Lugano Elegance 2024. Lonville is the official timekeeper.
Posted: 25 March 2024 by: Guido Ciapponi
18 May from 10.00 -16.00 Lugano Piazza Riforma and Piazza San Carlo – 19 May from 10.00 -12.00 and 14.00 -17.00 Lugano Piazza Riforma. Full program on www.luganoelegance.com.
We are proud to be, once again, the official time keeper of Lugano Elegance. Lonville’s Joost Vreeswijk was interviewed by the official event regarding the connections of our watches with the world of classic cars – and specifically the Lugano Elegance, the official Concorso d’Eleganza of the city of Lugano, Switzerland, also home of Lonville.
The 2024 Lugano Elegance Charity Event – World-Class Classic Cars, Unique Watches, and Giving Back.
Ticino is getting ready for the Lugano Elegance event, now in its fourth year. This year’s event is already showcased as a celebration of luxury, culture, and philanthropy. Renowned for its famous lineup of internationally-acclaimed classic cars, Lugano Elegance has an ongoing partnership with the distinguished Swiss watchmaker Lonville, marking a significant impact on the Italian-speaking Swiss canton by offering a unique blend of elegance, craftsmanship, and public engagement with a charitable goal.
Lonville is the only watchmaker in Ticino and has a deep connection with the world of classic cars, and is very appealing to a clientele that cherishes uniqueness and high-end finishes in both watchmaking and classic automobiles. “Our clients are attracted by our elegant and fairly classic designs,” says Joost Vreeswijk, the founder of the company, underscoring the synergy between the owners of Lonville watches and classic cars. According to Vreeskijk, their clients seek more than luxury; they desire a personal statement, a piece of unrepeatable history crafted with the utmost dedication to quality and Swiss excellence.
Lugano Elegance is not “only a classic car show”, it is also a public event with a heart, acting as a charity platform to give back to the community. This openness invites locals and tourists alike to take part and enjoy the show, enjoying a connection with the culture and history celebrated by the event. “It is a very high-quality event with wonderful car entries,” the founder of Lonville adds, highlighting the event’s role in enhancing Lugano’s appeal as a destination for cultural and luxury tourism.
As Lugano Elegance opens its doors to the public, it invites attendees to experience the splendour of classic cars and the exquisite craftsmanship of Lonville watches, all while contributing to a charitable cause.
“We’re proud to be a part of Lugano Elegance,” says Joost Vreeswijk. “It’s a perfect match for us, and we love being involved in our local community.”
The Lugano Elegance 2024 event promises to be a great time for car enthusiasts, watch lovers, and anyone looking to enjoy a day out for a good cause.
Best of show winner of Lugano Elegance is awarded with a Lonville Rallmaster.
For more information on Lugano Elegance 2024 and to participate in this celebration of luxury and charity, please visit www.luganoelegance.com.
Follow #Lonville & #LuganoElegance on social media!
Full interview with Joost Vreeswijk, founding partner of Lonville:
Lonville watches and classic cars both value bespoke craftsmanship and target a certain type of clientele. Can you describe this clientele? Who is the owner of a Lonville watch while driving a classic car around Lugano?
As a small company we know most of our watch owners personally. Our clients are attracted foremost by our elegant and fairly classic designs, that is perhaps not a surprise given our closeness to the world of classic cars and classic boats as well. Importantly, Lonville owners value the niche nature of our watchmaking. I think here we must observe two aspects. First, with a very limited series of 18 or 88 pieces per model our customers truly experience uniqueness, they stand out from the mass-luxury market. And second, it is our complete commitment to high-end finish levels and our ‘all Swiss’ philosophy. The latter is a standard that goes beyond the Swiss-made requirement of a minimum of just 60% value added in Switzerland. Lonville owners tell us they can see, feel and sense the craftsmanship.
Both luxury watches and classic cars are more than just possessions; they’re personal statements. What strategies does Lonville use to forge an emotional connection with your customers through your products?
It comes down to owning something unique and special, something that you don’t find in any high-street. We often say unobtainable because once all 88 pieces of a series are sold, we will never make the same watch again. The parallel with classic cars is strong in this sense. You own a piece of unrepeatable history.
Then there is the mix of aesthetics and mechanics. Many classic cars are masterclasses of design, where elegant lines are housing incredible mechanics. We call on similar senses. Take our Lonville Virage Fuel Tank model. This is a double barrel, manual wound movement with a ‘fuel tank’ indicator that shows how far the movement is wound. But once that gets housed in a relatively slim hand crafted white gold case with bronze sunburst dial, well, then you can see the perfect synthesis of aesthetics and mechanics. My 1950s Jaguar gives me a similar feeling.
Lonville Virage Fuel Tank, power reserve indicator modelled after a 1950 fuel gage.
Can you share any future plans for Lonville that involve bridging the world of luxury watches with that of classic automobiles?
We are working on a new watch that takes design clues from 1920s Art Deco and the cars of the era. So while our Rallymaster is really a 1960 inspired classic car rally watch with a robust housing, the new watch is much more a “great Gatsby”, albeit a modern take on that. It is one of my favourite designs so far.
Lugano Elegance is already at its fourth edition and Lonville, the sole watchmaking company of Ticino, is a long-term partner. How do you see the benefits of events like these for the Italian-speaking Swiss canton?
The event is very much an embodiment of our philosophy and our roots. Lonville, originating from 1873 in central Switzerland, was re-born in Lugano nearly 2 decades ago. We take inspiration from the world of classic cars. And the phrase ‘elegance’ resonates with our design ethos. Lugano Elegance celebrates culture embodied in classic cars. So we like to think Lonville adds an extra local touch to that. Finally, as a niche business we believe in long term partnerships.
Benefits for Ticino? Lugano Elegance is a very high quality event with wonderful car entries. It is a real celebration of these gorgeous pieces of automobile culture and history. But, unlike some other events like this, the public is very much participating. This makes it special, this makes it unique and I can see this helps to make Lugano an attractive destination for foreign visitors too.
What would you say is the value proposition of Lugano Elegance to sponsors like Lonville?
It brings like minded, passionate people together around a common passion. It is a passion we share as Lonville so for us it is an extremely good fit, and it allows us to introduce Lonville to a wider audience. Plus, Lugano is our home so we feel this is one of the most important events for us to be part of, and that means we take our own cars too and enjoy the event fully!
