SimplyAbuDhabi XII

9 6 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I W orld renowned for being flamboyant and dynamic, as well asmanufacturers of some superlative timepieces, Hublot have pulled off another big impact deal, this time signing the King of New York, iconic rapper and entrepreneur, Shawn ‘Jay Z’ Carter. This creative collaboration will yield two exceptional watches as part of the newly unveiled, ShawnCarter Collection. The limited edition collection is currently available exclusively at Barneys New York and at select Hublot boutiques around the world. The man himself said, “With this project, Barneys New York, the participating labels and I were able to take the sleekness, energy, and innovation and translate that into quality timeless pieces. Everything that encompasses a ‘New York holiday’ – the items chosen and the amazing designers that participated – represents a perfect example of a unique and groundbreaking collaboration that I hope demonstrates how inspiringNew York has been to me.” The Shawn Carter by Hublot 45mm timepieces are both mounted on black alligator straps, with one version crafted in yellow 18-karat gold and the other in black ceramic. The starburst like emblem is the official logo of the artist’s newlyminted ShawnCarter collection andwill include three additional luxury pieces: a travel humidor, cognac and fragrance. Twenty five percent of all sales from the Barneys project will go toward the ShawnCarter Scholarship Foundation. Celebrating its 10-year anniversary, the Shawn Carter Foundation is aNewYork-based charity that awards post-secondary scholarships to students facing socio-economic hardships. The CEOof Hublot, RicardoGuadalupe, was obviously elated with the deal and said, “After having been the first luxury watch brand to enter the world of soccer as Timekeeper of theWorldCup in 2010, the first to enter basketball with the partnership with Miami Heat and the LA Lakers, the first luxury watch brand to have partnered with Ferrari, we are now the first luxury watch brand to become a partner of one of the icons of music. Together with Jay Z, we believe that we have always been the first, different and unique.” The basketball connection Guadalupe is proud to mention also provided some more glamorous action recently as star player and fellow Hublot brand ambassador Kobe Bryant created a sensation in AbuDhabi, attracting many fans to the Hublot boutique when he personally presented his timepiece, the King Power Black Mamba, to a handful of highly-privileged Hublot customers invited for the occasion. He was welcomed to the event by Marco Tedeschi, Hublot Director in the Middle- East, and representatives of Al Manara International Jewellery, partners and long-time friends of the Swiss watch brand. Bryant expressed great pride at being able to present the King Power BlackMamba in AbuDhabi saying, “Mymotto is to feel confident and always on themove. This is why I did not hesitate for a second about joining the Hublot family. What is more, I love my King Power Black Mamba watch, which symbolises the combination of fine expertise used in watchmaking and my favourite sport, basketball." Hublot Director in the Middle-East, Marco Tedeschi, alongside Abdul Hamied Seddiqi, the Chairman of the Al Manara International Jewellery and Vice President of Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons announced, “We are very excited and delighted to welcome Kobe Bryant to the Hublot boutique in the Abu Dhabi Marina Mall. He perfectly represents the values that we share: Entrepreneurship, success and innovation.” To celebrate this partnership, Hublot unveiled a limited edition King Power Black Mamba, which was created specially for Bryant in Los Angeles. The collection, which is limited to just 250 pieces in the world, includes several elements in honour of Kobe's career and basketball in general. The number 24, clearly visible on the watch, was the number he wore on his shirt and the dial tinted in purple and gold celebrates the collective achievements and success of the "purple and gold dynasty" of the Los Angeles CEO of Hublot, Ricardo Guadalupe and Shawn ‘Jay Z’ Carter