Tag Archive for: World

Anillos, ARCHITECTURE, BEAUTY, Collares, Diadèmes, Esmeraldas, Joyas, JOYERÍA, Oro, Pendientes, Perlas

Maison Boucheron – High Jewelry collections Care Blanche 2022

Maison Boucheron offers the studio complete creative freedom. High Jewelry collections that put creation and innovation at the heart of emotion.

Ailleurs

Carte Blanche High Jewelry Collection July 2022

Ailleurs – Elsewhere – is where Claire Choisne and her studio are taking us with this new Collection. An “elsewhere” where everything becomes possible, without any borders, and where nature is in a raw state. From the deserts to the oceans, the mountains to the rainforests, Studio Boucheron has confronted and mixed together worlds and materials one could initially think are contradictory; where diamonds meet pebbles and burnt wood, gold meets rattan and meteorite.

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Holographique

Carte Blanche High Jewelry Collection July 2021

“With this Holographique collection, I sought to offer Boucheron a new definition of light. To capture its essence, I used color. Each piece is like a prism that captures the complexity of light by representing all the colors that comprise it. Each piece reveals the colors of the world in a new light.”
– Claire Choisne

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Contemplation

Carte Blanche High Jewelry Collection July 2020

Capturing a fleeting moment so it will never disappear. Suspending time. Expressing through creation what words cannot say. This is the poetry that Claire Choisne brings to us this year, in a personal, intimate and almost secretive collection of High Jewelry. She reinterprets the codes of Maison Boucheron and takes them on a journey into her own creative universe.

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8 August, 2022/by Maria G

Barcos, Concept, Náutica

Sp80 unveils final boat design in pursuit of the world Sailing Speed Record

• SP80 is ready to show the world the final design, which is set to reach 80 knots (150km/h) powered by the wind.
• Under construction since the summer of 2021, this futuristic 10 by 7 meter boat will feature two pilots.
• The “sea rocket” will be launched at the end of the year, with the first record attempts planned for thesummer of 2023.
• Already sponsored by the Swiss watchmaking brand Richard Mille, SP80 is launching a campaign to identify a final group of sponsors.

From concept to reality Established in 2018, SP80 has been coordinating the critical stage of the boat production over the last 6 months. This spaceship-like sailboat has been designed to reach 80 knots (150km/h), shattering the world sailing speed record. Limited by confidentiality requirements, the Swiss company has so far only shown a the concept that allows viewers to understand the boat’s operating principles, without revealing any definitive design elements.

Today, the construction has advanced to the stage where the team feels ready to reveal the final design. While the principles remain the same – an extraordinary sailboat towed by a kite – the boat will be bigger than the initial concept (i.e. 10m long and 7m wide). With a sleeker shape and stretched, aggressive lines, other elements have also been refined to increase the stability of the structure; a key point in the record-breaking strategy defended by SP80. The young Swiss company is on its way to redefine the architectural codes of the sailing world.

A cockpit with room for two Freshly finished by the renowned shipyard Persico Marine, the main hull will arrive in April to SP80’s premises in Renens (Switzerland). This first part reveals a crucial element of the cockpit: it can take two pilots on board. One will pilot the kite while the other will steer the boat. “Very early in our development phase, it was clear that being alone on board was not an option to accelerate safely up to 80 knots.” – says Benoît Gaudiot, co-founder and pilot. “At 150 km/h, it is essential to be focused on one task!We will thus have a pilot steering the kite, while a co-pilot will ensure the boat’s trajectory. However, at low speeds, that is around 30 knots, the boat can be sailed solo, which will allow us to welcome passengers onboard to experience something extraordinary !” At 80 knots, it is critical to ensure maximum safety for the pilots. The cockpit has been designed to withstand accelerations of up to 50G! It has also been reinforced with Kevlar® to protect its occupants from possible carbon shards in the event of a crash. As a boat sailing at 150km/h on water is equivalent to a Formula 1 on land, the drivers will be equipped accordingly: bucket seats, 6 point-harnesses and helmets. In case of emergency, they will also have oxygen masks at their disposal, something that has never been seen before in the sailing world!
Calendar and next steps While the shipyard continues the construction of the beam and floats, the SP80 team will take over the main hull and integrate all the mechanical systems. The final assembly of the boat is scheduled for next autumn with an official launch before the end of 2022. After a few months of optimisation and testing, the first record attempts will take place in summer 2023 in the south of France.

Guided by strong values, the company has already secured several notable partnerships. The team is currently beginning its final partnership search campaign. Investigations are focused on Swiss brands, with the goal to create collaborations that go beyond sponsorship agreements.

“Thanks to our current partners, we have been able to realise this revolutionary boat with a launch date later this autumn.” – says Mayeul van den Broek, co-founder and project manager.
“2023 will be a decisive year, with the final preparations to break the 80 knots record and make sailing history. We are currently looking for the last financial and technical partnerships to take the adventure to the finish line. The whole team is so proud to see this concept becoming a reality and we can’t wait to finally unveil and test our final design on the water! ”

12 April, 2022/by Maria G

RELOJES, Relojes de Hombre, Relojes de Mujer, Relojes Edición Limitada

CORINNE SUTER, THE SWISS SKIER, JOINS THE HUBLOT FAMILY

Corinne Suter, the Swiss skier, joins the family of Swiss luxury watchmaker, Hublot Corinne Suter: the 2021 World Downhill Champion is the Swiss star that everyone had been waiting for. She has managed to harness pressure by transforming her adrenaline into a driving force and turning her doubts into a strength that is greater than her. She has gained confidence in her abilities and knows that she can compete with the best; this has changed her perspective. She has found her equilibrium and became the world’s best speed specialist. Today, she is joining the Hublot family. A unique combination of the watchmaker and the Queen of the downhill skiing.

To stay up-to-date, follow: @Hublot #Hublot
And one day, all your efforts turn into success! The first podiums bring confidence and that confidence brings podiums. I really felt that I was surrendering, that I was also having much more fun on my skis, I put much less pressure on myself and my first medals allowed me to convert those hundredths of seconds which were against me into success. Knowing that I can keep up and compete with the best, I feel liberated. Even though I am aware that the slate is wiped clean with each race, and that I always have to push my limits, I am now competing for and no longer against myself. I don’t want to be faster than anyone else, I just want to improve for myself; I ski for myself and not against someone else. That mindset has changed everything. I transcend the race adrenalin and it transcends me. When I met Hublot, Ricardo and the teams, I again found that desire to surpass oneself, to make each watch, each new material, an opportunity to push new limits, because this is a brand that is competing for itself, not against itself or others. A family of athletes and media personalities united by the same
desire to surpass themselves, again and again.”

Corinne Suter
2021 World Downhill Champion and new Hublot friend of the brand HUBLOT:
Corinne Suter’s story is the story of a favourite who became a speed specialist, by converting promising talent into success. They say success breeds success; above all, it is shaped by experiences and what you make of them. On the ski runs, it all comes down to tenths and hundredths of seconds, times that the queen of speed will now measure with Hublot stopwatches alongside the other skiers of the family – Dario Cologna, Tanguy Nef, & Kjetil Jansrud.

CHIARA FERRAGNI BECOMES A NEW HUBLOT GLOBAL AMBASSADOR AND FACE OF THE GLOBAL CAMPAIGN

Hublot believes it is very important for members of our family to be inspirational and role models, so that their life journeys can motivate others to give their best. Corinne Suter is on such a journey and we love her life story. She has strength of character, authenticity and is incredibly likeable. As queen of the greatest downhill skiing
discipline, she is now the best speed specialist in the world. I am certain that together we can produce the perfect performance.” Ricardo Guadalupe HUBLOT CEO

The tenths and hundredths of seconds that make history People often remember the decisive day that changed the life of an athlete; yet the athlete did not pull that performance out of a hat! Their achievement was a rich journey patterned with success and failure. Corinne Suter’s very promising early career was followed by a succession of injuries, and then she underwent a renaissance, affirming her talent in 2019. The two medals – silver in the Downhill and bronze in the Super-G – which she won in Åre, took the pressure off; both the pressure she put on herself and the pressure of the World Cup tour which saw her as the long-awaited star. In 2020, Corinne, originally from Schwyz, won two speed awards (Downhill and Super-G), confirming her rise to power. With her first small crystal trophy, she became the first Swiss female skier to win the competition since Chantal Bournissen in 1991. Then, there was that classic run, on 13 February 2021, on one of the most tour’s beautiful runs, the Olimpia delle Tofane in Cortina, where Corinne crossed the finishing line with nine tenths of a second advantage. She won her first world championship title, and gave Switzerland its first world title in downhill skiing since Maria Walliser in 1989. The long-awaited star confirmed her potential, and was crowned best speed specialist in 2021.
Her recipe for success With no fear of either gradient or speed, her routine at the top of the run is now simpler: after the recce, she takes one look at the run to conserve all her energy and focus for the race. While adrenaline helps the athlete give her best, she now knows that races convert into podium results by managing the pressure she puts on herself and then surrendering.

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 League, UEFA EUROTM) and the finest ambassadors our era has to offer (Chiara Ferragni, Pelé, Kylian Mbappé, Usain Bolt, Novak Djokovic).
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
Stay up-to-date with #Hublot

15 November, 2021/by Maria G

ARCHITECTURE, Boats, Eléctrico, Náutica, Yates

E1 Series and PIF announce partnership to create world’s first electric powerboat championship

Electric Sea Racing Limited (‘E1 Series’) and Public Investment Fund (PIF) have entered into a partnership that will see PIF support in creating the world’s first electric powerboat racing championship.

The news was revealed today during a virtual launch event, where E1 Series organisers also unveiled the new design of the electric RaceBird powerboat ahead of World Oceans Day on June 8.

The partnership represents a significant step forward in the long-term development of the championship, providing a strong foundation on which to build from and enabling the series to further accelerate preparations for the inaugural season, scheduled to take place in early 2023 – with Saudi Arabia to be one of the considered race locations.

As a major contributor to the global economy and partner of choice for innovative companies and investors, PIF’s investment in E1 is in line with its 2021-2025 strategy announced earlier this year, which focuses on 13 key strategic sectors, including sports and entertainment, and renewable energy. This includes major investments in renewable energy companies, such as ACWA Power and the Sudair Solar Energy project, as well as in the development of electric vehicles through its investment in Lucid Motors.

Series creators Alejandro Agag, Chairman of E1, and Rodi Basso, CEO of E1, were both joined live in the studio by the President of the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) Raffaele Chiulli, as well as SeaBird Technologies Founder Sophi Horne, and Founder & CEO of Victory Marine Brunello Acampora to present the RaceBird powerboat.

The vessel is a completely new design and was co-created by Horne and Acampora following an extensive validation process. The RaceBird is inspired by nature and birds flying low over the water and features an outboard motor, enclosed safety canopy and hydrofoil technology.

Using innovative hydrofoil technology, the electric RaceBird powerboats will rise high above the water’s surface, allowing for minimum drag and maximum energy efficiency. Being lifted above the waves will not only improve performance, but it will also promote close and competitive racing with a reduced wake when following an opponent.

The RaceBird is specially designed for foil-to-foil racing and is capable of reaching speeds up to 50 knots (93 km/h or 58 mph), with pilots showcasing their skills using tight and technical circuits located close to shore in the heart of urban areas.

With the design now validated, the RaceBird has entered into the production phase with the expert engineers at Victory Marine concentrating their efforts and resource over the coming months on manufacturing a full fleet of race-ready electric powerboats.

Alejandro Agag, Co-Founder & Chairman of E1, said: “It gives me great pleasure to welcome on board PIF as a new partner in this exciting venture. To get the backing of PIF at this early stage of development emphasises the importance of our mission to electrify marine mobility. With the new design of the RaceBird boat you see today, we hope to accelerate change in the marine industry and provide sustainable solutions for future leisure craft. The new powerboat that Sophi and Brunello designed looks like a spaceship. I’ve compared electric racing cars to podracers from Star Wars in the past, but the RaceBird looks even more futuristic. Working together with PIF, I look forward to ushering in a new era of electric powerboat racing.”

Rodi Basso, Co-Founder & CEO of E1, said: “We’re thrilled to be working together with PIF to jointly shape the future direction of powerboating. Forming a strong partnership with a global investment powerhouse such as PIF provides a solid foundation on which to build a new sport. The RaceBird presents a unique challenge and one that the teams at SeaBird Technologies and Victory Marine have delivered on. They’ve managed to develop an innovative powerboat with an eye-catching design and factored in practical solutions ready to go racing. Shortly we’ll also be announcing our powertrain and electronics partners; we’re on schedule to hit the water soon.”

Commenting on the announcement, HE Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Governor of the Public Investment Fund, said: “This exciting investment in a new premier sport format aligns with our strategy to enable innovation globally and unlock new industries, as well as build strategic partnerships with real value add to Saudi Arabia. We believe our support for future sports will also contribute to the growth of various sectors globally.

“Our partnership with E1 will help drive the development of innovative sustainable technology, which in turn positions Saudi as an enabler in the industries of the future and the creation of new opportunities.”

Sophi Horne, Founder of SeaBird Technologies, said: “It’s amazing to finally be able to share the new RaceBird design with the world. Obviously, I’ve seen it on a screen quite a lot in the past few months! But it’s great to show the new look of the boat that the pilots will race with. The bodywork and shape of the vessel is inspired by nature and birds flying above the water’s surface. What has been interesting is trying to find a balance between how you envisage the design and combining that with optimising both performance and efficiency. The solution we settled on fortunately doesn’t compromise on either the looks or performance capabilities.”

Brunello Acampora, Founder & CEO of Victory Marine, said: “Today’s announcement is the result of many months of hard work, creating a completely new design and simulating it in a competitive racing environment. I’ve really enjoyed working together with Sophi to produce the vessel that will compete in the world’s first electric powerboat championship. Now that the design has been fully validated, we’ll begin engineering and manufacturing the boats in preparation for prototype testing and ready for the teams to receive their first delivery. For us at Victory Marine, the E1 Series is the greatest test bench for cutting-edge solutions that will change the future of navigation forever.”

Dr. Raffaele Chiulli, President of the UIM, said: “At the International Powerboat Federation, we’re delighted to be part of this groundbreaking development in the powerboating sport. The futuristic RaceBird design combined with the use of hydrofoil technology in the E1 Series reflects the pioneering spirit of this initiative and are an inspiring answer to today’s challenges facing marine mobility. It’s an exciting moment for our sport and I cannot wait to see the RaceBird on the water.”

Released ahead of World Oceans Day, the RaceBird acts as a symbol of the future ambitions of the E1 Series, to revolutionise marine mobility and reduce the pressures being placed on fragile underwater ecosystems across the world.

The next major milestone in the RaceBird development is in September when the covers come off the first full-scale model at the Monaco Yacht Show, before the start of prototype testing which is set to get underway later this year.

E1 were advised by Shoosmiths law firm and financial advisers PJT Partners.

www.e1series.com

13 June, 2021/by Carlos

Coches, Especiales

‘UNIFYING SPUR’ EMBEDS DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AT THE HEART OF BENTLEY’S BEYOND100 STRATEGY

Bentley sets out five step diversity and inclusion plan under Beyond100 strategy
Efforts will focus on enhancing diversity and inclusion across the business and driving progress towards long term business goals, with a target of 30 per cent diversity at management level by 2025
As internal engagement kicks off, Bentley has revealed the unique Unifying Spur – a Flying Spur wrapped in an artist’s design capturing the themes of love, progress and unity.
Start of a global calendar of external events and activities involving the car

(Crewe, 27 May 2021) Bentley Motors has today set out further details of its diversity and inclusion strategy. A uniquely-designed Flying Spur embodies this company focus as European Diversity month draws to a close, and Pride celebrations begin around the world.

‘UNIFYING SPUR’ EMBEDS DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AT THE HEART OF BENTLEY’S BEYOND100 STRATEGY

The 101-year old company is going through unparalleled change on its journey towards a climate-positive future. Recognising the fundamental importance of diverse experiences and perspectives to drive creativity and innovation, Bentley aims to become the most diverse luxury car manufacturer. To this end it has set a target of increasing diversity in management to 30 per cent by 2025.

Bentley’s five step strategy focuses on outreach, recruitment, succession planning, culture and development. Early careers talent acquisition will be over-indexed towards organisations with diverse intakes, while the recruitment of established hires will explore new talent pools. To ensure that all talent within the business is supported, succession planning will be reviewed to ensure early identification of diverse talent within the business. Development programmes will ensure that colleagues from all walks of life are able to grow and achieve their full potential. This will be underpinned by measurable KPIs and targets, and Board-led engagement to drive a positive culture and remove unconscious bias. The recently-launched colleague network groups will also help drive engagement within the business through a series of strategic events and activities.

‘UNIFYING SPUR’ EMBEDS DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AT THE HEART OF BENTLEY’S BEYOND100 STRATEGY

To mark the launch of the strategy, a challenge was set to the Bentley Design team to create an automotive artwork that celebrates diversity in all its forms. Designer Rich Morris, who paints and sculpts in his spare time, rose to the challenge by creating a piece of four-wheeled art using the nine colours of the Progress flag. His design joins the words “Love is Love” through a single, unbroken line, that traces faces, dancing figures and shapes – representing the unifying power of humanity, regardless of race, creed or sexuality. The Unifying Spur will be revealed to colleagues at Bentley’s Crewe factory before embarking upon a programme of external activities in the coming months.

‘UNIFYING SPUR’ EMBEDS DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AT THE HEART OF BENTLEY’S BEYOND100 STRATEGY

Dr. Astrid Fontaine, Bentley’s Member of the Board for People, Digitalisation and IT, explains:

“We know that diversity drives success, by bringing a greater range of experience, creativity as well as inclusion allows co-operation to play in business strategy, innovation and decision-making. We also want our our business to reflect our global customer base and most importantly of all, to ensure that we all work in an environment where everyone feels safe to bring their true self to work and valued for who they are and what they can do.

“That is why diversity and inclusion are profoundly important to us and as part of our Beyond100 programme we have therefore set ourselves the challenge to become the most diverse luxury car manufacturer. For us this means ensuring there are colleagues from all walks of life in our management structure.

“This goes hand in hand with our ethos that a rich and inclusive culture, where everyone is supported to achieve their full potential, is what will help to drive our business forward for the next one hundred years.

“Through the reveal of the Unifying Spur, the internal activities that it will support – and the external engagements we are planning for it in 2021 – we aim to celebrate the individual talents and idiosyncracies that make us all unique as – whilst at the same time as highlighting the key themes that unite and bring us together.”

Bentley Motors is the most sought-after luxury car brand in the world. The company’s headquarters in Crewe is home to all of its operations including design, R&D, engineering and production of the company’s three model lines, Continental, Flying Spur and Bentayga. The combination of fine craftsmanship, using skills that have been handed down through generations, alongside engineering expertise and cutting-edge technology is unique to UK luxury car brands such as Bentley. It is also an example of high-value British manufacturing at its best. Bentley employs around 4,000 people at Crewe.

30 May, 2021/by Carlos

Gadgets, RELOJES, Relojes de Hombre, Relojes de Mujer, Relojes Edición Limitada

Vacheron Constantin – Métiers d’Art Tribute to great explorers: a new window on the world and on history, opened by talented Master artisans

A series of three ten-piece limited editions, paying homage to the Portuguese sailors Bartolomeu Dias, Vasco da Gama and Pedro Álvares Cabral.
Miniature masterpieces, with Grand Feu enamel dials inspired by a map from the 1519 Miller Atlas, of which a reproduction is kept in the Portuguese Maritime Museum (Museu de Marinha – Lisbon).
The Manufacture 1120 AT movement powering an off-centre display of the hours and minutes, leaving ample space to express the Maison’s artistic crafts.

Geneva, 2021 – They evoke a time when the world had yet to be discovered. They retrace the famous epic journeys of the great 15^th century explorers who braved the seas and oceans to discover distant horizons. Bartolomeu Dias, Vasco da Gama, Pedro Álvares Cabral: Vacheron Constantin celebrates their spirit of adventure through a new series of three ten-piece limited editions, the Métiers d’Art Tribute to great explorers. Crafted in Grand Feu enamel, each dial depicts selected portions of a 1519 map from the Miller Atlas. These three masterpieces of miniaturisation and expertise are driven by the Manufacture 1120 AT movement. These new models, presented at Watches & Wonders 2021, are part of the theme of the Maison for 2021 : entitled Classic with a Twist, it highlights Vacheron Constantin’s creative energy, guided by an identity that celebrates a heritage and dares to deliver the unexpected.

The spirit of travel, exploration and discovery of arts and cultures is an integral part of Vacheron Constantin’s history. A history rooted in the origins of the Manufacture, in an age when François Constantin did not hesitate to travel the world to open new markets and to fly the banner of the Maison high and wide, wherever possible. This openness to the world still pervades the philosophy of the Manufacture, which symbolically celebrates the spirit of adventure through a new journey – on this occasion a voyage through time – in memory of the great 15^th century Portuguese explorers.

With this third opus in the Métiers d’Art Tribute to great explorers collection, which completes two series presented in 2004 and 2008, Vacheron Constantin ventures into one of history’s most exhilarating chapters. In the wake of models dedicated to Magellan, Zheng Hé, Christopher Columbus and Marco Polo, which proved a great success with collectors, comes the turn of Bartolomeu Dias, Vasco da Gama and Pedro Álvares Cabral to be honoured through extraordinary miniature compositions enhanced by talented master artisans. They bear witness to the noble touch and impressive creativity of the enamellers whose mastery of Grand Feu enamel once again broadens the horizons of the Métiers d’Art collection. A rare skill extending an invitation to travel while firing the imagination.

Masterful miniature Grand Feu enamel expressions of patience and meticulous care
Inspired by a map from the 1519 Miller Atlas, of which a painted reproduction is kept in the Portuguese Maritime Museum (Museu de Marinha – Lisbon), each dial shows a part of the world and the maritime routes respectively taken by the three explorers. In order to replicate the finely nuanced colours and the extreme delicacy of the motifs, the Maison opted for the art of enamelling. The result is three dials in Grand Feu enamel, masterpieces of patience and precision that require a full month’s work and 11 firings in the kiln at a temperature of between 800 and 900°C. These are all stages in which mastering fire proves crucial, since a few seconds too many can jeopardise several weeks of work.

The art of enamelling is a rare skill, a subtle blend of experience and sensitivity demonstrated in each move made by the artisan. Composed of crystal and metal oxides, enamels come in the form of small blocks of colour that the enameller first crushes into an extremely fine powder. The latter is then worked to create a substance similar to paint, which is applied in successive touches, enabling the enameller to represent motifs with incredible finesse and nuance. After coating the dial with the background colour, the enameller tackles the dial motifs, starting with the outlines of the continents, which are here enhanced with gold-coloured enamel powder. The decorative elements of this elegant composition – including the ships, fauna, flora and wind rose – are also produced using the delicate technique of miniature painting, thus serving to reproduce a host of details and subtly graded shades, obtained after numerous tests by the enameller. Each addition of colour requires another firing, since enamel is a mineral material that must be melted down in order to display its famous brilliance and intense depth.

Calibre 1120 AT with satellite hours
So as to give free rein to the enameller’s expertise, the three Métiers d’Art Tribute to great explorers models are powered by in-house Calibre 1120 AT. This movement is distinguished first and foremost by its 5.45 mm thinness enabling the 41 mm-diameter 4N pink gold case to maintain a trim 11.68 mm overall thickness guaranteeing an elegant appearance on the wrist.

The mechanism is also distinguished by its singular construction and its original time display mode enabling the wearer to travel visually through the dial as the hours pass by. Concealed beneath the upper part of the dial, the hours wheel is equipped with three arms each bearing four hours numerals, driven in turn by a cam shaped like the Manufacture’s Maltese cross inspired emblem. This ingenious satellite module enables the hours to sweep across the dial from top to bottom, traversing the fixed minutes circle positioned along a 120° arc. The hours numerals thus travel through the dial and their position gives an indication of the minutes replacing a traditional hand-type display.

Revealed through the transparent caseback, the movement decorations – notably including the 22-carat pink gold oscillating weight adorned with a wind rose – are entirely worthy of its technical nature.

Métiers d’Art Tribute to great explorers –Bartolomeu Dias
If his crews had not convinced him to give up on continuing the journey beyond the southern tip of Africa, perhaps Bartolomeu Dias (1450 – 1500) would have been the first to reach the Indies. The illustrious Portuguese explorer made history in a different way, by discovering the Cape of Good Hope in 1488, paving the way for future expeditions. Bartolomeu Dias was also a member of the crew of Vasco da Gama, who led his fleet to Indies between 1497 and 1498.

The route taken by Bartolomeu Dias’ ships in 1488 is represented by a red line on the Grand Feu enamel dial, enhanced by numerous incredibly refined details. With the help of a magnifying glass, a close look will reveal the silhouette of the men composing the explorer’s crew on board the two ships sailing west of Africa; or the palette of shades used by the enameller to precisely reproduce the landscapes, fauna and flora as they are represented on the map of the Miller Atlas.

Métiers d’Art Tribute to great explorers – Vasco da Gama
The long journey that took him from Portugal to the coasts of India was one of the most important 15^th century discoveries. The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama (1469 –1524), who left his native country in 1497, was the first to travel from Europe and Asia by sea, following an epic and often hellish journey across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. After circumnavigating the southern tip of Africa, his fleet of four ships sailed along the coast as far as Kenya before embarking on a crossing towards the Indies, which he reached in 1498.

The sea route taken by its crew is finely traced in red enamel on the dial, each detail of which is a very faithful reproduction of the map appearing in the Miller Atlas. The gaze will naturally be drawn to a ship from Vasco da Gama’s fleet in the dial centre, sails billowing on a stormy sea; or to the circumference of the wind rose and the continents enhanced with gold-coloured enamel powder.

Métiers d’Art Tribute to great explorers – Pedro Álvares Cabral
It is to this Portuguese aristocrat and explorer that we owe the discovery of Brazil in 1500. Pedro Álvares Cabral (1467 – 1520) was commissioned by King Manuel I of Portugal to travel to the Indies to continue the work of Vasco da Gama, but he took a very different route from his contemporary. Rather than sailing along the African coast to the southern tip of Africa, the fleet led by Pedro Álvares Cabral headed west, until they discovered a new world, Brazil.

This route is depicted by a red enamel line standing out against a beige enamel background punctuated by extremely faithful representations of the elements present on the map of the Miller Atlas. In the centre of the dial, a ship from Pedro Álvares Cabral’s fleet, sails buffeted by the wind, proudly cleaves the sea in an extraordinarily lifelike manner. The accuracy of the craftsmanship is also expressed in the shimmering feathers of the birds as well as in the depiction of human figures on the South American continent.

Classic with a Twist

Vacheron Constantin’s creativity has always remained closely attuned to its time while evoking its memories. This byword for elegance, adopted by each watchmaker, artisan and designer throughout the years and centuries, celebrates heritage and dares to explore the unexpected. Poised at the intersection between technical virtuosity and aesthetic refinement, the enduring allure of Vacheron Constantin timepieces makes its way unscathed through passing eras. Because timelessness cannot be achieved merely by complying with the canons of traditional watchmaking, each creation is tinged with a touch of boldness revealed in the smallest details. Special displays, offset indications, specific chamfering of all components, hand-crafted finishing and the complexity of a mechanism are just a few examples of this expertise. The result is a very personal field of expression where technique and style converge in a subtle harmony between the conventional and the atypical.

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Sum-up

Vacheron Constantin explores an exhilarating page of history with the Métiers d’Art Tribute to great explorers’ collection, available in a series of three ten-piece limited editions. In the wake of Magellan, Zheng Hé, Christopher Columbus and Marco Polo, to whom the Manufacture had already paid tribute in 2004 and 2008, comes the turn of Bartolomeu Dias, Vasco da Gama and Pedro Álvares Cabral to be honoured through extraordinary compositions enhanced by talented master artisans. To celebrate the discoveries made by these three 15^th century Portuguese navigators, the Maison has opted for Grand Feu enamel and the technique of miniature painting. Masterpieces of patience and meticulous care, each of the three dials represents part of a map from the 1519 Miller Atlas, of which a reproduction is kept in Portuguese Maritime Museum (Museu de Marinha – Lisbon). These extraordinarily precise compositions are framed by a slim 18K 4N pink gold case measuring 41 mm in diameter. In order to provide abundant expressive scope for the enameller, these models beat to the rhythm of the 1120 AT self-winding movement, driving an off-centre time display thanks to a satellite hours module.

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TECHNICAL DATA

Métiers d’Art Tribute to great explorers

Reference
7500U/000R-B687: Bartolomeu Dias
7500U/000R-B688: Vasco da Gama
7500U/000R-B689: Pedro Álvares Cabral

Calibre
1120 AT
Developed and crafted by Vacheron Constantin
Mechanical, self-winding
22K gold oscillating weight with tapisserie decor
32.80 mm (12 ½ ‘’’ diameter), 5.45 mm thick
Approximately 40 hours of power reserve
2.75 Hz (19,800 vibrations per hour)
205 components
36 jewels
Hallmark of Geneva certified timepiece

Indications
Dragging hours, minutes

Case
18K 4N pink gold
41mm diameter, 11.68 mm thick
Transparent sapphire crystal caseback
Water-resistance tested at a pressure of 3 bar (approx. 30 meters)

Dial
18K gold, two-level dial, Grand Feu enamel
Enamelled hour-markers

Strap
Blue Mississippiensis alligator leather with alligator leather inner shell, hand-stitched, saddle-finish, large square scales

Clasp
18K 4N pink gold folding clasp
Polished half Maltese cross-shaped
Limited series of ten timepieces per reference.
Models available exclusively through the Vacheron Constantin Boutiques.

23 May, 2021/by Maria G

DEPORTES, EVENTOS, Golf, MyEvents

Jon Rahm conquers the Memorial, and is now Number 1 in the World

Jon Rahm is getting stronger and stronger every time he steps up to the plate, and will go down in history in Spanish golf. The golfer from Barrika won the PGA Tour Memorial tournament this Sunday, held on the Muirfield Village Golf Club course in Ohio, and is now Number One in the world for the first time in his career.

Seve Ballesteros was the only Spanish golfer to reach such astounding heights before Jon, and it was more than 30 years ago.

Jon Rahm conquers the Memorial, and is now Number 1 in the World

Rahm achieved many things this Sunday. He won his fourth PGA Tour tournament (fifth if we include the Hero World Challenge which is not official) and his eleventh as a professional. He took home the title on Jack Nicklaus’ turf, which is something that always shows character. He won in very difficult conditions, with firm greens and fairways, the firmest in a very long time in the PGA Tour, with wind, rain…He took home the trophy after a final round of nine majestic holes. It couldn’t have been played much better than Rahm did on that stretch. Additionally, it’s the fourth season in which he’s won at least one PGA Tour tournament, only within reach of a select few. He hasn’t missed a year without a win since he went pro. Incredible.

Jon’s win in the memorial was a result of his extremely high level of play in all aspects of the game, the only way to win on such a demanding course as the Memorial. His long game was extraordinary, especially on the tee shots, his putt came out in full force, consistent, just like it was before, and his short game never fails to show up when he needs it the most.

Rahm finished out his victory with rounds of 69, 67, 68 and 75 shots. The round on Saturday was one of the best of his career, in very tough conditions, and playing like the star that he is. That’s what allowed him to start off on Sunday with a four-shot advantage, to which he added four more after a stellar performance on the front nine. It doesn’t get much better than that, pure concentration, and very sure of himself. He wanted to commit to his shots, and he passed with flying colors.

He went into the back nine holes with an eight-shot advantage, and he still had to suffer through the last nine holes to secure the victory. At the highest level, there are no freebies. Two bad holes (10th and 11th) made the rankings very tight with Ryan Palmer, although in reality, Jon was never less than three shots ahead, a solid lead.

The Spanish golfer cleared up any and all doubt with an unforgettable shot, one for the books. He made a sensational chip shot on the 16th hole for birdie, although afterwards, that birdie became a bogey due to a penalty (his ball moved slightly when he was preparing the shot). That fantastic approach was the icing on the cake to a tremendous victory, with the likes of a Major, or at least the perfect precursor to a Major, his next big objective after becoming Number One in the world.

The final scene on the 18th hole, greeted by Jack Nicklaus, tournament host, was the perfect ending to a fairy-tale week. Victory, Number One, and a blessing from one of golf’s biggest legends. It doesn’t get much better than that.

source: http://jonrahm.com/

20 July, 2020/by Carlos

Collares, Diamantes, JOYERÍA, Oro, Pendientes, Pulseras, Rings

The name Graff is synonymous with the best yellow diamonds in the world.

The Graff name is synonymous with the world’s finest yellow diamonds. With insight from three industry experts, Maria Dulton uncovers their extraordinary journey from rare rough stones to polished beauty.

The name Graff is synonymous with the best yellow diamonds in the world.

If any stone can capture joy, the yellow diamond wins hands down. On the drabbest of days, the golden light from a perfect yellow radiates wellbeing like the warmth of a hazy summer afternoon. Could a yellow diamond be a contradiction of world order, a shard of sunlight captured forever in a virtually indestructible mineral born in the mysterious depths of our planet?

Science tells us otherwise, and it is nitrogen, the rather less romantic element, that billions of years ago differentiated a colourless diamond from its daffodil-bright sibling.

The yellow is the only coloured diamond whose grading begins on the lower end of the GIA D-Z grading scale and continues into the ‘Fancy’ hues, giving yellows the widest and most fascinating range of variants.

The most prized are the four Fancy grades, from Fancy Light to top-of-the-range Fancy Vivid, with its perfect equilibrium of colour and saturation.

Until the discovery of diamonds in South Africa in the second half of the 19th century, few yellow diamonds had been found. Those from existing sources in India and Brazil were considered natural wonders worthy of curiosity cabinets and royal collections.

But today, yellow diamonds are one of the most sought-after gems, and that is in no small part thanks to four decades of work by Laurence Graff, who was one of the first to shine the spotlight on Fancy yellow diamonds at a time when only white would do.

Laurence Graff recalls the moment in New York, in the 1970s, when a diamond cutter showed him a 31 carat yellow diamond. He was taken aback by how the radiant cut maximised its colour. Following his heart, he bought the stone, and from that moment on it could be said he had contracted an enduring case of yellow fever.

It wasn’t long before he acquired and recut his first headline-grabbing yellow, the 47.39 carat Star of Bombay, followed since by almost two dozen more outstanding yellow diamonds that are among the finest of their kind in the world.

“Today, yellow diamonds are one of the most sought-after gems, and that is in no small part thanks to four decades of work by Laurence Graff.”

Ever the innovator, ground-breaking techniques were developed by Graff to find new cuts that would best enhance the colour of a diamond. Today, discerning connoisseurs know that if they are looking for an exquisite yellow diamond, they will find it in Graff’s peerless collection.

At 118.08 carats, the Delaire Sunrise remains one of the most famous stones cut by Graff and the largest Fancy Vivid Yellow square emerald cut diamond in the world.

Beyond the perfect Fancy Vivid there is a growing interest in more unusual hues, from Brownish Yellow to Fancy Deep Orange Yellow. But, whichever you choose, the sun will never set on a yellow diamond’s ability to spread its brilliant and joyful glow.

ALAN HART

— The Scientist —

Gemmologist and CEO of GEM-A

As the former Head of the Earth Sciences Collection at the Natural History Museum in London, and now CEO of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain, I see diamonds from a scientist’s perspective. But yellow diamonds hold a very special appeal.

At the British Museum there are drawers and drawers of white diamonds, but it is coloured diamonds that attract your attention. You just don’t see them that often, as only one in every 10,000 diamonds discovered displays colour.

While colourless diamonds are almost uniform, I am fascinated by the cause of the colour in diamonds, as each one has a unique history – whether it is the amount of boron present in blues, the structure of nitrogen in yellow diamonds, or the strain on the molecular lattice that gives pinks their rosy tones.

Each nuance of colour has its own story that began in the earth billions of years ago. From its primordial state to observing the light effects and final colour achieved by a master cutter, the journey of a polished coloured diamond is perhaps one of the longest and most wondrous of any object on earth.

The vast majority of diamonds, including yellows, were formed deep within the earth some three billion years ago, at depths usually greater than 140km. Here, in a part of the mantle that is relatively rigid, carbon is transformed under great temperature and pressure into a diamond.

However, with a yellow diamond, the key difference is the inclusion of the element nitrogen within its structure. This causes the diamond to absorb light in the blue region of the visible spectrum, resulting in the yellow colour that we see.

“A yellow diamond is a window into the workings of our planet.”

The Fancy Vivid grading for a yellow diamond is light to medium in tone. It should not be too dark and have a very high saturation or strength of colour.

In this category, the deep yellow colour is shown to its best effect, making it the most desirable colour grade. Although, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and other grades and colours can be every bit as pleasing.

Beyond its attractiveness, a yellow diamond is a window into the workings of our planet. While a jeweller seeks out perfection, as a scientist I am interested in the imperfections.

Each trapped particle can tell us what minerals are forming deep within the planet that help to understand our earth, and even if there might be diamonds on other planets.

And, remember, as we live on a dynamic planet, beneath our very feet diamonds are still being formed that may see the light of day millions of years from now.

PHILIPPE FURCAGE

— The Diamond Cutter —

Master Cutter at Safdico

Polishing a yellow diamond is all about keeping the colour within the stone and bringing it from the bottom to the top of the diamond. The colour should reflect back from the uppermost facet and not shine through, which is the opposite of what a polisher aims for in a colourless diamond. It is a skill that only a master cutter with at least 10 years’ experience can attempt. You may have noticed that coloured diamonds often display a cut that is modified compared to their colourless counterparts, as again this helps hold the colour in the diamond. This is why most yellow diamonds are modified oval, cushion or pear cuts with the lower facets and corners angled, or modified to increase the intensity of the colour. For the same reason, you don’t often see a round brilliant cut yellow diamond with a deep culet, which would water down the colour.

At the wheel, all we have is our eyes and some basic tools, and we really have to look for the colour. Each stone is different and a research project in its own right.

It takes about six weeks to polish a one carat yellow diamond within the overall three-month process. But a big diamond can take a year or more to polish.

We progress very slowly and gently, as yellow diamonds are more stressed than colourless diamonds due to their crystallisation process, which means they react differently at the wheel.

It is also important to take into consideration the provenance of a coloured rough diamond as geological differences affect the hue and intensity in different ways, and how the diamond reacts to the polishing process.

An experienced cutter can look at a rough diamond and evaluate what the final colour will be. This is down to experience, as often we are looking at diamonds at auction and are not able to make a window into the stone. But, even so, we can fairly accurately estimate the intensity and purity of colour.

Once a yellow diamond is in our possession, we aim to take the colour up a level, from say Fancy Intense to Fancy Vivid, but it is always a gamble and not an exact science. Within each colour grade there are many subtleties of shades and intensity, so it is about finding the most beautiful cut for each stone.

This is the old art of the polisher that only experience can teach.

ANNE-EVA GEFFROY

— The Designer —

Design Director at Graff

The range of yellow diamonds with which I work is exceptional in terms of colour, quality, cut and quantity. Few jewellers have the luxury of such a wide range of yellows at their fingertips, from the traditional colour gradings — Light to Vivid — but also exceptional examples of other colours such as Deep Orange Yellow and Brownish Yellow.

Because we have many valuable diamonds and also some of the rarest in the world, the design of a yellow diamond jewel is often based around the stone. I don’t dream up an idea and then look for the diamonds – I start with the stones. And in our atelier, diamonds, the epitome of femininity, are always referred to as ‘she’.

It is vital to know the stones intimately so I hold them in my hands every day. Our London studio faces north, which offers the perfect light for looking at diamonds. I spend a lot of time studying each one, even before my initial gouache drawings take shape.

With yellow diamonds in particular, I love making bracelets or watches that feature more than one stone. You don’t see this very often as other designers simply don’t have the yellow diamonds to choose from to create these magnificent combinations.

When you see a bracelet or earrings made from dozens of yellow diamonds, the colours are so vibrant that they look almost unreal. And there is a skill to combining them so that the Vivid diamonds, the brightest of them all, don’t steal the show.

“A ring is the purest way to present a yellow diamond, through gestures you share its beauty from all sides.”

Unlike other jewellers, even after the gold frame of the jewel has been crafted downstairs in the workshop, it comes back to my team and we play with the angles and height of each stone to maximise the harmony and beauty until it is just right.

We have to be prepared to start from scratch if something is not perfect, as our aim is to create a balance in the architecture of each jewel, which has to be as natural as breathing.

We set yellow diamonds in yellow gold claws and baskets for the simple reason that it is less visible when looking into the stone, even if the rest of the jewel is in white gold.

Yellow diamonds combine best with white diamonds, particularly in necklaces or bracelets, as they make the colours more intense.

An exceptional yellow diamond, in my opinion, should be set into a ring. Whereas in a necklace you create a pattern that you fill with stones, a ring is the purest and most simple way to present a stone.

And don’t forget that on your hand you share your stone through your gestures, and with each movement you see the beauty of a yellow diamond from all sides.

19 June, 2020/by Maria G

ART, Cámaras, EVENTOS, Exposiciones, Galerías, Photographer, TECNOLOGÍA

2020 Sony World Photography Awards: Category winners announced: Professional, Open, Student and Youth

PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR and LATIN AMERICA PROFESSIONAL AWARD WINNER

Pablo Albarenga, Uruguay

: Nantu is an indigenous young man from the Achuar Nation of Ecuador who leads a project of solar-powered river boats for collective transport. By installing solar panels on a specially designed boat’s roof, he is working to end Achuar’s dependence on petrol. Left: On his land, Nantu lies dressed with traditional Achuar clothing. Right: the pristine rainforest from the Achuar territory. Sharamentsa, Pastaza, Ecuador. Photo-composition: Pablo Albarenga

2020 Sony World Photography Awards: Category winners announced: Professional, Open, Student and Youth

Seeds of Resistance is a body of work that pairs photographs of landscapes and territories in danger from mining and agribusinesses with portraits of the activists fighting to conserve them. Pablo explores the bond between the defenders and their lands – a sacred area in which hundreds of generations of their ancestors rest. In the photographs, the main characters in the stories are seen from above, as though they are laying down their lives for their territory. Pablo wins $25,000 and is the inaugual winner of the Latin America Professional Award. See his full series here. Enjoy Pablo’s full portfolio on his website, here.

PROFESSIONAL COMPETITION CATEGORY WINNERS

The Professional competition represents the importance of the series and breaking new ground in the photographic medium. Asking artists to submit a body of work interpreting one of the ten thematic categories, each entry is rigorously judged in its narrative excellence, technical skill and ability in exploring creativity in new and exciting ways. Enjoy our ten category winners’ acceptance videos here.

OPEN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

Tom Oldham, United Kingdom

Black Francis is a black & white portrait of Pixies frontman Charles Thompson (aka Black Francis), originally taken for MOJO Magazine. Asked by Tom to acknowledge his frustration with photoshoots, Francis offered a perfect gesture of exasperation by digging his hands into his face. The result was an expressive photograph which ran as the lead image for the article. Tom wins $5,000. Enjoy Tom’s full portfolio on his website here.

STUDENT PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

Ioanna Sakellaraki, Greece

Aeiforia presents night-time photographs of solar panels, wind turbines and battery farms used across the small island of Tilos in Greece which is the first in the Mediterranean to run almost entirely on renewable energy. Ioanna wins €30,000 of Sony digital imaging kit for her institution. See Ioanna’s full series here. Enjoy Ioanna’s full portfolio on her website here.

ALPHA FEMALE AWARD WINNER

Lily Dawson-Punshon

: 01 – © Lily Dawson-Punshon, United Kingdom, None, Open competition, Portraiture, 2020 Sony World Photography Awards

Lily’s portrait references historical paintings, particularly Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with the Pearl Earring, but she has brought in an 21st-century twist. Lily explains how her photograph aims to explore the relationship between the past and the present, and how both contrast and support each other.

YOUTH PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

Hsien-Pang Hsieh, Taiwan, 19 years old

: YOUTH PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Hsien-Pang Hsieh, Taiwan, 19 years old

Hurry, features a street performer who is seemingly walking in a hurry but is in fact standing still. Inspired by his experience as a newly arrived student in Germany, Hsien-Pang sees the image as his comment on the intensive pace of life and a reminder others to slow down. Enjoy Roger’s Instagram feed here.

The World Photography Organization is pleased to announce the global winners of the 2020 Sony World Photography Awards. The Photographer of the Year award and the accompanying cash prize of $ 25,000 went to Pablo Albarenga (Uruguay) for his Seeds of Resistance series. . The winners of the ten categories of the Professional contest have also been announced along with the winners of the second and third places of each one, as well as the winners of the Open, Student and Youth contests.

Seeds of Resistance is a work that combines photographs of landscapes and territories endangered by mining and agribusiness, with portraits of activists who fight to conserve them. In 2017, at least 207 environmental leaders and defenders were killed while protecting their communities from projects that threatened their territories. According to a report published in 2018 by Global Witness, the majority of these cases occurred in Brazil where 57 murders were recorded, 80% of which were against people who defended the Amazon.

Albarenga’s works explore the link between the defenders and their lands, a sacred area where the remains of hundreds of generations rest. In the photographs, the main characters of the stories are seen from above, as if they were offering their lives for their territory.

Mike Trow, president of the Professional 2020 contest reports: “This year’s winner comes from the Creative category and consists of a brilliant set of images that offers a powerful visual record of how deforestation goes hand in hand with the destruction of communities and towns. . The work of the jury this year has been very complex: There were a number of extraordinary stories and image sets that could have won the grand prize, but Seeds of Resistance really stood out from the crowd. Pablo is from Uruguay and this project is a very personal work for him as a photographer. The effort required to imagine, produce and photograph this series of images is commendable in every way. “

When asked about his award, Albarenga said: “With this important award I achieve two victories: first, to be able to tell the stories of the traditional communities of the Amazon highlighting people who are still fighting not only for their future, but for the future. of all. We need to see beyond the trees, the oxygen and the “undiscovered” species of the rain forest. Second, I get the photographer of the year award to Latin America, a continent historically told through the eyes of foreigners. I hope that many other photographers in our region will continue to spread our own stories, thus strengthening the incredible community of Latin American storytellers. ”

PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY WINNERS

The winning photographers in the Professional contest were chosen by a panel of expert judges after presenting an excellent work of between five and ten images, ranging from personal topics and observations to news headlines and little-known but critical topics. This year’s winners are:

ARCHITECTURE

WINNER: Sandra Herber (Canada) for her Ice Fishing Huts series, Lake Winnipeg

Finalists: 2nd place Jonathan Walland (United Kingdom); 3rd place José De Rocco (Argentina)

CREATIVE

WINNER: Pablo Albarenga (Uruguay) for his Seeds of Resistance series

Finalists: 2nd placeDione Roach (Italy); 3rd place Luke Watson (United Kingdom)

DISCOVERY

WINNER: Maria Kokunova (Russian Federation) for her series The Cave

Finalists: 2nd place Hashem Shakeri (Islamic Republic of Iran); 3rd place Hugh Kinsella Cunningham (United Kingdom)

DOCUMENTARY

WINNER: Chung Ming Ko (Hong Kong SAR) for his Wounds of Hong Kong series

Finalists: 2nd placeDidier Bizet (France); 3rd place Youqiong Zhang (Mainland China)

ENVIRONMENT

WINNER: Robin Hinsch (Germany) for his Wahala series

Finalists: 2nd place Álvaro Laiz (Spain); 3rd place Luca Locatelli (Italy)

LANDSCAPE

WINNER: Ronny Behnert (Germany) for his Torii series

Finalists: 2nd place Florian Ruiz (France); 3rd place Chang Kyun Kim (South Korea)

NATURAL WORLD & WILDLIFE:

WINNER: Brent Stirton (South Africa) for his Pangolins in Crisis series

Finalists: 2nd place Masahiro Hiroike (Japan); 3rd place Adalbert Mojrzisch (Germany)

PORTRAITURE

WINNER: Cesar Dezfuli (Spain) for his series Passengers

Finalists: 2nd place Denis Rouvre (France); 3rd place Sasha Maslov (Ukraine)

SPORT

WINNER: Ángel López Soto (Spain) for his Senegalese Wrestlers series

Finalists: 2nd place Lucas Barioulet (France); 3rd place Andrea Staccioli (Italy)

STILL LIFE

WINNER: Alessandro Gandolfi (Italy) for his series Immortality, Inc.

Finalists: 2nd place Elena Helfrecht (Germany); 3rd place Fangbin Chen (Mainland China)

For more information on this year’s winners and finalists projects, visit our online winners galleries.

OPEN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

The Open contest celebrates the strength that a single image can have. The winning photographs have been selected for their ability to communicate great visual narrative combined with technical excellence. Selected among ten winners of the Open category, Tom Oldham (United Kingdom) wins the Open Photographer of the Year 2020 title and receives a prize of $ 5,000 for Black Francis.

The photograph is a black and white portrait of Pixies leader Charles Thompson (aka Black Francis) originally made for MOJO magazine. When asked by Oldham to acknowledge his frustration with the photo shoots, Francis offered him a perfect gesture of exasperation as he put his hands to his face. The result was a very expressive photograph that ended up on the cover of the article.

Commenting on his victory, Oldham stated: ‘It is an incredible compliment to be chosen for this, I am still looking forward to having entered this roster filled with so much talent from all over the world. I never dreamed that I could get anywhere in the Open contest since the bar was so high … it will take me some time to realize what I have accomplished. I want to thank Mojo magazine for the opportunity, my brilliant team and, of course, Charles for offering that special moment. I am amazed and delighted. ’

STUDENT PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

Greek student Ioanna Sakellaraki was chosen as the Student Photographer of the Year 2020 for her Aeiforia series, created in response to the Sustainability Now commission that asked students to produce work related to environmental sustainability. In her series, Sakellaraki features nightly photographs of the solar panels, wind turbines, and battery farms used on the small island of Tilos in Greece, the first in the Mediterranean to run almost exclusively on renewable energy.

Sakellaraki represents the Royal College of Art in the United Kingdom and has won € 30,000 in photographic equipment from Sony for her institution. Commenting on her victory, she said, “I am honored to have been awarded the title of Student Photographer of the Year. My Aeiforia series allowed me to share a good story about sustainability by capturing the landscape as a passage to the nightlife on the Greek island of Tilos. I hope that this great recognition will give me the opportunity to work on many more tasks of this type. I am also very grateful that the Royal College of Art has received all that excellent photographic equipment that Sony offers so generously, because with it other students will be able to carry out new projects. ”

YOUTH PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

Selected among the seven winners in the category, Hsien-Pang Hsieh (Taiwan Region, 19 years old) has won the Youth Photographer of the Year 2020 for his Hurry image, which shows a street artist who apparently walks in a hurry but is actually stopped. Inspired by his experience as a newcomer to Germany, Hsien-Pang sees the image as his insight into the hectic pace of life and a reminder to the rest to slow down.

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO PHOTOGRAPHY

The Outstanding Contribution to Photography award has been presented to the printer and publisher Gerhard Steidl. It is the first time in the history of the Awards that Outstanding Contribution to Photography has not been awarded to a photographer. Established in 1968, the Steidl publishing house launched its own photobook program in 1996 and within a few years it became what it is today, the world’s largest list of contemporary photography. Its impressive catalog of photobooks features renowned artists such as Joel Sternfeld, Nan Goldin, Bruce Davidson, Robert Frank, Berenice Abbott, Robert Adams, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Karl Lagerfeld, and Juergen Teller, to name a few. His publications span the entire history of photography, from the first masters to today’s leading photographers, and represent the diverse spectrum of photographic expression, from art and fashion to documentary and street photography.

All winning images will be promoted on World Photography Organization channels and online platforms using content such as videos, presentations, and live Q&A. A digital sample of this year’s winning projects and finalists is available on the page On Screen.

In response to recent events, the World Photography Organization has also launched the Stay Connected page, which features a diverse program of online initiatives, activities and resources aimed at supporting and inspiring audiences and photographers recognized at this year’s Awards.

Speaking of this year’s awards, Scott Gray, founder and CEO of the World Photography Organization, said: “The Sony World Photography Awards were established to help photographers receive the recognition they deserve, providing them with an important platform to share their I work with new audiences. Due to current restrictions due to the pandemic we were unable to hold this year’s exhibition, but we remain committed to promoting the winning images and projects and ensuring that the Awards recognize and appreciate the work of photographers. We are immensely fortunate to be able to work with Sony on its development. Sony shares our commitment to this medium and to individual photographers, and together we will continue to celebrate their work and raise the bar for photography as art. “

About Sony Corporation

Sony Corporation is a creative entertainment company with a strong technology base. Through its divisions, ranging from video games and online services, through music, film, electronics, semiconductors and financial services, Sony’s goal is to feed the illusion thanks to the power of creativity and technology. More information can be found on Sony’s global website:

http://www.sony.net/

13 June, 2020/by Alba Flowers