At the close of the second edition of Asia’s finest Haute Horlogerie Exhibition held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from Tuesday September 30th to Thursday October 2nd 2014, Roger Dubuis is delighted to confirm that what is fast becoming a can’t-miss event on the watch industry calendar once again lived up to its promises. Headlined by the presentation of the sparkling Velvet Haute Couture collection and of its unique Hommage Minute Repeater model, the Roger Dubuis offerings attracted considerable interest and admiration among an eager public.
Commenting on his overall impressions of Watches&Wonders 2014, CEO Jean-Marc Pontroué said: “Asian clients are particularly sensitive to mechanical expertise and creative aesthetics, and we were able to show them plenty of both in the models on show here in Hong Kong, where Roger Dubuis continues to fly the flag of 100% Poinçon de Genève certified high-end watchmaking. Most of all, we are a Maison totally committed to cultivating personalised relationships with our clients as well as with the press and our commercial partners, and this exhibition provides a chance to keep our finger – as well as our timepieces – on the beating pulse of Asia.”
At such flagship events, experiencing the incredible world of Roger Dubuis traditionally begins with its booth – which is always anything but traditional while paying tribute to tradition – a classic example of its art of staging paradoxes. This year was no exception to the rule, with a stage created to mark the renaissance of the Hommage collection and featuring a blend of mechanical beauty and organic creativity inspired by the steampunk age. Diverting the iconic cuckoo clock and introducing a fascinating series of watchmaker-automata to evoke the history of watchmaking, it enabled visitors to literally step into the world of Hommage: that of Incredible Mechanics.
The reinvigorated Hommage collection presented a fascinating range including a number of automatic and chronograph models, a dedicated Hommage Flying Tourbillon Tribute to Mr Roger Dubuis and the Hommage Double Flying Tourbillon with Hand-made guilloché. As the icing on the cake, Watches&Wonders 2014 visitors were treated to a world preview of the Hommage Minute Repeater Tourbillon Automatic model that proved an instant hit among Asian watchmaking enthusiasts and collectors. Equipped with a centrifugal-force striking dissipator ensuring a long, clear chime free of any disturbing sounds, along with the distinctive visual traits of the Hommage collection including a distinctive sunray hand-guilloché motif, and a set of pleasingly contrasted textures, this outstanding model equipped with two iconic horlogical complications appealed to a variety of senses.
Precious and exclusive Haute Horlogerie was also in the spotlight with a daring Velvet Haute Couture trilogy interpreting the glamorous spirit of the Diva embodied by supermodel and muse Stephanie Seymour. Velvet Haute Couture Mink Fur, Velvet Haute Couture Corsetry and Velvet Haute Couture Passementerie each illustrate an evocative facet of the Diva that lives in every woman, as well as showcasing exclusive hand-crafted skills and talents organised by the finest exponents of their respective arts: expert tailor-furriers, leather artisans interpreting corsetry and ornamental trimming specialists.
Appropriately hosted in the Blindspot Gallery, dedicated to contemporary photography and located in Hong Kong’s vibrantly creative Aberdeen district, the special Hommage dinners reflected the collection’s “retrofuture state of mind”. Guests at the dinners were surrounded by works featured in the first solo exhibition of Martin Parr, the British photographer renowned for his satirical and humour social documentary of modern life, and entertained by the skill and talent of speed-painter glitter artist Michael Raivard. The spirit of the venue conveys a fascinating duality between historical and contemporary elements, timeless traditional artistry and modern craftsmanship: the very same signature qualities cultivated by the Manufacture and distinctively highlighted in the Hommage collection. These events thus provided the perfect setting in which to stage the kind of unique brand experience Roger Dubuis is determined to offer all those with whom it continues to nurture close and enduring ties.
About Roger Dubuis
Roger Dubuis has been at the forefront of contemporary Haute Horlogerie since 1995. Its audacious creations, firmly anchored in the 21st century, bear the mark of all the savoir-faire and expertise of the finest watchmaking mechanisms combined with powerful and daring designs. Boldness and extravagance are the brand’s signatures, and determination its engine.
Rich in conceptual creativity and mechanical detail, its collections are inspired by four different worlds – the Incredible Player, the Incredible Warrior, the Incredible Venturer, the Incredible Diva – naturally gravitating around the fifth element represented by the “Incredible Mechanics”.
The Roger Dubuis collections La Monégasque, Excalibur, Pulsion Velvet, and Hommage are distributed worldwide through an exclusive sales network and boutiques.
The quest for excellence, the long search for the right gesture, the development of unique skills are all constants of the Geneva-based Swiss Maison. The fully integrated Manufacture Roger Dubuis is the only watchmaker in the world to have all of its precious timepieces embossed with the Poinçon de Genève, a guarantee of finest craftsmanship.
Website: www.rogerdubuis.com
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