Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills is the place to shop if a) you’re in the Californian neighbourhood and that’s your thing and b) you have enough pennies. One of the superb emporia that can be found there is David Orgell, a classy boutique that has offered ‘a tradition of discerning selection and luxury’ since 1933. There is jewellery from Aaron Basha to Stephen Webster, quality watches from Chopard to TAG Heuer, silverware from Buccellati, crystal creations from Daum, plus of course their own brand jewellery.




GRAN DATA CHRONO
Inspired by the classic 1920s rectangular style, this stainless steel watch is equipped with a Japanese movement. Appliqué numerals, date aperture at 4 o’clock, signature wavy second hand, leather strap. Available in various coloured dials.


It is here that Ali Soltani, a retail bankruptcy lawyer, gained his experience as a luxury retailer when he joined the business his family had purchased.
Over fifteen years, Soltani learned the ins and outs of the trade, discovering along the way that he had an instinct for what would and wouldn’t sell. Aware of the changing tastes and trends that came and disappeared, he began to realize that watches had become an accessory, something that is worn and changed depending on the occasion. His realization that people bought watches in a mix and match fashion and had collections in much the same way as they have shoes, ties or scarves, led him to think about creating a watch brand that would have price sensitive collections in various colours and styles.
In March 2002 Soltani put Ritmo Mundo onto the market.




PALAZZO
Art Deco format stainless steel watches equipped with a Swiss ETA 2824-2 automatic movement. Roman numerals, sapphire crystal caseback, signature wavy second hand, alligator strap. Available in various coloured dials.

PIAZZA DIAMOND
Stainless steel watch with diamond-set bezel (72 diamonds). Woven-style black carbon dial, steel Arabic numerals, small seconds at 12 o’clock, date at 3 o’clock, signature wavy second hand, alligator strap.

SCALA
Curved stainless steel watch inspired by the classic scalloped designs of the 1940s. French Ebauche 73310 quartz movement, Arabic numerals, signature wavy second hand, alligator strap. Available in various coloured dials.


Trend and tradition
“We launched our watches two years ago,” Ali Soltani explains, “and they can now be found in around twenty countries worldwide. They are designed and handcrafted in Italy and we have taken watches from the 1920s, 30s and 40s and given them contemporary styling. We offer a fine blend of the trendy with the traditional, the classical but with contemporary colours – in short an intriguing balance between the past and the present.”
It has been written that Ritmo Mundo watches are simply copies of other brands, so I put the question to Soltani. He wasn’t angry, he’s not an angry man, but he referred to an old catalogue of watches that he had with him. “We don’t copy, but we do take inspiration from some of the watches that were created fifty or sixty years ago.” He then slowly thumbed through it pointing out the old, dated models that other brands had used as a base for today’s models. “Don’t you find it odd that all these other brands are not accused of copying, yet Ritmo Mundo is singled outı” he said with an ironic smile.
Whilst we were waiting to get our hands on the watches, Ali Soltani showed me some of the very American-style portfolio of photos of the stars and famous people who now sport a Ritmo Mundo timepiece. He began with Elizabeth Taylor for whom the very first of his creations was made and was inspired by her love of the colour purple. Presented to her on her birthday, Soltani says that she was the real inspiration behind the entire Ritmo Mundo Collection. We then went through a photo library of a Who’s Who in America – all of whom are either photographed with Soltani or snapped wearing one of his creations: Tom Cruise, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Larry King, Denzel Washington, ex-President Bill Clinton, Jackie Chan et al.

The Collections
The watches arrived and Soltani began by showing me the popular models from the brand’s inaugural collections. “The first year,” he explained, “we didn’t make any watches with diamonds. We aimed at getting the confidence of the consumer – then we upgraded. We now have diamond-set models. Today, our watches can be found in more than 200 retailers worldwide - the USA, Canada, the Caribbean countries, the Middle East, the Far East and now Europe.”
There are several different collections, starting with the original Ritmo Mundo Gran and the Piccolo Data. This year the brand introduced the Mini Data, Pantheon and the Ritmo Sport Collection that offers the consumer a choice that incorporates features from the world of sport such as soccer, American football, basketball, golf and polo.
The watches have Swiss, French and Japanese quartz movements depending on the model and some of the Gran Data and Pantheon collections have Swiss ETA automatic movements. Most are bold, but elegant in appearance and the large Gran Data Chronograph, which was inspired by a 1920s rectangular stainless steel watch, looks particularly impressive when worn.
Ritmo Mundo (Rhythm of the Earth) watches appear to be joining that select group of watches that are worn not only because they are handsome timepieces, but also because they are the current ‘in’ item to be seen wearing on the wrist. The flair of Italian styling, dynamic American marketing, high profile celebrities such as Sylvester Stallone, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Sarah Jessica Parker wearing them and instant consumer recognition - a success story in two years … whyı
The answer comes from Ali Soltani: “We listen to our customers, then we design for their needs.”