LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world’s leading luxury Group, has just announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire the Hublot Group, a high-end range watchmaker riding the crest of very strong growth.

LVMH will acquire Hublot from Carlo Crocco, Founder-Chairman who established the premium brand in 1980 and a company partly controlled by the veteran Jean-Claude Biver, CEO, who has managed Hublot since 2004.

Key officials from both Hublot and LVMH unanimously welcomed the merger. In separate statements released, Founder-Chairman Carlo Crocco, CEO Jean-Claude Biver and Philippe Pascal, CEO, LVMH’s Watches & Jewellery Business Group expressed their appreciation of the deal and expressed their eagerness to work closely with each other to ensure mutual growth and further advancement of the watch brand and the holding company. 

Hublot, renowned for its iconic Big Bang collection, offers a range of exceptional watches made from ingeniously fused materials. Recently, Hublot launched a new Big Bang collection for women at Baselworld 2008.

Hublot’s growing footprint spans worldwide and the company has registered strong growth in the Middle East, the Far East, North America and key European markets.

Harry Winston & the Time Aeon Foundation, a non-profit organization, have recently announced an international competition that will support novice independent watchmakers and help make their creative ideas a timepiece reality. In line with this objective, Harry Winston & Time Aeon Foundation will identify promising, independent watchmakers and provide him / her with the necessary resources—training, financing & tools, to develop, produce and small series of Harry Winston watches.

The joint announcement was made jointly by Thomas O’Neill, CEO, Harry Winston and Martial Fragniere, President of the Time Aeon Foundation, which was set up this year for supporting, promoting and safeguarding the art and craft of fine watch making.

A high-power delegation from the Thai Gems & Jewellery Traders Association (TGJTA), organizers of the bi-annual Bangkok Gems & Jewellery Fair (BGJF), is expected to visit Namibia, the mineral & gemstone rich country in South-West Africa in June 2008 to reach an agreement and long-term partnership for raw material imports and investment in diamond, jewellery cutting and minerals.

The Namibian Ambassador to Thailand HE Neville M. Gertze recently met with HE Mingkwan Sangsuwan, Deputy Thai Prime Minister & Commerce Minister and Khun Rachane Potjanasuntorn, Director General Department of Export Promotion.

‘The Dubai Sale’, the most significant offering of natural pearls to appear on the market for decades highlights Christie’s third sale of jewels and watches at 6.30 PM on 29 April 2008. The sale features a selection of 178 rare and important gemstones, jewellery and watches as well as examples of contemporary design and is expected to realize in excess of USD $ 20.0 million.

Among the precious items on offer is an antique nine-row pearl necklace with multi-coloured enamel and white stoned details created in 1880 and consisting of 1,888 pearls and expected to sell for as much as USD $ 120,000. The necklace was a gift to legendary Arab singer Umm Kulthum by HH Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahayan, the late President of the UAE.

Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the People’s Government of Panyu District, China, for co-operation towards the promotion of jewellery trade between the two countries, with a special focus on diamonds & coloured stones. Panyu, a district of Guangzhou situated in the Guangdong province accounts foe more than a fifth of China’s export of gold & jewellery.

The agreement was signed by Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman, DMCC and Tan Ying-Hua Party Secretary of the Panyu People’s Government.