Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
7 timepiece highlights in July and August 2024: Chanel’s MB&F stake, LVMH’s corporate moves, Olympians’ wrist candy, Watches and Wonders Shanghai, and Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève finalists named
STORYJosiah Ng
- Phillips, with Bacs & Russo, announced the auction Reloaded: The Rebirth of Mechanical Watchmaking, with pieces from F.P. Journe, Philippe Dufour and Derek Pratt, plus the 1st Rolex Daytona Rainbow
- Anant Ambani gave away Audemars Piguet Royal Oaks for his wedding in July, Jay-Z wore Jacob & Co.’s Bugatti Tourbillon, and Kevin Hart went on Stephen Colbert’s show with an Audemars Piguet Grande Sonnerie
It’s been a lively summer in high horology. Chanel acquired a 25 per cent stake in independent watchmaker Maximilian Büsser and Friends (MB&F), and LVMH announced new CEO appointments. Geneva saw the finalists in this year’s Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève announced, while Geneva Watch Days closed out the summer alongside Watches and Wonders in Shanghai.
A number of Olympians, India’s Ambani family, Jay-Z and Kevin Hart all brought out stunning pieces, while estimates suggest the first Rolex Daytona Rainbow could fetch more than US$3 million at auction in November. Here are our favourite timepiece moments from July and August.
1. Chanel buys 25 per cent of MB&F
Advertisement
Luxury fashion maison Chanel and independent watchmaker MB&F made headlines in horology together in late August. Already home to an array of high horology collections, Chanel announced on that it has taken a 25 per cent stake in MB&F. Founder Maximilian Büsser and his brand are known for their futuristic designs that display the time just about everywhere but on a traditional dial.
This acquisition follows similar moves Chanel made in 2011 and 2018 to partner with Romain Gauthier and F.P. Journe, respectively. Both brands – like MB&F – are leaders in independent watchmaking. “In addition to allowing us to pursue our independent path,” said Büsser in the same release, “free of any pressure on growth, the investment by Chanel will strengthen our operations by providing access when needed to their wider ecosystem and network of specialised suppliers.”
2. LVMH’s corporate moves
In January, LVMH scion Frédéric Arnault became CEO of watches at the conglomerate after a stint as Tag Heuer CEO, being succeeded by Julien Tornare. Six months on, in July, Arnault announced a further series of moves, effective this month.
After over a decade of service, Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe has been appointed honorary president of the brand as he “wishes to step back from operational management”. Tornare will therefore move again to succeed Guadalupe, with Bulgari Horlogerie general manager Antoine Pin taking up the CEO role at Tag Heuer.
3. Neo-vintage icons on the block
