Our infamous “back-biter” shows just how cynical one man can be

There were several options given to me as possible topics for this issue. Amongst them “beds”. Judging from his biography, one would have thought Warren Beatty better qualified to cover this topic. Here goes. Expect a little wandering.

Hotel beds. Have you ever checked into a 5-star hotel? The pubescent bell hop had a major zit squeezing fest that morning leaving his face like a slab of corned beef. He explains how the light switch works in optimistic expectations of a $10 tip. And you tentatively look at the bed. Are you up to date with your shots? Do you wonder what unspeakable acts of depravity previous occupants have done on or in this bed which you will be climbing into this very evening? Low life with low morals and tragic shortcomings in personal hygiene grinning maniacally at their voluptueuse partner who is undiluted essence of fox.
I feel an extravagant generalization coming on. I can’t help myself, Your Honour. The French. (Nice link with previous para? You bet) The French drive French cars, Renaults, Peugeots, drink French wine, holiday in French-speaking places. A sizeable proportion sleep in French camp beds. Pun intended, Justin dear. The French eat horses. Which is why many horses sleep standing up – their legs have a locking mechanism to prevent them falling over. Why do they sleep standing up? To get off to a flying start when a Frenchman approaches with a carving knife. If it’s not horses, almost any domestic pet will do. I saw a bumper sticker in Paris which translated as: “So many cats, so few recipes”.

On the subject of food, try Mollard, 29, rue de Londres, Paris. Opposite Gare St. Lazare. It’s been there for more than 100 years. Enthusiastic friends booked us a table there recently. We were ushered to a table jammed against a buttress wall with another table jammed against ours. One table had to be removed for us to get to our pocket-sized table. The Maitre d’ crawled over like a haemorrhoidal gorilla attempting to postpone a bowel movement because he knew the pain would be intense. He glared at us, attempting to transmogrify his ill-contained bad feelings; this was as much of a strain for me as for him.
“What’s today’s special, please?” I asked smilingly. “Hake”. Glancing at Madam for her approval, I said, “Thank you, two hakes”. “Hake’s off;” “Crab perhaps?” I asked. “OK. Two crab.” “Is it dressed?” I asked. “No. You do it yourself.” Meanwhile, the next table had two plates of steaming cabbage dropped over their shoulders. It appeared to have been boiled into submission. Must have had a rosbif in the kitchen? When we got served (no offer of water, wine, bread, entrée) Madam got lotte and I got cod. Remember the address and avoid it. Fame is a capricious mistress.

Most restaurants and bars present wine lists and cocktails with the cheapest options first. This is bad marketing. It means that many customers go for the house wine rather than the far more profitable – for the restaurant – Château Très Chère. Wine lists make fascinating bedtime reading. Especially if you are in the Middle East where, incidentally, they have the best inflatable mattresses which blow themselves up.

Prize-winner for this year’s “Best Use of Champagne Award” goes to the charming Olga Berluti. The fragrant Mme Berluti is the creative director of the mega luxury shoe brand of the same name. She recently made a trip to London because it was felt that the City bankers and hedge fund managers had become so preoccupied with le crédit crunch and their to-be-highly taxed bonuses that they were neglecting their footwear. Mme Berluti held a shoe-shining demonstration at their Mayfair branch. The key to shiny shoes? Champagne of course. Madame Berluti likes to use Krug or Dom Pèrignon (don’t we all?) for that added toecap sparkle. However, these brands were deemed too ostentatious in straightened times. Instead a modest Moët et Chandon was called into action.

Spring is around the corner. Think about bedding some plants.

Global management provides the knowledge, skills and flair to fight the challenges of globalization

A few years ago a museum in Geneva was about to embark on an exhibition of an ancient Roman port. Artefacts for the display were ordered from Italy and work was underway for the grand opening night. In preparation for the arrival of the artefacts, the museum’s management meticulously started preparing a mountain’s worth of documents relating to each and every object. But a mishap occurred.

Dr Jean-Louis Arcand, of The Graduate Institute, teaching to the Executive MBA cohort

When the Italian representatives arrived, it turned out – to the fury of the Swiss – that they hadn’t been doing their part of the paperwork and the exhibition would not be able to go ahead. The Italians didn’t understand what the Swiss were worrying about; they were simply looking for a handshake to seal the deal.
Globalization means we are engaging in increasingly more cross-border transactions and, subsequently, the risk for such cultural misunderstandings increases.

Cultural relativity in business

If globalization has been in existence for hundreds of years, why is it only lately that it has been brought in to the business classroom? There are two possible reasons for this. Firstly, a global business does not always mean you physically being there. Often, it’s virtual – your supply chain may be in China and your product development base in India. Such dynamics of distance and culture increase the challenges exponentially and require additional management expertise.
Secondly, a large part of the answer lies in the increasing impact of business ethics. Let’s take business ethics to mean examining the ethical issues that may arise out of business practices. In a globalized world, the cultural relativity of ethics comes into play. One ethical framework can no longer dominate or be imposed across a global marketplace. Sustainable success requires a responsible analysis by a savvy corporate citizen of the world.

In the past two years this concern has justly found itself a place on the management education agenda. Having witnessed the defects of modern capitalism and its estrangement from the system of values in which it was born, perhaps it’s time to open our eyes to new frames of reference. The opening speech at the recent World Economic Forum Meeting saw French President Sarkozy cry out for a re-engineering of capitalism. To carry on with a short-term perspective for short-term gain is irresponsible. If the inbalances of globalization fuelled the financial crisis, it’s a sign that the traditional Western dominance over huge economies such as Africa, India and Latin America must change. It’s about restoring the moral dimension of capitalism and globalization.

Strategic boundary crossing

Respecting one’s international peers, however, is more than an ethical code of conduct and humanitarian well-thinking. Before we get sidetracked too much into the moral domain, a global corporate outlook is a winning and imperative strategic concern for your company. Being globally aware adds another dimension to how you conduct business, allows you to better communicate with your international associates and broadens your business knowledge base.
To make globalization as successful as possible there needs to be an understanding, appreciation and respect of other cultures’ business practices. If this were simply a modern moral dilemma, it would be reserved for the local village evening philosophy cafe discussions. The fact that it is being taken into the classrooms of executive business schools shows that it’s something that holds true strategic value for the visionary leader. A better understanding of the world not only enriches your personal life but can have huge implications for the efficiency, effectiveness and success of your business.

No space for faux pas

Most business schools touch upon this subject; many have it as key component in their curriculum, but few take it as their overarching principle. Any business school can graduate world-class students, entrepreneurs or managers, but how many can actually give the world socially conscious business people who are also globally aware?

One institution that has established itself on the reigns of international management is Thunderbird School of Global Management. Its flagship campus is in Phoenix, Arizona, but to further spread its wings of knowledge, it has recently set up a base in Geneva in collaboration with The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. Thunderbird faculty travel monthly to Europe to deliver the programme in the form of one-week modules over a period of 11 months and the Institute complements Thunderbird’s expertise with guest professors.

How does Thunderbird know that it truly prepares its students for the international world? Extensive research at the institution led to the development of a Global Mindset Inventory assessment, whose three components include psychological, intellectual and social capital. These are integrated into the programme to give leaders the ability to influence individuals, groups, organizations and systems that are unlike their own.

Psychological capital entails a passion for diversity, quest for adventure and self-assurance. When you have intellectual capital, you’ll be seen by others as being global business savvy, having a cosmopolitan outlook and a cognitive complexity. Social capital requires one to have intercultural empathy, interpersonal impact and diplomacy.

Global citizenship

Leaders who have these qualities do not just have global ambitions for their companies but, as people, they are good at decoding what’s going on around them in cross-cultural environments and choosing the right behaviour under the right set of circumstances. Thunderbird knows too well that this “Global Mindset” cannot be learnt entirely in a classroom, which is why students partake in field seminars in locations such as Peru, Chile, Russia, China and the United Arab Emirates as part of the programme. Being on location allows cultural assimilation and networking opportunities with top business leaders across locations and sectors.

The most important and unique aspect of Thunderbird’s programme is that it furnishes its students with the soft skills needed to emotionally and socially engage in the global business community: ie cross-cultural negotiations and communications, understanding the particular nuances of regional business environments and globally applicable leadership skills.

Article by Ardie Guadeloupe

“My bill please”

Sitting in a stranger’s tent sipping freshly brewed mint tea amongst cactus groves in the vast silence and brooding solitude of the desert is the saga of Bedouin hospitality. In such an unforgiving environment turning away a stranger is on par with murder. For the inhabitants of the Sahara, hospitality is a cultural value and moral imperative.

As a standard of conduct, throughout our history hospitality has been applied as a law, an ethic, a principle, a code, a duty, a virtue. Today, as any hotelier will demonstrate, hospitality as a moral imperative has survived into the commercial hospitality industry. Descendants of the ancient ideas continue to inform current standards and practices.

Satisfaction and happiness – raison d’être

Hospitality is no ordinary industry and it’s an industry that is hard to criticize because it speaks to a universal human concern: happiness and being cared for. It is one of the few industries in which the authenticity and actual concern for the well-being of the customer is put into practice. Hospitality offers a moment of respite. It shows how business does not necessarily have to be brash, profit-maximizing and self-indulgent, but can be genuinely friendly and offer instant customer satisfaction.

The core qualities of hospitality may have remained the same throughout time but our expectations around them have greatly progressed. In the early days a traveller would settle for the first inn he came along with no particular expectations other than being offered a roof and something to keep his hunger at bay. There would be pillars in place for him to hang his hammock and the owner would most likely join his guest for a cold beer. The traveller would eventually retire to his room and the following morning without disgruntlement pay his bill and venture off in high spirits.

Today, the story is slightly more complex. Due to the plethora of choice, the modern-day guest isn’t going to settle for second best and some sensitivity from the hotel manager or receptionist is required to deal with the demanding guest. Avoiding embarrassing faux pas – such as those of John Cleese’s “Fawlty Towers” Basil character of the highly successful and hilarious British TV series – demands more than just smiles, but an indisputable interest in and knowledge of how to make your guests feel genuinely welcomed.

Hotels – playing with our minds

Why is it that so much energy is spent on improving the well-being of the guest? Are people not capable of creating their own happiness? What’s more, when people are on holiday, their state of welfare is already better than it is the rest of the year. Looking at how we really are when we’re away could offer an explanation. Whether it’s a business trip, a family holiday or a romantic getaway, we’re not entirely our seemingly selves.

For all the excitement – or disdain – that comes upon stepping into a hotel, there passes through us a moment of helplessness. Even in the plushest of five stars adorned with rose petals, echoes of jazz music and leather armchairs around every corner, we’re still out of our own comfort zones, feeling out of place and lost.

This is how a psychologist would analyse the situation. Most of us, thank goodness, probably don’t ever consciously feel like this because some member of staff instantly beams a welcoming smile at you and our initial apprehensions are immediately swept away. This is why hotel staff is so vital. If we take away the staff, the hotel becomes a hostile environment.

When we are away the hotel is the nearest thing we will get to a home. When the air outside smells different, the people talk a strange language and the food has a funny texture, the hotel becomes the safe haven that we turn to at the end of the day. A good hotel is like a compensation for the challenges of being away. It puts our psychological security at ease. The greater need for friendly staff where the focus is entirely on us is also probably a reflection of our individualistic society. In this context a hotel fits the bill perfectly.

Professionalism: Today’s quest for perfection

These personal and emotional needs explain the rise of hotel management schools. In the broader perspective their existence is also illustrative of what travelling has become today. It’s no longer aimless wandering around but has become institutionalized. We find at our disposal services catering to all our travel needs. The world has realized how to capitalize on the travelling man. Before, such service-mindedness was out of habit; nowadays, people spend years at higher education institutes being trained in what should be a natural given.

The Business and Hotel Management School in Lucerne is an example of one such institution. This top-ranking institution reveals that hospitality is more than a cultural disposition. The intensive and comprehensive programmes cover a diverse spread of courses such as yield management, front office operations, accounting, human resource management, food service operations, personal computing, sales and marketing, business ethics, strategic financial management and law, to name a few. An 18-month internship illustrates that hospitality in the modern age requires practice.

As a traditional ethical code of conduct, hospitality shouldn’t be rocket science but part of our ingrained knowledge. It appears, though, that hotel management schools are needed more than ever. The reason: we’re living in an age of professionalism. In an era where we strive for the best, it looks like hospitality is no longer just an art but also a science.

Article by Désirée Esmeralda

Putting business schools back in touch with reality

“It is not the strongest of species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives.
It is the one that is most adaptable to change”—Charles Darwin

Today, Charles Darwin’s theory of survival speaks to the most signi-ficant challenge facing companies and business schools today. If they are to keep up with the pace and scale of knowledge-generation in the world then they must develop a stronger adaptive capacity.
Aristotle said there are two types of knowledge. There is knowledge characterized by certainty and knowledge characterized by probability. Business schools need to start adopting the latter if they are to survive. This means shredding the one-dimensional thinking, taking learning out of the classroom and interacting with others.

No man is an island

We are not living as individuals but as a society, where we are shaped by our fellow men. Human beings thrive best when surrounded by others. Communication and interaction are the building blocks of relationships.

Similarly, the business world is neither an island. Business, too, needs to be aware and connect with other disciplines to become a rightful member of our society. Business may seem a substantial concept, but it does not operate independently from other societal institutions. Many business schools have become so absorbed in the bubble of “business” that they become almost oblivious to the rest of the world.

Peter Lorange, former President of IMD and holder of honorary doctorates and numerous affiliations with high-ranking business schools, has come to the conclusion that there is too much of a “me, me, me” attitude. Business schools need to become less pompous in how they think about their subject. They need to adopt a “we, we, we” attitude, which means transforming themselves from being fundamentally a collection of individuals to a team-based provider of academic value.

Business education cannot simply follow one formula but needs to open up the subject to other areas of knowledge. Often they are too busy staring down at their own silos that their thinking becomes insular.

Business is not theory

This is why cross-disciplinary learning is essential to a genuine appreciation of the world of business. It involves collaborating with companies and organizations outside the classroom. The learning input needs to come from experts representing different business fields. It helps to define the research agenda. It makes the faculty output more relevant to practising managers. One has to lead and be led, ie the interaction between prepositional and prescriptive knowledge.

It is in these two types of knowledge that the nature of this kind of cross-disciplinary learning manifests itself in. Prepositional knowledge is theory based, gained from empirical evidence and learnt through textbooks. It is classical axiomatic research. Prescriptive knowledge is the judicious kind, which can only be gained from practical experience and observation. Unlike many other subject areas, that of business and management requires a slightly different angle, a greater heed towards the prescriptive kind.

Learning through doing

w one formula but needs to open up the subject to other areas of knowledge"

This is because people at business schools have often come straight out of a firm and therefore still have the mindsets of a company man. They want their learning experience to be as close as possible to the environment in which they normally work. Therefore prepositional knowledge on its own, although offering great insights, has little use value for the keen businessman who wants fast results from his learning. Prescriptive knowledge provides the “how to …” aspect.
One school that recognizes this is the Lorange Institute of Business in Zurich. Headed by Peter Lorange, his new Zurich institute has a heavy action-learning concept.

The Living Case is a central feature of the Institute’s Executive Master Programmes. Participants work with a client organization on a project that improves business performance. These projects train the participants how to analyse a complex business situation, understand the reasons for the current state of affairs and recommend relevant action.

Prescriptive knowledge gives participants the confidence to succeed in the real world whereas prepositional knowledge lays the foundation. Business schools need to know their own competence base, what type of prepositional knowledge it possesses. Only then can it develop a strategy to build on its strengths.

Global perspectives

The interplay between these two types of knowledge is essential because it sets the stage for change and provides the competitive advantage that business schools seek. In this quest for knowledge it is equally important to carefully consider where these business insights are to be adopted from. We can no longer merely look to the US and Europe for theories and examples of modern day business practices. Asia in particular has a lot of knowledge to offer and deserves more attention.

Additionally, the teaching needs to be done in an international environment also. A great deal of the learning is achieved in discussions and debates with others who have a completely different mindset and ways of understanding a business problem.
Integrating comparative cultural perspectives may seem to add complexity, but that’s what we want because it provides intellectual challenges that have the potential to unify the faculty. Yet at the same time multicultural executive learning adds focus, even though the context may seem diverse. The professor-student interaction and continuous feedback offered by the students adds to the prescriptive knowledge. This form of learning avoids the pitfalls of the dry delivery of abstract theories by the professor.

A school alone cannot teach you about business

All of this creates a good programme consisting of cross-disciplinary learning, a mixture of theory and practice, an international environment in terms of teaching material and participants, and learning that is directly business related. However, it is only half the story to creating a successful business school. High calibre participants are also called for. Good business schools only take in applicants with a professional business background. This is because business is a different kind of reality.

Think of moving into some exotic tribe in the Amazon, with different customs, seemingly strange rituals, a specialized language and a distinct culture. The corporate world is also foreign territory, which takes time to assimilate into. Having lived and breathed the financial world previously won’t make the transition to the business school tribe seem so hostile. One has to have experienced the actual environment itself in order to understand the technicalities taught at business school.

Business is certainly no exotic concept to those at the Lorange Institute. Their future is safe guarded by the realization that one cannot just adapt to changing realities but must also proactively shape the future agenda. In doing so one has to lead and be led. However, one must not choose learning partners opportunistically. True institutional learning must be based on a school’s competencies, which allows it to develop cutting-edge prepositional knowledge – seeing opportunities for evolution of this knowledge base where others do not. That is the strategy for survival.

For further information about the Lorange Institute of Business in Zurich’s programmes, contact the Institute at Hirsackerstrasse 46, CH-8810 Zurich/Horgen (tel: +41 (0)44 728 99 45;  www.lorange.ch).

Article by Paula Svaton

Switzerland’s domestication, breeding and cultivation of scientific ideas

It might be slightly off the standard tourist trail but there is a lesser acknowledged hallmark of Switzerland – namely, Swiss universities and research centres. For aspiring scientists, these establishments have a firm place on their wisdom itinerary. Switzerland’s educational environment is conducive to both secondary-school students as well as top academics.

A global scientific hub

The increasing number of Master’s courses being offered in English is indicative of Switzerland’s popularity as a place to study. Or take the number of important companies that choose Switzerland as their research base, eg IBM, Novartis and Philip Morris. It places them on the doorstep to the latest scientific developments and in close proximity to the headquarters of thousands of multinational companies that have followed the Switzerland-bound relocation trend.

For centuries, Switzerland has harboured scholars who had been persecuted at home for their scientific or political ideas. When Zurich University opened in 1883 its teaching posts were filled by Germans, fleeing from a failed revolution. How does the country today preside and attract people to its global scientific hub?

Brainpower – Switzerland’s valuable resource

The groundwork to Switzerland’s favourable learning environment is its exceptionally high investment in education, which is considered an essential pillar of domestic policy. Its dual education system means that two thirds of secondary-school students embark on a vocational education, providing a solid professional basis for life-long learning. Low tuition fees add incentive for people to stay in education, a resource that is highly valued by the population.
Heavy investment is further targeted at universities. About three quarters comes from both private and multinational companies. Such close contact between businesses and research centres helps to develop the infrastructure for scientific research. Due to its relatively flexible labour market, high transparency and respect for the law, Switzerland has developed a sophisticated business culture helping make the country competitive. This in turn spurs on scientific and high-tech research to sustain a top-quality economy and generate wealth.

The home of pioneering research

"A country with such renowned status for scientific and technological enquiry bears with it a certain intrigue for aspiring scientists"

Expenditure on research and development covers a grand total of 2.9% of GDP, one of the largest in the world. The mutual dependency between R&D and university knowledge flows means scientists studying at the country’s research institutes and universities are well-placed to make ground-breaking studies. Not just do its individual universities receive high rankings, eg Zurich’s ETH is ranked 20th university in the world by the Times Higher Education, but the country as a whole constantly tops the league tables for new ideas. High scores are also sighted in the large number of patents the country holds, the most per capita.

The scope of their influence is concurrently reflected in that their scientists have the highest publication rate per scientist at 750 per 1,000 researchers. According to Swiss State Secretariat for Education and Research, each publication receives on average 7 citations, which is among the highest in the world. That Switzerland has no fewer than 120 Nobel Laureates, one of the highest per capita (this includes non-Swiss nationals who were affiliated with Swiss universities and research institutes) is no surprise.

A country with such renowned status for scientific and technological enquiry bears with it a certain intrigue for aspiring scientists. Many universities have therefore decided to open up their doors to students of science from both Switzerland and abroad to participate in summer schools. These enriching months-long courses give students the encouragement and practical experience needed for a successful scientific career.

Scientific diplomacy

The University of Basel runs a summer nursing course for PhD students, with intentions of opening it to Master’s students as well. It gives training fellows valuable insights into methods of systematic reviews and meta-analysis.

The University of Berne’s climate summer programme for PhD students and post-doctorates uses an interdisciplinary approach to study and assesses the issue of climate change. Funding by the NCCR – Switzerland’s centre for excellence in climate and climate research – allows participants to interact and gain contacts with leading climate researches.

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne has a summer programme for undergraduates, Master’s and PhD students of life sciences, giving hands-on practice, weekly seminars and developing the student’s appreciation of science. A formal written report of their findings is submitted by each student at the end of the course, giving them real participation in the scientific community.

Applications for these summer courses are especially competitive, attracting the most zealous young researches, many whom, afterwards impressed by the academic eminence in Switzerland, decide to pursue their future scientific careers here. A positive feedback loop is created.
Another way that Switzerland allows the world to share in its scientific development is through an organization called ThinkSwiss. In cooperation with the Swiss Confederation it promotes knowledge-sharing between the US and Switzerland. Up to 15 scientific research scholarships per year are awarded to American students to spend a term at a Swiss University.

Swiss secrecy? – not when it comes to research

It is not just academic institutions that are putting this tiny country on the international scientific scene. The NCCR, the National Centre for Competence in Research, sets the stage for Switzerland’s scientific diplomacy. One of the organization’s programmes which elegantly proves that Switzerland is at the forefront is the NCCR Climate Research Programme. Climate change is set to become the most imperative security issue on the international political agenda. NCCR has placed Switzerland as one of the leaders in the movement to combat climate change. In typical Swiss style, the project attracts education centres, government and businesses into what is fundamentally a scientific matter. This climate project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation is a network between the universities of Bern, Fribourg, ETH and Geneva, a number of federal agencies and Swiss Re, the reinsuring company.

The project takes a holistic view on the matter in order to get to the core of the problem. Long before climate research was on everybody’s lips, the organization has been the source of knowledge concerning climate change as well as the pioneer of possible solutions. What’s more, being in Switzerland, their projects are of course innovative. For example, thanks to the NCCR, the Jungfrau region is home to the world’s first climate iPhones. Visitors to the region can rent iPhones with inbuilt GPS alerting one to the climate troubled “hotspots” along the mountain routes. The iPhone presents audio information about the particular spot. This is a beautiful example of how Switzerland’s research and education is not confined to the classroom but manages to find its way into tourism.

An important part of the NCCR is education. The Swiss may prize secrecy when it comes to banking, but in the domain of science and education, conscious efforts to disseminate knowledge are de rigueur. NCCR publishes numerous brochures about its findings and for those that are more academically orientated there are countless opportunities to join the scientific community. The organization supports and encourages young people to pursue further study in science. Meetings between PhD students and post-doctorate students are regularly organized. The next 9th Young Researchers Meeting is taking place at Centre Loewenberg near Murten on 10–11 June 2010.

The golden ticket

"Expenditure on research and development covers a grand total of 2.9% of GDP, one of the largest in the world"

In addition to universities and research centres, big players in industry are also doing their part. CERN and Roche have a large role to play in shaping Switzerland’s scientific education.
CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, allows students to share in its groundbreaking research; it has Technical Student Programmes, which gives students paid training as part of their studies. Following the trend of other research centres, CERN also has a summer programme, where students in engineering, IT, physics or physical chemistry partake in academic training lectures, workshops and compile project reports. Doctoral students in engineering, applied physics or IT are also invited to submit their PhD thesis and join the academic training. There are also short-term student programmes for those that would simply like a taster of what it is like to work at CERN.

It would of course be expected for research institutes to offer incentives for education but maybe less so of multinational corporations. However, the Basel-based biotech company Roche, ardent to live up to the Swiss reputation for scientific education, has established an international post-doctorate Fellowship to support outstanding young scientists in cooperative R&D projects between Roche and academic institutions. The aim is to promote young talent and in the long term it is hoped that the fellowship programme will become an international platform for scientific excellence. Such proposals are ways of staying true to the company’s principles of furthering groundbreaking research.

Initiatives such as these are an important undertaking for the global scientific community. Holding such a prominent position within a field of expertise almost inflicts a sense of responsibility upon the status holder. Out of its own scientific superiority and for the sake of disseminating scientific advancement, Switzerland takes these extra steps to convene the world’s finest minds into an intellectual powerhouse.

Illuminating knowledge

Switzerland’s innovative environment, top facilities, inquisitive approach, science-friendly policies and strong intellectual property rights continue to attract researchers and celebrated professors.

Those that come here can be assured that their research is not limited to the confines of the laboratory. The Swiss consider the promotion of its research to be an important task. This is not only because it is beneficial for society but also to warrant continued funding. The Innovation Promotion Agency provides that vital link between laboratories and industry. There is also aid to apply scientific solutions to acute social and economic problems. The National Centres in Competence in Research (NCCRs) and National Research Programmes (NRPs) cover problems ranging from sustainable water supply, stem cells and smart materials to religion, state and society. For those still in between their doctoral thesis and assistant professorship there are supporting grants from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF).

These institutes contribute to an effective research structure in Switzerland and strengthen its competitiveness. Since Switzerland has no natural resources, science, technology and innovation become the defining aspects of the economy and, consequently, part of the larger cultural framework. Its political climate has had a long tradition of innovation and the world certainly knows where to turn for scientific diplomacy.

Article by Paula Svaton

Slow down – take the time to enjoy

In a culture of haste, slow has almost been regarded as taboo but the concept is leisurely gaining pace

"Anything worth doing is worth doing slowly" - Mae West

Sex icon, actress and epitomizer of risqué in the early days of movies, Mae West certainly gathered an attractive entourage of followers and her fair share of muscular men, one being a fellow thespian named Archie Leach– who later became better known as Cary Grant. Her secret lay in the combination of subtle flirting, elegant sultriness, bawdy double entendres and gentle teasing.

Such provocative yet measured mannerisms are best appreciated through a state of composure and cunningness.

This can really only be achieved when one allows oneself enough time to find the slower rhythm of life and focus on the finer details of the present.

By always seeking the destination and never enjoying the journey, we deceive our minds there is always something better the other end.

Mae West – lady of pleasure by unhurriedly enjoying the pleasures along the way – showed how slow can be seductive.

Time – our best friend or worst enemy?

The paradox of our society where we idolize time is that life has become a race against the clock. We humans have an insecure relationship with time. By living fast and speeding through life multitasking, we deceive ourselves that we have gained the upper hand of time. We craftily try to fit in more activities than time actually allows us. But we cannot change the number of hours in a day or the number of minutes in an hour.

We can control our time but we cannot control time in itself. It is this power struggle with time that has placed the modern man in a culture of haste, speed and hyperscheduling.
We treat time as a commodity, something to be toyed with, polished and perfected. In due course such fussing over time puts us in an estranged relationship with it. “Time is precious” is our modern cliché and is largely held accountable for the cult of speed. We make the mistake of saying that because time is so valuable we must do everything fast so as not to waste it. In an age of efficiency, steep competition and rigorous work attitude, unstructured time is seen as a vice. This warped attitude to time is predicated on the legacy of Benjamin Franklin’s infamous “Time is money”.

Fiscal devotion

The irony though is that the full-fledging spirit of capitalism that we are so entwined in hasn’t allowed us to realize that we are locked into a 19th century framework when it comes to our beliefs about time and money. It seems that the Protestant work ethic hasn’t entirely left us either, in that work is still regarded a virtue and in effect a moral duty, which explains why we devote so much time to work. In an increased secular world, work almost replaces religion as we give into self-denial for the pursuit of economic gain. However, efficiency and calculation, rather than morality, emotion or custom, governs our behaviour.

Such rationalization takes a toll on our inner self and is responsible for the disenchantment we so often feel. This is because it pushes us towards a philosophy of fast. Life becomes busy, controlling, aggressive, hurried, analytical, stressed, superficial, impatient and active. Such an environment drives us to look for quantity over quality. These ways of being ultimately have a dehumanizing effect because it doesn’t give us the chance to connect, a characteristic essential for any well-functioning society.

One area in which this quantitative bias is particularly evident is in reviews of books, music albums and films, which use the number of copies sold, chart rankings and box-office takes as the indicator of how good the item in question is. By no doubt do statistical facts hold some truth, but we begin to lose our own sense of judgement and don’t trust our own instincts. Rather, we rely on numbers to paint our picture of the world. Anything where we have to form our own opinion is lost to the reigns of statistics. In the broader sense the denial of judging for ourselves is part of the social kudos of constantly wanting to be up-to-date and informed. Hence we never allow ourselves to rest and make personally informed decisions about which books, films, music, or art to buy.

Seeing but not feeling

What is worrying about the cult of speed and the emphasis on quantity that it projects is its relationship with the admired “to-do list”. In mapping out our day in the form of a meticulously crafted list we are making ourselves into our own slaves, where our day falls under the authority of a hapless piece of paper. We may justify this surrender for the satisfaction we later gain at seeing a completed to-do list. Hold on – this is where we need to stop and think. What has become of us if we are reduced to finding pleasure in a list covered with ticks?
The aim here is not to criticize the actual to-do list itself. Without causing offence, for those that seek a structured life it certainly does have its functions and it must be credited for being their saving grace. It’s the attitude to life that it breeds that needs to be taken into account when we religiously devote ourselves to such time-management techniques. Ploughing through a list of things to do for the sake of seeing a completed list only adds to our penchant for quantity and takes us further away from discovering quality. When our daily actions monotonously get churned out in a superficial manner we gradually slip into the habit of not taking the time to engage in something.

In the long term this fabricates an attitude where everything has to be instant. We lose out on the feeling of getting excited about something and of striving to make something happen. Anticipation is after all the key to pleasure. The problem is not the to-do list itself but the general philosophy it promotes. We need to be critically aware of the fact that it fosters a fast-forward mode, which creates an unhealthy relationship with life. With no deeper level connection with our activities, we lose intimacy with our work and become alienated from it. We may see the benefits of our work but we don’t feel them.

Tempo giusto

...slow is calm, careful, receptive, still, intuitive, unhurried, patient and reflective

In all fairness, daily to-do tasks may not be the most riveting. However, approaching them in a slow manner allows us to unveil the pearls of pleasure hidden in even the most mundane of tasks. This is not to say that we will or should end up loving everything we do. More importantly, it’s a move away from relying on figures, lists and things that are immediately available to our eyes to learning to be more discerning.

Having a slow philosophy does not mean doing things at a snail’s pace but at a speed that allows us to make meaningful connections with our work and not superficial connections created by quantitative elements. We say we don’t have time to walk over and greet our friend, we don’t have time for that coffee or we don’t have time to sweep the path. This is because when we become so used to seeing our activities scheduled we neglect the spontaneous ones.

Slow is calm, careful, receptive, still, intuitive, unhurried, patient and reflective. This kind of approach allows quality to triumph over quantity.
It’s all about finding the tempo giusto. By always living in the idea that fast is somehow deeply modern, efficient and fulfilling, we forget about the simple pleasures of life, the activities that don’t require a fast pace. Before, we benefited from doing things fast, but as the world is becoming more complex, with more channels of communication, more sophisticated production techniques and higher consumer expectations, there is a call for a more refined rhythm. The returns of doing things too fast are having a negative effect.

Speed = Disconnectedness/Time

If we don’t slow down then we risk being reduced to a species in danger of extinction. If time equals money, then by speeding up we believe we are getting more time and hence more money. The insidious virus of speed submits us to focus on the quantitative, pushing us to want more and more, in terms of both time and material things.

The irony is that the extra time we try to win is a futile endeavour. This is because in the process of rushing through time in order to gain more of it we are not ever given the chance to stop, reflect and truly embrace our sought-after time. This puts our psychological security at stake and separates us from time and ultimately life itself.

Think of growing your favourite fruit tree. It has the potential to be bountiful, so it needs tenderness, love and care. When it receives the utmost attention, we can see the fruits of our patient labour.
The same goes for time. If it really is so precious then we have to treat it as if it were so. We need to nurture it, feed it with the things we like, be tolerant with it, cut and trim it occasionally so it doesn’t cast a shadow over us, see what it can give us and not what it is taking away.

It’s about devoting more of our time to the activities we enjoy. Only then can we begin to speak of the luxury of time.

Article by Paula Svaton

An exclusive opportunity for foreigners to buy on the shores of Lake Geneva

Lake Geneva, also known as Lac Léman, is Europe’s largest lake. It also happens to have on its far eastern shore one of its most beautiful towns. With a microclimate that will make you feel like you’re in Florida and scenery that will leave you breathless, sits a town of exceptional beauty and charm: welcome to Montreux.

Home ownership

Sizes vary from 2-bedroom apartments to larger 4- to 5-room apartments...all in a luxurious setting with the possibility of benefiting from services all year round

Switzerland is hardly comparable to other Europeans countries when it comes to accessibility of home ownership, as it is only since 1999 that foreigners can acquire property in the country.

Only a limited number of permits, depending on the property, are granted each year to non-residents. Furthermore, foreigners are limited to purchasing properties under 200m2.

Compared to other Swiss cities, Montreux has a more relaxed attitude with respect to foreign property buyers.

Today, affluent businessmen and tourists are in luck as Montreux is about to embark on a unique offer in French-speaking Switzerland: the sale of apartments to foreigners at the lavish apartment complex of Le National de Montreux.

The project

Le National was built in 1873 and used to be a big favourite with British visitors, and also counted among its guests the Russian author Leo Tolstoy. Being the first hotel built in Montreux, it is situated in one of the town’s best locations, with stunning views over the lake to the mountains. During the 1980s, however, the hotel fell into a state of disrepair, before being given a new lease of life thanks to an extensive renovation programme costing an estimated CHF 50 million.

Comptoir Immobilier was chosen as the Management Company. According to Nicolas Dunand, director of the company’s Vaudoise branch office – a man who seems to have gone into the real estate business straight from the crib – 90% of the clients are foreigners attracted by the high specification and comfort provided at Le National.

Indeed, the home-away-from-home feel provided by this development will be particularly attractive to businessmen coming in for short stays, as well as for tourists coming for specific events such as the renowned Montreux Jazz Festival. The apartments are interesting for long-term residents as well as for those who are in Montreux for a quick stopover, as Le National provides furnished apartments for a minimum stay of a week, combining luxury, retreat and comfort.

Living in a Le National apartment gives exclusive access to a private spa, a 350m2² (3,770 sq ft) wellness centre which includes an indoor pool, a sundeck, a Turkish steam bath, a sauna, a jacuzzi and a fitness room. For those who are fond of entertaining, there is the “National Lounge” on the mezzanine of the main building, which can accommodate up to 100 guests for private cocktails and about 30 guests for dinner, and a Business Centre for those wishing to run their business from home.

"Le Belvédère" - residential owner-occupied apartments with services to the residencies (spa, swimming-pool, wellness)

Services include a superior maintenance and concierge staff providing tailor-made services, such as catering and housekeeping, according to your needs, along with the possibility of having reservations made for you, whether it’s a seat in the cinema, a restaurant or even a round of golf.
Prices range from CHF 4,000 to 15,000 a week, for regular periods, according to the size of the apartment. Sizes vary from 2-bedroom apartments of 70m² (860 sq ft), to larger 4- to 5-room apartments for holiday rentals, all in a luxurious setting with the possibility of benefiting from services all year round.

Lakeview from one of the apartments

Closing the deal

Mr Dunand also mentioned plans to further extend within the Canton de Vaud. There is also great optimism about extending this project to other cantons and major cities in Switzerland in the future and, as Dunand says: “I think that if you have ambition but are not optimistic, there is no point in doing this profession because it is just not possible.”

If you are a fan of Montreux – and have an interest in the pleasure of residing in your own home whilst having all the benefits of a private club – Le National is the place to go. As a well-balanced combination between the great architectural tradition of the “Belle Époque” and the possibilites provided by the latest construction technologies, the Residences in the National now offer an exclusive, picturesque and stylish environment in one of the most beautiful regions of the world.

Richard de Tscharner - Former private banker turned photographer, adventurer, philanthropist

According to an Italian proverb, “To him that watches, everything is revealed”. For Richard de Tscharner, this could not be more true. Whether on adventures in the Swiss Alps with his father, working at a private bank in Geneva or touring the globe in a single-engine aeroplane, de Tscharner has been observing the world for most of his life.

The life-setting event

Sometimes an event so seemingly unimportant, so ordinary and commonplace that it hardly seems like an event at all, can influence the decisions you make for the rest of your life.

When Richard de Tscharner was a teenager, he accompanied his mother to Lombard Odier & Co. (now known as Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch &Co.), a private bank based in Geneva. There was nothing particularly special about the outing.

There was nothing unusual or out-of-the-ordinary about it. It was, quite simply, a trip to the bank. And yet, looking back on it, de Tscharner says it had a profound impact on his life.

“The more one travels around the world, the more one is led to wonder how to contribute to its betterment”

“I realized immediately that Lombard Odier & Co. was going to be the place where I wanted to position myself for the future,” he recalls, adding that he immediately felt at ease in the environment and with the people working there. As a result, he turned to his mother and said: “This is where I want to work one day.”
After graduating from the faculty of Economics and Sociology at the University of Geneva, de Tscharner started his career at Lombard Odier & Co, one of Switzerland’s leading private banks, in 1972. Seventeen years later, in what he describes as a major milestone in his life, he was invited to become a managing partner.
“I have always been extremely grateful for that intuitive feeling I had when I was 16 because looking back,” de Tscharner says, taking a minute to enjoy the memories, “I don’t think I could have been happier than I was at Lombard Odier & Co., nor could I have made a better contribution in business than I did as a portfolio manager and private banker.”

Living all the dreams

De Tscharner says ever since he was young, he wanted to experience five lives: his own, that of a mountaineer, that of a musician, that of a pastor and, finally, that of a simple man.
“Simple, I think, I have always been and will always be,” he says. “My life, obviously, is my life. The other three – nature, music and spirituality – are three things which I like enormously and which are important aspects of my personality.”

In order to realize his dream of experiencing these five lives, de Tscharner left Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch & Co. at the end of 2006.
“I always kept in the back of my mind the fact that life is a one-way street and that it’s a short one-way street,” he explains. “As a result, I never imagined, or thought that it was reasonable, to stay in business your entire life up to the bitter end.”
Rather than retreat to the comforts of his lakeside home in Coppet, like the many explorers long since relegated to the pages of history books and childhood fantasies, de Tscharner sought adventure and a new challenge.

“I was aware that when you approach the age of 60, you are still fit and you still have the energy that is required to envisage another avenue,” he explains. “The next five to six years, if I had stayed in business, would probably have cost me more than five to six years in terms of energy and would probably not have allowed me to look at the next step of my life with the same degree of freshness.”
And with that – after 35 years in finance – de Tscharner left Lombard Odier & Co. to travel, become a professional photographer and set up a non-profit Foundation in Zermatt.

Capturing the world

While having lunch with his friend Jacques Lemaigre du Breuil, an experienced pilot and founder of JetFly, de Tscharner suggested they should tour the world in a single-engine airplane. Unlike those people who often talk and dream of doing such things but never actually do, de Tscharner planned and plotted – and a year and a half later climbed into a Pilatus PC 12 and set off on a 108-day tour of the world.

Joined by friends Jacques Lemaigre du Breuil and Mario Julen, de Tscharner flew to 16 countries and visited places such as Shibam in Yemen (often referred to as “the Manhattan of the desert”), Lalibela, one of Ethiopia’s holiest cities, and Lake Titicaca in Bolivia, which is where, according to Incan mythology, the creator god, Viracoca, rose up to create the sun, the moon, the stars and the first human beings.

Capturing the world

The one place that really stood out for de Tscharner, however, was Salar de Uyuni, a salt lake located in the south of Bolivia. According to Aymara legend, the mountains that surround the Salar – Tunupa, Kusku and Kusina – were once giant people. Although Kusku married Tunupa, he left her for Kusina. Grief stricken, Tunupa started crying one day while breastfeeding her son and when her tears mixed with the milk, the Salar was formed.
“It’s magical there,” says de Tscharner. “And it’s so white that when you first get out of the car you think you’re walking on snow. You walk slowly and with extra care because you think that at any moment you’re going to slip and fall.” He laughs at the memory. “It’s really a spectacular place,” he says, regaining his composure. “It’s a place of silence and peace.” And for a brief moment, de Tscharner is lost in thought.

“We really discovered the beauties of this world,” he says, looking up again. “When you watch TV and when you read papers, you easily have the feeling that the world is in shambles. When you travel, though, especially outside of the cities, you realize how absolutely gorgeous and fantastic and beautiful this world is.”
Having said this, the trip – which is officially known as the “Wings and Bridges Tour” – was more than just a holiday. For de Tscharner, it was an exciting opportunity to learn about other countries’ traditions, beliefs and histories. It was also a unique opportunity to make a positive contribution to other peoples’ lives by doing something he loves: taking photographs.

"When you travel … you realize how absolutely gorgeous and fantastic and beautiful this world is.”

Fulfilling a responsibility

Although de Tscharner travelled to some of the world’s most beautiful places, he also travelled to some of its poorest.
“We could not imagine travelling all around the planet without ever stopping to wonder how to give some help to a village with no resources, to fields lacking water, to mothers with no means to heal their children or to children without the privilege of going to school,” de Tscharner explains. “The more one travels around the world, the more one is led to wonder how to contribute to its betterment.”

With this in mind, de Tscharner established the Carène Foundation (www.fondationcarene.org), a non-profit charitable organization, at the beginning of 2008. The aim of the Foundation is to financially assist organizations around the world – particularly those in low-income countries – that assist disadvantaged children while promoting the importance of education and tradition. The Foundation is financed by the profits made from the sale of de Tscharner’s photographs, many of which were taken during the Wings and Bridges Tour, as well as from the sale of his first book, Our World.
Since its formation, the Carène Foundation has made donations to Krousar Thmey, a foundation aimed at helping underprivileged children in Cambodia and Karuna Shechen, a non-profit organization that builds and ensures the running of schools in Tibet.

The world revealed – a moment of being

When you look at a Richard de Tscharner photograph, the first thing you notice is its simplicity: the clean lines, the elegant composition, the perfect balance between black and white.
But the more you look at it, the more you see and feel, and the more you believe you were there when it was taken, because when you look at a Richard de Tscharner photograph, you’re not just looking at a picture, you’re experiencing a moment in time, a moment of life, a moment of being in harmony in this complicated, beautiful, surprising world.

“Simple, I think, I have always been and will always be … nature, music and spirituality are three things which I like enormously and which are important aspects of my personality”

Article by Alinka Brutsch

SIHH Watch Fair showcases the finest

The famous industry-only SIHH Watch Fair in Geneva took place in late January offering an opportunity for brands to present their latest watchmaking masterpieces. At the same time, many private watch companies took advantage of the sudden influx into Geneva of watch buyers and specialist journalists from around the world, to hold their own events.

The level of craftsmanship and ingenuity was higher than ever. Interestingly, the recent division of high watchmaking into traditional high complication pieces or watchmaking as works of mechanical art was more noticeable than ever – a division reminiscent of the time in the 1800s when the fashion for automaton pocket watches evolved in tandem to that of multicomplication pocket watches.

Urwerk’s UR-203

Uwerk's UR-203 - the innovative automatic double turbine winding system can reach an impressive 16,500 rpm

“Cam”, “transporters”, “telescopic hands”, “black platinum” – for those already familiar with Urwerk’s über-futuristic creations these words say it all. With even more robotic hour indications, the UR-203’s dial reveals its micromechanics. Pistons are actuated to indicate the hour and wheels turn in their wake.

The micron-precision satellite complication is its nerve centre, revealing the internal clockwork. The telescopic minute hands precisely adjust their length to follow the three vectors marking the minutes. An “Oil Change” indicator (informing the wearer when a service is due) and a “Horological Odometer” spanning 150 years complete the open dial. The innovative automatic double turbine winding system can reach an impressive 16,500 rpm.

Montblanc Metamorphosis

Montblanc Metamorphosis

By simply moving a slide, this limited edition timepiece evolves from a standard watch to a chronograph in just 15 seconds. The four wings in the lower half of the face open, slide under one another and disappear beneath the dial’s middle bar. A similar sequence takes place with two wings on the hour dial.

After all the wings have opened, a sub-dial rises like an elevator and an aperture “swallows” the date-hand. The newly risen rotating disc is the minute counter of the chronograph.

Each of these two dials act in complete mechanical independence of the other. To achieve this metamorphosis, its creators revisited traditional methods of automaton construction.

Vacheron Constantin Historique Ultra-fine 1955

To celebrate the 55th anniversary of the ultra-thin Calibre 1003 Vacheron Constantin has redesigned a version of the movement which, with its 4.1 mm case, makes it the world’s thinnest mechanical hand-wound watch.

With more refined finishing and bridges and mainplate in 18-carat gold, this re-edition Calibre 1003 is presented in a 36 mm diameter 4N 18-carat pink gold case.

Vacheron Constantin Historique Ultrafine 1955 - the world's thinnest mechanical hand-wound watch

The decoration is the prestigious Côtes de Genève – with hand-bevelling, chamfering, and drawing of the steel parts. This exceptional standard of finishing has earned this new Calibre 1003 version the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva.

Lange & Söhn Homage Collection

Lange & Söhn Homage Collection - The 1815 Moonphase

A thousand years of precision: the 1815 Moonphase epitomizes Lange & Söhn’s quest for the ultimate in precision. No effort was spared to calculate an extremely accurate moon-phase train for this watch.
Thanks to a suite of wheels with special transmission ratios, its error per lunar month is a nearly infinitesimal 6.61 seconds. It takes 1,058 years for this error to add up to a deviation of one day relative to the actual lunar cycle.

Had such a timepiece existed in the year 952 – during the lifetime of Otto I the Great – and had it run without interruption since then, its moon-phase display would have to be corrected for the first time this year!

Vincent Berard Talisman 2 – Platinum Octale

Vincent Berard Talisman 2 - Platinum Octale

With a diameter of just 45 mm, this platinum watch fits snugly into your hand or pocket and is available in a limited edition of just eight pieces. Each Octale Version 2 features casing in massive platinum. Beneath the curved sapphire glass, the three-part dial characteristics are revealed. Situated in the middle, slightly raised, is the “trellis” which gives form to the three subdials: day of the week, small second hand and moon phase, as well as the mysterious balance. The “trellis” is created by a radiant guillocharge.

The sapphire glass back cover offers a view of the movement through the two eyelets of the power reserve and small dorsal second hand.

Bovet Amadeo Trilogy

Bovet Amadeo Trilogy

Known not only for its unique identity and exceptional quality but also for its long history of technical mastery and elegant hand-painted timepieces, Bovet is making a new name for itself with its pocket watch-inspired interchangeable wristwatch.

After more than seven years of research and development, the latest innovation makes it possible to transform this wristwatch into an elegant pocket watch for men (or pendent watch for ladies) or a miniature table clock.

In a few simple movements the timepiece can adapt to the whim of its owner. The Amadeo Collection is named after the son of Bovet’s owner and chief designer.

Article by Ita McCobb

IWC celebrates 80 years of a famous line

The “Year of the Portuguese” at IWC has begun. It is not only an appreciation of exquisite watches but, above all, the eternal idea behind them: namely that man, driven by the spirit of discovery, explored methods for finding his bearings in order to achieve his ambitious targets. And that he ultimately mustered up the courage and placed himself in the greatest danger, in order to fulfil his desires and ambitions.
The Portuguese watches from IWC are a symbol and a distant echo of those epic deeds, which took place 500 years ago. They still embody the spirit of discovery of bygone days. Most of all, though, IWC’s Portuguese watches are instruments of the modern age – as an aid to our own navigation through time.
IWC’s Portuguese watches have remained entirely faithful to their historical heritage: clarity, size, accuracy and exquisite mechanics. Most of the complications from the Haute Horlogerie of IWC are present in this family of watches today. And there will be a few more in the “Year of the Portuguese”, which the manufacturer is dedicating to its classic model. The horological inventiveness – which finds stylish expression in case diameters from more than 40 to 45 millimetres – is impressive to say the least.

The new flagship: Portuguese Grande Complication

After 30 years as an exclusive solitaire in the manufacturer’s range, the Grande Complication now makes its debut in the red gold Portuguese case – as the Portuguese Grande Complication (Ref. 3774). With more room inside the 45mm case – and for the first time water-resistant to 3 bar – the beautiful sound from its minute repeating mechanism nevertheless remains unchanged. A discreetly engraved globe and gold appliqués decorate the silver-plated dial. True to the tradition of the Grande Complication, a limited edition of 50 watches per year is retained. A new engraving on the case back depicts a sextant and makes the affiliation with the Portuguese family obvious.

The Grande Complication from IWC Schaffhausen – which brought the highest horological complications together in a wristwatch as a world-first precisely 20 years ago – now appears for the first time in a Portuguese case. It also retains its impressive technical inventory: perpetual calendar, minute repeater and chronograph with automatic movement.

Vasco da Gama’s flagship, on which he sailed around the Cape of Good Hope more than 500 years ago and discovered the sea route to India, was the caravel Nau São Gabriel. The new flagship of the most celebrated family of watches from IWC is the Portuguese Grande Complication. This is the superlative watch from IWC, which in 1990 was the first manufacturer to bring together the highest horological complications and to make them “wearable” as a wristwatch. This masterpiece now has a new home inside the Portuguese case – and a new face.

An ancient dream realized

Grande Complication – lying behind this title of distinction in the world of Haute Horlogerie is the ancient dream of making the most significant discoveries of the watchmaker’s craft oscillate, run and even chime together. Precisely 20 years ago, the engineers at IWC realized this dream, a feat that brought worldwide acclaim to the manufacturer. It took more than seven years of intensive development work in Schaffhausen before 657 individual parts could be assembled together in the smallest possible space in order to bring to fruition a perfectly functioning whole, which, in spite of its complexity, is characterized by its ingeniously simple operation and total suitability for everyday use. Only the most talented designers and master watchmakers can accomplish this. And that is why the range of such exceptional achievements has been very limited to this day.

The Portuguese Grande Complication, for which a new case with a diameter of 45 millimetres has been created, inherits an extraordinarily well-proven technical inventory: the 79091 calibre chronograph movement with automatic winding and aggregate time recording up to 12 hours, the minute repeater – a complication specially constructed at the time – which belongs to the most modern and reliable mechanisms of its kind and, last but not least, the autonomous perpetual calendar. It also shows the wearer the year, decade, century and millennium in a four-digit display, as well as the day, date and month, in a way that is unsurpassed to this day.

IWC - Complication – Ref. IW3774

A perpetual moon phase display, with a deviation of only a single day in 122 years from the actual cycle of the moon, is connected to the calendar, which requires no adjustments or interventions on the part of the wearer until the year 2100 and advances all the calendar indications in a mechanically programmed and synchronous manner.

The previous Grande Complication, which will continue to be built in parallel, already possessed water resistance to 1 bar thanks to the patented slide mechanism; in the case of a minute repeater, this is almost equivalent to squaring the circle.

In the new Portuguese Grande Complication, the water resistance has been increased to an impressive 3 bar. The new flagship of this watch family is entirely in keeping with the spirit of the Portuguese seafarers, and this can also be seen in engraving on the back of the red gold case. A sextant, which is an indispensable instrument of nautical navigation alongside the watch, is a reference here to this spiritual affinity. The substantially larger silver-plated dial provides a perfect setting for the calendar indications of such a complex watch. Against the background of a discreetly engraved globe with its degrees of longitude and latitude – positioned, incidentally, in the correct 23.4-degree angle of inclination of the terrestrial axis – the counters for the chronograph and the calendar indications are accommodated in addition to the small seconds and the moon phase display. A shaped sapphire glass that has antireflective coating on both sides arches over the dial with its solid red gold appliqués, Arabic numerals for the hours and railway track-style chapter ring.

The rectangular, lightly bevelled operating buttons of the chronograph capture the understated style of the Portuguese case. Only the slide on the left side of the case – which “makes the music” – reveals to an expert the nature of the precision mechanical refinement that is concealed inside this watch with its minute repeater.

Speaking of which, in spite of the increased water resistance of the case, the loudness and the balanced sound quality have not been impaired. This is assured not least by the larger sound chamber and a cleverly engineered solution, which utilizes the sapphire glass for transmission of the sound to the outside.
For you, all that remains is to cast off – for the new flagship of the Portuguese fleet!

Article by Jules Landon