By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES
The Supersonic Concorde epitomized beauty and power. Some described the plane as a giant swan flying and many referred to it as the greatest and most glamorous civilian aircraft ever built. The plane’s technology was decades ahead of its time when it made its
first supersonic flight Oct. 1, 1969. Then on Oct. 24, 2003, the Concorde flew its last flight and all 20 planes in its fleet were retired.
British Airways has announced it is partner with luxury British watchmakers Bremont on the launch of a new limited-edition timepiece that features metal from one of the most famous and iconic planes in history.
Ahead of the airline’s centenary celebrations next year, the special edition watch was unveiled at an event in London Wednesday evening, exactly 15 years after Concorde’s official farewell was held at Heathrow on October 24, 2003. The ‘Supersonic’ contains aluminium from the G-BOAB Concorde, known as Alpha Bravo, that was donated by British Airways to Bremont to incorporate into these exclusive timepieces.
“Concorde was such a magnificent piece of engineering and will always be an important part of our heritage. We are hugely excited to have partnered with Bremont, another British brand with a history of exceptional design, as we celebrate Concorde’s 50th year and look ahead to our centenary in 2019,” Alex Cruz, British Airways’ Chairman and CEO.
“Concorde was more than just metal. She inspired pride and emotion – that is truly a rare thing. We are delighted to dedicate the Bremont Supersonic chronometer to this remarkable type and will incorporate aluminium from Concorde Alpha Bravo into the watch. The Bremont Supersonic is our unique tribute to the world’s only successful supersonic airliner; it’s an honour to work with a prestigious company such as British Airways and for them to trust us with their Concorde heritage,” Giles English, Bremont’s Co-founder, said.
The metal has been incorporated into the case back that features a description of the aircraft’s main attributes: number and registration, years of active service, number of supersonic flights as well as her top speed.
The watch will be limited to 300 steel, 100 white gold and 100 rose gold pieces, with prices starting from £9,495.
Concorde Became Status Symbol Of Rich And Famous Jet Set
Concorde soon evolved from an airplane for time-pressed business executives to a carrier catering to the jet set crowd. In the year 2000, a flight from London to New York aboard the Concorde would set you back about $5,000 for one-way fare/$10,000 round-trip. BA and Air France offered round-the-world excursions on the Concorde costing between $50,000 and $100,000. It was not unusual for a passenger to find his or herself sitting next to Diana Ross, Joan Collins, Mick Jagger, Andy Warhol, P. Diddy, Donatella Versace, Michael Jackson, Sean Connery, or David Frost. P. Diddy, the American rapper and music mogul whose real name is Sean Jean Combs, was a frequent flyer on Concorde’s New York to Paris excursion. In a September 2002 New Yorker Magazine profile on the hip hop impresario, P. Diddy apparently became annoyed with a member of his large entourage upon a Concorde flight landing at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport. The posse member had advised P. Diddy he had to dial 001 first when using his cell phone to make a call to another person with a New York cell phone also in France. “Yo, excuse me, this is my fourteenth Concorde flight. I’m an international f…ing player! I’ll tell you how to use a phone,”P. Diddy admonished.
Nick English, Bremont’s Co-founder, said: “Concorde made the dream of supersonic travel a reality. She was a landmark in aircraft design and her incredible achievements make her a classic example of British engineering at its finest.”
Parts of the proceeds from the limited-edition timepieces will be donated to the Air League Trust, an organisation that works to teach under privileged children to learn how to fly. BA said this cause is part of a wider network of charities supported by the airline, known as Flying Start.
