Phase de Lune cases: leather refuges for timepieces and jewels
The Phase de Lune cases are ready to be delivered to the prestigious Swiss watchmaking brands that have acquired them. These ecofriendly leather cases have won over collectors and jewelry-watchmaking stores.
By Joel Grandjean
Editor-in-Chief
“Not without my watches and my jewels” When fans of beautiful watchmaking travel, they like to carry some of their treasures with them. The sentimental and material values of these pieces – often complicated, precious or inherited – find comfortable and safe refuge in these perfectly crafted cases. The Phase de Lune collection is a blend of beauty, design and functionality. These security envelopes, which are clever storage cases, can be carried on long-haul flights or be kept in the corner of a safe.
Ancestral skills and advanced technology
The production process begins with a piece of natural leather. The creations of Phase de Lune, which has partnerships with trend-aware tanneries, precede market trends by at least eight months in terms of style, color and grained finishes. Cutting-edge technology is in line with the traditional crafts of master tanners.
From unique pieces (for which hand craft is essential) to high-end series, the production process has to meet the requirements of the MD Premium hallmark. The Phase de Lune label has the credibility of a Manufacture that has been a supplier for leading watchmaking and jewelry-making brands in the past twenty years to back it up.
The exclusive MD Premium hallmark has established high-standard requirements for the choice of the case’s material, linings and accessories. The close supervision and inspections in all phases of the selection and production processes go to show that the cases are luxury objects: they must always seek improvement and particular attention must always be given to details and finishes. From the tannery to the study center, from the design phase to manual production, the leather used is subjected to particularly rigorous testing protocols which are carried out by specialized laboratories. These include resistance tests, identification of any potentially undesirable substance, biocompatibility tests, color migration and resistance to aggressive factors.
A saddle-stitch technique is used whereby the thread is soaked in beeswax to make it slide easier through the leather which has awl-made holes.
The last stitches are repeated a few times in order to increase the seam’s resistance. The threads that stick out are seared at the end in order to prevent them from fraying in the future. The last step – according to the rules of sewing – is to hammer the seams with a saddle leather hammer that embeds them in the leather.
A complete range for both private clients and professionals
Whenever travelers buy a high-quality timepiece in Switzerland, it often happens that the original case or box is left behind or travels separately because it is too big. The Phase de Lune collection offers a solution to transporting these valuable sports or jewel watches – or cuff links for men – in your luggage. Indeed, it comprises several versions of the Watch Travel Cases with one to four compartments, both in women’s and men’s versions: “Ecrin Ligne Homme” (for men), “Ecrin Ligne Dame” (for women), “Ecrins 1, 2, ou 4 Montres” (1, 2, or 4 watch cases), “Ecrin 1 Montre et Bijoux” (Watch and jewel case 1).
Points of sale make a point of satisfying the ever-mobile and demanding clientele by providing several high-quality accessories along with the case range to increase their sales. Thus, smartphones, ultrabooks, tablets and iPads can be added to the cases that contain the treasured watches and jewels.
Daniel Rovati, CEO : “With the development of the ‘Monaco’ concept and its famous Phase de Lune cases for luxury watches, MD Production blends the competences and skills of several companies and marries traditional craftsmanship and ultra-modern techniques”.
Phase de Lune, an eco-friendly label
All materials used are in line with the different regulations for toxicology and allergy. Furthermore, all selected leather suppliers must be signatories of the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). The materials and traditional production techniques are all hand-made and of high quality: genuine semi vegetable-tanned leather for the exterior; Chamitex microfiber and mdf Structure for the interior; press-buttons for closing; tone-on-tone or colored seams and “Lune” cabochon (exclusive Monaco concept to adjust the watch). The cases are adjustable and valid for all types of watches and have a high density foam calculated to match any strap size; the Phase de Lune logo is stamped on the exterior of the case, which is in polished metal or silver or gold plate; Phase de Lune logos on the microfiber-embossed interior.
The “Phase de Lune” label: more than 20 years of experience
In 1998, MD Production was founded in Switzerland and its headquarters were established in the vicinity of Lausanne, in Chexbres. In 1999, the company acquired Pearl Leather, a production unit in Turkey. In 2009, the MD Premium hallmark was created. In 2011, the high-quality label Phase de Lune was launched in Rivaz (Lausanne, Switzerland). The company counts twenty years of experience and various prestigious clients amongst Haute Horlogerie and Joaillerie brands. Its branches and partnerships include: MD Production Emirates (Abu Dhabi), Orgemme Creation Co (Thailand) and JL PRODUCTION DESIGN LLC (New York, USA).