It’s a year of new beginnings over at Girard-Perregaux. Following the appointment of new CEO Antonio Calce (formerly from Corum), the manufacture has opened its first flagship boutique in South-east Asia over at Marina Bay Sands. Decked out in wood and silk and with a custom-made Parisian chandelier hanging grandly over customers, the boutique exudes all the sophistication one would expect from one of the most exciting watchmakers to survive the turn of two centuries.
Despite its 224-year-old heritage, Girard-Perregaux is not one to shy away from innovation and modern design. The Neo- Tourbillon with Three Bridges is a refreshing update of its iconic predecessor, while the Constant Escapement L.M. timepiece revolutionised escapement engineering. And when it’s not busy picking up prestigious awards at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve, the company creates splendid complications like the Tri-Axial Tourbillon, which earns its name from its enormous tourbillon with three axes of rotation. The boutique houses the most comprehensive collection of Girard-Perregaux timepieces in Singapore, so look forward to seeing your favourites from collections like the GP 1966, Cat’s Eye and Vintage 1945 in the metal.
#01-50 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
Nasa declared the Omega Speedmaster certified for all manned space missions back in 1965, but a Speedmaster had actually travelled to space and back two years prior – on the wrist of astronaut Walter Schirra. That historic model was later revived in 2012 as the Speedmaster Moonwatch “First Omega in Space” and, this year, it’s introduced with a Sedna gold (Omega’s proprietary alloy of gold, copper and palladium) case and hands, brown ceramic bezel and sub-dials, and a corrosion-resistant chromium nitride tachometer scale. The caseback is engraved with the 1962 seahorse medallion and commemorative text.
No one said dress watches always had to be the slim, minimalist stewards of refinement that people expect them to be. For those with a bolder sense of style, Franck Muller’s new Vanguard Cobra will do just as well under a tuxedo. Similar in execution to the Croco collection, the red gold Cintree Curvex case and dial have been decorated with three-dimensional scales, with a cobra leather and rubber strap to match. The automatic movement provides 42 hours of power reserve.
It is likely that no other watch brand has as many celebrity pals as IWC. Not only has its watches appeared countless times on the wrists of the silver screen’s elite both on and off the set, the brand even has a grant for up-and-coming filmmakers to further their exposure. The love affair with cinema continues on our shores this month as it serves as the official “Festival-Time” partner for the 26th edition of the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), which runs from Nov 26 to Dec 6.
(header image credit: horbiter.com)
