THE WATCH INDUSTRY
Baselworld 2008
BASELWORLD, my favourite watch show, opened today. It runs until 10 April, and I am eagerly looking forward to discovering some exciting and imaginative watches. My complaint of late has been that there doesn’t seem to be enough inspiration as far as new watches are concerned. I see a new watch these days and wonder "haven’t I already seen that some place else?". Oh for something wonderfully new, breath-taking, and daring! I desperately hope BASELWORLD 2008 does not disappoint.
Hublot Big Bang King Porto Cervo
Hublot again. My, they certainly have been very busy this year. Apart from their $1million Big Bang that I wasn’t very keen on, Hublot have trod a sure path all year.
This is the Hublot Big Bang King Porto Cervo. It has all the distinctive presence of a Hublot Big Bang, plus something extra special and distinctive. I think it’s the red gold detailing that does it for me. Would I wear this watch to work? Tempting, but this is not the sort of watch a client would expect his or her tax adviser to wear; some may think it too flashy. Still, this is a watch to be shown off. Well done, Hublot; keep up the good work.
Some specs. Movement: Mechanical with automatic winding, Hublot HUB21 calibre. Power reserve: 42 hours. Water resistant to 300m.
Via Professional Watches.
‘Swiss made’ watches: conditions revised
The governing body of the Swiss watch industry, la Fédération de l’industrie horlogère suisse (FH), yesterday approved tighter conditions that must be met before a watch may use the ‘Swiss made’ designation. This was done to address concerns that the designation was being devalued.
At the moment, a watch may use the ‘Swiss made’ designation if at least 50 per cent of its constituent parts were made in Switzerland. This figure was revised in yesterday’s meeting. In relation to a mechanical movement, the value of its constituent parts produced in Switzerland must be not less than 80 per cent. For electronic watches, the figure is 60 per cent.
The FH also decided to add a new criterion. In addition to fulfilling the above condition, a mechanical watch may not use the designation ‘Swiss made’ unless at least 80 per cent of its production costs is attributable to operations carried out in Switzerland. The figure for electronic watches is 60 per cent.
There is a transitional period before the changes take effect.
The recommendations are being submitted to the Federal authorities.
