Monday, December 10, 2018

De Bethune – Shanghai Watch Festival


















De Bethune At The Shanghai Watch Festival !

On the occasion of participating at the Shanghai Watch Festival, De Bethune announces it will strengthen its presence in mainland China to better respond to the interest shown by local collectors.

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To mark the event, the brand were present in Shanghai with an exhibit of its timepieces, including the famous DB25 Starry Varius Chronomètre Tourbillon, which just recently was awarded Best Chronometer at this year’s Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie de Genève.

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Each passing month is synonymous with international expansion for De Bethune. After reinforcing its presence in the US with new partners in September and bringing the brand to Mexico in October, De Bethune today proudly announces it is strengthening its presence in mainland China to better address the demand from collectors in this country.

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It is on the occasion of the Shanghai Watch Festival, that was held on 8 and 9 December 2018, that De Bethune engaged Chinese collectors and aficionados of contemporary high watchmaking with an important exhibit of its iconic timekeepers.

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The Shanghai Watch Festival is a new must-attend event initiated by collectors for collectors in the spirit of promoting High Horology, in particular the independent “maisons,” by creating a special space at the heart of the city for those who share a passion for high watchmaking to meet and exchange views.

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Heading the event’s organization is a friend and client of De Bethune, Kelvin Sa, who conceived the event foremost with Chinese connoisseurs in mind who can now come together and discover the latest innovations in a venue that is more like a club than a salon: the 5th floor of the Shanghai History Museum, formerly the Shanghai Jockey Club.

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Pierre Jacques, CEO of De Bethune said: “There is no more fitting event or better venue to set the stage for De Bethune’s first steps into China. It’s thanks to our friend Kelvin Sa, a discerning collector, client of De Bethune and main initiator of the Shanghai Watch Festival, that we had the idea of organizing this exhibit of key timepieces with him at the heart of Shanghai. This event coincides perfectly with the strengthening of our presence in the country to better respond to the interest of collectors here.”

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All of this year’s new models, such as the DB28 Steel Wheels, the DB28 Kind of Blue, and the famous DB25 Starry Varius Chronomètre Tourbillon, which has a more classic vibe with its firmament of blued titanium and milky way of 24-carat gold dust – and was just recently awarded Best Chronometer at the 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève – were exhibited for the occasion.

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De Bethune is also present in Hong Kong with longstanding partners MELB Asia at the prestigious Lavish Attic boutique.

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mediacenter-gphg.org
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Press release -- Geneva 2018
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De Bethune Geneva Office 
25 Grand-Rue 1204 Geneva
Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 310 22 71
Fax: +41 22 310 33 40
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www.DeBethune.ch

Saturday, December 8, 2018

GIRARD-PERREGAUX – Laureato Perpetual Calendar


GIRARD-PERREGAUXLaureato Perpetual Calendar Stainless steel 42mm

The Laureato collection, which remains as successful as ever, reinterprets the great watchmaking classics while remaining faithful to its contemporary spirit and sporty chic. To tackle the masterful complication represented by the perpetual calendar, Girard-Perregaux has designed a Laureato that is all about subtle positional shifts arranged in a dynamic equilibrium. Driven by a purpose-built automatic movement, and unique in its kind, the Laureato Perpetual Calendar combines intensity of style with the pleasure of daily wear. Simple to read and easy to adjust, it is the result of an ergonomic approach to operation and wearability pushed to its uttermost limits.

Carved from a 42 mm diameter steel block, alternately polished and satin-finished with the characteristic care demonstrated by the Manufacture Girard-Perregaux, it is attached to the wrist with a bracelet of the same nature, finish and quality. Thus appearing in this unique, all-steel and asymmetrical configuration, the Laureato Perpetual Calendar asserts its status as a watch exuding a strong, architectural presence. Its blue dial adorned with a Clous de Paris hobnail pattern, against which the white indications stand out in striking contrast, sets the final touch to this resolutely modern timepiece.

Nobly born

Laureato was born under the finest auspices. Designed by a Milanese architect in the 1970s,
it immediately established itself as an object of art, history and form, a watchmaking icon.
The spirit of this creation is intact and continues to progress in the latest generation of Laureato, launched in 2016 and further enriched in 2018. Its metallic bracelet with alternating polished and satin-finish surfaces; its case featuring lugs seamlessly integrated into its design; its octagonal polished bezel inscribed in a circle: everything about this model reveals a quest for pleasing proportions and ergonomics.

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This approach to watch design has given rise to an intense ‘envelope’ with its own unique style, which both protects and contains functional components. This vision is identical to that of an architect. Here, the challenge is concentrated within the few cubic centimetres of the Laureato Perpetual Calendar, which one observes and experiences close up, directly on the skin. The stakes are all the higher given the numerous indications involved in a perpetual calendar, which raises the question of their readability, their adjustment as well as their ability to fit into the daily life of the watch wearer.

Rethought

At the heart of the Laureato Perpetual Calendar beats a new Fine Watchmaking movement, specifically created to equip this watch, Calibre GP01800-0033. It is entirely developed, produced, finished and assembled within the walls of the Manufacture Girard-Perregaux.
In addition to the hours and minutes, it indicates the day, date, month and nature of the current year, whether leap or not. The perpetual calendar is indeed able to follow the irregular cycle that governs the length of months, whether they last 28 or 29 days in the case of February, 30 or 31 days for the other eleven months. It requires only one manual correction every 100 years.

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One of the technical challenges of this complication lies in its display mode. In view of the profoundly architectural inspiration of the Laureato collection, Girard-Perregaux has equipped the Laureato Perpetual Calendar with subdials arranged in an unusual order. The days are thus shown at 9 o'clock and the pointer-type date display between 2 and 3 o'clock, while the month appears through a large window at 6 o'clock, marked by an off-centred pointer at 5 o'clock. Just above it, a smooth textured area divided into four sections reveals the nature of the current year. The balance prevailing on this dial is not determined by symmetry, but instead by a layout based on harmoniously offset indications. Through this break with conventional aesthetic order, Girard-Perregaux signals the uniqueness of Laureato and of this new movement.

Simplified

Calibre GP01800-0033 is an exception to generally accepted watch industry rules. With its four indications, a perpetual calendar naturally takes a while to set when the watch has stopped and must be reset to the current date. Instead of the usual configuration, which provides each calendar indication with a separate corrector, the Laureato Perpetual Calendar uses a single pushbutton, located at 8 o'clock, which controls the day cycle. The setting of the date, month and type of year (leap or non-leap year) is directly accessible by the crown and operates in both directions, thereby ensuring exceptional user friendliness.


Beautifully finished

Calibre GP01800-0033 does not however deviate from tradition as far as its finishes are concerned. The movement's baseplate is entirely circular-grained and decorated with Clous de Genиve executed in the Manufacture Girard-Perregaux in La Chaux-de-Fonds.

The bridges and the oscillating weight, which ensures the automatic winding of the calibre, also feature a Clous de Genиve motif, as well as entirely hand-crafted bevelling. Among the many elegant and refined aspects of this innovative Haute Horlogerie movement is its finesse. At only 6 mm high,
it helps confine the case to an overall thickness of 11.84 mm.

Reliably tasteful

Its harmonious proportions, refined and contrasting colours, along with its ease of adjustment and reading, all contribute to the easy-wear look and feel of the Laureato Perpetual Calendar. Fully attired in steel, it is capable of adapting to every situation, whether dressy, casual or informal. This is the very nature of the sporty chic style, which simplifies the life of its wearer by its versatility. It is indeed the nature of Laureato, which draws its strength from the values of the Manufacture Girard-Perregaux, while looking resolutely to the future.

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TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Model: Laureato Perpetual Calendar

Reference  81035-11-431-11A

Case
Material: stainless steel with polished and satin-brushed finishes
Diameter: 42.00 mm
Thickness: 11.84 mm
Glass: sapphire crystal with anti-glare treatment on both sides
Caseback: sapphire
Water resistance: 100 meters (10 ATM)
Movement
Reference: GP01800-0033

Winding: automatic
Diameter: 30 mm (131/4’’’) 
Thickness: 6.06 mm
Frequency: 28,800 Vib/h – (4 Hz)
Jewels: 46
Power reserve: minimum 54 hours
Functions:
hours, minutes, central seconds,
day at 9 o’clock, date at 2 o’clock,
month at 5 o’clock, leap-year at 6 o’clock 
Dial
Galvanic blue with Clous de Paris motif,
blued steel appliques enhanced with luminescent substance
Hands: baton-type, luminescent
Bracelet
Stainless steel, alternating polished and satin-brushed finishes
Triple-blade stainless steel folding clasp


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Press release - 2018
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Press Contact
Girard-Perregaux,
International PR : christine.giotto@girard-perregaux.com
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