RAYMOND WEIL CELEBRATES
FORTY YEARS WITH THE FAB FOUR
To celebrate its 40th anniversary this year, Raymond Weil has created a unique
maestro Beatles Limited Edition timepiece, paying tribute to the greatest music
band of all time.
“We could not feel more proud to associate our Brand name with the exceptional Beatles,” said Elie Bernheim, Raymond Weil CEO. “Raymond Weil has always
been closely linked with music, our dear source of inspiration since our early days.
We are overjoyed to once again honor great music legends this year and celebrate
our 40th anniversary with the Fab Four!”
The commemorative timepiece features an automatic mechanical movement
housed in a 39.5mm polished steel case. The thirteen Beatles’ album titles are written around the dial, with as special “Help” index at 4 o’clock that recalls the cover
of the iconic album released in 1965. The silver galvanic dial reveals the official
Beatles logo and a date window at 3 o’clock while the caseback is equipped with a
smoked sapphire crystal that bears the official Beatles logo and the limited edition
number engraved. Produced in a limited series of 3,000 pieces, the watch comes
on a matching polished steel bracelet.
SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST WITH BELL & ROSS
On November 21, 2015, acrobat pilot Rodrigo Ibarguen took a Navajo plane on a test flight over the city of Guatemala. Other than a light rain, all systems
seemed normal when the aircraft reached an altitude of 10,000 feet fifteen minutes into the flight. Then suddenly without warning, the right engine blew out
and Ibarguen and his co-pilot quickly started losing altitude over a city with more than a million inhabitants. His 36-year career as a pilot was immediately put
to the test and with only split seconds to react, Ibarguen guided the plane to an intersection that was fortuitously clear of people and traffic, and plunged to
the ground.
Once the plane crash landed on the street, the mangled fuselage became a death tr ap for Ibarguen. He could not get out and the plane started to catch on
fire. His co-pilot managed to escape but Ibarguen was wedged inside, the flames starting to reach him. With the help of the rescue workers, he was finally able
to set himself free from the burning plane. His arms and legs sustained burns and he suffered some broken bones, yet he miraculously survived to tell the tale.
An avid watch aficionado, Ibarguen was wearing his Bell & Ross BR126 Vintage Chronograph that fateful day, as he does every time he flies.
“I never remove before flight. I am old school. I fly all sort of vintage planes and my Bell & Ross is my navigational tool. I need to have it with me when I fly,”
he explains. “People have their favorite trousers, their favorite shoes. I have my favorite watch.”
Like Ibarguen on that November day, his Bell & Ross Vintage BR 126 sustained some bangs and bruises, but managed to survive the impact of the crash
and is fully functioning. The only thing it needed was a power reserve adjustment. In fact, while Ibarguen was in the hospital, his favorite watch was rushed for
service and got a new ball bearing and reversing wheel. Ibarguen is still recovering from his injuries but it won’t be long before he takes his Bell & Ross BR126
on his next aviation adventure.
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