Market News

LVMH posts revenue increase to 15 percent in Q3 of 2012

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton posted revenue rose to 15 percent year on year to $8.93 billion for the three months that ended on September 30. Revenue from LVMH's watches and jewellery division increased 8.5 percent to $893 million. However the jewelry division's organic growth, reflecting comparable-store sales and exchange-rates, has risen 7 percent during the first three quarters of the year, representing the weakest rate of growth among LVMH's five divisions.

Swiss Watch Exports up 16 percent with Asia accounts more than half

During the first eight months of the year, Swiss-made watches experienced a record 16 percent year on year increase in exports according to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry. More than 23 million watches were sent for export, representing a value of $13.9 billion (CHF 13 billion). Asia accounted for more than half of these exports in terms of value and that region remains the biggest market for Swiss watches.  Fine watches were a huge driving forces behind this the rise in exports as their sales rose by 21.5 percent.

Company News

Audemars Piguet unveils the Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph Michael Schumacher

On 17^th of October, Audemars Piguet celebrated with Michael Schumacher and guests, the international unveiling of the limited edition Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph Michael Schumacher at the Kraftwerk in Berlin. The rough industrial building of the Kraftwerk was specially transformed to host the launch of Audemars Piguet’s new timepiece. During dinner, guests enjoyed a projection of a video mapping telling the story of two worlds, watchmaking and car racing.  With the launch of this limited edition, Audemars Piguet has the pleasure to release the 3rd video of the Defining Moment Series. Michael Schumacher speaks about how his journey started in the motor racing industry.

Jaeger-LeCoultre at 2012 Abu Dhabi Film Festival

As the official partner of the 2012 Abu Dhabi Film Festival, for the second year running, Jaeger-LeCoultre offered its iconic Reverso watch with a commemorative engraving “Abu Dhabi Film Festival 2012” to the Best Actor and Best Actress. The best actress award in the Narrative category was awarded to German actress Franziska Petri for her performance in Betrayal (Russia) and the best actor award went to Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal in No (Chile, USA). During the Festival, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s most beautiful creations were spotted on the wrists of outstanding talents.

Grand opening of Roger Dubuis Boutique in Dubai

Roger Dubuis opens its first boutique in Dubai at the Emirates Towers Boulevard. The 154 square metre boutique, the largest Roger Dubuis retail space in the world, will have its grand opening on the 7^th of November 2012, and will be inaugurated by Hollywood star and friend of the brand Gerard Butler, along with Bollywood superstar Kajol. The stars and dignitaries will attend the ribbon cutting ceremony at the boutique, followed by a glamorous night under the stars, with the stars, at the DIFC Gate. The boutique will house the various universes of Roger Dubuis, including the iconic Monegasque and Excalibur.

Longines celebrates its 180th anniversary

Longines celebrated its 180^th anniversary in Saint-Imier, the village where Longines was founded. To mark the occasion, 180 celebrity guests, local politicians, representatives of the Swatch Group and journalists listened to a welcome address. Recalling Longines’ rich history and its continued development across the ages, the various speakers – including Nick Hayek, President of the Executive Group Management Board of The Swatch Group, and Walter von Kanel, Director of Longines – all emphasized the importance of the close ties that link the company to the town of Saint-Imier. The other highlight of the event was the official reopening of the Longines Museum.

TAG Heuer launches its largest boutique in the Middle East, in Tehran in partnership with Daya Zaman

TAG Heuer launched its largest boutique in the Middle East in Tehran at Sam Center Mall, Fereshteh street with the support of its Iranian partner, Daya Zaman. To celebrate the opening of the 160 m2 largest TAG Heuer flagship boutique in the Middle-East and 3rd largest worldwide, Jean-Christophe Babin, President and CEO of TAG Heuer flew in to Tehran for the occasion. Throughout the evening, Tehran most prominent personalities and celebrities from the film industry, watch collectors and famous sportsmen who live in the neighborhood have had the pleasure to mingle with the company global CEO and his Middle East General Manager, Luc Decroix.

Van Cleef & Arpels, l’Art de la Haute Joaillerie" exhibition in Paris

The private view of the prestigious "Van Cleef & Arpels, l’Art de la Haute Joaillerie" exhibition took place in the stately nave of Paris’ Musée des Arts décoratifs. Guests at the event were able to admire all the groundbreaking creativity of Van Cleef & Arpels, the High Jewelry Maison founded in the Place Vendome in 1906. Over 500 dazzling creations are on display in the nave of the Musée des Arts décoratifs, along with numerous historical documents and drawings. Hélène David-Weill, president of Les Arts Décoratifs, and Stanislas de Quercize, president of Van Cleef & Arpels, had the honor of welcoming H.S.H. Princess Charlène of Monaco who offers visitors a unique opportunity to discover the Océan tiara.

Piaget announces Yara as the first brand ambassadress for the Middle East

Piaget has announced prominent Arab singer, Yara, as their brand ambassador for the Middle East region. A truly flawless alliance, Piaget and their new ambassador are an idyllic reflection of each other’s values; both flaunt immense elegance and grace rounded off with an air of refinement. With this association, Yara joins the assemblage of notable personalities who have become loyal friends of the brand and will be Piaget’s exclusive representative for the Middle East region, and will attend Piaget events on a regional and international level.

Maurice Lacroix partners with Fisker Automotive

Maurice Lacroix and Fisker Automotive have announced a new co-branding agreement that will see the two entities join forces in worldwide brand building activities. Furthermore, Henrik Fisker will act as an official Maurice Lacroix Ambassador, promoting common values and a joint perception of innovation and design. The partnership announcement was made in margin of the Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris where Maurice Lacroix and Fisker Automotive held a joint event for over 150 invitation-only VIP guests and international media.

Movado names Lily Collins as its newest Brand Ambassador

Movado has announced that Lily Collins has joined its prestigious roster of brand ambassadors. Lily will be featured in Movado's updated ‘Modern Ahead of its Time’ advertising campaign shot by fashion photographer Carter Smith and launching this fall. Born in England, Lily relocated to Los Angeles, California at the age of 5. She made her film debut in the 2010 Academy Award-nominated film The Blind Side and most recently starred as Snow White in Mirror, Mirror with Julia Roberts.

RAYMOND WEIL announces the opening of the7th Annual International Photography Contest

As part of its on-going effort to be ever more involved and successful in the patronage of the arts and its endeavour to unveil new artists, RAYMOND WEIL is honored to announce the opening of the 7th edition of its International Photography Contest. This year, the contest revolves around a challenging theme that should give rise to interesting ideas: ‘Precision is my inspiration’ – the Brand’s slogan. The official jury will be composed of RAYMOND WEIL staff members and people close to the company and involved in the arts.

Product Launch

The Chronofighter Prodive by GRAHAM

The Chronofighter Prodive is for the first time equipped with a patented start/stop/reset mechanism which allows the watch to be used to the limits the human being can dive to. However, each watch is tested to resist and go beyond 2000 feet. Advanced manufacturing processes have been used to develop the perfect and stylish diving instrument. The yellow-coloured Chronofighter Prodive professional shines forth from underwater and will be the diver’s watch to find your way to venture in total assurance.

Breitling and Frecce Tricolori reveal a new Chronomat 44

Breitling and the Frecce Tricolori have reaffirmed their longstanding partnership and revealed a new Chronomat 44 bearing the flight team's livery, along with a 1,000-piece limited edition featuring the same design. Its black dial (like the original 1983 model) bearing silver-toned counters with red hands is distinguished by the team logo emblazoned at 12 o'clock. Composed of three arrows in the red, white and green colors of the Italian flag, it is topped with the inscription "P.A.N Frecce Tricolori" (P.A.N. standing for Pattuglia Acrobatica Nazionale).

Hublot unveils the new F1 King Power Austin in the United States

This year marks the grand return of Formula 1™ to the United States. The penultimate Grand Prix of the season will take place from the 16th to the 18th of November at the brand new "Circuit of The Americas" built in Austin, Texas. To mark this key event, Hublot, as the Official Watch of Formula 1™, has decided to introduce a special watch, the aptly-named F1™ King Power Austin, available as a limited edition of 250 pieces. The watch features high-tech materials directly inspired by Formula 1™, such as the carbon and titanium bezel, satin-finished with a perforated effect which brings to mind the cutting edge performance of an high tech brake disc, the start and reset push-pieces, and a 30-minute timer at 3 o'clock.

The Bird Repeater by Jaquet Droz

Jaquet Droz has associated The Bird Repeater to one of haute horlogerie’s most virtuoso complications: Minute Repeater. The Bird Repeater is an authentic automaton, with a cam system inherited directly from the century of Enlightenment, and it calls upon the resources of all the decorative crafts. In a stunning visual show, The Bird Repeater represents a pair of Blue Tits, symbolic of the Jura region, together over the nest containing their fledglings. No less than eight different animation mechanisms act in synchronism.

Rado introduces HyperChrome Golden Horse Limited Edition

The Rado HyperChrome Golden Horse, a limited and numbered edition of 1,957 pieces, looks back to the year the brand was founded – 1957 - and the historic Rado Horse Collection, whose inaugural models were released that year. The Rado HyperChrome Golden Horse Limited Edition presents a stainless steel case with integrated lugs and a dial with facetted applied indexes. The look of the watch is enhanced by lateral case inserts in the form of elongated parentheses, a distinctive feature of the Rado HyperChrome collection. On the dial are the unmistakable rotating red anchor logo and a double seahorse logo, a symbol of water-sealed watches, an impressive feature when the original collection was inaugurated. 

Richard Mille Cufflinks

The Richard Mille automatic cufflinks take their inspiration from the same process of creation and development as a Richard Mille watch movement. Two years of work went into creating and designing these exceptional, highly technical and refined pieces, consisting of no fewer than 38 components each. Made from grade 5 titanium, they inaugurate a groundbreaking and patented mechanism that opens the bars using a push-piece. Unlike the classic mechanism, where a pivoting bar on the cufflink holds the double cuff in place, Richard Mille’s design fastens the cuff using two titanium bars. These open with a simple press of the push-pieces and close by pressing on the top plate.

Celebrity News

Naomi Watts wears Chopard at The Impossible Premiere in Madrid

The American actress was wearing a pair of white gold and diamonds earrings from the Haute Joaillerie collection of Chopard during the Premiere of The Impossible in Madrid.

Salma Hayek Lights up the Red Carpet in Harry Winston

To celebrate the New York premiere of the film, "Here Comes The Boom," Salma chose ravishing Winston diamonds radiating a timeless elegance.  She wore Diamond Chandelier Earrings, Set in Platinum and Diamond Crossover Fashion Ring, Set-in Platinum.

Berenice Marlohe wears Carrera y Carrera ring to the "Skyfall" photocall in Berlin

Actress Berenice Marlohe wore a Carrera y Carrera ring to the "Skyfall" photocall on October 30, 2012 in Berlin, Germany. Berenice was wearing a Carrera y Carrera 18K White Gold Tiger Ring with Diamonds.

Tiffany & Co. at the Variety Power of Women Awards

Actresses Jessica Biel and Jennifer Garner looked stunning in Tiffany & Co. jewelry at the Annual Variety Power of Women luncheon in Los Angeles. Biel was also awarded the Tiffany & Co. Luminary Award for her outstanding philanthropic work.

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