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Fawaz Gruosi T he flamboyant and expertly crafted artwork created by Fawaz Gruosi and his company de Grisogono, is not limited to high jewellery. The company deftly pursues a philosophy of haute couture craftsmanship, accepting no compromise in creating products that evoke a baroque-contemporary lifestyle. The high jewellery tradition of the company is firmly rooted in Geneva and goes back to the dawn of the Renaissance. Indeed, goldsmiths and jewellers fromGeneva were renowned all over Europe, hundreds of years before the first jewellers were established in Paris at the Place Vendôme. With roots like these, it’s not surprising the company nurtures and pursues big dreams. When the brand launched their first timepieces at the turn of the millennium, it was clear they intended to stand out in the same way they do with their jewellery collections. The creations from de Grisogono remain radical. Time can be expressed in so many ways: in numbers or mathematical codes, it can vanish, hide, reappear, be playful or precious, or appear in a simple or a complex form – the possibilities are endless. The timepieces from de Grisogono can be characterised as mischievous and bold, eager to stand out because they clearly distinguish themselves from others in size as well as design. While they are certainly not for everybody, they still show great respect for the artisanal know-how of Swiss traditions in their exclusive designs and in the production standards. The general thrust with the watches is reinterpreted sizes, reworked shapes and redesigned functions, all infused with a very contemporary spirit. As the creator Fawaz Gruosi himself states, “I admit, these watches are very different, but it is exactly their difference that allows them to claim their excellence. They must be earned, because they are the result of a watchmaking process and technique that developed over a long time, preceded by deGRISOGONO 9 2 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I