Press Release: Saint-Imier (Switzerland) / Tokyo (Japan), October 14, 2011 – Longines, official timekeeper and data handler at the 43rd Artistic Gymnastics World Championships 2011 in Tokyo, is pleased to announce that the Longines Prize for Elegance has been given to the female gymnast Ana Porgras from Romania and the male gymnast Kohei Uchimura (Ana Porgras win Longines Prize) from Japan. This award decorates the athletes having demonstrated the most remarkable elegance in the course of the individual all-around finals. Ariella Kaselin, Longines Ambassador of Elegance and former gymnast was a member of the jury. Furthermore, Longines had the pleasure to present the official watch of the event, The Longines Column-Wheel Chronograph.
In gymnastics, the challenge of movement not only demands flawless execution but also grace, beauty and harmony known as “elegance”. At the 43rd Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, all participants in the individual all-around finals held on Friday October 15, were nominated for the Longines Prize for Elegance. The nominees had been evaluated according to a number of complementary criteria. In addition to technical considerations, each athlete’s performance has been judged with respect to emotional appeal, beauty, charm, charisma as well as grace and harmony of movement. Clearly, each juror has interpreted these criteria individually, yet the result is often unanimous, as it was again on this occasion.
The jury of the Longines Prize for Elegance brought together Dr. Bruno Grandi, President of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), Ariella Kaeslin, Longines Ambassador of Elegance and former Swiss gymnast, Christophe Savioz, Country Manager Swatch Group Japan, Christophe Lohse, HR Director Swatch Group Eastern Asia, Walter von Känel, President of Longines, and Amano Minoru, Brand Manager Longines Japan.
On both days, the members of the jury decided unanimously of the winner. The Longines Prize for Elegance was presented in the form of a trophy created especially for Longines by the Swiss artist Jean-Pierre Gerber. Additionally, Ana Porgras received a Longines DolceVita in steel and rose gold with diamonds and Kohei Uchimura a model of The Longines Column-Wheel Chronograph as well as a cheque for US$ 5,000 each.
The Longines Column-Wheel Chronograph that Longines presented in Tokyo typifies the brand’s slogan “Elegance is an attitude”. This model gives priority to refined and classical beauty. Its stainless steel case houses an exclusive self-winding caliber with a blue column-wheel that can be admired through the transparent back. This model displays a silvered dial with 13 indexes and offers the chronograph functions, central seconds sweep, 30-minutes and 12-hour counters. A dark brown alligator strap puts the finishing touch to this elegant watch.
Based in St. Imier in Switzerland since 1832, the watchmaker Longines can look back on more than 175 years of non-stop craftsmanship, as well as a solid heritage as timekeeper for world championships in various sports and collaborator with different international sports federations. Known for the elegance of its timepieces, Longines is a member of the Swatch Group Ltd, the World’s leading manufacturer of horological products. With the winged hourglass as its emblem, the brand has outlets in over 130 countries.
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