Born into a highly creative family of artists, performers, musicians, and writers, I developed an early sense of drama. Song and dance are my passion, so it’s no surprise that the array of jewels worn by Audrey Hepburn in the 1964 film adaptation of the stage musical, My Fair Lady, made a lasting impression. Who can forget the Chaumet tiara paired with glorious openwork choker and matching earrings she wore to the Embassy Ball?
The film was released during the Dolce Vita years of Italian cinema when Bulgari’s magnificent jewellery creations captured the attention of stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, Ingrid Bergman – and Hepburn. According to the brand, they and “many others discovered the Bulgari shop in Via Condotti [Rome] and engaged in passionate affairs with Bulgari jewels both on and off the screen.”
The exceptional quality and bold brilliance synonymous with the Italian style endures today, with each spectacular creation more inspired than the last. The extensions to the Bulgari Allegra, Divas’ Dream, and Serpenti lines revealed at LVMH Watch Week 2023 in Singapore are testimony to the brand’s exuberant creativity, opulent spirit, explosive colour, and unmistakable craftsmanship.
Waiting list status
Sales of Swiss brand Zenith soared in 2022, resulting in waitlists for models like the Chronomaster Sport and Defy Skyline. They’re in good company with Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet having long held that status. With demand outstripping supply, Zenith president and CEO Julien Tornare told Bloomberg midyear, “there is very little chance to get one without a long waiting time.”
The new Defy Skyline Skeleton revealed at LVMH Watch Week is an evolution of the Skyline collection of futuristic timepieces launched last year. It is the brand’s most elaborate skeleton watch thus far. The open-worked dial takes the form of a four-pointed star, referencing the double Z logo of the 60s, to reveal the El Primero automatic movement, which drives the 1/10th of a second hand directly from the escapement, making it a “natural” fraction-of-a-second indication.
Collectible edition
TAG Heuer revealed several novelties at the event. Among them was the 600-piece TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph 60th anniversary edition, which celebrates Jack Heuer’s timeless creation. The vintage references of the “panda” colorways and Heuer logo are retained.
Meanwhile, the TAG Heuer Monza Flyback Chronometer is a contemporary tribute to the enduring link between the brand and competitive motorsport. It is one of the Swiss luxury watchmaker’s most significant timepieces. This special edition, with its 42mm case of ultra-lightweight and resistant carbon, features a chronograph, tachymeter scale, and pulsometer on a skeletonized dial.
Something close to my heart is conservation. Save Our Rhino Africa India (SORAI) was founded by Hublot ambassador and former international cricketer and conservationist Kevin Pietersen to unite people and businesses to build a more sustainable conservation approach. Since 2019, Hublot has supported SORAI’s efforts to ensure that rhinos (and other endangered keystone species) in Africa and India survive and thrive in the wild. Proceeds from the third edition of the Big Bang Unico Sorai – limited to 100 pieces – will be donated to the enterprise.
