Girard-Perregaux The Abduction of Europa watches created with the artist Hussein Madi

The newest creations are unique pieces from the Girard-Perregaux 1966 collection, presented at the contemporary art fair in Beirut, MENASART FAIR, which was held from 13th to 16th July, 2011. Watches are made in collaboration with a partner in Lebanon, Chronora, the exclusive and official representative and distributor of Girard-Perregaux watches in this country. The Lebanese artist Hussein Madi helped the Swiss fine watchmaking manufacture to recreate the legend of "The Abduction of Europa", and thus to support the link between East and West.

Europa is the Princess of Tyre, a Phoenician city in today’s Lebanon. In Greek mythology Europa was a Phoenician woman of high lineage, from whom the name of the continent Europe has ultimately been taken. Zeus the "Father of Gods and men" and the supreme divinity in Greek mythology, was charmed by Europa and decided to seduce or abduct her. He transformed himself into a tame white bull but when Europa caressed his flanks, and eventually got onto his back, Zeus ran to the sea and swam, to the island of Crete where he married Europa and made her the first queen.

The new watches are decorated with Madi's light, energetic painting of this myth and presented exclusively at the Beirut Contemporary Art Fair, MENASART-FAIR. Madi’s work was reproduced in miniature using the marquetry technique and painting on mother-of-pearl. Men’s watch is made in white gold and has a round case with 40 millimeters in diameter. Ladies’ watch holds the same proportions but it uses more refined and feminine pink gold for the case-material. It is also set with set with 68 diamonds, approximately weighing 1.50 carats.

Both watches are powered by the same Girard-Perregaux GP03000-0060 automatic movement, which is built on 32 jewels. It provides 46 hours of power reserve and indicates hours and minutes.

Madi had this to say about his alliance with Girard-Perregaux:
"We are all born at a certain time and we must leave this world at a certain time (which we do not know). The period between our birth and our death is Time. Our approach to this ending, I believe, explains the social and cultural developments in the world. If we do not respect it we cannot succeed. Wristwatches count down the seconds, minutes and hours that constitute our Time. Those who do not accept this are, as a result, unreliable people. Our daily life is organised around time. My time, or anyone else's time, must not be wasted… It has been a pleasure for me to create something for Girard-Perregaux. Elegance and advanced technology come together and a pure design was appropriate to add artistic value to the piece. Time is precious and so are the watches."