A fascinating world

I have been thinking of what to write again and there were two things which had really caught my attention in the last 2 weeks: a watch and a man behind a watch. So which one to choose? Should I write two entries? But then one entry would get less attention maybe... so then I decided: both are worth our attention.

So, sorry ladies, but I am again talking again about watches for men, but I guess in this industry segment, just like for cars (or more even than for cars) it is a man's world!

Working surounded by watches has some advantages, one of them being that I get the press from all over the world and I can skim through the pages in search for our products, while still seeing the novelties from other brands. So one day I came across the Chopard L.U.C. Louis Ulysse The Tribute. For me it's simply a fantastic watch to celebrate 150 years of manufacture. It might be a bit big and heavy at a case diameter of 49,6mm made of 18k white gold, but it can fit into today's world easily. (Even if it's a total contrast to the ultrathin concept). It's a bridge between tradition and contemporary, not oly because it is an anniversary watch, but also because it can look like a watch worn ages ago: a pocket watch. Look closely: Indeed, this is a pocket watch which can be used as a wristwatch, a great tribute to Karl Scheufele, through a reinterpretation of his invention. The watch is limited to 150 pieces and a price has not been made official yet...

Moving on to the person behind the watch, Baume & Mercier chose a new brand ambassador for its charity campaign called Baume & Mercier & Me. The company with a philantropic legacy has started this campaign in 2005 and now it is my favourite actor's turn to be frontman of this "show": Andy Garcia. In Bucharest I passed by Helvetansa's window and had to turn back because this is really a man who can make you stop and admire. And its his inner values which fit with B&M's views: "The choice of Andy Garcia as Baume & Mercier ambassador is fully justified by the many points in common between the actor and the Geneva based company. Like Baume & Mercier, Andy Garcia embodies a classic elegance, an authentic personality and a charisma imbued with natural and timeless sophistication. His humanism and generosity make him an ideal ambassador for the Baume & Mercier & Moi campaign. The roles he plays and the films he makes attest very often to the importance he attaches to historical heritage, particularly in his film The Lost City, but also to family values. Andy Garcia has been married for 27 years and is the father of four children." (Federation of Swiss Watch Industry http://www.fhs.ch/en/news/news.php?id=766)

So how does the campaing work? Well, Mr. Andy Garcia is offering B&M to make use of his image and reputation for a year. In return, all the royalties he should have got (and the phoographer as well) are transferred to several organizations of his choice. The money will be donated to cancer research, child education, for helping underprivileged women and the struggle against poverty – causes which Baume & Mercier has been actively supporting for some time now.

Isn't the world of watches just fascinating?