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With its friendly atmosphere and classic elegance, Leméac makes a good first impression. A mainstay on Montreal’s stunning Laurier Ouest for the last 20 years, the restaurant was quick to become a hot spot. It attracts a mix of locals, artists, businesspeople, families, friends and lovers who come for classic French fare served and prepared by seasoned professionals in a relaxed atmosphere. Sit down for a delicious experience, elevated by the owners’ all-around good taste.

 

© Andrée Allard

An authentic and family-friendly ambiance

The visionary restaurateur Émile Saine bought Leméac’s prime location back in 2001. Driven by a passion for quality aesthetics, Saine hired architect Luc Laporte to create a bistro with enduring charm. The two worked tirelessly for over 22 months to create this unique establishment. With a four-season patio, bar and cellar artfully crafted from precious wood, iron and stone, Leméac came to life thanks to the immense talent and fervour of its two site managers. The result? A chic and tasteful Parisian bistro. Émile’s son Maxime, now Leméac’s co-owner, was 17 years old at the time. He helped out with the renovations, but it wasn’t until he spent time working in each position at the restaurant that he discovered his own love of the food service industry. “We’re always on the floor.” The father-son team has a palpable bond, and it’s clear that they care about their team, diners and the food. “Love for the job, consistency and timelessness: that’s the recipe for Leméac’s success.”

 

© Jimmy Hamelin

You can’t mess with success

When it comes to fine dining, the ingredients and talent are just as important as the floors and tables. With Chef Olivier Belzile leading the teams of kitchen staff, maître d’s and servers, Leméac wins over hundreds of foodies every day. In addition to the set menus and specials, the restaurant offers tartares, steak frites, confits, foies gras and dozens of other brilliantly executed classic dishes. The menu’s breadth and quality are equalled only by the wine list and ambiance. And there are plenty of options for vegetarians, dessert lovers and kids alike. Whether you’re sitting down to brunch, lunch or dinner, you’ll be sure to have a good time. Leméac’s brilliance welcomes, delights and brings together its patrons in an exquisitely elegant and effortlessly charming setting. It’s an experience that is sure to appeal to bistro lovers everywhere.

 

© Nicolas Bérat

Always coming back for more

Leméac’s popularity has made it one of the cornerstones of Montreal’s food scene. In a city with countless options for fine dining, the daily gastronomic ballet orchestrated by Émile and Maxime has proven their establishment a standout. Whether you’re in the dining room, at the bar or on the patio, the restaurant is a magical backdrop for a meal that engages all five senses. It’s no wonder that diners keep coming back for the signature Leméac experience.

 

www.restaurantlemeac.com

 

Text: Alexandra Pastena

Founded in Los Angeles in 2011, The Agency has seen its star soar with no end in sight. North America is home to more than 50 of its offices, 11 of which are in Canada. An impressive service offer and revolutionary marketing mix have cemented the boutique firm’s status as both an industry disrupter and influencer. The Agency has garnered public attention with appearances on television series Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and has grown its Instagram account to the largest in the business. LUXE sits down with John Faratro, Managing Partner of The Agency Montreal, to learn how the company’s culture, vision and services are shaking up the industry, strengthening client relations and closing standout transactions in Quebec.

Bringing the agency home

Faratro thrives on operating and growing businesses, as well as mentoring other brokers. Over the course of a 35-year career in real estate as a developer, commercial broker and owner of a real estate portfolio, Faratro has led several industry-centred businesses including SVN Montreal Commercial, the Montreal subsidiary of the U.S.-based brand with over 200 offices and an extensive network.

 

Faratro describes Quebec as a unique market that supports the luxury sector, with few competitors in the space and plenty of room to grow. He launched The Agency Montreal in February 2022. “It was a natural next [step], having a top luxury residential brand in the city. It’s very exciting.”

 

The Agency Montreal is fully equipped to service the province’s bilingual market, having dedicated several months to developing French translations for all documents and presentations, as well as for the company’s extensive internal CRM system.

A collaborative approach

The Agency is dedicated to maintaining its boutique concept, where the goal is to have a highly skilled team that fits both the brand and culture, rather than hire hundreds of agents. The company has a zero tolerance policy for individuals who are not team players and is very selective with those brought into the fold. “We like to have fun, we’re like a family. Our culture is collaborative; people help each other.”

 

Finding the right people is the key to ensuring a unified team that will support The Agency’s plan to be present in many different markets without diluting the quality of its employee base. Faratro is determined to take the time required to achieve this goal, “I’m in this for the long haul; this is not a sprint.”

 

“[We’re] making sure that the client is served 200% from A to Z. On the seller’s side, it’s how to go to market, how to go the extra mile on the marketing services. On the buyer’s side, it’s about giving the white glove treatment, rolling out the red carpet, taking care of the client, advising them properly.”

 

Faratro is proud of The Agency’s commitment to putting the client first: thoroughly assessing every opportunity before making a winning choice. Not only does the client benefit from a more thoughtful approach; agents also reap the rewards, increasing the potential for future transactions and referrals. “I think in general, brokers have lost sight of the client experience and the client service. […] We’re in this business to build long-term relationships. It’s very difficult to build loyalty […] but it’s much less costly to keep an existing customer than to find a new one.”  

“[We’re] making sure that the client is served 200% from A to Z. On the seller’s side, it’s how to go to market, how to go the extra mile on the marketing services. On the buyer’s side, it’s about giving the white glove treatment, rolling out the red carpet, taking care of the client, advising them properly.”

John Faratro, Managing Partner of The Agency Montreal

Marketing redefined

With an extensive marketing team in L.A. and an in-house team in Montreal, The Agency sets itself apart with a comprehensive array of services designed to showcase properties on a whole new level. Its world‑class creative division delivers plans that incorporate new and traditional media, emergent technologies, and leading-edge strategy using in-depth understanding of consumer behaviour, visual storytelling and experiential marketing.

 

“We do marketing in a different way. We don’t just post houses for sale, it’s more of a lifestyle; a younger sort of look—fresher. We’re disrupters, we go into markets and we disrupt them because that’s in our DNA. Those are all things that caught my attention and I found interesting and different. Things that made me decide to get into this new venture.”

Looking ahead

It’s an exciting time for The Agency, with a flagship location being built in Westmount, newly opened offices in Seattle and Amsterdam and the recently announced acquisition of a New York brokerage and technology firm, Triplemint. Of the current growth across North America and Europe, Faratro hints that there is more to come, “The brand is really expanding, big time.”

 

 

 

 

 

Text: Jennifer Laoun-Rubenstein

On the occasion of the LVMH Watch Week, Bulgari introduced four new Serpenti secret watches revisiting the iconic design from the 1950s. These models are all equipped with the new ultra-small Piccolissimo mechanical movement, one of the smallest in the world, entirely conceived and produced within the Bulgari Manufacture in Le Sentier. Measuring 12.30 mm in diameter and 2.50 mm thick, the BVL100 caliber is housed in the head of the reptile within a dedicated container.

 

In collaboration with Europa Star

 

Bulgari has reinvented the emblematic reptile on its Serpenti line for decades. How could we forget the model created for Elizabeth Taylor when she played Cleopatra in Rome’s Cinecittà studios in 1962? Rooted in numerous ancient cultures, the snake embodies multiple symbolic values including womanhood, rebirth, luck, seduction, and temptation.

 

The first Serpenti secret watches were introduced in the late 1950s, and the BVL100 caliber revives the very small mechanical ‘motors’ that equipped all women’s watches until the early 1970s. Measuring 12.30 mm in diameter and 2.50 mm thick, the movement is housed in the head of the reptile within a dedicated container. The Manufacture leveraged its rich experience in the domain of Finissimo watches to create a very compact movement weighing only 1.30 grams.

 

The BVL100 caliber revives the very small mechanical ‘motors’ that equipped all women’s watches until the early 1970s.

 

The extreme miniaturisation of its 102 components is illustrated in the barrel featuring a total diameter of just 5.00 mm for a thickness of 1.47 mm and a spring that is 170 mm long before being wound. Moreover, to ensure the greatest inertia according to the very small size of the movement, Bulgari opted for a white gold balance wheel.

 

 

Pressing the snake’s tongue on the Serpenti Misteriosi opens the head to reveal the watch. A bidirectional crown located on the caseback enables manual winding and time-setting. This dual function operates by means of a system of reversers.

 

The launch of the Octo Finissimo in 2014 was a defining moment in the history of Bulgari watches. Topping one record after the other for seven consecutive years, the brand has become the master of ultra-thin movements and redefined the aesthetic of the luxury sport watch in a distinctive and contemporary design language.

 

After exploring the limits of ultra-thin mechanical watchmaking, Bulgari now lays a new milestone in the field of ultra-small with Piccolissimo, the Italian for “very small”. With it, the brand opens new territories of expression for its ladies’ watches and celebrates the brand’s first iconic Serpenti secret timepieces.

 

 

The new Serpenti Misteriosi timepieces are opulent and colourful, with a strong emphasis on the mastery of decorative arts and jewellery virtuosity. Several iterations, in two- or three-colour gold or combined with steel, confirm Bulgari’s expertise with daring colour combinations, intricate craftsmanship and unconventional materials. Square, circular, rectangular and octagonal shapes were adopted for the dial, sometimes evoking the snake head.

The new Serpenti Misteriosi timepieces are opulent and colourful, with a strong emphasis on the mastery of decorative arts and jewellery virtuosity.

 

The pieces illustrate the creativity that Bulgari has mined with Serpenti: the scales could be reproduced with diamonds, polychrome enamel or gemstones. In other models, the scales are transformed into playful “boules”, soldered one by one to form an intricate gold mesh. The head of the animal is completely different on each model, and adorned with pave, baguette-, navette-, brilliant- or marquise-cut diamonds.

 

The watches’ many constituent parts are individually shaped before being decorated, gem-set and assembled. Particular attention has been paid to the overall design of the precious metal structure forming the bracelet and the head to ensure that it is comfortable and light to wear.

 

 

In the lacquered versions, the semi-transparent lacquer is hand-applied and dried, multiple times, crystallising as it dries. The metal of the scales features a hand-made striped pattern, which gleamingly enhances the brilliance of the special décor.

 

There is a bewitching interpretation in yellow and white gold: the snake wraps itself around the wrist with a double-tour yellow gold bracelet entirely adorned with brilliant-cut diamonds on the white gold head and tail. The animal’s head is graced with a flower set with round-cut diamonds, becoming the incredible focal point of the hypnotic timepiece.

 

In the pure tradition of the first Serpenti presented in the 1950s, these new creations combine excellent know-how with Swiss watchmaking expertise to reflect the art of the jeweler of the time. Echoing the inspiring models, each timepiece is designed to be worn on either wrist: the container hidden within the snake’s head—housing the diamond-encrusted dial and the underlying movement—can be easily removed and turned in the other direction so as to be easily visible on the left or right arm.

 

In the pure tradition of the first Serpenti presented in the 1950s, these new creations combine excellent know-how with Swiss watchmaking expertise to reflect the art of the jeweler of the time.

 

 

Serpenti Misterosi High Jewellery 103559

Movement Mechanical manual winding micro-movement, BVL 100 Piccolissimo caliber, 12.30 mm in diameter, 2.50 mm thick, 1.30 gr in weight, 21 jewels, 102 components, 21,600 VpH, 30-hour power reserve; crown on the caseback, bi-directional for time-setting and winding. Case, dial and bracelet 40 mm black-lacquered rose gold case, 2 pear-cut diamonds for the eyes (0.3 ct), diamond-paved dial; black-lacquered rose gold double-tour bracelet.

 

Serpenti Misterosi High Jewellery 103560

Movement Mechanical manual winding micro-movement, BVL 100 Piccolissimo caliber, 12.30 mm in diameter, 2.50 mm thick, 1.30 gr in weight, 21 jewels, 102 components, 21,600 VpH, 30-hour power reserve; crown on the caseback, bi-directional for time-setting and winding. Case, dial and bracelet 40 mm white gold case, green-lacquered and set with brilliant-cut diamonds, 2 pear-cut emeralds for the eyes (0.4 ct), diamond-paved dial; green-lacquered white gold double-tour bracelet set with brilliant-cut diamonds. Total 369 diamonds (8.35 cts).

 

Serpenti Misterosi High Jewellery 103558

Movement Mechanical manual winding micro-movement, BVL 100 Piccolissimo caliber, 12.30 mm in diameter, 2.50 mm thick, 1.30 gr in weight, 21 jewels, 102 components, 21,600 VpH, 30-hour power reserve; crown on the caseback, bi-directional for time-setting and winding. Case, dial and bracelet 40 mm rose gold case set with brilliant-cut diamonds and turquoise inserts, 2 pear-cut rubellites for the eyes (0.4 ct), diamond-paved dial; double-tour rose gold bracelet set with diamonds and turquoise inserts. Total 724 diamonds (18.05 cts).

Serpenti Misterosi High Jewellery 103561

Movement Mechanical manual winding micro-movement, BVL 100 Piccolissimo caliber, 12.30 mm in diameter, 2.50 mm thick, 1.30 gr in weight, 21 jewels, 102 components, 21,600 VpH, 30-hour power reserve; crown on the caseback, bi-directional for time-setting and winding. Case, dial and bracelet 40 mm white gold case and head set with 626 round brilliant-cut diamonds (15.83 cts), 2 pear-cut emeralds for the eyes (0.4 ct), diamond-paved dial; yellow gold double-tour bracelet set with round brilliant-cut diamonds, white gold tail set with round brilliant-cut diamonds. Total 795 diamonds (16.59 cts).

 

www.europastar.com

 

Text: Europa Star

Fabio Mazzeo Architects’ twenty-year portfolio of timeless and extraordinary spaces includes a breathtaking award-winning residential project. Like a fine sculpture atop its pedestal on the promontory of Abbiadori, the Villa at Cala Volpe stands above its namesake bay, echoing the natural beauty of the Sardinian landscape.  

 

 

Lead architect and founder Fabio Mazzeo’s holistic approach to design puts the three-storey Villa in direct communication with nature, from the inside out. Travertine in a multitude of finishes covers the entirety of the building’s exterior, allowing light to dance along the surface. The natural stone extends into the interior, its reflective properties enhanced by floor-to-ceiling windows with dazzling views.

 

© Massimo Camplone

 

Expansive terraced gardens with an integrated infinity pool connect the villa’s smooth, asymmetric structure to the neighbouring organic terrain in an aesthetic communion that is at once contrasting and harmonious. As with any art piece occupying space, the villa is best appreciated from all sides: the west characterized by its stark, imposing construction; the south and east sides allowing the Pevero beach and the garden, respectively, to shine through glassed facades. On the north side, the main entrance beckons from an impressive alcove of cut marble strips rippling towards a deep-set polished steel door with abstract sandblasted forms.    

 

© Massimo Camplone

© Massimo Camplone

 

“Our way of designing and building is deeply rooted in an ideal of Italian beauty that is never static, but rather is translated each time into a unique style that grows out of the customer’s desires. This is a goal we achieve by engaging cross-functional talent and skills. Artists, artisans, decorators, painters and all the creatives and designers of the Fabio Mazzeo team, in a holistic and organic vision of architecture.”

— Fabio Mazzeo, founder and lead architect at Fabio Mazzeo Architects

Inside, nature permeates all corners of the villa as an extension of the architecture. Natural light and greenery are balanced by the elegance and fine craftsmanship that are hallmarks of the Mazzeo project. The mood is set throughout the villa by lighting design featuring chandeliers, wall fixtures and sconces by Vistosi, Lolli e Memmoli, Catellani & Smith, and Visionnaire. Custom furnishings by master artisans anchor the contemporary design of each room, while artfully selected accessories complete the luxurious feel of the space. A dramatic theatre room with gilded hand-plastered panels and oak-panelled wine cellar provide entertainment and enjoyment within arm’s reach. Transitioning from one area to the next is effortless, as different parts of the home gracefully flow into each other. Retiring to the master bedroom area, outfitted with two decadently appointed sea and botanical-inspired marble bathrooms, is nothing short of a Mediterranean dream.

 

© Massimo Camplone

© Massimo Camplone

 

Location: Sardinia, Italy (Abbiadori, Arzachena)
Floor area: 1,270 m2
Landscape design area: 5,000 m2
Architecture and interior design: Fabio Mazzeo Architects
Client: Exclusiva Design

 

 

Writer: Jennifer Laoun-Rubenstein

Cover: © Massimo Camplone

LUXE marked the start of the much anticipated week celebrating the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Canada during a private event at Bar George, the illustrious restaurant of the Mount Stephen Hotel. Almost 300 members of the LUXE business community gathered for the celebration that put forward the 1111 Atwater; a prestigious address with 25 luxury penthouses offering a breathtaking view of Montreal. Guests were welcomed with champagne and a cocktail reception in a most festive atmosphere.

 

www.1111atwater.com

 

At the intersection of Yonge and Castlefield, a new Torontonian theatrical experience is preparing for opening night. Leading real estate developer Madison Group, in collaboration with Westdale Properties, is setting the stage for a high-end condominium project that will have every resident feeling like a star. The Capitol Residences will stand at the site of the illustrious Capitol Theatre, which dazzled guests from 1914 to 1998.

 

The curtain rises on a new era

During its heyday, and notably during the Great Depression of the 1930s, the Capitol Theatre transported guests through its magnificent programming. For almost a century, stage and screen were home to presentations such as Wings of the Morning and Jane Eyre.

 

“Over the last century, the Capitol Theatre has been a staple in Toronto’s entertainment scene and we are honoured to bring new life to this highly historic venue through the launch of its namesake residences,” says Josh Zagdanski, Vice President of High Rise at Madison Group. “This mid-rise project will capture the nostalgic vibrancy of years past while adding a modern twist on the original style. Just as the Capitol Theatre once brought joy and entertainment to the city, The Capitol Residences will bring new liveliness to the neighbourhood.”

 

© Binyan Studios

“Over the last century, the Capitol Theatre has been a staple in Toronto’s entertainment scene and we are honoured to bring new life to this highly historic venue.” – Josh Zagdanski, Vice President of High Rise at Madison Group

Setting the stage

Residents will be able to choose from 145 units, offering living spaces of 425 to 1950 sq. ft. in one, two, or three-bedroom configurations, starting at under $1 million.

 

Hariri Pontarini Architects and Turner Fleischer Architects are the award-winning teams responsible for recreating an air of anticipation and excitement with the building’s transformation, which will pay homage to grand evenings of yore.

 

From the thoughtfully preserved original marquee and façade designed by John MacNee Jeffrey, the three-storey former theatre will rise an additional 11 floors above Toronto’s streets. The new building exterior boasts sand-cast brick and a smooth stone finish to harmoniously integrate elements of its history into its current role.

In the loges

Studio Munge has outdone itself to craft a world evocative of theatre and film in the 1920s. The experience begins from the moment residents pass through a grand porte cochère and into a concierge-orchestrated lobby. Decadent furnishings are illuminated by unique custom fixtures; a hint of what awaits in each Gallery Suite, Premiere Penthouse, Marquee Estate Suite, or Orchestra Townhome. Bespoke touches and 10-foot ceilings make each residence worthy of the spotlight.

 

© Binyan Studios

A plein air finale

The decadence extends outdoors to allow residents of the Capitol to benefit from a rare show of nature in the city. A tiered eastern façade will provide terraces with an infusion of greenery, while a 3,700-square-metre park flanking the west side of the building enhances the neighbourhood, as it extends the space for residents to enjoy.

 

The Capitol Residences Amenities

● Automated parcel storage

● Lush green park on the west side extending over 3,700 square metres

● Gym with private workout areas

● Golf simulator and lounge area

● Social club featuring a lounge, dining and servery

● Extensive outdoor lounge and dining area, including a garden and grill stations

● Curated kids play area

● Guest suite

● Pet spa

● 24/7 concierge service

 

Now selling

 

 

 

Text: Jennifer Laoun-Rubenstein

Cover : © Binyan Studios

In an intimate interview with Chef Daniel Boulud, LUXE draws back the curtain on some exciting current and future projects, while putting the spotlight on Le Pavillon, a Michelin-starred treasure in Boulud’s international collection of exceptional culinary destinations. Open since the spring of 2021 in the newly erected One Vanderbilt skyscraper in New York City—site of the highly sought-after SUMMIT observation deck—the French restaurant is waking up Midtown, revealing yet another facet of the Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur. 

Introduce our readers to the experience at Le Pavillon.

Le Pavillon is a glamorous place that embodies simplicity, elegance and refinement. It is an oasis of peace in a very busy corner of Manhattan, designed by Brazilian architect Isay Weinfeld to combine New York energy with serenity provided by lush greenery and foliage. Half of the restaurant is a living garden, while the other half—a dining room—overlooks the trees and bushes. A magnificent hand-blown glass chandelier by artist Andy Paiko is suspended from cables 75 feet above a bar area fitted with a gold and deep blue glass countertop. Beautiful rustic stone floors lie underfoot and the light from a bay window overlooking Grand Central Station, Park Avenue and the Chrysler Building changes throughout the day.

 

© Thomas Schauer

© Thomas Schauer

 

The menu changes seasonally—one dish is replaced every week—and is centred around seafood and vegetables, with a few meat propositions. There is a beautiful wine list that includes an incredible selection of champagne. One dish that has never changed is the Huitre Vanderbilt: a poached Maine oyster in a creamy velouté with leeks and hazelnuts, topped with an herbaceous seaweed and hazelnut crust. With this special dish, best served with champagne, we are able to pay homage to the man who built Grand Central Station and the Grand Central Oyster Bar.

 

© Thomas Schauer

© Thomas Schauer

 

Describe the relationship between the restaurant and its neighbourhood.

Many of our clients travel to New York from around the world to see the opera, the ballet or the philharmonic. Dining with us adds another layer of pleasure to their trip. We’ve been part of the city for a long time, offering several dining options in different parts of the city. One Vanderbilt and Le Pavillon have transformed Midtown into another exciting area to visit for great food in a majestic building that anchors the epicentre of Manhattan.

What are some of your other recent projects in New York City?

We just opened a very refined ten-seat Japanese restaurant called Jōji. It is located underground beneath One Vanderbilt, and is directly connected to Grand Central Station. Next to it is Jōji Box, which is a fantastic takeout concept. We also have a new charming Bouchon Lyonnais called Le Gratin, located in The Beekman Hotel next to the World Trade Center and Wall Street.

How do you approach innovation while preserving culinary tradition?

Innovation comes with teamwork, as we travel, meet with our suppliers, and talk to our chefs and managers. It comes from reading, studying and sometimes just following a gut feeling and sheer creativity, sometimes borrowing flavours outside of French cuisine to complement it. I enjoy being creative, but within a functional context that makes sense, one of balance and logic, adapting classic combinations of flavours and ingredients to create new tastes and textures.

What does exceptional service mean to you?

Genuine hospitality is something we strive to bring to every one of our restaurants. It is knowledge, confidence, a sense of perfection offered for the passion and pleasure of giving it. My friend Will Guidara, who just published a book called Unreasonable Hospitality, says, “Service is black and white, but hospitality is colour.” This means you can learn the theory behind great service, but without energy, kindness and care, you end up with a waiter who knows everything but is not capable of connecting with people. Our responsibility is to make guests feel comfortable and happy, respecting the pace and experience that they wish to have.

What does it take to achieve excellence in the industry?

A lot of work, sacrifice and a great team that will help you achieve your goals. For a chef and restaurateur at my level, all of the effort has to be for the sake of doing a very good job and making something that people will remember. Yes, it’s a business, but if money were the only objective, I would definitely be doing something else.

What can you tell us about your future projects?

I’m working on a new project that will be coming to the Mandarin Oriental Residences in Los Angeles and Café Boulud will be reopening at Blantyre, a boutique hotel in Lenox, Massachusetts. We are strengthening existing projects in Manhattan, and continuing our collaborations with my real estate partner SL Green, for whom we manage the catering division.

 

Our greatest focus is preparing for the 30th anniversary celebration of Daniel restaurant, scheduled for late next spring. All our restaurants are very important to me, my customers, and my team, but Daniel remains the flagship, my home base, and this anniversary is a big milestone.

 

 

© Eunji Paula Kim Photo

 

Cover: © Thomas Schauer

Writer: Jennifer Laoun-Rubenstein

The Made in Lucerne brand is renewing its Manero Flyback line. These models complete with complications embrace a cosmopolitan spirit well suited to the new reality of our time. Let’s take a closer look at this sporty-chic and elegantly optimistic series.

 

In collaboration with Europa Star

 

Carl F. Bucherer’s messaging around the brand’s new Manero Flyback models is all about the concept of the “cosmopolitan”. In the literal sense, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, this term refers to “someone who has experience of many different parts of the world,” or alternatively, “containing people and things from many different parts of the world.” From very early on, the Lucerne brand saw itself as a cosmopolitan company, deeply rooted in the heart of Switzerland, yet at “at home” anywhere in the world.

 

 

As CEO Sascha Moeri points out: “Being cosmopolitan means above all having the ability to feel at home anywhere in the world. In 1888, Carl-Friedrich Bucherer laid the foundation not only for our brand but also for a cosmopolitan, international corporate culture. His sons, Carl Eduard and Ernst, travelled the world, studied abroad, opened the first branch in Berlin in 1913 and expanded to South America just a few years later, and yet always remained loyal to their home in Lucerne. Today, being cosmopolitan means going about your daily life with style, dynamism and open-mindedness, wherever you are.”

 

“Being cosmopolitan means above all having the ability to feel at home anywhere in the world.”
– Sascha Moeri, CEO of Carl F. Bucherer

 

 

The collection proposed by Carl F. Bucherer offers an invitation to play with the notion of time—via the flyback function, i.e. the ability to reset and restart the timer with a simple touch—and is aimed at those who continue to dream of travelling through the mechanical time machine on their wrist…

 

The spirit of the collection is also reflected in the diversity of its models. The Manero Flyback range, already enriched with two bright blue models, now offers three further variants on a metal bracelet. The versatility of design options in this collection keeps growing. The line positions itself as a key “sport-chic” model for Carl F. Bucherer with the addition of new stainless steel bracelets, a very strong trend in watchmaking. “With these bracelets, we are bringing a sporty yet elegant accent to the wrist,” says Sascha Moeri.

 

 

These metal bracelets with their high-grade stainless steel links and nine interlocking elements were created specifically to give the Manero Flyback a completely new look. In fact, this addition is a perfect illustration of the adage “minimal change, maximum effect”, in the way they bring a more casual look to a line known for its formal elegance.

 

The dial itself combines great coherence (notably through the two symmetrical above the date window) with a keen sense of detail in the tachometric scale encircling it. The versatile line of distinctive 43 mm chronographs offers five different dial colours, ensuring “cosmopolitans” will find their ideal companion.

 

The retro “wink” embodied in the mushroom pushers accentuates the personality of this aesthetically pleasing flyback chrono model. Indeed, although releasing a sport-chic model is a tempting exercise for many brands, because it is very fashionable, it can also be fraught with peril, as many examples of communications backlashes show.

 

 

With these new additions, thirteen versions of the Manero Flyback are now available, in pink gold or steel, with five different dial variants and colours, and a leather or textile strap or steel bracelet. The line is increasingly asserting itself as a mainstay of the Carl F. Bucherer brand, with a price point starting at just over US$6,000.

 

Let’s not forget that Carl F. Bucherer has invested considerably in recent years to become autonomous in terms of movement production, through its facilities in Lengnau. The result can be found at the heart of this Manero Flyback, equipped with the CFB 1970 automatic calibre with 42-hour power reserve.

 

In what is a highly competitive environment, the Lucerne brand’s chosen strategy is to focus on selected key complications, and explore all their possibilities. This applies both to the flyback chronograph of this collection and to the brand’s exhaustive work on the peripheral rotor, of which Carl F. Bucherer has become a recognized specialist. “With its technical sophistication, multi-faceted design and cosmopolitan charm, the Manero Flyback is a shining example of the Made of Lucerne horological art that we wish to offer,” concludes Sascha Moeri.

 

In what is a highly competitive environment, the Lucerne brand’s chosen strategy is to focus on selected key complications, and explore all their possibilities.

 

MOVEMENT Automatic, CFB 1970 caliber, diameter 30.4 mm, height 7.9 mm, 25 jewels, power reserve 42 hours. FUNCTIONS Chronograph: minutes and quarter-second counters, flyback, tachymeter; date, hour, minute, small seconds CASE Stainless steel, double-domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides, case back with sapphire crystal, water-resistant to 30 m (3 bar), diameter 43 mm, height 14.45 mm DIAL Silver, blue-grey, black, blue BRACELET Stainless steel PRICE US$6,600

 

www.europastar.com

 

Text: Serge Maillard