Tuesday, December 20, 2011

JeanRichard Highlands Big Life Watch Limited Edition to Save African Elephants



At the 2012 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), JeanRichard will unveil the Highlands Big Life Limited Edition Watch.  The Limited Edition (100 pieces) support a worthy cause.  In September 2010, photographer Nick Brandt founded the Big Life Foundation in order to curtail the escalation of elephant poaching effecting the Amboseli ecosystem (2 million acre region straddling the Tanzania/ Kenya border.)   Big Life Foundation's grass roots approach has greatly reduced poaching and many poachers have been stopped; however, due to the incredible surface area of this ecosystem and insatiable demand for illegal ivory, Big Life Foundation with its 120 or so rangers, 14 outpost and 13 vehicles, still have a long way to go.  
To assist in this monumental task, JeanRichard has teamed up with Nick Brandt to create awareness of Big Life Foundation and raise money for the cause.  JeanRichard has a long history of interest in Africa's natural environment.  In the 1990's, JeanRichard captured Africa's raw unmarked beauty with the aid of Peter Beard's images.  At the beginning of this year JeanRichard unveiled a rugged watch collection - the Jean Richard Highland Sand- which is available in a dusty khaki - the color of Highlands.  It is not enough for JeanRichard to merely appreciate the beauty of Africa, now JeanRichard is taking a step to protect the African Wild Life with this Limited Edition addition to the Highland Collection. 

 The green 'tent" color bezel and rugged fabric strap is the epitome of a Safari "must have".   The large 44.5mm case is crafted from resilient sand blasted steel.  The green bezel is bi-directional sporting 12 Arabic Numeral hour markers for keeping tabs on a second time zone. A black matt dial ensures no glare from the bright African sun and luminescent coated indices and dial hands ensure maximum read out in dark African nights.  "Big Life" is marked in  bold red clearly displaying the charitable cause.  The hardy fabric strap is fastened with a PVD coated folding buckle.  

Scratch Resistant Sapphire Crystal withstands abrasions from sand or stones... and do not despair if one runs out of batteries - the Big Life Limited Edition Watch is automatic and  can be  wound by the gentle swinging motion of the wrist.  The movement runs smoothly aided by  27 jewels and oscillates at a vph of 28,000.  The movement is visible via a scratch resistant Sapphire Crystal engraved with Nick Brandt's powerful image of an elephant thundering across the desolate African plain amidst clouds of dust.
The watch is designed to accompany the wild life enthusiast on many a Safari (word derived from "Traveler" in Swahili).
 In case the perfect camera shot requires complete stillness for a number of hours, the watch is capable of  a 48 hour power reserve.  If one must wallow into a watering hole (not advisable on account of crocodiles and hippos), the watch will remain water resistant up to 100 meters or 330 feet.  

Did You Know
JeanRichard stems from a young watchmaker born in 1665 - click here to learn more about this wondrous tale.

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