Swatch, Omega, Breguet and Blancpain Boutiques Opening at The Swatch Art Peace Hotel

Conceived as a window into life at the Swatch Art Peace Hotel, the Swatch boutique is full of life, reflecting the dynamic vitality of the brand. The boutique itself is a unique locale, a gallery-space on the border between art and business.

On display are the latest collections of jewelry and watches along with emblematic timepieces documenting the romantic story of Swatch and Art. The romance began in 1985 in Paris, when Kiki Picasso unveiled 140 unique Swatch watches. Keith Haring took up the challenge, and four new « Swatch Art Specials » appeared the following year. The last 25 years have brought a fascinating series of creative works for Swatch by leading international artists, among them Yue Minjun, Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, Akira Kurosawa, Annie Leibovitz, Arnaldo Pomodoro, Nam June Paik, Pedro Almodovar, Philip Glass, Sam Francis and Yoko Ono, to name only a few. The Swatch boutique at The Swatch Art Peace Hotel will also showcase art created by the artists-in-residence who live and work at this unique centre for contemporary art.

The Swatch boutique at The Swatch Art Peace Hotel respects the cultural significance of this landmark Shanghai monument. The design privileges a white environment as a discreet backdrop to the brand’s colourful products and communication visuals. The flowing curves of a counter in luminous corian and glass welcome visitors, and the fluid contours of the mezzanine unfold around the building’s imposing structure, separating the larger volumes from more intimate spaces. The dynamic presence of the escalator is set off by the enigmatic white landscape from which a suggestive floral environment emerges.

Supple, plant-like forms arise from a luminous resin base to present the products amid blossoms, leaves, buds and rocks. Adjacent to the watches is a space devoted to Swatch Bijoux , where a shining envelope descends like a screen from the ceiling to unveil the latest collection.

The OMEGA Boutique at the Swatch Art Peace Hotel has been designed to respect the heritage of the cultural landmark, to highlight the distinctive architectural features of a building steeped in history and to present the brand’s full product range in an environment which perfectly bridges the hotel’s storied past and its promising future. While the Swatch Art Peace Hotel OMEGA Boutique has some of the design elements shared by all of the brand’s flagship stores, it is absolutely unique in that it was necessary to preserve the existing interior architecture and the original art deco fittings. Because of the building’s protected status, no modifications could be made which would compromise its structural integrity.

The ornately carved art deco ceiling and the impressive support pillars in the boutique are exquisitely trimmed in gold with an attention to detail which recalls the days when Shanghai was first earned its accolade “the Pearl of the Orient”. Visitors to the OMEGA Boutique at the Swatch Art Peace Hotel will recognize certain furnishings which are part of the brand’s global flagship concept, including the free-standing display cases and the champagne glass along its back walls. The furniture is also the same as that used in the brand’s network of boutiques around the world. As nothing – including lighting fixtures – could be hung from the ceiling in the 141 square metre retail space, specially-designed tapered ribbed profile elements have been placed at locations throughout the boutique. These are equipped with all the necessary electrical wiring and subtle LED lighting which allow the room’s historical fittings to be preserved but which also allow OMEGA to display its products in a warm, welcoming environment. The OMEGA Boutique at the Swatch Art Peace Hotel offers the entire spectrum of the brand’s watches along with products from the Fine Leather and Fine Jewellery collections. All of these are presented in one of Shanghai’s most extraordinary buildings whose specially trained staff members are looking forward to welcoming visitors from around the world to share a special OMEGA experience.

Spread over 240 square metres, this new Breguet boutique’s contemporary design draws its inspiration from period Breguet timepieces such as those on display at the Breguet Museum in Paris. While it features a good number of artistic attributes, the style of the boutique matches to perfection that of The Swatch Art Peace Hotel. The cylindrical perimeter of the Breguet area adds its character to the Palace Hall, whose sharp angles on the ceiling and pillars contrasts with the cool perfection of the boutique. The interior space is enhanced with royal blue engraved glass representing the guilloché enamel of Empress Joséphine’s pocket watch. The sales areas are located behind airy walls of slim golden struts suggestive of a three-dimensionally guillochéed dial, one of the brand’s most typical features. The boutique’s lounge area features a special chandelier, a work of art created specially for The Swatch Art Peace Hotel.

The debut of the Shanghai Blancpain boutique comes in an important year for Blancpain.

2010 marks the 275th year since Jehan-Jacques Blancpain recorded his profession as “watchmaker” on the village rolls of Villeret. Rather than focusing on the past in this 275th anniversary year, Blancpain has used the occasion to emphasize its future. Unveiled for 2010 and on display for the opening of the Shanghai boutique are the full range of new timepieces that were featured during this year’s Basel fair. At the top of the pyramid there were two special timepieces showcasing Blancpain’s flying one minute carrousel. The first was a new grand complication, the Brassus Carrousel Répétition Minute; second the Carrousel Saphir, with its movement plates and bridges fashioned in sapphire. Next in line, there was the unveiling of an entirely new Villeret Collection, lead by a signature Blancpain complication, the complete calendar moon phase, for the first time offered with a full fired enamel dial.

Both the L-evolution and Sport Collections saw important debuts including an 8 day power reserve week of the year watch for L-evolution and a moon phase chronograph for the Fifty Fathoms. Finally, born out of its partnership with Lamborghini in the Super Trofeo racing series, Blancpain debuted a new limited edition Super Trofeo chronograph with a carbon fiber dial and case lugs.