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| Celebrities from around the world in attendance with Jérôme Lambert, Montblanc International CEO (fourth from left) at the Bohème ladies watch collection launch. |
Luxury brand Montblanc chose Shanghai for the global introduction of its new Bohème ladies watch collection with a star-studded affair on August 28 at the Children’s Art Theatre attended by several hundred invited guests and media.
In doing so the luxury brand showed to the world that the traditionally masculine brand is looking to the ladies market for growth, that it values its long relationship with China, and that it is able to create a buzz in one of the largest and fastest growing markets in the world.
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| Montblanc Bohème Perpetual Calendar Jewellery |
The event itself was a large-scale production held in a circular theater setting with colorful performances that could rival Las Vegas in terms of spectacle with musicians, dancers and models rising up from beneath the floor of the theater in various places. Several celebrities from around the world strolled the red carpet outside the theater and participated in the performance’s grand finale. The guests of honor were Taiwanese-born actress and Montblanc Brand Ambassador Kwai Lun Mei and Australian actor Chris Hemsworth, a designated friend of the brand. Prior to the performance, watch making demonstrations were held in the lobby of the theater.
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| The performance during the August 28 unveiling of the Bohème ladies watch line at the Children’s Art Theatre in Shanghai, China. |
Jérôme Lambert, Montblanc International CEO, said the luxury brand’s relationship with China goes back to 1992 and has grown to become one of its top three markets. The company now has 105 points of sale, including 47 mono-brand boutiques. Needless to say the country is very important to the luxury brand.
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| Colorful Italian Leather Straps for Bohème Watches created by Montblanc’s leather manufacturing operation in Florence, Italy. In addition to traditional styles, the straps are available in yellow, orange, and two shades of blue. |
Then there are the female shoppers, whose appetite in China (and in much of the world) for luxury goods continues to grow. This is the where Montblanc, a traditionally masculine luxury brand, is focusing its efforts.
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| Montblanc ambassador and actress Gwei Lun-Mei was the guest of honor at the global launch of the Bohème watch collection. |
“More than 35 percent of our clientele of Montblanc (worldwide) are ladies, but they are buying a lot for their husbands or boyfriends,” said Jérôme Lambert, Montblanc International CEO. “We do believe there is an opportunity to bring them along to the maison…. We know ladies are very determined when it comes to luxury goods these days in China. It’s a natural extension of the market.”
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| Models wear Bohème watches on stage during the Bohème global launch event at the Children’s Art Theatre in Shanghai, China |
Lambert added that products for women now account for 20 percent of Montblanc’s inventory.
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| Bohème Date Automatic Jewellery |
The Bohème ladies watch collection feature both a feminine exterior with precious gems and metals while inside it is powered by serious movements and complications. It is an extension of a feminine writing instruments collection under the same name. The lead item in this collection is the “Bohème Perpetual Calendar Jewellery.”
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| The Montblanc name and star logo clearly visible on the exterior of the Children’s Art Theatre. |
The 36mm watch features a silver guilloché dial that shows the month and leap year cycle at 12 o’clock, date at 3 o’clock, moon phases at 6 o’clock and day of the week at 9 o’clock. The bezel of the red-gold case is adorned with 60 diamonds and the winding crown is topped with a diamond in the shape of the Montblanc star emblem.
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| Actor Chris Hemsworth, a friend of the Montblanc brand, attends the launch of the Bohème collection. |
The watch is powered by the automatic caliber MB 29.15, which was introduced at Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) in January for the Montblanc Meisterstück Heritage Perpetual Calendar men’s watch, which distinguished itself as perhaps the first watch with a perpetual calendar and a moon phase for 10,000 euros. The perpetual calendar requires no manual adjustment until the year 2100. However, if a correction is needed, tiny controls hidden inside the watch allow for fast and easy adjustments.
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| Musicians perform at the global launch of the Bohème watch collection. |
The Bohème Date Automatic features several styles of diamonds, gold and stainless steel with mother-of-pearl, diamond pavé or guilloche dial finishes. The 30mm watch features an elongated date display at 6 o’clock. The shape serves as the signature style of the Bohème collection.
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| Bohème was traditionally a collection of feminine writing instruments. It's fitting that new writing instruments would accompany the introduction of the Bohème watch collection. |
Floral Arabic numerals with “filet sauté” minute scale, the blued or red gold-plated leaf-shaped hour-and minute-hand and the central second hand extended with the Montblanc star emblem. It is powered by a MB 24.14 automatic movement. The bezel of the jewelry version of the watch can be adorned with 62 diamonds and a dial topped with 8 diamonds.
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| Celebrity blogger Chiara Ferragni |
Lambert, who has led Montblanc for a little over a year has been credited with finding synergies between the brand’s various manufacturing facilities. In this case, he used Montblanc’s leather manufacturing operation in Florence, Italy, to create colorful watch straps for the Bohème collection, thus giving buyers more options when selecting watches. In addition to traditional styles, the wristbands are available in yellow, orange, and two shades of blue.
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| Bohème red gold and silver jewelry collection to accompany the new watch collection. |
“We believe that cross fertilization, in this case leather and watches, combines itself quite nicely,” Lambert said. “It’s a good way for us to sustain a better approach to a lifestyle.”
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| Jérôme Lambert, Montblanc International CEO |
The Bohème collection also includes complementary jewelry and writing instruments.
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