Each spring, over 100,000 industry professionals descend upon the sleepy Swiss city of Basel for the Baselworld watch and jewellery fair - an eight-day jamboree of luxury goods on an epic scale, set in a city of gleaming multi-storey exhibition stands with industry titans Rolex and Patek Philippe serving as towering gate guards.
This year's edition of Baselworld, celebrating its 40th anniversary, was marked by a distinct air of optimism. For despite the economic downturn, the Swiss watch industry is in ruder health than ever, with 2011 exports up 19.2 per cent to nearly CHF 19.3 billion - a state of affairs reflected by the watches themselves.
The trend for simple, pared-down pieces that so characterised 2009 and 2010 has yielded to more daring functionality (worldtimers are rife this year), technical innovation (high-tech case materials as well as new interpretations of the inner mechanics) and design (both colour and dial layout), as well as an unflagging love affair with all things vintage and retro. Here's six of the best in show.
1. Breitling Transocean Chronograph Unitime
This 'universal time' watch from the popular aviator brand harks back to the golden age of air travel. Developed and produced entirely in-house at Breitling, the worldtimer function allows you to instantly tell the time in any of the world's 24 timezones, simply by twiddling the crown.
2. Patek Philippe ref. 7140 Ladies First Perpetual Calendar
Switzerland's most revered watchmaker has always paid due attention to the burgeoning female interest in "proper" mechanical watches, avoiding the Swiss habit of merely downsizing men's models and making them pink. This dainty number is arguably the industry's first ever perpetual calendar to be purpose-built for ladies - a remarkable piece whose date only needs correcting in 2100, when we skip a leap year.
3. Chanel Première Flying Tourbillon
It's 25 years since Chanel launched its Première, whose shape was inspired by the octagonal geometry of Paris' Place Vendôme and echoed in the N°5 perfume bottle stopper. Reflecting women's growing appreciation for mechanical timepieces, the anniversary piece boasts a flying tourbillon complication - a mesmerizing merry-go-round sat proud of the dial, in the form of a camellia, Mademoiselle Chanel's favourite flower.
4. Chopard LUC 8HF
An unusually techy watch from Chopard's vaunted LUC factory, the titanium-cased 8HF is the first watch to house a high-frequency (8Hz or 57,600 vibrations per hour) mechanical movement that has passed the rigorous 'chronometer' precision test, conducted by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC).
5. Bulgari Serpenti
Immortalised by lifelong Bulgari devotee Elizabeth Taylor, the coiled Serpenti bracelet watch is one of the Roman jeweller's most iconic pieces. This new model in pink gold and black enamel could easily look the part on the wrist of Cleopatra herself.
6. Bell & Ross WWI Heure Sautante
A refreshing antidote to the French brand's uncompromising 'Instruments', this jumping-hour watch is a lesson in reserve and elegance. It joins the retro 'WWI' collection, typified by the wire lugs found on early "trench" watches.
How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
Globalization and its Discontents Revisited
Joseph E. Stiglitz
W. W. Norton & Company
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The stats: 2017 Jaguar XJ
Price, base / as tested Dh326,700 / Dh342,700
Engine 3.0L V6
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 340hp @ 6,000pm
Torque 450Nm @ 3,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.1L / 100km
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk
“The only thing we need is to know that we have faith. Faith and hope in our own dreams. The belief that, when we keep going we’re going to find our way. That’s all we got.”
“Sometimes we try so hard to keep things inside. We try so hard to pretend it’s not really bothering us. In some ways, that hurts us more. You don’t realise how dishonest you are with yourself sometimes, but I realised that if I spoke it, I could let it go.”
“One good thing is to know you’re not the only one going through it. You’re not the only one trying to find your way, trying to find yourself, trying to find amazing energy, trying to find a light. Show all of yourself. Show every nuance. All of your magic. All of your colours. Be true to that. You can be unafraid.”
“It’s time to stop holding back. It’s time to do it on your terms. It’s time to shine in the most unbelievable way. It’s time to let go of negativity and find your tribe, find those people that lift you up, because everybody else is just in your way.”
Company%20profile
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