SKORPYO

One of the top international builders of high performance open motor yachts Pershing, brand of the Ferretti Group, will present an exclusive set of elegant suitcases signed by Poltrona Frau, confirming the great care to design that has always characterized Pershing yachts.

Founded in Italy in 1912, Poltrona Frau makes some of the world’s finest leather furniture and also provides the upholstery for the interiors of Bugatti and Maserati models. The luxury accessories build on the partnership forged by the two companies in 2006 when Poltrona Frau designed an interior for the beautiful $5 million Pershing 72’, a triumph of nautical engineering and naval architecture that took the yachting world by storm.

The collection will consist of eight pieces in varying configurations that will be available to Pershing owners. A set with a rolling suitcase, a beauty case and two travel bags is available for yachts ranging from 50 to 74 feet, while the 82 to 115-foot range also includes a tablet case, a PC case, a travel bag and a second beauty case. The cases are made from Poltrona Frau’s exclusive Frau ® SC milk-white leather with dove grey seaming. The pieces feature a stylized wave design with the Pershing logo embroidered on it and are detailed with polished nickel chromium-plated finishes, Pershing personalized laser cut zippers, and inked ribs matching the color of the leather.

Australian actress Nicole Kidman will appear as the new face of luxury shoe and accessories brand Jimmy Choo from this autumn.

With the images currently top secret, and set to drop in August’s crop of fashion magazines including Harpers Bazaar, Vogue and Vanity Fair, Nicole Kidman was shot by Swedish fashion photographer Mikael Jansson.

The Australian actress was an obvious choice for Choo’s creative director Sandra Choi: “Nicole is one of the finest actresses in the world,” Choi told WWD. “I knew [she] could convey the empowered glamour of the brand. But she is also so nuanced and refined; she brings an attitude of defiance, strength, sensuality and elegance.”

Academy Award winner Nicole was the face of famed perfume Chanel No. 5 for a number of years, after starring in a multimillion dollar advert shot by “The Great Gatsby” and “Moulin Rouge” director Baz Luhrmann.

It seems that when BlackBerry announced the new BlackBerry Z10, the world of high living took notice, including no less than luxury icon Louis Vuitton.

Given Louis Vuitton's famous heritage in travel, here is what we think the brand saw: a phone that has been re-engineered to offer a powerful and unique mobile computing experience with every feature, every gesture and every detail, designed to keep the user moving.

When Louis Vuitton announced its latest creation, a sophisticated case designed for the BlackBerry Z10, we took notice and we liked what we saw. And what we saw is this: an elaborate case available in either Louis Vuitton’s signature Monogram or graphite Damier fabric. The case combines functionality with Louis Vuitton’s specialist craftsmanship.

The case is out in all Louis Vuitton stores.

An end of terrace home in London is set to become the most expensive property ever sold in the UK after it went on the market for £250million.

The six-storey Grade I listed Regency mansion is a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace and boasts 50,000 sq ft of living space, making it one of the capital’s largest private homes.

Property expert Henry Pryor, who pointed out that the ‘nearest corner shop will be Fortnum & Mason’, said: ‘I think it will almost certainly be bought by a foreign buyer.’

The property is 1,537 times more expensive than the average house sold last month in the UK, which was worth £162,606. At the asking price, the buyer will face a £17.5million bill for stamp duty.

Details on the property's interior are sketchy, it is believed to boast a magnificent double staircase and huge ballroom.

The secret brochure apparently shows interior photographs which were taken in the 1890s, because the current owner does not want to advertise the contents of his home for security reasons.

The property is registered in the British Virgin Islands, and said to be owned by a member of the Saudi royal family.

Despite the shaky economic recovery, 2012 was a record year for sales in London worth more than £5million, according to research by estate agent Savills.

Last year, more than 400 properties were sold over that threshold, up from 350 in 2011.

With so many properties now fetching nine-figure sums, oligarchs might be tempted to move to Kensington's Egerton Crescent, Britain's priciest street - where they can pick up a bargain with the average house costing just £8million.

At the upcoming May event of the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este  headed by RM Auctions, one would see bespoken vintage vehicles, and also a luxury speed boat up for auction.

RM Auctions will help find a new owner for the 1960 Riva Tritone Special Cadillac Powerboat, which was created by Carlo Riva on his shipyard, in Lake Iseo.

One of the finest vintage wooden powerboats, this vessel with Hull No. 132, is known to have transported some of Hollywood's biggest icons including Sofia Loren, Peters Sellers, and Brigitte Bardot. Despite the fame it got during the early days, there was no other boat like this made again, even for personal modified editions, hence it stands as a one-off piece.

It is known to have been made by Riva, on the special order of noted industrialist, Achille Roncoroni, who also made him promise that none like this can ever be made again.

However, it now stands in the hope of finding a new collector, in all of it's beautiful splendor.

The price of this precious Riva to be in the region of €550,000 and €750,000 .

An extremely rare fancy deep-blue diamond weighing 5.30 carats sold at Bonhams Fine Jewellery sale in London's New Bond Street today, April 24th for a record price of $1.8m per carat.

The previous world record price per carat for a blue diamond was $1.68m. This rare gem was bought by Graff Diamonds, the international diamond house headquartered in New Bond Street. London. Bidding came from round the world via 25 telephone lines as well as bidders in the packed saleroom.

The fancy deep-blue diamond is set in a 'Trombino' ring made by Bulgari, the renowned Italian jeweller favoured by Hollywood film stars, and the epitome of fashion and innovation during the 1960s. The ring was made circa 1965 and had been estimated to fetch £1,000,000 to £1,500,000 at the Bonhams auction.

Jean Ghika, Director of Bonhams Jewellery Department for Europe commented after the sale: "We are delighted with the price it has made. It was a sensational stone which charmed everyone who viewed it prior to the sale. Blue diamonds, especially those over 5.00 carats, are extremely rare to see on the market and continue to be highly sought-after. We are honoured to have handled the sale of such a unique gem."

Blue diamonds are very rarely seen on the market and fancy-coloured diamonds are among the most valuable and sought-after in the world. They have delighted royals and celebrities over the centuries, with the most famous blue 'Hope Diamond' bought by King Louis XIV of France in the late 17th Century. The stunning 45.52-carat diamond, originating from India was eventually stolen from the Crown Jewels by thieves in the French Revolution and then smuggled to London, finally coming to rest in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C.

The Bulgari ring features a cushion-shaped fancy deep-blue diamond, weighing 5.30 carats. It is set horizontally within a mount pavé-set with brilliant-cut diamonds and courses of baguette-cut diamonds. The term "fancy" is used to describe a diamond of intense colour and the colour "fancy deep-blue" is one of the rarest. The extraordinary colour blue is derived from small atoms of boron mixing with the carbon atoms in a diamond, affecting the absorption of light passing through the stone and lending it a blue appearance. Blue diamonds are structurally very pure and account for less than one per cent of all diamonds mined.

The Swiss watchmaker Corum said Wednesday it had been acquired by China Haidian in the first purchase of a luxury Swiss watch company by a Chinese rival.

China Haidian said it had acquired 100 percent of Corum for 86 million Swiss francs ($90.9 million, 71.6 million euros).

The companies said the sale would anchor China Haidian’s position in the Swiss luxury watch sector while opening new prospects for development and positioning of the Corum brand worldwide.

“This strategic agreement fulfils the long term vision of both partners for the continued development and growth of the Corum brand,” they said in statement.

“I am very pleased with this acquisition and I firmly believe in the potential development of Corum,” China Haidian chief executive Hon Kwok Lung said.

Founded in 1955 and based in the town La Chaux-de-Fonds in the canton of Neuchatel, Corum is known for its gold and jewelled encrusted watches that start from 4,000 francs.

The Hong Kong-listed China Haidian Holdings Limited manufactures its own watches and also distributes selected Swiss luxury watch brands in China and throughout Asia.

China Haidian, which owns two of the top four domestic Chinese watch brands, EBOHR and ROSSINI, also owns the Swiss brand Eterna which has a license to manufacture and distribute globally “Porsche Design” watches.

The sale was announced on the eve of Baselworld, the world’s biggest watch trade fair held in the Swiss city of Basel.

Alloy Yachts’ latest launch, the 154-foot (47-meter) motor yacht Loretta Anne, has emerged from the New Zealand shipyard after 25 months of construction and was delivered to its new owners.

With sleek naval architecture by Dubois Naval Architects and a Bahamas beach house–style interior design from Donald Starkey, this contemporary vessel accommodates eight guests in four staterooms, plus eight crew in four cabins. Flamed mahogany, crotch walnut, sycamore, cherry, zebrano, cedar, and other woods along with several types of stone complement the light fabrics and sea-life details, such as seaweedlike patterns in the bulkheads, coral- and fish-print fabrics, and framed underwater seascapes. A stunning mural by Toronto-based Vaclav Vaca graces the stairway wall.

Two custom tenders designed by Fontaine Design Group and built by Lloyd Stevenson Boatbuilders reside in the tender garage, which opens on three sides, allowing for the perfect tender-launching and diving-in point. A Novurania RIB and a Yamaha personal watercraft are stowed on the foredeck. A spa pool on the flybridge deck offers up onboard water options, and a gym ensures space to work off the fine food taken in at one or all of the several dining areas; the main-deck aft alfresco dining table seats eight, as does the flybridge table, and the formal dining space seats ten. Plus, the yacht features three glass-fronted and backlit bars, and guests can sunbathe on the sundeck’s sunning pads.

Twin Caterpillar diesel engines give Loretta Anne a 17-knot top speed and a cruise speed of 14. The yacht has a range of 3,500 nautical miles at 14 knots. A state-of-the-art bridge with Furuno navigation and communications equipment and a helm station adjacent to the flybridge dining/lounging area provide the gear needed to get to the next port.

Visit website>

Rolex is pleased to present at BASELWORLD 2013 the new watches in its OYSTER collection, which are on display at its new 1,230 square-metre stand, one of the largest stands at the World Watch and Jewellery Show.

A blend of technological innovation and sophisticated aesthetics, these new Rolex models, all COSC-certified chronometers for their precision, are the latest versions of legendary watches evolving in a constant quest for perfection.

CELEBRATING SPEED
Exactly 50 years ago, in 1963, Rolex unveiled the Oyster Perpetual COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA, a chronograph designed for racing drivers and measuring speed. This watch has established an impressive track record on the racing circuits and achieved iconic status as the world’s most famous and most sought-after chronograph. In 2013, as Rolex deepens its commitment to motor racing by becoming Global Partner and Official Timepiece of Formula 1, the COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA is being offered for the first time in 950 platinum, the noblest and most precious of metals. This new model has an ice blue dial and a chestnut brown monobloc CERACHROM bezel in ceramic, which enhances the famous tachymetric scale for calculating speed.

HERITAGE AND INNOVATION
The CERACHROM bezel insert, a ceramic component developed and patented by Rolex in 2005, also takes pride of place in an innovative, ground-breaking form on the Oyster Perpetual GMT-MASTER II in 904L steel. Rolex has developed a single-piece CERACHROM bezel insert in two colours. The new GMT-MASTER II’s 24-hour bezel insert is half blue and half black, representing daytime hours and night-time hours. It echoes the traditional two-colour bezel of the original GMT-MASTER, which was created in 1955 to allow airline pilots to read the time in two different time zones simultaneously.

A PASSION FOR THE SEA
Rolex is presenting a third new model in its Professional range this year – a timekeeping instrument dedicated to yachting regattas. The Oyster Perpetual YACHT-MASTER II is available for the first time entirely in 904L steel. This revolutionary regatta chronograph, introduced in 2007 in 18 ct gold, features a unique function: a programmable countdown with a mechanical memory that responds ideally to skippers’ needs for precise timing. The rotatable RING COMMAND bezel, an unprecedented and patented interface for setting the watch, enables simple access to the sophisticated watch functions. A pure example of Rolex expertise in terms of precision, functions and reliability, the new YACHT-MASTER II in 904L steel is the benchmark for all those with a passion for sailing.

PRESTIGE AND ELEGANCE
Adding to its line of prestigious classic watches, Rolex is offering new colourful versions of the Oyster Perpetual DAY-DATE with luxurious leather straps whose elegant colours match the dials. Available in a choice of 18 ct yellow, white or EVEROSE gold, these new DAY-DATE models with fluted bezels bring a fresh touch to Rolex’s most prestigious calendar model, created in 1956.
A bezel set with baguette-cut diamonds appears as a feature of all seven models in a new DAY-DATE "SERTIE" selection in 18 ct yellow, white or EVEROSE gold graced with exclusive, sophisticated dials: mother-of-pearl creations with a floral motif decorated with gold and diamonds or an oxford motif share the limelight with fascinating gemstone dials – lapis lazuli, bull’s eye and ferrite.
Rolex is also introducing new jewelled creations that bring together precious materials and magnificent gem setting. The new Oyster Perpetual LADY-DATEJUST PEARLMASTER combines a case and bracelet in 18 ct EVEROSE gold with a bezel and bracelet links in 18 ct white gold exquisitely set with diamonds of the finest quality. The dial of this sumptuous watchmaking gem is adorned with black or white mother-of-pearl enhanced with a lotus flower motif in a pink-gold tone.
Benefiting from the rich heritage and exceptional know-how of Rolex, the new OYSTER collection models presented at BASELWORLD 2013 exemplify the expertise of an integrated and independent watchmaker that draws on uncompromising values and unequalled means to tirelessly perpetuate its passion for perfection.

[ Source ]

A convoy of cars is coming to 19 cities and eight European countries over the next seven weeks for the Aston Martin Centenary Tour.

Accompanying the 2013 Vanquish, the British carmaker’s current flagship model, will be a 1921 Aston Martin A3 – the oldest existing car from the company’s 100-year history — and of course the iconic 1963 DB5 made famous by its ongoing association with that other major UK export — James Bond.

The cars are traveling to Aston Martin dealerships throughout Europe, starting in Cologne, Germany, on April 23 and ending in Paris, France, on June 13, via Luxemburg, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, The Netherlands and Monaco.

Each stop on the tour will coincide with a number of special local events to celebrate the milestone and to help Aston Martin fans get closer to the cars.

Although the European leg of the tour will end in June, it will mark only the first stage of the company’s planned year-long celebrations.

Other events include a lap of honor for 100 lucky Aston Martin owners at the start of the Le Mans 24-hour endurance race on June 22 and a special appearance at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California in August.

The following is a full run-down of the Centenary Tour stops:

- 25th April – Luxembourg

- 26th April – Hilversum (The Netherlands)

- 30th April – Bremen (Germany)

- 3rd May – Dresden (Germany)

- 6th May – Vienna (Austria)

- 7th May – Salzburg (Austria)

- 8th May – Munich (Germany)

- 13th May – Memmingen (Germany)

- 16th May – Milan (Italy)

- 17th May – Cadenazzo (Switzerland)

- 19th May – 21st May – N24 Adac Nürburging (Germany)

- 23 May – Stuttgart (Germany)

- 24th May – Düsseldorf (Germany)

- 29th May – Kronberg (Germany)

- 1st June – Safenwil (Switzerland)

- 6th June – Monaco

- 11th June – Lyon (France)

- 12th June – Bordeaux (France)

- 13th June – Paris (France)