The net income of the Paramus, New Jersey, USA-based Movado Group, designers, manufacturers and distributors of such individual brands as Movado, Ebel, Concord, Hugo Boss, Lacoste (& 4 others), plummeted 52.0 % to USD $ 1.249 million for the period Q1-2008 ending 30 April 2008. The corresponding net income for that period in 2007 was USD $ 2.4 million.

Sales were virtually unchanged at USD $ 101.353 million in Q1-2008 as against USD $ 101.363 million in Q1-2007. Gross profit was USD $ 65.020 million in Q1-2008 as against USD $ 61.652 million in Q1-2007. 2009 sales projection is estimated at between USD $ 555.0 and USD $ 565.0 million.

Scintilla Monaco’s latest creation ‘La Rose’ mesmerized in a display of brilliance and colour, revives the beauty of the rose. The alluring montage of fancy coloured and shaped diamonds are elegantly expressed in this rose-sculpted collection of jewellery. This new collection was recently unveiled at a luxurious launch party in the enchanting port of Monte Carlo in the Principality of Monaco. ‘La Rose’ is the result of a collaboration between Parisian designer Susie Otero and Scintilla Monaco and the proceeds of an auction held for the very first piece from this collection were directed towards the Princess Grace Charity Foundation.

An international media delegation was present at the ‘La Rose’ launch ceremonies, hosted by Arnaud Flambeau, the new CEO, who has been instrumental in the brand’s new style.

At a recent meeting, the ‘Steering Committee’ unanimously voted to associate 300-year old Swiss watch brand Favre Leuba with the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie. This key decision implies that Favre Leuba joins the circle of fine watchmakers that the Fondation promotes through its media vehicles.

The principal goal of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie is to encourage a joint perspective and lateral relations to promote the culture and know-how of fine watchmaking.

Al Zain Jewellery, the leading Bahrain-headquartered jewellery house in the region, has recently launched the world-famous Nanis jewellery range at its boutique located in the Kingdom’s Sheraton Hotel. The launch was presided over by Nabil Al Zain, CEO and attended by dignitaries, socialites, invitees and media personnel.

Nanis, a Vicenza, Italy-based brand of international repute that makes 18-carat gold, diamonds & natural stone pieces and specializes in the matte finishing of jewellery. It was established in 1990 by Piero Marangon and Laura Bicego and is a brand known for its unique mix of elegance and originality featured by a radical white / black visual identity.

Al Zain Jewellery is the distributor for Nanis Jewels in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Swiss watch brand Hautlence, an anagram for Neuchatel, the historic capital of the watch-making world, was founded in 2001 by five watch enthusiasts—Renaud de Retz and Guillaume Tetu along with Jean Plazenet, Jean-Christophe Chopin and Alain de Forges. In its newest releases, Hautlence applies its watchmaking creativity in the mechanism—the pathway to new concepts in reading time.

The Hautlence watch built round the calibre, has a minimalist design. It has a tonneau-shaped sapphire crystal glass fitted to the case, case band composed of a solid gold body on which the tube and crown are fit. Each watch comes with an individual guarantee certificate and the brand’s timepieces are produced in limited editions of only 88 pieces per model.