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.