It’s usually the most innocuous part of the night. The official speeches are out of the way, the bar once again beckons, and the speaker says, to be polite, “Are there any questions?” A guest at the Blancpain Ocean Commitment event 2016 – following on from the 2015 evening at Icebergs, which had the coolest night-time projection since the bat symbol – put up her hand, and asked – “I was wondering how much money does Blancpain actually contribute to the Ocean Commitment cause?” The VP and Head of Marketing, Mr Alain Delamuraz to his enormous credit, did not even clear his throat. Earlier, he’d disclosed that 1000 Euro from every OC Limited Edition (250 pieces) model sold goes to the cause. But it turns out, with pun fully intended, this is a drop in the ocean. “We have contributed 1 million Euro per year for the last seven years,” he said. “It’s a big percentage. For us, it’s a lot.” There was a notable inhalation of breath by the entire room. “This money has led to three million square-kilometres of ocean being protected, and many other meaningful advancements in marine conservation.” My companion (and younger brother) nudged me and said,…
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