AudemarsPiguet celebrated the 50th anniversary of mythical Hotel Byblos during the holiday week-end with a joint event in Saint-Tropez where the new Royal Oak Offshore Summer Editions were presented for the first time. Legendary World and Olympics judo champion Teddy Riner, ambassador of AudemarsPiguet, joined Antoine Chevanne, owner of Hotel Byblos, François-Henry Bennahmias, Chief Executive Officer of AudemarsPiguet and Nicolas Besançon, CEO of AudemarsPiguet France, to celebrate this new milestone.
Antoine Chevanne remembers: “The cooperation began two years ago when I met with François-Henry at the AudemarsPiguet manufacture in Le Brassus. I presented the Byblos Exclusive Series’ concept to him and he immediately loved it before deciding to rename it ‘B.A.P’ (pronounced Be Happy) for ‘Byblos – Audemars – Piguet’.” François-Henry Bennahmias agrees: “Antoine and I got on really well from the moment we met. Not only is he a watch lover, but there was this instantaneous dynamic between the two of us with a similar vision of the future. We had to be a part of all this, you can’t miss Hotel Byblos turning 50 years young!”
The new Royal Oak Offshore models launched for Hotel Byblos’ celebration were created in two versions: a women’s diamond set version in stainless steel and a men’s piece in rose gold. Both feature a case back engraved with the hotel’s anniversary dates and its coat of arms depicting the myth of the Byblos: the abduction of Europa by Zeus.
Antoine Chevanne and François-Henry Bennahmias both said: “The Byblos and AudemarsPiguet share a passion for forward-thinking while never losing sight of their heritage. We are now looking forward to the next 50 years!”
