Baume & Mercier hosted a party to launch the new Riviera collection in the presence of 250 invited guests at the Asian Civilisation Museum on 12 July 2007. The key highlight was the unveiling of the Riviera collection through a preview of a three-part photography showcase.

In a venue steeped in art and heritage, the Swiss luxury watch-maker collaborated with top photographers Olivier Henry, Geoff Ang alongside Shawn Loo, and Russel Wong to pay tribute to a watch created in 1973, to the theme of sporting glamour inspired by the French Riviera. The three photographers were each invited to present their artistic interpretations in the spirit of Riviera, in line with Baume & Mercier’s core values – Authenticity, Creativity and Proximity.

Inspired by the jet-set glamour of the Cannes Film Festival, the waterfront location by the Singapore River was the perfect setting for the Riviera launch party. Celebrities spotted arriving on the Baume & Mercier red carpet included Irene Ang, Rebecca Tan, Utt, Cynthia Koh, Belinda Lee, Royston Tan, Timothy Nga and Deanna Yusoff.

Upon entering the Shaw Foyer, guests were immediately immersed in a world of photography and film as they explored the first of the evening’s three exhibitions. One of the core values of Baume & Mercier, Authenticity was interpreted by Olivier Henry in his work entitled Mokita. Capturing the elements and aura of the French Riviera, the original inspiration for the Riviera collection in the 1970s, Mokita was a modern vision with a pinch of irony. Glamour, sensuality, celebrity and opulence were encapsulated in Olivier’s personification of the Riviera.

Emerging from the Shaw Foyer through a darkened tunnel, the second gallery featured 60:60 by Geoff Ang, a multimedia showcase portraying Creativity. With scores composed by Victor Low of The Observatory, and spatial quartz precision movements programmed by Ben Ho of Chaotic Constructives, this was a clockwork collaboration with photographer Geoff Ang and Shawn Loo, Interactive Media Director, BBH Asia Pacific.

As a highlight of the evening, the new iconic collection was unveiled with a bevy of models posing in the windows of chic black and white stylised sets – a French cafe, a yacht club and a red carpet party, scenes inspired by the Riviera that illustrated the versatility of the Riviera for every occasion. At the finale, models stepped out of the sets into the audience, escorted by bodyguards in suits, to lead the way to the final party area!

Exhibiting sporty elegance, the Riviera collection awaited discovery in glass showcases at the al fresco lounge, alongside Russel Wong’s photography showcase capturing Proximity. The pleasure-seeking essence of the Riviera was portrayed through Paradise in the Sun, a surreal and dreamlike panoramic body of works using 6 individual images to compose a larger image.

Guests previewed striking additions to the Riviera family, including: the Riviera L White Wave with white rubber straps, a steel bezel bedecked with diamonds and a mother-of-pearl dial, and the Riviera XXL Chrono Diver, a diving tachometer-chronograph with a rotating steel bezel.

Complementing the theme of Riviera luxury, guests indulged in champagne and butler-served French canapés. The party by the river ended late with desserts, a free-flow of classic and lychee martinis and DJ music in full-swing. Guests departed with a set of limited edition postcards featuring Olivier Henry’s Mokita, Russel Wong’s Paradise in the Sun, and a CD-Rom containing the digital wallpaper for Geoff Ang’s 60:60. “The art of success consists of surrounding yourself by the best,” says Baume & Mercier CEO Michel Nieto. Indeed the union of a legendary brand and legends truly brought together people in celebration of contemporary luxury.

The public get to preview the new Riviera collection with the three photography exhibitions touring at the following locations: Paragon Linkway, New Majestic Hotel, iSHOP & Vivocity Central Court A.

Baume & Mercier: Authenticity | MOKITA by Olivier Henry
Mokita - "Truth that everyone knows but nobody speaks."
An authentic visual presentation that is inspired by the elements and aura of the French Riviera. Set in a stage play of the adult playground for the famous and dangerously wealthy, amidst ambiguous liaisons and taboos, Olivier and Royston Tan present a modern cast (Deanna Yusoff, Utt, Irene Ang, Rebecca Tan etc) behind the illustrated images of famous characters like Batman & Robin, the Queen, Marie Antoinette, Papaya Girls from 881, The Crow, Su Li Zhen In the Mood for Love, Terminator, Grace Jones, Casanova, Marlene Dietrich amongst many more off and on set individuals.

Baume & Mercier: Creativity | 60:60 by Geoff Ang & Shawn Loo
60:60 deconstructs time to reveal its fragmented soul, the cadence of our lives: sixty seconds to a minute and sixty minutes to an hour, the snapshots of our day from which our lives are woven. Through everyday images and motion sequences, we weave together this temporal exhibition. This effect is further enhanced by a 60BPM music score composed by Victor Low of The Observatory and spatial quartz precision movements programmed by Ben Ho of Chaotic Constructives. 60:60 is clock-work collaboration between photographer Geoff Ang and Shawn Loo, Interactive Media Director for BBH Asia Pacific.

Baume & Mercier: Proximity | Paradise in the Sun by Russel Wong
Russel envisioned this unconventional art work using six images, each an individual piece on its own, yet magically transformed when taken as a whole. The big picture evokes the simple, sensual look and feel of the Riviera with the sun, the sky, and the dramatic contours of a woman reflecting the French southern coastal mountain ranges. A fantasy of the Riviera, playful and intriguing, dreamlike and surreal.