Press release
Blue sky, refreshing little breeze and the beautifully prepared polo field of Smith's Lawn. On Sunday (June 13) and for DeWitt's first major event as “Official Timekeeper” of the Guards Polo Club, the setting at Windsor Great Park was just perfect for the Grand Finale of the mythical Queen's Cup. On that occasion, Jérôme de Witt had the privilege of presenting to H.M The Queen a special commemorative Dame de Pressy watch.
In front of some 8'000 spectators, the Dubai Team, led by the best player in the world Adolfo Cambiaso, clinched a 12-10 victory over Les Lions II to secure its fifth Queen's Cup trophy.
The day was all the more perfect for Adolfo Cambiaso as he notched up a record seventh win in the tournament. Together with HM The Queen, Mr Jérôme de Witt had the great honour to present Adolfo Cambiaso with the award for the « Best Playing Pony ».
After the prize giving ceremony, H.M The Queen was greeted by Mr de Witt in front of the Royal Box and presented with a commemorative DeWitt watch, specially designed for the occasion: a dazzling Dame de Pressy, fully set with diamonds and with a pink alligator strap, changed at the last moment to match the colour of the flower on her hat.
Mr de Witt showed HM The Queen the miniature logo of the Guards Polo Club, meticulously hand-reproduced on the sapphire crystal back of the watch. The “Queen's Cup 1960-2010“ Dame de Pressy will be produced in a limited edition of only 50 pieces, the first of which will now hopefully be worn by H.M The Queen on numerous occasions. Indeed, the Dame de Pressy was presented to her in an elegant white box with a discrete drawer in its bottom displaying a selection of 6 additional colour straps.
The second timepiece specially designed by DeWitt for the 50th anniversary of the Queen's Cup is a gentleman's Tourbillon watch, inspired from the new Twenty-8-Eight model. The Guards Polo Club logo is this time reproduced on a small “applique“ plate positioned on the dial. The reproduction of the logo on such a scale (8 mm) is literally a small work of art, requiring up to a week to apply the 12 different layers of colour, each one to be treated separately with a special coating.
Furthermore, Mr de Witt introduced HM The Queen to the brand's exclusive distributor for the UK, Linder Luxury, represented by Mrs Linda Balzanella and Mr Erik Meijer.
The day was coming to an end and Mr de Witt enjoyed High Tea with a couple of his guests on the lawn in front of the Marquee while the Queen drove away in her Jaguar Daimler Majestic, across the Park back to Windsor Castle, with the Dame de Pressy sitting on the back seat.
DAME DE PRESSY “QUEEN'S CUP 1960 – 2010”
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
Calibre
Movement: Mechanical, manually wound, squeleton, finely decorated by hand
Functions: Hours, minutes
Reference: DW0301
Power reserve: 40 hours
Introduction: 2010
Vibrations: 21'600 A/h
Balance: 3-armed, made in Glucidur
Spiral: Flat
Escapement: 560 angle of lift
Jewelling: 18 jewels
Diameter: 20,49 mm, H: 1,71 mm
Case
Completely paved with brilliant-cut diamonds using the “snow-setting” technique
Material: 18-carat white gold
Diameter: 30,90 mm x 37,20 mm
Total thickness: 7 mm
Crown: 18-carat white gold polished crown set with an inverted diamond
Distance between lugs: 15 mm
Case back: Sapphire crystal
Dial
Dial: Direct opening on the squeleton movement. Hand-engraved floral patterns on the two half-moons at 12 h and 6 h
Hands: Hours and Minutes: black hands in the shape of fine leaves
Wristband : Deep pink alligator leather strap
A collection of 6 additional colour leather-straps are available
Buckle: 18-carat white gold pin buckle set with brilliant-cut diamonds
Other
Water-resistance: 30 meters
Total diamond setting: 461 brilliant-cut diamonds, ~4.38 carats
(315 brilliant-cut diamonds, ~3.30 carats on the watch case)
(146 brilliant-cut diamonds ~1.08 carats on the buckle)
Brilliant-cup diamonds used for the diamond-setting of DeWitt watches are of Top Wesselton VVS Quality.
Watches set with the specific “snow-setting” technique have a variable number of diamonds and carat weight because of the different diameters of the stones used. DeWitt always communicates the minimum value in order to guarantee that the number of diamonds and the carat weight is always superior on each watch produced.
Limited edition: 50 pieces
TWENTY-8-EIGHT TOURBILLON “QUEEN'S CUP 1960 – 2010”
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
Calibre
Movement: Mechanical manually wound movement integrating a Tourbillon manufactured by DeWitt
Functions: Hours, minutes
Reference: DW8028
Power reserve: 72 hours
Introduction: 2010
Vibrations: 18'000 A/h
Balance: Variable-inertia balance
Spiral with Breguet curve sequenced at 2.5 Hz.
Escapement: 440 angle of lift
Jewelling: 19 jewels
Diameter: 14,6'' (33 mm)
Total height: 7,45 mm
Case
Round-shaped, adorned with DeWitt's imperial columns pattern on the flanks
Material: 18-carat rose gold
Diameter: 43 mm
Total thickness: 10,28 mm
Crown: 18-carat rose gold polished crown adorned with a ring made in blackened titanium featuring the “W” signature
Distance between lugs: 21 mm
Case back: Sapphire crystal, secured with screws
Dial
Refined, hand-made guilloché tapestry in the centre displaying a miniature “W” pattern. Three hand-engraved dotted circles on the periphery separating the hours, the minutes and the seconds indications.
Hands: Hours and Minutes: Open-worked hands in the shape of two-edged swords
Wristband: Mat black Alligator leather
Buckle: 18-carat rose gold, triple blade folding clasp, polished, engraved “W” signature
Other
Water-resistance: 30 meters
Limited edition: 50 pieces
