SJX
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IWC gala at SIHH, "The Crossing", with Elle MacPherson and other guests
Press release: Joseph Fiennes wows guests at IWC Schaffhausen gala "The Crossing"
Geneva, 8 April 2008. The gala event organized by IWC Schaffhausen at the SIHH watch show in Geneva to showcase its latest models has become something of a tradition. This year, too, an illustrious gathering of guests from all over the world witnessed an unforgettable evening. Its simple title was "The Crossing". And the centrepiece of the evening was a multi media performance entitled "Minutes of a Separation" produced specially for this event by the Sydney Theatre Company with the participation of Cate Blanchett.
IWC CEO Georges Kern
The prologue to any big event is the red carpet. And the 1700 guests who walked it at the IWC gala included some very illustrious names. Oscar winning actor Kevin Spacey headed up the acting contingent, which among many others also included Christopher Lambert, Jean Reno and Sebastian Koch. Fellow actors Rinko Kikuchi, Kiichi Nakai and Hiroyuki Sanada, who had flown in from Japan and Chang Chen from Hong Kong, Dick Lee from Singapore, likewise attracted a barrage of flashlights. Singers Lenny Kravitz and Ronan Keating, David Tao from Taiwan, environmental activist David de Rothschild and cult author Paolo Coelho had also decided they were not going to miss out on this particular Crossing. Onlookers were equally impressed by the presence of football stars Zinédine Zidane and Luis Figo and Laureus legends Boris Becker, Nadja Comaneci, Ed Moses, Ilie Nastase and David Douillet.
Elle MacPherson
"The Crossing" took guests on an unforgettable trip back in time to the early days of IWC in Schaffhausen. For it is now almost a century-and-a-half since a young American engineer and watchmaker by the name of Florentine Ariosto Jones dreamt of fusing traditional Swiss watch making with American industrial expertise. In spring 1868, he set off on a journey that ended in Schaffhausen and made that dream come true. The stylish new timepieces presented by IWC in Geneva are very much a part of this story. For this particular anniversary, IWC has taken six milestone models from its long history and brought them back up to date in the new Vintage collection. Host and IWC CEO Georges Kern and presenter Tanja Bülter opened the curtain on the evening's glittering events with a fascinating film about the new historic models from IWC.
Before walking the red carpet and being admitted to the Geneva Arena, guests had to present an invitation in the form of F.A. Jones' original passport. When they entered, the sight that confronted them was little short of breathtaking. An enormous harbour scene in the style of 1868, complete with wagons, coaches and crates, as well as a swarm of sailors in contemporary dress had been set up: just the kind of thing Jones may have experienced when he boarded ship in Boston. The big difference here, however, was the fact that the passengers who embarked on the SV Scafusia were not subjected to weeks of being tossed to and fro by the Atlantic waves but treated to outstanding cuisine and a fabulous state-of-the-art multimedia show.
The highlight of the evening was a 15-minute multimedia theatre production, "Minutes of Separation", produced exclusively for the event by the Sydney Theatre Company. Cate Blanchett's contribution to the piece, which had been filmed in advance, was projected onto a screen at the centre of the spectacular live performance. The production centres on the relationship between IWC founders, F.A. Jones (played by Joseph Fiennes) and his pregnant wife (played by Cate Blanchett). The story revolves around the emotional rollercoaster that was the dangerous journey, over land and sea to an uncertain future, as well as the dramatic arrival in Schaffhausen. In the stirring finale, the award-winning Australian physical theatre group "Legs on the Wall" put on one of the sensuous aerial acrobatic performances for which they are renowned.
The magnificent gala evening was rounded off fittingly by the First Lady of Canadian rock 'n' roll and seven-time Grammy Award-winner Alanis Morissette, who put on a fabulous performance for IWC's guests with an exclusive preview of some of the songs from her latest album.
Photographic material relating to “The Crossing” will be freely available online after the event at www.image.net . If you are not already registered, you must do so by accessing www.image.net and by clicking on “register”. Select the category “Fashion” to gain access to the photographs.
Footage shot to broadcast news standards will be available for TV stations to download on Wednesday April 9th at approximately 4am CET on www.iwcbroadcast.com . The footage will also be available via APTN Feeds or Beta SP.
Transmission for Asia:
09.04.2008 01.15–01.30 GMT
09.15–09.30 GMT
Transmission for Europe:
09.04.2008 07.00–07.15 GMT
19.15–19.30 GMT
This message has been edited by SJX on 2008-04-14 05:08:58