Concord delivers Delirium to RI
Chisato Hara, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
Jakarta shoppers will be dazzled, literally, by the Delirium XXV collection of luxury watches from Swiss watchmaker Concord, part of the Movado Group, which has just come to the capital.
Concord regional president Philippe Dubois -- who has come to take the helm at the Hong Kong regional headquarters after 11 years at its global center in Basel, Switzerland -- launched the exclusive collection on Aug. 30 at the stately event house, Rumah Imam Bonjol, just off the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle.
"The name Delirium was chosen because this series was created to push the limits of what had previously been done in the watch world," said Dubois.
The first Delirium took the watch manufacturing world by storm in 1979, presenting its ultra-flat technology in a 1.98 mm-thick piece -- thinner than credit cards today -- and the thinnest watch in the world, the 1980 limited edition Delirium IV, at 0.98 mm.
Continuing in the Concord tradition for creating elegant, innovative timepieces, the XXV collection was created to mark Delirium's silver anniversary, combining masterful design with state-of-the-art movement. Most of the pieces launched in Jakar ta, including the men's limited edition La Nuit Reserve de Marche, a mechanical watch set in 18-karat rose gold with date and "reserve power" displays and black alligator straps, were first unveiled at the Basel International Watch Fair this March.
"I visited Jakarta 15 years ago, and the change is amazing. There is absolutely a potential for Concord here in Indonesia," he said during an interview with The Jakarta Post.
Starting from about US$1,500 and ranging up to $550,000, the majority of pieces are available in either 18K rose gold or white gold, and the ladies' Delirium can be custom-made with lapis lazuli, onyx or mother-of-pearl dish dials, while sizes range from gentleman's (oversized) to medium and petite.
While its competitors, such as Rolex, Chopard and Cartier are already present in Jakarta, Dubois underlines that Concord is still of a different cut: "We only produce about 40,000 pieces a year -- worldwide."
The watch manufacturer's confidence is such that each time piece comes with a three-year warranty.
The basic Delirium XXV is available in several variations, such an all-diamond setting featuring 478 stones in the gent's size -- 5.413 carats in total.
Meanwhile, the exclusive edition is the Delirium XXV Haute Joaillerie: in 18K white gold, the gent's-size features 230 baguette diamonds on the frame, bracelet and face, weighing in at 42 carats; the petite all-diamond version is inlaid with 232 stones worth 22 carats.
In addition, the Delirium XXV pieces come with Concord's next- generation skeleton feature: a sapphire-crystal case back that reveals the watch's inner mechanism.
Along with the Delirium collection, Concord is also offering high jewelry connoisseurs its Saratoga luxury sportswatch line, named after the legendary thoroughbred race track in New York.
The Saratoga SR, for example, in stainless steel and PVD- treated steel with a matte-black finish, lays its claim to innovative design in the flexible and durable strap of high-grade rubber and stainless steel links -- the rubber is virtually indistinguishable from the black steel face.
And later this year, Concord will launch the new Mariner collection, its diving watch line, to the Indonesian and world markets.
Concord is available in Jakarta through Singapore-based re tailer Pacific Time at its outlets in Plaza Indonesia, Cortina Watch, and in Plaza Senayan, at Sarida International Watches and Regent Watch. Full after-sales repair and maintenance services are provided.
JP/7/box
IBOX
.TB.30" 1.00"
Keeping time: Concord
1908 Concord Watch Company SA founded in Bienne,
Switzerland, primarily as watch manufacturer for brands
such as Cartier and Tiffany & Co.
1915 Begins production of "Private Label" luxury watches
1920s Produces Ring Clock, the first portable, eight-day
alarm clock in the world
1945 U.S. president Harry S. Truman presents Ring Clock to
heads of state at Potsdam Peace Conference
1969 Merges with North American Watch Corp. of New York
1979 Concord launches Delirium series, compelled to stretch
bounds of watch-making following influx of cheaper,
Japanese quartz watches
1980 Delirium II-IV launched; Delirium IV recognized as
thinnest watch in world at only 0.98 mm thick
1986 Saratoga line launched at Saratoga, New York
late Enters Singapore/Hong Kong market 1980s
1996 North American Watch Corp. changes name to Movado Group
1997 Marks 25th anniversary of Basel fair with Saratoga
Splendours; launches La Scala gold collection for women
1998 Marks 90th anniversary of Concord with Delirium Limited
Edition and Impresario
1999 Launches new brand campaign: "Be late ... Time is a
luxury"
late Enters Japanese market 1990s
2000 Launches La Scala Steel
2004 Creates Delirium XXV special series to mark 25th
anniversary of Delirium line
2005 Enters Indonesian market