Philippine Real Estate Inspired by Switzerland
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, situated in Western and Central Europe, is a landlocked country that is made up of the Alps, the Swiss Plateau, and the Swiss portion of the Jura Mountains. The Alps cover a greater part of the Swiss territory but most of the population is concentrated on the Plateau where the economic centers Zurich and Geneva are situated. Switzerland, with its prosperous and high-tech economy, is considered the wealthiest country in the world.
Aside from the country’s extraordinary landscapes and scenery, which has inspired Brittany Corporation to develop similar property in the Philippines, Switzerland is also famous for so many other things – specific items which people easily associate with the country. Here are some of the items that make Switzerland famous all over the world:
Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps is one of the three physiographic regions of Switzerland. It extends over the Western Alps and the Eastern Alps, covering the area that is referred to as the Central Alps. The northern Alpine ranges starting from the Bernese Alps up to the Appenzell Alps are entirely in Swiss territory. The southern Alpine ranges from the Mont Blanc massif to the Bernina Massif are territories that are shared with France, Italy, Austria, and Liechtenstein. The Swiss Alps span 125 miles with an average altitude of 5576 feet and cover approximately two thirds of the country’s total surface area. The Alps’ snow line starts at 8,000 to 9,000 feet. The Swiss Alps have 48 mountains that are taller than 13, 120 feet and about 1,800 glaciers.
Tourism is the main economic activity in the Swiss Alps, with around 60 percent of tourists visiting the Alps and their foothills. The Swiss Alps offers the world a winter wonderland with its snowcapped wooden chalets and ski resorts. Verbier, for example, is recognized as a premier site of “off-piste” or backcountry skiing on unmarked ski runs.
The major destinations for winter sports such as skiing are Valais, Bernese, Oberland, and Graubunden. The ski season is from November up to May. The large resorts are popular not only in winter but also during summer. Hikers and mountaineers attempt to reach the much higher altitudes during the summer season. The Swiss Alps is the playground for outdoor-loving people throughout the year.
Swiss Watches
Swiss watches are unique because the movement, which must conform to Swiss laws, must be encased in the country and the final control or inspection by the manufacturer must be done right in Switzerland. Swiss watches belong to a unique class, incomparable to the watches produced in other countries.
A watch movement is considered Swiss if it is assembled in Switzerland, the movement has been inspected by a Swiss manufacturer, and at least fifty percent of the components are Swiss-made.
Swiss watches, except Breitling, are prominently labeled “Swiss Made” on the faceplate. The words are by tradition capitalized, positioned on the bottom part of the plate and split by the half-hour indicator. In comparison, non-Swiss watches indicate at the back of the watch the country of origin label.
Some of the famous luxury watches that are known worldwide are as follows:
Rolex – The company originally known as Wilsdorf and Davis was founded in London, England in 1905 by Hans Wilsdort and Alfred Davis. It moved to Geneva, Switzerland in 1919 and was renamed Rolex. The company is famous for the major innovations in watch-making that they introduced, such as the first waterproof watch named Oyster in 1926, and the first watch that automatically changes date on the dial, the Rolex Datejust, in 1945. The most noted accomplishment of the company is its chronometer certification, the first for a wristwatch.
Omega – A Swiss luxury watch maker based in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. In addition to the patronage shown by the world’s richest and powerful people, Omega watches are also used by the world’s powerful military units, such as the U.S. Aramy and the British Royal Flying Corps. It is also the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games. Omega watch was the first watch on the moon in 1969.
There is a long line of other luxury Swiss watches, such as Breitling, Tissot, Hublot, Breguet, TAG Heuer, Baume & Mercier, Raymond Weil, Vacheron Constantin, and many more. These brands are famous the world over for the craftsmanship, elegance, and luxury.
Considering the huge contrast between our country’s and that of Switzerland’s climate and economic status, as is evident from the information above, it is indeed remarkable that here in the Philippines, one will be able to find a one-of-a-kind community inspired by none other than the beauty and magnificence of the neighborhoods and landscapes of Switzerland. Built by Brittany Corporation, the premiere developer of luxurious, themed Philippine real estate properties, this community, which is situated in one of the highest points of Tagaytay, is known as Crosswinds in Tagaytay.
