Journey to Havana (via Lugano)
Back in 2015 we learned that cruise ships would soon be sailing from Miami to Havana. We work closely with cruise ship boutiques and needed to develop an amazing souvenir for what was going to be a very exciting trip. As we searched for ideas the legendary brand Cuervo y Sobrinos sprang to mind……
Cuervo y Sobrinos
Cuervo y Sobrinos (Translation: Mr. Crow & Nephews) was founded in Havana in 1882 and by the early twentieth century had become a prestigious watch-maker and jewelry store. During the 1930’s the brand thrived, living a golden age, and even developing double branded watches with Rolex, Longines and Patek Philippe. The store’s guest book documented an illustrious clientele that would include Albert Einstein, Clark Gable, Ernest Hemingway and even Winston Churchill.
The Cuervo y Sobrinos operation over 100 years ago in Havana.
Antique double-branded Cuervo y Sobrinos
Sadly 1959 would be the end of an era. After the Cuban revolution Cuervo y Sobrinos would close it’s doors. Decades later, in the Early 2000’s Italian watch expert Marzio Villa would revive Cuervo y Sobrinos and transfer production to Lugano in Switzerland.
With the help of a local historian Marzio’s team was able to access the Cuervo y Sobrinos vault and find a selection of designs, cases and movements that would become the inspiration for the modern day Cuervo y Sobrinos designs. The vault can still be seen today in Havana inside the old Cuervo y Sobrinos headquarters that today is a clothing store called Praga.
The Historic Cuervo y Sobrinos Vault - can still be seen in downtown Havana.
Today Cuervo y Sobrinos’ Swiss Manufature and Latin Heritage set it apart from every other watch brand, every watch is assembled overlooking Lake Capolago in Lugano Switzerland yet every single watch draws inspiration from a classic from the brand’s golden age.
Today all Cuervo y Sobrinos watches are assembled overlooking lake Capolago near Lugano in Switzerland.
Provenance Gems
So in 2015 we travelled to Lugano in Switzerland with the goal of making sure that the first cruise ship to sail to Havana from Miami in over 50 years would have Cuervo y Sobrinos onboard. We met the entire Cuervo y Sobrinos organization in Capolago, fell in love with every aspect of the brand and became official distributors of Cuervo y Sobrinos.
Several months later we could proudly display Cuervo y Sobrinos onboard the Fathom (previously the P&O Adonia), the first cruise ship to sail from Miami to Havana in a very long time.
Cuervo y Sobrinos proved to be an instant hit with the passengers, specially as they were able to trace Cuervo y Sobrinos’ history for themselves in old Havana.
Cuervo y Sobrinos returns to Havana onboard the Fathom in 2016
Due to the success our relationship grew and we began to display Cuervo y Sobrinos on more and more cruise ships. Today we are distributors for Cuervo y Sobrinos to North America, the Caribbean and Cruise Ship Duty Free.
Cuervo y Sobrinos watches are elegant and sophisticated, the different families of watches Historiador, Prominente, Esplendidos, Vuelo and Pirata all have their personalities yet Cuervo y Sobrinos’ design team never ceases to amaze us, they manage to keep on innovating while never losing their classic feel.
Recently the latest Cuervo y Sobrinos Churchill Limited Edition was released, in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Yalta agreement. Winston Churchill was actually a frequent visitor to Cuba and a celebrated patron of Cuervo y Sobrinos. The watch looks to be an absolute gentleman’s classic, quite possible perfect for important meetings and closing those big deals.
