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Harry Winston - Nicole Kidman wears Harry Winston jewels
The Winston Cluster is one of the House of Harry Winston's most coveted jewelry designs. In these jewels, fancy-shaped diamonds are set with minimal metal at varying angles to each other, resulting in a cluster of pear, marquise-shaped and round brilliant diamonds that has depth and remarkable brilliance. Transformed into highly dimensional sculptures, diamonds appear to float in their settings, emphasizing the inherent beauty and fire of each different shaped diamond.
At the the Omega - De Ville Prestige 'Butterfly' launch on October 2, 2014 in Seoul, Nicole Kidman was wearing a Wreath diamond necklace, a Winston Cluster diamond bracelet, a diamond Links bracelet and a Qipao diamond ring.
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Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix - Time for jewellery
The Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix Jewellery category comprises 16 watches, which are intended for women, the sole exception being the Diamond Resilience by Speake-Marin - of which the understated charm in comparison with the other competitors, along with the 42 mm diameter, make it entirely suitable for a man's wrist.
When the priority is firmly placed on the jewellery nature of a model, with an abundance of precious materials and stones, as well as gem-setting expertise, watchmaking is naturally relegated to a background role. Only four of the 16 watches in the Jewellery category house a mechanical movement (Hermes, Speake-Marin, Omega and Champs-Elysees) and all except two (Omega and Speake-Marin) display only the hours and minutes. So for now let's forget about horological techniques and complications, and allow ourselves to be borne on the wings of a jewellery dream.
Vivid colours
While diamonds are the undisputed stars on the jewellery watch scene, some of the creations in this category are graced with resplendent colours. Such is very much the case with the models in de Grisogono's Grappoli collection, of which the sparkling precious stones - orange or blue sapphires, emeralds and amethysts - are briolette-cut around the white gold case and undulate with each flick of the wrist. The dial and bezel are adorned with the same stones, but arranged in a snow setting, while the pearl-like beads of the galuchat strap lend an additional precious touch to the watch.
The Hortensia secret watch by Chaumet unfurls the tender colours of a splendid bouquet of flowers sculpted in gold, opal and tourmaline, daintily concealing the natural white mother-of-pearl dial. A large pear-shaped pink tourmaline prolongs this delightful garden on the 6 o'clock lug of the pink satin strap.
The black and white dial of the Arceau Temari model by Hermes - echoing the ancestral Japanese folk art "balls" known as temari - is created by a traditional gem-set pattern of diamonds and onyx marquetry, while the white gold case is graced with a snow setting of 700 diamonds that renders each piece truly unique. The watch houses the Manufacture Hermes H1912 movement, of which the mainplate is graced with circular-grained and snailed finishes, while the bridges and the oscillating weight are satin-brushed and engraved with the H for Hermes.
A flurry of diamonds
The models presented by Boucheron, Chanel, DeLaneau and Louis Vuitton focus entirely on diamonds, at the expense of any other precious stones, while showcasing resolutely different designs and case shapes. The rectangular case typical of Boucheron, along with the bezel, dial and bracelet of the Reflet Pompon watch, are entirely set with round and baguette-cut diamonds. The couture-inspired detachable pompon (tassle) that may be worn as a pendant undulates like a supple fabric - in this instance replaced by a diamond pave setting.
At Chanel, Mademoiselle Gabrielle's famous lion is back with a roar, taking pride of place on the spectacular Lion Mosaïque watch in white gold and diamonds. The bracelet of this model takes the form of an imposing lion's head in three-quarter profile that looms larger than the watch case itself. This creation is inspired by Byzantine mosaics, echoed in the geometrically-cut shapes of the variously sized diamonds.
Each model in the Grace collection by DeLaneau is unique and the one competing in this year's Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix is the Grace Pear Diamonds watch with its 48.48 carats of diamonds. The broad wraparound bracelet is composed of 352 cascading pear-shaped diamonds, rose-cut according to an ancestral technique. Emerging from the middle is a round white gold case topped by a bezel and framing a dial set with a total of 268 gems.
The Dentelle de Monogram watch by Louis Vuitton exudes an extremely pure design with its dainty 30 mm white gold case and its riviere-style bracelet set with round diamonds. The shimmering mother-of-pearl dial picks up the Dentelle (lacework) motif of the eponymous jewellery collection and clothes it in diamonds.
Faced with such a dazzling array of charms, the watchmaking experts of the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix will be able to rely on gemmologist and jeweller Claude Sfeir to help them decide between these stunning competitors.
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Omega - Constellation
One of the brightest new stars in OMEGA's Constellation family is the Co-Axial 27 mm in 18 Ct red gold. It is not only uncompromisingly elegant but equipped with the brand's proprietary Co-Axial calibre 8521, from OMEGA's family of mechanical movements widely considered to be among the world's finest.
The luxurious timepiece's brushed case with polished claws is crafted from 18 Ct red gold. The matching bracelet has brushed links and polished bars set with 144 full-cut diamonds totalling 0.54 carat. The bezel is paved with 32 full-cut diamonds with a total weight of 0.50 carat. The screw-in caseback features a sapphire crystal that reveals the perfection of the Co-Axial movement inside.
The mother-of-pearl dial is completed with, appropriately, a constellation of applied 18 Ct red gold stars, some that are raised and others with a recessed profile. There is a trapezoidal date window at 3 o'clock. The polished and facetted 18 Ct gold hour and minute hands are coated with white Super-LumiNova, making them easy to read even in limited lighting conditions.
The Co-Axial movement at the heart of the Constellation is equipped with OMEGA's Si 14 silicon balance spring. The dimensions of the movement have allowed OMEGA to introduce its proprietary Co-Axial technology in a 27 mm wristwatch for the first time. The combination of the Co-Axial calibre 8521 and the silicon balance spring offers so much stability that OMEGA offers the stunning timepiece with a four-year warranty.
The OMEGA Constellation Co-Axial 27 mm is water resistant to 10 bar / 100 metres / 330 feet. An 18 Ct yellow gold model is also available. The OMEGA Constellation Co-Axial 27 mm was designed for the woman who cares as much about the mechanical movement inside the case as she does for its breathtaking beauty.
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Omega - Seamaster Aqua Terra "Golf"
OMEGA has renewed its commitment to helping grow the game of golf around the world. This Seamaster Aqua Terra "Golf", with the distinctive green elements on its dial, fashionably identifies itself with a truly global sport.
The watch, which features a 41.50 mm brushed and polished stainless steel case and a polished bezel, has a black dial with the vertical lines that define OMEGA's popular Aqua Terra Collection. The indexes are crafted from brushed and polished 18 Ct white gold and there is a date window at 3 o'clock.
With its green transferred "Seamaster" name and the numbers on the minute track (60, 5, 10, 15, etc.), the watch recalls the verdant courses where golf's great events are contested. The central seconds hand is also distinguished with a green tip.
The Seamaster Aqua Terra "Golf" is powered by the OMEGA Co-Axial caliber 8500, the movement that, when it was introduced in 2007, signaled a revolution in mechanical watchmaking. Equipped with the first practical new watch escapement to be introduced in some 250 years, the Co-Axial movement delivers outstanding chronometric performance which will be maintained over a longer period of time than those with a traditional Swiss lever escapement.
As a result there are longer service intervals and OMEGA guarantees the timepiece for four years. The hour hand can be changed independently of the minute and seconds hands allowing travelers to adjust the time easily when they change time zones.
The Seamaster Aqua Terra "Golf" wristwatch features OMEGA's patented screw and pin stainless steel bracelet and is water resistant to 15 bar / 150 metres / 500 feet.
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Omega - Seamaster Aqua Terra GMT
With the Seamaster Aqua Terra GMT, OMEGA introduces a new member of its exclusive Co-Axial family of movements. The OMEGA Co-Axial calibre 8605/8615 is the first of OMEGA's proprietary movements to be equipped with a GMT complication, meaning that along with the central hour, minute and seconds hands, there is a GMT hand which completes one rotation every 24 hours, making it possible to keep track of the time in two time zones.
The 43 mm case is available in a choice of metals: 18 Ct red gold or stainless steel or, in a bicolor version in 18 Ct red gold and stainless steel. The sapphire crystal on the screw-in caseback allows a clear view of the extraordinary Co-Axial movement inside. The watch is available with either a bracelet in the same metal as the watch case or with a black, brown or blue leather strap.
The dial is distinguished by the teak pattern associated with the Aqua Terra collection. The vertical lines are reminiscent of the wooden decks on luxury boats. The applied 18 Ct gold brushed and polished indexes are coated with white Super-LumiNova and the facetted hands are crafted from 18 Ct white or red gold. Like the indexes, they are coated with white Super-LumiNova which allows ease of reading in all light conditions. The GMT hand's red arrow makes it easy to distinguish the two time zones.
At the heart of the Seamaster Aqua Terra GMT is the Co-Axial calibre 8605/8615. It is part of the family of movements OMEGA introduced in 2007 built around the first practical new watch escapement to be developed in some 250 years. The Co -Axial escapement in the OMEGA calibres is used in conjunction with a free sprung-balance and its function differs considerably from that of a conventional lever escapement with index. The watch's rate can be adjusted by modifying the moment of inertia of the balance by means of two gold regulating micro screws embedded in the circular balance. This design avoids the disturbing effects of contact between the balance-spring and the index pins and therefore ensures that the stability of rate offered by the Co-Axial escapement is maintained over long periods of use. The result is reduced friction which means that there is almost no need for lubrication; the Co-Axial calibres have long service intervals and the Seamaster Aqua Terra GMT, which is also equipped with a silicon balance spring, is delivered with a four-year warranty.
The OMEGA Co-Axial calibre 8605/8615 is the first in the family to be equipped with a GMT complication. Its GMT hand has a diamond-polished red arrow, making it easy to track time in a second time zone or GMT display. Intriguingly, the GMT hand can also be used for compass orientation: when the watch is held parallel to the ground with its hour hand pointed in the direction of the sun, the GMT hand, when it is adjusted to the same time on the 24-hour GMT display, will indicate north in the northern hemisphere.
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Swatch Group - DFNI assigned the award "best new store"
In January 2011, Tech-Airport received from Duty Free News International the Product Award 2010 in the category "Best new store" for its Hour Passion Boutique at Geneva International Airport.
The DFNI Product Awards are held each year to reward excellence and innovation, among the leading players in the travel retail and duty-free industry, in terms of store concepts, products or marketing initiatives in the last 12 months.
This award to Tech-Airport gratifies a company that has succeeded in becoming an acknowledged expert in the concept of watch and jewelry boutiques in international airports. Above all, it rewards an innovative project and demonstrates the company's ability to develop creative stores, tailored to passengers' expectations, designed by combining the experience of its origins with that gained in the field.
Today Tech-Airport has more than thirty boutiques in eight international airports: in France at Paris Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle, Paris-Orly, Nice-Côte d'Azur and Nantes-Atlantique, in Switzerland at Geneva Cointrin, in Germany at Dusseldorf, in Ireland at Dublin and in Singapore at Changi. With its multi-brand Hour Passion boutiques and mono-brand boutiques for Omega and Swatch, its retail boutiques satisfy the demands of the different airports and of their passengers, proposing a complete and adapted range, presented in a space where the design and layout enhance the different brands of timepieces and jewels.
The rapid growth in the number of concessions is undeniable proof of an effective model suited to market needs.
Besides bringing recognition and fame on the international level, this distinction allows Tech-Airport to face with enthusiasm and confidence the challenges of the coming months, particularly the launch of the new airport boutiques in Venice, Dusseldorf and Berlin.
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Watch Selection - Co-Axial Anniversary Edition by Roger Smith and George Daniels
WORLDTEMPUS - 23 December 2010
George Daniels is considered by many "the greatest living watchmaker." This extraordinary - if fictional - title is not undeserved: Daniels, now 84 years old, made all his watches by hand; he invented new and important elements to add to horology's collective knowledge; and he has passed on his acquired know-how in both writings and teachings.
The element Daniels is probably most famous for is the co-axial escapement that Omega now uses in the lion's share of its movements. Daniels celebrated this escapement not only in his own Millennium wristwatch series (completed with Roger Smith's help). It also continues to live on in Roger Smith's own handmade bespoke watches.
Smith was Daniels's only apprentice, and it is he who carries the torch of traditional English watchmaking. The visuals of the new Co-Axial Anniversary Edition, designed by both masters and manufactured in Smith's Isle of Man workshop, are based on Daniels's 1994 one-off tourbillon chronograph pocket watch. The manually wound movement is fully styled according to traditional English watchmaking: gold-plated, frosted surfaces emphasize the free-sprung balance and - naturally - the co-axial escapement. The time, date, and power reserve displays of this 35-piece limited edition housed in a 40 mm case are found on a hand-guilloche solid silver dial with 18-karat gold chapters. "Simplicity is seen as the keynote of enduring beauty," Daniels and Smith sum up.
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Omega - Ladymatic
Can you imagine a line of women's watches that recalls the most compelling design elements of the golden age of couture and combines them with the best mechanical watch movements in the world? Is this idea simply too good to be true?
Omega can answer these questions in a word: Ladymatic.
Reviving a legendary name
The Omega Ladymatic reintroduces a name from the storied brand's illustrious past. Originally launched in 1955 and continuing for the better part of a generation, the Ladymatic wristwatch line defined feminine grace and elegance in another era. It was one of the brand's first self-winding watches to be designed especially for women and it featured the smallest automatic movement Omega had ever made.Omega has chosen to revive the legendary name with a family of watches whose design originality and Co-Axial innovation combine to give an entirely new meaning to Ladymatic. These are timepieces that have been created to address women's desire to own wristwatches that make profound fashion statements but which are also equipped with the best series-produced mechanical watch movements in the world.
Nicole Kidman and Ladymatic
Academy Award-winning actress Nicole Kidman, an Omega brand ambassador since 2004, will be the face (and wrist) associated with the Ladymatic line. Asked what she thought about Omega's decision to usea name associated with a product launched in the fifties, Kidman said, "There's something appealing about that type of communication. There's a fascination with the era which means that the advertisements can be playful without actually turning back the clock. As the Ladymatic watch collection represents state-of-the-industry technology, this campaign is really a sort of wink."
What's in a name? Ladymatic in 1955 and 2010
When the first Ladymatic watches were released by Omega in 1955, the name concisely communicated the collection's strength: the Ladymatic was a self-winding watch created especially for women.Omega president Stephen Urquhart said about reviving the Ladymatic name, "We're certainly aware that it sounds different now than it did 55 years ago. But the new watches are superb and they've been designed for women who have told us that they are as interested in the quality of our mechanical movements as they are in the style of the watches."Mr. Urquhart added, "By reviving this name, we've been able to focus attention on how important our women customers have been to us over the years and also to show the world what a mechanical watch for women should be in the 21st century."Nicole Kidman echoed his sentiment saying, "These days, interest in the quality of a watch movement isn't gender specific - women have the same interest in its performance as men do. The Ladymatic addresses that perfectly."
The Ladymatic Line
The watches in the new Ladymatic line feature polished 34 mm cases with a distinctive ceramic ring between an outer decorative wave and the inner case body. The cases are crafted in 18 Ct red or yellow gold or in stainless steel.The Ladymatic watches are offered with a choice of polished or snow-set diamond-paved bezels. The polished screw-in crown is either set with a Brilliant Omega CutT™ diamond or is embossed with a polished OMEGA logo. The polished caseback has a sapphire crystal that reveals the movement that powers the watch.The movement driving the Ladymatic watches is the Omega Co-Axial calibre 8520/8521. At its heart is the Co-Axial escapement, the component that in 1999 signaled a revolution in how mechanical wristwatches are made. Each movement is equipped with OMEGA's exclusive Si 14 silicon balance spring, an innovation that makes it more resistant to external shocks and environmental disturbancEach watch in the Omega Ladymatic collection is an officially certified chronometer, a testimony to their outstanding timekeeping performance. The remarkable stability and performance of the Co-Axial calibers equipped with silicon balance springs makes it possible for Omega to deliver each Ladymatic wristwatch with a four-year warranty.The stunning face of the Ladymatic is highlighted by the supernova pattern, which emanates from the centre of the dial. The extra-white mother-ofpearl or lacquered black dials match the colour of the striking ceramic ring. The dials are available either with 11 diamond indexes in facetted 18 Ct gold mounts or in understated elegant simplicity with no hour markers. There is a diamond-polished date window at the 3 o'clock position. The polished alpha-shaped hands have been made from 18 Ct gold and are treated with white Super-LumiNova, making them readable in any lighting conditions.The Omega Ladymatic watches are presented with either bracelets in metals matching their cases or on alligator leather straps in mother-of-pearl white or brilliant black. The metal bracelets feature Omega's patented 3-row screw-and-pin design with a butterfly clasp. The alligator straps have a polished link in the metal that corresponds to the case and an 18 Ct gold foldover clasp.The new Omega Ladymatic Collection draws certain influences from its namesake: like the original Ladymatic watches, the line perfectly blends graceful, timeless design and Omega's groundbreaking technology. The new collection, with its Co-Axial technology and bold fashion features, takes the best elements of an earlier era and introduces them, completely updated and upgraded, to women of accomplishment in a new century.
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Omega - Seamaster Diver 300m "Vancouver 2010" Limited Edition
As the OMEGA clock counting down to the start of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games has just reached the minus 100 day mark, OMEGA is releasing two special limited edition watches to commemorate the milestone. The OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300m "Vancouver 2010" Limited Edition will be produced in 41 mm and 36.25 mm versions, each in a release of 2010 numbered pieces and featuring the OMEGA Co-Axial caliber 2500.
The Seamaster Diver 300m "Vancouver 2010" Limited Edition is equipped with professional diving features: it has a unidirectional rotating bezel, a helium-escape valve and is water resistant to a depth of 300 meters. The caseback is embossed with the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games logo which features "Ilanaak", the symbol of the Games. It represents the figures made of piled stones which the Canadian First Nations people created to serve as greetings to anyone moving through their territories. The logo's name, Ilanaak, was taken from the word for "friend" in Inuktitut, the name given to the variety of Inuit languages spoken in Canada. The caseback is engraved with the Limited Edition number (0000/2010).
OMEGA will be serving as Official Olympic Timekeeper for the 24th time at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver and will be carrying on a legacy dating back to the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The Seamaster Diver 300m "Vancouver 2010" Limited Edition watches ideally commemorate the Winter Games in Vancouver and OMEGA's long relationship with the Olympic Movement.
The striking watches feature white lacquered dials and red-anodized aluminum bezel rings. These bold contrasting colors recall the Canadian flag with its proud red maple leaf against a stark white background. The white dials are also reminiscent of the snow and ice which will play such an important role in the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
The watches' connection to the Games in Vancouver is further reinforced by the colored Olympic rings on the counterweight of the red-tipped, rhodium-plated chro¬nograph seconds hand. Their hands and indexes are coated with white Super-LumiNova which at night or in limited light conditions casts a soft blue reflection.
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Omega - It was the night after Christmas
Christmas has come and gone. The gifts were exchanged - maybe last night, maybe this morning, depending on your culture or your own family traditions.
And now you have 364 days before it's time to do it all again. There are only about 8,700 hours to select, buy and wrap next year's presents - less, if you do your shopping early.
And the passing of time is tracked sublimely on the Omega wristwatch she found under the tree. Each glance at the watch reminds her of the best Christmas ever and the special person who gave it to her.
She will notice more of the 525,600 minutes between this Christmas and next than usual because she can't keep her eyes off the dial. And the Omega she received this year will be counting down the days perfectly. Who should be thinking about you each time she looks at her watch ?
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Omega's holiday selections
To mark all the great moments this holiday season and in the years to come, Omega has some selections for 2009 including two dramatically detailed Constellations for ladies and an eye-catching Seamaster Aqua Terra Co-Axial Chronograph for gents or for women who enjoy wearing larger watches.
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Omega - Seamaster Planet Ocean Liquidmetal Limited Edition
Omega has announced the launch of the Seamaster Planet Ocean Liquidmetal Limited Edition, the world's first watch to bond ceramics and Liquidmetal.
Swatch Group researchers collaborating with OMEGA's product development team have created a striking ceramic diving bezel whose numbers and scaling, made of the Liquidmetal alloy, appear in stunning silvery contrast to the black ceramic background. The colour of the ceramic dial perfectly matches that of the bezel. The result is an aesthetic wonder only made possible by several new and innovative processes.
The remarkable world premiere is being launched in a limited edition of 1948 pieces in honour of the year OMEGA launched its popular Seamaster watch line.
Liquidmetal®: seamless bonding, remarkable hardness
The Liquidmetal alloy is an amorphous metal - a metallic material with a disordered, non-crystalline atomic structure. Its fusion temperature is half that of conventional titanium alloys but when it is cooled, its hardness is three times as great as that of stainless steel. Its amorphous structure allows it to bond seamlessly with the ceramic bezel.
The Liquidmetal is a bulk metallic glass alloy consisting of five elements: zirconium, titanium, copper, nickel and beryllium. A bulk metallic glass can, by virtue of its low critical cooling rate, be formed into a structure with a thickness of more than a tenth of a millimetre. Zirconium is an important constituent part both of the Liquidmetal® alloy and of the ceramic material which is made of zirconium dioxide (Zr02).
The final, perfectly smooth bezel is particularly resistant to scratching and corrosion because of the hardness of the two components.
The union of ceramics and Liquidmetal® at OMEGA
First, ceramic rings are formed. The numbers and the fine lines of the minute scaling are then engraved into these ceramic bezel rings and polished. The alloy is heated and pressed into the cavities in the ceramic material after which any excess Liquidmetal is removed. The Liquidmetal can be manipulated at a lower temperature than metals normally used in watchmaking so the heating process does not damage the ceramic material.
The Liquidmetal numbers and scales are then satin brushed. Because the ceramic is a harder material than the alloy, the satin brushing of the fine details can be done without affecting the ceramic bezel. The numbers and scaling then appear in bold, vivid contrast to the glossy ceramic background.
Redefining longevity in the watch industry
The OMEGA Seamaster Planet Ocean Liquidmetal Limited Edition, which has a stainless steel case and bracelet, is driven by OMEGA's revolutionary Co-Axial calibre 2500. These movements, which have been heralded for their long-term chronometric performance, are perfectly complemented by the ceramic and Liquidmetal alloy components which are incredibly resistant to corrosion and scratching. The result is pure OMEGA: a design premiere which will retain its appearance indefinitely, blended with innovative Co-Axial technology.
[Rating: 5 / 5 stars]
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