Patek Philippe is showcasing rare horological works of art such as pocket watches, table clocks and wristwatches that have one common theme – all feature meticulously handcrafted artwork, most of which are one-of-a-kind treasures. Such handcrafted techniques include engraving, enamelling, guilloché work, gemsetting (haute joaillerie) and wood marquetry.
This video features the rare handcrafts exhibited at the Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition held at the Sands Theatre in Marina Bay Sands Theatre that begins on 28 September 2019 and ends on 13 October 2019.
A visit to this exhibition is highly recommended as the master craftsmen and craftswomen will be on hand to demonstrate and / or explain how complex and difficult production can be.
Buying brand new watches online from authorised dealers is nothing new these days, especially from established Singapore-based retailers such as Cortina Watch (via cortinawatch.online) and Sincere Fine Watches (at sincerewatch.com).
Making online purchases of BMW accessories and parts isn’t new either. What about buying a new BMW car online from an authorised automotive dealer based in Singapore for use on the island city’s roads?
Bear in mind that cars in Singapore are generally costlier than those in other countries because of additional expenses such as the Certificate of Entitlements (COE) and Additional Registration Fees (ARF), on top of road taxes, Goods and Services Taxes (GST), customs duties and registration fees, among other things.
Buying a brand new car online from an authorised automotive dealer in Singapore is now a reality. Well, sort of.
On Monday, 9 September 2019 at 8.00 am Singapore time, the new 1 Series, also known as The 1, will also be offered online on e-commerce platform Lazada (on the BMW LazMall store at www.lazada.sg/shop/bmw) thanks to its exclusive partnership with BMW Asia and Performance Motors Limited. Performance Motors Limited (PML) which is part of the Sime Darby Group, is the authorised BMW dealer in Singapore. The BMW 1 Series was in late August 2019 launched in Singapore together with Lazada.
In actual fact, interested parties can only book the BMW through Lazada and that forms part of the purchase process. After placing a SGD500 booking fee, the customer will have to visit the PML showroom at 303 Alexandra Road to view the car and finalise the purchase.
As an incentive for early birds, the first 11 customers who book their BMW 118i M Sport cars on the BMW LazMall store will get to enjoy a special interest rate of 1.18%. The subsequent online booking fee for others will be lower at SGD118 but prevailing interest rates will apply.
This BMW Asia-PML-Lazada partnership is what is claimed as the first-of-its-kind and BMW is the first automotive brand to be listed on LazMall in Singapore.
Why has BMW Asia and Performance Motors Limited embarked on this online strategy together with Lazada for its 1 Series?
“For the first time in Singapore, we are embarking on a co-operation with Lazada to launch The 1. There are three reasons for this collaboration. Firstly, this is a piloting project together with PML to get a better understanding of our customer habits and the touch points in their journey. We also wish to bring the BMW brand to the homes of customers in comfort and convenience. Thirdly, we want to create brand awareness via the BMW LazMall to secure the desire of customers and direct them to the PML dealership in Singapore.
“This is a good way to attract young customers. The dealer plays an essential role in the entire customer journey. We aim to offer a seamless purchase experience for our customers and our team at PML is happy to welcome each and every interested party,” says Christopher Wehner, managing director, BMW Group Asia.
“Lazada’s mission and vision is to accelerate the progress in Southeast Asia through technology and commerce. This is a very unique partnership. It is the first partnership where an automotive brand is partnering with an e-commerce platform brand to launch and showcase a product – the BMW 1 Series.
“This will help accelerate the progress in Southeast Asia,” says James Chang, chief executive officer, Lazada Singapore.
Understandably, this initiative is part of Lazada’s efforts to serve 300 million shoppers in the region by 2030. With more than 1,500 international and Singapore brands offered online on its LazMall, Lazada stakes its claim as being the largest Southeast Asian virtual mall for shopper across the region.
Founded in 2012, Lazada has been actively developing its markets in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Lazada is a part of the Alibaba Group following its purchase of a controlling stake in 2016.
