Norqain enters the music scene as new strategic partner of iconic Zermatt unplugged festival

The independent Swiss watch brand will use the occasion to host retail and press partners from around the world for its inaugural NORQAIN Fair. A special edition Wild ONE model will also be launched, with the option of booking a day of skiing with Tina Weirather and Ramon Zenhäusern.

At the foot of the Matterhorn in Zermatt, in NORQAIN’s second home, the family-owned watch brand will serve as Co-Partner of Zermatt Unplugged for the first time from 11 to 15 April 2023. This partnership between the trailblazing watchmaker and the internationally known acoustic music festival brings two Swiss brands together in the village where NORQAIN opened its first flagship boutique. This year’s lineup includes big names such as Passenger, Of Monsters and Men, Calum Scott, and Switzerland’s own Patent Ochsner.

“Zermatt is a very meaningful location for NORQAIN, and the fact that we will serve as Co-Partner of Zermatt Unplugged makes it even more special. We are honoured to support this music festival and, in doing so, help music lovers enjoy the sounds from their favourite musicians and discover up-and-coming artists. All while taking in the breath-taking mountainside backdrop”, says NORQAIN CEO Ben Küffer.

NORQAIN opened its boutique in Zermatt in 2021. The store immediately stood out with its innovative, modern interior design and the architecture that brings the daring spirit of independence, adventure and freedom to life.

A special edition watch and exclusive ski day

To mark its involvement in the Zermatt Unplugged music festival, NORQAIN has created a special edition timepiece – the Wild ONE Zermatt Unplugged. Combining the brand’s connection to the music scene and its existing partnerships within the skiing world, the watch can be purchased together with an exclusive package that includes a two-night stay in Zermatt from 14 April – 16 April, a VIP ticket to Zermatt Unplugged and a day of skiing with NORQAINERS and Olympic-medallists Tina Weirather and Ramon Zenhäusern. The ski day followed by the world-famous Calum Scott’s concert will take place on 15 April. The package buyers will receive their Special Edition timepiece during an exclusive Meet & Greet drinks gathering with Tina Weirather and Ramon Zenhäusern at the NORQAIN flagship boutique in Zermatt in the evening of 14 April. Only 10 of these packages are available and will be sold on a first come, first served basis online. The watch can also be purchased without the package.

The dial of this extremely lightweight watch (84 g) resembles gneiss, the metamorphic rock found in the Matterhorn. Known as the ultimate sports watch, this timepiece is made with an ultra-robust and ultra-light black NORTEQ case that surrounds the anthracite rubber shock absorber, which protects the Manufacture Calibre NN20/1 produced by Kenissi inside the titanium case. The Zermatt Unplugged logo is printed in white on the sapphire glass caseback (CHF 5’250.00 excl. package, CHF 6’250.00 incl. package).

“The partnership between Zermatt Unplugged and NORQAIN is a perfect match: there is no other watch brand with such a strong connection to Zermatt. Like the Zermatt Unplugged Festival, the brand identifies with values such as Swissness, quality, authenticity and exclusivity, without losing touch with the ground. I am therefore delighted about the dynamic, inspiring partnership, the international visitors of NORQAIN at the festival and of course about the Wild ONE Zermatt Unplugged Special Edition”, says Zermatt Unplugged CEO Rolf Furrer.

Our life, our way: The NORQAIN Fair

To celebrate five years of NORQAIN’s independence, one of NORQAIN’s most important values, the brand will invite retail partners and supporters from around the world for the first-ever NORQAIN Fair. The event will take place during Zermatt Unplugged and will kick off the sales year with product presentations, sales meetings and exclusive interviews for invited guests, followed by concerts in iconic Zermatt at the foot of the Matterhorn.

About Zermatt Unplugged

The first edition of Zermatt Unplugged took place in 2007 as a small singer-songwriter festival; in the meantime, the festival has become an integral part of the European music scene. World stars in an intimate setting, reduced to the musical essence of acoustic music, promising newcomers and hip DJs in front of an incomparable summit backdrop: The program is wide-ranging and top-class, offering a special platform not only to top international artists but also to numerous rising newcomers. The mixture of music, the most beautiful spring snow, Zermatt’s hospitality and the world-famous Matterhorn panorama makes the festival an overall experience that visitors and artists alike describe as exceptional.