The House of Bovet has created a special collection of watches in partnership with the OWO Residences by Raffles, one of the most prestigious residential developments in London that will open after a transformation of the Old War Office building in Whitehall.
Bovet has been commissioned to make 18ct gold watches that will be given to buyers of the 10 most luxurious apartments run by Raffles, which is also opening a hotel at the site.
They have an exclusively created OWO dial, case and bezel decorated with a pattern based on a rose ceiling above a grand staircase in its reception.
There is also a quote from Sir Winston Churchill, who oversaw Britain’s World War II military operations from the Old War Rooms, engraved on the case back of each timepiece.
Appropriately, it reads: “We Shape Our Dwellings, and Afterwards Our Dwellings Shape Us”, a reference to the importance the prime minister placed on great architecture.
The Old War Offices have been closed and gathering dust for more than 50 years but are being redeveloped by Hinduja Group and Onex Holding into a new centre for living, entertainment, and fine dining in the heart of London.
The development will include London’s first Raffles Hotel, with 120 guest rooms, along with 85 apartments in The Residences, nine restaurants and three bars.
Prices for a two-bedroom residence in the development start from £5.8million.
The penthouse is priced at £100 million, according to The Times.
Bovet and the Hinduja Group met by chance in Monaco during the Formula 1 grand prix, where the watchmaker was exhibiting a collection of timepieces.
The Hinduja Group was looking for partners with a long tradition and reputation for hand- craftsmanship and innovation.
Bovet, it seems, fitted the brief.
“The House of Bovet and The OWO share a commitment to hand craftsmanship, attention to detail, and excellence. We are honoured and proud to be the Official Timepiece of The OWO Residences. The renovation of this iconic building is one of the most significant projects ever completed in the UK, and the beautiful timepieces created by the House of Bovet perfectly commemorate the completion of this landmark endeavour,” says Pascal Raffy, owner of Bovet.
Bovet chose its 19Thirty watch as the base model for project, and sent members of its team to visit the site in its early days of redevelopment for inspiration on how to align the special editions’ design with the architecture and history of the building.
Mr Raffy then designed the timepiece based on these details.
