First look At The Faidee ‘Imperial Necklace’ Worn By Russian Fashion Designer Ulyana Sergeenko

Russian fashion designer, Ulyana Sergeenko, wearing The Imperial Necklace

Faidee, the world’s largest Burmese ruby company, unveiled its latest statement creation, “The Imperial Necklace,” made with 50 “pigeon blood” natural Burmese rubies at a fashion show held in Monaco. Eight of the gems weigh more than 5 carats each. Situated within the rubies are 100 carats of D-color (colorless) diamonds with flawless and internally flawless clarity grades.

Pigeon blood is the most valuable shade of red for a ruby. The rubies used for the necklace are part of the family owned jeweler’s personal collection spanning four generations.

Ravi Lunia, director of Faidee, with Russian fashion designer, Ulyana Sergeenko, wearing The Imperial Necklace

“It is a piece of jewelry that no one could have created before, due to the scarcity of Burmese rubies with this highly desired natural ‘pigeon blood’ color,” said Ravi Lunia, director of Faidee. “Even those of us within Faidee never imagined that something like this would one day come to life.”

A few of the more than 100 natural Burmese ruby jewels on display until August 21 at Faidee's exhibition in the Hermitage Hotel

The necklace is the signature piece of the inaugural Burmese Ruby Exhibition in Monaco being held now till August 21 at the Hermitage Hotel in Monaco (where else). It boasts more than 100 jewels by Faidee made with natural Burmese rubies. Lunia says it is the largest gathering of jewels made with Burmese rubies in one place. It’s a claim that’s difficult to argue with. The exhibition is being presented by the Stardust Monte Carlo, a long-time Monaco-based luxury jeweler.

A model adorned in Faidee natural Burmese ruby jewels

A special event as part of the exhibition was held August 3 that combined high jewelry with high couture. A fashion runway show on the terrace of the Hermitage Hotel for 250 invited guests featured Russian fashion designer, Ulyana Sergeenko’s Couture and Demi Couture line, accessorized and completed by Faidee Burmese jewels.

The high jewelry, high couture fashion show by Faidee and Russian fashion designer, Ulyana Sergeenko

Faidee revealed The Imperial Necklace as the grand finale of the event with Sergeenko being the first to try it on. Jewelry News Network was the first to receive the top photo of Sergeenko wearing the necklace.

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Charlotte Casiraghi Unveiled as Montblanc's New Global Brand Ambassador during SIHH

Charlotte Casiraghi, Montblanc’s new global brand ambassador at SIHH 2015

Waiting for the announcement of Montblanc’s new female global ambassador in the luxury brand’s exhibition space during the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) in Geneva, a few of us from the UK and other places were trying to guess who it would be. A Montblanc representative from the Middle East knew who it was but refused to say, although she gave some hints. 

Guess whose guess came the closest? I said it would be someone from the Monaco Royal family. 

It turned out to be Charlotte Casiraghi, the daughter of Caroline, Princess of Hanover, and the granddaughter of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and American actress Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco. She is seventh in line to the throne of Monaco, according to Wikipedia.

Following her brief appearance in the booth, she joined the German luxury brand for a formal dinner at the President Wilson Hotel, which I attended.

Jérôme Lambert, Montblanc CEO, and Charlotte Casiraghi, Montblanc brand ambassador, at SIHH 2015

In addition to her royal pedigree, Casiraghi is an equestrian champion, writer and film producer. She will appear in Montblanc’s upcoming advertising campaign, as she takes on the role of worldwide ambassador for the German luxury house. Her primary role will be as the face of Montblanc’s Bohème collection, consisting of ladies watches, jewelry and writing instruments. The collection was first unveiled in August in Shanghai, and is gradually being released worldwide.

“She perfectly represents the Bohème lady of today, with her charming combination of style and substance,” said Jérôme Lambert, Montblanc International CEO. “Her beauty, allure and charisma are matched by her fascinating personality and her many accomplishments, from sport to business or philanthropy.”

Those attending the Geneva event included Taiwanese-born actress and Montblanc brand ambassador Kwai Lun Mei, French actor Pierre Niney, best known for his portrayal of Yves Saint Laurent in the movie of the same name, badminton champion and Montblanc China brand ambassador Lin Dan, and fashion blogger Adam Gallagher. 

Bohème Date Automatic Jewellery watch with a diamond pavé dial and red-gold bezel adorned with diamonds. It’s powered by a MB 24.14 automatic movement.

Casiraghi has a well-rounded resume. Her journalistic skills (very important for a luxury brand best known for its writing instruments) include contributing to publications as a writer and editor. As an environmental awareness advocate, she co-founded eco-friendly magazines, Above and Ever Manifesto, where she uses fashion, art, photography and design to raise consciousness of the endangered environment. She also co-founded Swoon Productions; a Monaco-based company that produces videos, documentaries and short films.

However, her greatest passion is in equestrian sports, and as an accomplished show jumper, she participated in several international competitions, including the Global Champions Tour. In 2010, she was appointed Honorary President of the Jumping International de Monte-Carlo. 

She also lends her support to charitable organizations in the Principality of Monaco where she lives and beyond. 

Casiraghi did not speak at either event. In a statement she said she is “thrilled to be collaborating with Montblanc, a luxury brand that stands for outstanding European craftsmanship, excellence in design and the finest quality pieces. With its heritage of sophistication, Montblanc excels at creating enduring pieces with a truly distinctive contemporary yet timeless style. The maison is also committed to the advancement of arts and culture, and has been on many occasions an active supporter of arts.”

This is the second time in recent years Montblanc has turned to the royal family of Monaco. In 2011, it came out with a jewelry collection, called Collection Princesse Grace de Monaco, as a tribute to Princess Grace and Monaco.

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Watch Brands Create 33 Unique Timepieces for 'Only Watch' Charity Auction

Armin Strom One Week Skeleton Water

Some of the world’s best-known watch brands have created 33 unique timepieces for men and women that will go on the auction block to finance research to combat Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Backes & Strauss Victoria Princess Red Heart

Known simply as “Only Watch,” the fifth edition of this auction will be held September 28 at the Hôtel Hermitage in Monaco. Held every two years as part of the Monaco Yacht Show, it is the first and the largest charity auction for the international watch industry.
 

Bell & Ross Collector's Box of Six Unique Watches

Proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Monegasque Association against Muscular Dystrophy—the promoter of Only Watch along with Antiquorum Auctioneers and the Monaco Yacht Show—to finance research for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a degenerative neuromuscular disease affecting 1 in 3,500 boys, therefore 250,000 children, adolescents, and young adults around the world.

Blancpain Women, Only Watch 2013

The luxury timepieces that will be on offer cover a breadth and depth of styles and functions. Several include designs that pay tribute to the event and the Principality of Monaco, such as the Van Cleef & Arpels “Lady Arpels Une journée à Monacopanoramic view of Monaco,” with a turquoise dial that depicts a panoramic view of Monaco. Several contain tourbillons and a few are prototypes, such as the Richard Mille Tourbillon Prototype Yohan Blake, which was worn by the Jamacian Sprinter during the London Olympic Games, where he won gold and silver medals.

Breguet Classique Chronograph Openworked 5284

Beginning August 30, the Only Watch collection of timepieces will go on a world tour that will conclude with a presentation during the Monaco Yacht Show (September 25th to 28th). The dates and locations of the tour are as follows:

Chanel, Premiere Flying Tourbillon

* Tokyo, August 30, Mandarin Oriental;
* Singapore, September 6 – 7, The Hour Glass;
* Hong Kong September 9 – 10, Antiquorum;
* Shanghai, September 12 – 13, location to be announced;
* Beijing, September 14, location to be announced;
* New York, September 16 – 17, Antiquorum;
* Geneva (September 20 – 23, Antiquorum;
* Monaco, September 25 – 28, Monaco Yacht Show.

Chopard, L.U.C Tourbillon Only Watch 2013 Edition

The auction will take place on September 28 at 11 a.m. (7pm EDT) in the “Salle Belle Epoque” of the Hôtel Hermitage.

Christophe Claret X-TREM-1 Pinball

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Chronoswiss, The Three Apes

Corum Ti-Bridge 3-Day Power Reserve

Cyrus Kambys Model

De Bethune Skybridge

DeLacour Red Dots

DeWitt Twenty-8-Eight High Jewellery Skeleton Tourbillon

Frederique Constant Double Heart Woman Set

Girard Perregaux Chrono Hawk Only Watch

Harry Winston Only Watch 2013 Midnight Big Date

Hublot Bright Red Ceramic "Classic Fusion"

Ikepod Horizon

Jaquet Droz 'The Loving Butterfly'

Julien Coudray 1518 'Draw Me a Happy Child' by the Children of the World

Laurent Ferrier Galet Classic Only Watch

Louis Vuitton Tambour Spin Time Regatta

Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece Seconde Mysterieuse

Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Rising Hours for Monaco

Patek Philippe Only Watch 2013 Special Reference 5004T

Piaget Altiplano Automatic Skeleton

Richard Mille Tourbillon Prototype Yohan Blake

Roger Dubuis La Monegasque

Ulysse Nardin Marine Chronometer Manufacture Only Watch

Vacheron Contantin Patrimony Traditionnelle Heures du Monde

Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Une Journee a Monaco

Zenith El Primero Stratos Flyback Striking 10th Tribute to Felix Baumgartner, Prototype I/I

Chopard Extends Partnership with Historic Grand Prix of Monaco Till 2018

Luxury watch and jewelry brand Chopard has extended its sponsorship of the biennial Grand Prix de Monaco Historique as its official timekeeper until 2018.

For every GPMH race, Chopard, which has served as the official timekeeper since 2002, creates a limited edition of an eponymous watch, featuring a design inspired by the automobile world. These models are equipped with COSC-certified movements.

Organized by the Automobile Club de Monaco, the GPMH serves as an historical retrospective of Monaco’s famous car race. Every two years, more than 200 drivers from 19 different countries participate with Grand Prix racing cars dating back to between 1947 and 1978, competing in one of seven races during the event. The next edition of the race will be held May 9 – 14, 2014.

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Montblanc Honors Princess Grace with a Sparkling Collection

Princess Grace

There may be no greater symbol of royalty, style and fashion than Grace Kelly. The Philadelphia-born actress was thrust into the international spotlight when she married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and became known throughout the world as Princess Grace. It was a role she was born to play and till this day she is looked upon as one the world’s great fashion icons.

With this in mind, Montblanc, has created the “Collection Princesse Grace de Monaco,” as a tribute to the person and the place. It is a limited-edition collection of jewelry, timepieces and writing instruments, encompassing the specialties of the luxury brand. All of the pieces are embellished with filigree petal cut stones, honoring the Grace de Monaco pink rose, a flower named after Kelly in 1956 for her wedding day. Diamonds and pink sapphires are strong influences in the collection.

The collection comes with a charity partnership between Montblanc and the Princess Grace Foundation-USA, which assists emerging talents in the performing arts.

The haute joaillerie collection is made up of three one-of-a-kind sets featuring petal cut stones and diamonds. Each set includes a necklace of cascading pink sapphires and diamonds (pictured), long earrings ending with drop cut pink sapphires and a refined matching bracelet.

The timepiece collection consists of a limited edition of eight watches in 18k red gold with 76 baguette cut diamonds on the bezel and the horns (3.30 cts.). The crown is topped with the Montblanc diamond (0.05 ct, F-G color). There’s a three-dimensional pink sapphire drop at 6 o’clock. The flange and dial are set with a cascade of 177 brilliant cut diamonds (0.53 cts.). The dial is made of white mother-of-pearl. A white alligator strap and a buckle are set with 76 brilliant cut diamonds (0.32 cts.).The case back is engraved with the Princesse Grace de Monaco monogram.

The fountain pen, available in a limited edition of three as a tribute to Princess Grace’s three children, is crafted entirely of champagne colored solid gold with diamonds and rubies on the cap and barrel. The Principality of Monaco coat of arms provided the inspiration for a circle of rhomboid-shaped cut rubies arranged on the cap of the writing instrument. The piece is topped with a heart-shaped hole of the gold nib and the finely engraved Princesse Grace de Monaco monogram on the cap-top.

‘Only Watch’ Charity Auction Raises $6.2M for MD Research

From left: Ronnie Wood from The Rolling Stones, Luis Garcia (Directeur de Recherche CNRS), Philippe Ferreyrolles, Monique Pettavino, HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, Tess Pettavino, Gaëlle Tallarida (Managing Dierctor Monaco Yacht Show), Peter Rigby (Chief Executive Informa), Paul Pettavino, Luc Pettavino (President AMM) - Photo: © Claude Charvin

The "Only Watch" charity auction raised more than 4.5 million euros ($6.2 million) for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy research.

The biennial event was held September 23 at the Hotel Hermitage in Monaco in a star studded affair that included Prince Albert II of Monaco and Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood. The auction featured a collection of 40 timepieces created specifically for the auction from the top brands in the Swiss watch industry. The pieces went on a world tour to Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, Los Angeles, New York, Milan, Geneva and Monaco prior to the sale.

A Patek Phillipe attracted the highest bid of the evening for its Ref. 3939. The stainless steel minute repeater wristwatch with tourbillon escapement, black enamel dial with a stainless steel prong buckle fetched 1.4 million euros ($1.9 million), nearly three times its asking price. Other timepieces that led auction results included a DeWitt, "Concept Watch No. 3 – X-Watch," that sold for $410,000 euros ($558,381); a BLU Gagarin Platinum flying tourbillon that celebrates the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's historic flight in space that sold for 300,000 euros ($408,571); and a a Van Cleef & Arpels, Poetic Complication “From the Earth to the Moon,” No. 1/1 that sold for 215,000 euros ($292,673).

View 38 of the 40 timepieces that were sold.
 
In addition to a full room of buyers and celebrities, the fourth edition of the event attracted strong internet and intense telephone bidding. International participation included Japan, Switzerland, Hong Kong, China, the United States and the Russian Federation.

“The auction result is more than exceptional,” said Luc Pettavino, president of the Association Monégasque contre les Myopathies and Founder of Only Watch. “Only Watch 2011 is the fruit of an excellent collaboration between watch manufactures, partners, media, organizers ... but it is first and foremost an outstanding work done by men and women coming from very different horizons who joined their energies to create hope in research on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.”

All proceeds from the auction will finance research, organize scientific roundtables and fund International Collaborative Effort (ICE).

“Thanks to Only Watch, we are going to be able to finance ICE (a program that was started in 2008),” said Luis Garcia, directeur de Recherche at the CNRS. “This program brings together 15 leading teams worldwide who work on therapeutic strategies on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, in particular exon skipping, gene and cell therapies.”

The event is organized by the Association Monégasque contre les Myopathies, Antiquorum Auctioneers and the Monaco Yacht Show (which is held at the same time), along with the support of 40 of the watchmakers, the auction concluded a series of preview exhibitions that took place in (during the Monaco Yacht Show).

Princess Charlene of Monaco Prefers Van Cleef & Arpels

Princess Charlene and Prince Albert unveil the Alambra display at Van Cleef  & Arpels boutique in Monaco.

Earlier this month, Princess Charlene and Prince Albert of Monaco helped to inaugurate the Van Cleef & Arpels boutique in the Principality. The occasion allowed the creator of haute joaillerie to introduce a new interpretation its iconic Alhambra motif in honor of the Princess. The necklace and earrings set is adorned with pavé diamonds and turquoises, and evokes the blue waters of Monaco, the company said in a statement.

Van Cleef & Arpels introduced the Alhambra collection in 1968. Its trademark is a setting technique that minimizes the amount of metal, thus emphasizing the diamonds. The stones are selected in different sizes to enhance their sparkle. The exclusive honeycomb open-work setting allows more light to refract into the diamonds. 

Princess Charlene wears the new Alhambra necklace at the Van Cleef & Arpels boutique.

A limited edition of 15 sets will be sold exclusively in the Monaco boutique. A portion of the sales will go to the associations and foundations that have the endorsement of Princess Charlene.

Also earlier this month, the princess wore the Océan necklace at the Monaco Red Cross Ball charity gala. The diamond and sapphire necklace, which can be transformed into a tiara, was a gift from Prince Albert to Princess Charlene following their wedding in early July. The name of the bold, glittering jewelry piece was chosen by Prince Albert. Its sparkle is reportedly the result of 1,200 precious stones that include 88 round diamonds, 10 pear-shaped diamonds and 359 sapphires.

Princess Charlene wears the Ocean necklace at the Monaco Red Cross Ball.

Van Cleef & Arpels has been the “Official Supplier” to the Principality of Monoco since 1956.