Steve Huyton is an industrial designer , illustrator and author who publishes Total Design Reviews .
Meccaniche Veloci ’ s Bold Look
MY FIRST EXPERIENCE OF MECCANICHE VELOCI occurred several years ago when I visited a high-end boutique at Singapore Airport . I vividly remember seeing numerous of the brand ’ s Quattro Valvole models and being mesmerized by the bold aesthetic . These distinctive watches have four different time zones and are unlike anything else on the market .
At that stage , the company was owned by the Italian jewelry group Cielo Venezia , which had previously bought the brand from Marco Colombo . He was the visionary who originally designed the concept for the Quattro Valvole , a particular four-time-zone model that was inspired by the four-phase engine pistons of Ferrari racing cars .
THE POTENTIAL Even though Meccaniche Veloci showed enormous potential , it was never realized under the control of Cielo Venezia . For example , the brand was oblivious that high-profile celebrities like Cristiano Ronaldo who actually purchased their watches . In a world dominated by brand ambassadors , this type of oversight seems inconceivable . Fortunately , Swiss entrepreneur Cesare Cerrito could see huge potential in Mecchaniche Veloci and subsequently bought the brand in 2015 . At this point , he also shifted the operation from Milan to Geneva to utilize the latest Swiss watchmaking technology . Now the headquarters ( called MV House ) is located in a trendy warehouse located in Plan-Les-Ouates .
I discovered Meccaniche Veloci ’ s boutique during the 2015 Baselworld and was intrigued to view their new releases . Previously , I had contacted the brand numerous times without much success . That is why I was pleasantly surprised to discover Cesare Cerrito had
44 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | FALL 2021