Ulysse Nardin and Randy Johnson to Create the ‘Big Unit’ Limited Timepiece

Patrik Hoffmann (left) and Randy Johnson making the announcement of the partnership Monday in the owner's box of Chase Field. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

PHOENIX — Swiss luxury watch brands often partner with professional athletes who have amassed achievements in sports where speed, stamina and accuracy are required, such as auto racing, boating regattas, and track and field. Ulysse Nardin took a bit of a different route when it signed pitching great Randy Johnson as a brand ambassador during an event in the owner’s box at Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, where Johnson played for six years and enjoyed his greatest success.

Johnson and Ulysse Nardin, known for its luxury nautical timepieces, announced that the two will partner to create a timepiece known as the “Big Unit,” which is Johnson’s nickname, referring to his 6-foot, 10-inch size. The watch will be released sometime in late 2012 or early 2013. 

Johnson and Hoffman looking over the prototype of the timepiece box. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

“I don’t think we had to go too far out of the box for creating a name,” Johnson said during a private interview at the event.

Johnson was known for throwing 100-mile-an-hour fastballs with consistency and accuracy during a 22-year major-league career that included five Cy Young awards (the highest honor for a major league pitcher) and a 2001 World Series championship with the Diamondbacks, where he shared the Most Valuable Player honor. So he had all of the qualities of high-speed athletes in his left arm.

In addition to his baseball achievements, Johnson, an avid watch collector, was also a friend of the Ulysse Nardin brand, which made it even easier to approach the former pitcher about being an ambassador, said Patrik Hoffman, Ulysse Nardin, CEO.

“I think for us it’s important for us that we have someone who is really a true ambassador of the brand, which means I can say that Randy was already a friend of the brand for a long time,” Hoffman said.

A sneak peek of what the box will look like. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

Hoffmann also said the partnership with Johnson is within the strategy of the brand to use athletes or celebrities as ambassadors in countries where the timepiece brand is popular. For example, the brand has partnered with world renowned cricketer, Yuvraj Singh, in India.

“For us, whoever we choose in countries like Russia or India or now the United States, we always choose someone we call a legend,” Hoffmann said. “That is important for us. I live in US for 13 years and I know baseball and like baseball and that has some influence as well.”

Below is an unedited interview from Jetset magazine with Johnson in the Arizona Diamondbacks owner’s box that includes a few interruptions by a singing group rehearsing the National Anthem prior to a game against the Colorado Rockies:

Johnson has been collaborating with the luxury watch brand in the design of the timepiece.

“I was just trying to incorporate a little baseball feel in the watch, whether it was something maybe on the bazel or the face or even the hands, or somewhere in the watch that would give you a baseball feel,” Johnson said. “I’m sure they will tastefully incorporate a baseball feel to a limited edition watch.”

Both Johnson and Hoffman are being secret about the details of the watch, which is still being created. It will be part of the Ulysse Nardin Marine Diver line collection. It will incorporate baseball themes, as already noted. And, it will also be unusually large. “If you call the watch the Big Unit it has to be a big watch,” Hoffmann said. As far as how many of these timepieces will be made, they refuse to say but just note that Johnson has 303 total wins in his long, successful career. 

Unedited video from a Jetset magazine interview with Patrik Hoffmann, CEO of Ulysse Nardin, in the owner's box at Chase Field where he discusses his relationship with pitching great Randy Johnson and how they came about to work together to create the "Big Unit" limited timepiece.

Johnson became attracted to luxury timepieces while traveling to different cities while still a ballplayer.

“In certain cities there are really good restaurants. Well, in certain cities there are really good watch stores. I enjoyed looking at them and you figure that over 22 years, I accumulated a nice collection,” he said. “To be with this watch company is really nice because I have several of their watches.”

He also freely admits that his knowledge of timepieces is growing.

“I learned a lot about watches and different timepieces and I’m constantly learning.” He said. “Obviously, when you’re buying expensive timepieces, it’s nice to know what you’re buying, what makes it tick…. I have a very small background when it comes into knowledge but I know what I like and know a lot of other people like watches and it’s something cool to collect. It’s not for everybody.”

He says he compares having a luxury timepiece named after him among his greatest honors, as far as public acceptance.

“I thought it was pretty cool when I was on the cover of Sports Illustrated and the box of Wheaties. I thought I have arrived. But to have a watch, I mean I’m obviously honored.”

Harry Winston 'Martian Pink' Diamond Sells for $17.4 Million

Photo Credit: CHRISTIE'S IMAGES LTD. 2012

The largest round fancy intense pink diamond to ever appear at auction sold for $17.4 million at Christie’s Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels sale Tuesday.

Known as the “Martian Pink,” the extremely rare 12-ct. diamond was owned by a private collector. It was purchased from Harry Winston in 1976—the same year, the United States launched its first satellite on a mission to Mars: The Viking Landers. Ronald Winston named the diamond to honor the historic event. It sold for approximately $1.5 million per carat. Its estimate was $8.4 million to $12.3 million. The diamond is mounted on a size-7, 18k gold ring.

Other significant diamonds sold at the auction include:

* A pair of brilliant-cut unmounted diamonds, weighing 10.88 and 10.88 carats, sold for $4.8 million. Both diamonds are of D color, flawless clarity, with excellent cut, polish and symmetry.

Photo Credit: CHRISTIE'S IMAGES LTD. 2012

* A three-diamond ring from JAR sold for $2.9 million. It consisted of a 10.67-carat D color, internally flawless, oval-shaped diamond at its center is flanked by two D color, internally flawless diamonds of 6.07 and 6.04 carats. The estimate was $2.5 million – $3.5 million.

Photo Credit: CHRISTIE'S IMAGES LTD. 2012

* A second large diamond with ties to Harry Winston, an 11.85-carat D VVS1 potentially flawless round brilliant-cut diamond, sold for just under $2 million, within its is estimate.

Photo Credit: CHRISTIE'S IMAGES LTD. 2012

* It was mostly diamonds that stole the show, but one other gemstone elbowed its way into being one of the top items sold Tuesday. A 6.04-carat Burmese ruby and diamond ring by Etcetera sold for $3.4 million, just within its high estimate. This no heat cushion-shaped stone possesses the most desirable “pigeon’s blood red” color.

London Exhibit Paves British History in Gold

Between Queen Elizabeth II celebrating her diamond jubilee and the upcoming Olympics, there’s a lot going on in London this summer. Here’s one more reason to pay a visit.

A new exhibition at London’s Goldsmiths’ Hall titled,“Gold: Power and Allure, 4,500 Years of Gold Treasures from Across Britain,” will open on June 1. It looks at the role this precious metal has played throughout the ages in Britain. The project showcases more than 400 gold items ranging in date from as early as 2,500 BC to the present day. All the exhibits have been loaned from distinguished institutions and private collections, both in the UK and abroad, and many have rarely been seen in public before.

The exhibition includes:

* Golden Royalty: Pieces featured in the exhibition have been loaned from Royal Collections, including a gold ring taken from the deceased finger of Queen Elizabeth I; and The Chaplet of George, Prince of Wales, created in 1901-1902. At George's own coronation, the Chaplet was worn by his son, Edward who, when King, took the chaplet with him in exile in France.

* Olympic Gold Medals: Two 24K gold medals from the 1908 London Olympics, one of only four modern Olympic games to award sold gold medals.

* The exhibit also looks to the future of gold jewelry and artistry with two pieces commissioned by the World Gold Council, a sponsor of the exhibit.

The exhibition runs till July 28. It’s open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m.

The Goldsmiths’ Hall—at the junction of Foster Lane and Gresham Street, northeast of St. Paul’s Cathedral—is the home of the Goldsmiths’ Company, one of the “Twelve Great Livery Companies” of the City of London. It received its first royal charter in 1327 to regulate the craft or trade of the goldsmith. It is responsible for testing gold, silver, platinum and palladium.

Diamond Tiara from Maureen Swanson Could Fetch $235,000

Diamond tiara from the late Countess of Dudley, also known as the actress and dancer Maureen Swanson.

With the ongoing celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee, it seems fitting that Christie’s London sale of Important Jewels on June 13 would focus on royal and aristocratic jewels.

A total of 368 lots include jewels from the collections of Princess Soraya Esfandiary Bakhtiary, Beatrice Countess of Granard OBE, and the late Countess of Dudley. Spanning four centuries, the sale has rare historic rings, diamonds and pearls. The roll call of signed jewels by the leading houses and designers includes: Boucheron, Cartier, Chaumet, Chopard, Graff and Van Cleef & Arpels.

One of the top pieces of the sale is an Art Deco diamond tiara by Cartier (pictured above) from the collection of the late Countess of Dudley, also known as the actress and dancer Maureen Swanson, with an estimate of £100,000 – £150,000 ($156,850 – $235,270). It is one of 17 jewels offered from the collection up for sale. The tiara is “composed of five graduated shield shaped clip brooches, each resembling the Pylon, the tapering monumental towers of ancient Egypt whose bold form inspired so much 1930s design,” Christie’s said. “Together, mounted atop the simple diamond line frame, these clips are transformed into a modern soaring geometric skyline, their design recalling both the architectural innovations of the era together with its inimitable style.”

The sale also will be led by the Cowdray Pearls, a rare natural pearl necklace, composed of a single row of thirty-eight graduated natural grey pearls, with an estimated price of £280,000 – £350,000 ($440,000 – $549,000). It is from the collection of the late Viscountess Cowdray, Lady Pearson (1860-1932).

Leading the small group of jewels formerly from the collection of Princess Soraya Esfandiary Bakhtiary is a 12.15 carat diamond circular single-stone ring (estimate: £70,000 – £100,000; $110,000 – $156,850). Another ring with notable provenance is an Edwardian sapphire and diamond ring, circa 1905, which was formerly in the collection of Beatrice Countess of Granard OBE (estimate: £30,000 – £40,000; $47,000 – $63,000).

A selection of 40 lots from Cartier, including jewels, cufflinks, watches and clocks, is a highlight of the auction. This portion of the sale is led by an Art Deco diamond and gem bracelet of Oriental inspiration, circa 1925 (estimate: £100,000 – £150,000; $156,850 – $235,270), and a pair of platinum and diamond ear pendants, composed of a graduated line of three brilliant-cut diamonds, suspending a pear-shaped diamond drop (estimate: £100,000 – £150,000; $156,850 – $235,270).

For information on all the lots offered in the sale, view the online catalog.

Wanna Rock in Sales? Read This and Learn How

This is one of a series of articles by Mónica Arias, Excellence Expert specialized in Sales & Customer Service for luxury brands based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. These articles will focus on ways that jewelry and luxury sales and marketing professionals can improve their techniques.

Dear Jewelry lovers, I am back! You may or may not have missed me, but this does not change the fact I really missed getting in touch with all of you. I will not hide myself under naive excuses for not being able to write you more often. I am, as everyone else these days, caught up in hectic agendas and endeavors … but I am also investing time and effort to improve the quality and value of my articles (OK, I accept this was a good, original try to say I am sorry!) 

Anyway, I am happy to reconnect, and having said the above, hope you will forgive my absence and find the following tools really useful in your daily routine : )

OK, time to get to work: You are already aware of the fact that I am a “question-like-kind-of- fan.” So, the first and most important step you need to address to rock in sales is to have your own, unique, personal and strategic list of questions to make. Most of them will certainly be open questions, like the ones starting with the words: “What, when, where, which, etc,” which in time will help you craft your personalized list of likes, dislikes, pros and cons about each of your customers and prospects.

But you also need to have a good deal of close-phrase questions ready because, these help many times to define a deal (they get the client´s answer easier) Do not roll your eyes please … remember I am speaking out of my own experience!

Now, you will definitely use these questions at the very end, when there has been strong reluctance from your client to say “Yes” to your proposal for more than five minutes. For example, a close question to define a sales presentation could be: “Certainly, let´s agree this piece is by far the most adequate pair of earrings to match your lovely, colorful necklace, but, most importantly, it simply highlights your beauty and show the best of your refined taste …don´t you think so?”

Or, you may say something like: “I am pretty sure your wife (lady, love, etc) will certainly adore the idea of wearing this matching piece, but what is more important, from my point of view, is the fact that you are here, taking time to choose something lovely for her as her next gift from you, and that makes all the great detail and the difference…don’t´ you agree?”

Secondly, I am going to introduce you (again!) to taking your job as joyfully as possible. You see, to work surrounded by beautiful pieces, most of them one-of-a-kind, has to make you think of the privilege of serving customers in this segment of the industry, in a moment when all seems to be falling apart. Your clients are your treasure, as they are for the company you work for, of course. But you have a double responsibility towards them, because the first contact they make with the company is through you.

What do I mean by this? Am I saying you need to suffer if you are not happy with your results … or maybe I am stating that you should be a servant and say “Yes” to all your customers to avoid confrontation? Not at all. Customers love to have a sound, intelligent word crossing with a salesperson who calmly states their point of view. I am not suggesting you need to quarrel or enter into an argument with them. I am just warning: Do not think that always saying OK to your customers (eg: when they ask for a discount, say something that looks down on any part of your presentation, speak badly about your product, etc– yes, customers can be very rude sometimes) makes you a great salesperson or will definitely drive them to the cash-register.

When you have done a good job, and have kept control of the sales process, showing empathy, being kind, understanding your clients’ needs, allowing room for their objections, discussing frankly on the price options, offering adds-on to your possible sale, it is just a matter of believing firmly in yourself to close the deal. No need to run to your manager and ask for discounts (unless this is extremely necessary or the sales is huge). Or tremble and show your fears to the customer, or even worse: to say “okay” when you know it is not okay. Sometimes, a frank dialogue to discuss your client´s point of view will open up a window through which you will see a different landscape to the possibility of closing. And the client (provided he or she is not a lunatic, of course) will greatly appreciate your point of view, even if it is completely different from theirs.

If you love selling jewelry, start enjoying going to the edge sometimes. It makes sales so much fun and rewarding. It makes your working life so much wonderful and joyful. Your bank account will be happy you do this on a consistent basis.

Mónica M. Arias
Excellence Expert: Helping you discover how to reach your next level through excellence.
contacto@monicaarias.com.ar
Copyright 2012

New Luxury Jewelry Shows Slated for This Year

Two trade show organizations are partnering to create a joint jewelry tradeshow that will appear at two locations this year.

The Select Show and Centurion Jewelry By Initiation Only have created a new partnership to jointly produce the SELECT shows, beginning with the events in Dallas at the Ritz Carlton, September 9-10, and in Connecticut at Mohegan Sun, September 23-24. The new name for the shows will be "Select by Centurion."

Both companies operate invitation-only luxury jewelry tradeshows.

The Select by Centurion shows will continue the hallmarks of the Select shows, launched in 2010, with 40-50 exclusive exhibitors, breakfasts, seminars, lunches and evening receptions. The company will be overseen by Joe Carullo and Bryan Cohen, founders of Select, and Howard Hauben, founder of Centurion. Centurion will act as day-to-day management beginning after the 2012 shows.

Montblanc Sparkles at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival

In a bit of old time movie glamor with modern action behind, actress and model, Magdalena Ghenea, is photographed wearing the "Riviera" necklace, "Etoile" full pave ring, and small Montblanc 4810 earrings. Photo credit: Olivier Borde

The luxury brand Montblanc was sparkling among the stars during the 73rd Cannes International Film Festival in southern France. Jewels from the “Collection Princesse Grace de Monaco” and TimeWalker men’s timepieces were among the most prominent Montblanc pieces worn during the 12-day festival that came to an end Sunday.

Below are photos of some of the stars wearing Montblanc collections for women and men.

Nastassya Kinski wears the Montblanc Collection Princesse Grace de Monaco limited edition necklace, earrings and bracelet. Photo credit: Olivier Borde

Adrien Brody on the red carpet wearing Montblanc cufflinks and a TimeWalker TwinFly chronograph. Photo credit: Olivier Borde

Actress Laura Weissbecker adorned in a Montblanc "Collection Princesse Grace de Monaco" tales de Roses neckalce. Photo credit: Olivier Borde

Actress Whitney Able wears the Montblanc Riviera necklace. Photo credit: Olivier Borde

Jeremy Irons shows his Montblanc Star Worldtime timepiece. Photo credit: Olivier Borde

Actor Jimmy Jean Louis looks at his Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec chronograph on the red carpet. Photo credit: Olivier Borde

 

Actress and model, Sarah Marshall adorned in “A Petitis Pas" necklace and "Amour" bracelet and fashion designer, Jean Claude Jitrois, wears a Montblanc TimeWalker. Photo credit: Olivier Borde

 

Julie Gayet, President of the Queer of Jury, actress and producer, wearing Montblanc “Collection Princesse Grace de Monaco" Pétales Entrelcés red gold earrings and bracelet. Photo credit: Olivier Borde