November 2017 has been a busy month in terms of events happening in Singapore.
We began the month early with a private dinner with Hajime Asaoka (no pictures as the guests requested for privacy) on the 3rd. And on the 6th we attended the first of the cocktails for Blancpain. On the 7th, we were on-board the Pangea with Mike Horn, sponsored by Panerai. then flew to Pattaya to participate in the ocean conservation projects sponsored by Luminox from Nov 12 to 13 in Langkawi, Malaysia. On the 13th, we were hosted by Montblanc CEO Davide Cerrato to a reveal of some SIHH novelties for 2018. And an early Christmas lunch with Bell & Ross on Nov 15. On the 17th a cocktail hosted by The Hour Glass attended by Michel Parmigiani to showcase their recent GPHG wins. The same evening also saw us at the Zenith cocktail with Sincere to showcase the Defy Lab to selected clients. On the 23th, Nico Rosberg launched of a new IWC. And on the 24th the opening of the new SevenFriday Space in Singapore. On Nov 29, our Chief Editor hosted a cocktail with Grand Seiko UK in their boutique in London. A busy month, but we think is a good one, as the horology social calendar is one which is perhaps an indicator of state of the business.
Blancpain 6th November
A series of cocktails around the Métiers d’Ar theme was held over several evenings at the MBS boutique. An artisan was on hand to show the craft of shakudō. Japanese in origin, shakudō is an alloy of copper and gold, which acquires a dark patina between blue and black, according to variations in its composition and texture.
The black patina is obtained following a process called passivation, which calls for the application of a solution. This solution, which is composed of copper acetate (green gray), has been traditionally fabricated in Japan where it is known as rokushō. According to the number of applications of the rokushō solution, the black becomes successively deeper and more intense. The shakudō was used historically among other things to create swords, decorative objects and jewelry. The artisans who practiced shakudō often added engravings and ornaments. Examples of this technique in Blancpain watches are demonstrated in the Ganesh.
On the second and third evenings, the events were attended by chef Joel Robuchon who also co-hosted several dinners at his Michelin starred restaurant in Sentosa.
Panerai November 7
The adventurer and explorer Mike Horn is one of the amazing individuals one gets to meet perhaps once a lifetime. An accomplished explorer, he just completed his solo trek across the Antartica and was full of stories of his advernture. We boarded the Pangea, a sail ship sponsored by Panerai and Merceded Benz.
On board the Pangea with Mike Horn, sponsored by Panerai.
Luminox Save the Seas in Pattaya. Nov 10-12
We attended an interesting community event sponsored by Luminox on the Save the Seas project. The project is supported by the brand and the event was led by their brand ambassador, Scott Cassell, who is an interesting person, who hails from a military and black ops background, but now devoted to ocean conservation.
With the amazing Scott Cassell in our ocean conservation project sponsored by Luminox.
We participated in a turtle release project supported also in collaboration with the Royal Thai Navy in their Turtle conservation centre, had the opportunity to plant corals for regeneration in the Gulf of Thailand and also in a Ghost Net removal exercise with the Royal Thai Navy and Scott Cassell.
At the event, Luminox also showcased the new Scott Cassell Deep Dive Automatic limited edition watch, originally released in Baselworld 2017.
Montblanc pre-SIHH: November 13
We were hosted by Montblanc CEO Davide Cerato to a media showing of the pre-SIHH novelties. A range of novelties were shown and we had a hands-on session. We will be bringing you a detailed report soon.
Bell & Ross Christmas lunch: November 15
Bell & Ross hosted an early Christmas lunch at the Janice Wong restaurant at the National Museum. The holiday cheer was abound, and although we carried Instagram posts, stories and live on our @deployant account, we enjoyed ourselves so much we did not take any photographs of the event.
Parmigiani cocktail: November 17
Fresh from the recent double win at the GPHG, Parmigiani hosted a cocktail session with Michel Parmigiani in attendance. Both the winning watches were exhibited. The Parmigiani Chronograph and the Toric Hemispheres were showcased.
Zenith Defy Lab cocktail hosted by Sincere: November 17
In the same evening, Sincere hosted a cocktail to show to selected clients the new Zenith Defy Lab, which we covered in detail at the launch event in Tokyo and the subsequent interview with Jean-Claude Biver.
Guests were treated to a slight of hand magician as well as a hands-on session with the new Zenith El Primero Defy Lab.
Chopard: November 22
Karl-Friedrich Schuefele was in town to launch the new Chopard LUC Time Traveller Singapore Edition. Also on hand guests were able to view and handle the GPHG Grand Prize winner Chopard Full Strike and the Grand Cru. An afternoon lunch session with media was followed up with a Deployant X Chopard private event in the evening.
F. Berthoud: November 21
As Kal-Friedrich Schuefele was in town, it was a great opportunity to showcase the latest in the F. Berthoud family: the FC 1.4. We carried a full hands-on analytical review here. And the watch was on hand for the medial to handle and photograph in a lunch event, and showcased to collectors in the same evening.
The german silver plates are replaced by sapphire glass ones which throws light into the movement.
IWC: November 23
Originally scheduled for the F1 weekend in September, the event was postponed as Nico Rosberg was unable to come to Singapore in September as his wife gave birth to his second child then. On November, he spoke about his love for IWC, and the story of the watch given to him by his father for his 21st birthday, which he wears till this day. This was before he became a famous driving superstar, and before being a part of the IWC family. During the event, he unveiled the IWC Nico Rosberg Specisl Edition. Details of this watch will be carried here soon.
SevenFriday Space opening Nov 24
SevenFriday opened a new Space to retail all their lifestyle products, ranging from the famous watches, to bracelets, spectacles, and coconut water in Raffles Place. The event also saw the unveiling of the SevenFriday P3/07 Kuka, which we reviewed here. In attendance, the SevenFriday Guy, aka Daniel Niederer, CEO was there to promote the fun atmosphere.
Grand Seiko event, London, November 29
On November 29, Deployant was proud to co-host a Grand Seiko event in the new flagship Seiko store in London. In attendance to co-host the event was Seiko’s Chairman for Europe and UK, Mr. Atsushi Kaneko as well as about 25 of our Deployant’s UK readers. Our Chief Editor, gave a presentation on the mystique of the Grand Seiko and Credor watches.
Guests were treated to a viewing and hands-on session of the Credor Eichi II, Credor Fugaku as as well as a very large collection of Grand Seiko watches.
Thus rounds up the events for November 2017.
