A new Harry Winston limited edition watch has gone on sale as part of the jewellery house’s efforts to help in the worldwide find a cure for AIDS.

The Countdown to a Cure timepiece was launched to commemorate Harry Winston’s second year of partnership with amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research. 

It was unveiled at amfAR’s annual gala in New York, US, on February 10, which was also sponsored by Harry Winston.

Designed exclusively for amfAR’s Countdown to a Cure campaign, this limited edition timepiece, of 20 men’s and 20 women’s models, is the first official product to benefit amfAR’s efforts to develop the scientific basis of a cure for HIV by 2020.

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus, the virus that can lead to AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). 

The Countdown to a Cure timepiece will be sold exclusively at Harry Winston salons worldwide, with 20 per cent of the retail sales price from each timepiece benefitting amfAR.

Part of Harry Winston’s Midnight Collection, the men’s version features a 42-mm white gold case with a navy blue dial that is accented with a multicolor gradient, representing amfAR’s Countdown to a Cure campaign colours that symbolise the fade of the disease from crisis to cure, while the 32-mm women’s model is meticulously set with 12 brilliant-cut diamonds and 19 vivid gemstones, from rubies and sapphires to spessartite garnets.

In January 2015, Harry Winston announced a three-year partnership with amfAR, in support of the organization’s mission to end the global AIDS epidemic through innovative research, and its Countdown to a Cure initiative, which is aimed at developing the scientific basis for a cure by 2020. 

Launched in February 2014, the Countdown is designed to intensify amfAR’s cure-focused HIV research programme through strategic investments of $100 million over the next five years.

Harry Winston’s support for amfAR marks the brand’s first collaboration with a global organisation, signifying not only its expanding presence, but also its increased philanthropic commitment to vital causes that affect millions of people worldwide.

“We are proud to introduce the new Countdown to a Cure timepiece and further strengthen our commitment to amfAR,” says Nayla Hayek, CEO of Harry Winston, Inc. “Through Harry Winston’s support, amfAR has been able to make significant research investments into cutting-edge research studies that address the remaining roadblocks to a cure. It is our hope that through our continued partnership, amfAR will be able to advance its efforts to end the global HIV/AIDS epidemic, giving millions of individuals around the world a more brilliant and healthy future.”

“We are deeply grateful to our friends at Harry Winston for their partnership and support,” says Kevin Robert Frost, CEO of amfAR. “The AIDS epidemic continues to take lives with every passing minute, so the Countdown to a Cure timepiece is a fitting symbol of the urgency with which we’re pursuing our goal of a cure for HIV.”


EXHIBITION

Meanwhile, tourists visiting Geneva this week and the next still have a chance to see a new Harry Winston exhibition currently under way in the Swiss city. 

Showcasing its most iconic and beloved fine jewellery and timepiece designs, the Facets of Harry Winston exhibition explores the brand’s more than 80 year-long history, highlighting the achievements and definitive moments that have helped to shape its legacy as one of the most prestigious brands within the luxury industry today. 

Bringing to life the wisdom, wit, and insights originally instilled by its founder, the exhibition takes audiences on a journey into the history of the brand. Dedicated areas recall the house’s most timeless tradition of quality, without compromise, showcasing its spectacular high jewelry creations and innovative timepiece designs, from the magnificent Métiers d’Arts models, to spectacular Histoire de Tourbillon, to the highly acclaimed Opus 14.

At the centre of the exhibition are the façades of Harry Winston’s Fifth Avenue flagship salon on Fifth Avenue in New York in the US, and its Geneva manufacture, which serve as a visual vault, displaying a selection of emblematic timepieces, important dates, anecdotes and images from the brand’s inception through present day, and underscore its legacy as the “Jeweler to the Stars”, and undisputed “King of Diamonds.”

The exhibition opened on January 19 at the Cité du Temps exhibition centre and runs until February 21.