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In November 2021 we were queuing for check-in at Zurich Airport on our way to Dubai Watch Week, like many of our colleagues from the watch world. Suddenly Said, as he does, started chatting to a gentleman standing next to us who turned out to be a Senior Sales Director at Frederique Constant. Following a short exchange, we got invited to their launch party of the Frederique Constant Highlife Perpetual Calendar Manufacture “Year of the Fiftieth” Limited Edition which would be held at Dubai Watch Week. Already being invited to the first party so casually and before even having fetched our boarding passes, it was at this point that we noticed how special of a week would be ahead of us.
Of course we attended the launch party and enjoyed every minute of it. Not only did we get to see and try on the newly launched timepiece but we also met more people from the Frederique Constant team, including their Master Watchmaker Pim Koeslag. The next day we joined Pim for an horology master class where we got to disassemble and reassemble their brand new innovation: The Slimline Monolithic Manufacture. The star of the show, we were shown and explained, is the oscillator, made of pure silicon and literally humming away at an astonishing 288.000 vibrations per hour, 10 times the pace of conventional oscillating wheels, so we were told.
From left to right: The described blueish, pure silicone monolithic oscillator (Image by Frederique Constant) / Said reassembling the movement, just seconds before he actually broke the fragile oscillator into two pieces :'-) / The fully assembled FC Slimline Monolithic Manufacture (Image by Frederique Constant)
The Frederique Constant team really showed us love from the minute we met and so we made sure to stay in touch loosely yet frequently after the events in Dubai.
Fast forward one year later, we got to know the Managing Director for Germany, Markus Rettig, who really appreciated our ethos and passion for caring and cleaning watches. Kindly enough he lent us their flagship product HIGHLIFE WORLDTIMER MANUFACTURE and the newly launched ALPINER EXTREME AUTOMATIC from their sports watch brand Alpina. We ended up making a photo shoot with both watches and featuring our watch cleaning products.
Now, with Christmas coming up, Said, Ivan and I were wondering what we can do for our loyal community. As usual, there were lots of ideas, some simple, some a bit too crazy and only one that we all agreed on: A raffle where you could win the new Alpina Alpiner Xtreme.
Why Alpina? Alpina has always sought ways to improve how things are done, which is exactly the way we approach watch cleaning. Alpina watches are made to be worn, professional sport watches to the most exacting horological standards. We fully agree with this approach to watches - watches should never just be locked up in some safe, they should be a reliable companion on your endeavours.
So we are very excited to be able to give this Alpina Alpiner Xtreme to a lucky member of our community! Taking part is very easy and there are two ways you can take part: 1) Post a picture/video/reel on a public IG or YouTube account showing AIS product(s) in action on your watches. Tag #aiscollective and #aisyourwatch
2) Order any product(s) from our online shop and put #aisyourwatch in the “notes” field when you order
HINT: Doing both 1) and 2) will double your chances of winning.
The competition is open to virtually anyone and will continue to run until January 25th 2023. Thank you to Frederique Constant & Alpina for the great support and friendship, and thank you to our amazing AIS Collective community, for supporting us and believing in our work. Good Luck!