, , , ,

HUBLOT LOVES SUMMER IN ZURICH

Five Swiss Friends of the Brand & Ambassadors: Mujinga Kambundji, Corinne Suter, Andreas Caminada, Dario Cologna & Alan Roura are united for the  first time to celebrate summer in Zurich.

For many years, Hublot has been celebrating summer at the most exclusive waterfront locations of the Mediterranean.  This year, Lake Zurich will set the stage for an Hublot Loves Summer party bringing cocktails imagined by the Bar am Wasser mixologists, a private performance by Dora Live Band and an electrifying set by DJ Ilona. A perfect summer setting to celebrate the Big Bang Unico Sky Blue inspired by cloudless summer days, and endless nights.

What could unite Mujinga Kambundji, Corinne Suter, Andreas Caminada, Dario Cologna and Alan Roura?

Their passion for the Hublot brand, of course, but what else? This is the first time that the fiveFriendsof the Brandand Ambassadors o are brought together. While they quickly bonded around the table football tournament, demonstrating their competitive natures, determination and team spirit, the evening continued to highlight their common ground and shared values. When given the floor, they found they had a lot more in common than they could have ever imagined.

Moreover, we could not have imagined a Hublot event without some football, albeit on a table. A nod to the FIFA Women’s World CupTM, for which Hublot is Official Timekeeper, about to kick off on the 20th of July in Australia and New Zealand. At the end of the matches between clients, the three finalists competed against thethree ambassador teams (Corinne Suter & Ricardo Guadalupe / Alan Roura & Dario Cologna / Mujinga Kambundji & Andreas Caminada) to win the Hublot Loves Summer Party 2023 Cup.

What makes them unique?

Alan Roura loves tacking on water and the open sea,

For Corinne Suter, it’s the high-performance slaloms she carves on the dizzyingly steep ski slopes,

Mujinga Kambundji is after the best line to shave off hundredths of seconds on the track,

While for Dario Cologna, it is finding balance and rhythm even after his retirement from the sport

For Andreas Caminada,   it is accuracy, concentration and timing that he masters from his high gastronomy to his golf swing.

All five of them exude a quiet strength with a tinge of Swiss humility that takes nothing away from all the determination in their eyes and the dreams we share and experience as we watch their adventures, in their efforts to win stars, miles or medals.  

All five work with time, for its speed, precision, performance and optimisation. Time permeates their training, their movements, their gestures. Their time is measured in hundredths of a second, and tonight our five champions will have shared 3,240,0000 (9 hours) of them with us.

While time sets the tempo for their lives, they also need to stop the clock ticking. Taking a rest is essential if they are to be on top form on the big day, to keep pace with the competitions, from race to race, dish to dish, from stars to globes, from medals to podiums. 

Breaks are rare, and the one they have granted themselves today, with Hublot in Zurich, is devoted to a special celebration with their second family. It’s a unique opportunity to get to know each other better, share what inspires and motivates them, and swap experiences.

All 5 work alone, even though their job, their sport or their passion cannot be done without the support of a coach. Their principles and values that govern their jobs are very similar. What is certain, is that all five are driven by passion and determination.

/by
, , ,

The Geneva Supercar Show 2023 has finally come to the Domaine duGrand Malagny for its first edition

After months of excitement, the Geneva Supercar Show has finally come to the Domaine du Grand Malagny for its first edition with full of surprises. The four-day event welcomed cars enthusiasts on an exceptional journey to discover the most prestigious supercar manufacturers and their latest innovation.

The 6th of July 2023 marks the beginning of a wonderful adventure: The Geneva Supercar Show. The new supercar show welcomed more than 1’500 visitors for the very first time, with the aim of creating quite a statement. Franck Muller CEO, Nicholas Rudaz, alongside the Mayor of Genthod, Joël Schmulowitz, as well as the director of the event, Manoj Bairstow, and the Vieux Grenadiers, launched the festivities by cutting the ribbon at the opening ceremony.

At the entrance of the Domaine du grand Malagny, a line of supercars set the tone. Maserati, Lamborgini, McLaren P1 and Ferrari joined in, as did the Kimera EVO37 Martini 7 Edition, presented by Misha from The Torque Rally, a company specialising in motoring events. Lined up side by side, these sublime supercars set the scene, facing Geneva Lake. There’s no need for superfluity here, the cars spoke for themselves. In total, 17 exhibitors from Italy, France, Germany, UK and the USA had set up stands in Genthod to promote more than 21 hydrogen, electric and combustion-powered supercars.

Among them, the ‘Gumpert Apollo’, top 3 in lap times on the Top Gear test track and available in only two examples in France, maked its appearance. Straight from the Italian Grande Botte, Maserati presented the brand new MC20 Cielo for the first time to the Swiss market. Featuring a retractable glass roof and cutting-edge technology, this car promises an immersive driving experience, head in the clouds. At the GFG Style stand, visitors had the opportunity to meet Fabrizio Giugiaro, designer of the brand’s new concept car: Kangaroo, a two-seater off-road electric hyper-SUV with 4-wheel drive and 4-wheel steering. Aznom, on its part, was honoured to be present with its Palladium model, the world’s first hyper-SUV at 6 metres long and producing just 10 units worldwide.

On the French side, the collaboration between Alpine and students from the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) in Torino surprised aficionados with the Alpine A4810 by IED: a hydrogen-powered concept supercar, conceived as a ‘super sedan’ thanks to an aerodynamic design and elements reminiscent of Formula 1. Last but not least, Autowelt Schweiz unveiling two automotive monsters: the Mercedes-Benz Hofele HG63 Evolution Ultimate and the Mercedes-Benz Hofele HG63 / G 63 AMG, both of which have been tuned by the German car tuner Hofele; while the American brand Czinger, who travelled all the way from Los Angeles, presented its latest model, the 21C, valued at some €2 million.

The first edition marked the beginning of an incredible adventure. We look forward to seeing you next year from 4 to 7 July 2024

/by
, , , , , , , , ,

Watches and Wonders Geneva announces its dates for 2024

The Salon has revealed its dates, confirming that it will be opening to the general public with a two-part program.
The next edition of Watches and Wonders Geneva will be held from 9 to 15 April 2024 in Geneva’s Halles de Palexpo. New for next year, the general public will be able to attend the event over a long 3-day weekend, from Saturday to Monday inclusive. Press and trade visitors will have access to the Salon throughout the week.

The 2024 edition intends to build on the success of 2023, further raising Geneva’s profile as an international watchmaking destination. The program will again unfold in two parts – at Palexpo and In the City – with an evening event on Thursday 11 April in the heart of town. The aim is to get the people of Geneva and local players even more involved in this major watchmaking event.

All the brands taking part in Watches and Wonders Geneva 2024 will be announced at a later date, along with the full program.

/by
GSMA’s GLOMO Awards 2022
, , , , , , , , , , , ,

GSMA Announces 2022 GLOMO Awards Winners

GSMA Announces 2022 GLOMO Awards Winners

 

March 2022, Barcelona: The GSMA has announced the winners of the 2022 Global Mobile (GLOMO) Awards at MWC Barcelona. The Awards celebrate the companies, individuals and governments who have driven the most innovation in the mobile industry.

“Congratulations to all of our winners and the nominees of the GSMA’s GLOMO Awards 2022. You personify this year’s theme of Connectivity Unleashed,” said John Hoffman, CEO of GSMA Ltd. “This year’s event is more important than ever. Celebrating the innovation and brilliance shaping the mobile ecosystem is crucial. It’s incredible to see the meaningful impact the mobile ecosystem is having in this ever-changing digital world.”

Co-hosted by Justin Springham of Mobile World Live and Sasha Twining, the winners were announced virtually on Wednesday, 2 March, and streamed to audiences around the globe on LinkedIn.

The GLOMO Awards are the most prestigious accolade in the mobile industry. The awards are judged by more than 200 independent industry experts, analysts, journalists, academics, and mobile operator representatives.

This year’s Government Leadership Award was judged by Sigve Brekke, President and CEO of Telenor; Ambassador David Gross, Partner at Wiley; and John Giusti, Chief Regulatory Officer at the GSMA.

The winners of the 2022 GLOMO Awards are:

Mobile Technology category:

  • CTO’s Choice Award

Samsung Networks for fully virtualised 5G RAN solution

  • Best Mobile Network Infrastructure

Huawei for New FDD Gigaband MIMO Modules

  • Best Mobile Technology Breakthrough

Samsung Networks for fully virtualised 5G RAN solution

  • Best Network Software Breakthrough

Rakuten Mobile for 5G Open RAN

  • Best Digital Tech Breakthrough (Companies under $10M Annual Global Revenue)

AccelerComm for 5G physical layer IP for Open RAN that Maximises Spectral Efficiency

  • Best Mobile Authentication & Security Solution

AdaptiveMobile Security, an Enea Company, for the World’s First Unified 5G Network Security Solution

  • 5G Industry Partnership Award

China Unicom Beijing and Huawei for 5G Capital’s Meta Life on Gigabit Society

Industry X category:

  • Best Mobile Operator Service for Connected Consumers

Veon Group for MobileID

  • Best Mobile Innovation for the Connected Economy

Tianjin Port, Huawei and China Mobile for Port Renaissance, Intelligent Twin empowers a Smart, Green Tianjin Port

  • Best Mobile Innovation for the Connected Human

Huawei for 5G Smart Healthcare Lights up Hainan Healthy Island

  • Best Mobile Innovation for Connected Living

Safaricom for M-PESA App

Device category:

  • Best Smartphone

Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max

  • Disruptive Device Innovation Award

Oppo for its Hinge & Display Integration on the FIND N

  • Best Connected Consumer Device

ZTE for Next-Gen Cloud AI Home Security Camera Pro

Tech 4 Good category:

  • Best Mobile Innovation for Emerging Markets

Starlogik IP LLC for StarZRO

  • Best Mobile Innovation supporting Emergency or Humanitarian Situations

Hormuud Telecoms for The WAAFI APP

  • Best Mobile Innovation for Accessibility & Inclusion

SK Telecom and Tuat for AI-based Visual Assistant Service ‘Sullivan Plus X NUGU’

  • Best Mobile Innovation for Climate Action

China Mobile and Huawei for Green 5G Project

  • Outstanding Mobile Contribution to the UN SDGs

Safaricom, Close the Gap and Huawei for DigiTruck Project

Government Leadership category:

  • Government leadership Award

Government of Spain

Outstanding Achievement category:

  • Outstanding Contribution to the Mobile Industry

Mr. Houlin Zhao, Secretary-General, ITU

  • Diversity in Tech Award:

Vodafone for #ChangeTheFace Leadership Alliance

  • Best Innovation for COVID-19 Response & Recovery:

Telit and Controlant for Cellular IoT rollout for COVID-19 vaccine distribution

4YFN category:

  • 4YFN Award:

HumanITcare, using Artificial Intelligence to improve access to healthcare

For further information on GLOMO Awards winners please visit www.globalmobileawards.com.

– ENDS –

About GSMA

The GSMA is a global organization unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments and societal change. Our vision is to unlock the full power of connectivity so that people, industry, and society thrive. Representing mobile operators and organizations across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries, the GSMA delivers for its members across three broad pillars: Connectivity for Good, Industry Services and Solutions, and Outreach. This activity includes advancing policy, tackling today’s biggest societal challenges, underpinning the technology and interoperability that make mobile work, and providing the world’s largest platform to convene the mobile ecosystem at the MWC and M360 series of events.

We invite you to find out more at gsma.com.

Media Contacts:

 

/by
, , , , ,

Rolls-Royce’s Coachbuilt – masterpiece Boat Tail makes global debut at villa deste

COACHBUILT MASTERPIECE ‘BOAT TAIL’ MAKES GLOBAL DEBUT AT VILLA D’ESTE

Rolls-Royce’s coachbuilt masterpiece Boat Tail makes its global public debut at the prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on 2 October 2021. The car will be unveiled at 11.30 local time on the Mosaic Lawn by Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

  • Unique coachbuilt ‘Boat Tail’ makes its first-ever public appearance at the prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on 2 & 3 October 2021
  • Boat Tail on view to guests and media for two days only on the Mosaic Lawn within the grounds of the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este, on the shores of Lake Como, Italy
  • Exhibited four years after the first coachbuilt Rolls-Royce of the modern era, Sweptail, was launched at the same event in 2017


“It is a wonderful privilege to reveal this unique Rolls-Royce to the world for the very first time. Although images have been widely shared, the car itself has not been displayed in public before. The Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza is the perfect occasion, bringing together leading international media alongside knowledgeable motoring experts and discerning luxury aficionados, on the glamorous shores of Lake Como. There is also a pleasing symmetry in that we launched the first coachbuilt Rolls-Royce of the modern era, Sweptail, at the 2017 event.

“It is a truly historic moment for the marque. We are leading a modern coachbuilding movement that takes the wider luxury industry into an entirely different space, where hyper-personalisation and contemporary patronage provide essentially limitless possibilities.”Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars


Rolls-Royce’s coachbuilt masterpiece Boat Tail makes its global public debut at the prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on 2 October 2021. The car will be unveiled at 11.30 local time on the Mosaic Lawn by Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. It will then be available for guests and journalists to view for two days only, before returning to the privacy and seclusion that have surrounded it since it was formally revealed in May 2021.

Images of the car have been shared and admired around the world; however, this is the first time Boat Tail itself has been displayed in public. It is a unique opportunity for guests and journalists to examine the car’s remarkable coachbuilt construction and extraordinary Bespoke detailing, which were designed and hand-built at the Home of Rolls-Royce in a highly demanding technical and creative project lasting almost four years.

Boat Tail marks a seminal moment in the annals of Rolls-Royce, demonstrating the marque’s commitment to coachbuilding as a central part of its future direction and portfolio. It continues and accelerates a contemporary coachbuilding movement that began with Sweptail, the first coachbuilt Rolls-Royce of the modern era, which also made its first public appearance at Villa d’Este back in 2017.

Boat Tail represents a pivotal moment for the wider luxury goods sector.  As a truly hand-built, one-of-a-kind creation, in which both the bodywork and interior are designed and produced to the client’s specification, Rolls-Royce Coachbuild redraws the boundaries of luxury and opens vast new possibilities for patrons of contemporary design and fine craftsmanship.

First staged in 1929 on the shores of Lake Como in northern Italy, the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este is one of the most important and glamorous occasions on the international lifestyle calendar. Normally held in May, the 2021 event takes place from 1-3 October 2021, with Boat Tail presented to the world, for the first time, on 2 & 3 October only

/by
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

2021 actresses Léa Seydoux and Ana de Armas attended the world premiere of No Time To Die wearing jewelry by Chopard

On Tuesday September 28th, 2021 actresses Léa Seydoux and Ana de Armas attended the world premiere of No Time To Die wearing jewelry by Chopard

Léa selected to wear a pair of “Nuage”  earrings featuring brilliant-cut diamonds (totalling 3.77cts) Lea also selected an exquisite butterfly ring featuring pear shaped diamonds (totaling 14.5cts) in 18-carat white gold from The Haute Joaillerie collection and Precious Lace collections.

Ana selected to wear a pair of earrings featuring brilliant pear cut diamonds (totaling 26.78cts) a ring featuring a marquise brilliant cut diamond (totaling 9ct) with further brilliant cut diamonds set in 18-carat white gold, another ring featuring emerald cut diamonds (7.45ct) set in FairMined white gold, a pair of round brilliant solitaire earrings and lastly a ring featuring diamonds in 18-carat white gold.

 

 

 

 

 

/by
, , , , , , ,

100 Years of the Type 13 Brescia: Quadruple Victory for Bugatti

100 Years of the Type 13 Brescia: Quadruple Victory for Bugatti

With its victory in Brescia, Italy in 1921, Bugatti permanently changed the racing scene.

The event is the Gran Premio delle Vetturette. On the Circuito di Montichiari, race cars zip back and forth between the towns of Montichiari and Brescia. Tires screech, dust is thrown up into the air. There are 60 laps to be completed, each one 17.3 kilometers long. This is a real challenge for both man and machine, and remains a legendary race to this day. Bugatti Type 13 vehicles take the top four spots in the Grand Prix for Voiturettes cementing the French luxury brand’s motorsport expertise.

To mark the round anniversary, the Bugatti Club Italia organized a special event between September 12 and 16: 40 historic Bugatti vehicles, including the Type 13, 22 and 23 from all over the world, celebrated the historic victory on the beautiful routes around Lake Garda. The start and finish of each day’s tour was the legendary city of Brescia. For over 35 years, the Bugatti Club Italia has kept the history of the famous French luxury brand alive – long before the first super sports car of modern times was created with the EB 110 in 1991.

With the Type 13 “Brescia” Bugatti was responsible for a turning point in the history of motorsport in 1921. The first of its kind, the open-top sports car heralded the end of large and heavy race cars just a few years later. From 1921, its light bodywork, superior chassis, and powerful engine allowed the Type 13 to leave its competitors for dust.

As did Ernest Jules Friedrich. The French race car driver and mechanic had been convinced of the Type 13 for some time and had won the famous Le Mans race one year previously. Racing in the Voiturette category in the race in Brescia, he performed lap after lap with great concentration, took corners with precision and speed, and crossed the finishing line first – ahead of his teammates Pierre de Vizcaya, Michel Baccoli, and Pierre Marco.

Voiturettes are lightweight, maneuverable race cars. Bugatti’s Type 13 is just such a vehicle – a mere 490 kilograms in weight and a 1.45-liter four-cylinder engine that initially offers 40 PS, and later 50 PS. The open-top two-seater hits a top speed of 150 km/h and can take corners at a pace thanks to its lightweight construction and precise chassis. With the Type 13, which went into production in 1910, Ettore Bugatti brought together his ideas, continued to refine the technology over the subsequent years steadily, and focused systematically on lightweight construction and high-quality workmanship.

First four-valve engine in a car

From 1914, the engine boasted a displacement of 1.35 liters, and from 1919, it featured the first four-valve cylinder head for faster gas exchange, allowing the four-cylinder engine to deliver 30 PS. Bugatti also introduced white metal for the crankshaft bearings and pistons for higher revs as well as a fuel pump and a pump that sprayed oil onto specific components. Easy-shift four-speed transmission made it easier for the driver to change gears frequently.

In 1921, Bugatti increased the displacement to 1.45 liters, while new ball bearings for the crankshaft, which were even lighter and more smooth-running, were introduced for the later race car. At the same time, Bugatti increased the engine’s compression ratio and the carburetor flow rate, opting for a dual magneto ignition for two spark plugs per combustion chamber. As a result, the racing engine delivered powerful combustion at high revs of up to 4,500 rpm. Light wire-spoked wheels that replaced heavy wooden wheels reduced the unsprung masses and increase the vehicle’s agility further still. The Type 13 essentially set the benchmark in motorsport. It was powerful, fast, and sinewy, like a racy thoroughbred; a “pur sang.”

In the 1920s, the Bugatti vehicles won virtually every competition they entered. The lightweight, powerful and reliable sports cars from Molsheim were superior on tough road races and hill climbs in particular, making them close to unbeatable.

Following its quadruple victory in Brescia, the French atelier sold 711 Type 13 Brescia vehicles with a four-valve head as well as 388 vehicles with engines featuring an easy-turn crankshaft with ball bearings. All the subsequent four-valve vehicles even officially bore the name “Brescia” in memory of this unique success. Bugatti also applied the Type 13 concept with other vehicle lengths like the Type 15, Type 17, Type 22, and Type 23. The Type 13 was produced in Molsheim until 1926, with Bugatti selling a total of approximately 2,000 units of the model.

Bugatti Type 35 furthers the racing success

The staff began to assemble Type 35 vehicles in 1925. This vehicle furthered Bugatti’s run of success – in the subsequent years, it became the most successful race car of all time, having clocked up more than 2,000 wins. Among these wins were five consecutive victories in the Targa Florio in Sicily between 1925 and 1929, one of the toughest races of its time. With this impressive success story, the Type 35 therefore followed in the footsteps of its successful predecessor a few years previously in Brescia.

www.bugatti.com

 

/by
, , , , , , , ,

Drive2Extremes: the Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo between ice and desert

Drive2Extremes: the Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo between ice and desert

In the clip “Drive2Extremes. Taycan Cross Turismo x Johnny FPV”, the CUV demonstrates its typically Porsche sportiness on unpaved roads in the desert and on ice. The precision of the drone pilot Johnny FPV transports the viewer from one world to the other in seamless motion.

A hot-air balloon glides over seemingly endless forests of pine. A sports car is drifting in the snow. Between the two, a drone slices through the air, before it swoops down dramatically and captures the car at breakneck speed. A winter landscape? The eye can scarcely apprehend how the flight manuever suddenly transitions to a desert. The music underscores the dynamic acts of cinematography and driving like a symphony of contrasts. The locations provide the extremes in this action film: snow in Finland, desert sands in the United Arab Emirates. The protagonist is the Porsche Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo.

“It’s important to fly in a unique way, to establish a trademark style.”Johnny FPV

The second hero is somewhat in the background. Johnny FPV has both feet on the frozen ground, about 60 miles north of the Arctic Circle, as he works his magic from the bird’s-eye view above. One of the best drone pilots in the world, he is wearing black video glasses and holding a controller. Gloves protect his hands from the icy air – the filmmaker’s biggest challenge today, as he films against the stunning backdrop of the Porsche Driving Area – a closed course with prepared ice tracks.

The long view: with the camera eye of his drone, Johnny FPV tracks the Porsche Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo on two identical course layouts on two continents.

Born Johnny Schaer, the three initials in his professional handle stand for “first-person view” – the camera perspective of the films that have turned his passion into a career. Thanks to instantaneous transmission speeds, the drone pilot sees the world through the eye of his camera. Later, the viewer experiences the spectacular flights with sensory directness. The 25-year-old from Chicago loves speed, cars and flying, and is known for exceptionally dexterous maneuvers. Few can match his skill in making the viewer a part of the action. He opens up new horizons, offering surprising dimensions in technical perfection. Watching him and his drone at work, one senses how the virtual and real worlds meld into one.

Two-tone: the striking red and blue foiling symbolises heat and cold. The script adds further extremes.
Dancing on ice: there is a spirit of adventure in every detail of the Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo. The snow mutes almost every sound coming from the tyres. A silent drift is all but unimaginable, yet possible.
Dancing on ice: there is a spirit of adventure in every detail of the Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo. The snow mutes almost every sound coming from the tyres. A silent drift is all but unimaginable, yet possible.

The film – Drive2Extremes. Taycan Cross Turismo x Johnny FPV – is set in the Lapland town of Levi and the Liwa Oasis on the northern edge of the Rub al Khali desert. More than 3,100 miles as the crow flies and roughly 1400 degrees Fahrenheit separate the two filming locations but in both places the Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo, the first all-electric Cross Utility Vehicle (CUV) from Porsche, conquers identically set courses. The aerial precision of the drone pilot is what allows the gripping splicing of the shots between ice and desert. The film was directed by Los Angeles-based Nicholas Schrunk, who won an Emmy for the documentary Blood Road. He’s a master of the craft of accentuating emotional stories with spectacular stunts.

Teamwork: director Nicholas Schrunk, racing car driver Jukka Honkavuori, and drone pilot Johnny FPV (from left) collaborated on the video spot.

Schaer bought his first drone at the age of 15, followed days later by a second, and shortly thereafter by a third. He practiced relentlessly. He got good. And then he became a pro. “Hand-eye coordination is crucial to being a good pilot. Otherwise it’s just a mix of hard work, good ideas and talent,” he says. In Drive2Extremes, the shots are dynamic in multiple ways. The car moves forward – the drone in all directions. Schaer has developed his own style and it is one that captivates the viewer. “It’s important to fly in a unique way, to establish a trademark style. My videos bear my signature. They’re not jerky, they’re precise and they’re very fluid.”

In just seven years, he’s ascended into the upper echelons of FPV pilots. “It’s indescribable to see and feel how strongly the Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo performs on different surfaces. I knew that electric cars accelerate very quickly, but the fact that the power can be called up like that on ice and sand is something I find incredible.” For him, electric cars are the future. “I’m quite sure I’ll own one too,” says Schaer. With his film, one ‘wow’ moment follows another, punctuated by breathtakingly beautiful slow-motion sequences. The Cross Turismo and its filmmaker – two masters in two different worlds.

/by
, , , , , , , ,

PARMIGIANI FLEURIER RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS GPHG INNOVATION

PARMIGIANI FLEURIER RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS GPHG INNOVATION PRIZE

FOR THE FIRST HIJRI PERPETUAL CALENDAR WRISTWATCH

“The calendar is an eminently fascinating watchmaking complication, as it really is the mirror of civilizations.” Michel Parmigiani

Earlier today, Parmigiani Fleurier was proud to receive the prestigious Innovation Prize from the Grand Prix D’Horlogerie de Genève for its creation of the first Hijri perpetual calendar wristwatch. The prize is awarded by the Jury on a discretionary basis to reward the best competing watch offering an innovative and unique vision of time measurement, and for opening up new pathways for the art of watchmaking.

The Hijri Perpetual Calendar features a 44.5 mm platinum case, a slate dial and rotor in platinum. It shows the hours and minutes, and date in Arabic numerals, the name and length of the months in Arabic calligraphy, as well as the abundant and the common years. It also features a moon phase in an aventurine sky and a power reserve of up to 48 hours. As seen in all Parmigiani Fleurier timepieces, every single component of the movement, even the hidden parts, are decorated by in-house specialists.

Parmigiani Fleurier is often inspired by its work in restoration and is firmly rooted in the history and tradition of watchmaking. The original development of this stunning timepiece dates back to 1993, when Michel Parmigiani restored a simple Hijri Calendar and a pocket watch from the end of the 18th or beginning of the 19th Century that featured a solar calendar translated into Arabic. This led Mr. Parmigiani to create the first-ever Hijri Calendar table clock, and today to the first wristwatch featuring this complication. The Hijri Perpetual Calendar has been carefully designed in consideration of the most intricate elements of Arabic architecture, culture, and religion. It is the culmination of centuries worth of technical knowledge, combining both culture and high horology, and beautifully showcasing the high standards in innovation and hand-crafted expertise the Maison is known for.

“We would like to thank all the people who collaborated with us on this incredible project,” said Davide Traxler, CEO of Parmigiani Fleurier. “At Parmigiani Fleurier we stand strong in our belief in solidarity, in the power of community, in being inspired by the work of greats who have come before us, in inspiring future generations, and sharing the gifts of watchmaking with industry colleagues and those around the globe who appreciate the artistry of our work. The international community of watch admirers and devotees is a motley of cultures and traditions; we celebrate this diversity in our own way with the Hijri Perpetual Calendar, and we hope that- as an industry and as citizens of the world-  we will also embrace it in the people we choose to represent and lead us.”

Parmigiani Fleurier sought the expertise of Mr. Stefano Macaluso to redesign each of the bridges of the new PF009 movement. The bridges are inspired by the typical arches of mosques and adopt the shape of growing and shrinking crescent moons. The Rub el Hizb, an Islamic symbol represented by two overlapping squares which in Arabic calligraphy marks the end of a chapter, is often used in the holy book of Quran and is also represented in this design to honor the cultural richness of the Arab world through modern watchmaking.

“The decoration inspiration for the Parmigiani Fleurier Hijri Perpetual Calendar was drawn from the architecture of the Arab world, highlighting all of its aesthetic codes, each more beautiful than the next, while keeping in mind an evocative and quickly understandable visual vocabulary,” said Stefano Macaluso.

 
Picture: The Naked Watchmaker  

In the Muslim world, the calendar is based on the cycles of the moon. The Hijri or Islamic lunar calendar consists of twelve months of 29 or 30 days – depending on the moon phase- and is used to pinpoint the days for Islamic holidays. In contrast to the solar calendar, which is used in the west, the months of the lunar calendar change annually by a difference of -10 to -12 days. As a result, each month always falls on a different season and therefore varies from the Gregorian Calendar.

PARMIGIANI FLEURIER

Taking its name from its founder, watchmaker and restorer Michel Parmigiani, the fine watchmaking brand was founded in 1996 in Fleurier, in the Swiss valley of Val-de-Travers. With its own watchmaking centre ensuring its independence, the brand has both full control over the production process and unique creative freedom. For over twenty years, the Parmigiani Fleurier signature has resided within timepieces that command the utmost respect, in harmony with watchmaking traditions. They are the labour of a lifetime – that of Michel Parmigiani, the talented individuals who assist him, and the special relationship between the Manufacture and the masterpieces of the past, enabling it to invent a bold future.

/by