Movado, the Swiss-made luxury watch, has been named the official watch of the Kennedy Center in New York City.

“We have a very high regard for Movado’s long-standing commitment to the arts, and are very pleased to recognize Movado as the official watch of the Kennedy Center,” said Michael Kaiser, president of the Center.

As the official watch, Movado will help celebrate the arts throughout the year at the Kennedy Center, starting this month when it presented each of 2006’s Kennedy Center Honorees with a Movado M125, created for the brand’s 125th anniversary.

The Honors recipients are recognized for their lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing and are selected by the Center’s Board of Trustees. The primary criterion in the selection process is excellence.

This year’s honorees are musical theater composer and producer Andrew Lloyd Weber; conductor Zubin Mehta; country singer and songwriter Dolly Parton; film director and producer Steven Spielberg; and songwriter and producer Smokey Robinson. Efraim Grinberg, chief executive officer and president of Movado Group, Inc., gave each Honoree a Movado M125 inscribed with their name and “Kennedy Center Honoree 2006.”

“It is an extraordinary experience to be in the presence of such an accomplished and diverse group of the world’s most talented artists,” Grinberg said. “We’re privileged to have the opportunity to present them with watches to commemorate the occasion.”

JCK