Waking up in the morning, I practically leapt out of bed, barely containing my excitement for the day ahead. Heading up to Luzern by train is a pleasurable experience, and in just a few hours I had arrived in the quaint city of Luzern. I joined a small group of journalists at the meeting spot by the pier, where a beautiful wooden motorboat awaited to whisk us away to the exquisite Park Hotel Vitznau.
A flute of champagne, too many pictures to count and a 45-minute-of-soaking-in-the-breathtaking-scenery-on-the-boat ride later, we arrived at the hotel and were immediately struck with awe by the beauty of the location. The five-star hotel, nestled at the edge of Lake Lucerne, felt like a palace from a fairy tale (I had to pinch myself a couple of times, to make sure it was all real!).
We were greeted by the welcoming Carl F. Bucherer team, and the ambiance was set with another glass of champagne in hand (I don’t mind if I do!) and seated in a room overlooking the shore for an afternoon tea and press conference.
The Manta Trust
Without missing a beat, Bex Carter, Director of Operations of the Manta Trust, gave us an instructive and fascinating presentation about manta rays. I knew very little about them until then and was astonished to find out that these boneless and graceful creatures can fully leap out of the water, live up to 40 years and dive down to 700 meters under the water.
A fun fact about them is that they are highly sociable, complex, curious and intelligent creatures. The Manta Trust team was able to witness this firsthand on one of their trips when they spotted a manta ray caught in a fishing net. They immediately went to help set it free. As they were cutting the ropes and helping to untangle the knots, the manta ray seemed to understand what was going on and that it was being helped. So, it moved this way and that way to help make the untangling easier. And then, once it was free, instead of darting off into the open sea, it stuck around and swam with the people who helped save its life. A heartwarming story!
Sadly, these incredible beings are now listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List due to overfishing for their gill plates.
In order to help bring awareness to these largely unknown creatures, The Manta Trust, a UK-based organization, seeks to bring together manta ray researchers from all over the world. Carl F. Bucherer was very taken by their mission and has been supporting them since 2013. The organization’s latest expedition was a two-week scientific research trip to Ecuador, entirely funded by Carl F. Bucherer, that gathered 16 researchers from around the globe. Despite many obstacles (exacerbated by climate change), the team was able to spot more than 100 manta rays and successfully perform, among many other things, two contactless underwater ultrasound scans on pregnant manta rays to better understand their elusive reproductive patterns.
The Patravi Scubatec Verde
In honour of the Manta Trust’s work and latest expedition, Carl F. Bucherer has crafted a limited-edition timepiece, the new Patravi ScubaTec Verde, to support the organization’s work. Its green hue mirrors the nutrient-rich colour of the Pacific Ocean just off Ecuador’s coast. Designed for delving into the depths, this stainless-steel timepiece boasts water resistance up to 500 metres, a screw-down crown, an automatic helium valve, and a unidirectional timing bezel, catering to the needs of both professional and recreational divers. Inspired by these magical creatures, the 44.6mm watch's caseback features engravings of giant oceanic manta rays. The dedication to ocean conservation is further emphasized by the green rubber strap with an inlay made of recycled PET (every little bit helps!) and the fact that a contribution will be made to the Manta Trust for each watch sold.
The diving lesson
After hearing tales of Renato Benino’s (Chief Sales Officer of the brand) trip to the Maldives swimming with the manta rays, we were all wishing we could jump in the water too. Luckily, there was a surprise waiting for us as the highlight of the day was a private diving lesson with the Peakdivers diving company.
Dressed up in Carl F. Bucherer attire and geared up with snorkels and fins, we headed to the heated outdoor infinity pool. But not before we chose our favorite ScubaTec watch and strapped it on to try it out underwater. Naturally, I went with the new Patravi ScubaTec Verde and was immediately taken by the intricate wave pattern on the green lacquered dial. After introductory instructions and safety checks, we turned the unidirectional bezel of our watches to keep track of our time underwater, and set off. We had a fun time kicking around in the water, trying different breathing exercises and exploring every inch of the pool. We put on our best modelling-underwater faces for the Carl F. Bucherer team watching and snapping pictures of us through a glass window from inside the hotel.
After the dive, with the sun setting slowly over the hills, we enjoyed the warm pool and view of the lake, a refreshing glass of fresh juice in hand. A final moment of luxury before bidding farewell to an unforgettable day.
