In an industry first, Chopard has pledged to use 100 per cent ethical gold, or Fairmined gold, in its jewellery and watch creations. By July this year, the luxury Swiss jeweller will have stopped using any gold that is not acquired from sustainable sources and verified as having met international best practice environmental and social standards.

“True luxury comes only when you know the handprint of your supply chain and I am very proud of our gold-sourcing programme,” said the company’s co-president and creative director, Caroline Scheufele.

The path to success, according to luxury watchmaker Breitling, is based on the power of a team, the strength of a group, and the mutual identification of a common target. As such, the Swiss brand has formed three-person squads, whose members are all recognised masters in their respective professions, to present the firm’s dynamic values in a series of advertising campaigns focused on surfers, explorers and actors.

The cinema squad features Brad Pitt, Charlize Theron, Adam Driver and Daniel Wu, while the surfers are 11-time World Surf League Champion Kelly Slater, Sally Fitzgibbons and Stephanie Gilmore. Chosen explorers are Bertrand Piccard, David de Rothschild and Inge Solheim.

See also: Baselworld Day 4: Sleek, Black And Timeless

All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen will settle for nothing less than winning the 2019 Rugby World Cup for New Zealand, but he also wants to entertain fans in the process. The brand ambassadors for watch brand Tudor did just that, keeping the ball rolling by bringing the fun and excitement of the sport to Hong Kong at the team’s coaching day in April.

The phenomenal rugby union team, with a winning Test record of more than 77 per cent, became part of Tudor’s global Born To Dare campaign, which was launched last year.

Red carpet luminary Fan Bingbing is the new global face of luxury watch brand Montblanc. Widely known as China’s Angelina Jolie, the A-list actress has starred in a number of acclaimed Chinese movies, including I Am Not Madame Bovary, as well as the Hollywood superhero blockbuster X-Men: Days of Future Past.

“Fan Bingbing is the quintessential modern woman, portraying confidence in different areas beyond acting. Her interest and knowledge comprises fashion, philanthropy and business,” says Montblanc CEO Nicolas Baretzki. “This self-confidence, determination and independence are what define the ‘Bohème spirit,’ and we are delighted to welcome Fan Bingbing to the Montblanc family.”

Siblings Presley and Kaia Gerber have been named as the two newest ambassadors for luxury watchmaker Omega, joining their mother, Cindy Crawford, the brand’s longest-serving ambassador. Presley, 18, is putting his name to the Railmaster, while Kaia, 16, is the face for the new De Ville Trésor ladies collection.

“We have always considered our Omega ambassadors to be family, so to now be working with Cindy’s children is very special,” said Omega president and CEO Raynald Aeschlimann.

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Every year the world’s top watch brands submit their finest timepieces for consideration at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG). This year’s edition is open to watches launched between March 2017 and November 2018. To participate, watch brands must submit their entries no later than June 22.

The pre-selection will be announced on September 1, and the winners will be unveiled at the awards ceremony in Geneva’s Théâtre du Léman on November 9. The GPHG features two new prizes this year—the Challenge Prize, reserved for watches retailing at less than US$4,000, and the Audacity Prize, which rewards a bold approach to watchmaking.

Ahead of the finale of the UEFA Champions League, Hublot and football legend and brand ambassador Pelé have unveiled the tournament’s new official licensed watch. In the hallmark blue hue of the soccer competition, the Classic Fusion Chronograph UEFA Champions League comes with a 45mm case of polished and satin-finished ceramic engraved with “Limited Edition” on the back.

The blue sunray dial displays the UEFA Champions League logo at 3 o’clock and a date window at 6. Completing the signature look is a blue alligator leather strap with white top stitching.

In the vintage watch market, the Rolex Unicorn is the holy grail. Made specially for a German customer in 1970, the watch has an unusual and unique white-gold bracelet.

The one-off Daytona, along with 31 other examples of Rolex’s signature chronograph, went under the hammer at auction house Phillips in association with Bacs & Russo on May 12 for over CHF 5.9 million, more than its initial estimate of CHF 3 million. All proceeds from the sale of the Unicorn has been donated to the Children Action Foundation in Geneva.

See also: The Mythical Rolex "Unicorn" Is Up For Auction—With A Starting Bid Of Over US$3 Million

The venerable Florentine watchmaker Officine Panerai has launched a new social media project that highlights four distinctive characteristics of the brand—Light, Design, Sea, and Innovation.

Described by Panerai’s CEO, Angelo Bonati, as “a contemporary exploration of the identity of the brand,” Panerai Traits is presented in four consecutive chapters, each of which features a unique personality—American photographer Jason M Peterson, yatzer.com founder Costas Voyatzis, world free-diving champion Guillaume Néry, and restaurateur Massimo Bottura, the chef patron of three-Michelin-starred Osteria Francescana.

Centred on a short film and enriched by digital content, each chapter is showcased on the Panerai Traits website, as well as on the brand’s official social media channels and the talents’ Instagram accounts.

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