Latest news with #Locomotive
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Japanese Watch Brand Credor Unveils a Gérald Genta–Designed Watch
This story is from an installment of In the Loupe, our weekly insider newsletter about the best of the watch world. Sign up here. On a rainy afternoon in Paris last month, Evelyne Genta, whose late husband, Gerald Genta, designed some of the Swiss watch industry's best-selling timepieces, looked down at the Japanese-made watch on her left wrist—an unusual hexagonal timepiece named the Locomotive—and remarked on how pleasant the model, which Mr. Genta designed in 1979 for Grand Seiko's sibling brand Credor, felt to the touch. More from Robb Report H. Moser & Cie. Teams Up With Alpine Motorsports on New Race-Inspired Streamliner Watches Why David Silver's New Vintage Rolex Coffee Table Book Is Essential Reading for Collectors Al Capone's Diamond-Set Patek Philippe Pocket Watch Is Headed to Auction 'It's not stiff,' she said. 'And that's important. Gerald was always very keen that the watch should be something you like to do this with.' She paused to run her fingers along the bracelet. 'It's a watch that you wear.' The couple's 35-year-old daughter Alexia, who runs the Gérald Genta Heritage Association, sat across from her mother wearing an identical timepiece. 'We're always matching in the end,' Alexia said with a laugh. 'We're like walking advertisements.' Last year, on the occasion of Credor's 50th anniversary, the brand reintroduced the Locomotive as a limited edition of 300 pieces encased in high-intensity titanium. This month, it unveiled a $12,500 regular production model that features a new honeycomb-like dial designed to evoke the green signal light of a train. Depending on the light, the hexagonal pattern appears to shimmer, changing hues from forest to grass green. For the next hour, the women, who are both based in London, sat on the second level of the Grand Seiko flagship boutique tucked into the northwest corner of Place Vendôme, and gamely answered questions about Mr. Genta's work with Credor, his love for Japanese culture, and the French slang expression that inspired the name and the ethos of the Locomotive—one of Credor's first sporty designs. ('My husband didn't name many watches, but he named this one,' Evelyne said. 'In those days, when you had a record that was famous, it became a 'locomotive.' It was about the force, the drive, the pull.') Watch lovers steeped in Genta's legacy as the designer of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the Patek Philippe Nautilus, among other iconic timepieces, may not be familiar with his work for Credor, which was founded in 1974 as the Seiko Watch Corp.'s dress watch alternative to Grand Seiko's more practical everyday timepieces. But as of this month, the brand is working hard to change that. At a dinner at the Ritz hotel in Paris, where Evelyne and Alexia served as guests of honor, Akio Naito, president of the Seiko Watch Corp., explained why hosting a Locomotive-focused event with the Gentas in Paris was all part of the brand's new strategy. 'In the last few years, there has been one question which I was constantly asked by the media: 'What are you going to do with Credor?' Of course, I hadn't forgotten about the Credor brand,' Naito said. 'It has been on my mind ever since I took charge of the watch business back in 2016. While Grand Seiko was born in 1960 as the pinnacle of all Seiko watches, and actually carries the name Seiko, Credor is, by nature, free from Seiko, and it can pursue and refine its brand value of uncompromising beauty and elegance. 'The Locomotive, of course, is an iconic model representing this freedom,' he added. 'And that's why, three years ago, I made a decision to fly from Tokyo to London to meet with Madame Genta to ask her permission for us to relaunch this beautiful design. This is for us the first step to make Credor another global luxury watch brand from Japan. I think we are on our way. And Locomotive is the engine to accelerate that path.' Credor's renewed focus on the Locomotive, which is visually similar to the one Genta designed in 1979, except for the fact that its 38.8 mm case diameter is 1 mm larger than the steel-cased original, comes at the same time the brand's distribution is widening. For the first time, Credor watches are now available for purchase outside of Japan, although with just five points of sale—including Grand Seiko's flagship boutiques in Paris and New York City—capacity is still quite limited. It's easy to imagine that interest in the model, among both Grand Seiko fans and Genta devotees, will inspire more people to explore the legendary designer's history with Credor. And yet the brand wasn't his entrée into Japanese watchmaking; rather, it was his friendship with Seiko executive Reijiro Hattori—at a time when Japanese quartz technology was all but decimating the Swiss mechanical watch industry—that paved the way for his work on the Locomotive. 'My husband went to Japan and very quickly met Mr. Hattori and started working with Seiko,' Evelyne said. 'And he developed a great personal rapport with Mr. Hattori. He started designing for Seiko, but the Swiss watch industry didn't react very well to that. Because in those days, the Japanese in the watch industry were seen as the enemy. But Gerald had no problem with that. He felt like there was space for everybody.' She said that Hattori was pivotal in her husband's evolution as a designer because after seeing some of his personal watch designs, the Seiko executive encouraged her husband to promote his own name on his watches—something the Swiss would never have done. 'And Gerald, for the first time, put his name on the dial,' Evelyne said. 'So really, this is why the link with Seiko is not just a link. There's a deep story behind it. It was a turning point, really, because afterwards, he becomes well known and everything, and it seems normal [to have his name on the dials]. But at the beginning, he kept saying to me, 'I wouldn't have dared to put my name on a watch.'' Genta's work with Credor also reflected another personal truth: 'He was passionate about Japan,' Evelyne said. 'He loved their attention to details. A garden in Japan is not an English garden, is it? The sand is all raked and everything. He would spend hours watching that.' Genta even designed watches inspired by Samurai belts. 'One day, he woke up and he decided to design them,' Evelyne said. 'I think there are six or seven of them. He never showed them to anybody. He'd wake up and think, 'I love samurais. I don't know why.' But that's the artist—there was always so much passion.' Alexia said her father loved going to Japan 'because it was probably the country that was the most outspoken about their appreciation of him,' she said. That prompted a memory of a difficult encounter with him when she was about 14 years old, and the family was living in London. 'Every time he'd come back from Japan, he would remind me that over there, they would call him 'Maestro,' Alexia said. 'And one day he told me in all seriousness, 'You can no longer call me Dad. You must call me Maestro.' You can imagine how that went down!' Now, thanks to Credor, the Gentas' long and rich history with Japan is on the cusp of a new era. 'This is an enduring friendship, a friendship that started a long time ago between a gentleman called Mr. Hattori and Mr. Genta,' Evelyne said in her closing remarks at the Ritz dinner. 'And I think it's just the beginning of the Locomotive as well. We've been very touched by the way you respected Gerald's DNA and how you've, in a way, included him in everything. The first time Mr. Naito came to me with this project, it took me all of five minutes to say, 'We're in.' And it's allowed my daughter to discover Japan. And now the whole family is involved.' She paused to raise her glass. 'I would like to drink not to the success of the Locomotive, but to the friendship,' she said. And with that, a round of cheers, santés, and kanpais erupted around the table. Best of Robb Report The 25 Greatest Independent Watchmakers in the World The 10 Most Expensive Watches Sold at Auction in the 21st Century (So Far) 11 Stunning Jewelry Moments From the 2020 Oscars Click here to read the full article.
NDTV
27-05-2025
- Business
- NDTV
PM Modi To Launch Gujarat's Urban Development Plan In Gandhinagar Today
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch Urban Development Year 2025 in Gujarat's Gandhinagar on Tuesday, marking 20 years of the state's structured and sustainable urban transformation. The event, scheduled to take place at around 11 a.m., is expected to draw wide attention as it outlines the next phase of Gujarat's urban strategy, reinforcing the state's reputation as a leader in urban planning, clean energy, and infrastructure innovation. After the programmes in Vadodara, Dahod and Kutch, landed to a warm welcome in Ahmedabad. Looking forward to joining a programme on urban development tomorrow morning at Mahatma Mandir. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 26, 2025 PM Modi is also scheduled to address the gathering, which will include top state officials, urban planners, and stakeholders from across sectors. The Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for several critical projects related to urban development, healthcare, and water supply. The State Clean Air Programme, which aims to tackle air pollution through a multi-sectoral approach, will also be launched during the event, reflecting Gujarat's commitment to sustainable and clean urban living. In a significant boost to India's Make in India initiative and rail infrastructure, PM Modi will inaugurate the Indian Railways' state-of-the-art Locomotive Manufacturing Plant at Dahod. The plant will manufacture powerful 9000 HP electric locomotives meant for both domestic operations and export. He will also flag off the first electric locomotive produced at the plant. These high-powered locomotives are expected to significantly enhance Indian Railways' freight capacity and efficiency. More than 22,000 housing units under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) will be allocated to beneficiaries, and funds totaling Rs 3,300 crore will be released to urban local bodies under the Swarnim Jayanti Mukhyamantri Shaheri Vikas Yojana. The visit underscores Gujarat's model of integrated urban development and aligns with India's larger goal of building world-class infrastructure and green mobility solutions. Earlier on Monday PM Modi addressed a road show in Bhuj, where he asserted that India maintains a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism, which Operation Sindoor has reinforced, and anyone who dares to spill Indian blood will face consequences.
Herald Sun
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Herald Sun
Wide gate threatens to derail The Locomotive in Elitlopp heat in Sweden
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Sydney Inter Dominion champion The Locomotive is ready for one of the biggest challenges in harness racing. The Goulburn-based star will have to overcome a horror barrier draw and some of the best trotters in the world to create history in Sweden on Sunday. The Locomotive will start second from the outside (gate seven) in the second of two heats of the world's best trotting race, the iconic Elitlopp at the Solvalla track in Stockholm. His trainer-driver Brad Hewitt is clear on the enormity of the challenge. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'We knew it was always going to be hard, but now he's drawn so wide, it's going to take something incredible from him to qualify for the final,' he said. The Locomotive is the fifth Australian and ninth Australasian trotter to contest the Elitlopp. No Aussie has made the final and the only Kiwi to do so was former champion mare Pride Of Petite when fourth in a heat and sixth in the 1997 final. Most recently, champion Aussie Just Believe loomed as a top four chance on the final bend before striking trouble, galloping and losing all chance in 2023. He later stamped his class with two Group 1 placings in Sweden. The Locomotive will need a top four finish in his heat to qualify for the final run three hours later. He is a $71 shot in the heat. It's the stronger of the two heats as well with boom trotter Borups Victory $2.80 equal favourite ahead of two former Elitlopp winners, Don Fanucci Zet ($2.80) and Hohneck ($4.50). The statistics underline how cruel the draw is for The Locomotive, who has won 23 of 25 starts when he has led and just one of 17 when he hasn't been in front. • 'What else am I going to do?' My Last Hooray no last hurrah for Cleary 'I'm going to be back last, I can't possibly push forward from right out there,' Hewitt said. 'What I will say is, he works well off a sit at home and I haven't had the chance to drive him that way yet. When he hasn't led for me, he's been outside the leader and he won't be there this time. 'I'm hoping he can show all that trademark speed of his at the finish, if we switch him off early and try to weave through them.' Hewitt draws hope from how well The Locomotive has settled in and worked over the past week. 'I don't think I could have him better. It's all come together in time and he's primed. He had that terrific work at Solvalla last week and then I couldn't have been happier with his last serious hit out on Monday,' he said. 'I've got a lot of faith in the horse, but he's never faced a field like this and he's going to need everything to go right. 'At least there's no pressure now. If we could somehow be the first (Aussie) to make the final, it would be amazing.' The Locomotive's heat will be shown on Sky Racing at 11.55pm Sunday. - Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp. Originally published as Star Australian trotter The Locomotive has a horror barrier in the toughest heat to qualify for the prestigious Elitlopp in Stockholm
South Wales Argus
21-05-2025
- South Wales Argus
Mother of man missing since 2007 wants ‘peace' after unidentified remains found
Terry McSpadden, a then 24-year-old father of two, was last seen on March 2 of that year after spending the evening in the Locomotive pub in Wisbech, close to the Norfolk-Cambridgeshire border. On Sunday morning, police were called to Lynn Road, Walton Highway, in Wisbech after partial human remains were found by a passer-by. A Norfolk Police spokesperson said: 'Officers are exploring a number of lines of inquiry. 'The cordon is still in place on Lynn Road and will remain for some time.' Helen Thrower, Mr McSpadden's mother, confirmed that police had contacted the family about the find. She said: 'It's too early to say whether it's Terry or not. 'Me and other people whose family members are missing, we're hoping for some peace. Until we get some identification, we can't know.' Cold case detectives launched a fresh appeal for information about the 24-year-old's disappearance, which was initially treated as a missing person's case but was later considered a murder case, in February this year. Mr McSpadden's body was never found and his hand-painted black mountain bike, which he used for local transport, was never recovered. A man was charged with murder in 2011 but the case against him was dismissed in court. Later reviews of the case and a 2014 CrimeStoppers appeal with a £5,000 reward did not generate further significant information. Andy Guy, Norfolk Police's cold case manager, said about the fresh appeal: 'Terry's family including his mother and two children have never had closure. 'They have no idea of where he is, what happened to him, or why. 'They have lived with this grief and uncertainty for 18 years. 'While this is a long time ago I have no doubt there are people out there who do know, or suspect, what happened to Terry. 'I understand that people may not have wished to engage with the police in 2007 but having knowledge of what happened to Terry may lay heavy on someone's conscience and for Terry, his mother, and children now would be the time to disclose that information. 'Terry was an attentive and loving father which makes any hypothesis that he simply upped and left the area all the more unlikely and there has been no proof of life after 2 March 2007.'
North Wales Chronicle
21-05-2025
- North Wales Chronicle
Mother of man missing since 2007 wants ‘peace' after unidentified remains found
Terry McSpadden, a then 24-year-old father of two, was last seen on March 2 of that year after spending the evening in the Locomotive pub in Wisbech, close to the Norfolk-Cambridgeshire border. On Sunday morning, police were called to Lynn Road, Walton Highway, in Wisbech after partial human remains were found by a passer-by. A Norfolk Police spokesperson said: 'Officers are exploring a number of lines of inquiry. 'The cordon is still in place on Lynn Road and will remain for some time.' Helen Thrower, Mr McSpadden's mother, confirmed that police had contacted the family about the find. She said: 'It's too early to say whether it's Terry or not. 'Me and other people whose family members are missing, we're hoping for some peace. Until we get some identification, we can't know.' Cold case detectives launched a fresh appeal for information about the 24-year-old's disappearance, which was initially treated as a missing person's case but was later considered a murder case, in February this year. Mr McSpadden's body was never found and his hand-painted black mountain bike, which he used for local transport, was never recovered. A man was charged with murder in 2011 but the case against him was dismissed in court. Later reviews of the case and a 2014 CrimeStoppers appeal with a £5,000 reward did not generate further significant information. Andy Guy, Norfolk Police's cold case manager, said about the fresh appeal: 'Terry's family including his mother and two children have never had closure. 'They have no idea of where he is, what happened to him, or why. 'They have lived with this grief and uncertainty for 18 years. 'While this is a long time ago I have no doubt there are people out there who do know, or suspect, what happened to Terry. 'I understand that people may not have wished to engage with the police in 2007 but having knowledge of what happened to Terry may lay heavy on someone's conscience and for Terry, his mother, and children now would be the time to disclose that information. 'Terry was an attentive and loving father which makes any hypothesis that he simply upped and left the area all the more unlikely and there has been no proof of life after 2 March 2007.'
