Asia’s most fabulous watch and jewellery showcase, acknowledged globally by Forbes magazine and CNBC Luxury Channel, is scheduled to put Malaysia in the limelight of luxury retail for the 4th consecutive year at Starhill Gallery, A Journey Through Time IV from 2 to 11 December 2010.

The Ministry of Tourism’s endorsement of this annual mega international event is in line with its objective to boost high-yield tourism in Malaysia in collaboration with strategic partners in the private sector such as YTL Corporation Berhad.

In working towards Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen’s indicated target of 36 million tourists with estimated revenue of RM168 billion by 2020, A Journey Through Time maximises Malaysia’s competitive edge by highlighting our nation’s duty free status on luxury goods, especially high-end timepieces.

The Ministry of Toursim Malaysia has identified that “duty free or tax exemption on a wider range of goods is vital to positioning Malaysia as a duty free shopping destination”.

Investments in luxury timepieces in Malaysia are therefore up to 40% more affordable than anywhere else in the world at A Journey Through Time.

In this direction, the Ministry has also proposed duty free status and tax exemption on other luxury goods such as jewellery which will further reinforce Malaysia’s position as the preferred destination for high-yield tourism in the near future.

Every year in December, A Journey Through Time attracts a targetted profile of high networth individuals and affluent visitors to Malaysia. Among these include serious watch and jewellery collectors and connossieurs, as well as renowned watch and jewellery principals of the world.

To date, its database of visitors includes guests from Forbes Asia’s Billionaires List and Forbes CEOs List as well as royalties from the Middle East and the region. Private jets fly in to Kuala Lumpur every year specially for the occasion.

Contemporary geniuses in watchmaking and stalwarts in haute horlogerie such as Bernhard Lederer, Maximillian Büsser, Franc Vila and Peter Speake-Marin are familiar personalities at A Journey Through Time.

Fred Mouawad from the fourth generation of the prestigious lineage of Mouawad, jeweller of Hollywood’s A-list celebrities, will make a special appearance at A Journey Through Time IV this year to launch the Mouawad World Premiere collection for the first time in Asia.

Exclusive Asian premieres and launches of new collections and technological innovations will also be showcased for the first time to avid collectors and connoisseurs for their acquisiton, while limited edition masterpieces are often reserved even before they are offically released for sale.

(A summarised list of timepieces and jewellery which will be premiered and launched exclusively at A Journey Through Time IV this year is attached for reference.)

In addition, A Journey Through Time is also the preferred destination in Asia where new breakthroughs brands in watch and jewellery are launched into the regional markets. The rising stars of new age technology and concepts such as Bedat & Co, Romaine Jerome, Franc Vila and Rebellion have debuted in the region at Starhill Gallery, A Journey Through Time. (A list of new breakthrough brands in luxury watches which will be launched exclusively at A Journey Through Time IV this year is attached for reference.)

Unlike other watch fairs such as BaselWorld and Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) which are essentially retail and trade-driven, A Journey Through Time is unique in celebrating a totality of experiences from appreciation of luxury watches and jewellery with fine dining and world class entertainment to luxurious accommodation in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s golden triangle.

It is therefore significant that the theme for the celebration this year is “Time to Love”. It is time for all Malaysians to love a celebrated showacse that is proprietary to our nation, featuring the world’s most fabulous timepieces and jewellery with superb craftsmanship, technical superiority and unrivalled beauty right at our doorstep with the endorsement of the Ministry of Tourism, Malaysia.

This year, Starhill Gallery is also working closely with the Ministry of Tourism to aggressively promote shopping and luxury retail in Malaysia with exclusive shopping privileges, gifts and prizes as incentives in conjunction with the year-end season.

Every year, YTL Corporation Berhad also invites world class artistes to entertain guests as a special highlight and this year, performances scheduled for private performances include:

Syafinaz Selamat on 2, 7 and 8 December 2010

Katie Targett-Adams on 3, 4, 5 and 6 December 2010

Stefano Chen on 3, 4 and 5 December 2010

Najwa on 4, 5 and 6 December 2010

Delta Goodrem on 9, 10 and 11 December 2010

For enquiries on A Journey Through Time IV and reservations for dinners at Shook! in Feast Village, Starhill Gallery, kindly contact +603-2782 3855 or log on to www.ajourneythroughtime.com.my

For additonal information and exclusive interviews with participating watch and jewellery brands, celebrities and entertainers at A Jounrey Through Time IV, kindly contact :
Ms Kelly Teong at +603-2710 3803 or kellyteong@ytlland.com
Ms Adreanna at +603-2782 3843 or adreanna@ytlland.com