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Monday 26^th July 2010

The 1957 sloop Cetewayo was among the Vintage, Classic and Spirit of Tradition yachts honoured on Friday 23^rd July during a ceremony held at the world’s most prestigious yacht club, the 195 year old Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes on the Isle of Wight. Attended by more than 200 owners, captains and crews of the fifty-two boat fleet competing at the regatta, the prize giving marked the culmination of a week of competitive sailing and social activities set against the beautiful weather bestowed on Cowes throughout the week.

As the sun set over the Solent, the 2010 British Classic Yacht Club (BCYC) Panerai Cowes regatta which is a new addition to the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge series this year was already being hailed as the most successful in the event’s nine year history.

The overall first prize went to Cetewayo, overall winner of the long distance race and the overall regatta. Cetewayo’s owner, British Classic Yacht Club Commodore David Murrin, was presented with two Radiomir Regatta 1/8^th Second Titanio – 47mm watches. A limited edition watch designed by Officine Panerai in honour of the 2010 Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge series. In a well-received gesture of generosity, David immediately announced that he would be donating one of the watches to his favourite charity, the Special Boat Service, a Military Charity whose aim is to support members or the families of the Royal navy who are in need by virtue of financial hardship or sickness.

The Lallow Cup for best-presented new entrant, went to the 1898 Gaff Cutter, Kismet. The International Metre Trophy for the highest placed Metre Boat, was awarded to Wings. The Brian Keelan Memorial Trophy for the highest placed Gaffer, went to Jap. The Universal 8 Cup for the highest placed 8 Metre was won by If.

In the overall series standings, the Spirit Trophy for first place in Class 1 went to the 1987 12 Metre, Italia who also received the Sea Dragon Island Trophy for taking overall line honours in Wednesday’s long distance race. First in Class 2 and receiving the Lutine Cup was the 1957 Sloop, Cetewayo, who also received the Moonbeam Trophy for overall victory in the long distance race. Overall winner of Class 3 was the 1904 Clyde 30 Linear, Mikado, who received the Corinthian Cup. Winner of the Class 4 series was Jap, who received the Commodores’ Cup. In addition to the individual trophies, each of the class winners was delighted to receive a beautiful Panerai Instrument.

Talking after the conclusion of racing on the final day and reflecting on a highly successful event, Adam Gosling, Chairman of the BCYC Regatta Committee had this to say. ‘It couldn’t have gone better really. We’ve had fantastic weather, the racing has been as tight as ever and the quality of the boats has been even better than usual.’ Given the introduction of Panerai as a title sponsor this year, what plans were there for the future of this regatta? ‘Panerai are a great sponsor and have brought more style to the event which has allowed us to improve the quality of the onshore activities in particular.  In terms of future aspirations, we believe the secret is quality not quantity. The sailors will tell you, they love this event and they love coming to Cowes. That’s why they come back each year. We don’t need this event to become the biggest in the world, we just need it to become the best event.’

Full results are posted on the BCYC website: www.britishclassicyachtclub.org/regatta

ABOUT THE BRITISH CLASSIC YACHT CLUB PANERAI COWES REGATTA 2010:

The British Classic Yacht Club Panerai Cowes Regatta 2010 ran from Sunday 18^th July to Saturday 24^th July. Competing yachts were berthed at the Cowes Yacht Haven.

ABOUT THE BRITISH CLASSIC YACHT CLUB:

The British Classic Yacht Club was formed in 2001 to provide a congenial environment for owners and other classic yacht enthusiasts to share experiences and enjoy each other’s company. Affiliated to the RYA, the BCYC strives to represent the interests of classic yacht owners and has developed good relationships with many leading yacht clubs in the UK and abroad. The officers of the BCYC are actively involved in both national and international discussions about the future development of classic yachting.

The membership of the BCYC now consists of more than eighty boats. In addition to the Club’s flagship annual regatta held in Cowes each July, the Club also organises a full programme of other racing, cruising and social activities in the Solent and on the East Coast, including the popular East Coast Classic Regatta in early June. BCYC yachts also participate in many important sailing events, including classic regattas in the Channel, Mediterranean and West Indies.

ABOUT OFFICINE PANERAI:

Founded in Florence in 1860, Officine Panerai was for many years the official supplier of precision instruments for the Italian Navy. Purchased by the Richemont Group in 1997 and subsequently launched on the international market, Officine Panerai is now Italy’s only fine watch making company. Developing and producing its own movements and watches, Officine Panerai uniquely blends Italian history and design with renowned Swiss craftsmanship.

ABOUT THE PANERAI CLASSIC YACHTS CHALLENGE:

2010 sees the first inclusion of the British Classic Yacht Club Cowes Regatta in the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge Series. Sponsored by Panerai since 2005, this high profile series features some of the world’s leading classic yacht regattas, including the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta and the Régates Royales, Cannes.

Limited Edition Piaget Polo FortyFive Awarded To Wining Team

For the second year in a row, Piaget was proud to be the official timekeeper of the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic, one of the world’s most high profile polo matches. Held on Governor’s Island against a dramatic backdrop of the Manhattan skyline, the glamorous affair has become the must-attend social event of the season.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, along with celebrities and prominent New Yorkers including Susan Sarandon, Mary J. Blige, Julianna Margulies, Josh Lucas, Byrdie Bell, Veronica Webb, Val Kilmer, Gayle King Ivanka Trump and Russell Simmons, turned out to welcome back Britain’s Prince Harry who competed in the match. Piaget’s special guest, actress Alexis Bledel, dazzled the crowd in Piaget’s white gold and diamond rose motif earrings and matching cocktail ring.

In celebration of this year’s event, Piaget created a limited edition version of its Piaget Polo FortyFive Chronograph to be awarded as the prize for the winning team. Inspired by the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic, the specially designed timepiece features the iconic "Clicquot Yellow" on its signature subdials and is designated "New York.” Only 10 have been produced.

“Piaget has a long history with polo, so we are proud to commemorate our partnership with the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic by creating this very special timepiece,” said Larry Boland, President of Piaget North America. “It’s certain to become a collector’s item.”
And while Piaget ambassador and captain of Prince Harry’s team, Nic Roldan, debuted the new watch to press at the event, the prize ultimately went to Team Blackwatch who won in a 6-5 victory. Team captain, Nacho Figueras, graciously accepted the award and then promised to auction it off to raise money for American Friends of Sentebale, the Prince’s charity that benefits orphans and vulnerable
children of Lesotho.

www.piaget.com

Hollywood’s hottest star, Taylor Lautner, proved he is also one of the most stylish, as he arrived at the “Eclipse” premiere in New York wearing a pale grey suit and dark shirt accented with Piaget’s Altiplano 40mm in white gold with a black dial. The Altiplano’s classically refined, yet modern in feel and ultraslim profile made it the perfect choice for Lautner, who has become a new fan of Piaget.

Looking every bit the leading man, Lautner waved to the hundreds of fans who had gathered outside the Crosby Hotel to catch a glimpse of the movie star before joining co-star Kristen Stewart on the red carpet where the two posed for photographers. The Piaget- sponsored premiere of the summer’s most highly anticipated film drew a number of celebrities and high profile New Yorkers, including Abigail Breslin, Cheyenne Jackson, Matchbox Twenty’s Rob Thomas, stylist Rachel Zoe, models Hilary Rhoda, Carol Alt and Dree Hemingway, Kelly Kilorean Bensimon, Lauren Bush and designers Rachel Roy, Cynthia Rowley and Georgina Chapman.

Also in attendance was Nic Roldan, Piaget’s polo ambassador who was in town for the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic where he captained Prince Harry’s team. Roldan wore the special limited edition version of the Piaget Polo FortyFive that Piaget created for the event.

Following the screening, Piaget hosted an intimate after-party in the Crosby Hotel’s private lounge.

www.piaget.com

JUNE 29^th 2010 – Classic yacht owners from around the world will be making their way towards Cowes on the Isle of Wight in three weeks time as they prepare to take part in the 2010 British Classic Yacht Club Panerai Cowes Regatta from Saturday 17^th to Saturday 24^th July.

For the first time ever, the regatta will form part of the 2010 Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge series which features other classic global regattas including the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta and the Régates Royales, Cannes.

This year’s regatta is set to be one of the most spectacular celebrations of classic yachting that the UK has witnessed for many years. More than fifty yachts will be competing as the crews battle it out to win the five races which make up the week’s events, the highlight of which is the Round the Island race taking place on Tuesday 20^th July.

The Round the Island race will head West from the Royal Yacht Squadron start line. Last year’s Line Honours went to Savannah who completed the race in 7hrs 2mins 52 secs with the Overall Winner trophy going to Estrella who won on handicap.

The race programme for the regatta is as follows:

• Monday 19^th July: Race 1
• Tuesday 20^th July: Race 2 – Round the Island
• Wednesday 21^st July: Challenge Day
• Thursday 22^nd July: Race 3 & Race 4
• Friday 23^rd July: Race 5
• Saturday 24^th July: Parade of Sail

The British Classic Yacht Club Panerai Cowes Regatta, now in its ninth year, will see some of the world’s finest classic yachts gathered together in the waters of the Solent.

Three of the competing yachts at Cowes were designed by the late legendary yacht designer Olin Stephens, who has been described as one of the greatest 20^th century yacht designers. Three other yachts from the Windfall fleet which share a dramatic and unique history have also been entered into the race.

‘Erida’, ‘Overlord’ and ‘Sea Scamp’ originated in Germany and during the Second World War were used by the Luftwaffe to hone the skills of their navigators. They earned their unusual name when, in 1945, as many as one hundred of these yachts were taken as prizes of war by the British forces and later included in the official reparations agreement. The British forces subsequently used the fleet of Windfall yachts over a period of around twenty years to introduce their own servicemen to the art of offshore sailing. Over time the yachts have been released into private ownership and many have since been the subjects of painstaking restorations.

This year’s regatta also sees the welcome return to Cowes of several of the international classic yacht regatta circuit’s most famous yachts, including the magnificent, 1911 built, one hundred and twenty five foot, gaff-cutter ‘Mariquita’, which last competed at Cowes in 2008.

Also making a welcome appearance once again will be the crew of the beautiful French twelve metre yacht ‘Wings’ who will be looking to reprise their line honours victory since winning the Round the Island race in 2008. Amongst the oldest boats racing this year will be the William Fife designed Bermudan Cutter ‘Mikado’ and the seventy-two foot, gaff rigged ‘Aeolus’, which were both built in 1904.

CEO of Officine Panerai, Angelo Bonati, said: ‘We are delighted that so many renowned yachts will be taking part in the 2010 British Classic Yacht Club Panerai Cowes Regatta and look forward to welcoming their owners and crews in Cowes at the end of July.”

Official racing will start on Monday 19^th of July. Competing yachts will be berthed at Cowes Yacht Haven. Throughout the week Prize Giving ceremonies and events including an ‘Open Yachts’ Dock Party and Caribbean Crew Party will be taking place in the evenings.

ABOUT OFFICINE PANERAI:

Founded in Florence in 1860, Officine Panerai was for many years the official supplier of precision instruments for the Italian Navy. Purchased by the Richemont Group in 1997 and subsequently launched on the international market, Officine Panerai is now Italy’s only fine watch making company. Developing and producing its own movements and watches, Officine Panerai uniquely blends Italian history and design with renowned Swiss craftsmanship.

ABOUT THE PANERAI CLASSIC YACHTS CHALLENGE:

2010 sees the first inclusion of the British Classic Yacht Club Cowes Regatta in the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge series. Sponsored by Panerai since 2005, this high profile series features some of the world’s leading classic yacht regattas, including the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta and the Régates Royales, Cannes.

ABOUT THE BRITISH CLASSIC YACHT CLUB:

The British Classic Yacht Club was formed in 2001 to provide a congenial environment for owners and other classic yacht enthusiasts to share experiences and enjoy each other’s company. Affiliated to the RYA, the BCYC strives to represent the interests of classic yacht owners and has developed good relationships with many leading yacht clubs in the UK and abroad. The officers of the BCYC are actively involved in both national and international discussions about the future development of classic yachting.

The membership of the BCYC now consists of more than eighty boats. In addition to the Club’s flagship annual regatta held in Cowes each July, the Club also organizes a full programme of other racing, cruising and social activities in the Solent and on the East Coast, including the popular East Coast Classic Regatta in early June. BCYC yachts also participate in many important sailing events, including classic regattas in the Channel, Mediterranean and West Indies.

www.panerai.com

New York’s most fashionable and philanthropic turned out to show their support for amfAR and celebrate the achievements of legendary fashion designer, Jean-Paul Gaultier and singer, Ricky Martin, at a gala affair sponsored by Piaget and hosted by music superstar, Kylie Minogue.

The evening commenced with a glittering cocktail party held in the grand entry hall of he New York Public Library. Cyndi Lauper, the evening’s special guest performer, arrived in a stunning Piaget Limelight diamond cascade necklace, diamond and aquarmarine earrings and a blue sapphire and diamond ring. Also dressed in Piaget were singer Kelly Rowland, wearing a gorgeous pair of Piaget
Limelight diamond cascade earrings and Piaget’s all diamond Limelight fringe motif watch, along with singer and celebrity DJ, Estelle, who was wearing Piaget Possession diamond earrings, an incredible pink sapphire Limelight cocktail ring and Piaget’s famed love letter-inspiration watch in full diamond pave.

Actress and New York socialite, Tinsley Mortimer, dazzled the crowd in Piaget’s Possession hoop earrings in white gold and diamonds. Fellow socialite, Jackie Astier, paid homage to Gaultier by donning Piaget’s dramatic lace corset-inspired cuff watch set with diamonds.

Model, Esther Canadas, who came as Ricky Martin’s date, showed off her Piaget amethyst and diamond drop necklace and matching ring. The ladies joined TV and Broadway star, Cheyenne Jackson, who wore a Piaget Altiplano and celebrity stylist, Robert Verdi, who had donned his favorite Piaget diamond Sheika watch, and sipped champagne while admiring fashion installations featuring 9 male models, each dressed in a one-of-kind interpretation of Gaultier’s classic sailor motif, along with Piaget’s newest timepieces. Other noteworthy guests included Zoe Saldana, Marc Jacobs, Lance Bass and Thom Browne.

Following cocktails, guest were seated for a dramatic menswear fashion show in which many of the world’s top male models such as Alex Lundquist, Andres Velensco, Tyson Ballou and Josh Wald presented cutting-edge fashion from top designers, including Tom Ford, Yves Saint Laurent, DSquared, Rick Owens, Bottega Veneta, Calvin Klein, Michael Bastian and many more. Piaget worked with fashion stylist, Gregory Wein, to accessorize 23 of the 49 total looks in the company’s most popular styles, including timepieces from the Black Tie, Altiplano and Piaget Polo collections.

The evening continued with a formal dinner for 400 in the Library’s beautiful Celeste Bartos room. amfAR held one of its now-legendary live auctions, this time with Simon Doonan of Barney’s as the master of ceremonies. Among the items auctioned was a package containing a Piaget Altiplano timepiece and tickets to amfAR parties around the world. It inspired a round of heated bidding before finally being sold for an impressive $24,000.

At the conclusion of the auction, Cyndia Lauper treated guests to an incredible musical performance. After singing her new blues song, she called up Kelly Rowland and Estelle onto the stage and the trio
brought the crowd to their fee with a joint rendition of “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”.

The evening was a tremendous success, raising more than $140,000 to help the fight against AIDS. Piaget is proud to support amfAR and will be a part of the amfAR Inspiration Gala planned for this fall in
Los Angeles.

Hi-res images are available at http://press.piaget.com

Los Angeles, CA (June 15, 2010) – PIAGET, one of the world’s most prestigious watchmakers and jewelers, appears in Mark Ronson and The Business Intl’s video for the debut single ‘Bang Bang Bang’ from the upcoming album Record Collection.

Internationally renowned as one of the worlds finest DJs and music producers, Mark Ronson is a real visionary who knows how to take contemporary pop music’s big hitters and successfully re-interpret them.

His second album, Version (with covers of songs by bands such as Radiohead, Coldplay, The Smiths) included three top ten hits and won Ronson a Brit Award for Best Male Artist in 2008. Few producers could boast as prolific a schedule over the past months as Ronson, who produced tracks on albums of Christina Aguilera, Robbie Williams, Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse, amongst others.

The first single to be taken from the forthcoming album Record Collection, featuring artists QTip and MNDR, “Bang Bang Bang” combines cutting edge surrealism with a retro stage space to create au unforgettable performance piece. The video opens with a contemporary and fashionable Ronson dressed in a white dial
Piaget Altiplano watch. Upon placing the ultra-thin classic watch over his right eye with military precision, he is transported by a surreal lightshow into a futuristic club performance atmosphere. To complete this transformation, the sleek black and diamond Altiplano appears in place of the previous Piaget Altiplano.

The face of the timepiece resembles that of a vinyl record, accentuating Ronson’s modern and hip DJ style.  Both watches are equipped with a Manufacture Piaget 430P mechanical hand-wound ultra-thin movement.

What appealed to jet-setter Mark Ronson was a combination of the elegance and technical features of the Piaget Altiplano, along with the originality displayed by Piaget in introducing an Altiplano designed like a vinyl disc. These mechanical pieces featured in this video are available at Piaget boutiques and select retailers nationwide.

www.Piaget.com

The Piaget polo team, led by Marcos Heguy, the Swiss watchmaker’s ambassador to the polo world, were busy preparing this week to compete in the United Kingdom’s premier high-goal tournament, the British Open Championship for the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup, after a successful run in their first outing in English polo.

Piaget were one of only 8 teams of the 14 teams in June’s Queen’s Cup to qualify and only one of three to come through the leagues undefeated. They make it into the quarter-finals, an admirable record for a new team.

In their last game Thursday (10 June) in the semi-finals of the Queen’s Cup subsidiary, Marcos Heguy and his brother Bautista fought hard against a much improved Enigma side, but lost the match despite a second half rally. Piaget held their opponents scoreless in the last chukka, but time ran out and Enigma won it 11-9.

The Piaget team, formed to celebrate this summer’s opening of Piaget’s new boutique in London’s New Bond Street, is one of 20
teams in contention for the coveted Gold Cup at Cowdray Park Polo Club. This event, drawing players from a dozen or more countries, ranks with the Argentina and US opens as one of the sport’s top competitions.

The British Open starts at Cowdray Park 22 June and ends 18 July.

www.Piaget.com

Text – Steve Wakefield
Photos – Chopard

This year’s Historics meeting saw Chopard launch its fifth ‘Monaco’ watch. The Swiss company introduced a 42.5mm-diameter, COSC-certified, automatic chronograph with a 48-hour power reserve.

Click the link below to read the full article....

Both are securely closed by a folding clasp in either steel or gold. For further information, see www.chopard.com.

Chopard and the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique: Official Timekeepers Since 2002

For the uninitiated who may be wondering just what a QR code is, it’s an English acronym for “Quick Response” and consists of a pictogram composed of small black and white squares. This “new generation” bar code can be easily decoded using a cellphone. Serving as a full-fledged multimedia communication tool, it serves to store all manner of data (photos, texts, videos) or to refer users to a website.

Regularly used in Japan since 1999, it is now spreading beyond national borders, but Piaget has nonetheless chosen to unveil the first diamond QR code in the land of mobile telephony.

This exclusive QR code is crafted in 18-carat white gold and set with 1042 brilliant-cut diamonds and 520 black spinels. The brand’s Geneva-based Haute Joaillerie atelier lavished 200 hours of development and gem-setting on crafting this “jewellery creation” that is truly unique in its kind.

At an event held on May 11th 2010, Japanese bloggers and journalists will be treated to a preview of this precious code. It will give them access to http://piaget-mobile.jp, a website celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Possession line and revealing the latest creation in this legendary Piaget collection, the Possession chain ring. This charity event will help raise funds for the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR).

Consistently on the cutting edge of trends, Piaget is innovating by introducing the first ever multimedia jewellery creation, thereby displaying its jewellery-making expertise by offering this unique model representing genuine experiential luxury.

Unique edition of 1000 units

This watch is a Special Edition produced in a unique edition of 1000 units.

Its dial is black with stripes and luminous Arabic numerals & hour markers; the date is located at the 3 o’clock. There is a second time zone hand which is used together with the GMT 24 hours indicator on the brushed steel bezel. Includes PANERAI personalized leather strap & polished steel buckle. Supplied with a steel screwdriver & a second interchangeable strap.

Movement: Automatic mechanical, ETA calibre 2893/2, 11 ½ lignes, 21 jewels, PANERAI bridges with Côtes de Genève decoration. Monometallic Glucydur® balance, 28,800 alternations/hour, Incabloc® anti-shock device. Power reserve 42 hours. Chronometer certificate (C.O.S.C.).

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, second time zone.

Case: Diameter 44 mm, AISI 316L polished steel.

Bezel: Brushed steel with 24-hour indicator.

Back: Screw, brushed steel.

Device protecting the crown: (protected as a Trademark) Polished steel.

Dial: Black with stripes. Luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers. Date at 3 o’clock, central seconds hand.

Crystal: Sapphire, formed of corundum, 2.5 mm thick, magnifying lens at 3 o’clock Anti-reflective coating.

Water-resistance: 30 bar (300 metres).

Strap: PANERAI personalised leather strap and polished steel buckle. Supplied with a steel screwdriver and a second interchangeable strap.

Reference: PAM00029

Source: www.panerai.com