Damas, leading retailer of luxury watches and jewellery in the Middle East, launches Favre-Leuba timepieces in the UAE. The new collection presents the brand’s watchmaking excellence, combining boldness and technical superiority with a truly dynamic character: a brand ideal expressed through outstanding watches that straddle the test of time.
Clément Brunet-Moret, CEO Favre-Leuba, said: “A Favre-Leuba watch reveals itself gradually, slowly disclosing its richness of detail and the excellence of its finishing. What is important for us is to remain genuinely unique and authentic. Thus I am proud to be part of this dynamic brand which takes inspiration from its long and prestigious history. It is equally heartening to see that Damas is our exclusive partner in the Middle East which appreciates the expertise and craftsmanship displayed by the brand.”
Tamjid Abdullah, Deputy Managing Director of Damas, raved: “Favre-Leuba has a long, impressive history. Abraham Favre had started making watches as early as 1718 and an official registration in 1737 declared him a watchmaker. The document represented the first major professional dedication to the art of watchmaking as well as the establishment of one of the very first watch companies in Switzerland. Today this company has gone from strength to strength over eight generations which has been passed down from father to the son. Favre-Leuba can look back over a long and illustrious history and we are proud to be associated with it.”
This season Maison Favre-Leuba presents two iconic models – the Bathy and the Mercury Chronograph FL 301. More than 40 years after its revolutionary impact on the world of diver’s watches, Bathy features new mechanical functions and an imposing design. The legendary Bathy is a watch of superlatives with vigorous, contemporary lines, the Bathy is making a grand comeback, both under the sea and on land.
It is automatic and has unparalleled precision which is extended to its limits in the most extreme conditions, has impressive dimensions – 50mm in diameter and 18mm thick – and is unbelievably light. The two screw-down crowns guarantee total water-resistance to 300 metres and the case is made in Grade 5 titanium. A blend of modernity and tradition, the Bathy is a lot more than a timekeeper.
Favre-Leuba launched a new collection, Mercury, in 2007. Inspired by planet Mercury’s eclipse by Venus in 1737– this collection marks the brand’s return to the centre of watch stage. The Mercury collection illustrates Favre-Leuba’s on-going commitment to quality and inspiration as well as its dedication to perfection. The water resistant Mercury Chronograph FL 301 is fitted with automatic movements and additional manufactory-made modules. The Embedded Running Indicator is a two-tone counter at 3 o’clock in the shape of an hourglass, the brand’s emblem, and is coupled with a seconds hand.
Partially hidden and enlivening the dial, the disc symbolises the conjunction of Mercury and Venus and reproduces the timepiece’s interior power and vitality. The patented bidirectional crown locking system (B/CLS) is designed to prevent any unintentional manipulation of the crown from changing date or time. This mechanism relies on a double crown system: an inner crown that has to be turned to unlock the system, which in turn allows an outer crown to be pulled out to set the date and time. A red marker between the two crowns indicates when the system is unlocked. This innovation also means that the movement can be wound regardless of the position of the B/CLS.
The exclusive collection of Maison Favre-Leuba is available at Damas Les Exclusives Boutiques in Saks Fifth Avenue, Burjuman; Wafi and Mina A’Salam.
About Favre-Leuba:
Proud of its 300-year history, the watch company was managed by eight generations of Favres and Leubas, before a short ‘eclipse’ at the end of 20th century. The hour-glass brand has been independent since the early 2000s and has clearly announced its intentions: to make the 290-year-old manufactory one of the leading Swiss watch brands of the 21st century. Now run by the new CEO, Clément Brunet-Moret, Maison Favre-Leuba is preparing to reclaim its place in the pantheon of Swiss haute horlogerie. Clément now heads the brand’s design committee, a group of four men passionate bout technical mechanics. Leading his young team of master watchmakers, Clément Brunet-Moret is is safeguarding the company’s inherited savoir-faire, while skilfully combining it with technological innovations. Technical brilliance, exclusive movements, uncompromising aesthetic standards, and unsurpassed quality of materials: attributes that are prerequisites for a brand with a strong identity. As Clément admits a Favre-Leuba watch is an excellent definition of haute horlogerie that augurs well for a bright future. Even though Abraham Favre laid the foundation stone of the Favre-Leuba building years ago, it was from 1940 to 1970 that the brand made its most important technical advances in the field of watchmaking, at a time when it was producing almost 600,000 watches a year. Today the brand has taken on a completely new look, one that does not ignore its past but, rather, shrewdly exploits it.
About Damas:
The journey of Damas began in 1907. It has grown from a UAE based company into a global fashion and jewellery network spanning the Middle East, South Asia, Europe and North Africa. The Damas Group has 467 stores in 18 countries around the world, as of 30 June 2008. 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 Damas Cut, Boudoor, Hayati, Riwaya, Jawaher, Farasha, Fairouz, Harmony, Farfasha, Al Manthourah; 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. Damas International Limited is listed on the Dubai International Financial Exchange and its shares are traded under the ticker “DAMAS”.
