Hublot

Hublot Boutique Ginza Opening and Gala Dinner

1. Hublot Boutique Ginza Opening

Unfortunately it was rainy opening day. But this is the rainy season here, so it was not unexpected. I was invited to the "press view" before the official opening to find the boutique quite impressive.

There is a big screen near the door showing Hublot's various and global partnership. And there was a "special" - Trophy for 2014 World Cup Soccer! People were taking photos with the trophy - guarded in the display box and carried in the special LV box/bag (I don't know much about soccer, sorry....).

Anyway, plesae enjoy some of the photos of the store and the watches on display. I asked for a few out of the display to take photos. Cermet Aero Bang - Vendome Collection and Unico King Power Red Magic..... Boutique staff are all friendly and easy for everybody to just enter. I had been waiting for this place because now I have a place to stop by to get new models information and perhaps review it

This line seems to be a big hit around here.

Vendome Collection are available only at Hublot stores and there is a distinctive mark on it - can you see it? Cermet is back, but only at the Hublot Stores.
Aero Bang Cermet 311.BI.1190.GR

Yup, the tower in the Vendome Plaza in Paris.

Another one from Vendome Collection

Looking very good.

King Power Red Magic (Unico) 701.CI.1123.GR

The official tape cut was done after I left and these photos are courtery of Hublot.

2. Gala Dinner

Now several hours later, I was in the Mandarin Oriental Grand Ball Room to attend the Gala Dinner. It was HUGE! I was expecting in the neiborhood of 50 guests, but it was 150 and looked like a wedding party. I saw many celebrities including but not limited to a Yokozuna (Champion) Sumo Wrestler, World Champion Boxer, and many familiar faces (but since I don't watch TV much, I don't know who they really are ).

Reception

Grand Ball Room

Items to be auctioned

My table was for the media people - magazines, news papers, etc. - who sells advertisement space and idea for Hublot. The dinner was supposed to start at 7pm, but as usualy, Mr. Biver wanted to shake hands and say hello to as many guests as possible and the dinner actually started at a quarter to 8pm, but that was fine.

Yup. PuristSPro is considered "media".

Mr. Emmanuel Prat (CEO of LVMH Japan) and Mr. Ricardo Guadalupe (MD of Hublot)

Mr. Biver talking with customers before dinner.

Now the pre-dinner presentation by video and slides.

Introduction of the Boutique.

See the Sumo Wrestler in the middle?

Mr. Biver went up to the stage but he was not who he usualy was at all. He was really down, emotional, and in somber tone. He was showing respect to those victims and those who are still fighting, wishing the best for this country.
As mentioned in the press release I posted yesterday, he talked about the 10,000 sets of the color pen for the children in the disaster area most of who lost parents, brothers, sisters, or grand parents because children are the hope for the future.
The representative of the NPO was among the guest and she was so grateful. She and some Hublot staff actually went to the area with the color pen sets (she goes various places up there every weekend to help children) and gave the pen to the children.

The only available space for kids and staff to play with the pen together was a small gymnasium of a school, which had been used as a morgue for a while - and many of those children met their late parents, brothers, sisters, or friends for the last time there. You know, story like this may be a bit too much for you and I apologize, but we have been hearing these real stories almost everyday and it is so real, so please bear with me.

At first, needless to say, it was not planned and the atmorphere was awkward to say the least. But after a while, they started playing and smiling and laughing. Please see some of the slides. Whatever you may know or think of Hublot, this was touching. Touching for all the guests (some were in tears). NPO rep lady was saying thank you almost in tears as well. I am sure Hublot will keep sending gifts to these children, and I thank you for that.

The smiles of these children are truly priceless.

Now Mr. Emmanuel Prat, CEO of LVMH Japan, gave a toast and the dinner begins. The food was so nice that I forgot to take photos of most of them, sorry...

Appetizer...

...and dessert... sorry.

And it was the time for charity auction. All will be donated through Japan Red Cross. There were five items. I will just tell you the results:

Item #1 Basket ball signed by Miami Heat players - JPY135,000 (USD1,700)

Item #2 Signed uniform of Dwayne Wade - JPY90,000 (USD1,125)

Item #3 Racing Suit signed by many F1 pilots - JPY850,000 (USD10,625)

Item #4 Yet-to-be-delivered pair of shoes signed by Maradona - JPY200,000 (USD2,500) (will he really deliver???

Item #5 Japanese umbrella of the Sumo Champion "Hakuhou" - JPY300,000 (USD3,750) won by Mr. Biver himself.

And the last item, but was not auctioned on site - will be auctioned online - go to Hublot HP.
King Power Red Devil 3, Serial Number 000/500

Glass of the soccer pitch is used on the bar index!

Congrats to those who won. It was a huge event, but Mr. Biver was energetic as usual and we had fun (and some tears). Oh, by the way, Mr. Guadalupe told me that there will be a surprise toward the end of the year - but I can't tell you here

That's it. I hope you enjoyed the opening and the dinner as much as I did.

Special thanks to Hublot Japan Staff. Thank you very much!