LVMH to launch 3 new luxury watch brands

DOES India hold enough potential for luxury brands? The LVMH Group, which has more than 50 of the world's largest and oldest luxury brands, certainly seems to think so.

In fact, the company, which is present in India through brands such as Christian Dior, Tag Heuer, Louis Vuitton and wine/champagne brands such Moet et Chandon, Hennessy, and Dom Perignon, is planning to introduce three new brands in the country next year. These are Fendi, Ebel and Zenith — all luxury watch brands.

According to Mr Ravi Thakran, Regional Managing Director (Asia Pacific), LVMH Watch and Jewellery, the new brands will seek to address different price segments. ``While Fendi would be targeted at young women and priced in the range of about Rs 10,000-50,000, Ebel would be priced at Rs 50,000-2,50,000. Zenith, on the other hand, is a collector's item and will start at a price of Rs 2.5 lakh, and can go up to about Rs 40 lakh. This brand would be available at very limited points of sale,'' he said.

Similarly, the company is planning to increase investment on promoting its existing brands in India, a bulk of which will be spent on Tag Heuer. ``We plan to spend about Rs 10 crore on promoting Tag Heuer next year. This would include a first ever TV commercial for a luxury brand in India,'' Mr Thakran says.

While the TV commercial for Tag Heuer would feature brand ambassador Shah Rukh Khan, the company is also rolling out its global commercial featuring Tiger Woods in India. Simultaneously, Tag Heuer would also be promoted through in-film advertising. Interestingly, Tag Heuer `stars' along with its brand ambassador in the Hindi movie, Kal Ho Na Ho, and the company plans to be increase its association with Shah Rukh Khan in his next film too.

Pre-Basel 2008 - Blu Open Planet Watch, Welcomes You To Its Waters

Basel World 2008 is just around the corner, and watch makers are teasing us with their new offerings. For those lucky enough to attend it is guaranteed to be a wondrous event filled with all the excitement and glamour of the world of luxury watches. Despair not, however, if you were unable to secure yourself a ticket as we have a sneak peek of some of incredible new timepieces set to be unveiled at the expo.

Here is the all new Open Planet by Blu, which somehow achieves the seemingly impossible feat of appearing subtle and yet eye-catching at the same time! Given that this very unique looking timepiece has not yet been officially launched there is limited information available, however, we can provide you with the following specifications:

Movement - Automatic Blu-Orbit, manufactured on an ETA 2892A base (modified for the rotating window that functions are the minute indicator)

Functions - Hours, minutes. The Blu Open Planet would probably be considered a regulator watch, but we can defer to Blu on the classification.

Case - Stainless steel, 44 mm
Dial - Carbon fibre
Bracelet/Strap - Black alligator leather

This timepiece truly is breathtaking to withhold, the modern design combined with innovative materials and technical mastery infuses this creation with Bernhard Lederer’s own unique spirit.

I personally am certainly looking forward to seeing this timepiece in the flesh, however, as with every great luxury watch, don't expect to be seeing it on everyone's wrist! Blu watches are very hard to come by, and currently can only be official purchased at a few select places around the world.

Juvenia Tigres Watch

The Collector's Edition watches from Juvenia are luxury watches with beautiful craftsmanship.The Tigres is available as a wristwatch or a pocketwatch. The wristwatch shown here has an 18K god case that is 44.5mm and set with 76 diamonds. The covers has three engraved tigers and the back is engraved with the name Shaduli (the Hindu Mother of the Tigers) in old Sanskrit. The watch uses the hand-wind, NOS caliber Juvenia 1105 movement with 17 jewels, beating at 21,600 bph and with a power reserve of 42 hours.

Angular Momentum Oriental Collection Watches

The latest watch collection from Angular Momentum, a company that prides itself on pretty and unusual watches, is the Oriental collection. The watches are made of hand sculptured gold decorated with diamonds. It has an amber dial with a peony blossom engraved in high relief with gold leaf underneath. It uses a mechanical self-winding movement and is made at the Angular Momentum work shop in Bern, Switzerland.

Perrelet A230 Watch

Time Zone has the scoop on Perrelet's 230th anniversary watch. The watch, an anniversary skeleton chronograph, has a two-tone 18K white and rose gold 43.50 mm case and a rubber strap. The watch uses the P-231 movement of 260 individual parts which beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour. The watch has front and back sapphire crystals to observe the movement. There are 77 numbered pieces available worldwide and they sell for $28,000 each. Time Zone is sponsoring an event in New York City on Novmeber 28 for those who wish to view the watch first hand.

Blancpain Tourbillon Diamants

The latest creation from Blancpain is absolutely stuffed with diamonds. The Tourbillon Diamants has 480 diamonds for a total of 58 carats. The dial sparkles with a brick-like arrangement of baguette diamonds. The watch uses the Blancpain Calibre 25A movement, a mechanical self-winding movement made of 239 parts with a seven-day power reserve. The 40mm white gold case is water resistant. The white gold bracelet is set with 42 carats of diamonds.

Basel Diamond Jewelry and Watches Show Gets Mixed Reviews

Business at this years Basel World watch and jewelry show has been getting some mixed reviews.

According to the show organizers, it was an awesome show..and the best one ever!

Problem is, they say that every year.

In the diamond pavilion, IDEX reports that the assessment was a bit more subdued. "Business has been good," said Alain Shapira of New York-based A.S. Diamonds. "However, it has certainly not been as good as last year. Last year the buyers were a lot more serious," he observed.

Shapira indicated that pear shaped diamonds were moving well, as were oversizes. He indicated a demand for cushion cut diamonds.

By Monday afternoon however, Shapira said that he felt that trading activity had already peaked.

Avi Paz, of Avi Paz Diamonds agreed that the show had been successful. "It has been been a good show," he said. "We have had a lot of customers. The only thing missing has been the U.S. buyers."

Paz gave a number of reasons to explain the absence of the U.S buyers from Switzerland this year. The slow down in the American economy, the timing of the show, which comes barely a month before JCK Las Vegas, and the expense involved in exhibiting in Europe.

In general, the consensus is that luxury watches seems to have fared better than diamonds and jewelry.