From Your Personal Shopper in Geneva: Swiss Watchmaker Corum sold to China Haidian

The Swiss watchmaker Corum has been acquired by Haldian Holdings Limited of China, marking the first time a Swiss watchmaker with the “haute horlogerie” distinction has been bought out by a Chinese company.

The CHF86 million ($90.6) agreement is intended to allow Haldian to expand its presence in the Swiss luxury watch market while helping Corum to strengthen its brand worldwide, company representatives expressed at this week’s Baselworld watch industry trade fair.

Antonio Calce, the CEO of Corum, expressed his belief that Hon Kwak Lung, who heads Haldian’s executive committee, will continue the Swiss watchmaking tradition as head of the company.

“He is a man committed to the preservation and development of the Swiss watch industry, craftsmanship and know-how we have in the region,”

Calce said. Calce will remain in his position after the Haldian takeover.   The La-Chaux-de-Fonds-based Corum, which was founded in 1955, was bought by American philanthropist Severin Wunderman in 2000.

It employs around 130 people.   Haldian took over the Solothurn-based watch brand Eterna two years ago and also has holdings in the Biel-based Codex watch company.

China Haidian, which owns two of the top four domestic Chinese watch brands,  EBOHR and ROSSINI, also owns the Swiss brand Eterna which has a license to  manufacture and distribute globally “Porsche Design” watches.

The sale was announced on the eve of Baselworld, the world’s biggest watch  trade fair held in the Swiss city of Basel.

From Your Personal Shopper in Switzerland: Fashion at BASELWORLD

Alongside renowned watch and jewellery manufacturers, such as Omega, Chopard, Bulgari, Rolex or Patek Philippe, a number of the world’s most well-known fashion brands will also be exhibiting in Basel and giving visitors an initial peek at their new watch and jewellery lines. For several years now, a close bond has existed between BASELWORLD, the most important watch and jewellery show globally, and the leading fashion houses with their designers. This liaison has its roots in the early 1970s when Gucci was one of the first fashion houses to introduce watches of its own.

The link between fashion trends and designs in the world of fashion, on the one hand, and accessories like watches and jewellery, on the other, is evident in a large number of brands. Examples include the GG and Bamboo motifs at Gucci or the B watch from Fendi, which constitutes the ideal match for the famous Fendi B bag. In many of the luxury goods companies, including Hermès, Dior and Chanel, a constant flow of design and material-based inspirations takes place in both directions between the watch and jewellery collections and the company’s remaining lines, with the result that they influence and complement each other in the ideal manner. A large number of the watches unveiled here captivate visitors with their accomplished French or Italian design and their perfected art of Swiss watchmaking.

While many of the collections shown at BASELWORLD reflect the major fashion trends and currents from the international catwalks, an influence in the opposite direction is also repeatedly in evidence. Yellow and rose gold have featured frequently at BASELWORLD over the past few years and are now being taken up by the big fashion house collections too. The wider fashion and design trends have similarly been influenced by the use of ceramics, titanium and PVD, as well as by the pavé technique for setting diamonds and the use of coloured stones.

Over the years, a large number of icons from the fashion world have been guests at BASELWORLD, including Vivienne Westwood and Diane von Fürstenberg. And this year once again, brilliant new designs and impressive creations from the most successful watch and jewellery brands and the biggest fashion houses will be enticing people to Basel.

From Your Personal Shopper in Geneva: DeLaneau Open Magic Watch

Ultra feminine and ultra refined designs have,  since the brands inception in 1949 ,  set the paradigm of DeLaneau’s identity. Perpetuating this heritage, the Open Magic collection is a blazing illustration of the brand’s savvy talent in creating genuinely original and modern timepieces.

Just one look at these new wristwatches and one’s heart is conquered by their distinctively recognizable shape.

Truly original, the Open Magic collection masterfully plays with shapes as embodied by the soft and classical round watchcase versus the straight lines of the asymmetrical bracelet. This mesmerizing design is simultaneously modern, outstandingly original yet timeless.

Known for its superlative made to measure one of a kind pieces, DeLaneau gives us today a formidable interpretation of a new exclusive collection that is unique in many ways. Aside from its distinctive design, the Open Magic is also unique to each lady who falls in love with this bejewelled watch. Indeed, the golden clasp is awaiting the initials of its new owner, making each watch a landmark to her family. The Open Magic thus becomes a precious heirloom, as in the case of delicate initials sewed onto linens, engraved letters onto silverware or even more recently initials apposed to iconic bags.

The Open Magic is a variation of the acclaimed Magic timepieces that were introduced in 2010. Set with diamonds, these modern day or cocktail watches feature a dark onyx or bright mother-of-pearl dial.

The Open Magic is simultaneously a precious ultralight jewel and a mechanical prowess of watchmaking, As with all DeLaneau timepieces, beauty starts from the inside to only embellish the outside. All Open Magic timepieces are thus beating to a mechanical automatic movement…just like the heartbeat of its lady.

FROM YOUR PERSONAL SHOPPER IN BASEL: BASELWORLD, THE WORLD WATCH AND JEWELLERY SHOW

BASELWORLD offers watch and jewellery brands, and also the entire watch and jewellery industry, the world’s best platform and a perfect setting for providing specialist dealers and consumers with a fascinating, high-quality brand experience.

Each spring,  1800 companies from the watch, jewellery and precious-stone industries, together with related sectors, showcase their latest developments and innovations in Basel. The world’s most renowned brands display their collections exclusively at BASELWORLD.

About 100,000 visitors from the specialist retail and wholesale trade make their way to Basel from all over the world to discover the current trends and view the latest creations from the watch and jewellery sectors. The presentation staged at BASELWORLD is truly unique, providing an opportunity to experience brand worlds at the topmost level.

We invite you to experience this exceptional setting and to combine the fascinating world of watches and jewellery with business success.

BASELWORLD 2012 March 8 to 15, 2012

www.baselworld.com

FROM YOUR PERSONAL SHOPPER IN GENEVA: BASELWORLD 2012 PREVIEW, HUBLOT CLASSIC FUSION EXTRA – THIN SKELETON

Something completely new for the Hublot brand: an extra-thin skeleton watch, a Classic Fusion whose design has been refined, while retaining the dynamic and modern codes immediately recognisable as Hublot.

With a 45 mm diameter, this watch is equipped with a new movement just 2.90 mm thick, developed by Hublot. It comes in a fully skeleton worked version, made to a resolutely graphic design, which enables expert eyes to admire the watch’s regulating part, the balance and the escapement… The dial side features the small seconds at 7 o’clock and the hands that match the design of the very first Hublot watches, as a nice nod to the brand’s history. With a 90-hour power reserve and 50-metre water resistance, this piece is available in two versions, one in titanium, limited to 1000 pieces, and the other in 18K King Gold, with just 500 pieces.

Exhibiting a marvellous balance between the classic extra-thin look, a symbol of watchmaking art, and Hublot‘s trademark dynamic and modern design, this piece is a fine exercise in style, providing a wonderful demonstration of the principle of fusion between Tradition and Modernity.