighbourhood shop works with as many Irish producers as possible. smallchanges.ie

SIOPAELLA Ella de Guzman’s brilliant Siopaella business model is the antithesis of fast fashion. Reducing waste by giving a new lease of life to preloved garments and accessories, Siopaella is a designer exchange that not only keeps clothing out of landfills but provides a second life for the luxury items in your wardrobe. Ella’s careful buying policy – beginning with designer bags, shoes, jewellery and clothing at her original store – has seen the brand grow to four outlets, a Wishlist service and an online offering. For those not based in Dublin, there’s a smart Siopaella app where over 10,000 sellers find new homes for their preloved designer pieces. Think Chanel handbags, Balenciaga dresses and Miu Miu sunnies, all at knockdown prices. siopaella.com NOMS Standing for ‘Natural, Organic, Mindful, Sustainable’, Noms – Naomi Sheridan’s lovely Phibsborough shop – is all heart, marrying natural and organic food with ethical and sustainable living. It sells loose, packageless produce, including organic fruit and vegetables, dry goods, and liquid refills of everything from olive oil to ketchup and household cleaning

OTHER ECO FAVOURITES Check out Brother Hubbard, the Middle Eastern influenced holistic eatery on Capel Street (brotherhubbard.ie) or Catalyst Coffee down the coast in Bray for great coffee with an ethical heart (instagram.com/catalystcoffee_). For wonderful household once-offs, we love the unexpected trinkets, treasures and furniture found in Decor on Wexford Street (facebook.com/ decordublin) and Mac’s Warehouse in Islandbridge is a salvage hunter’s paradise (macswarehouse. ie). For eco parenting and baby supplies, look up Irish company Earthmother (earthmother.ie).

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products. Lilly’s Eco Clean washing up liquid is its bestseller. “People who may not be fully ready to commit to zero waste living are generally happy to refill washing up liquid bottles,” explains Naomi, who, in turn, returns the 20-litre containers to Lilly’s to be refilled. “We implement this refill system with a couple of our Irish and Dutch suppliers.” Naomi believes both retailers and consumers need to push for a more circular economy, which reduces unnecessary waste, with Noms leading the way. noms.ie

STAY

Iveagh Garden Hotel

IVEAGH GARDEN HOTEL Europe’s first sustainable hotel, the glam Iveagh Garden Hotel, has an impeccable eco CV that includes the lowest carbon footprint of any European hotel. With a custom built renewable energy system which uses natural energy harvested on site, it has seen a huge decrease in the building’s energy usage and CO2 emissions. A river running beneath the hotel acts as an energy reserve for cooling and heating the building without burning fuel, and even the lifts have been replaced with smart low energy systems. It’s all delightfully luxurious too, and a brilliant base for a weekend in the capital. iveaghgardenhotel.ie WEIR.IE