Thus, platinum is also the perfect choice for timepieces that one wishes to wear a lifetime and hand down through the family.

Swiss watchmaker Vacheron Constantin has been making beautiful watches from platinum since 1820. Most recently, the 252-year-old high-end watch maker brought to China its limited edition, "Collection Excellence Platine," to celebrate the opening of its largest flagship store on the Chinese mainland in neighboring Hangzhou.

The watchmaker announced its first ever "Made-to-Order" watch service, saying it would meet the specifications of the discerning Chinese buyer, even to providing the kind of movement desired. The service would be the first for high-end watches, it said.

At the opening ceremony, visitors walked through a "platinum journey" specially designed for the event so that they could acquire a basic idea of how platinum is mined and processed in South Africa. Later, to the accompaniment of mellow jazz, they appreciated 20 watches selected from Vacheron Constantin's limited platinum series, including 13 heritage platinum pieces from its museum in Geneva and seven new models.

The "Maitres Cabinotiers Skeleton Minute Repeater" is known as the world's slimmest skeleton minute repeater watch. A labyrinth of sparkling reflections of light and shade, only 15 pieces were made.

It is distinguished by its highly elaborate decoration. Half of the basic movement is exposed by a transparent case, resulting in lightness and elegance. For optimal transparency, the sapphire dial is never more than 30 one-hundredths of a millimeter thick.

The "Platinum Malte Chronograph" is equipped with a hand-wound mechanical chronograph movement with traditional column-wheel construction and intricately decorated parts, as well as a rare platinum dial. Its spirit is marked by the excellence of its technology and craftsmanship and the purity of its material - the dial, the case and the buckle of the wrist strap are all made of platinum. The true collector's watch is made in a limited edition of 75 pieces.

The seven new models are available in limited quantities for the Chinese market. Customers are invited to check with Vacheron Constantin's boutiques around the country.

The luxury watch brand launched its first boutique on the Chinese mainland in Beijing in 2000. In the past 12 months, it has opened three stores in Anshan in the northeastern Liaoning Province, Chengdu in the southwestern Sichuan Province and most recently Hangzhou in neighboring Zhejiang Province.

Currently, the Swiss luxury watch company has a eight boutiques and 24 points of sale in China. According to Jean Michel Paray, managing director of Vacheron Constantin Asia Pacific, the Chinese government has recently issued a new regulation imposing 30 percent tax on watches purchased aboard. This will "give back a lot of competitiveness to the Chinese mainland watch retail industry," he says.

"We will continue our development strategy in China and keep on strengthening our leading position in this market," says Paray. "Our growth is only limited by our production capacity and China is, on the worldwide basis, showing the strongest rate of growth."

Paray also mentions that Vacheron Constantin has launched a special "Made-to-Measure" department that will cater to the needs of those who want something absolutely exclusive. Watches will be designed especially to their specification, including dials, cases and movements if necessary.

This is the first time Vacheron Constantin offers this service in its history and it is also the first such service in the high-end watch industry, the watchmaker says.

"We are certain that Chinese watch lovers and collectors will soon take advantage of this new department and service," he says.