Cartiers on hand!

Noel Thompson, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Casa de Oro Jewellers, one of Jamaica's premier in-bond stores on the north coast, has become the first to offer the French luxury brand watch Calibre de Cartier to customers.

Cartier representatives based in France and the United States were on hand at the official launch of the iconic brand at Casa de Oro, Shoppes at Rose Hall, Montego Bay, Friday, November 12. The watch, laced with 18-carat pink gold, silver dials set with a sapphire cabochon, is fetching a price of US$19,600 (J$1,685,600).

Managing director of Casa de Oro, Indru Dadlani, says he was buoyed by the possibilities presented with Jamaica being selected in the region by Cartier for the launch of its latest watch offering.

Remarked Dadlani: "Jamaica is much more attractive to luxury brands with the reduction of sales tax in the industry from 10.5 per cent to six per cent. The country's prospects as a shopping destination have improved highly."

Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith, speaking on behalf of Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, said the decision by Cartier to launch its newest timepiece on Jamaican soil, was a significant one and marks the first launch of its kind by a luxury company of its calibre in Jamaica.

"It is my sincere hope that Cartier's move will attract the attention of other manufacturers of luxury products and ultimately mark the first in a series of such product launches in Jamaica," Griffith said.

The launch, she observed, was timely, coinciding with the passage of game-changing legislation to better facilitate and regulate the operations of duty-free shopping in Jamaica.

"The changes being introduced under the Tourist Duty Free Shopping Act will advance Jamaica as we seek to reposition ourselves as a leading destination for shopping," she added.

Dadlani said Bartlett should be credited tremendously for piloting the recent Duty Free Shopping Act, placing Jamaica on equal footing with other destinations in the Caribbean.

Meanwhile, Cartier's senior vice-president of sales, Stephane Leforestier, said he knew Jamaica was not an easy market to develop luxury goods, but said there were signs that things were gradually improving.

He said Cartier was opening up a number of boutiques in the Caribbean, with the aim to build good business partnerships, adding that the Dadlanis were one of their best business partners.

Photos by Noel Thompson