Make Music Day takes place across the world on 21 June, the first day of summer in the northern hemisphere. The festival is generally celebrated on the Saturday nearest to the exact date, during the day and into the night, often continuing into the small hours. This year, in Switzerland, Make Music Day will be celebrated on 18 June, a few days before the summer solstice. To mark the occasion, WorldTempus looks at a selection of watchmakers that have a penchant for musical collaborations.
Raymond Weil and the Beatles
A few days before the opening of Baselworld, Geneva watchmaker Raymond Weil caused a stir by announcing a significant partnership with legendary pop group the Beatles. The influence of the British band, which formed back in 1960, continues to resonate among young and less-young rockers, and their musical approach still seems as fresh today as it did fifty years ago. With a community of more than 43 million Facebook fans, not counting the fans of each individual group member, it’s only natural that Raymond Weil should welcome a partnership with the Fab Four. The announcement was a striking way for the watchmaker to celebrate its 40th anniversary, which it also marked with a timepiece in honour of the quartet. The watch, in a limited edition of 3000, has a distinctive 1970s feel and features a number of references to the Beatles. The caseback, through which the automatic movement can be seen, is engraved with the group’s iconic logo and the limited edition number. For rock bands and watchmakers alike, it’s very important to keep time!
Zenith and the Rolling Stones
Zenith first unveiled the El Primero, the world’s first self-winding integrated chronograph movement, in 1969. Since then the movement has been reinterpreted every year to celebrate a variety of partnerships and occasions. In early 2015 it was placed in the heart of the El Primero Chronomaster 1969 Tribute to the Rolling Stones, limited to 1000 pieces. The timepiece reflects the uncompromising codes of the legendary rock group: it’s dark, modern and thoroughly badass. The hands are the in shape of the neck of the Fender Telecaster played by lead guitarist and founder member Keith Richards. The central seconds hand features a counterweight in the shape of a star. The rubber strap is customised with the British flag and the band’s tongue-and-lips logo stamped into the surface, giving it a rock-and-roll vibe the Rolling Stones are sure to approve of.
Hublot and Zermatt Unplugged
Hublot focuses mainly on sports-related partnerships – it is currently enjoying the Euro 2016 football championship as Official Timekeeper. But the Nyon-based brand is also associated with the world of music, as we can see from its über-Swiss partnership with the Zermatt Unplugged festival. The association is not a random one. Hublot has close links with the resort of Zermatt; it is a partner of the town’s tourist office, and has its own chalet boutique at the foot of the Matterhorn. So it was only natural that it should choose to support music in a place where it feels so at home. Hublot, which has partnered with Zermatt Unplugged for a number of years, is taking the opportunity this year to launch two limited editions of the Big Bang Zermatt. The Big Bang Zermatt comes in a choice of a tungsten or red gold case (150 each) with a ceramic bezel, fitted with a brown calf leather strap topstitched in beige, which gives it a raw, outdoorsy feel.
TAG Heuer and the Coachella Festival
TAG Heuer is an impressive brand. And it has an impressively diverse range of partnerships: with cultural bodies, sports, motor racing and even music. One of its most recent partnerships is with the Coachella Festival, a large-scale music festival that takes place in Indio, California, every April. The Swiss watchmaker is now Official Watch of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival.
