Concord delivers Delirium to RI

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