Pods of Orca descend on the Norwegian Fjords from the month of November through to January. A period when good weather and bright daylight hours are at a minimum. With this in mind, the planning and strategy behind the team’s next trip began long ago. Their goal was to document a pod of killer whales working together to hunt herring in the fjords of Norway.

Killer whales in Norway capture their prey with a unique collection of hunting techniques. As a pod, they create underwater air bubbles and belly flashes to drive schools of herring towards the surface of the water. Without delay, the fish move upward in a tightly packed rotating ball, likened to that of a carousel motion. Once close to the surface, the whales slap the ball of fish with their tails. This action shocks the fish and allows the killer whales to feast easily on the dazed herring. The level of intelligence and cooperation shown by the whales in this hunting ritual is rarely seen and captured underwater. Improving our knowledge by documenting these events is crucial for the conversation of these impressive creatures and the ecosystem they thrive on.

An objective that required precise timing and equipment that could handle the frigid waters in this region. The Raider Deep Blue diving watch was the team’s companion of choice. Its ability to manage challenging conditions while remaining a master of timekeeping suited the diver’s needs on this trip.

Fresh powder

A supreme phenomenon. The glistening winter coat, engineered intricately by nature, weaving fine detail into each flake. There is an unmistakable feeling of flight when riding through it, like no other sensation when skiing. But, this exhilaration can come at a cost, in the form of the avalanche. A rupture in the ground below your feet, and within seconds the snow around you can be traveling over 130 kph. An immense force of nature with the ability to uproot trees and move boulders.

Favre-Leuba has a long-standing heritage dating back to 1737, a time when Abraham Favre was based in Le Locle, Switzerland. The brand vision was set in stone early. Creating masterful timepieces, with precise and pioneering technology. At the core of Favre-Leuba was and still is today, a desire to build instruments of exploration. Bold and enduring with character, to be companions to those who conquer frontiers.

The Icons

As with many visions, they evolve and gain momentum through the generations. Today we unveil our coming of time, with the latest collection of Favre-Leuba Raider exploration wristwatches. These are the Bivouac 9000, Bathy 120 MemoDepth and the Harpoon. The Icons of sea to summit voyages from past and present. Introducing the latest in mechanical technology, guiding mountaineers on altitude and similarly divers on depth readings. Whilst also releasing an innovative new approach to timekeeping displays, read on to discover the future of exploration instrument watches.

In our final installment of exploring Frontiers in Ladakh, we go in search of the unseen. Discovering a region of vast landscapes and severe isolation. This is where the mercurial Snow Leopard walks unseen amongst the rocks and snow, camouflaged and concealed out of sight to the world.

Tsewang, a leader of conservation in this region has kindly taken time to guide us on his efforts to conserve the wild population of Snow Leopards in the Himalayas. This is the story of his endeavors.

The Unseen

In the Himalayas, the roads wind and bend to navigate the great mountains and valleys. Our Jeep endeavors to ascend and descend these tough, brutal roads. Our progress is slow, and we inch across this rugged landscape. It seems hard to believe that anything can survive in the wild within a landscape as harsh and exposed as this. Soon the road ends, and our adventure continues on foot. Thankfully, a local conservation expert Tsewang has kindly met us and will guide us around this region. Our journey to observe the ghost cat of the Himalayas has begun.

1968, the dive world is still in a fledgling stage. The pioneer Jacques Cousteau is exploring the seas. While the forward-thinking engineers from Favre-Leuba launch the Bathy diving watch. The first wristband watch with a depth gauge for divers, and today a precious item for collectors.

2018, diving has become a recreational sport. But there are still a lot of underwater territories to be explored. The Behind the Mask video crew is diving the world’s seas to bring home outstanding underwater footage. Meanwhile, the launch of the new Bathy 120 MemoDepth diving watch is celebrated in Switzerland.

In the next chapter of our Ladakh series, Thomas Morf and the Nirvana Nomads venture further into a remote Himalayan region. They enter a frozen valley and journey to the isolated village of Zanskar. This small mountain community is cut-off by the onset of winter, only accessible via a frozen river. Our team meet up with Lhakpel (a local of Zanskar) and discover what it was like to grow up in this beautiful, but harsh landscape.

The days of beachside sessions with live music on the promenade, BBQ’s and paddleboarding into the sunset are once again changing hands from Northern to Southern Hemisphere. Nevertheless, our Swiss team of Favre-Leuba engineers is hoping to extend their eternal summer with the release of our new 41mm Raider Deep Blue. Designed with a relaxed style and combined with smart technology. This timepiece will keep you exploring the beachside tavernas, fringing reefs, and urban cityscapes until those warm days have finally passed again.

Deep in the Himalayan mountains is a remote region known as Ladakh. Here the people are shaped by nature at its purest. The land is untamed by man-made concrete jungles, the winds blow strong and the rivers as wild as they come. Furthermore, the power of the elements is instantly noticeable by all who venture here. Some would say, the people who live here are bold, daring, humble and kind. These character traits instilled over thousands of years by this harsh land and its extreme remoteness. Naturally, in this far-flung world, you could imagine a society clinging to its very existence. Thomas Morf, the Favre-Leuba CEO, recently visited Ladakh and experienced something extraordinary. He discovered an enduring culture, facing the challenges of life in this region head-on.

In a four-part series Thomas from Favre-Leuba and the team from Nirvana Nomads explore the culture, people and life in Ladakh. Their journey begins in one of the most remote regions of Ladakh in a small lesser-known location named Puga.

On May 16th, 1975 an incredible feat of endurance, willpower, and teamwork saw Junko Tabei, a Japanese female climber overcome the odds and potentially catastrophic challenges to become the first lady to stand upon the summit of Mount Everest wearing a Favre-Leuba Bivouac altimeter swiss watch.

In her words, Junko comments “Everest for me, and I believe for the world, is the physical and symbolic manifestation of overcoming odds to achieve a dream.”

Four and a half years ago, I climbed my first mountain in the literal sense; six months later, I quit my day job to commit my life to #ConqueringFrontiers as a professional adventurer and storyteller. Ultimately, I aspired to climb the unclimbed in the Greater Ranges and teamed up with Swiss watch brand Favre-Leuba, my companion alpine watch on this adventure.

New Zealand’s rugged Southern Alps, with their massive prominence and expeditionary nature of access–combined with close proximity to liveable towns–seemed like the perfect training grounds. With my life-partner, Priya Mareedu convinced to come along for the ride, it was decided. A year of #ConqueringFrontiers in the Southern Alps was in order.