You might not expect to find me at the Grand Havana Room. After all, a private cigar club is not the usual place for a woman. I must admit I do appreciate a fine cigar every now and then. Yes, I really do. However, the reason for my visit was Hublot’s New York unveiling of the King Power “Arturo Fuente” timepiece.
The Grand Havana Room is as you might imagine: men puffing on fine cigars in comfy lounge chairs, drinks in hand. Before even entering the club, you get a welcoming whiff of cigar smoke. Some don’t like the smell, I happen to find it pleasant and distinctly masculine. I enjoy the company of men so I felt right at home. And the boys graciously embraced me with open arms.
Before I knew it, a glass of champagne immediately appeared in my hand. There was lots of mingling and friendly chatter prior to a delicious three-course lunch. There’s no denying Hublot puts on a classy soiree. Cigar in hand, Mr. Carlos Fuente Junior, the owner of the brand, was also in the crowd making new friends and greeting old. He’s a dignified and warm man with stately manners. I loved the pocket square in his jacket and the hat he wore, tipped at a rakish angle.
In an interview with journalist Paula Zahn, Fuente, Jr. regaled the crowd with anecdotes about his family and their experiences in the cigar-making business in the Dominican Republic. It was almost like we were on the plantation ourselves among the tobacco plants and in the rolling rooms. To everyone’s surprise, Rudy Giuliani, former Mayor of New York City and close friend of Fuente, dropped by to say hello.
But what do watchmaking and cigars have in common? Quite a lot actually. I learned the complexities of growing tobacco and rolling cigars. When done at the highest level, as it is at Arturo Fuente, it’s a process that takes many hours and steps to produce a true handcrafted product, one that delivers to discerning connoisseurs. Though making cigars is an old art form, the brand incorporates modern tools in its production.
Hublot takes the same pride in their craftsmanship. On the King Power “Arturo Fuente” you see evidence of the same attention to detail. It has a rich brown dial reminiscent of tobacco and red accents. The 18K gold case stays true to the “Art of Fusion” with the bezel lug in black composite resin. Through constant R&D and pushing forward, Hublot continues to surprise. They invented Magic Gold—a virtually scratch proof form of the precious metal—and likewise bring the future to the past, for example, by building a minute repeater out of carbon, an industry first. Another one of the common tenets the two brands share is giving back to the community. Yes, this partnership makes good sense on all levels.
Included in the Hublot gift bag was a premium cigar, courtesy of Carlos Fuente, Jr. I stayed all afternoon long talking watches until the very last puff.
The Hublot King Power “Arturo Fuente” was made in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Arturo Fuente brand and specifically for the Opus X, considered the rarest cigar in the world. The King Power “Arturo Fuente” is offered in two limited editions: 100 of the King Gold and 200 of a King Ceramic version. It’s fitting that the “Arturo Fuente” watches will come cradled in a Macassar ebony cigar case, which includes Opus X cigars.
Meehna Goldsmith
Watch Editor