Breguet’s latest creation, the Tradition Automatique Seconde Rétrograde 7097 pays tribute to the “souscription” and “tact” watches made by Abraham-Louis Breguet in the late 18th century. Like them, its mechanism reveals the bridges, wheels, escapement, barrel and various other parts that are normally placed beneath the plate. The small offset dial at 12 o’clock – another characteristic of the great master’s legendary “à tact” watches – on the new Tradition 7097 model is overlapped by a retrograde seconds segment promoting optimal readability. The iconic “pare-chute” system of the Tradition collection positioned at 4 o’clock adds a perfectly symmetrical touch. This Breguet invention serving to protect the balance-staff from shocks was the forerunner of the “Incabloc” and other anti-shock systems. Exalting the brilliant, visionary spirit of Abraham-Louis Breguet, this exceptional creation not only honours the past but also looks firmly to the future with particularly innovative technical characteristics. Witness the inverted straight-line lever escapement with silicon horns and the silicon Breguet overcoil balance-spring – both serving to guarantee exceptional rating precision.

Movement

Mechanical automatic 505SR1 calibre, 38 jewels, inverted straight-line lever escapement with silicon horns, silicon Breguet overcoil balance-spring, 3 Hz, 50-hour power reserve

Functions

Hours, minutes, retrograde seconds

Case

18K white or pink gold, 40 mm Fluted caseband Sapphire back Water-resistant to 30 metres (3 bar / 100 ft)

Dial

Hand-guilloché silvered 18K gold offset dial at 12 o’clock Breguet “open-tipped” blued steel hand Retrograde small seconds at 10 o’clock

Bracelet/strap

Leather

ULYSSE NARDIN

Répétition Minutes Hannibal Westminster Carillon Tourbillon Jaquemarts

Ulysse Nardin brings history to life with a retelling of Hannibal’s epic march over the Pyrenees and the Alps by elephant, in the third century B.C. In its latest creation, the Manufacture portrays Hannibal on horseback, in the thick of the action, surrounded by his loyal warriors riding elephants. All these characters have been transformed into jacks and are sculpted in white gold, as are the landscape and mountains in the background. The entire scene is set on a dial in genuine Alpine granite. Such a rendition is a true test of the finest craftsmen’s skills, and places the wearer of the watch at the heart of the exploit accomplished not only by Hannibal but also by Ulysse Nardin, one of the very few watchmakers anywhere in the world with the ability to incorporate jacks into the dial of its minute-repeater wristwatches. These animated figures move in time to the four chimes that sound the minutes, quarters, hours and any other combination set by the wearer. The spinning tourbillon at 6 o’clock adds a final flourish to this exceptional timepiece, which is produced as a 30-piece limited series.

Movement

Mechanical hand-wound, Westminster Chimes Tourbillon UN-78 calibre, tourbillon making one revolution/minute, minute repeater with jacks sounding the hours, quarters and minutes on 4 notes (mi-do-re-sol), 36 jewels, power reserve of approximately 70 hours

Functions

Hours, minutes, minute repeater, tourbillon

Case

Platinum, 44 mm Sapphire crystal front and back Water-resistant to 30 metres (3 bar / 100 ft)

Dial

Dial Genuine granite

Bracelet/strap

Leather with folding clasp

HUBLOT

Big Bang Tourbillon 5-Day Power Reserve Indicator

More horology, more expertise, more innovation, more fusion: Hublot rises to the challenge and presents the first tourbillon in the new-generation Big Bang line, featuring a skeleton movement – a feast for the eyes – and the added practicality of a power-reserve indicator on the dial side. Designed, developed and produced entirely by Hublot, this mechanical calibre further confirms the brand as one of the very few watchmakers with the capacity to develop and produce its own movements. Remodelled with new bridge and mainplate architecture, this traditional tourbillon is joined by an additional complication, namely a power-reserve indicator. This watch is an exercise in style and a demonstration of Hublot’s fusion of tradition and modernity, striking the perfect balance between the classicism of the skeleton tourbillon and the dynamic design of the new Big Bang case.

Movement

Mechanical hand-wound, HUB6016 skeleton tourbillon calibre, developed and manufactured by Hublot, 21,600 vib/h, 25 jewels, power reserve of approximately 115 hours

Functions

Hours, minutes, power-reserve indicator

Case

Titanium or 18K King Gold, 45 mm Sapphire crystal front and back Water-resistant to 30 metres (3 bar / 100 ft)

Dial

Power-reserve indicator at 9 o’clock Tourbillon at 6 o’clock 5N gold-plated hour-markers and hands, black SuperLuminova

Bracelet/strap

Black alligator stitched to black rubber with interchangeable system Triple folding clasp

ARMIN STROM

Skeleton Pure Earth

An authentic ode to the mechanical architecture of watch movements, the Skeleton Pure Earth by Armin Strom highlights the particular layout of its parts arranged in layers. The entirely skeletonised Calibre ARM09-S reveals subtle depth effects and contrasts that are accentuated by the black PVD-treated plate. This highly sophisticated mechanical movement not only displays a resolutely contemporary design, but also delivers first-rate performances, including an eight-day power reserve driven by a twin barrel. A perfect alliance between the traditional Swiss art of skeletonisation and futuristic horology, the Skeleton Pure Earth radiates a unique style featuring an harmonious blend of strength and elegance. 100-piece limited edition.

Movement

Mechanical hand-wound Armin Strom ARM09-S calibre, entirely skeletonised, black PVD-coated plate, 18,000 vib/h, 34 jewels, twin barrel, 8-day power reserve

Functions

Hours, minutes, seconds, power-reserve indicator

Case

Stainless steel with black PVD treatment, 43.4 mm Anti-reflective sapphire crystal, front and back Water-resistant to 50 metres (5 bar / 165 ft)

Dial

Annular sapphire dial with appliques Off-centred display Small seconds and power-reserve indicator at 9 o’clock

Bracelet/strap

Black hornback alligator leather with black PVD-treated steel buckle Delivered with an additional black rubber strap

GUCCI

Gucci Dive

Launched in 2013, the Gucci Dive collection extends to eight new quartz versions in a multitude of colours and effects. Water-resistant to 200 metres, they come in three sizes with a diameter of 32, 40 or 45 mm. In styles that are classic, on-trend or sporting, with or without the distinctive green-red-green striped Gucci strap, the Gucci Dive collection highlights Gucci Watches’ natural ability to give different personalities to a single concept, injecting a dose of Italian design into the world of sport. The collection speaks volumes about the wearer’s lifestyle, while its sporting allure is accentuated by a rotating bezel, a characteristic feature of a dive watch.

Movement

Quartz ETA

Functions

Hours, minutes, seconds, date

Case

Polished and brushed stainless steel, with or without black PVD treatment 32, 40 or 45 mm diameter Unidirectional rotating bezel Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on the inside Screw-down back, engraved with the Gucci coat of arms Water-resistant to 200 metres (20 bar / 660 ft)

Dial

White lacquer, sunray pink, black lacquer, mat white, mat black or mat blue Luminescent hands and hour-markers Date window at 6 o’clock

Bracelet/strap

Steel or black rubber with triple folding clasp

BALL WATCH

Engineer II Magneto S NM3022C-N1CJ-BK

Ball Watch takes on one of mechanical watchmaking’s arch enemies – magnetic fields – and sparks a technology revolution in the process. Whereas “anti-magnetic” movements are expected to resist a magnetic field of at least 4,800 A/m, the new A-PROOF® system guarantees protection up to 80,000 A/m. Its secret is a shield that closes over the movement. It is made from mumetal, an innovative alloy in watchmaking whose high magnetic permeability attracts or redirects lines from static or low-frequency magnetic fields. And this isn’t the only innovation. Unlike conventional anti-magnetic systems which enclose the movement in a cage, Ball Watch protects its mechanism with an ultra-fine diaphragm in mumetal, just 6/100th mm thick, that is operated by the rotating bezel. Leave it open to admire the movement of the Engineer II Magneto S through the sapphire back, or close it to “lock” the mumetal shield and protect against magnetic fields.

Movement

Automatic COSC-certified BALL RR1103-CSL chronometer calibre, A-PROOF® patented anti-magnetic system up to 80,000 A/m, SpringLOCK® patented anti-shock system, shock-resistance up to 5,000 G

Functions

Hours, minutes, seconds, date

Case

Steel, 42 mm Rotating bezel operating the A-PROOF® diaphragm mechanism Sapphire crystal front and back Water-resistant to 100 metres (10 bar / 330 ft)

Dial

Luminescent hands covered in gas micro-tubes

Bracelet/strap

Cordura fibre with buckle

MIDO

Commander Caliber 80 Chronometer

Epitomising Mido’s watchmaking expertise since 1959, the Commander collection now welcomes the Caliber 80 Chronometer, a new high-precision model equipped with a state-of-the-art chronometer movement. Developed according to the high standards laid down by Mido, this automatic movement now offers double the previous autonomy, with a generous 80-hour power reserve. It is also certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute, the highest watch industry benchmark in terms of precision and reliability. The new Commander Caliber 80 chronometer expresses perfect harmony between modernity and tradition: the best of horological innovation, combined with a timeless design that has been as appealing as ever for more than half a century, since the Commander has been continuously produced by Mido since 1959. A rare degree of success that makes it an authentic icon.

Movement

Mechanical automatic Mido 80 calibre on ETA C07.621 base, chronometer-certified by the COSC, 25 jewels, 21,600 vib/h, blued screws, oscillating weight adorned with Côtes de Genève motif and engraved with the Mido logo, up to 80-hour power reserve

Functions

Hours, minutes, seconds, day, date

Case

Satin-finish 316L stainless steel, polished bezel, 40 mm Facetted and domed sapphire crystal Transparent back Water resistant to 5 bar (50 m / 165 ft)

Dial

Rhodium, sunburst satin-finish Hours and hour-markers enhanced with white Super-LumiNova® Day and date at 3 o’clock

Bracelet/strap

Crocodile-pattern calfskin with steel folding clasp

CLAUDE MEYLAN

LAC « Tortue de Joux »

Claude Meylan looks to the grand tradition of form watches to once again sculpt time. The fully skeletonised mechanical movement appears to float between two sapphire crystals. At the heart of the mechanism, the hour and minute wheels guide the hands in their infinite dance. Decorations inspired by the characteristic shutters on the homes of the watchmaking-farmers of yore can be admired here and there, each hinting at the expert hand of the craftsman who brings these delicate finishes to life. The meticulously sculpted bridges create a harmony of forms and play on subtle contrasts in colour with the plate, further accentuated by the transparency of the whole.

Movement

Mechanical hand-wound, fully skeletonised 165 CM14 calibre, bridges and plate in two coordinating colours, hand-finishing, 42-hour power reserve

Functions

Hours, minutes

Case

316L steel, tonneau form, 40 mm wide Sapphire crystal front and back Water-resistant to 30 metres (3 bar / 100 ft)

Dial

Rhodium-plated skeleton hands

Bracelet/strap

Black alligator with square scales, 316L steel CM buckle

ERNEST BOREL

Duke Collection

With its new Duke collection, Ernest Borel presents an exquisite match between two opposites. On the one hand, a simple, elegant and remarkably pared-down design. On the other, the sophistication of a mechanical movement comprising several masterfully orchestrated horological complications: day, date, month and moon phases. A veritable compendium of the watchmaking expertise cultivated by Ernest Borel, this combination of simplicity and complexity paid tribute to the history of the Jura-based company, embodying a perfect balance between tradition and modernity.

Movement

Mechanical automatic Dubois Dépraz 9000 calibre, rhodiumed, circular-grained, Côtes de Genève motif, blued screws, 21 jewels, 28,800 vib/h

Functions

Hours, minutes, seconds, day, date, month, moon phases

Case

Steel or 10 micron pink gold-plated, 41 mm Sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective treatment Transparent back Water-resistant to 50 metres (5 bar / 165 ft)

Dial

White Applied hour-markers Day, month and moonphase apertures Pointer-type date display

Bracelet/strap

Black or brown leather with folding clasp Delivered with an additional strap

AVIATOR

Professional Automatic Edition

Man has always nurtured the dream of flight. The story of the Aviator is intimately tied to this dream, yet its mission is to do more than equip heroes of the skies. Its aim is to accompany them on the ground too. The pilot watches in the Professional line stand out for their functionality, precision and reliability. Enclosed in a simple case, the dial has the look of flight instruments inside the cockpit. Oversized pushers allow pilots to operate the chronograph while wearing thick gloves, while the different colours – red and black – ensure they can be instantly told apart in urgent situations. Everything about this watch has been designed to make the pilot’s job easier. Beginning with the Valjoux 7750 movement, unanimously acknowledged as one of the most reliable and most precise chronographs in the world, or the cuff-style bracelet that can be adjusted for wearing over gloves.

Movement

Mechanical automatic, ETA Valjoux 7750 calibre

Functions

Hours, minutes, seconds, day, date, chronograph

Case

316L stainless steel, 42 mm Red start/stop pusher Anti-reflective sapphire crystal Back engraved with 6 “Swifts” MiG-29 jet fighters in 3D Water-resistant to 100 metres (10 bar / 330 ft)

Dial

Black Luminescent numerals, hands and hour-markers Hour counter at 6 o’clock, minute counter at 12 o’clock, small seconds at 9 o’clock Day and date windows at 3 o’clock

Bracelet/strap

Delivered with a black leather strap and a steel bracelet with folding clasp

The post BASELWORLD 2015 – masterpieces frozen in Time and Space appeared first on Core Sector Communique.

* An innovative watchmaking business built on outstanding tradition and manufacturing expertise

* One of the few Swiss watchmakers to have its own production capacity for critical watch components, particularly regulating systems

* A highly profitable company with solid prospects for growth

* Great synergies with the Kering ‘Luxury – Watches and Jewellery’ division

Paris (France) – Le Locle (Switzerland). Kering and Ulysse Nardin have signed an agreement for Kering to acquire 100% of the capital of Ulysse Nardin. The brand will join Kering’s ‘Luxury – Watches and Jewellery’ division, headed by Albert Bensoussan, and the management team will remain in place. The deal is subject to the consent of the competition authorities and should be finalised during the second half of 2014.

Founded by Mr Ulysse Nardin in 1846 with its roots in the nautical world, the eponymous watchmaking house was taken over and re-launched in 1983 by Rolf W. Schnyder who transformed it into a highly profitable business in a healthy financial position. The company
benefits from a very strong brand identity based on its historical expertise in marine chronometers and ultra-complication watches. Ulysse Nardin has long been one of the most innovative independent watchmakers. The brand was a pioneer in the use of cutting edge technologies and state-of-the-art materials like silicium, which today ensures that it has the in-house expertise, particularly in regulating systems, to produce its own components. Its coherent range of watches positioned in price segments that are growing and its efficient distribution network are also major assets.

This acquisition constitutes a structural development enabling Kering to strengthen its ‘Luxury – Watches and Jewellery’ division with a clearly positioned business that complements its other brands. Over and above the opportunity for Ulysse Nardin’s geographical expansion, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, it will enable the deployment of the numerous synergies linked to Ulysse Nardin’s technical and industrial expertise and its excellent distribution network – contributing to accelerate the growth of the whole division.

François-Henri Pinault, Kering’s Chairman and CEO, stated: “Ulysse Nardin benefits from a rich heritage, high profitability and solid growth prospects. Independent high-end watchmaking manufactures are rare. This is an opportunity that we had to seize, particularly because this structural acquisition will enable us to take advantage of numerous synergies with our existing brands. We have great ambitions for this company and we will help it continue its international expansion whilst staying faithful to its roots and its identity. In this regard, I am pleased that Mrs Schnyder accepted to remain a member of its board of directors. I have long admired Ulysse Nardin and I am delighted that this brand is joining our ‘Luxury – Watches and Jewellery’ division.”

Mrs Chai Schnyder, Chairman of Ulysse Nardin’s Board of Directors, stated: “Joining Kering is an opportunity for Ulysse Nardin. It will allow the brand to carry on with its international expansion and continue to innovate, while assuring the long-term future of its knowledge and expertise and the retention of its identity. I am delighted that Ulysse Nardin has found the best partner in Kering.”

About Ulysse Nardin

Swiss Watch Manufacturer Ulysse Nardin, founded in 1846, has been dedicated to excellence for over 168 years in manufacturing mechanical watches. Among the most reliable ever made, Ulysse Nardin’s marine chronometers are still sought by collectors around the world. Ulysse Nardin continues to be in the forefront of watchmaking technology by pioneering new materials in manufacturing high precision movement components and most innovative timepieces equipped with in-house created and manufactured calibers.

About Kering

A world leader in apparel and accessories, Kering develops an ensemble of powerful Luxury and Sport & Lifestyle brands: Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Brioni, Christopher Kane, McQ, Stella McCartney, Tomas Maier, Sergio Rossi, Boucheron, Dodo, Girard-Perregaux, JeanRichard, Pomellato, Qeelin, Puma, Volcom, Cobra, Electric and Tretorn.

By ‘empowering imagination’ in the fullest sense, Kering encourages its brands to reach their potential, in the most sustainable manner.

Present in more than 120 countries, the Group generated revenues of €9.7 billion in 2013 and had more than 35,000 employees at year end. The Kering (previously PPR) share is listed on Euronext Paris (FR 0000121485, KER.PA, KER.FP).

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NEW YORK, June 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — NET-A-PORTER.COM, the world’s premier online luxury fashion and beauty retailer, launches Google Glass today available to shoppers in the US. NET-A-PORTER will be selling a limited number of DVF | Made for Glass optical and sunglass styles, to be sold as exclusive packages in five different color ways including black, green, plum, brown and white. Each DVF | Made for Glass bundle includes Glass, a frame and shade, a mono earbud, and case for $1,800.

“We are thrilled to offer Glass to our tech-savvy customers who are true leaders and innovators in style and lifestyle,” says Natalie Massenet, Founder and Chairman of The NET-A-PORTER Group. “We pride ourselves on leading the way in delivering the best in service, product, and technology and we are excited to bring Google Glass to our US customers, ahead of the Glass consumer release.”

The DVF | Made for Glass collection is now available on NET-A-PORTER.COM:
http://www.net-a-porter.com/Shop/Designers/DVF_Made_For_Glass

About NET-A-PORTER.COM

NET-A-PORTER.COM was launched in June 2000 and has since established itself as the world’s premier online luxury fashion destination. Presented in the style of a fashion magazine, NET-A-PORTER.COM features collections from over 350 of the world’s most coveted designers, including Saint Laurent, Isabel Marant, Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, Valentino, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana andStella McCartney. In 2013, NET-A-PORTER.COM added beauty as a new category. With its acclaimed editorial format, express worldwide shipping to 170 countries (including same-day delivery to New York, London and Hong Kong), luxurious packaging and easy returns, NET-A-PORTER.COM offers an unparalleled shopping experience. www.net-a-porter.com

About GOOGLE GLASS

Glass is smart eyewear that enhances the here and now. It’s what you want, when you want it: glanceable and in the moment. Glass began as a project from the Google[x] team, a division of Google dedicated to moonshot projects that create technology to make people’s lives better.

Glass puts you in control of your technology by connecting you to what you love with a hands-free device that’s on when you need it and off when you don’t. Created by designers and software engineers, Glass is simple and beautifully designed.www.google.com/glass

SOURCE NET-A-PORTER.COM

The post NET-A-PORTER.COM Launches Google Glass For US Customers appeared first on Core Sector Communique.

GIRARD-PERREGAUX | Constant Escapement L.M.

MAURICE LACROIX | Masterpiece Gravity

Buoyed up by a formidable capacity to view the world from a different perspective, Maurice Lacroix loves defying conventions. Its new Masterpeice Gravity is a perfect example of this attitude, since it is the first watch equipped with an assortment – balance roller, lever and escapement wheel – entirely made of silicon. Three times lighter than steel, this material is also more accurate, less energy-hungry and requires no lubricant. Like the oscillator, this fascinating innovation is clearly visible within a resolutely contemporary aesthetic composition accentuated by an off-centred hour and minute dial, as well as small seconds creating fascinating depth effects.

GUCCI | G-Timeless Slim Automatic

Completely updated, the G-Timeless Slim watches by Gucci Timepieces & Jewelry are back centre-stage with stylish new features. Proposed as three versions, they are now driven by a mechanical automatic movement for even more horological substance. A deliciously curved bezel surrounds the dial whose surface is decked out in Gucci’s iconic “diamante” pattern, in a larger design and now extending across the entire dial. A new minute circle accentuates the contour of the dial whose narrower hour-markers complete the look. Small seconds at 6 o’clock add to the dynamic character of this undeniably contemporary timepiece.

HYT | H1 Red2

The first ever wristwatch to show time using a liquid, the H1 is back with a new red fluid, the result of over a year’s R&D. Stored in a reservoir under the dome at 6 o’clock, this liquid advances through a capillary as the hours go by, then returns to its initial position in a retrograde movement after completing one circuit of the dial. Located in the upper part of the watch, a haute horlogerie mechanism commands these fascinating fluid mechanics. It propels a cam which pushes a piston to activate the bellows which alternately compress and expand the reservoirs, one of which contains the red, water-based liquid and the other a transparent, oil-based fluid. Limited series of 50

JULIEN COUDRAY 1518 | Oeuvre JC 1588 Sport

With this fourth collection, Manufacture Julien Coudray brings cars and watchmaking together in a most original way. The mechanical movement that beats inside this Oeuvre JC 1588 Sport reproduces on its oscillating weight the registration plate of its lucky owner’s car, making each timepiece truly one-of-a-kind. The harmoniously miniaturised number plate is crafted from solid 18K red gold and grand feu enamel. Fully hand-engraved and decorated, there are no limits to how it can be personalised, making it even more individual and exclusive. In an ultimate touch of refinement, the service indicator, shown in a window at 12 o’clock, reveals a drop of oil, reproduced in enamelled gold, after four years to remind the wearer that the watch must be serviced.

HALDIMANN | H3

The H3 brings with it a world-first, being the only wristwatch ever to possess a central flying tourbillon and a minute repeater. Truly a work of art, this mechanical sculpture chimes the magical melody of watchmaking’s two most highly prized complications. Carrying on a family tradition of innovation since 1642, master watchmaker Beat Haldimann has created this watch to keep horological complications firmly at the centre of our attention. Seemingly weightless, the elegant flying tourbillon appears to float in the centre of the dial, completing one revolution per minute. The gentle sound of the minute repeater underscores the poetry of this mechanical masterpiece, which has been entirely imagined and crafted in the Haldimann family workshops in the Alpine city of Thun, thus continuing the tradition of this remarkable dynasty of watchmakers

VICTORINOX SWISS ARMY | Dive Master 500

To mark the 25th anniversary of its watchmaking activities, Victorinox Swiss Army presents a limited, numbered series of its famous diver’s watch. For the very first time in brand history, this exclusive titanium model issued in a 500-piece limited edition houses a mechanical automatic chronograph movement. Built to resist and endure, this authentic diver’s instrument is water-resistant to 500 metres. To ensure impeccable visibility under water, it features generous luminescent indications not only on the hands and hour-markers, but also on the chronograph counter rings and in the 20-minute dial zone. The latter is echoed on the bezel bearing original marking, with a luminescent coating that seems no different from the others but actually turns blue in the dark.

 

ERNEST BOREL | Jules Borel Officially Certified Chronometer

This timepiece honours Jules Borel, the watchmaker who co-founded the company in 1856. Beneath an exterior that takes its style from the first wristwatches of the twentieth century beats an automatic movement whose timekeeping performance has been certified by the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC). This carefully crafted gem of precision and reliability resides in an 18K pink gold case, bringing the refinement of noble materials to the delicacy and elegance of classical horology.

FRANC VILA | Cobra FV 18E « Manual Suspended Skeleton »

An immersion into the heart of an exceptional mechanism capable of making time stand still for just a moment. This model works true magic when the gaze alights on the skeleton-worked movement. Built and cased-up in total suspension, the calibre is stabilised by a clever system of springs. Appearing to be levitating in a dial-free structure, it draws observers into a fascinating mechanical exploration infused with the expertise of the finest master-watchmakers.

CLERC | Hydroscaph H1 Chronometer

A powerful and innovative design. Water resistance to 500 metres. Unfailing security in the depths. In other words, a formidable exploring machine that has sailed through the merciless tests performed by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute, the watch industry’s highest benchmark for precision and reliability. Its name is Hydroscaph H1, a high-tech luxury diver’s watch that is bound to delight deep-sea adventurers

DA VINDICE GENEVE | The Vindex Tourbillon

This new model from Da Vindice embodies an encounter between the tourbillon, a symbol of watchmaking excellence and traditions, and a resolutely 21st century design. Topped with the brand’s emblematic lily motif, the tourbillon sits majestically enthroned at 6 o’clock, while the dial reveals other beauties including generous Roman numerals standing out against an elegant guillocé background. The honeycomb motif adorning the sides of the tonneau-shaped case completes the total-black composition

TECHNOTIME | TT 738

This thriving small company produces modules, mechanical movements, tourbillons and balance-springs. Technotime has been enjoying renewed expansion since 2003, when the manufacturer decided to launch into making high-end mechanical movements. The flagship of the brand based in Les Brenets is the TT 738 movement, featuring a blend of design and performance and designed to adapt to brand’ need for differentiation. The available versions include a retrograde date module and/or power-reserve indicator. Equipped with Technotime balance-springs, it may, depending on clients’ wishes, be chronometer-certified by the COSC. This mechanical gem is also available in a hand-wound version, the TT 718.

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London, 28 January 2014 – British luxury brand Burberry today made a commitment to eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals from its supply chain by 1 January 2020 [1].

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Executive Summary:

At present, India enjoys only 1%–2% of the global luxury market. Luxury retailers, both national and international, are in a spree to foray or expand their footprint in India. The increasing foreign travels of Indians have significantly increased the brand awareness of India. Along with this, the increasing upper-middle class in India are the country’s key drivers of luxury retail demand.

Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci and Jimmy Choo are no longer unknown brands to India. In the last decade, luxury retail has grown significantly and is growing at a rate of almost 20% 1. From luxury cars and apparels to furnishings, all are paving their way into the choices of Indian consumers.

The definition of luxury is very relative and changes from country to country and among different income groups. However, most households earning more than INR 1 million or above annually opt for luxury goods in India. With the significant growth of this income group, luxury retail in India is expected to witness steady growth in the coming years.

In India, preference for luxury goods is growing across all the metro cities, although they are mostly concentrated in Mumbai and Delhi. Luxury malls such as DLF Emporio in Delhi, Palladium in Mumbai and UB City in Bangalore are already operational.

Luxury retailers generally open their stores in luxury hotels with increased preference from consumers as they are expanding their brand presence by starting their stores in high-end malls and high streets and sometimes opening their flagship stores in high-end residential neighbourhoods. However, finding a space as per their standards and specifications is still a challenge in India.

In this paper, we attempted to map a few such clusters across the seven metro cities in India based on the various qualitative and quantitative factors catering to the preference for luxury retail. The factors adopted to select the clusters were penetration of luxury brands and preference for luxury. These factors were analysed on the basis of the parameters below:

• Presence of noted luxury apparel and accessories brands
• Presence of luxury automobile showrooms
• Presence of fine dining restaurants
• Presence of luxury/premium residential projects
• Neighbourhoods and catchments

When mapped, these parameters reveal clusters of luxury retail that can be classified into three categories. Based on their stage of development, the clusters are classified as established, existing, growing and emerging.

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