Come together: Anna Kournikova and Martina HingisOMEGA at the inauguration of the Casino in Lugano
Prestige Swiss watchmaker OMEGA presented its jewellery collection for the first time in the Ticino. To mark the occasion, and celebrate the opening of Lugano's new casino, which was organised in conjunction with the Swatch Group, OMEGA's parent company, OMEGA brought together two of its female brand ambassadors: Anna Kournikova and Martina Hingis. The two stars unveiled a special window displaying the new jewellery at the Swatch Group's luxury "Tourbillon" store in Lugano. After the visit to the store and an autograph-signing session, the public were offered a glass of champagne and a present.
The same evening, the two tennis players visited the Lugano Casino for the official opening ceremony. Anna Kournikova and Martina Hingis wore the unique jewellery produced exclusively for them to the gala reception. Each piece was made to measure by OMEGA's own master jewellers. As its main design element, the jewellery ensemble designed for Anna Kournikova takes the familiar pyramidal hour markers found on the Constellation watches she wears, whereas the unique jewellery produced especially for Martina Hingis uses an 18-carat yellow gold tennis ball design, a natural choice that is set with jonquil diamonds forming the OMEGA symbol on the ball.
Guests at the reception were able to admire the special OMEGA Bijoux exhibition. They were also treated to a sneak preview of clips from the latest James Bond film "Die Another Day" as well as a special James Bond exhibition to coincide with the release of the latest Bond movie, scheduled for 31 January 2003 in the Ticino.
Guests also saw the crucial role that James Bond's trusty watch, the OMEGA Seamaster Professional Chronometer, plays in this 20th Bond adventure and, thanks to a thematic exhibition, learn more about the link between OMEGA, its ambassador Pierce Brosnan and his famous Seamaster watch.