Thandie with Kevin Spacey

The Swiss watch manufacturer, IWC Schaffhausen, is celebrating the launch of its latest generation of Da Vinci watches in the opulent style of the Renaissance. On 17 April 2007, a large number of leading international celebrities will gather at the SIHH Watch Fair in Geneva for the lavishly produced "Serata di Leonardo." As a highlight, Academy Award winning actor Kevin Spacey will take to the stage exclusively for IWC with his own theatrical piece. The short film of this performance will then have its own online world premiere on 16 May. For an entire festive evening, the spirit of Leonardo da Vinci will permeate the 1,200 international guests, who have been invited into the world of the Renaissance in honor of the horological new products from IWC. In order to do full justice to the epoch, which like no other has stimulated a cultural revival and innovative research, IWC has produced its own "Serata di Leonardo" set in a glamorous Florentine palazzo, which reflects the classical style of the Medici. Against this historical backdrop, the watches of the new Da Vinci generation will celebrate a magnificent premiere. However, one of the principal characters could steal the show completely from the attractive horological innovations. IWC is particularly proud to have secured the services of Oscar winner Kevin Spacey for a live performance. Not only has the actor produced a short stage play especially for IWC and exclusively for this event, he has also taken it upon himself to play the leading role during its first performance in front of this illustrious gathering. Thandie Newton, a star in her own right with appearances in films including "Mission Impossible 2" and "Crash" to her credit, will appear at his side in the leading female role. This show is being staged in an amphitheatre that has been built specially for this momentous event. The play "Leo and Lisa" will also be recorded live on this evening by a top-class film crew. On 16 May 2007, the lavish production will go online as a short film on the Web site of IWC, in order to make its world premiere accessible to a wide public. An additional making-of depicts not only clips from the rehearsals and a look behind the scenes, but also Kevin Spacey who is truly in his element on the stage. Kevin Spacey, who caused a stir as a consummate character actor in cinematic classics such as "Seven," "The Usual Suspects," "L.A. Confidential" and "American Beauty," took over in 2003 as Artistic Director of the Old Vic, one of the oldest theatres in London. Oscar winner Cate Blanchett, actors Jean Reno and Matthew Modine, world- class footballer Zinedine Zidane, the Irish singer Ronan Keating and the Laureus sporting legends Boris Becker, David Douillet, Ilie Nastase and Alberto Tomba, along with numerous other prominent guests, have announced their intention to attend the "Serata di Leonardo." As the musical high point, the live appearance by the disco icons Chic, who came to worldwide fame in the 1970s with their hit "Le Freak," promises a spirited party atmosphere. Another friend of IWC, John Helliwell, the former saxophonist with Supertramp, will also rekindle some memories with a special spot. It is no accident that IWC has nurtured the technical progress of a family of watches under the name Da Vinci since 1970. The universal genius of the architect, artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci has inspired the Schaffhausen watchmakers in their ambitious engineering, and many an idea has been commended as a stroke of genius. Now IWC is guiding the Da Vinci into the future with a new generation of remarkable horological innovations housed in an attractive case in tonneau form.