Jeweler's Eye-popping Watch is Love Letter to Albania

The timepiece, worth roughly $1.4 million, is set to face off against the best watches from across the world at the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix in November. ADNAN BECI / AFP
The timepiece, worth roughly $1.4 million, is set to face off against the best watches from across the world at the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix in November. ADNAN BECI / AFP
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Jeweler's Eye-popping Watch is Love Letter to Albania

The timepiece, worth roughly $1.4 million, is set to face off against the best watches from across the world at the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix in November. ADNAN BECI / AFP
The timepiece, worth roughly $1.4 million, is set to face off against the best watches from across the world at the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix in November. ADNAN BECI / AFP

Albanian jeweler Pirro Ruco labored day and night for five years to capture the essence of his country in a spectacular luxury watch.
Now the timepiece, worth roughly $1.4 million, is set to face off against the best watches from across the world at the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix in November, AFP said.
Set under a sapphire dome, the hours are marked by 12 golden folk dancers -- each in different regional dress -- set on Murano glass, the minute and hour hands adorned with eagle talons in homage to Albania's national symbol.
Ruco's rollercoaster rise mirrors that of Albania, from poverty and isolation as the most closed communist regime in Europe, to rollicking capitalism.
Along the way the jeweler overcame jealousy, the secret police and being sent into internal exile to rise to the pinnacle of his profession.
It all began for Pirro -- as he is known in his homeland -- in 1985 when he was asked to make a medal in red and gold bearing the head of Enver Hoxha, the paranoid dictator who ruled the small Balkan nation with an iron fist for more than four decades.
"That saved me," he told AFP from his workshop tucked away in an alley in the capital Tirana.
The medals were awarded to the regime's most loyal supporters and later caught the eye of Hoxha's wife.
The turn of fortune saw thousands more produced and worn by communist cadres across Albania.
"All the congressional delegates had to wear it. I made a name for myself with it," he said. It also saved him from the textile mills where he had been sent because his family had been deemed "rebellious".
'Priceless'
All this, however, was nearly derailed by an anonymous letter sent to authorities accusing Pirro of working with foreign agents.
He was questioned by intelligence agents and his workshop raided.
Down but not out, he was able to bounce back after crafting a ring bearing the image of the late husband of a member of the communist politburo and in July 1990 won a prize for a piece featuring Albania's 15th-century national hero Skanderberg.
But the very next day history intervened. The regime began to crumble and the collapse of Albania's communist rule in 1991 was followed by years of violent tumult as the country transitioned to a free-market economy.
Amid the ups and downs, Pirro stayed busy designing pieces for officials and celebrities.
During a trip to Basel in Switzerland in 2016, something new caught his eye.
"I wanted to make a watch. It was my new dream," he told AFP.
For the next five years, Pirro said he focused on "doing something special, Albanian, and at the same time completely new and never before seen in the watch industry."
The new timepiece which he calls Primordial Passion was designed in collaboration with the Swiss watchmaker Agenhor.
"I never wanted to make jewelry, but art," the jeweler said.
"Sculptures, images of the country, pieces of culture... This watch is the culmination of all that, of this love for Albania," he added.
"It is more than just a watch. It combines the rich heritage of ancient Albanian culture with the notion of chronometry."
Pirro refuses to divulge the methods used to craft the watch, but remains hopeful the painstaking details will be recognized by the judges at the Grand Prix in Geneva.
Several collectors have already contacted him about buying the timepiece, he said, though it would be difficult to part with his creation.
"I set a price because I had to. But for me, it is priceless."



Saudi Fashion Commission Launches Pioneering ‘Sustainable Ihram Initiative’

The initiative focuses on recycling Ihram garments. SPA
The initiative focuses on recycling Ihram garments. SPA
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Saudi Fashion Commission Launches Pioneering ‘Sustainable Ihram Initiative’

The initiative focuses on recycling Ihram garments. SPA
The initiative focuses on recycling Ihram garments. SPA

The Saudi Fashion Commission unveiled its latest sustainable initiative, the Sustainable Ihram Initiative, during a news conference at the Islamic Arts Biennale

The initiative focuses on recycling Ihram garments by collecting, sorting, and repurposing textile waste from pilgrims to create new, sustainable Ihram attire.
The Fashion Commission launched the initiative in collaboration with Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC), a leading company specializing in waste management and the circular economy, and Tadweem, a prominent company in sustainable fashion, aiming to transform used Ihram garments into new, eco-friendly Ihram clothing. The innovative process highlights the viability of textile recycling within the fashion industry and contributes to a more sustainable textile ecosystem.
Additionally, the commission partnered with SANKO Textile, a specialized group in sustainable textiles, with support from RE&UP, an innovative textile-to-textile recycling technology company, further reinforcing the environmental impact of the initiative.

The Sustainable Ihram Initiative aligns with Saudi Vision 2030’s environmental protection goals, marking a significant step toward a more sustainable fashion ecosystem in the Kingdom. It aims to promote sustainable practices, raise consumer awareness about textile recycling, and support the development of a circular textile economy in Saudi Arabia.
“The Sustainable Ihram Initiative demonstrates our commitment to innovation in sustainable practices, honoring the cultural and spiritual significance of the Ihram while safeguarding our planet for future generations,” said Saudi Fashion Commission chief executive Burak Cakmak.
He emphasized that the commission is committed to promoting a vibrant and sustainable fashion industry in the Kingdom in line with global sustainability standards, promoting conscious consumption and recycling.