New Vacheron Constantin Boutique in Beijing
Vacheron Constantin, one of the most prestigious watch manufacturers, with the heritage of over 250 years of uninterrupted history, has recently opened its second boutique in Beijing at the Oriental Plaza. The new boutique has been located at the first floor of Beijing Oriental Plaza, having become the brand's 9th boutique in China, and the 17th in the world.
The new Vacheron Constantin shop reveals a simple yet elegant interior design. The interior designers of the boutique have used a variety of precious materials, including wood, marble and leather, having created the serene intimacy and cozy atmosphere. The boutique provides the whole range of services.
The Vacheron Constantin watches are displayed in the elegantly-designed showcases. The VIP area gives the customers the pleasure of enjoying the unique shopping experience when resting their eyes on the timepieces of the brand.
To mark the grand opening of its new boutique in Beijing at the Oriental Plaza, Vacheron Constantin has displayed the most precious watches - High Jewellery Collection and High Complication Collection, demonstrating the brand's know-how and exquisite craftsmanship in the area of decorative applied arts and horological creativity. Among the timepieces to be displayed in the new boutique its customers will discover such exquisite models as Metiers d'Art Kalla Lune, 1972 Cambree Large Haute Joaillerie, and Malte Tonneau Haute Joaillerie Openworked Tourbillon.
According to Juan-Carlos Torres, Chief Executive Officer of Vacheron Constantin, the opening of each new boutique spreads the spirit of the company's founders, demonstrating the brand's great vitality, and widening its international scope.
Taking into account more than 250 years that passed since the company's foundation, the members of the Vacheron Constantin team are greatly pleased to further contribute to the company's impressive expansion. Juan-Carlos Torres sincerely appreciated the belief and support of the company's partners. The new boutique will serve as a true ambassador of the brand, being dedicated to the most demanding clientele.
Fondation Cartier Joins Efforts with Patti Smith
From March 28 to June 22 2008, the Fondation Cartier will invite everyone interested to Land 250, a major solo exhibition of the visual work created by Patti Smith, a prominent American artist and performer. The exhibition will feature pieces that appeared in the period between 1967-2007. It will introduce its visitors into Patti Smith's lyrical, spiritual and poetic universe.
The expressive voice of the artist is used to magnify the installations developed exclusively for the exhibition, representing a synthesis of photographs, drawings and films.
The name Patti Smith is widely associated with the foundation of the New York punk-rock scene. The artists and performer has been exploring the world of the visual arts and poetry since the late 1960s.
The exhibition at the Fondation Cartier highlights numerous facets of Patti Smith's creative process. She took her first photographs to be used in collages in 1967. In 1995, she returned to taking photographs using a vintage Polaroid Land 250. Patti Smith greatly enjoyed the immediacy of the process comparing it to the long process of drawing, recording, or writing a poem.
Many of the photographs taken by Patti Smith bear significant personal meaning: Virginia Woolf's bed, Robert Mapplethorpe's slippers, Arthur Rimbaud's utensils, Hermann Hesse's typewriter and other images are presented as a visual record of the artist's life, with a lot of time spent in traveling.
The visitors of the exhibition will also be invited to see a selection of the Patti Smith's drawings, with a few of them borrowed from such prestigious institutions as the MoMA and the Centre Pompidou or from exclusive private collections.
The powerful yet subtle drawings reveal a calligraphic sense of line, along with poetry and text. The drawing drop the light to her solitary side of the artist's life. Patti Smith's collaborative side is represented in films directed by Robert Mapplethorpe, Robert Frank and Jem Cohen, as well as the audio performance of The Coral Sea with Kevin Shields. Patti Smith is going to to shoot a short film, devoted specially to the exhibition.
Among the exhibits there will be presented Patti Smith's cherished belongings borrowed from her personal archives. The collection features original manuscripts, a photograph taken by Constantin Brancusi and a stone found in the river in which Virginia Woolf committed suicide.
The exhibition at the Fondation Cartier is aimed to reflect a great variety of fields explored by Patti Smith. It will be held as a comprehensive project expanding beyond the exhibition space.
The Fondation Cartier is giving Patti Smith an opportunity to oversee the programming for the Nomadic Nights along with performing herself, presenting her solo and band performances and informal poetry readings. The Fondation Cartier's bookshop will temporarily serve as Patti Smith's personal library, offering books, CDs, films and objects selected by the artist. The visitors of the book shop will have a unique chance to further penetrate into the rich universe of the talented artist.
Corum and Special Olympics Exhibition
The Swiss watchmaking Company Corum joined efforts with Special Olympics, the international non-profit organization which helps people with intellectual disabilities. Together they organized a 'call-to-action' art exhibition in Singapore. The exhibition was called Road to Nowhere.
Visitors of the exhibition were invited to see moving sights of a world neglected by many of us and questions human beliefs and attitudes related to the subject.
For the modern world with its fast-growing slums the slogan 'Able first, disabled LAST' bears special importance. Today it is a norm that implies people with intellectual disabilities get a place last in line. People who find themselves neglected amongst the already disadvantaged suffer from the absence of basic health-care, nutrition, sanitation, and immunization.
Nowadays, we have one billion people living in slums - that is a third of the urban population. The percentage of those with intellectual disabilities living in slums is double in comparison to the estimated global average of 3 percent.
In the period from 1st to 31st December 2007, for every Corum Admiral's Cup watch sold, the brand donated a part of the money to Special Olympics Singapore in an attempt to support the less fortunate.
The prints available on display were sold at the end of the Road to Nowhere exhibition. Visitors could also acquire canvases painted by intellectually disabled people living in slums. All proceeds are tax exempt and go to support Special Olympics Singapore.
Chopard Expands Production Facilities
The Chopard Group has planned to increase its manufacturing capacities and unite the brand's vertically integrated production that comprises more than 40 different professions. Chopard has purchased new buildings and land in Geneva and Fleurier.
The Chopard watch and jewelery brand has greatly expanded in recent years. The growing demand suggested the group, owning two vertically integrated production sites in Switzerland and one in Germany, to enlarge its infrastructures in Geneva and Fleurier.
Since 1974, Chopard has established administrative headquarters and production workshops in Meyrin's industrial zone, on the outskirts of Geneva.
In 2006 the company constructed a new hall for a 2,000 square-meter production area. In July 2007 Chopard acquired a 3,200 square-meter building erected on a 9,800 square-meter plot of land.
Today Chopard owns 24,000 square meters of floor space covering the total area of 64,000 square meters. As for production, the brand masters 40 professions in-house, characterized by a top level of verticalization and serving as the guarantee of the company's independence.
The Chopard Manufacture in Fleurier located in the Swiss Jura Mountains was established 11 years ago. The substantial development of the site in Fleurier has lead to the construction of an additional building with 2,500 square meters of floor space.
The recent acquisitions will allow enlarging of the movement production areas of the family-owned business.
As for the personnel, the Chopard has also experienced considerable growth, having created over 100 new positions in Switzerland in 2007. By the end of 2007, the company counts 1,650 employees worldwide.
In Switzerland, about 700 people are employed on the Meyrin site. The Chopard Manufacture in Fleurier is provided with a staff of 130. The company has planned to continue with job creations for 2008.
The 'Watch of the Year 2007' Award Goes to...
Vacheron Constantin Receives Montre de l'Annee 2007
On November 1st 2007, in presence of 700 people at the Beau Rivage Hotel in Geneva, Vacheron Constantin's CEO, Juan-Carlos Torres, was honored to receive the Jury Prize for the Watch of the Year 2007. Montre de l'Annee 2007 was awarded to the Vacheron Constantin timekeeping creation called Patrimony Contemporaine Retrograde Day and Date.
High Appreciation of the Jury
Having decided to give the first prize for the Watch of the Year 2007 to the Vacheron Constantin watch, the jury has rewarded and paid tribute to the excellence of the watchmaking tradition respecting the Geneva Hallmark.
The jury has highly appreciated the technical achievement, artistic refinement and savoir-faire continuously maintained by the brand for over 250 years. Juan-Carlos Torres thanked the jury for the award and added he would like to share the prize with all his colleagues, and the company's creative and technical teams in particular.
Watch Powered by Complicated Mechanism
The Patrimony Contemporaine Retrograde Day and Date is a fine creation of elegance and purity. The Vacheron Constantin watch has incorporated a double complication movement that belongs to the new generation of self-winding movements manufactured completely independently in the brand's workshops. The calibre 2460 R31 R7 bears a stamp of the prestigious Geneva Hallmark. It provides hour and minute and retrograde date and day functions.
The 18K pink gold case of the rewarded timepiece measures 42.5 mm in diameter. Its convex sapphire back opens the view to the perfect finishing and decoration on the mechanism that corresponds to Vacheron Constantin's strictest quality criteria.
Prestigious Award
Montres Passion and Uhrenwelt, the two watch magazines give the Watch of the Year Prize at the end of the year. The award was initiated by a jury of professionals relevant to the watch industry. The winner of the prize is announced at a solemn ceremony, a major event of the watch year.
Technograph Pave Watch: Diamond Novelty by Paul Picot
Paul Picot is a very young company that has managed to achieve enormous success just for 30 years of its existence. When you try to find out the reason of its success, you should try to find something unique in the timepieces it produces. And here you find two main contradictory components that certainly should be present in every wrist watch: devotion to traditions and innovations at the same time: one of them has to inspire confidence and another one – to astonish.
Technoghraph Pave Watch is a timepiece that combines the highest technologies (that give plenty of opportunities) and great design (special due to diamond “mosaic”).
There is an automatic mechanism Valjoux caliber 7750. A metallic case made of stainless steel is 44 mm in diameter.
It is possible to call Technograph Pave watch a real work of art. The company's latest model is an ideal incarnation of functionality and original design. There are also calendar and stop watch there.
In general all the timepieces of Technograph series are very harmonious: they are avant-garde and aesthetic at the same time. Probably Pave Watch is the most imposant one: the watch is covered with diamonds and not just on the periphery of the dial but inside it as well.
In general it took 854 black and white diamonds to create such a unique watch model and 57 of them were used for the buckle.
Unique Exhibition at A. Lange and Sohne Premises
A. Lange and Sohne currently welcomes everyone interested to visit a unique exhibition organized at the premises of the Company in Glashutte. The exhibition called 'From Dresden to Glashutte - the roots of precision watchmaking in Saxony' displays the selected timepieces that make part of the collection of the 'Mathematisch-Physikalischen Salon.' The collection keeps track of the precision watchmaking evolution at the Court of Saxony to the establishment of the horological industry in the Ore Mountains.
Before the selected part of the collection moved to Glashutte, its historically important timepieces were housed in the Mathematisch-Physikalischen Salon in the Dresdner Zwinger. The collection represents one of the most important and interesting horological collections in the world. It sheds the light to the history of producing precision clocks and watches in the period from the 16th to 19the century, which reached its peak in Europe at that time.
The art of watchmaking in Saxony was really prominent. Being supported by the Electors of Saxony and August the Strong in particular, the watchmaking in the region had reached a remarkable level of achievement by the early 19th century. The city had gained the prestigious reputation as the center of clock- and watch-production, and its fame crossed the borders of Saxony and extended far beyond.
The Court Watchmakers and Principals who belonged to the Mathematisch-Physikalischen Salon, with such famous names as Seyffert, Schumann and Gutkaes, introduced brilliant constructional ideas. They became the protagonists of a success story that led to the foundation of the watchmaking industry in Glashutte in 1845 by the Dresdner Ferdinand Adolph Lange.
In spring 2007, the Mathematisch-Physikalische Salon was closed for conducting thorough renovation work. It will be reopened only in 2009 and is meant to comprise almost double the display area by that time. At the moment 40 selected exhibits from the horological collection of the Salon are displayed at the premises of A. Lange and Sohne in Glashutte.
Girard-Perregaux Creates Modern Version of its Signature Vintage 1945
At the beginning of the 1990s the team of Girard-Perregaux watchmakers were developing a collection of watches in the distinctive vintage style. It was well before the period when vintage-styled items became highly demanded and dominated all the trends. The Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 collection was suggested by the retro shapes of one of the brand's Art Deco timepieces introduced back in 1945.
For more than ten years, the prominent Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 has given rise to the appearance of a plethora of new timekeeping fashions. These are not just nostalgic interpretations of the iconic style. Every new watch model inspired by the Vintage 1945 represents a new uniquely designed modern version of the signature rectangular-shaped model.
In 2007, the Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 Carree, with its exclusive movement and irresistible aesthetic appeal, became the latest interpretation of the Vintage 1945 heritage. The timepiece has also incorporated the most recent developments of the Girard-Perregaux Manufacture.
Created according the best traditions of the original model, the Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 Carree has maintained the four right angles, yet having adapted the square-shaped case. This original combination gave birth to one of the most distinctive expressions of the line. The refined silhouette of the timepiece's doubly curved dial, featuring the dauphine-style hands, strengthens the overall impression produced by the new Girard-Perregaux watch.
The Girard-Perregaux watchmakers have opted for the Vintage 1945 Carree to become the first watch to be powered by the in-house Caliber GP4500. This mechanical movement with automatic winding represents one of the latest technical achievements of the Manufacture. The mechanisms 13¼ diameter represents a successful choice for considerably sized. The movement has incorporated a range of innovative features, including a more efficient winding system. The mechanism has comprised 190 components. It is possible to evaluate the beauty of the through the transparent case back.
Chopard New Mille Miglia Watch
The Chopard watchmakers applied the most innovative materials and advanced technology into the creation of the brand's new Mille Miglia GT XL Speed Black Titanium. The watch's sturdy case is produced from extremely light titanium case. The dial of the Chopard watch sports a distinctive design. The timepiece has become a stylish addition to the Chopard iconic Mille Miglia collection.
The new Mille Miglia GT XL Speed Black Titanium is developed to possess a highly contemporary character. The Chopard timekeeping creation will be available in a limited edition of 1000 pieces. the creators of the watch used the technology and materials that imply an exquisitely innovative spirit. The case of the Chopard watch measures 44 mm in diameter. The brand's watchmakers opted for titanium to produce the case from as it is characterized by remarkable lightness and resistance. The titanium case has been provided with a rare polished finish that brings the timepiece into an extremely technical dimension.
The charcoal gray dial of the GT XL Speed Black Titanium reveals horizontal Cotes de Geneve decorative pattern. The design of the watch is also based upon original play on contrasts. The big-sized 12 and 6 o'clock numerals together with the Superluminova-covered hour-markers provide perfect readability. The latter is further improved by the glare-proofed sapphire crystal on both sides. The date window of the Chopard watch is magnified.
Fans of motor sports will surely notice and appreciate the arrow-tipped logo of the corsa piu bella del mondo in red. This distinctive detail matches the dial's minute circle as well as the seconds pointer that are also accentuated in red. The Chopard watch boasts 100-meter water-resistance. It is equipped with a screw-locked crown. The crown displays the Mille Miglia logo stamp. In the heart of the Chopard watch there beats a mechanical self-winding movement, the quality of which is guaranteed by prestigious COSC certification. The watch boasts 46-hour reserve.
The mechanism is decorated with straight Cotes de Geneve motif. Those who adore timepieces' inside mechanics will enjoy the view of the movement visible through a sapphire crystal case-back. The stop seconds mechanism guarantees supreme precision. The new striking Chopard Mille Miglia GT XL Speed Black Titanium is highly appreciated by watch enthusiasts for featuring an impressive array of technical and aesthetic peculiarities.
Hublot Launches New Big Bang Luna Rossa
Big Bang Luna Rossa has become a new 2007 addition to the Hublot Big Band watch family. The timepiece commemorates Hublot-Luna Rossa partnership and strengthens the brand's long-established connection to the world of the sea and boats. Even the brand's name, as well as the shape of its watch cases, hints at its links to the nautical realms - Hublot means 'porthole' in French.
The partnership with Luna Rossa marked the brand's initiative to join the prestigious America Class sailing regatta. It is not the first time Hublot has entered the yachting world. On the list of the brand's partnerships there such noteworthy names as Monaco Yacht Club, Wally, Real Club de Palma, and Hublot PalmaVela. The initial Big Bang watch was dedicated to Tuiga. It represented a 15-meter J-Class yacht that was constructed in 1909, and then renovated in 1993. the yacht belonged to the Monaco Yacht Club.
The new partners to join forces in a sports sailing contest are united by sharing a lot of common values - creative and innovative spirit, facing new challenges, great performance, advanced technology and highly qualified experts in the field of their activities. Hublot-Luna Ross union once again highlights the brand's concept of Fusion. A Hublot watch and a Luna Rossa boat symbolize elegance and luxury - they correspond to the top technological demands and feature avant-garde design.
The latest Hublot reflects the image of a contemporary yacht. Luna Rossa stays for the name of the team that will join the oldest in the world sailing race for the third time to fight for the title of a winning challenger.
Hublot Big Bang Luna Rossa will be launched in limited number of 1000 pieces. The brand's master watchmakers applied advanced technology materials for the timepiece's production, such as Kevlar, carbon, ceramics, titanium, and rubber. The Luna Rossa signature is featured on the distinctive red line on the carbon dial, and also inside the rubber strap.
It is a rather big-sized timepiece - its case is created in brushed and polished black ceramic and measures 44.5 mm in diameter. The rigorous look of the watch is completed by matt black ceramic bezel featuring 6 polished titanium H-shaped screws. The carbon black dial of the Big Bang reveals white Hublot logo at 9 o'clock, while white Luna Rosso logo on a red background is placed at 10 o'clock. The timepiece is equipped with an automatic winding chronograph movement.
The novelty watch will be distributed by the brand's retailers and will be also available for the first time in the most exclusive Prada stores.
New Glashutte Original Diamond-Set Timepieces
In 2006 Glashutte Original enlarged its Star collection with new exclusively designed timepieces. Every of the round-shaped diamond-set timepieces is characterized by its own peculiarities and eye-catching details.
The Glashutte Original SeaShell watch will make you think of beauty of underwater world. The timepiece features a white gold face embellished with guilloche pattern. The mother-of-pearl inlay is seashell-shaped and composed of brilliant-cut diamonds.
The hour and minute off-centered dial comprises brilliant-cut diamonds that remind tiny air bubbles. The starfish serves also as an additional small seconds sub-dial.
The face of the watch displays a semi-circle of a night sky at one side outlined with diamonds. The semi-circle indicates the moon phases. The white gold case of the Seashell watch has at the sides little starfish with brilliant-cut diamonds. The diamond-set bezel frames the case. You will discover a white brilliant-cut diamond even at the top of the crown.
The sapphire crystal holds one more surprise for real watch lovers - tiny filigreed starfish are engraved into the inside part of the crystal.
The Seashell watch is powered by finely decorated Glashutte Original in-house automatic movement - Caliber 90-02. The sapphire crystal case back makes possible to stop one's eyes upon skeleton off-center rotor and the duplex swan-neck perfect adjustment.
The owner of the timepiece will be able to wear it on a dark violet galuchat strap featuring a diamond-set buckle or a high-gloss dark violet alligator strap.
The Glashutte Original PrimaVera watch touches the heart with a spirit of spring and nature revival.
The white gold watch face is embellished with waves of guilloche pattern. It reveals mother-of-pearl inlays of the off-centered hour and minute dial in light greenish tints. The dial is framed by brilliant-cut diamonds. Both the power reserve and seconds sub-dials are inlaid with green mother-of-pearl. There is one more original detail - the scale of the power reserve is composed of differently sized diamonds. The guilloche pattern is completed with two leaf-like decorative elements also set with diamonds. The important detail of the dial is represented by the Glashutte Original characteristic panorama date.
The bezel of the timepiece is framed with diamonds, and there is one more diamond at the top of the crown. The leafy contours are continued on the sides of the solid white gold case, which entwine themselves around diamonds of the finest quality.
The heart of the watch is Glashutte original in-house automatic movement - Caliber 90-03. The skeleton rotor of the movement corresponds to the asymmetrical dial - it is also off-centered. The cocks and bridges are meticulously hand-engraved and beautifully decorated.
The PrimaVera watch goes with an emerald green Aqualino leather band provided with a diamond-set buckle or with a pastel yellow satin strap.
The Glashutte Original NordicLight watch will make you feel a winter breath. The white gold face of the timepiece reveals a magic ice crystal guilloche pattern.
The semi-circle display of the dial set with brilliant-cut diamonds features moon phases. The off-center mother-of-pearl hour and minute dial is surrounded by two rows of diamonds. In contrast to this, The additional dial is framed by a filigreed navy blue pattern, thus creating a distinctive contrast.
The bezel of the NordicLight is set with a combination of dark blue sapphires and white diamonds. At the top of the crown there is a sapphire cabochon. The watch is powered by perfectly finished Glashutte Original in-house automatic Caliber 90-02.
A white gold buckle set with sapphires and diamonds secures NordicLight to the wrist of its owner. The timepiece goes with a high-gloss, navy blue alligator strap or a blue satin strap of robin’s egg tint.
The lacquered face of the ArabicDream features a hand-made guilloche pattern. The off-centered hour and minute dial is decorated with gold and brilliant-cut diamonds. The dial as well as minor seconds dial are circled with two rows of diamonds. The power reserve scale is also set in gold and diamonds. The panorama date is elegantly surrounded by a gold frame. The crown is embellished with a black onyx cabochon.
The rose gold case houses the Glashutte Original in-house automatic movement - Caliber 90-03. This meticulously finished caliber reveals such distinctive details as the three-quarter plate, blued screws, and Glashutte decorative details.
The ArabicDream watch is presented with either a black Aqualino leather strap or golden shimmery satin strap, both provided with a diamond-set buckle.
Every new timepiece to enter the Glashutte Original Star collection is a finely decorated accessory as well as a reliable timekeeping device.
New Girard-Perregaux Watch for Busy Businessmen
The Girard-Perregaux Company has introduced an innovative timepiece called ww.tc - Financial. The watch is aimed to be useful for traveling businessmen. It is the first chronograph featuring simultaneously the time in 24 different cities - one for every time zone. Besides that, it indicates the business hours of four leading stock markets of the world - in New York, London, Hong Kong and Tokyo. The ww.tc in the name of the watch stands for World Wide Time Control.
The brand decided to present its novelty watch at the vault of the former J.P. Morgan Bank located at 25 Broad street in Manhattan - that is in the neighborhood of the New York Stock Exchange.
To make a watch owner aware of the world time, the Girard-Perregaux watchmakers synchronized the 24-hour ring with the hour hand - so the adjusting is not necessary.
As for the 'financial' function - there are special time-slots opposite the appropriate city. You will notice a special red pointer marked on the hour ring that is moving anti-clockwise. When the pointer is seen opposite one of the time-slots, it indicates that the particular stock exchange is open to business at the moment.
The exterior look of the ww.tc - Financial chronograph is characterized by thorough attention to detail - it is both classic and powerful. The hour ring displays a day/night contrast, thus providing easier reading. It matches harmoniously silver or anthracite dial with big-sized numerals.
The case of the watch has been created in pink gold - it measures 43 mm in diameter. The heart of the watch is represented by the brand's manufactured GP033C0 automatic mechanical movement. Real watch connoisseurs will appreciate the view of the movement and its gold rotor through an anti-reflective sapphire crystal.
The Girard-Perregaux Company has planned to produce the novelty ww.tc - Financial timepiece in two limited series with individual numbers. There will be launched 500 watches with steel case featuring a silver dial, while the other pieces reveal an anthracite dial. Both versions of the timepiece will offer the advantage of 46-hour power reserve.
The line of the Girard-Perregaux ww.tc- Financial has joined the Classical Elegance collection of the brand. The line is based upon well-maintained horological tradition, meticulous designing and modern vision.
The story of the line is the following. Girard-Perregaux presented its automatic chronograph in 2000. Five years later, Girard-Perregaux developed a watch model that measured 41 mm in diameter and was provided with a power reserve. Later on, for the first time the brand's master watchmakers managed to blend a Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges movement into the line.
The beginning of the year 2006 was marked by the launch of the Girard-Perregaux ww.tc Perpetual Calendar. It became the first timepiece that combined the display of the 24 hours of the world time zones and perpetual calendar function. The timepiece housed in a golden case indicates the days of the week, months and moon phases over four years, including the leap ones. Girard-Perregaux's ww.tc - Financial has marked a new step in the development of line based upon watchmaking heritage, tradition and innovation.
Latest Tendency for Boutiques' Opening
The watchmaking industry has become a part of the recent well-displayed tendency for opening brand boutiques. At present day we have an opportunity to visit boutiques of our favorite brands not only in the cities appreciated as the leading cultural center such as Geneva, Paris and London, but also in New York, Beverly Hills, Tokyo, and Shanghai - the list is endless. Watch boutiques are gradually spreading around the world and find their location in the bigger cities.
It is obvious that the matter of opening brand boutiques is all about promoting the awareness about the particular brand, its traditions and prestige. This is an effective way to reach attention of greater part of general public, not only passionate watch aficionados.
A brand boutique allows the brand to choose and maintain the best methods of advertising, displaying and presenting their products to customers. The brands also put in practice their new products' testing held right in the boutiques. It is essential that brand boutiques have a possibility to showcase the whole collections of the brand - usually retailers do not dispose the entire collections as they are limited by space or financial problems. Some timepieces, usually the ones of limited editions, are destined to be found only in the brand boutiques.
The majority of watch brands' officials support the idea of opening their own boutiques. Ron Jackson, the President of Girard-Perregaux NA, thinks that a lot of retailers concentrate their attention upon the best selling timepieces as they consider it to be the most successful commercial strategy. Boutiques, on the contrary, display a great variety of products, including most exceptional and avant-garde timepieces. What is important, organizing one's business through boutiques is a perfect chance to become aware of the consumers' opinion and reaction at innovative products and then find the best decisions of distributing the products through retail shops.
Antoine Preziuso has opened his boutique in Geneva. According to Antoine Preziuso's opinion, one of the major advantageous offered by the brand boutique is an opportunity to initiate and maintain opened direct contact with one's customers.
Antoine Pin , the Marketing Director of Zenith, considers that brand boutiques are the most vivid embodiment of the brand's wealth, image and vision as all the space and attention of sales people is entirely dedicated to the brand's products. The customer surrounded by special atmosphere created in the boutique gets thorough information about the particular product he is interested in. Additional information people get through a boutique's advertising campaign and during their visit to the boutique make them buy more and more products, and this is true about the independent retailers as well.
Louis Vuitton has recently reopened its boutique in Geneva. As Romain Guinier, the Europe Deputy General Director of the brand put it, a boutique is a successful and safest way to deliver the necessary message to the customers. The brand boutique offers the best service to every visitor, thus enhancing the brand's prestigious reputation. People coming to the boutique feel the legacy of the brand and perceive the vision of luxury promoted by the brand.
The market research proves that brand boutiques contribute to the sales growth in general - considering both retailer stores and boutiques. The increase in the sales is explained by such factors as active introduction of advertising and marketing techniques . As a result, people become more informed about the brand and its creations. Regular customers of the retail shops will most probably keep to their preferences. No doubt, some of them will be curious to visit the brand boutique to find out what it is like, still a lot of customers will remain devoted to their favorite retailers.
The Hublot brand has also decided to open a few brand boutiques. Jean-Claude Biver , CEO of the brand, also expresses the opinion that brand boutiques help retailers attain greater success. Mr. Biver thinks that the main advantage of a retail store is the perspective of offering a wider choice, not just the one limited by the production of a single brand. A visitor of a retail shop has an opportunity to compare and test timepieces produced by different brands and then be sure he or she made the right choice.
As for retailers themselves, they are rather afraid that the brand boutiques will partially paralyze their business. Some retailers agree to the idea that at the initial stage boutiques will arouse customers' awareness and interest of certain brands and consequently increase their sales. Regular customers who appreciate retailers' loyal attitude towards them and feel comfortable shopping in the familiar environment, will not turn their backs to the retailers.
But later the high competition may take away retailers' clients who are fascinated by the special atmosphere and complete product range provided by boutiques. Moreover, a boutique may benefit from a more advantageous location as well as Internet sales. Passionate fans of a particular brand eager to have a look and probably acquire a timepiece from the brand's just launched limited edition will most definitely go to the brand's boutique.
A boutique may be compared to a home of the brand that delivers the powerful brand's message without outside interpretation of retail agents. With all the possible advantages of boutiques' opening, retailers should be ready to face the competition.
New Vacheron Constantin Contemporary Patrimony - Complexity and Simplicity in One
The Vacheron Constantin Contemporary Patrimony bi-retrograde day-date watch is the most recent novelty to join the Contemporary Patrimony line. The timepiece, a classic creation of Haute Horlogerie, is the utter expression of aesthetic purity formed by perfect proportions, refined style and taste - everything the brand has been highly appreciated for during more than 250 years of continuous watchmaking.
Aimed at real watch connoisseurs, the new Vacheron Constantin model comprises the sophisticated mechanical movement the complex nature of which is revealed through delicate and subtle design of the dial. The two complicated functions of the timepiece appear as two retrograde indicators featured by the dial. The creators of the latest Contemporary Patrimony wanted the timepiece to provide not only the hour and minute display, but also two more useful complications - day of the week and date - so they implemented their idea by adding two retrograde indicators.
The two retrograde displays are based upon reliable construction, instantaneous performance and utmost precision. Due to these characteristics the the intricately-developed displays appears to be really simple in use. The brand's watchmakers had to apply a special light-weight, flexible alloy for producing the hands of the retrograde indicators. This allowed the hands return to the starting position in less than 1/10 of a second moving over a semi circle close to 180 degrees. It is quite a complicated task if to take into consideration the size of the mechanism - a great deal of energy is required to make the hands jump back in a fraction of a second and guarantee sheer precision.
The Contemporary Patrimony bi-retrograde day-date watch is equipped with a reliable automatic mechanical movement that maintains the tradition of the new automatic movements designed, developed and produced independently by the Vacheron Constantin manufacture. This is the 2460R31R7 caliber offering hour, minute, date and day functions. The number of the caliber -2460R31R7 may be easily decoded -R is for Retrograde, 31 denotes the number of days in a month, and 7 stays for the number of days in the week.
The caliber featuring two complications entered the list of innovative automatic movements born to mark the brand's 250th anniversary celebrated in 2005. It is performing at a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour and provides a substantial power reserve of over 40 hours. Passionate watch enthusiasts are sure to enjoy the scrupulous chamfering work revealed by the bridges with Cotes de Geneve decorating, as well as the circular graining of the plate. The novelty system of ceramic balls manages its 22K gold guilloche rotor.
It is worth mentioning that that the Vacheron Constantin caliber movement features the stamp of the celebrated Poincon de Geneve hallmark that shows the Geneva coat of arms. It was introduced by the State of Geneva back in 1886. An official department representing the Ecole d'Horlogerie de Geneve certifies movements with Poincon de Geneve to acknowledge the highest standards of their quality and finish. It is a 100 percent guarantee of the movement's prolonged life. The unique hallmark serves as an embodiment of timekeeping perfection and worshiped philosophy of the art of horology featured by every minor component and part of the movement.
The powerful design of the Contemporary Patrimony bi-retrograde summarizes the brand's striving for excellence. The watch's case produced from 18K pink gold is created in distinctively graceful and elegant style. It is quite a big-sized timepiece with as its case is 42.5 mm in diameter kept safe under a little cambered anti-reflection sapphire crystal. It provides water-resistance down to 30 meters. The sapphire back offers the pleasure of viewing the supreme finishing and decoration of the movement.
The timepiece's opaline silvered dial characterized by divine proportions wins the hearts due to overall harmony and thorough attention to detail. All the displayed functions provide the comfort of absolute legibility.
The sophisticated construction of the dial comprises the constellation of design features peculiar to the Contemporary Patrimony line. These are the following:
- baton-shaped hands,
- four polished 18K gold triangular hour markers placed at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock,
- a minute-circle formed by applied gold cabochons.
The style of the timepiece that at the first glance strikes with its simplicity conceals the complexity of applied mechanisms.
The Vacheron Constantin Contemporary Patrimony bi-retrograde day-date is presented with a chestnut brown hand-stitched alligator strap with an 18k pink gold folding clasp embellished with a half of Maltese cross
Chopard L.U.C Chrono One Chronograph Crowned with Three Patents
What is the best way for a watch manufacture to celebrate the anniversary of its creation? The answer is simple - to introduce a remarkable timekeeping wonder. This is exactly what Chopard did to mark the 10th anniversary of the of Chopard Manufacture in Fleurier. The
brand's watchmakers developed the L.U.C Chrono One timepiece. Providing the chronograph function, one of the most intricate watchmaking complications, the L.U.C Chrono One, elaborated in really short time if to take into account its complexity, reflects the refined art and the highest standards of Haute Horlogerie.
The first steps in the elaboration of the L.U.C 10 CF movement project to feature integrated chronograph were made in April, 2005. GT3 was its initial name. This choice is explained by the passion Mr. Karl-Friedrich Scheufele feels for fast cars. Mr. Scheufele personal preference is Porsche. No wonder he decided to call the project after a renowned Porsche model. The project required 16 thousand hours of thorough research and development. It was completed by a team of 25 most experienced watchmakers who worked full time in the workshops of two departments based in Fleurier and Geneva.
The watch holds the tradition of the Chopard manufacture of providing its creations with elaborate mechanisms. The list comprises automatic winding, Fly-Back function, column wheel and a considerable power reserve of about 60 hours. It is notable that the timepiece received three patents, having proved Chopard's ability to come up with unforeseen watchmaking technical solutions. The L.U.C Chrono One and the brand's other timepieces of the similar complexity make Chopard manufacture rightfully enter the privileged circle of top watch producers.
All the team's efforts were rewarded by the appearance of an automatic double-pusher column-wheel chronograph. The first pusher placed at 2 o'clock is responsible for starting and stopping the chronograph, while the second pusher placed at 4 o'clock is used for reseting the chronograph as well as fly-back function and small seconds resetting when it is necessary.
The winding-stem is to be used for a few purposes: the watch's owner will wind the movement by hand when the winding-stem is pushed in, adjust the date after pulling it out to the first notch and set the time after pulling it out to the second notch.
The function of reseting small seconds provided by the L.U.C 10 CF chronograph movement is worth particular attention. This function is united with a movement stop mechanism, thus being specially useful when it is required to set the time in the most accurate way by resetting the small seconds. Using the pusher at 4 o'clock with the winding-stem found in the time-setting position, it becomes possible to perfectly synchronize the minute and seconds hands. The house of Chopard received the patent pending for the described operation.
The 30-minute counter as well as the 12-hour counter (as for its function) are semi-instantaneous, but the latter is dragging for read-off. The semi-instantaneous date is featured in a dial window placed at 6 o'clock. The date adjustment takes no time - with half turning of the winding-stem the user fulfills one day correction.
The counters on the dial offer perfect readability. Being placed at 9 and 3 o'clock, they have been a little moved off towards the upper half of the dial. Such position of the counters allowed watchmakers make their size larger and consequently much more legible.
The timepiece won the chronometer COSC-certificate due to a Variner balance providing a precise rate.
The winding in both directions of the rotating oscillating weight is guaranteed by the self-winding system. The mechanism's unidirectional gearing device received the patent. The system is really energy-saving and provides supreme winding speed.
The classy round case of the L.U.C Chrono One is performed in white gold. It is 42 mm in diameter. The crown reveals the L.U.C logo. The two original pushers are of rectangular shape. The dial is covered by anti-glare sapphire crystal, while the case-back is transparent and secured with screws. The watch is 30 meters water-resistant.
The L.U.C Chrono One timepiece goes with elegant black alligator leather strap with comfortable folding clasp created in polished white gold.
The Chopard L.U.C Chrono One watch has been created in a limited edition of 100 numbered pieces. The timepiece is sure to win the hearts of watch collectors and timekeeping precision lovers.
