Wynn Magazine - Las Vegas
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/760086
hen Pasca l R a ff y f irst saw t he Château de Môt iers, he wa s sm it t en. T he 14t h- cent u r y est at e, bu i lt by R o dolphe I V, D u ke of A u s t r i a , on a h i l lt op i n Switzerland's Jura Valley, resembles a fair ytale cas- tle, and Raffy resolved to secure it a happy ending. A fter all, his connect ion to t he 62 ,0 0 0 -square-foot château was personal. In 2001, the Lebanese-born entrepreneur had plowed the fortune he had earned in pharmaceut icals into reenerg izing one of Sw it zerland's most prestig ious watchmakers, Bovet. Five years later, Raffy learned that the Château de Môtiers was for sale. The property was once home to the firm's namesake family, but financial duress forced t hem to sell it to t he local canton in the 1950s. Returning Bovet to its birthplace was the fulfillment of a long-held dream for Raffy, who practically swoons when recalling the moment he knew he could make it happen: "I was the only potential buyer in a position to ensure the long-term preser vation of this unique heritage site. It's an idyllic setting." The project was massive, with the entrepreneur investing heavily in the astonishing building's restoration while updating it so it could serve as both Bovet's worldwide headquarters and its watchmaking atelier. For the latter, he selected an area f looded with natural light that could be transformed into a hermetically sealed facility. "It had to maintain a minimum and con- stant humidity rate," he says, "as well as a pressurized atmosphere able to expel even the slightest traces of dust and impurities." No small task in a 700 -year-old castle covered by stringent historic-preservation rules. But a decade after he purchased it, the Château de Môtiers is finally complete, and Raffy relishes ever y moment he spends there: "I cherish appreciating nat ure from a ny of my w indows, which offer so ma ny different smells, sounds, and colors throughout the year." He isn't alone. Bovet's hilltop headquarters, hidden behind soaring coni- fer s, is pa r t of t he world's densest concent rat ion of lu x u r y t i mepiece workshops. So many renowned manufacturers jostle for space here that the reg ion has ea r ned t he nick na me Watch Va lley. A longside Bovet , t here's Breitling, Corum, Rolex, Patek Philippe, TAG Heuer, and Piaget, among others. Craftsmen painstakingly produce the world's finest watches while surrounded by cows grazing in fields and forests of centuries-old pine trees. Of course, Switzerland is synonymous with superior watchmaking; while t he area may produce only 3 percent of t he world's t imepieces, t hat t iny tranche is worth $24.3 billion, or as much as the other 97 percent combined. Almost all of the priciest watches created in the countr y are made in and around this valley, a 120 -mile stretch of land near Geneva in the tiny can- tons of Vaud and Neuchâtel. The watchmaking tradition began here in the 16th century, when a zeal- ous Protestant leader deemed jewelr y too papish and banned adornment, forcing goldsmiths to apply their skills elsewhere. They settled in this area, on the slopes of rugged hills, where 500 years later their descendants con- tinue to live. By the 19th centur y, firms like Bovet began to emerge (Bovet or ig i na l ly produced t i mepieces for t he na scent Ch i nese lu xu r y ma rket before becoming widely known in the West). The quality of the workman- ship encouraged more companies to move to the valley, as did the weather. The region is so cold in the winter, it has earned another nickname: Swiss Siberia. Forced to remain inside for months, craftsmen could hone their skills relentlessly, buttressing the area's reputation as a worldwide hub for premium watches. The timepieces are so special, Bovet chooses its recipient boutiques carefully. It sent the Braveheart currently on display at Wynn & Company Watches exclusively to Wynn. Visit ing in t he spring or summer, it's hard to imag ine t hat chilly land- scape. The region is postcard-pretty, with villages that seem snatched from The Sound of Music, their winding cobblestoned streets lined with half-tim- bered cottages. Auvernier is typical; its settlement dates back to the Bronze Age and its prehistoric stilt houses make it a UNESCO World Heritage site. Raffy credits this stunning setting with inspiring many of the best watches that Bovet and its counterparts produce. "The light there is unique, and W 37 left and right: Miniature paintings in progress for Bovet dials. below: A watchmaker tests the Bovet by Pininfarina OttantaTre Tourbillon.