At the celebrated autumn gathering organised by Montres Passion, Piaget received two awards: Watch of the Year and Ladies’ Watch of the Year.

The setting was the sumptuous vineyard of the Choully estate near Geneva, where on 28 October the magazine Montres Passion invited around 500 guests for its Watch of the Year awards ceremony. Victorious on two counts on the night, Piaget won the supreme title for its Altiplano with offset small-seconds (public prize: 15,400 francs). The perfection of its design, its elegance, the purity of its lines and the delicacy and excellence of its extra-flat movement (2.5 mm) were enough to convince the jury. Magic Hour saw the spotlight focus on Piaget a second time as it took the Ladies’ Watch of the Year prize. Thanks to an invisible mechanism, the bezel, an ellipse set with 36 diamonds, pays refined homage to time in a model offering three sizes, three styles and three moods (24,300 francs).

IWC came second with its Da Vinci Vintage Automatic (8,100 francs) revisited this year for the 140th anniversary of the Schaffhouse based firm. In third place came Rodolphe with its Instinct Basic 4851 Four Time Zone (9,800 francs). A previous Watch of the Year winner in 2006 with the Instinct Chrono 180° watch, Rodolphe voiced its honour and pride in mounting the podium for the second time in two years.

The special jury prize, awarded to an exceptional timepiece or watch designer, this year went to Harry Winston for its Diane minute repeater model (out of competition in view of its price).

Invited to vote on the Internet, the public meanwhile opted for the Diamond Flower by Perrelet (12,500 francs). Its oscillating weight is transformed on the dial side into a six-petal lotus flower, delicately cut-away and encrusted. Movements of the wrist make the petals turn while recharging the barrel.

It will be remembered that to be eligible for selection by the jury, models must meet a number of essential criteria: they must have been launched on the market between September 2007 and December 2008; be Swiss made; have a retail price not exceeding 50,000 francs and be manufactured in at least 200 pieces. Also taken into account are technical quality, finish of the movement, legibility of the dial, and design.

Following its recent move to Meyrin, at the beginning of November DeWitt inaugurated its new building, complete with a museum housing numerous machines of yesteryear.

Established initially in 2003 in Vandoeuvres, DeWitt has grown consistently since that time. In 2007 it set up its headquarters in Vernier in premises which after only one year proved too small. At the beginning of 2008, Jérôme de Witt sketched out a much larger blueprint and moved to the heart of the industrial zone of Meyrin-Satigny: 5,000 m2 spread over three floors. On 6 November this year, the firm inaugurated its new premises, as well as a space set aside for history, dedicated to the watchmaking expertise of bygone years.

Located in the entrance hall, the museum straight away immerses the visitor in the fascinating world of watchmaking history. In a warm and intimate atmosphere, it offers one of the largest collections in the world of tools – more than 250 pieces in total – retracing nearly three centuries of artisanal watchmaking. Collected by Jérôme de Witt over the years through auctions or chance finds in watchmaking workshops, these extraordinary pieces date from the 17th century through to the early 20th century, a period when all watch manufacturing processes were carried out entirely by hand. Displayed very elegantly, these machines underline the national heritage of watchmaking craftsmanship by presenting the different stages of production of a mechanical timepiece. Within this space one can find gear-wheel cutters – ancestors of the lathe – used in the 1680s, rolling-mills and also lapping-machines. Rose-engines dating from the 18th and 19th centuries also enrich the collection. Through its commitment to sustaining the traditions of the art of watchmaking, DeWitt is today one of the only watch manufacturers in the world to continue the artisanal tradition of engine-turning on machines infused with a rich heritage.

In the centre of the museum the firm also presents its own creations, fruit of the imagination of Jérôme de Witt, displaying technical adroitness, extreme attention to detail, exquisite finishing and absolute respect for artisanal Swiss workmanship. These requirements, combined with constant vigilance in production, give DeWitt timepieces a character of excellence enabling the firm to position itself at the very top end of the market. Mention should be made of the Pressy Grande Complication of 2003, the Academia Tourbillon Différentiel which in 2005 won the Innovation Prize at the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix, and the Tourbillon Academia Force Constante of 2006, to name but a few.

To attain such a high level in the design of its watches, DeWitt has naturally equipped itself with an inventory of ultra-modern machines on the first floor of the new building. A team of exceptionally well qualified men and women (85 at present) are actively involved in the manufacture and marketing of watches.

Forever eager to explore new horizons, it will be remembered that Jérôme de Witt decided to strengthen his growth strategy by handing over the reins of the firm last April to Nathalie Veysset, an expert in corporate management. Since then, he has devoted all of his time to designing new models and taken on the role of ambassador for his firm.

The career of Jérôme de Witt has little of the conventional about it. The great grandson of Léopold II of Belgium, he is the direct descendant, after five generations, of King Jérôme of Westphalia, brother of the Emperor Napoleon 1st. The imperial family has a long-standing love of fine timepieces. In 1798, before departing for the Egyptian campaign, Napoleon Bonaparte bought three pieces from a watchmaker by the name of Abraham-Louis Breguet. This initial acquisition marked the beginning of a long collaboration. In 1810, Breguet created the very first wristwatch in history for the Queen of Naples, Caroline Murat, sister of Napoleon 1st. Over the years, the imperial family built up an extraordinary collection of timepieces, added to by King Jérôme of Westphalia, a true watchmaking connoisseur, and later by Napoleon III. This heritage is today partly in the hands of Jérôme de Witt. One therefore understands better why, in 2000, the latter decided to create his own watch manufactory.

Tourbillon Force Constante with chain
At the time of its launch in 2006, the Tourbillon Force Constante made the headlines by providing an answer to a question as old as the mechanical movement itself: how to assure perfectly regular transmission of energy to the mechanism?
Today, DeWitt introduces a dazzling innovation to this exceptional timepiece by creating a system of energy relays to the power reserve indicator. Rotation of the crown, when the mainspring is wound, drives a miniature chain. The latter, whose 192 pieces are shaped and assembled entirely by hand, actuates the power reserve indicator by means of an intermediate wheel sliding over a worm screw. Positioned in the red zone the pointer indicates a reserve close to zero, as opposed to the green zone which indicates that the mainspring is adequately wound.
This ingenious mechanism (patented DW 8050 self-winding mechanical calibre) is rivalled only by the aesthetic appeal of the piece: the dial reveals through its openings the complexity of the mechanism and its different components, with the chain breathtakingly enhancing its overall balance. The visual harmony radiated by this timepiece goes beyond the world of engineering in the pure sense, giving it great depth of character.

A new Victorinox flagship store opened its doors in one of Europe’s most exclusive shopping districts, London’s New Bond Street. After the flagship store in trendy Soho in New York and the two matching stores in Tokyo (Aoyama and Ginza), the London location is home to the fourth Victorinox flagship store worldwide. Since the 7th November 2008, the entire Victorinox product range is on display, spread out over three floors with a retail area of more than 4’500 square feet.

The complete men’s fashion collection, Victorinox Swiss Army timepieces and men’s and women’s fragrances are located on the ground floor. The exclusive women’s fashion collection is dedicated to the first floor. A variety of high-quality travel gear is found on the lower ground floor together with the legendary Swiss Army Knives and the cutlery.

The store’s contemporary furnishings represent the tradition-rich Victorinox brand and reflect its values and characteristics, such as quality, functionality, iconic design and innovation.

On November 19, Chopard opened a new boutique in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. With dimensions of approximately 630 square meters, this new space is Chopard’s largest boutique in the world pointing to the extraordinary development of this new luxury center in the Middle East.

Chopard’s boutiques, easily identifiable, display the same refinement throughout the world: their atmosphere is warm and intimate and the use of wood and precious materials, including a fireplace, makes these spaces inviting and elegant. The new boutique in Abu Dhabi possesses this same comfortable environment. The majestic entrance hall of beige marble extends into a vast central aisle, the heart of the store, which gives access to the different areas where the products are displayed, showcasing Chopard’s creations. These well-defined areas exhibit the Haute Joaillerie collection, a section for men that includes the Haute Horlogerie LUC watches, a section for women’s watches and jewellery and one for accessories. The Fitting Area has a bar and comfortable sofas giving this area, and the space as a whole, a welcoming and intimate atmosphere, allowing the clients to stroll leisurely throughout the boutique.

Chopard’s Co-President, Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele, greatly satisfied about this inauguration in particular explains: "This project was very dear to me and I am pleased that Chopard’s creations can now be displayed as they deserve in Abu Dhabi".

Besides the Abu Dhabi boutique, the Geneva company also inaugurated a new store in Dubai on November 20, located within the new Atlantis Hotel, a world of luxury and imagination which opened last September.

The opening of the Abu Dhabi and Dubai boutiques point to the brand’s significant rise. Today, Chopard is present in over 120 countries with approximately 1500 different retail outlets. By the end of 2008, there will be 115 Chopard boutiques located in the world’s major cities such as London, Milan, Moscow, Paris, Munich, Beverly Hills, Geneva, Hong Kong, Singapore, Berlin and Vienna, as well as in top tourist centers such as Gstaad, Saint-Barthelemy, Sankt-Moritz, Palm Beach, Porto Cervo and on the Queen Mary 2 ocean liner. Additionally, two recent openings have taken place in Macau and Osaka and soon new boutiques will be inaugurated in Manila and New Delhi.

Longines, the famous Swiss watchmaker, will be pursuing its association with equestrian sports as the official timekeeper and partner for the CSIO Piazza di Siena in Rome from 22th to 25th May 2008. At this event Longines will be launching its newly styled Longines Press Award for Elegance. This year the ten male and ten female riders who achieve the best results at the first six Super League events will be selected. In Barcelona, at the final event, a jury made up of international journalists will choose the most elegant male and female riders out of the 20 successful candidates. Each winner will receive a trophy, a set of two Longines watches and a cheque for CHF 20,000.

The participation of Longines at the CSIO Piazza di Siena has become a tradition and Longines is proud to be this year once again the official timekeeper and partner of the show.

The Longines Press Award for Elegance – recognising elegance and performance
When it comes to precision and beauty, Longines’ know-how has a worldwide reputation. This year the brand will once again be presenting its Longines Press Award for Elegance, which was inaugurated in 2000. The new revamped price will now be awarded to the male and female riders who combine top results with elegant performance. The ten female and ten male riders who accumulate the most points during the first six Super League events will be selected for the 2008 Award. At the final Super League event, in Barcelona, a jury drawn from the international press will choose the most elegant male and female riders from the 20 shortlisted. Each winner will receive a trophy, a set of two Longines watches and a cheque for CHF 20,000.