A promise is forever, and it was this belief that was perfectly captured at the recent launch of Baume & Mercier’s striking Promesse collection in Dubai. Committed to celebrating every moment in life, Baume & Mercier marked the collection launch by collaborating with its agent in the UAE, Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons and the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated governmental entity for promoting heritage, culture and the arts, to host a three day Art exhibition linked to the concept of locking your promises. Held between the 4th and 6th of November at the RIRA Gallery in DIFC, the launch witnessed the attendance of select media and VIPs along with talented upcoming artists from Dubai who together discovered the glorious spirit of Promesse. “On the occasion of Promesse launch in Dubai and our partnership with Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, we wanted to lock a precious moment by combining art and watchmaking under one theme. We invited Middle Eastern artists to partake in this event and lock their own promise by creating an art piece inspired by our new ladies collection, Promesse. It resulted in a celebration of creativity, innovation and emotions that translated into a unique exhibition” says Alain Zimmerman, CEO of Baume & Mercier
The three day event was a true celebration as guests were given an artistic opportunity to delve into the heart of the beautiful Promesse collection. Transformed into Baume & Mercier’s elegant universe, the venue also played host to an exquisite sculpture on which you can lock the ‘Promesse padlock’ that was created specifically to launch the collection.
Guests were invited to lock their precious moments on this sculpture. On that occasion, Mrs. Hind Seddiqi, VP of Marketing at Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons states: “It gives us great pleasure to launch the Promesse collection amidst such talented and creative artists who have so uniquely conveyed their interpretations of the line. The sculpture on which everyone is locking their promises is beautiful and perfectly captures the essence of the Promesse collection.” The RIRA gallery played a major part in the curation of the entire event and invited the artists to participate in this exhibition. “Each artist creates a uniquely different type of art, but they all speak the same language, a language that gives the same message, a message that comes out from their souls” says Parisa Davarkia, Founder & CEO of the RIRA Gallery. Once the fifteen selected artists were enlightened about Promesse, they proceeded to create their own imaginative interpretations of the timepieces and also provided live performances and Art entertainment as they recreated the sculpture too. The talented artists fashioned art in the forms of photos, paintings, structures and jewellery, each of which flawlessly encapsulated the spirit of Promesse. The beautiful art pieces showcased were available for sale, for which parts of the proceeds would go towards the Noor Dubai Foundation.
Dr. Manal Taryam, CEO of the Noor Dubai Foundation expressed her gratitude stating: “We are thankful to Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, Baume & Mercier, the artists and Rira Gallery for their support. Our programs in countries of need are not limited to restoration of sight; we also support patients who are unable to afford eye medication and glasses with an aim to prevent further deterioration of their condition. Through our supporters we hope to make a difference in their lives. Providing the gift of sight aids both economic and social development in countries of need. She added that the funds raised through this unique art exhibition will go to our program in Nepal towards the end of this year.
On that note Alain Zimmerman responds: “We are extremely happy to be giving back to the community by contributing to The Noor Dubai Foundation, an association that creates hope and makes promises of little children come true by improving and restoring their sight, allowing them in turn to lock those precious moments with their families”
The Promesse collection is an intensely delicate and timeless collection representing a true ode to femininity. A classic, precious watch conveying a strong emotional charge, Promesse draws its inspiration from the rich feminine heritage of the Maison. It offers today’s women an opportunity to discover how the originality of its timeless lines embodies a cherished Baume & Mercier tradition. Available in two feminine 30 mm and 34 mm sizes, Promesse transforms time into a subtly perceptible vibration. The curves of the bracelet harmoniously reflect those of the polished steel case. This elegantly understated and refined watch is driven by a Swiss made quartz caliber or a mechanical self-winding movement. The classic shape of the Promesse collection is enhanced with a precious touch by enhancing its oval bezel with mother-of pearl, capping it with 18K red gold or gracefully highlighting the design by setting it with diamonds. The pure, delicate and contemporary silver-colored dial with its “drapé guilloché’’ decor or carved in shimmering azure mother-of-pearl, provides an eminently readable display of time with the help of Roman numerals and indexes.
In addition to the Promesse launch, Baume & Mercier took the elegant celebration of promises and femininity a step further by weaving a poignant story through seven precious moments.
Seven iconic Baume & Mercier timepieces which are a symbol of refined elegance, creativity and timelessness, corresponding to seven diverse eras that marked significant times for women the world over, were showcased in seven unique display cases, each case standing for a special moment. The surrounding space for each case was defined by a printed panel that sported a portrait of a woman from that era along with a title. The eras that were depicted were as follows: 1869 – A time for feelings, 1920 – A time for party, 1950 – A time for wonder, 1972 – A time for freedom, 1980 – A time for power, 1997 – A time for style and 1984 – 2014 – A time for change.
Baume & Mercier is a true connoisseur of life’s extraordinary instances and with this exquisite event dedicated to women; the stunning brand yet again proved that the quintessence of every timepiece of theirs lies in the moments!
