IWC channeled the dolce vita of the Italian Riviera c. 1955
at a lavish party in Geneva Tuesday night, celebrating the re-launch of its
classic Portofino collection.

Timed to coincide with the 21st Salon
International de la Haute Horlogerie, a gathering of 19 prestige watch brands
owned by or affiliated with the luxury industry holding company Financière
Richemont, the IWC gala—dubbed “A Night in Portofino”—was the latest in a series
of celebrity-studded events the brand has thrown to promote its timepieces.

The 2011 affair proved every bit as extravagant as past
celebrations. Preparations began as early as May, when the Swiss-German brand
commissioned legendary photographer Peter Lindbergh to shoot a fictional film
production set in the glamorous seaside village of Portofino, and starring (in
no particular order): Cate Blanchett, Kevin Spacey, Matthew Fox, Zinédine Zidane, Jean Reno, Boris
Becker, Elle Macpherson, Luis Figo, and Ronan Keating. Quantum of Solace
director Marc Forster served as the film’s fictional director.

Kevin Spacey (photo courtesy of
Digital News Agency)

The stars reunited with Lindbergh at Geneva’s Palexpo
convention center, where the IWC executive team—led by CEO Georges Kern—and
more than a thousand guests were invited to relive the four-day shoot, and
admire the evocative photographs that came of it.

Matthew Fox and Elle Macpherson (photo courtesy of Digital
News Agency)

The revamped Portofino collection, introduced in 1984, is
marked by oversized yet slim, sober timepieces that retail from $5,000, an
entry price for the brand.

Cate Blanchett and IWC CEO Georges Kern (photo courtesy of
Digital News Agency)

JCK