Icelanders turn to Rolex for their investments
With the global financial situation worrying investors, more people are turning to luxury goods as a safe place to invest funds. Iceland's only Rolex dealer has seen a “significant increase” in sales.
Diamonds are a Man's Best Friend?
Gentlemen prefer...Diamonds? Well, they will after being introduced to their new best friend, Vivianne Ivanier. She's a private jeweler who will not only design, source diamonds and create your ring, but she'll hold your man's hand throughout the whole never-again-terrifying experience of buying YOU beautiful jewellery.
Record price for wristwatch
Recently a Patek Phillipe wristwatch was sold at an auction in New York City for a new US record price of $1,240,400 (£620,000). The watch was a “Pink Gold Sky Moon Tourbillon” (pictured right), crafted from 18K pink gold in 2003. As the name suggests, the watch is equipped with a tourbillon, but it also has a perpetual calendar, moon phase and orbit displays, and a nocturnal sky map of the northern hemisphere, which is viewable on the reverse side.
First ever London Jewellery Week sponsored by Coutts
Announcing 'Coutts London Jewellery Week'. This will be the capital's first ever city-wide celebration of jewellery design. Jewellers such as Theo Fennell and Stephen Webster will lend their support.
Tag Heuer Meridiist is the first mobile phone from a Swiss watchmaker
Following the likes of Vertu with their luxury phones, Tag Heuer have released the Meridiist, a stunning mobile phone with a clock built into the end. With build quality in a similar league to their watches, this will be a phone worthy of a second look.
Cartier Perles
Cartier is well know to avoid using mechanical movements in its watches, and this is no exception. Obviously it is a ladies watch, which makes the lack of mechanics more acceptable to most people, not to mention the increased accuracy. Cartier is also one of the few brands which is considered to always be a safe investment.
Audemars Piguet Millenary Pianoforte
With its oval case, off centre face and piano inspired markings, the Millenary Pianoforte is a very unusual design. The case is made from white gold, and there is also the option to have it set with 311 brilliant cut diamonds, both on the face and in the case. The self winding mechanism incorporates a few useful features, such a balance stop which means that the second hands are motionless when the time is set - helpful for getting the time exactly correct.
Vacheron Constantin
The Vacheron Constantin Malte Tourbillon Regulator is the newest watch from the Richemont Group company. Its tonneau shape is easily recognisable, and is a traditional element of watch from this company, with a history going back for over 100 years. Two versions of this case will be made available from SIHH. Both measure 40mm x 50mm, but one will be made from 18kt rose gold, whilst the other is in platinum. Both have sapphire crystals.
Girard-Perregaux Bi-Axial Tourbillon
This is the latest innovative design, the Bi-Axial Tourbillion, from Girard Perregaux. It incorporates an interesting implementation of the tourbillon complication, which in days gone past did increase accuracy, although now it is not really necessary. The Bi-axial Tourbillon, combining two concentric cages, enables the regulating part to make multi-dimensional rotations.
Romain Jerome
The Five Black tourbillion is a striking design from Swiss company Romain Jerome. It has an unusual construction which uses satin finished blackened steel for the case, and ceramic for the bezel. It is manually wound, but the power reserve does not quite last a week - it is 120 hours.
Ulysse Nardin Blue Seal
Ulysse Nardin is another company which is using BaselWorld to launch a new chronograph. The Blue Seal will be available in limited edition only - 1,846 pieces in stainless steel and 999 pieces in 18kt rose gold. The self winding action has a relatively short power reserve of only 42 hours.
Schwarz Etienne
The Roma is Schwarz Etienne’s new model that they will be introducing this year at BaselWorld. It introduces what is fast becoming one of the most fashionable, and surprisingly for a complication, useful, features of recent times.
New Corum Romvlvs
For the first time Corum has added a chronograph complication to its Romvlvs product line. The watch comes with a 44mm stainless steel case engraved with roman numerals - there are no numbers on the face itself. The crystal is made from sapphire and includes an anti-reflective coating, but there is only one on the front, not the back as well.
Zenith Classic Diver Chronograph
This watch will be produced as a limited edition of only 250 pieces, with a case manufactured from brushed stainless steel. The balance bridge is made from a special shock absorbent material, known as “Zenithium” which allows the chronograph to measure short time intervals - down to 1/10th of a second.
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Watch This Space
We have been pretty vocal about our new found love affair with Bremont watches in the past few issues of Lusso Magazine, so imagine our excitement when we found out that our favourite watch brand had just become the official timers of our favourite summer event - The Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Italian Stallions
Like every reader of Lusso, I can tell the difference between a Pouilly Fuissé and a Pouilly Fumé without inhaling. I can distinguish between Gucci and Pucci with my eyes closed. I am, in other words, so profoundly sophisticated and so preternaturally cool that it sometimes gives me a headache.
The Boys of Bremont
For Giles and I, our interest in all things mechanical began as young children. Our weekends and evenings were spent with our father in his workshop, tinkering with balsa wood, cogs and wheels and any other ‘spare’ materials we could find lying around. Our father was an incredible engineer.
Interview - Roger Smith
Some categories of people are rather rare. Italian war heroes, vegetarian cowboys, drunken nuns and English watchmakers are all hard to find. Roger Smith certainly comes into this category.
David & Goliath
Once upon a time, long before the wristwatch was invented, the best clocks in the world came from England. The trouble was that they were rather big. This did not matter if their function was to act as a ship’s chronometer but it did get slightly awkward if, like all fashionable men, you tried to keep one of these clocks in your waistcoat pocket.
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Fummer Toppe
As though connected together, the five sleek jets pivot perfectly around the horizon as a single rolling entity. We pull up into a loop, the G comes on strong, and for a second I wonder if I’m going to regret not wearing a G-suit! Sliding seamlessly into the next manoeuvre, with the five jets holding formation with incredible accuracy, I cannot help but be profoundly impressed by the skill of the five pilots.
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Chanel
Founded in 1910, the small shop selling ladies headwear had moved to the upmarket Rue Cambon within a year. The house became especially famous with the elegant little black dress, tweed suit, and its signature No. 5 fragrance, which debuted in 1921.
Ferrari to launch convertible 430 Scuderia – the 16M
It's been rumoured for a while now, but it seems Ferrari are to release a Spyder version of their hardcore 430, the Scuderia. This will be called the 16M and limited to 499 vehicles. The car is to commemorate the company's 16th F1 constructor's title.
Travel Special
The ultimate in peace and quite. Lusso Magazine investigates the best island resorts in the world - it's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.
Ultimate Toys
Super yacht tenders, powerboats, motorbikes and super cars, we serve up the usual dose of high octane machinery.
And the regulars...
Brian Ebbesen, Arash Farboud, Nick English and others all share their views
Buying a Bugatti Veyron
“I somehow doubt Arash is going to email you! Just post your questions here, he obviously read/respo...” By Daniel 31 October 2008
Buying a Bugatti Veyron
“Arash if you can see the email i have given here please email me, i have some questions for you” By Arash 31 October 2008
