CHINA. The countdown is on for the opening of the Watches and Wonders Sanya Fine Watch Exhibition, in partnership with China Duty Free Group (CDFG). The prestigious event will be opened to the public during the National Day Golden Week (1-7 October), a peak Chinese holiday period. As reported, the curated exhibition is returning to CDFG’s Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex for the second consecutive year.
End clients, domestic media and industry representatives will take the lead in enjoying the new watches and exceptional timepieces from the participating brands during the VIP visiting period from 28 to 30 September.
After that, shoppers at the CDF Mall will be able to discover fine watch masterpieces, communicate face-to-face with the brands, and enjoy the elegance and craft of fine watchmaking. This programme will continue until 31 December.
China Duty Free Group, a subsidiary of China Tourism Group, will host a series of elegant events over the ensuing three months, featuring 14 luxury watch brands.
[Click on the YouTube icon to watch a short film on the last year’s Watches and Wonders Sanya]
Watches & Wonders will feature new product launches; insightful lectures from watchmaking professionals; workshop experiences and a watch appreciation salon open to the public.
Fourteen of the world’s leading watchmaking houses promise to bring a flavour of Swiss watchmaking excellence to the CDF Mall. Twelve maisons will be showcased at distinctive pop-up pavilions located on two tents opposite the main entrance, while Cartier and Hermès will welcome guests at their respective boutiques at the CDF Mall. The bright, open-air pavilions were designed to boost customer engagement.
Cartier will be putting its watchmaking heritage, expertise and creativity on the spotlight by presenting a series of animations inspired by its Panthère and Pasha collections. French luxury house Hermès will reveal the Slim d’Hermès Squelette Lune alongside new designs from its Arceau line.
Richemont-owned IWC will be exhibiting new Airspeeders in the middle of the CDF Mall’s Esplanade, as part of an ongoing partnership with the world’s first series of flying electric cars.
Ulysse Nardin will take travellers on a digital voyage with its Vertical Odyssey, while Roger Dubuis will dazzle customers with a Lamborghini at its pavilion. Jaeger Le-Coultre will give visitors a sneak peek into the world of Art Deco and celebrate the 90th anniversary of its Reverso Watch with Chinese actor Jing Boran.
Moser & Cie will reveal the Streamliner Perpetual Calendar model in a world premiere, while Panerai will underscore the durability of its timepieces even in the most extreme conditions. Finally, Baume & Mercier will highlight two new Clifton timepieces as well as the Riviera Chronos.
“We are very happy to hold this new edition of Watches and Wonders taking place in Sanya under the aegis of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie,” said CDFG President Charles Chen. “I would like to thank the province of Hainan and the city of Sanya for their unfailing support for China Duty Free Group. This new collaboration between the China Duty Free Group and Watches and Wonders reflects the vitality of the market in Hainan.
“To meet the specific requirements of VIP and specialist customers, extremely rare, exceptional products plus a large number of mid-range products will be exhibited to offer visitors a marvellous visual impression and an impressive experience this year.
“The event enhances the opening of the China Duty Free Group and the Hainan Free Trade Port to the international market. It also signals a new outlook for the duty free retail market in terms of the ‘three synchronisations’ of brands, categories and prices, ensuring we stay in sync with international markets,” Chen added. “Finally, it helps to confirm Hainan’s reputation as a major international tourism and shopping destination.”
Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie President Emmanuel Perrin said: “We are greatly honoured to renew this initiative with China Duty Free Group, which enables us to showcase our expertise through the presentation of exceptional timepieces and watchmaking knowhow for the second consecutive year. More than an event, it is also a real immersive journey for all amateurs and those with a passion for fine watchmaking.”
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