The Delance story

The birth

1994

Giselle Rufer decides to create the watch 'Time for Women'. Carol Gygax succeeds with the design following the theme:

LIFE  - HARMONY - SPIRITUALITY
The diamond shape: universal symbol of life and prosperity
At the zenith, a spiral: water, moon, femininity
The stone at the nadir: south, sun, masculine energy 
as the infinity symbol links femininity and masculinity in the eternal flow of the cosmos

1996

• "DELANCE" founded
• First participation the Basel Watch Fair (Bâle Fair)
• Delance is selected by GENILEM, a foundation supporting young entrepreneurs starting their own business
• Prize for 'EXCELLENCE AU FEMININ'
• DELANCE is online with their first website
• DELANCE offers a prize to the 'Global Summit of Women' to award to a creative weaver from Kuwait: Madam Abab Farhan

1997

• DELANCE is introduced at the International Museum of Watchmaking under the section "Shape Evolution”
• Giselle Rufer is invited in Copenaghen for the first congress on "Corporate Social Responsibility"
• The DELANCE watch is nominated by "l'Hebdo" and "Die Schweizer Illustriert" for 'Watch of the Year' selection. It is ranked 1st by the women from French-speaking Switzerland and 4th overall.

 

Zoom

Carol Gygax

Designer for DELANCE

The evolution

1998

• First mechanical watch, chased and engraved, set with pink diamonds
• The “Petite” is adorable and presented at 'The Basel Watch Fair'
• DELANCE receives the 10th Annual 'Golden Award for Quality' in New York
• DELANCE participates for the first time at the 'Bahrain Jewellery Exhibition'
• Sharon Stone wears her DELANCE during an 'Oprah Winfrey Show' episode

1999

DELANCE is selected by 'Working Woman' to award to the 8 most creative women entrepreneurs in the US

2000

DELANCE receives the Golden Idea Oscar 2000 at Zurich Technopark 

2004

• Shirin Ebadi, Peace Nobel Prize 2003, receives a DELANCE in the name of Swiss women
• Giselle Rufer receives the Recognition Award from ' GWIIN - Global Women Inventors and Innovators Network ', which recognizes worldwide women inventors and their histories

The success

2006

• Delance starts sponsoring FFFH - Helvetia French Film Festival - offering a personal Delance to the artists. Zabou Breitmann, Charlotte Masini, Medeea Marinescu, Claire Simon, Camille Varenne, Danièle Thompson and Edna Epelbaum receive a DELANCE watch
• The "American Biographical Institute" awards Giselle Rufer of Delance, the 2005 "Woman of the Year" medal, having been selected because of her social contribution and professional success

2008

• Giselle Rufer receives the ' Women Entrepreneur of the Year 2008 ' award in Switzerland

2012

• Enterprising Women Awards in Fort Lauderdale.
• The "Priyadarshini Award" by the Federation or Indian Women Entrepeneurs