Damas, the leading international jewellery retailer in the Middle East, unveils the exclusive timepieces from Maison Favre-Leuba. Proud of its three centuries of uninterrupted history, Favre-Leuba enjoys a well-deserved worldwide reputation for its legendary watch movements and unique designs.
Since the Maison’s inception in 1737, Abraham Favre found a perfect expression in the elegance and simplicity of these timepieces which have subtle harmony of uniqueness, modern designs and innovative techniques. From the very start Abraham Favre concentrated on improving the technology of his timepieces, and the quality of materials employed in their manufacture. Thanks to his hard work and pioneering spirit, the business expanded and was passed down through eight generations of the Favre family until 1969 when the quartz revolution came along, bringing many changes in the industry.
Commenting on the latest Favre-Leuba brand, Tawhid Abdullah, Managing Director of Damas, raved: “We are extremely happy to bring these timepieces of repute to Dubai. Favre-Leuba enjoys international acclaim as an innovator and trendsetter in watchmaking. The brand exerts continuous efforts to improve technology of watch movements, focusing on top performance under temperature variations. These researches have resulted in more accurate and reliable watch movements, most of which are still running well today – some 50 years later. We are certain these unique watches will delight our customers.”
Clément Brunet-Moret, CEO of Favre-Leuba added: “We are very pleased to partner with Damas for the launch of our brand in Middle East. The new collection embodies contemporary watchmaking excellence and is a fitting tribute to the extraordinary features of the brand. If you are looking for something rare, go for the FL251 movement designed in 1962 which is a good example of these exceptional masterpieces. It is an extra-thin twin-barrel movement with a centre second hand and 50 hours of power reserve. It was a good 30 years ahead of its time when first created. The latest collection stands out for its unique design and distinctive features specific to the Maison and is part of a long line of truly unique timepieces, bearing witness to Favre-Leuba’s unceasing obsession for perfection.”
Favre-Leuba has been creating technically sophisticated watches with regular intervals, which became runaway success when they first appeared. For instance the brand launched ‘Bivouac’ in 1962, the first wristwatch with an altimeter and barometer function. It was an instant hit and became a must for major expeditions of the time. Paul-Emile Victor used it in Antarctica and Vaucher and Bonatti for conquering the north face of the ‘Grandes Jorasses’ in the Alps. Many others followed in their footsteps.
In 1964 the first diving timepiece, Deep Blue was launched which was waterproof to 200m. In 1966 came the legendary Bathy, a unique watch gave divers not only a precise indication of their time under water, but also a direct and accurate reading of their actual depth. The Sea Raider followed in 1970 with a true techno-logical break-through. Their first high frequency movement of 36,000 vibrations per hour gave the watches unparalleled accuracy.
THE MERCURY COLLECTION
Mercury, the name given to the new Favre-Leuba collection, is inspired by two unique events – the birth of the Favre Manufacture in Le Locle in 1737 and the eclipse of the planet Mercury by Venus in the same year. All models of the Mercury collection are fitted with the automatic Favre-Leuba calibre driven by the wearer’s movements. Individual versions are available, but all have one thing in common – perfection in every detail. Each Mercury watch is handmade by Favre-Leuba master-watchmakers.
The exclusive collection of Maison Favre-Leuba is available at Damas Les Exclusive Boutiques in Saks Fifth Avenue, Burjuman; Wafi Boutique and Mina A’ Salam.
About Damas:
The journey of Damas began in 1907, and today it has grown from a UAE based company into a global fashion and jewellery network spanning UK, Italy, Libya, Turkey, Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, Maldives, India, Lebanon, and throughout the GCC countries with about 400 sales points worldwide. Damas houses internationally acclaimed jewellery and watch brands such as Tiffany & Co., Mikimoto, Daniel K, Gucci, Faberge, Carrera y Carrera, Paspaley, Pasquale Bruni, Roberto Coin, Fope, Chronoswiss, Parmigiani, Perrelet, Quinting, Montega, Frederique Constant, among many others. The innovative in-house collections include the majestic Bridal jewellery, exclusive jewellery brands such as Boudoor, Hayati, Riwaya, Jawaher, Farasha, Fairouz, Harmony, Farfasha, Al Manthura; watch brands Varotti and Aquamarin; and a wide range of other classic and contemporary jewellery and watch collections. Quality consciousness, inspirational leadership and international reputation have led Damas to win prestigious awards including the exclusive De Beers Award 2000, 2004 and 2007 for jewellery design.
