Bro, guess what! I heard from my boy at the bank - no, he didn't get a BMW, 'cause he can't afford it - that BNR is opening an exhibition of SWISS watches, man, like you're walking into their secret factory. It's called "Values That Stand the Test of Time" and it's organized by the Swiss Embassy and hosted right at the National Bank, on June 5 and 6. And it's not just any exhibition, it's under the auspices of the Royal Family - meaning even King Michael would be proud if he were still with us.
Bro, 115 years of diplomatic relations between Romania and Switzerland, and what do they do? They bring watchmaking, man, because that's the Swiss secret weapon. The main partner is Albini Prassa, a company founded in 2004, with roots both here and there, which deals in bringing luxury watches to Romanians. And these aren't just any corner-store watches, man, we're talking about RARE pieces that haven't been exhibited in over 13 years! Watches worn by border guards, army pilots, and instruments that accompanied the Romanian railways. Can you imagine? You won't see stuff like that at the museum in Berceni, this is real history, with cold blood.
But wait, it's not just the past. They also have a section with creative projects from today, including stories about a brand founded by Romanian emigrants in the USA. I was crossing myself, bro! I mean, our Romanian, who left home, makes watches in America and now ends up at BNR. That's how it's done, yeah! And the future part: unconventional mechanisms, spectacular architectures, technologies that changed the industry. I can already see myself grabbing one, but Mioara quickly cuts me off: "Costel, you don't even have money for a beer, what are you dreaming?"
A special space is for ARC - the Romanian Academy of Watchmaking, founded by master watchmaker Mihai Ceciu. They'll do LIVE demonstrations with traditional tools and a digital microscope. I mean, you see how a thousand-euro watch is repaired, by hand, like in the old days. No joke, you don't see that every day. I'm thinking of taking Brian, so he can see it's not just TikTok and FIFA, maybe he'll learn a trade.
Now, the tricky part: access is exclusively by registration, through a form on the site. And on June 4 and 5 there are masterclasses from Albini Prassa and ARC. Partners: Kultho, Swiss Sponsors Fund. And for drinks and food: Aqua Carpatica, Domeniile Sâmburești, King of Valahia. So you go into BNR, drink sparkling water, eat something from the King, and look at million-dollar watches. Who pays? We do, through sponsorships, but at least it's nice.
Man, I swear! Me, even though I know watches - I have a fake Rolex from Dubai, but I won't say - I'd go see some real ones. Because Mioara yells at me anyway for sitting on the couch. Come on, I'm going to sign up, see if I can get a spot, maybe I'll escape a week of nagging.
