Orbiting Newport-Mesa society at dinner
It was an evening with Brian Jones, world-renowned pilot of the
Breitling Orbiter 3, a hot-air balloon that traveled around the world
in 20 days. Lula and Marion Halfacre, owners of Traditional Jewelers
in Fashion Island, joined with Breitling, the family-owned,
century-old Swiss watch-making firm, to host the Newport-Mesa crowd
at an elegant evening at the Palm Gardens.
The recent mid-week cocktail and dinner event introduced Jones to
the crowd, which included David Muller, Karen Fleming, Russell and
Kathy Lowe, Mary Petersen, John Rossi, John and Ursula Braeger, Eve
and Clarence Barker, Tom Casey, Beth Kania, Ann and Viji Sadasivam,
and Vera Oxblood of Dover Shores.
Oxblood commented, “It was so exciting to be in the presence of a
true hero.”
On March 21, 1999, Jones and Bertrand Piccard landed in
southeastern Egypt, finishing the first successful circumnavigation
of the globe in a balloon. Their trip took 19 days, 21 hours and 55
minutes. With the landing, the last great aeronautical record had
been broken. Today, the capsule of the Breitling Orbiter 3 balloon is
on display in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in
Washington D.C.
Officials from Breitling came to Newport Beach to celebrate more
than a century of creating timepieces in conjunction with the
aviation industry. Among the specialized products Breitling has
created are cockpit timers for pilots and the “Navitimer”
chronograph, a timepiece with a circular slide rule that has been in
production for 50 years.
At the event, officials from Breitling and Traditional Jewelers
proudly introduced a new product called “The Emergency,” a
multi-function chronograph that features a miniaturized distress
signal transmitter. Both Jones and Piccard wore the watch during
their around-the-world adventure. Very James Bond.
The Halfacres welcomed more than 200 guests to the Palm Gardens to
support the event and meet Jones. The pilot signed copies of his
book, titled “Around the World in 20 Days,” and shared personal
stories over the trials and tribulations of getting the project
literally off the ground.
Jones was candid about the failure of three previous attempts,
along with the years of study and preparation that went into the
daring expedition. A film was shown to the crowd outlining the
highpoints of the adventure. Jones shared with the audience that he
had been the back-up pilot, and that the original commander backed
out of the journey at the last minute.
His wife, Joanna Jones, shared her one fear: “How will you get
home if the world is flat?”
Jones did make it home, and is now on a national tour promoting
his book, which will in turn help to fund the Winds of Hope charity
and its fight against noma, a disease that often occurs in
poverty-stricken countries such as Niger. Noma attacks the skin of
children’s’ faces and disfigures them for life. It is often fatal.
The World Health Organization estimates that there are
approximately 100,000 children who contract noma each year. Both
Jones and Piccard are dedicated to supporting this cause.
The evening was a splendid collaboration between business and
charity, with more than a dash of adventure, daring and the best of
human motives. It all combined to produce positive results.
* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.
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