Contact between Venice and the Kingdom of Bahrain
Venice, today as in the past, is a place where different cultures meet and talk together.
Indeed, in 2010, Bahrain was the first country of the Persian Gulf to participate to the Biennale of Venice with an installation consisting of three typical fishermen huts that earned Bahrain the Golden Lion prize.
This exhibition was commissioned by the minister of culture of Bahrain Mai Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa and dealt with the decline of the traditional fishing industry as a consequence of the nation’s fast-paced modernization.
The History of Bahrain
To better understand contemporary Bahrain, firstly we need to briefly review its history.
Bahrain is made up of a group of islands located on the western coast of the Persian Gulf. Its capital city is Manamah. The islands have been inhabited since ancient times, as evidenced by the its trade between Mesopotamia and India.
In its history, Bahrain fell under the domination of several foreign countries.
Since 1507, this area was occupied by the Portuguese, who established a stopover base to India. Later, in 1602, the Portuguese were driven out of the country by an uprising and Bahrain became a direct dependency of Persia.
In 1783, Bahrain regained independence. However, it wasn’t long before the archipelago was conquered by the Sultanate of Oman in 1802.
In 1822 the Sultanate lost control of Bahrain’s territory. Treaties were then stipulated with Great Britain, under which Bahrain would have renounced piracy in exchange for protection by Great Britain from possible external aggression.
Subsequently, in 1869, the Ottomans extended their rule to the Arabic coasts of the Persian Gulf and, with British mediation, gained control over Bahrain.
After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Bahrain became a British protectorate in 1916 and remained so until the 16th December 1971, when Bahrain definitively became an independent nation.
This date is celebrated as a historic anniversary for the state of Bahrain as, after long time, it could exist autonomously, without any interference from foreign states.
Meccaniche Veneziane for the Kingdom of Bahrain
To mark the 50th anniversary of the country’s independence, Meccaniche Veneziane has decided to produce a limited edition of only 100 pieces dedicated to the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The collection is based on a fully customized version of Redentore. As with the Bahrain flag, the predominant color of the watch is red.
The dial stands out as the most precious element, with its bright red soleil finish. It also features Arabic numeral indexes applied one by one, by hand. At 6 o'clock, there is an inscription in Arabic characters, which means "Kingdom of Bahrain".
By turning the clock upside-down you can admire the beautifully decorated caseback. The engraving depicts the Bab Al Bahrain, a historic building in the center of Manamah, which leads to the Souq, the most important covered market in the city.
Here you can find an engraved serial number, ranging from 1 to 100.
The strap is made of red saffiano leather. Saffiano is widely used by the top fashion brands for its resistance to scratches and abrasions. Furthermore, its color does not fade even when exposed to the strong sun rays of the Persian Gulf.
The backside of the strap sports a zigzag shaped engraving on a white background, to evoke the left portion of the Bahrain’s flag.
The watch comes with an additional black saffiano leather strap and a paper guarantee where the serial number is printed.
If you are looking for a limited edition watch with an exotic look, you may have found it!
What do you think about it?
Let us know in the comments.
Discover all the details of the Limited Edition Redentore Bahrain.
