If you had told me that standing outside a nondescript emergency exit inside ION Orchard in Singapore, would eventually gain me access to an exhibition filled with the most incredible vintage Cartier timepieces, I wouldn't have believed you. Except, on a Monday morning sometime in January, I found myself in this exact situation. Singapore was the first market to feature "A Journey Through Time", a private exhibition that saw them transform the third floor of the Cartier boutique in Singapore, a floor that was normally only accessible from inside the boutique (hence the emergency exit), into a unique experience where a select few could get better acquainted with Cartier's historical watches.
The whole exhibition was inspired by Time Project, a series of powerful short performances by the actor Jake Gyllenhaal. You can still see it on YouTube, the project comprises of 12 mini-videos directed by Sølve Sundsbø exploring the nature of time. Going through the doors of the emergency exit, it was almost like walking onto the set of those videos, sans Mr Gyllenhaal of course, but it came complete with its own bench, like in the first chapter of Time Project. Next came a makeshift bar serving some time-inspired cocktails setting the mood before getting into the thick of things.
The experience was akin to their “Into The Wild” exhibition at Sentul Depot in late 2022 where each successive room brings its own mini experience for the guest. The next room however was by far the most important as it housed 23 of Cartier’s historic timepieces that together provided almost a snapshot of the brand’s timeline and their obsession with shapes that dates back to the time of Louis Cartier.
Denne historien er fra Spring 2024-utgaven av World of Watches.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra Spring 2024-utgaven av World of Watches.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
BRAND ELEVATION
On the sidelines of Geneva Watch Days, Bulgari CEO JeanChristophe Babin talks about the challenges of having one brand identity across all categories, and tells us what he really thinks of watch fairs.
EVEN MORE HANDS
For the third year in a row, the collective WOW team shares the watches we ponied up for. As always, we include a couple of fantasy pieces and more than a few fails.
CONCEPTS AND CONSEQUENCES
What is the legacy of concept watches? What happens when the show is over and it is time to actually manufacture them? How do these ticking research labs translate into actual, wearable timepieces...if they ever do?
THE QUESTION OF SUCCESSION
In the watchmaking industry, a company’s longevity is oftentimes measured not in decades but in centuries. What then happens to a brand beyond its founders? We speak to three CEOs to answer this question.
LEAPS AND BOUNDS
The quest to add one day to a month every four years may seem like a mundane task in the digital age, but achieving this mechanically is anything but.
FLIP SIDE
Omega celebrates the first human flight orbit the moon with a new Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon.
SNAPPING BACK
A powerful showcase for a one-of-a-kind constant force mechanism, the Girard Perregaux Neo Constant Escapement is now available for everyone.
GO FOR GOLD
Forty-five years after Piaget released its allgold Polo 79 luxury sports watch to critical acclaim, the maison revisits this iconic collection with a new ultra-thin movement.
CLEAR WINNER
Hublot's fourth collaboration with Takashi Murakami puts the artist's joyful flower motif at the centre of a bold new case design.
HISTORICAL TRIBUTE
Parmigiani Fleurier launches a new version of their Tonda PF Hijri Perpetual Calendar with a vivid green dial.