An exceptional opportunity for general public – watch enthusiasts and novices alike – to immerse themselves in the world of fine watchmaking at the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre. With a large offer of experiences, the Atelier d’Antoine is launching its first Discovery Workshop, which is available for booking on a dedicated online platform. As part of the 2021 programme, themed Manufacture visits will also be offered on the booking platform. For those who wish to learn more about what goes into making a fine mechanical watch, participating in an Atelier d’Antoine programme will be an unforgettable experience. Bookings can be made at online-booking.jaeger-lecoultre.com.

Founded by Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, Dubai Watch Week is set to reunite members of the watch industry and audiences in the region from 24th to 28th November 2021. The 5th edition of Dubai Watch Week will continue to provide an educational platform, position Dubai as a cultural & horological hub for industry peers; whilst engaging with a wider audience in the UAE. The event is poised to take place at The Gate, Dubai International Financial Centre. A pioneer in the industry, Dubai Watch Week will return with a richer event programme under the umbrella of Connecting, Creating and Celebrating. This year’s edition will tap into activations and programmes that intersect the world of luxury and horology with other key industries.

Our existence is a succession of milestones that are of no coincidence. The J12 is the watch for these milestones, and the perfect accompaniment for every second. In this campaign for the most iconic Chanel watch, nine iconic women share their personal experiences about a second that changed their lives. In 2021, Margot Robbie joins the faces of the iconic Chanel J12 watch campaign initiated in 2019: “It feels incredibly special to be alongside such inspiring women in this campaign. Embodying the J12 watch to me is acknowledging and appreciating time.”

Cartier together with LVMH and the Prada Group announce the creation of the #AuraBlockchain Consortium, supporting the first global blockchain solution dedicated to the luxury industry. The Consortium will promote the use of a single global blockchain solution open to all luxury brands worldwide. Cartier, LVMH and Prada Group have created together a single solution to address the shared challenges of communicating authenticity, responsible sourcing and sustainability in a secure digital format. The technology offered by the Aura Blockchain Consortium enables direct-to-consumer access to product history and proof of authenticity. Consumers can easily and transparently follow a product’s lifecycle, from conception through distribution, with trusted data.

In the first quarter of 2021, the group’s consolidated revenue amounted to €2,084 million (+44% at constant exchange rates and +38% at current exchange rates), thanks to an outstanding performance in Asia (+94%) and Japan (+20%), the upturn in America (+23%) and a good resistance in Europe excluding France (-1%). The organic revenue growth was +33% compared to the first quarter of 2019. Watches (+96%) performed exceedingly well in the first quarter, reflecting the house’s technical watchmaking expertise and creativity of the collections. The new men’s watch H08, with a sporty design and geometrical lines, was presented at the Watches and Wonders international fair in Geneva in April.

Swiss watch exports recorded a very steep rise in March. The marked decline in watch exports in March 2020 (-21.7%) due to the almost universal lockdown resulted inevitably in a low basis for comparison. Last month, performance increased by 37.2% compared with March 2020, to 1.9 billion Swiss francs. Compared with the 2019 baseline, the month-on-month change was +7.4%. The first quarter saw growth of 6.6% compared with 2020 and a very slight decline (-1.3%) compared with 2019. The number of watches exported logically followed the same trend, increasing by +33.7%, to 1.2 million items. This was the first increase in over 30 months. Out of the 30 main markets for Swiss watch exports in March, only Japan (-11.1%) posted a decline. China (+100.5%) continued to drive growth, doubling its results compared with March 2020.

Watchfinder & Co., Richemont’s global pre-owned watch specialist, has appointed Arjen van de Vall as its CEO. He takes over from co-founder Matt Bowling, who inherited the role of interim CEO after his fellow founder Stuart Hennell exited a year ago. Matt Bowling remains active in the company and will work alongside Arjen van de Vall overseeing business operations. Arjen van de Vall arrives from a seven years stint at Rakuten, a Japanese e-commerce, fintech and digital content and communications company, where he has been president for Europe for the past four years. Since Richemont acquired Watchfinder in 2018, the company’s major focus has been on expanding internationally, particularly into the United States and continental Europe. Along with e-commerce, Watchfinder now has physical stores in London, Paris, Geneva, Munich, Hong Kong and New York.

Richard Mille is delighted to be supporting Swiss boat builder SP80 in its latest challenge: to break the world sailing speed record in 2022. North Thin Ply Technology (NTPTTM), a world leader in preimpregnated materials, has also contributed to the endeavour by supplying Carbon TPT® for the boat’s structure. The team can now get to work on the crucial stage of producing the sailing boat, which will have to reach a speed of 150 km/h (80 knots) using the wind as its sole source of power.

Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet is delighted to announce the launch of its very first public and immersive Masterclass entitled Crack History’s Code. This four-and-a-half-hour experience, which combines a guided visit to the Musée Atelier and the Masterclass itself, will send visitors on an exclusive journey to decode Haute Horlogerie’s secrets. By diving into Audemars Piguet’s universe, guests will discover how infinite details can transform a functional object into a work of art.