Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
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In a different vein, F.P. Journe—easily one of the most tradi- t iona l watchma kers of our t ime, focusing on ha ndmade mecha nica l movement s a nd her it age -inspired complex i- ties—unveils its first women's watch line this year. Making t he m ilestone even more int r ig uing, t he ser ies includes Journe's first quartz-powered watch. "We can't close our eyes to the fact that quartz exists and that some women like the ease of a quartz watch," explains Pierre Halimi Lacharlotte, general manager of F.P. Journe in America. "But Journe would not have been able to build a quartz watch unless it had complica- t ions a nd unusua l abilit ies. It had to be somet h ing dif ferent , something beautiful and dedicated just for women." Called Elegante, the line also offers a unique feature: W hen the watch lies f lat for more than 30 minutes, it stops displaying the time, but when you pick it up again, the motion wakes it and it automatically moves to t he proper t ime in t he quickest way possible, for wa rd or backwa rd. Eight years of research and development went into the piece, and thanks to Journe's tireless commitment to precision, it houses two movements—one for seconds and one for hours and minutes—which also maximizes battery life. Yet this electromechanical marvel is still thin and, as its name sug- gest s, elega nt. Says Lacha rlotte, "There is a sor t of whimsica l, drea my appeal to a watch that goes to sleep but can wake up on touch." Several other important watch brands have already beg un research a nd development on t he a ll-new collect ions for women t hey're promis- ing for next year. Baume & Mercier, which currently offers a strong core line for women in its Linea collection of watches with interchangeable straps, plans to unveil an entirely new collection this fall. As part of that line's ongoing research and development, the brand held focus groups internationally with women to determine their needs. "Women are not a f ra id to buy expensive watches for t hemselves a ny more," says Rudy Chavez, president of Baume & Mercier, Nor t h A mer ica. "T hey wa nt watches that ref lect the fact that they are independent thinkers, profes- siona ls who appreciate good looks a nd t he power beh ind t hose looks. They want to celebrate their success, and a watch is something they can look at and recall the reason they bought it." V For more watch features and expanded coverage, go to vegasmagazine.com/watches. '' Women are not afraid to buy expensive watches for themselves anymore. ' ' —RUDY CHAVEZ Vacheron Constantin's Métiers d'Art Fabuleux Ornements 9906 Ottoman Architecture watch ($147,600) houses the ultraslim (1.64mm thin) manual Calibre 1003 skeletonized movement. Available in late fall by appointment. Grand Canal Shoppes at Venetian and Palazzo, 702-650-2617; vacheron-constantin.com 118-121_V_F_Watches_MAYJUNE_14.indd 121 4/21/14 1:25 PM