IRINA MALKOVA, CHIEF EDITOR OF THE RUSSIAN EMIRATES, SHARE THEIR IMPRESSIONS ABOUT THE MOST IMPORTANT HOUR EXHIBITION IN THE WORLD BASELWORLD. Once a year in Basel, Switzerland, all the most prestigious world brands gather under one roof to showcase the latest in watches and jewelry. Rolex, Patek Philippe, Breguet, Omega, Hublot, Breitling, Harry Winston, Graff, Bulgari, Ullysee Nardin, Chanel, Hermes ...
One stand is prettier than another, all the heads of companies are present, from celebrities and models to ripple in the eye, champagne has been flowing since the morning, however, like millions of dollars. And the quantity and brilliance of diamonds makes your head spin. I've never tried on so many beautiful necklaces, rings and bracelets. A watch! A watch is a separate universe, and it is not at all surprising that any complications are so expensive - after all, this is really painstaking and skillful work, and virtuoso watchmakers are sometimes akin to magicians. Hovering tourbillons, minute repeaters, watches with combat, skeletons, all of this - especially when viewed through a magnifying glass - mesmerize and amaze the imagination, each work is so subtle and unique.
However, in addition to endless meetings and presentations of watch innovations, Baselworld is also a cycle of parties and cocktail parties. This year, Hublot threw a rock and roll party at the prestigious Les Trois Rois Hotel on the Rhine, where Sebastian Bach, a former lead singer of Skid Row, invited to perform.
I was fond of this group back in school, and I really did not expect to see Sebastian in Basel. But Hublot is always ahead of everyone. Jean-Claude Beaver, chairman of the Hublot board, as well as the head of the LVMH watch business, laughs so loudly that you can never confuse him with anyone. I first met him in Dubai - then he talked about how he makes cheese on his estate in the Swiss Alps, and now he treated all guests to his signature cheese and proudly showed off the latest novelty - a Big Bang 10th Anniversary diamond watch worth one million dollars. Only ten watches were produced, and all of them were sold in the very first days of the exhibition. Which once again confirmed that no crises are terrible for the luxury industry.
No less impressive was the novelty from Jacob Arabo, head of Jacob & Co. This year, together with Italian magnate Flavio Briatore, he released the one-of-a-kind tourbillon-skeleton The Billionaire for $ 18 million, studded with 239 baguette diamonds weighing more than 40 carats. At one of the parties, Jacob, under the outbreaks of the paparazzi, solemnly shook hands with Flavio, who proudly showed this watch. And to admit, they looked best at Flavio.
On ceased to amaze with novelties de Grisogono and Fawaz Gruosi. The beloved of women and Hollywood celebrities, meditatively smoking “Marlboro”, admitted to me that he was wildly shy and modest and that fame was given to him with difficulty, for which he developed the habit of playing like an actor on stage. Fawaz seemed to me an amazing conversationalist, able to live with chic and at the same time listen to his intuition, which had never let him down. Read the full interview with him on page 56.
The head of Bulgari, Jean Christoph Babin, invited Eva Herzigova to the exhibition this time, Hublot distinguished herself once again by inviting model Bar Rafaeli, and Breitling became famous for one of the most high-profile parties in the city with a show of acrobats and circus performers. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who came to represent his own watch brand, launched together with the Brazilian Magnum Group, also attracted attention this year.
The brand founder Manuel Carrera, a cute grandfather with a cavalry order on his chest, was present at the Carrera y Carrera booth. He looked like from a good fairy tale and did not understand anything in English, so we chatted sweetly with him in sign language, agreeing to still meet soon in Dubai.
In the evenings, a jazz orchestra played every evening on the street, and no one was in a hurry to go home. The atmosphere of the holiday reigned, an amazing world of beauty and watchmaking, mixed with adrenaline from the concluded contracts. All new items will only go on sale a few months later, but true connoisseurs made orders right at the exhibition to flaunt the others before everyone else. Read on for the most important watch updates.
