Available at the price of one million Swiss francsBASELWORLD 2017: Imperiali Genève unveils the Emperador cigar chest
Today, Imperiali Genève unveiled a world exclusive: the Emperador cigar chest. Thousands of hours of work, several international patents, 2,675 high-quality components, complex mechanics and the introduction of state-of-the-art technology make this the most prestigious cigar chest in the world, available at the price of one million Swiss francs.
The Emperador invites an array of superlatives; it is a project tinted with folly. The chest is much more than a luxury product; it is an experience for all five senses – a moment suspended in time available to a privileged few, as only twelve numbered pieces will be produced each year. Combined with a timepiece featuring a tourbillon, this utterly unique object marries the age-old art of Swiss watchmaking with the skills of the best experts from 27 different trades.
Behind the Emperador is Imperiali Genève, a young company aspiring to reinvent existing objects by transcending the bounds of reason. To innovate, enrich and amaze – such is their leitmotif. The extraordinary chest is the fruit of their ambitious imagination. Produced in Switzerland using noble materials, it measures 70 cm long, 45 cm wide and 30 cm high.
A masterpiece of high technology and complex mechanics The prestigious chest is crowned by a tourbillon timepiece made up of 323 parts and a ‘Clous de Paris’ guilloché dial – the work of a master watchmaker from the Swiss Jura. Meanwhile, access to the 24 exceptional Grand Cru cigars, which are wrapped in four gold leaves and arranged in individual glass tubes around this most sophisticated of creations, is protected by a personal secret code. The user simply brushes a finger over one of the nine touch buttons on the cover spelling the name ‘Imperiali’ to activate the integrated LCD display, which is invisible when the device is sleeping. He then enters his code using the golden touch buttons.
Luxurious and enriched with magnificent details, the Emperador showcases its mechanics – namely the lock and tourbillon watch mechanisms – but is careful to conceal all its electronic components. Only three indicators with mechanical hands are visible to the user. These display, in real time, the relative humidity and temperature inside the chest, the power reserve and the number of cigars remaining. In its quest for perfection and innovation, Imperiali Genève has developed the world’s first selfregulating humidity system, which requires neither water nor human intervention. It guarantees a constant humidity level of 70% and a temperature of 16 to 18 degrees Celsius, regardless of external environmental conditions. These variables can also be easily adjusted according to the user’s wishes.
The almost sacred moment of savouring a cigar is elevated by the Emperador’s three exceptional accessories, which once again perfectly combine technology and mechanics. These majestic devices are arranged in an unobtrusive drawer seamlessly incorporated into the front of the chest. The cigar cutter enables the cigar to be either mechanically cut or perforated in the manner of a punch. The table lighter and its three nozzles offer a perfect flame. Lastly, the ashtray opens by the magic of mechanics whenever a cigar is brought near.
A precious moment, an equally precious cigar
Hundreds of combinations of meticulously selected tobaccos were required to achieve the final result. Rich, complex and balanced, it is the product of the fertile plantations of the Jamastran Valley (south Honduras) and the Jalapa Valley (north Nicaragua), the El Dorado of Cuban emigrants who arrived equipped with their seeds and unparalleled knowledge.
The Emperador cigar is a premium product whose manufacture leaves nothing to chance. After 48 months of ageing, the leaves are carefully processed with the utmost respect to create an exceptional Grand Cru.