Meeting of Masters

2015 EDITION

The

TRAINING MANUAL

CONTENTS

I THE COMPANY 3

II OUR DIAMONDS 12

III CRAFTSMANSHIP 14

IV HOROLOGICAL PARTNERSHIP 19

V OUR COLLECTIONS 27

VI TECHNICAL INFORMATION 45

VII COMMUNICATION & PR 50

THE COMPANY

4

THE FOUR CORNERSTONES

I. HERITAGE

Est. 1789, Backes & Strauss is the worlds oldest Diamond Company.

II. DIAMOND-CUTTING

Masters of the art of diamond cutting and polishing with over

200 years of experience.

III. WATCHMAKING

All Backes & Strauss watches are crafted at the Franck

Muller Watchland, Switzerland.

IV. LONDON

B&S Collections celebrate London landmarks and the

Regency style.

Backes & Strauss core values are defined by 4 fundamental

cornerstones

5

50 Points of Sale worldwide Presence in 26 Countries

INTERNATIONAL POINTS OF SALE

Shop-in-shops:

Osaka (Japan)

Tokyo Ginza (Japan)

Mitsukoshi Nihon-bashi (Japan)

Riyadh (KSA)

Jeddah (KSA)

Pearl Island (Qatar)

Noblesse Kiev (Ukraine)

Hong-Kong (China)

6

Q1 2015: THE HOUSE OF BACKES & STRAUSS

The new House of Backes & Strauss at 21-22 Grosvenor St., Mayfair.

7

New Backes & Strauss counter at Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi, the Harrods of Japan

Q1 2014: MITSUKOSHI NIHONBASHI

8

New Backes & Strauss shop-in-shop in Hong Kong

Q1 2014: CAUSEWAY BAY, HONG KONG

9

New Backes & Strauss Boutique in Tokyo

Q2 2014: BACKES & STRAUSS BOUTIQUE, TOKYO

10

The New Backes & Strauss Fukuoka Boutique

Q2 2014: BACKES & STRAUSS BOUTIQUE, FUKUOKA

11

TOKYO

HONG KONG

SINGAPORE

GENEVA

NEW YORK

INTERNATIONAL SERVICE CENTRES

OUR DIAMONDS

13

B&S DIAMONDS MASTERS OF DIAMONDS

A rough diamond

It takes Backes & Strauss up to a month to choose

how best to cut a rough diamond

A Backes & Strauss diamond

and up to two months more to hand-polish the diamond to absolute perfection.

14

B&S DIAMONDS THE 4 Cs: COLOUR

15

B&S DIAMONDS THE 4 Cs: CUT

Polishers at Backes & Strauss have perfected the ideal cut and are able to obtain the best cut for the maximum beauty and brilliance of the diamond.

16

B&S DIAMONDS THE 4 Cs: CLARITY

17

B&S DIAMONDS THE 4 Cs: CARAT

Even the smallest diamond is cut by hand, respecting the 58 facets of the Ideal-Cut.

18

Hearts & Arrows

Ideal cut diamonds show the Hearts and Arrows pattern when viewed through a Hearts and Arrows

Viewer. This formation of hearts and arrows justifies the perfect symmetry and proportion of the diamond.

These diamonds are first cut to ideal proportions. Then they are cut with superior physical and

optical symmetry. Finally, they are cut to a very specific brillianteering scheme to produce the accepted

hearts and arrows pattern. The hearts and arrows pattern is the ideal cut diamond par excellence.

Arrows as viewed from the top of the diamond

Hearts as viewed from the base of the diamond

B&S DIAMONDS HEARTS & ARROWS

CRAFTSMANSHIP

20

Each Backes & Strauss watch

has at least one diamond

hand-set into the crown,

which is known as the

brands signature Jewel in

the Crown.

The crown has been designed

to look like the pavilion of a

polished diamond. The

pavilion is the lower portion

of the diamond, sometimes

referred to as the base.

The Jewel in the Crown: a Backes & Strauss signature

OUR DISTINCTION: THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN

21

A special stamping has been

designed to mirror the diamond

theme. This diamond stamping is

unique to the brand.

Every numeral and index is polished

and set by hand, as are the diamonds

on each Backes & Strauss timepiece.

The pyramids marking the seconds on

the dial are also reminiscent of a

polished diamond.

Diamond stamping dial on a Berkeley timepiece.

OUR DISTINCTION: THE DIAMOND STAMPING DIAL

22

At Backes & Strauss we are passionateabout cutting and polishing exceptionaldiamonds to perfection. Our bejewelledwatches, all hand crafted inSwitzerland, are inspired by thearchitectural elegance of 19th centuryLondon, where the story of Backes &Strauss began.

For over two centuries, Backes &Strauss has constantly looked forward,pioneering new diamond cuttingtechniques and enthralling connoisseurswith its compelling designs.

The decorated movements of a Backes & Strauss timepiece.

PERFECTION IN THE DETAIL

HOROLOGICAL PARTNERSHIP

24

Backes & Strauss, Masters of Diamonds is partnered with the Franck Muller Group, Masters of

Complications. All B&S timepieces are crafted at the Franck Muller Watchland in Switzerland.

Franck Muller recently made the most complicated watch in the world, the Aeternitas Mega 4

with 36 complications and 1483 components, priced at US $ 2.7 million.

Franck Muller Watchland, Geneva, Switzerland

B&S WATCHES FRANCK MULLER PARTNERSHIP

25

All our watches are manufactured at the

Franck Muller workshops in

Switzerland. Franck Muller is among

only a handful of watch makers that

produce every component in house to

ensure the best quality. These high

standards prevail in the production of

all Backes and Strauss watches.

There are many parallels between the

master diamond cutter and the master

watchmaker; both are supreme

craftsmen, both share the same

mathematical precision, the same

combinations of arts and science. One

works with time and the other with

light.

A Backes & Strauss master watchmaker

B&S WATCHES FRANCK MULLER PARTNERSHIP

OUR COLLECTIONS

27

The architect John Nash was commissioned by The Prince Regent in 1811 to develop a huge swathe of London, then known as Marylebone Park

Classical proportions

Bold symmetry

THE REGENT COLLECTION

28

Shaped by John Nashs greatcircular junction

Epicentre of London built in 1819

THE PICCADILLY COLLECTION

29

The Berkeley collection is inspired by one of Londons great squares, Berkeley Square.

A graceful garden in the heart of the elegant bustling Mayfair.

Berkeley Square has particular resonance for Backes & Strauss, for its great plane of trees, among the oldest in London, were planted in 1789, the year Backes & Strauss was founded.

THE BERKELEY COLLECTION

30

Backes & Strauss ultra-special masterpiece of 2015 is called the Piccadilly Princess Royal Blue, a truly magnificent wrist watch set with 245 diamonds weighing 27.60 carats and presented in a variety of exquisite cuts to create a timepiece that is not only unique, but truly spectacular from any angle.

But why, you might ask, is it called 'the Royal Blue' when every stone that adorns it is as clear as the water from the highest mountain stream? The answer is that, in the history of gemological expertise, diamonds of the purest colour were traditionally called 'Bleu Blanc' in recognition of the fact that their extreme clarity made them almost blue to the eye -much like untainted Arctic ice.

Indeed, such diamonds actually do look blue when tested with ultra-violet light - and those that adorn the bracelet, dial and case of the Piccadilly Princess Royal Blue are as 'Bleu Blanc' as you are ever likely to encounter. As with the 'Royal Colours' of last year, just five examples of the Royal Blue will be made and, by the very nature of the diamonds that are used to make them, each will be entirely unique.

THE PICCADILLY PRINCESS ROYAL BLUE

31

The master cutters, polishers and gem setters at Backes & Strauss have reached new heights in the creation of the Piccadilly Princess 'Royal Colours' which, as the name suggests, is a lady's cocktail watch bedecked in a variety of spectacular stones which reflect all the colours of the rainbow - and more.

No two examples of the Piccadilly Princess Royal Colours will be alike, nor can they be - because each watch is created using a unique hand-picked selection of white and fancy-coloured diamonds which are individually set to create an unrepeatable, one-off pattern.

Starting with a simple, 18 carat white gold case, the watch is created by hand-setting 'royal colours' diamonds of no fewer than 66 different colour hues and 10 different cuts on the dial, case and bracelet. Combining the various cuts (Baguette, Cushion, Marquise, Oval, Pear, Princess, Ascher, Emerald, Heart and Round Brilliant Cut) creates an impression of a piece that has been formed by a happy coincidence of nature, almost as if diamonds had been casually scattered across the watch.

THE PICCADILLY PRINCESS ROYAL COLOURS

32

The Harrods Princess, made exclusively for the famed luxury department store, is hand-set with 80 Gemfields Zambian emeralds and 241 natural diamonds for a total of 23.5 carats and will be unveiled at Harrods in the Fine Watch Room for the Biennale des Antiquaires exhibition.

The pice unique was crafted in Switzerland, each Gemfields emerald has been carefully selected, and cut specifically for the Harrods Princess, ensuring depth and consistency of colour, combined with Backes & Strauss signature diamonds. The white gold case is set with Ideal Cut diamonds to match the dial, and a beautifully engineered bracelet created from a series of hand-crafted links adorned with a further 136 diamonds and emeralds, alone weighing 18.6 carats.

THE HARRODS PRINCESS

33

Masters of Diamonds, Backes & Strauss unveils the Royal ASHOKA Collection, a new line of one-of-a-kind diamond watches bringing William Goldbergs exceptional ASHOKA diamonds to the world of haute horlogerie.

The inaugural piece from the collection which will be unveiled during the World Presentation of Haute Horlogerie (taking place in Japan from October 28 -31) is set with no fewer than 92 ASHOKA cut diamonds, 131 Ideal Cut diamonds and two baguette cut diamonds - making a total of 225 diamonds, one for every year that Backes & Strauss, the world's oldest diamond company, has been in existence. The total weight of diamonds used in the watch amounts to 26.21 carats.

THE ROYAL ASHOKA EMPRESS

34

In the heyday of the magnificent dandy Beau Brummell, telling the time involved more than a mere glance at the wrist - it was almost a ceremonial occasion when a gentleman gave a gentle tug on his fob chain, slowly drawing a timepiece from the depths of his waistcoat pocket before cradling it in his palm and perusing the hour at length.

That sense of tactile enjoyment which is an intrinsic part of old-world timekeeping is now revisited by Backes & Strauss in a the form of the Regent Beau Brummell Tourbillon pocket watch with a white gold case set with two rows of Baguette diamonds, with further rows of Baguette diamonds being set concentrically on the dial. The hand wound tourbillon movement features hours and minutes, as well as a date display and moon phase indication. A mere five examples will be made, each with a bespoke chain set with Ideal Cut diamonds.

THE REGENT BEAU BRUMMELL TOURBILLON POCKET WATCH

35

In days of old, the jester was no fool. A key member of a ruler's inner circle, his role was considered vital to the smooth running of the royal court, his humorous antics were often seen as the fruit of divine inspiration and his position was one of privilege. He was even required to criticise his master.

Calling the latest Backes & Strauss design the 'Royal Jester' seemed, therefore, entirely appropriate: this perfectly round, 40mm watch has a circular theme, in the centre of which a sparkling routine is performed by our very own version of the jester in the form of a single, round, Brilliant diamond weighing an impressive 1.01 carats.

THE ROYAL JESTER

36

Choose from the aforementioned diamond, or indulge in courtly colours with a central stone of intense blue, intense pink or fancy vivid yellow.

INTENSE BLUE DIAMOND INTENSE PINK DIAMOND FANCY VIVID YELLOW DIAMOND

THE ROYAL JESTER BESPOKE SERVICE

37

VICTORIA JONQUIL

VICTORIA ROSE

VICTORIA SNOWFALL

VICTORIA SUNFLOWER

This quartet of stunning interlocking heart timepieces are crafted in 18kt white or rose gold and hand set with white and natural fancy diamonds surrounding a mother-of-pearl dial.

THE VICTORIA COLLECTION

The Victoria Collection is inspired by Backes & Strauss 19th Century jewellery designs from the companys archive collection, notably the Victorian era, given a fresh and novel twist by the design team and brought to life by supreme craftsmen.

VICTORIA PRINCESS

38

THE VICTORIA BRILLIANT

The Victoria Brilliant joins the delightfully feminine Victoria Collection at the World Presentation of Haute Horlogerie 2015, giving the successful collection a new lease of life. These new scintillating timepieces builds on the elegant interlocking Hearts design, without jeopardising the playful charm of the classic collection.

Subtly reinterpreting the floral motif, the Victoria Brilliant features the addition of 12 exquisite Ideal Cut diamonds, hand-set into the loops of the interlocking Hearts by our master craftsmen. The bespoke version of Victoria Brilliant are accentuated with luscious red rubies, glimmering blue sapphires or enthralling green emeralds, infusing the timeless design with a zesty touch.

39

THE PRINCESS COLLECTION

A beautiful piece of jewellery, designed and crafted by masters. The unique skills of the watch maker, diamond polisher and jeweller have combined to create a fluid, strong, flexible hand crafted masterpiece.

The bracelet is a true masterpiece of engineering. Each link is hand-made; each diamond is handset and then joined together with the same exactitude and skill that goes to produce a Backes and Strauss watch. This elaborate but simple design, reminiscent of Backes & Strauss jewellery from the Victorian age has been restyled in a totally modern and practical way to enhance the glamour, strength and beauty of this Royal.

Backes & Strauss have perfected the Ideal-Cut diamond where all the light that enters the diamond refracts internally from 57 precisely placed facets, dispersing through the top, producing maximum fire and brilliance, perfect for a Princess.

40

And now, as more petite, ultra-elegant cocktail watches make a long-awaited return to the female wrist, the Princess is joined by the Duchess, an all-new design in the Backes & Strauss line-up which features a smaller, slimmer case and an equally tactile bracelet made from three rows of carefully selected diamonds instead of four.

The Duchess will be available either as a fully diamond-set watch or in Red Rose, Green Emerald and Blue Velvet variations, each name referring to whether the central row of the bracelet is respectively set with rubies, emeralds of sapphires to complement the 134 glittering diamonds on either side which amount to more than 16 carats.

THE DUCHESS COLLECTION

The Princess range of watches has long formed part of the core of the Backes & Strauss collection, blurring the lines between timekeeper and jewel with its beautifully engineered bracelets which are so soft and supple that they almost challenge the wearer to believe that they are made from diamonds - the hardest substance known to man.

41

THE RENAISSANCE COLLECTION

The Piccadilly Renaissance with diamond bracelets.

In the world of haute horlogerie, less is frequently seen to be more - which is undeniably the case with the exquisite 'Renaissance' collection launched by Backes & Strauss at the World Presentation of Haute Horlogerie in 2014.

Now the success of these beautifully elegant, deliciously-slim timepieces, which combine the signature look and craftsmanship of the world's oldest diamond company with the understated codes of a bygone era, has led to the creation of four new 'Renaissance' models unveiled at WPHH 2015.

42

THE PICCADILLY RENAISSANCE BAGUETTE

The Piccadilly Renaissance Baguette, a magnificent 'pice unique' which is entirely invisibly-set with baguette diamonds, further enhanced by four Kite Cut diamonds at 12, three, six and nine as hour markers.

The Piccadilly and Regent Renaissance with gold bracelets, available in white or rose gold.

43

The Royal RegentThe Royal Prince Regent

The Royal Berkeley

Limited edition of 5 pieces

Limited edition of 5 pieces

Limited edition of 15 pieces

THE ROYAL COLLECTION

44

The Berkeley PrinceThe Prince Regent

The Piccadilly PrinceLimited edition of 5 pieces

Limited edition of 50 pieces Limited edition of 5 pieces

THE ROYAL COLLECTION

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

46

READING OUR REFERENCES

RE.2833.QZ.D1R.RG.WRR

Collection:

RE: Regent

BY: Berkeley

PC: Piccadilly

VC: Victoria

Case Size

See case sizes on

page 37

Movement

QZ: Quartz

MA: Automatic

CC:

Chronograph

Diamonds:

D1R: 1 row of diamonds

D2R: 2 rows

D3R: 3 rows

BAG: Baguette

INV: Invisible

FD: Full Diamonds

Material:

RG: Rose Gold

WG: White Gold

ST: Steel

Dial:

WRR: white dial / rose roman numerals

WRA: white dial / rose arabic numerals

BRR: black dial / rose roman numerals

BRA: black dial / rose arabic numerals

CHRR: chocolate dial / rose roman numerals

CHRA: chocolate dial / rose arabic numerals

WWR: white dial / white roman numerals

WWA: white dial / white arabic numerals

BWR: black dial / white roman numerals

BWA: black dial / white arabic numerals

WBR: white dial / black roman numerals

WBA: white dial / black arabic numerlas

Diamond Dial:

DEXT: diamond dial exterior

DINT: diamond dial interior

DFULL R: diamond dial full with roman numerals

DFULL P: diamond dial full, pav

47

BACKES & STRAUSS DIALS

48

BACKES & STRAUSS WATCH STRAPS

CITES

When sourcing leather, Backes & Strauss and its suppliers adhere to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). CITES is an international agreement between governments which aims to ensure that international trade in selected species of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.www.cites.org

To ensure the leather is of top quality, the skin must only be taken from a young alligator with both strong and regular scales.

Similarly, to guarantee the leather is durable, Backes & Strauss will only use the skin from the alligator's stomach and a small section of its head.

All Backes & Strauss leather straps are made out of alligator skin.

http://www.cites.org/

49

BACKES & STRAUSS WATCH STRAPS: COLOUR SHADES

Black 2G/2M

Grey 3G/3M

Dove Grey 5G/5M

Light Grey 19G/19M

White 1G/1M

Dark Blue - 4G/4M

Navy Blue -13G/13M

Royal Blue 400G

Cobalt Blue 23G/23M

Lavender 21G/21M

Sky Blue 7G/7M

Turquoise Blue 16G/16M

Leaf Green 24G/24M

Electric Green 22G/22M

Yellow 25G/25M

Tangerine 10G/10M

Scarlet 12G/12M

Burgundy 17G/17M

(Not available in matt finish)

COMMUNICATIONS & PR

51

TAMARA ROJO

Artistic Director and Prima Ballerina of English National Ballet & Brand Ambassador of Backes & Strauss

ENGLISH NATIONAL BALLET PARTNERSHIP

Under the Artistic Directorship of Tamara Rojo, English National Ballet has increased the amount of new works it has commissioned; working on new productions with contemporary choreographers including Russell Maliphantand Akram Khan performed alongside traditional productions including Derek Deanes critically acclaimed Swan Lake and Wayne Eaglings Nutcracker.

Partnership with English National Ballet

English National Ballet is a world-class ballet company, renowned for creative excellence, innovative collaborations and engaging ways of honouring and enhancing traditional and contemporary ballet. English National Ballet aims to bring ballet to the widest possible audience, touring across the UK and internationally. In 2013/2014 English National Ballet gave over 190 performances to just under 250,000 people.

52

Backes & Strauss Floral Clock & Pop-up Stand

BACKES & STRAUSS AT HARRODS 2014

A Backes & Strauss pop-up exhibition featuring the Harrods Princess pice unique and a stunning floral clock was set up in the Fine Watch Room of Harrods for the month of October 2014.

The centrepiece on display is the Harrods Princess, a one-of-a-kind timepiece crafted exclusively for the Harrods Biennale des Antiquaires Jewellery Exhibition. Hand-set with 80 Gemfields Zambian emeralds and 241 natural diamonds, the bejewelled timepiece is a demonstration of the brands exceptional craftsmanship, capitalising on many decades of experience.

Featured at the back of the pop-up exhibition is an impressive flower clock, designed after the floral Victoria Collection. The clock takes its inspiration from "L'horloge fleurie" in Geneva, Switzerland, where every single Backes & Strauss timepiece is handcrafted. The composition of red and white roses are a tribute to the brands English heritage as Backes & Strauss marks its 200th years of presence in London, the architecture of which continues to inspire the design and style of the diamond-set wristwatches.

53

Backes & Strauss at SalonQP Gems of Time Exhibition

BACKES & STRAUSS AT SALONQP 2014

According to Caragh McKay, curator of the exhibition, it was the wealth of avant-garde designs produced this year that has been the inspiration for the exhibition.

People think the techniques of the past are always better. But in this field, the realm of the jewelled watch, brands are producing unbelievably expressive pieces with fantastic designs and wonderful gem-setting. I firmly believe that the current techniques are better than ever.

Backes & Strauss brought its master creations, the Harrods Princess and the Piccadilly Princess Royal Colours to the exhibition.

In 2014 SalonQP hosted its first dedicated jewellery exhibition one which places high-jewellery watches in a historical context, as well as displaying the enormous wealth of craftsmanship required to create these exquisite pieces.

Gems of Time will gave visitors to SalonQP an unprecedented chance to explore the world of the high-jewellery watch up close.

54

Our regularly-updated website www.backesanstrauss.com provides information on all our collections, history, heritage, press coverage and PR campaign information.

The new iPhone and iPad apps are available on the iOS App Store. Users are able to create their own timepieces thanks to a revolutionary Watch Creator developed exclusively for this application.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE & iOS APPS

http://www.backesanstrauss.com/

55

Backes & Strauss official website will continue to evolve in 2015. The new revamped website will feature an enhanced social media integration, advanced watch browser, detailed product features, nearest retailers via geolocation, and more.

The new website is expected to launch officially in Q2 2015.

NEW WEBSITE IN DEVELOPMENT

56

Our social media pages are constantly updated on:

SOCIAL MEDIA