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The newest countdown clock, located at Dubai Mall, is the third of three clocks – along with the Dubai Frame Countdown Clock and the Dubai International Financial Centre Countdown Clock – ticking down the hours, minutes, and seconds until the grand opening of the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA) region.
The third Countdown Clock has pride of place outside Dubai Mall, the largest shopping mall in the world by total land area (502,000 m2), and is flanked by the Burj Khalifa, the tallest structure in the world. Complementing Expo’s theme of “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”, the carefully selected location is particularly worth a visit after sunset, when the clock, the mall and the Burj Khalifa are fully illuminated.
A special occasion calls for a special edition, which is why Swatch released another four watches as part of its Expo 2020 Dubai collection exclusively available in the United Arab Emirates and online. The new models include HEKMAH (meaning “wisdom” in English), featuring a bio-sourced case, matte black strap with a calligraphic structure and a dial in Arabic font; AL-WASL (which translates to “connection” in English), whose face features the golden Expo 2020 Dubai logo, which is inspired by a 4,000-year-old ring found at an archaeological site in the Dubai desert; and two children’s Flik Flak watches, proudly displaying Expo 2020’s mascots, curious Latifa and brave Rashid.
Along with the Countdown Clocks, Swatch’s presence at Expo 2020 will be further bolstered by four physical stores. Located at the Welcome Plaza and in the Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability districts, each store has a different focus, including Swatch and art, Swatch as a brand, the innovative SwatchPAY! technology, and the brand’s use of bio-innovative materials.
At 80m2, the main store, located at the Welcome Plaza, is the largest in size. Here, visitors can learn more about the brand, design their own Swatch X You watch and even see how it is printed on-site. The other three stores are each 30m2 and share the name of the districts where they are located. Mobility gives visitors the chance to virtually explore the Swatch Art Peace Hotel and Swatch HQ, a landmark in sustainable architecture designed by Shigeru Ban. Opportunity focuses on giving local artists a platform, with the store’s facade regularly changing to display new local artwork. Finally, Sustainability shines a spotlight on bio-innovative materials, and contains interactive tables inviting guests to interact with the materials.
A World Expo event takes place every five years, providing a platform for leading-edge innovation, trailblazing invention, and inspirational thinking for the improvement of the modern world. EXPO 2020 DUBAI is the largest event ever held in the Arab world and the very first World Expo held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region.
Swatch is proud of its enduring association with World Expos, throughout the past 34 years, having been an official partner at six, including Canada in 1986, Spain in 1992, Portugal in 1998, Switzerland in 2002, China in 2010 and Italy in 2015.
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About Swatch:
An iconic provocative timepiece that saved the Swiss watch industry, thanks to its visionary founder Nicolas Hayek. Colorful, happy, loud, shrill, and forever re-interpreted in different ways. Swiss Made and, thanks to industrial production and only 51 parts, available at a democratic price. Since the “second watch” was born in March 1983, hundreds of millions have been sold. In a very short space of time Swatch has become one of the most famous brands in the world – and all the while remaining true to itself. On average, a new Swatch design is created once every one-and-a-half days, keeping time as part of a monthly or as a Special Collection. Known for revolutionary concepts, creative models, and the pleasure it takes in provocation, Swatch loves to keep on surprising its audience. Swatch watches are a popular canvas for artists working in a great range of styles, and arguably the world’s largest art gallery on the wrist. The Swatch Art Peace Hotel in Shanghai offers (artistic) freedom for artists-in-residence from all over the world. With its commitment to niche sports and the Swatch Proteam, the watchmaker has paved the way to popularity for disciplines like Freestyle Skiing, BMX, and Surfing. But be careful – Swatch is addictive: Swatch Club numbers several hundred thousand members.
© Press Release 2021
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