It is stunningly beautiful. The Fugaku Tourbillon features a 43mm diameter platinum case adorned with 43 blue sapphires, and the hour marks are presented in 18-karat yellow gold.

Katsushika Hokusai, the famous Japanese artist from the Edo Period, inspired the new wrist watch by Seiko. Hokusai's iconic print "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" gets a tridimensional perspective thanks to the work of Kiyoshi Terui.

The eight-unit, limited edition was developed by three Japanese master craftsmen: Terui (metal engraver), Satoshi Hiraga (watchmaker) and Nobuhiro Kosugi (designer), while Isshu Tamura executed the 0.1mm thick lacquer work.

Fugaku, also known as Mount Fuji in Japanese, features a Caliber 6830 movement, a crocodile strap, and power reserve of approximately 37 hours. Seiko's first tourbillon - marketed in the Credor collection - is tagged at $460,000.

The Hollywood actress and philanthropist has been named the global charity ambassadress of the Swiss brand, and she will support the educational projects of "DonorsChoose," a nonprofit organization that allows people to donate directly to high-need public schools.

Paltrow is the star of the new charity advertising campaign shot by Tom Munro. Since 2004, Frederique Constant has been donating $50 for each Ladies collection watch sold to multiple charities.

"I am very proud to be the ambassador of the Frederique Constant Charity campaign. I think Frederique Constant is a wonderful company, and we are well aligned in our passion for Charity and giving back. It's amazing to be able to work with a company with a strong value system," underlined Gwyneth Paltrow.

"Thanks to her and to our brand's engagement, we will be able to improve the lives of many children. By purchasing one of the latest models of our Ladies collection, our consumers will not only feel the joy of having a beautiful timepiece on their wrist; they will also help people who need it the most," added Aletta Stas, co-founder of Frederique Constant.

Why do Swiss watchmakers produce the best watches in the world? What have they learned? Why are Swiss timepieces so accurate? Why has the Swiss watchmaking industry been so active since the 16th century?

Specialization is one of the strongest reasons for why men from the Jura mountains began building high-quality wrist watches. Even if their popularity only gained wings in the early 20th century. For the Swiss, timekeepers are an art form. And it is easy to understand why.

But reputation isn't built in a day. Their fine mechanicals skills evolved through time, and their knowledge sedimented as decades passed by. Simple movements became common complications, and several complications transformed into "grand complications."

Horology, the science of watches and clocks, owes a lot to Swiss artisans. Today, the world's most complicated wrist watch movements feature over 30 complications. And, most of the times, you'll find a Swiss expert behind them.

Products and works of art are made to be bought, and to be seen. Watches are part of the game. They're carefully manufactured with a rational purpose - timepieces are made to be sold, even if in the context of a ultra-limited edition.

The Swiss watch industry wouldn't grow a worldwide reputation without those who effectively sell watches - the brand manages, the jewelry stores, and the financial muscle led by the commercial cities of Genève and Basel.

Swiss watches tick all boxes: aesthetics, performance, design, weight, technology, component quality, notoriety, innovation, precision, elegance, metalsmithing. Swiss watchmakers developed unique in-house movements, bullet-proof cases, and added an inimitable seal - "Swiss Made."

There are dozens of Swiss watch companies, but not all have reached the heights of Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe, Breguet, Audemars Piguet, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Blancpain, Ulysee Nardin, Piaget, IWC, and Franck Muller.

The techniques, the mechanical knowledge, and the global expertise accumulated across multiple generations of watchmaking families have also contributed to creating iconic dreams which resisted the test of time.

Swiss watches have also broken all records and superlatives - the thinnest, the thickest, the most precise, the largest, the priciest, and the most advance - combining obstacles and challenges with perseverance, refinement, and development.

Watches made in Switzerland learned how to talk to jewelry and gemstones, embedding delicate and minuscule jewels and minerals in their finest creations.

Many feared that quartz crystals and electronics would kill Swiss watchmaking. They didn't and they won't, as long as brands learn to adapt to the rapid changes in the segment, and in the world of apps, mobile devices, and computers.

One of the routes to success is blending the old with the new; selling exclusive, luxury limited-editions, and joining the smart watch movement with the power of their brands and logos.

The land of the Red Cross, cheese, chocolate and lakes would not be the same without their hours, minutes and seconds.

The extremely complicated timepiece features a sidereal display in three dimensions combined with an oval sky indicator and a 24-hour day and night display.

The Astronomia Sky is an 18-piece limited edition inspired by the astronomical town clocks. The watch indicates the 12 months on the side of the celestial dial.

The oval sky indicator makes one full rotation in one sidereal day, the time it takes for the Earth to rotate once on its axis: 23.5640916 hours.

In the center of the satellite axis, you will find a lacquered hand-engraved titanium globe rotates on itself inside a tinted half-domed sapphire, symbolizing night and day.

Rotating around the watch are the four satellite arms, which rotate around the dial every 20 minutes, so when you look at the watch, it will never appear the same.

The Astronomia Sky has two bows and two wheels on the back of the watch, making setting easy. One bow is for setting the time and the day/night indicator while the other bow is for winding the mechanical movement. One of the wheels is to set the sidereal time, and the other wheel is used to set the oval sky indicator.

The 47mm case is made with 18-karat rose gold. A remarkable piece of art.

The 47-year-old award-winning actor represents the German brand since 2014 as a global ambassador of international markets, and his new responsibilities will put him in the spotlight in the USA and Canada.

Montblanc is celebrating its 100th anniversary, and Hugh Jackman will play a major role in promoting the luxury writing instruments, jewelry, and watches produced by the company.

"We could not ask for a better representative for Montblanc than Hugh Jackman. Hugh's unwavering commitment to his craft, undeniable passion for the arts and magnetic personality exemplify the ideals of the Maison," notes Jérôme Lambert, CEO at Montblanc.

The firm founded in Hamburg by August Eberstein, Alfred Nehemias, and Claus-Johannes Voss was acquired in 1977 by Dunhill. Today, Montblanc is part of the Richemont, alongside Cartier, Chloé, Baume et Mercier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and other luxury brands.

The watch was imagined by French jewelry designer Victoire de Castellane and aims to establish a delicate bridge between haute couture and horology.

The artist developed a bracelet in Milanese mesh inspired by passementerie that wraps around the wrist, as once suggested by Christian Dior.

"I am inspired by satin ribbons. La D de Dior Satine is a metal ribbon around the wrist," noted Victoire de Castellane, who ended up creating a truly feminine artwork.

La Mini D de Dior Satine is available in five models, and two case sizes (19 mm and 25mm). The watch features a steel bracelet and a stunning mother-of-pearl dial. The larger models display four diamonds hour markers.

Two additional versions combine a bracelet in yellow and rose gold with a golden sunray-brushed dial encircled by a diamond-set bezel.

Football, also known as soccer, has millions of fans across the globe. And the Premier League reaches over 730 million households in 185 countries. It is considered the most watched continuous annual sporting event on Earth.

The agreement between England's ultimate football club championship and the Swiss watch brand defines that referees will sport the new TAG Heuer Connected smart watch and that the TAG Heuer logo is visible on all of the fourth official's boards.

"Our partnership with the Premier League seals the important and strong involvement in football of TAG Heuer. It will be key in the promotion of our brand and its football activities in Asia and in the whole world," notes Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of TAG Heuer.

The watch company is already the Official Timekeeper for the German Bundesliga, MLS (Major Soccer League) in the USA, the 2016 Copa America, the Chinese Football Association Super League, and the Australian National Football team.

The Premier League features 20 professional football clubs. All teams play 38 matches per season from August to May. The average stadium occupancy is of 95.9 percent. Manchester United has won the Premier League Since 13 times since the Premier League was founded in 1992.

Sunday, 23 June, 2019 10:39pm