Havana 1882 – La Casa, home of deluxe jewellery and watchesAt the end of the 19th century, Havana, the pearl of the Caribbean, becomes a meeting place for intellectuals, businessmen and world figures, not to mention adventurers and sailors. This is an island where time has another dimension, a realm in which awareness and a carefree lifestyle co-exist and give rise to the freedom of being. It is in this unique atmosphere that Armando Rio y Cuervo and his brothers ably and devotedly run the jewellery and watchmaking business founded by their uncle Rámon (giving rise to the name, Cuervo y Sobrinos – “Cuervo and Nephews”). In the spring of 1882, the family opens its “La Casa” shop on Havana's prestigious Avenida Quinta.International figures from the worlds of literature, science, film and politics linger in the shop whenever they come to Havana. As evidenced by the guest book and photographs that first came to the light only a few years ago, discovered in the basement rooms of the old shop, Hemingway, Caruso, Gable, Churchill and even Einstein were among the Cuervo y Sobrinos shop’s faithful customers. Although they had widely different professions and interests, they all dared to be individuals, proclaiming their affinity for other times, for Havana time, synonymous with escape, elegance and refinement: “El tiempo lento”.