Istanbul… Crossing into Europe... Day 31 Abant Lake to Istanbul

OCTOBER 10TH, 2010

Peking to Paris Motor Challenge update. More about the race here

Turkish Dancers at the Klasik Otomobil Club reception

We crossed the Bosphorous today, the bridge is regarded as the link where Europe meets Asia, and we have arrived a most comfortable hotel overlooking a blue sea at Silivri.

Every day brings us nearer to Paris and the fact that we are now in Europe brings home the remarkable effort that each and every crew has had to put in to get this far.

It has proved an easy run for most, and crews have spent the afternoon fettling cars and catching up on the laundry. Even Tim Scott made light work of today, riding his FN motorcycle. David Ingleby spent the afternoon at work in the sunshine soldering up bits of the 1914 electrics.

Craig and Nicky Marshall in Car 69, in their Dodge Coupe, are nursing a cracked piston, having experienced a remarkable engine overhaul by a local garage owner who was able to replace a bent valve – fortunately they were carrying a spare – while entertaining the couple in their home… without a word of English being spoken.

Craig and Nicky Marshall - Dodge Coupe

We have now had a chance to talk to Dave and Karen Ayre and more details have emerged on their accident the other day when the 1907 Itala spun on a wet road, damaging the front axle and bending the steering rods. No wheel came off and the car was repaired with the help of the Japanese television crew accompanying the event. The car is now back in the event.

Gerry Crown, relaxing in the hotel’s coffee-shop, is feeling pleased with the progress of his Holden, he took a relaxed view of the testing Time Trials which have been organised with the help of Turkey’s national motor-sport Federation. With a commanding lead and everything to lose in the Classic division, he decided on a softly-softly tactic and stroked the big Holden round the mountains content that the risk-taking was now over. Interestingly, all three of yesterday’s Time Trials were dominated by cars in the pre-1941 Vintageant Category.

To mark our final day in Turkey we have been entertained at a cocktail party organised by the Turkish Classic Automobile Club.

Frederique Constant Passion Awards for Charity

Frederique Constant hosted the glamorous Passion Awards for Charity Dinner at Cipriani Wall Street, awarding the American Heart Association with a $50,000 check for their charitable efforts to prevent heart disease and stroke.[[MORE]]

Frederique Constant’s Founder & CEO Peter Stas presented the check to Senior Vice President Helaine Baruch of the American Heart Association, witnessed by over 80 guests.

Just as Frederique Constant’s success was built on passion, the people behind the American Heart Association passionately go ‘the extra mile’ to keep America’s hearts healthy. Actress Candice Accola from CW’s hit show The Vampire Diaries attended to accept the check together with Helaine Baruch.

Helaine Baruch said: “Like Frederique Constant, the American Heart Association is also driven by passion. All of our work is done with one goal in mind – to create a world free of cardiovascular disease and stroke. That’s our passion.”

Candice Accola said: “This evening as we speak about passion, Frederique Constant has recognized the American Heart Association for it's passionate work in saving lives. The American Heart Association continues to remind us of the importance of keeping a healthy heart. And after all, doesn't passion come from the heart?”

The overriding factor for the success of Frederique Constant has been Passion. Passion that made Peter & his wife Aletta evolve from lovers of fine watches into global producers. This is why the company slogan has always been ‘Live your Passion’. And why for the third time, Peter & Aletta are proud to announce the Frederique Constant Passion Awards. Through these awards, they personally aim to reward charitable organizations that are driven by Passion, and celebrate and support their entrepreneurial success. The Passion Awards have evolved in to an institution through which Frederique Constant gives back to society, and namely to people that are less fortunate.

Peter Stas said: “ Driven by Passion since we started our company, Frederique Constant is very honored tonight to award the American Heart Association and their passionate projects to safe lives. We wish and hope that our donation will permit them to actualize their goal.” Winners of the previous editions of the Frédérique Constant Passion Awards are Dr. William Novick of the International Children's Heart Foundation and Mrs. Laura Cotton of the Paint a Smile Foundation.

Live your Passion!

Frederique Constant hosts glamorous dinner in New York City, celebrating the Passion Awards for Charity 2010

Geneva, June 24, 2010. Many elements inspire success. Goal, energy and ambition play their part. But the fundamental element in building a successful charity is Passion. Passion for your mission, Passion to do good, Passion to give back.

Twenty years ago, Peter & Aletta Stas started a company that was unlikely to succeed. They founded a new fine Swiss watch brand. The market for hand-made, high-value mechanical watches was dying. They were very young. And not even Swiss, but Dutch. Two decades later, Frédérique Constant is one of the main success stories within the Swiss watch industry. The company grows 25-35% annually. In 2010, with a team of just 100 people, Frederique Constant expects to produce and sell over 100,000 watches in 90 countries.

The overriding factor for this success has been Passion. Passion that made Peter & Aletta evolve from lovers of fine watches into global producers. This is why the company slogan has always been ‘Live your Passion’. And why for the third time, Peter & Aletta are proud to announce the Frederique Constant Passion Awards. Through these awards, they personally aim to reward charitable organizations that are driven by Passion, and celebrate and support their entrepreneurial success. The Passion Awards have evolved in to an institution through which Frederique Constant gives back to society, and namely to people that are less fortunate.

Winners of the previous editions of the Frédérique Constant Passion Awards are Dr. William Novick of the International Children's Heart Foundation and Mrs. Laura Cotton of the Paint a Smile Foundation.

After two memorable editions in Geneva, this year the city of cities was chosen for this very special event: New York. The prize in 2010 will include a generous donation of USD 50’000,- towards the winning charity, as well as Frédérique Constant timepieces.

The check handover will be part of the exclusive, celebratory Passion Awards for Charity dinner, hosted by Peter & Aletta Stas, and taking place in New York City on June 29th at Cipriani Wall Street. There, celebrities and other Friends of the winning charity and of the brand, will witness a presentation as well as enjoy a culinary supper.

Live your Passion

Frederique Constant sponsored the event "2009 Cosmopolitan Beauty Awards"

Every year, the international woman’s magazine Cosmopolitan runs their Beauty Awards show and this time round it was held in ShangHai and we were extremely proud to be one of the principal sponsors of the event. Many of the world’s star brands were present and we were no exception. [[MORE]]This is a particularly high profile event held in a country that has developed out of all recognition so it was only appropriate that we were there.

At the opening of the Awards the red carpet was rolled out to welcome the stars of Chinese stage and screen, and amongst the actresses present were Vivan Wu, Zhuziyan, Huosiyan, Landy, Ann, Yaochen, Huangxiaolo, AnnieWu, Huke, and Ambose Xu, stars known to all of China and Chinese audiences around the globe, and we at Frederique Constant were especially gratified that these famous celebrities chose to wear our watches to the show. At a beauty awards show it was important that these beautiful women were able to wear beautiful creations, and our watches definitely fall into that category!

At the show everyone was clearly living their passion and we are happy to have helped contribute to that.

Live your Passion

Announcement of the joint winners of the second Passion Awards

Geneva, 12th June 2008: During the prize-giving ceremony, the Frédérique Constant brand announced the name of the joint winners of the second Passion Awards. "Live your passion!" For the watchmakers at Frédérique Constant, this remains a fundamental factor in the success of any company. Armed with this conviction, the manufacture decided to encourage achievements of passionate men and women who have been able to develop their ideas, moving quickly from an innovative concept to a fast-expanding company.[[MORE]]
It was in the presence of the ten finalists and in front of an audience of 800 handpicked guests, that the second Passion Awards prize-giving ceremony took place Thursday June12th. During a very passionate concert by the Chamber Orchestra of Geneva, Peter and Aletta Stas, both passionate about watch-making and kind-hearted entrepreneurs of the Frédérique Constant brand, honoured two prize-winners chosen from among the ten international candidates in contention for the Passion Awards:

* Pierre Marcolini is the founder and CEO of Pierre Marcolini Chocolatier. Belgian by nationality, Italian by origin, Pierre Marcolini Chocolatier is the known producer of « Haute Couture » chocolate. Created in 1995, the company now counts over 15 flagship stores around the world. A meteoric success that is the result of excellence, audacity, and a passion for all things gourmet.
*
Laura Cotton is the founder of Paint a Smile, a Foundation dedicated to the improvement of hospital environments. After a tragic accident in her family, she decided to dedicate her life to the improvement of the hospital environment. Paint a Smile’s mission is to reduce the anxiety and de-dramatize a stay in hospital by permanently transforming the cold and impersonal environment into a colorful and welcoming world. Today, Laura Cotton is the passionate President of the Foundation.
The jury, made up of Peter and Aletta Stas, respectively CEO and COO of Frédérique Constant, Dominique Turpin, marketing and strategy professor from the IMD Institute of Lausanne, Carlo Lamprecht, Former Chairman of the State Council of Geneva and Dr. Haig Simonian, Bureau Chief of the Financial Times in Switzerland, hailed Pierre Marcolini and Laura Cotton for their enthusiasm and passion. The prize-winners companies will receive a personalised case study by Professor Dominique Turpin from the IMD of Lausanne on the subject of their choice, as well as a gold Frédérique Constant Heart Beat Manufacture watch. The ten participants retained received a steel Heart Beat Manufacture watch.

The Financial Times is the Passion Award’s official media partner. The Passion Awards Ceremony and Concert was organized in partnership with Fortis and ABN AMRO.

Criteria and Process for the Award are clearly outlined on the Frédérique Constant Passion Award website (www.passion-awards.com). There are no restrictions of gender, age or nationality of candidates. Submissions from Social Entrepreneurs were also welcome.

Donation to ICHF

Geneva, June 12th 2008: Frédérique Constant donates a cheque of 50’000.00 CHF to the International Children’s Heart Foundation through its International Charity Advertising Campaign
In 2007, Frédérique Constant’s new advertising campaign for its ladies Double Heart Beat Watch Collection helped to cure children with heart malfunctions. Featured personalities will put their celebrity and passion at the service of the new campaign. For each watch sold, Frédérique Constant donated the cost of a life-saving heart scan to the International Children’s Heart Foundation. This is on June, 12th, during the second Ceremony of the Passion Awards, which was held in the Bâtiment des Forces Motrices in Geneva, that Frédérique Constant decided to donate to the last year winner of the Passion Awards non-profit prize, Dr. William Novick, founder of the foundation, the totality of the donations gathered through the Charity Advertsing campaign.

Passion
Frédérique Constant timepieces are created with passion. Indeed, passion is the driver of our company’s success. With its slogan ‘Live your Passion’, we aim to attract customers who have a passion to succeed. With this new campaign, we wanted to share our passion and values by further contributing to charitable organizations.

The International Children’s Heart Foundation
The International Children’s Heart Foundation is a medical charity dedicated to providing free pediatric cardiac surgery to needy children throughout the world. To date, the foundation’s medical teams have provided life-saving heart surgery to almost 3000 children with congenital heart defects in 20 different countries. The foundation also aims to educate physicians, nurses and technicians in these countries – so that they may provide improved pediatric cardiac care to their own children in the future. The foundation was created in 1994 by Dr. William M.Novick. Dr Novick is also the co-winner of the Frédérique Constant Passion Award for 2007. More information: www.babyheart.org

Passion Awards movie on TimeTV.com

View the Frederique Constant Passion Awards movie on TimeTV:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1460891156/bclid1463329452/bctid1612733645