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Goodwood – Pistons at dawn, For motorsport fans, the new Hollywood film about the lead-up to 1966’s 24 Hours of Le Mans

Pistons at dawn

For motorsport fans, the new Hollywood film about the lead-up to 1966’s 24 Hours of Le Mans is a must-see. More than half a century on, the fierce rivalry it depicts between Ford and Ferrari remains a fascinating duel of wills – but what really happened at the end of the race?

Words by Peter Hall

Directed by James Mangold and starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon, Le Mans ’66 is a thrilling evocation of Ford’s legendary battle with Ferrari at the world’s greatest motor race. Naturally the movie focuses on the American experience, albeit with a British-born hero, but the real story was rather more complicated.

It began in early 1963, when Henry Ford II was persuaded that his company could acquire sporting prestige by buying Ferrari. Enzo Ferrari was open to offers, but when he examined Ford’s $10 million proposal he spotted a clause that gave control of his precious racing division to the Americans. Unleashing a tirade of insults at Ford emissary Don Frey, he got up and walked out.

Back in Michigan, Ford was not impressed: “All right, if that’s the way he wants it, we’ll go out and whip his ass.” Frey suggested building a mid-engined GT. It was a sign of things to come that Ford took five minutes to approve the car and 55 minutes on the marketing strategy.

Seeking motorsport expertise, British-born engineer Roy Lunn was despatched to England, where he hired John Wyer, manager of the Aston Martin team that had won Le Mans in 1959. Wyer had been recommended by winning driver Carroll Shelby, a wily Texan who was also committed to beating Ferrari, developing the Ford V8- engined Cobra roadster and Daytona Coupe at his Los Angeles speed shop, Shelby American.

Lunn then visited Lola Cars of Bromley, whose Mk6 GT had shown promise at Le Mans. Powered by a midmounted 4.2-litre Ford V8, it was just what he was looking for, so he purchased two and brought Lola boss Eric Broadley into the new Ford GT project based in Slough. While Ford set about modifying the Lola Mk6, Broadley struggled with its corporate approach. He left the project and, sure enough, in testing at Goodwood and Monza the car demonstrated both a tendency to lift at speed and chronic braking problems due to its weight. Nevertheless, now with a 4.7-litre engine, the Ford GT was unveiled in Slough on April 1 1964 before appearing at the New York Auto Show.

Director James Mangold talks Le Mans ’66 fact versus fiction

Ken Miles and Carroll Shelby at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966. Miles was on course for the first triple crown in sports car racing until fate, and Ford, intervened.

A few weeks later the GT crashed in trials for Le Mans. On its German race debut it retired, as did all three entries at Le Mans, where Ferrari enjoyed a seventh victory. A new nose helped the aerodynamics, but after two cars again failed to finish at Nassau in November they were packed off to Shelby American with orders to make winners of them, at any cost.

Shelby’s chief asset was 46-year old engineer Ken Miles. The son of a Sutton Coldfield tea and coffee merchant, he drove tanks in World War II then took up motor racing before emigrating to California, where he found success in self-built sports cars. With his sardonic English wit he was the antithesis of Shelby’s West Coast hot-rodders, but he was central to the development of the Cobra, Daytona Coupe and Mustang GT350. Miles made the Ford GT work, winning at Daytona in February 1965.

While Slough produced the MkI GT40 (as it was now called, referring to its height in inches) Shelby set about installing a 7.0-litre V8 engine. Two of these formidable 215mph “MkII” GT40s were entered for Le Mans, driven by Ken Miles/Bruce McLaren and Phil Hill/Chris Amon. European entries brought the number of GT40s up to six but all of them retired, handing yet another victory to Ferrari, live on US TV.

For 1966, it was win or bust. Encouragingly, Ken Miles won at Daytona and Sebring. For Le Mans, Ford entered 15 MkIIs, of which eight were accepted: three from Shelby American (for Ken Miles/Denny Hulme, Dan Gurney/ Jerry Grant and Bruce McLaren/Chris Amon), three from NASCAR race team Holman-Moody, and two Slough prepared cars run by Alan Mann Racing. Ever conscious of marketing angles, each car was painted in a different colour from the Mustang range. Six more GT40s were entered by customer teams.

Bruce put his head through the car door and said, ‘Go like hell!’

After qualifying, the race appeared to be Ford’s for the taking and, carrying a card from Henry Ford II with the message “You’d better win”, race-team manager Leo Beebe took no chances, allocating lap times to each car: Gurney/Grant would aim for 3m37s, Miles/Hulme 3m39s and McLaren/Amon 3m41s.

It was spitting with rain as Henry Ford II himself dropped the Tricolour flag at 4pm and the drivers sprinted to their cars; Graham Hill was first away in one of the Alan Mann GT40s, followed by Gurney. As Miles jumped into his car he damaged the door, forcing a pit stop. Racing back to the front, he set a new lap record of 3m33s. McLaren and Amon fell behind, struggling with their Firestone tyres. Having switched to Goodyears, Amon recalled that “Bruce put his head through the car door and said, ‘Go like hell!’”

Overnight rain favoured the Ferraris, but they didn’t last, and by daybreak Ford held the top six places. However, there were more retirements to come; the Shelby drivers were racing each other, and at 9am Gurney’s car overheated. With several hours remaining and three surviving Fords running 1-2-3, the leaders were told to slow down. Amon, by now almost a lap ahead, complied. Miles had other ideas and built a four-lap lead, although some of that was lost to brake problems when the McLaren/Amon crew used his spares.

Carroll Shelby (centre) with his Cobra drivers (left to right), Jo Schlesser, Ken Miles, Bruce McLaren and Phil Hill at 12 Hours of Sebring in 1965

Beebe now hatched an infamous plan. As Shelby recalled, “They came up to me and said, ‘Who do you think should win the race?’ I thought, ‘Well, hell, Ken’s been leading for all these hours – he should win.’ I looked at Leo Beebe and said, ‘What do you think ought to happen, Leo?’ He said, ‘I don’t know, I’d kind of like to see all three of them cross the line together.’ So I said, ‘Oh
hell, let’s do it that way then.’”

Receiving his orders at the final pit stop, Miles was furious: “So ends my contribution to this motor race.” Nevertheless he obeyed, slowing while McLaren and the Bucknum/Hutcherson Holman-Moody car caught up. They crossed the finish line side by side with McLaren easing ahead slightly at the chequered flag.

However, the regulations made a dead heat impossible. The McLaren/Amon car had started the race eight metres behind the Miles/Hulme machine and having covered a greater distance, it would be the winner.

Miles and Hulme were held back while a bemused McLaren and Amon joined Henry Ford II on the podium. “I think I’ve been f***ed,” declared Miles, bitterly. After all, he was Shelby’s lead driver, he had done the lion’s share of MkII development and, having won Daytona and Sebring, he could have entered the history books by taking the first “triple crown” of sports car racing.

As Carroll Shelby said, “The GT40s would never have reached the pinnacle they reached without Ken Miles”

Was Beebe really unaware of the distance rule? It’s often said that it was mentioned too late to change the team orders (in the absence of radios), although as they were a dozen laps ahead, the leaders could have been called in again. Alternatively, had McLaren been asked to slow down while Miles continued unhindered, the photo finish could have been staged with Miles one lap ahead. It has even been suggested that Miles was indeed ahead, but that the lap chart was altered. Miles’ remarks at the final pit stop, and his attempt to enter the winners’ circle, could sustain several theories.

Beebe later confessed: “I had some real difficulties over that. But [Miles] was a daredevil… I held him back because I was afraid the drivers would knock one another off. All you need is one good accident and you lose allyour investment.”

Sadly, Miles didn’t get another chance. In August he was killed testing Ford’s J-car, an all-American successor to the GT40 MkII with an unstable “breadvan”-shaped rear section and a bonded alloy chassis.

For Ford, all was not lost; a redesign produced the GT40 MkIV that won Le Mans in 1967, prompting winner Dan Gurney to spray Henry Ford II with champagne. Mission accomplished, albeit at enormous cost (perhaps $500 million, and a man’s life), Ford cancelled its programme, although new engine rules permitted Le Mans victories for John Wyer’s lightweight MkI in 1968 and 1969. The Ford was now more famous than any Ferrari.

Yet as Carroll Shelby said, “The GT40s would never have reached the pinnacle they reached without Ken Miles. He was not only a friend, he was a good engineer, he was a good test driver and as good a race driver as I ever knew… I can’t say what a void I felt when we lost him.”

Fuente: www.goodwood.com

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Le Mans success story on display at Ferrari Museum

The ‘Ferrari at 24 Heures du Mans’ exhibition opened at the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, to celebrate seventy years of Prancing Horse victories in the world’s most famous endurance race. Visitors can look back over the 36 wins recorded on the French track, with the help of some of the cars that competed in the famous races plus multimedia and interactive contents.

SEVENTY YEARS OF LE MANS TRIUMPHS ON DISPLAY AT THE FERRARI MUSEUM

The exhibition opens with the 166 MM Barchetta Touring. With a similar car, Lord Selsdon and Luigi Chinetti triumphed on 26 June 1949, on Ferrari’s debut at Le Mans. The British aristocrat and the Milanese driver transplanted to America faced a large number of British and French professionals whose cars had twice the engine capacity of the Ferrari.

Nevertheless, they won with an average speed of 132.946 kilometres per hour. Chinetti went down in history by driving for over 23 hours, handing the wheel to Lord Selsdon for just 30 minutes.

The exhibition also includes the 275 P in which Jean Guichet and Nino Vaccarella won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1964 with an astonishing average speed of 195.63 km/h, ahead of two Ferrari 330 Ps. The 275 P is part of the legendary P series, packed with very successful cars: the number refers to the unit displacement, while the letter P stands for prototype.

Then, of course, there is the 488 GTE with which Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Daniel Serra won the last edition of the French marathon, gifting Ferrari its 27th class victory, seventy years after the first triumph of the 166 MM.

Visitors can relive this achievement through the ‘Le Mans Experience’, an exciting film that combines evocative images of the race with some of the most important messages recorded by the drivers and the team during the 24 Hours.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to test themselves virtually at the wheel of the 488 GTE on the circuit of Le Mans, in the simulator set up inside the exhibition area.

Many other historical specimens are on display within the two current exhibitions in progress at the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, ‘Hypercars – The evolution of uniqueness’ and ’90 years – Scuderia Ferrari, the complete story’. They are open every day from 9.30 am to 7 pm.

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Highlights of CES 2020 – Mercedes-Benz VISION AVTR

This highlight video will give you a short impression of the presence of Mercedes-Benz at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2020 in Las Vegas. Subscribe to Mercedes-Benz. At CES, the inventor of the automobile will be giving an outlook on the sustainable mobility of the future with the Mercedes-Benz VISION AVTR. The concept vehicle connects human, machine and nature in an unprecedented way.

Mercedes-Benz VISION AVTR

#MBvisionavtr #MBces2020 #mercedesbenzTV

Highlights of CES 2020 – Mercedes-Benz VISION AVTR

Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, presented the visionary concept vehicle in his keynote speech to around 2,000 spectators at the Park Theater of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) together with the Academy Award winning director and creator of AVATAR, James Cameron. The VISION AVTR is the result of an unprecedented global partnership between Mercedes-Benz and the AVATAR films.

Mercedes-Benz VISION AVTR

 

Credits: ™ & © 20th Century Fox Film Corp.

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HUBLOT CELEBRATES ART FOR A NIGHT IN PARIS

Paris, 16 December 2019 – Yesterday in the heart of the Fondation Louis Vuitton, an emblematic site dedicated to art and culture, Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot, and Vincent Roy, Brand Director of Hublot France, Belgium & Luxembourg, welcomed over 200 guests to celebrate art, a subject close to the heart of the Swiss watchmaking house, at the end of this year. Brand ambassadors, exceptional guests invited by Hublot for the occasion, including the artists Richard Orlinski and Marc Ferrero, were able to celebrate the “Hublot Loves Art” theme that the House embodies through its watchmaking creations, which combine technique and artistic aestheticism, in an electro-atmosphere orchestrated by Dixon, Pedro Winter and Jean Tonique. The guests were swept away by the choreographer Léo Walk and his company, La Marche Bleue, and the rhythm of their organic and poetic gestures. The football world champion and brand ambassador Kylian Mbappé surprised guests when he arrived on stage, much to their delight.
To stay up-to-date, follow: @Hublot #HublotLovesArt

HUBLOT CELEBRATES ART FOR A NIGHT IN PARIS

In the course of the exhibition devoted to Charlotte Perriand, 20th-centruy architect and visionary creator, guests had the chance of brushing shoulders with Booba, Presnel Kimpembe, Stephane Bianchi, head of LVMH watch division, Jean Roch and Anais Pedri, Carla Ginola, Habib Beye… who, at the end of the evening, could discover the work being painted live by Marc Ferrero.

In the name of Hublot, I wanted to thank the Fondation Louis Vuitton for welcoming us in this unique and incredible place. Art has always been at the heart of the brand, which wanted to spend an evening celebrating all the artists with which it has collaborated, some of whom honoured us with their presence last night.
Ricardo Guadalupe
CEO HUBLOT

We were happy to be able to bring together clients and partners to celebrate the end of the
year in a modern and uninhibited atmosphere, which, just like Hublot, combined different
artistic disciplines such as music, dance and design.
Vincent Roy

BRAND DIRECTOR HUBLOT FRANCE, BELGIUM & LUXEMBOURG

This evening was also an opportunity to once again present Hublot watches with new features launched in 2019, such as the new Big Bang Sang Bleu, the Classic Fusion Ferrari GT, and the Classic Fusion Orlinski line.
Inaugurated in 2014, the Fondation Vuitton represents the fusion between the lightness of glass architecture and a story rooted in the French culture of the 19th century. As much as in the very design of the project as in the start of work, the Fondation project shook up the principles of architecture, like Hublot which is, par excellence, the watchmaking brand which shook up the deep-rooted traditions of Watchmaking by offering the first gold watch on a rubber strap, in other words a precious metal on a less noble material.

HUBLOT
Founded in Switzerland in 1980, HUBLOT is defined by its innovation, which began with the highly original combination of gold and rubber. This “Art of Fusion” stems from the imagination of its visionary Chairman, Jean-Claude Biver, and has been driven forward by CEO Ricardo Guadalupe since 2012.
The release of the iconic, multi-award-winning Big Bang in 2005 paved the way for new flagship collections (Classic Fusion, Spirit of Big Bang), with complications ranging from the simple to the highly sophisticated, establishing the extraordinary DNA of the Swiss watchmaking house and ensuring its impressive growth.
Keen to preserve its traditional and cutting-edge expertise, and guided by its philosophy to “Be First, Different and Unique”, the Swiss watchmaker is consistently ahead of the curve, through its innovations in materials (scratch-resistant Magic Gold, ceramics in vibrant colours, sapphire), and the creation of Manufacture movements (Unico, Meca-10, Tourbillon).
HUBLOT is fully committed to creating a Haute Horlogerie brand with a visionary future: a future which is fused with the key events of our times (FIFA World CupTM, UEFA Champions LeagueTM, UEFA EUROTM and Ferrari) and the finest ambassadors our era has to offer (Kylian Mbappé, Usain Bolt, Pelé).
Discover the HUBLOT universe at our network of boutiques located in key cities across the globe: Geneva, Paris, London, New York, Hong Kong, Dubai, Tokyo, Singapore, Zurich and at HUBLOT.com

THE FONDATION LOUIS VUITTON
Inaugurated in 2014, this space designed and created by Frank Gehry dared to use the technological achievements of the 21st century, opening the way for pioneering innovation. The ambition of the architect, Frank Gehry, was to “design, in Paris, a magnificent vessel symbolising the cultural calling of France” through 11 exhibition galleries overlooking 7,000 m2.

www.hublot.com

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Six motorsport highlights from another incredible year at Goodwood

Six motorsport highlights from another incredible year at Goodwood

Can you believe that the 2019 Goodwood motorsport season is over? Well there’s no need to be down, as tickets for the 2020 Goodwood Festival of Speed presented by mastercard, 78th Members’ Meeting and Revival are now on sale!

Goodwood fos-2019-volkswagen-idr-jayson-fong-goodwood-

Goodwood fos-2019-volkswagen-idr-jayson-fong-goodwood-

That’s right, tickets to our 2020 motorsport events are now on sale, and to celebrate that, and to look back on 2019, we’ve collected six of our favourite moments from this year’s 77th Members’ meeting, Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard and Revival.

Remember, tickets to the 78th Members’ Meeting are on sale exclusively to GRRC members and members of the GRRC Fellowship. For more information on tickets visit ticketing.goodwood.com.

Mini overtakes at the 77th Members’ Meeting

What better way to celebrate 60 years of Britain’s most iconic motor than to bring about that number of the mighty racers together for an epic three-part battle at Goodwood? Well, that’s exactly what we did at the 77th Members’ Meeting back in April 2019. Set as a shootout of two heats on Saturday and an epic final on Sunday, the event would eventually pitch Mini legend Nick Swift against Goodwood outright lap record holder Nick Padmore in virtually identical cars. This clip is just a taste of the madness that ensued, and you can watch the whole race by clicking here.

Senna GTR world debut

It’s not just racing cars at Goodwood, of course. We have a very long history of debuting some of the world’s most precious metal, and that doesn’t just stop at the Festival of Speed. Oh no, over the last few years both the Revival and Members’ Meetings have gotten in on the act, with McLaren’s new Senna becoming a bit of a fixture at our season opener. In 2018 at the 76th event the standard (if one can ever be standard) Senna made its dynamic debut, before the ultimate hardcore track version, the GTR, followed at the 77th. Safe to say it made quite an impression!

39.9 seconds – a new record at the Festival of Speed

Romain Dumas has been coming here for a few years, but it seems that over the last 24 months or so he’s decided to make Goodwood his own. First he won the 2018 Timed Shootout in Volkswagen’s mighty ID.R Pikes Peak dominator, then he raced hard with Andrew Jordan at Revival later that year. As if that wasn’t enough in 2019 he turned up with a new version of the ID.R, ready to have a crack at the Hill record, a standard that had sat for only the small matter of 20 years… Undeterred he didn’t just break it, he smashed it, and then took the outright Festival Hill record down below 40 seconds for the first time ever. It was stunning and, as you’ll soon see, it turned out Dumas wasn’t done with Goodwood just yet. If you want more, you can see the full timed shootout by clicking here.

De Tomaso P72 unveiled to the world

We’ve seen plenty of incredible debuts over the years at Goodwood, we’ve even spoken about one already in this very piece. But at the Festival of Speed this year we saw one that dropped a lot of jaws. Decades after disappearing from the face of the earth De Tomaso, once of Mangusta and Pantera fame, was back. It was back with a bang too, in the form of the stunning De Tomaso P72, a car with an amazing exterior and a mind-boggling interior.

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OMEGA Celebrates The New James Bond Watch in New York
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OMEGA Celebrates The New James Bond Watch in New York

With Special Guests including Daniel Craig, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli
OMEGA Celebrates
The New James Bond Watch in New York

As the trusted timepiece of the world’s favourite spy, the Swiss watchmaker OMEGA has hosted an event in New York to celebrate its newest James Bond watch. Guests were welcomed at The Top of the Standard, where the new Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Edition was revealed for the very first time. Actor Daniel Craig, as well as producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli made a special appearance for the occasion.

James Bond has been wearing an OMEGA since GoldenEye in 1995 – the choice of Lindy Hemming, the costume designer who worked on all the Bond films between GoldenEye and Casino Royale. As guests arrived at the event in New York, they were greeted by a full display of the unique Seamaster watches worn by the British spy over the past 25 years.

Raynald Aeschlimann, the President and CEO of OMEGA, welcomed everyone inside and introduced the new watch. He said, “James Bond shares many of the same qualities as OMEGA, from exquisite style to adventurous spirit and exacting precision. We can’t wait for everyone to see the new timepiece he’ll be wearing on screen.”

Speaking about his involvement in the design process, Daniel Craig said, “When working with OMEGA, we decided that a lightweight watch would be key for a military man like 007. I also suggested some vintage touches and colours to give the watch a unique edge. The final piece looks incredible.”

Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said, “Bond’s military experience is a fundamental part of 007’s character, so it is fitting that OMEGA’s new design so cleverly reflects that aspect of his identity. Bond and OMEGA have been synonymous for almost a quarter of a century now, so as we prepare to launch the 25th Bond movie, the timing is perfect to launch the new Bond watch.”

The new Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Edition has been purposefully built with the needs of 007 in mind. Crafted from lightweight Grade 2 Titanium, it includes an innovative titanium mesh bracelet, as well as military-style engravings and a vintage appearance thanks to its “tropical” brown aluminium dial and bezel. This non-limited watch will be placed in OMEGA’s iconic current collection and available to customers worldwide from February.

Amongst the many guests in New York were a number of familiar faces including Paul Wesley, Antoni Porowski, and Sean O’Pry. As an added surprise, the spy-inspired night was concluded with a set from world-renowned DJ, Honey Dijon.

www.omegawatches.com
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Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrates Cinema at the 76th Venice International Film Festival of la Biennale di Venezia

Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrates Cinema at the 76th Venice International Film Festival of la Biennale di Venezia

Venice, August 30th, 2019 – in the magical city of Venice, Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrated the 15th anniversary of its partnership with Venice International Film Festival by hosting an intimate dinner in the exceptional setting of the Granai di Cipriani.

Set between sea and sky on the island of Giudecca, with stunning views across the Lagoon to Piazza San Marco, the fairytale location perfectly expresses the Celestial theme chosen by the Swiss Maison this year. Paying homage to the stars and planets that have always determined how mankind measures time, the celestial theme is also a loving tribute to the star-studded night sky above Jaeger-LeCoultre’s home in Switzerland’s Vallée de Joux.

Hosted by Catherine Rénier, Chief Executive Officer of Jaeger-LeCoultre, guests from all over the world were joined by Friends of the Maison Nicholas Hoult, Amanda Seyfried, Ni Ni and Italian actress Alessandra Mastronardi, to pay tribute to great cinema and honour the art of time.

In an ambience of great charm and refinement, they witnessed the unveiling of four beautiful new watches inspired by the stars of the night sky. A beautiful, fully gem-set interpretation of the Dazzling Rendez-Vous Moon combines the icy sparkle of diamonds with the warmth of pink gold and glowing mother of pearl; its sumptuous bracelet is set with white diamonds, linked seamlessly together to wrap around the wrist as softly as a ribbon.

Inspired by the otherworldly beauty of the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights), two new interpretations of the splendid Rendez-Vous Celestial watch unite two of the Metiers Rares® that Jaeger-LeCoultre has so thoroughly mastered – gem-setting, and hand-painting. A glittering bezel set with a colour-graduated circle of baguette-cut sapphires surrounds a mother-of-pearl dial that has been hand-painted to echo the ethereal patterns of the Aurora Borealis.

In addition, Jaeger-LeCoultre has reinterpreted its magnificent Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste, with a sleek new-generation case and subtle refinement of the dial. While appearing to have been simplified, the dial has in fact gained an extra dimension thanks to the use of Super-LumiNova™, which gives a heavenly glow to the hour markers and constellations in low light.

For this special celebration of the arts of cinema and fine watchmaking, Michelin-starred chef Christian Le Squer, of Restaurant Le Cinq in Paris, flew to Venice and created a special menu to complement the celestial theme and capture the beauty of the setting.

Thanks to the many values it shares with the art of filmmaking, Jaeger-LeCoultre is deeply attached to the world of cinema and, through its long-standing partnership with the Venice International Film Festival, is proud to contribute to the appreciation and advancement of the cinematic arts.

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OMEGA hosts a star-filled tribute to the 50th anniversary of the first lunar landing at Cape Canaveral
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OMEGA hosts a star-filled tribute to the 50th anniversary of the first lunar landing at Cape Canaveral

OMEGA hosts a star-filled tribute to the 50th anniversary of the first lunar landing with George Clooney and an impressive line-up of NASA veterans; including Charlie Duke and Thomas Stafford.

OMEGA hosts a star-filled tribute to the 50th anniversary of the first lunar landing at Cape Canaveral

It was a gathering of greats at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center when OMEGA paid tribute to the mission that made history.

OMEGA hosts a star-filled tribute to the 50th anniversary of the first lunar landing at Cape Canaveral

OMEGA hosts a star-filled tribute to the 50th anniversary of the first lunar landing at Cape Canaveral

After a day of discussions on a range of space-related subjects, media and VIP guests enjoyed a “Golden Moments” dinner served beneath the impressive Saturn 5 rocket, which was attended by George Clooney, Amal Clooney, Charlie Duke and Thomas Stafford.

Clearly proud of the Swiss brand’s claim-to-fame as the first watch worn on the Moon, President and CEO of OMEGA Mr. Raynald Aeschlimann summed up the spirit of the occasion. “It’s a huge achievement to land on another world. I can’t think of a better reason to raise a glass in tribute.”

Though OMEGA Ambassador George Clooney drew a great deal of media attention, the self-effacing actor was determined to ensure the spotlight stayed focused on his fellow guests. “It’s a great pleasure to be here – and an honor. I have enormous respect for the people who made the Apollo missions such a success.”

George Clooney was joined on stage by veteran of four NASA space missions and commander of Apollo 10 Lieutenant General Thomas Stafford, along with CAPCOM for Apollo 11 and Apollo 16 lunar module pilot Charlie Duke.

Reflecting on the pioneering spirit of the Apollo era, Charlie Duke described it as an exciting time but stressed that the success of the 1969 mission was down to hard work and commitment. “We were heading to the Moon, but we were also grounded, very realistic, and we never took success for granted, not once.”

Apollo 10’s Thomas Stafford talked about the “alien yet familiar” qualities of the lunar surface, and spoke proudly of his role in Apollo 11’s glory. “It was a great honor for me to play my part in the successful mission that followed.”

Also in attendance were Astronaut and artist Nicole Stott, NASA pilot and ISS commander Terry Virts, ESA astronaut and NASA veteran Jean-François Clervoy, and former NASA engineer and the man behind the Moonwatch, Jim Ragan.

To mark the 50th anniversary OMEGA has released a 42 mm Speedmaster in 18K Moonshine™ gold – an exclusive new alloy which offers a paler hue than traditional yellow gold and higher resistance to fading over time. The design is replete with lunar history as well as modern materials and a superb new movement: OMEGA’s Master Chronometer Calibre 3861- a manual-winding OMEGA Co-Axial escapement movement with Moonshine™ gold plated main plate and bridges, as well as burgundy markings.

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Four leading ladies join OMEGA in Shanghai for the launch of the new Constellation “Manhattan”

Four leading ladies join OMEGA in Shanghai for the launch of the new Constellation “Manhattan”

An unforgettable night with Cindy Crawford, Nicole Kidman, Alessandra Ambrosio and Liu Shishi.

It was an evening of true star quality, as OMEGA launched its new Constellation “Manhattan” collection at a special event in Shanghai. Hosted at the city’s dazzling Expo I–Pavilion, the celebrations introduced a full makeover for the iconic Constellation timepieces and also brought four of OMEGA’s most inspirational women to the stage.

Cindy Crawford, Nicole Kidman, Alessandra Ambrosio and Liu Shishi arrived as the glamorous guests of honour for the evening – each representing the beauty, sophistication and excellence that the Constellation collection is known for.

Standing alongside the four OMEGA ambassadors was Raynald Aeschlimann, President and CEO of OMEGA, who said, “The Constellation has always been admired by women all around the world. No matter the country, it has appealed to ladies of all backgrounds and styles. To celebrate that spirit, we’ve been lucky to have not one, but four of our closest friends here together. Having Nicole, Cindy, Shishi and Alessandra at one single event shows how much love there is for the Constellation.”

The Constellation collection has long been OMEGA’s symbol of unrivalled precision and elegance in watchmaking. It was the “Manhattan” design in 1982 that introduced the modern look and today’s new collection has enhanced many of the most famous features. More than 100 new models will be made available to customers, each of them with subtle updates including bevelled edges for a refined feminine look, slender bezels and the iconic “claws”, which now fit more snugly to the case. More dial colours and case sizes have also been created, including watches in 25 mm, 28 mm and 29 mm.

Stepping inside the venue, it was clear for guests to see the evening’s inspiration, with an exquisite backdrop of white and gold that mirrored the “Manhattan” skyline. Amongst the many shapes and textures, the new timepieces were on display and ready for a close-up look.

Cindy Crawford has a very unique connection to the Constellation, as she was part of the collection’s redesign in 1995. Speaking in Shanghai, she said, “I’ve now seen this collection evolve over the past several decades and I’m always impressed by OMEGA’s new designs. It’s such a classic watch, yet these new models prove just how relevant it remains today.”


Alessandra Ambrosio, one of the world’s most recognised super-models, said, “I love fashion that is timeless. The Constellation is the perfect example. It has history and style, and it’s a watch that never loses its charm. That’s the sign of a truly great design.”

Nicole Kidman is another watch fan who knows OMEGA and the Constellation very well. Speaking to guests, she said, “I’ve known OMEGA a long time and they’re a brand that cares about quality and advancing their products. We can clearly see that in the Constellation. These watches are made especially for women and they have been able to adapt and change in the most subtle and elegant way.”


The Chinese actress, Liu Shishi, one of OMEGA’s newest ambassadors, said, “It’s my honour to welcome everyone here in my home country. It’s a privilege to be in Shanghai and to share the stage with such great women.”

The special evening concluded with a musical performance by the pianist Stephen Ridley as well as the revelation of OMEGA’s new Constellation advertising campaign. The imagery, shot by renowned photographer Damon Baker, features Cindy, Nicole, Alessandra and Liu Shishi, all together in one powerful and beautiful portrait.

For the evening, Cindy, Nicole, Alessandra and Shishi each wore a model from the new Constellation “Manhattan” Jewellery Collection. These 28 mm timepieces are distinguished by their dials made from Australian white opal. The hours are marked by 12 baguette-cut ruby indexes – beautifully matching the red dresses worn by the OMEGA ambassadors.

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