As the car slowly made its way up the long gravelled driveway, out of the darkness an impressive building that was Hopetoun House was lit up red . Stepping out , I could hear the roar from the convoy of Ferrari supercars that were halted in front of this stately home. Standing proudly in the the middle, a large sculpture in black, white and red reading ‘The Art of Fusion’.
Hublot; the luxury Swiss watch brand were hosting a fantastic evening to celebrate their brand’s motto: The Art of fusion. The Art of Fusion Tour had already taken place in eight other countries and luckily for us, it was Edinburgh’s turn. Guests were invited to this prestigious event, which was also demonstrated the partnership between Hublot and luxury jewellers, ROX.
The sound of bagpipes welcomed me into Hopetoun House and once inside, I was treated to a champagne reception complete with scrumptious canapés. This was a fantastic opportunity to wander and admire this 17th Century home. Within each room, Hublot’s watches were displayed in all their glory. With each piece, it truly showcased how their brands motto is most defensively put into practice: fusing tradition with innovation and style.
I was honoured enough to have some time to converse with Hublot’s CEO; Ricardo Guadalupe and their brand director; Benoit Lecigne. Their excitement and enthusiasm was so contagious that I found myself trying on my favourite timepiece. The Big Bang Blue demonstrates a simple yet sophisticated look. This chronograph movement had a 44mm case which was was supported by a fusion of blue rubber and alligator strap. in fact, Hublot first introduced the concept The Art of Fusion with The Big Bang, by mixing materials such as gold, ceramic, carbon fibre and rubber.
As the piper escorted us to the grand ballroom for our five course gala dinner, we were greeted with beautifully decorated tables under the twinkle of the large chandeliers overhead. The menu blended both Scottish and Swiss traditions. Having a sweet tooth myself, I especially loved the Scottish Mont Blanc; a towering dome of whisky meringue, raspberry parfait perched on a bed of oatmeal sponge.
During dinner, Pipe-Major Iain Grant recited ‘Address to a Haggis’ by Scotland’s renowned poet, Robert Burns. As tradition permits, his knife sunk into the haggis and we toasted with a deliciously smoky whiskey. As the meal came to an end, we were treated to a performance by Scottish-born singer Lewis Capaldi. Finishing the night off, we all rose from our seats and guided into the crisp autumn air outside. The red lit building provided a spectacular backdrop to a 16-piece pipe band filling the air with traditional Scottish pipe music. At such a moment, I felt extremely proud to be Scottish and to be part of such an amazing event.
So if you are looking for a gift for that special person, why not head to your nearest Rox Boutique and check out the latest stock of the Hublot watch range.
BLU BLAZER GUY 