Founded in 2015 by Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, Dubai Watch Week is a biennial event that provides a cultural platform for the purpose of sharing knowledge, building connections, and celebrating watchmaking. 

This year was the 5th edition of Dubai Watch Week which returned with a richer event program with the three pillars of Connecting, Creating, and Celebrating. The 2021 edition achieved the core objective of creating an experiential event thanks to all the participating brands and the partners on ground. 

Hind Abdul Hamied Seddiqi, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer (CMCO), and Seddiqi the Holding and Director General of Dubai Watch Week shared that the 2021 edition of this exhibition exceeded their expectations. The first day had so many visitors, that they speculate breaking records. Hind further expresses “We feel blessed to make this edition come through.” When asked what was new, she mentioned, “We have the collectors lounge which is well received by the visitors and the Kids Toys Auction by Christies is a great initiative to ensure that families are able to experience the evening as well “

Participants
Some of the iconic watch brands including Rolex, Audemars Piguet, TUDOR, Hublot, and Chopard had standalone and interactive booth spaces on site. 

A few of the participating brands included, Armin Strom, Bell & Ross, Bovet 1822, Breitling, BVLGARI, Christophe Claret, Chronoswiss, Corum, Czapek, De Bethune, F.P. Journe, Ferdinand Berthoud, Frederique Constant, GENUS Watches, Girard-Perregaux, Greubel Forsey, H. Moser & Cie, Jacob & Co, Laurent Ferrier, Louis Erard, Louis Moinet, MB&F, Oris, PURNELL, REBELLION Timepieces, Ressence, TAG Heuer, Trilobe, Ulysse Nardin, and Urwerk. WatchBox was also present, the leading destination for pre-owned luxury timepieces – in order to enlighten watch connoisseurs about the possibility of selling watches, buying watches, and trading watches.

This year, Dubai Watch Week witnessed a Collector’s Lounge. This lounge was created to gather watch connoisseurs from across the globe. This dedicated lounge for watch connoisseurs provided a meeting place to discuss the latest watch releases and horology news. The Collector’s Lounge also showcased the unique limited editions conceptualised by Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons to commemorate the UAE’s 50th anniversary. 

We caught up with some brand custodians and here are some highlights from the brands:

MB&F X Bvlgari

The big story of the collaboration between Bvlgari and MB&F has resulted in the Flying T Allegra. This complicated feminine jewellery watch brings together two visions of the world with two creative interpretations merged vividly demonstrating the power of two. This one-of-a-kind timepiece is the product of a friendship between Bvlgari’s Product Creation Executive Director, Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, and MB&F’s Founder and Creative Director, Maximilian Büsser. The Flying T Allegra watch was unveiled in two versions – 18K white or red gold, set with diamonds. The watch has a Power reserve of 100 hours. The hours and minutes are displayed on a 50° vertically tilted dial with two serpentine hands. The watch has two crowns – winding on left and time-setting on right.

Maximilian Büsser words this creation – “The Flying T was a labour of Love, I have always been creating watches that I love. I tried to incorporate the love for the women in my life with this watch. There are three women in my life and I am the sun, and my life revolves around them, the sun in the watch is the rotor. We have already sold these watches which is a total of 40 pieces.”

Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani adds that “The choice to revisit MB&F’s FlyingT was both natural and logical since Flying T Allegra incorporates both sensibilities.”

To see more about the FlyingT Allegra watch visit: https://www.mbandf.com/en/machines/performance-art/lmflyingtallegra-mbandf-bulgari

Oris

Oris watches launched a new version of their Big Crown Pointer iconic watch at Dubai Watch Week.  The Big Crown Pointer Date Calibre 403 updated 38 mm model provides the watch with small seconds and pointer date complications. This watch has a five-day power reserve and comes with a 10-year warranty. 

Rolf Studer, co-CEO, Oris, says “the rubies in this movement are bigger than normal, as it helps hold the oil for a longer period like 10 years.” “The size of 38 mm is perfect for both genders to use the watch”

To view this timepiece and know more click on the link: https://www.oris.ch/en/collection/big-crown

De Bethune

De Bethune is best described in the words of CEO, Pierre Jacques.  Pierre says “De Bethune is watchmaking art in 21^st century, crossroads between tradition and innovation which means working with few techniques and the spirit of watch markers of the 18^th Century with the materials, techniques, and design of today’s day and age”.  Production is limited only to 200 pieces per year.

At Dubai Watch Week De Bethune launched a new DB25QP with a green guilloche dial and a new titanium case, limited to 10 pieces. This timepiece has a power reserve of five days. The watch features hours, minutes, spherical moon phase, and leap-year indication at 12 o’clock, while the perpetual calendar indicating the month is at 3 o’clock, the date is at 6 o’clock, and the day of the week at 9 o’clock positions.

This perpetual calendar combines horological finesse with the cutting-edge mechanisms by uniting moon phases, a star-studded sky, and a perpetual calendar to make this an exceptional piece among other exceptional timepieces.

To view this beautiful timepiece and know more about De Bethune click on the link: https://www.debethune.ch/en/collections/db25-collections/perpetua

Czapek also caught my attention and we were intrigued to know more.  The brand produces 150 pieces per year but in the current year, they are expected to produce around 300-400 pieces per year. Xavier de Roquemaurel, CEO at Czapek & Cie, explained the history of the brand. “Czapek was a Czech-born watchmaker, Czapek was quickly recognized as one of the greatest watchmakers of the 19th century. Purveyor to the Imperial Court, watchmaker of his Imperial Highness, Prince Napoleon. At its height, the company had boutiques in Geneva, Paris, Place Vendome, and the third one at Faubourg de Cracovie at Warsaw. Historically it is the first watchmaking store of Place Vendome.” 

Xavier adds, “In 2013 we decide to revive the brand, Czapek and I joined the company as a partner and became a co-founder. The earlier partner was a friend of his father, and since he passed away I came on board as a partner. Then we brought on a watchmaker and that’s how in 2013 the three of us came together to revive the brand.”

Czapek has been exhibiting at Dubai Watch Week for the last 3 editions and these watches in India are available at Ethos.

To know more on Czapek watches, visit https://czapek.com/

Aramedes

Co-Founder & Chief Emotion Officer (CEO), Tom Morf, introduced the brand to the world, with its first two collections: ZÜRICH, which features three classical mechanisms, and MECCA, the hero product – a line of absolutely innovative timepieces that incorporates functions that support Muslims in observing the key practices of their religion. Tom Morf says “The Brand has come alive now at Dubai Watch Week, we worked for over three years now to create this new mechanism for the Mecca watch and have patented the same.”

Diving deeper Tom Morf says “The Mecca Watch will be a game-changer in the watch industry, we will roll out the brand in GCC first, the Indian market too will be an important market for our Brand”.  The module for the watch has been created with an app and is targeted at people who follow Islam as a Religion”

The team designed and developed the AraTec 1 Module, a high-tech electronic component that can be integrated into the watch along with mechanical movement. The associated software calculates the location of the wearer via mobile radio triangulation, and the watch displays the information on subdials. Each subdial has its own step motor on the module that controls the hands of the analog displays. The owner uses the Mastertimer mobile phone app to initialise and calibrate the watch, connecting it via Bluetooth by using the pusher at 2 o’clock on the watch case.

The Aramedes Mecca Collection comprises four models: Mastertimer Qibla which indicates the direction of Mecca; Mastertimer Salah displays the next prayer time in a sub-dial at 9 o’clock as well as the direction of Mecca in a sub-dial at 3 o’clock; Mastertimer Sawm shows fasting times during Ramadan with a sunrise/sunset indicator at 6 o’clock, supplementing the Qibla and Salah displays and prayer time alarm and Mastertimer Salah Tourbillon Automatic offers all of the features of the Mastertimer Salah, with the addition of a flying tourbillon in a titanium cage. 

To more about Aramedes Watches click on the link: https://www.aramedes.com/

All in all, the Dubai Watch Week 2021 was a great success thanks to all the efforts of the Management and Seddiqi family. Looking  forward to Dubai Watch Week 2023!!

The post Reunited with Time at Dubai Watch Week 2021 appeared first on AKLC.

Bvlgari’s Octo Roma World Timer watches are ready to take on the whims and fancies of the new modern age and aspirational globetrotters. Bvlgari’s Octo Roma World Timer watches showcases the classic function along with modern touch.

The Octo Roma World Timer watches are designed by the youth and for the youth. It enables an instant reading of the time in 24 cities, i.e. in 24 time zones.  This new version of the world time function is powered by the new integrated movement comprising 261 components, developed and produced by the Manufacture. The dial is rightly called the face of the watch and the layout of the dial information features a central display of the hours, minutes and seconds combined with a double rotating disc on the outer edge: one for the 24 reference cities and another with a 24-hour graduated scale. Thus giving a simple and instant readability of the time.

The watches may look complex but the functions are easily adjustable via the crown, first positioning the city of the chosen time zone at 12 o’clock, then setting the time until the hours and minutes hands indicate the exact time in the selected time zone

Antonio Pin, Managing Director, Bvlgari Watch Division emphasises that Octo Roma World Timer watches are modern yet classic watches in monochromatic mood colours enabling Bvlgari Watches to reach and appeal to young watch enthusiasts the world over. The design is the key along with the aesthetic appeal. 

Octo Roma WorldTimer watches are available in two variants one in STAINLESS STEEL – 103481 and the other inDLC (DIAMOND LIKE CARBON) – 103486 . The steel one comes in 41 mm steel case with a satin-brushed/polished finish and a Blue sunburst dial. The indicators have applied brushed rhodium-plated gold hour-markers.The DLC one is in 41mm steel with a black sandblasted DLC with a Matt black sandblasted dial and indicators. Also the hour-markers have been enhanced with Super-LumiNova® (SLN), hours and minutes hands with SLN.

Octo Roma WorldTimer watches are a classic watchmaking must-have for both the young travellers and watch enthusiasts. 

The post Around the Globe with your Bvlgari Octo Roma World Timer appeared first on AKLC.

In the Enchanting Birds collection, the talented craftsmen have reproduced a bird in motion with a voice. This Tabatières reveals its element of magic on demand, by activating a lever. This colourful bird composed of 28 parts in titanium and gold, flaps its wings and moves every joint of its small body in sync with its tune. This single mechanical movement has more than 250 pieces and is an absolute masterpiece. This beautiful automaton is available in 3 colours- Blue, Fuchsia and Silver and priced at approximately 18,900 CHF

We salute Reuge’s investment in the continuity of an age old swiss tradition and yet remaining relevant to the current times. Any takers for this treasure?

Reuge Enchanting Birds in Blue

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Since 1888 inception year of Carl F Bucherer , The Manero Minute Repeater Symphony is the most extraordinary timepiece that Carl F Bucherer has created, till date. The Manero Minute Repeater Symphony apart from its technical excellence takes customisation to another level, a feat which is uncommon, in today’s time.  Yes, you read it right Customization of the music of the Minute Repeater is indeed a rare feat!

Tribute to technical innovation and Swiss watchmaking tradition
This timepiece’s minute repeater has a peripherally mounted regulator. This regulator, along with the peripheral winding system and the floating tourbillon, together, combines to create a true horological symphony.  In fact, the composition is inspired by the famous Lucerne Festival Orchestra. Carl F. Bucherer has set new standards in the field of peripheral technology wherein the peripheral rotor is not only combined with a peripherally suspended tourbillon but also with the peripherally mounted regulator of a minute repeater mechanism. Not only does the bidirectional automatic winding movement draws its energy from a peripherally rotating oscillating weight, but its slim rotor reveals a beautiful heart (read: movement) with a power reserve of 65 hours.

The Manero Minute Repeater’s mechanism is orchestrated to produce two different tones on two gongs which are viewed through cut outs on the face of the watch with the sculpted hammers.  These gongs are complemented by openings at 5 and 7 o’clock, through which the work of the striking hammers are visible. A window above 6 o’clock showcases the watch’s innovative regulator, which sets the beat of the chimes.

The timepiece is clad in a 43.8 mm diameter, 18-karat rose gold case. These spoke-shaped horns amplify the watch’s melodious sound. The 18-karat white gold dial is hand-galvanized and features a fine grainé texture. This sophisticated timepiece is limited to 88 pieces and comes with a hand-stitched leather strap. It is priced at approximately INR 3.42 crores.

Samir Merdanovic, Chief Technical Officer at Carl F. Bucherer

Customize your limited-edition watch, with your distinct style

For those watch connoisseurs who wish to create their very own symphony, Carl F. Bucherer offers customization options. They can choose from different designs and finishes, creating a timepiece that is as unique as it can be. Not just restricted to the physical aspects of the timepiece, customers can also select their own symphony. This is the epitome of customisation!

Samir Merdanovic, Chief Technical Officer at Carl F. Bucherer decodes the extent of customisation where one can change the movement, dial colour, [Carl F. Bucherer] can make the gongs in a different material.  The customisation process can take anything between two to three months going up to four to six months which will be for decorative movements or parts of the movement in solid gold. We can customise the timepiece in a matter of month and not two years, which is also unique to the brand.

Tip from Samir Merdanovic on taking care of your timepiece
If you are using the watch through the week and would like it to rest over the weekend, preferably let it rest and set the time when you want to wear it next. He suggests personally he would not want to always use the watch winders for the Manero Minute Repeater. Samir Merdanovic compares winding of a watch to a parked car whose ignition stops when the car is parked.. When a car is in the garage, the engine is turned off. And when one wishes to use this car, one would have to restart the engine. In the same way although this is an automatic watch if kept for long time, needs winding to restart.

The Manero Minute Repeater Symphony

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