Small palm trees and bright lights lined the red carpet, rolled out on Main Street for the ribbon-cutting ceremony held at Diamonds International’s Hublot boutique Thursday evening to mark its official opening and the launch of Hublot’s newest watch, the “King Power.”
Hublot CEO Jean-Claude Biver was on hand to make the first cut, followed by Abe and Wendy Tarapani of Diamonds International, and Rick de la Croix, president of DLC Trading, which distributes Hublot in the Caribbean.
The Hublot boutique, located in downtown Charlotte Amalie, is the first of its kind in the western hemisphere. Known for its “Big Bang” collection, the company is also set to open in New York City. Biver said, “I hope it will give visitors insight into the world of Hublot. I want to believe it adds to the draw of the Virgin Islands.”
Always attracted to steam engines, Biver got his watchmaking start in 1974 after seeing a friend’s watch and being fascinated by its engine-like mechanisms. “What was an appearance like a toy,” said Biver, “transformed into a passion. That vision gave birth to the entire destiny of my life.”
Hosted by Diamonds International and the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce, the reception in the Grand Galleria, formerly The Grand Hotel, combined traditional and modern elements in true Hublot fashion. Tradition was represented by the atrium, which was transformed into a Hublot museum, while the large balcony hosted a contemporary techno lounge. Throughout the event, models wearing Hublot timepieces wove their way through the crowd.
Gov. John deJongh Jr., First Lady Cecile deJongh and Senate President Louis P. Hill were among the 100-plus partygoers who listened attentively to speeches by Abe Tarapani and Biver.
Tarapani marveled at the growth of Diamonds International, from the tiny store they opened in Drake’s Passage 21 years ago to many stores all over the world. With three years already under their belt working with Hublot, he professed his admiration for Hublot’s dynamic fusion of different materials and mechanisms.
Biver spoke to the crowd of the obligations that come with success, saying that you have to share your success with others so it can be replicated, learn to be humble, and remember to say "thank-you." Biver said, “Success is due to good health, love, and harmonic equilibrium. You must thank God for this.”
A man constantly on the go, Biver begins his work day at 3:30 a.m. In an interview earlier in the day, Biver said he learned his most important lesson from a former president of Switzerland, who told him that if he wanted to beat his competitors, he needed to work an extra two hours every day. Added up over the year, those two hours total an extra month of work each year. Biver said this was the best piece of advice he ever received and is one of the keys to his success.
In a show of appreciation to the people of the Virgin Islands, Biver presented the First Lady with a $5,000 donation to Read, Reuse & Recycle, a project deJongh has championed to improve literacy in the territory. Biver told the crowd, “If we cannot educate our children, we have no future.”
