bugatti swiss alps

Another plush Bugatti showroom has opened its doors in the spectacular Swiss Alps, to be located smack in the center of the famous mountain resort Gstaad. The new outlet is being touted as one of the brand’s largest in Europe and the 13th across the globe to feature the brand’s novel award-winning floor design. Spread over a sprawling 150 square meters, The Bugatti – Gstaad was developed in close consultation with Pichler GFG AG, which is the official partner of Bugatti in Switzerland since 2010. This is the third Bugatti showroom to spring up in the Swiss Alps, the other two being the hugely successful Bugatti Geneva and Bugatti Zurich outlets. With 10 of over 200 advance orders for the Chiron coming directly from the Swiss Alps, Switzerland promises to be one of the brand’s biggest markets in Europe.

beipanjiang bridge china

Suspended above a Chinese river by more than half a kilometre, The Beipanjiang Bridge is the highest bridge ever built in the world. Open to traffic now, the bridge is raised 564 metres above the Beipan River in mountainous southwest China and has a 1,341-metre span that carries four lanes of traffic. Designed by a team of Chinese engineers, the bridge connects the provinces of Guizhou and Yunnan, and is expected to reduce journey time between the cities of Liupanshui and Xuianwei from five hours to just two. Before now the world’s highest bridge was the Sidu River Bridge, also in China, positioned 500 metres above a river.

hermes outdoor furnishing

Great news for Hermes loyalists! Now you can add to your collection of Hermes bags, scarves and perfumes by owning some prized pieces of the Hermes outdoor furnishing fabrics collection. The materials are technical in practice yet sensual and exuberant, in keeping with Hermes mantra of style with substance. The fabrics are resistant to moisture, light, and chlorine and therefore perfect for both the terrace and the poolside. The fabrics are available in four shades with a cheerful yet elegant interplay of patterns. The collection uses a warm and natural palette for the perfect outdoor mood. So get Hermes to grace your home along with your closet this year.

hollywood top grossers

Scarlett Johansson has been named top grossing actor of the year 2016 by Forbes. That’s quite a wonderful development, we think, since for the most part of history, male actors have been ruling the roost. But Scarlett’s shot to the very top now, thanks to her roles in movies such as “Sing”, “The Jungle Book”, “Hail Caesar!”, and “Captain America: Civil War”, which helped her rake in a total of $1.2 billion in ticket sales in 2016. Her Civil War co-stars Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr., who raked in $1.15 billion, tied for the second spot. The commercial hit that played a major role in deciding the rankings of these three stars also went on to become the top-grossing movie of 2016 with $1.15 billion. Well here’s to Scarlett and to seeing more of her in 2017 !

six senses bhutan

Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas is preparing for the opening of Six Senses Bhutan in 2017. “The rapid brand expansion of Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas ignited in Asia, Europe, Northern Africa and the Caribbean allows us to redefine ourselves on a global scale with the addition of our first ski resort, first urban hotel and two amazing resort projects located at UNESCO World Heritage Sites,” stated CEO Neil Jacobs.  Six Senses Bhutan is actually a cluster of five properties set in stunning natural beauty for the ultimate circuit experience. With a total of just 82 guest suites distributed between five intimate lodges, the project creates a Six Senses journey that encompasses Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey, Bumthang and Paro. The five guest lodges are supposed to reflect the heritage and hospitality which makes Bhutan the ‘Happiest Place on Earth’.

mid size suv

Japanese luxury automaker Infiniti is all set to unveil their QX50 concept at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show that opens next week. The QX50 concept, which will eventually form a new mid-size SUV, is an evolution of the QX Sport Inspiration showcased at the 2016 Beijing Auto Show, and features a cab-forward silhouette with taut and muscular lines. There’s also new tech buried in the QX50 concept’s body— what Infiniti calls the “first production-ready incarnation” of its ProPilot semi-autonomous technology.  The tech is supposed to be handy in driving tasks such as navigating stop-start traffic on the highway or keeping track of surrounding vehicles. The QX50 Concept is expected to bolster the future position of Infiniti in the mid-size SUV space which is currently the fastest-growing segment globally.

orchard road singapore

Louis Vuitton‘s Orchard Road boutique in Singapore recently celebrated its 20th anniversary in the iconic shopping mall with a complete makeover. The exterior façade is done up in stone glass and metal, featuring the Maison’s signature Monogram Flower pattern reinterpreted in shiny copper with a fading effect. Inside, the boutique is all subtlety and class, with luxurious fittings such as cerused oak with gold leaf, natural stone floors, plush furniture by Paul Evans and Helene de Saint Lager, and splendid hand-knotted carpets from Nepal. Original art pieces by Farhad Moshiri, Michael Brunn and Lonneke Gordijn adorn the interiors. But what really stands out is Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta’s installation created from glass, wire, LED and electronics, and equipped with a motion detector. What’s the motion detector for, you ask? Well the installation delightfully interacts with visitors when they pass. Now that is truly engaging, we say.

fireworks display

Atlantis, The Palm, welcomed the New Year 2017 with a bash involving a spectacular fireworks show that was superbly synchronised with creatively selected music. The show lasted 10 minutes and was enjoyed by 6,500 guests having dinner under the stars, with live entertainment and a delightful 1.4 kilometre beach setting. The program featured elegant displays mixing art with cuisine, such as the one where 36 kilograms of the best caviar were displayed on 175 hand-carved ice sculptures. Dinner highlights featured live cooking stations, barbeques and buffets and various international dishes.

Art for the Wrist: Luxe watchmakers doff their hats to the bugler bird with eye catching pieces saluting the Year of the Rooster
Art for the Wrist: Luxe watchmakers doff their hats to the bugler bird with eye catching pieces saluting the Year of the Rooster

The rooster is the icon for the Chinese New Year this time, and you’d sure want to flaunt something on that very note. So we’ve handpicked a trio of ultra luxe watchmakers that doff their hats to the bright and loud bird with some extraordinarily eye catching pieces, in a smooth blending of Swiss craftsmanship, Chinese lore and a host of métiers d’arts.

Ulysse Nardin

designer watches

The Classico Year of the Rooster in 18-karat rose gold Is powered by the in-house-made UN-815 self-winding movement. Created in a limited edition of just 88 pieces., the 40mm watch is a COSC-certified chronometer that offers 42 hours of power reserve. The most arresting feature, of course, is the dial depicting the rooster in the centuries-old technique of champlevé enamel., with a backdrop of rich copper-colored metallic enamel, recreating the dawn sky. It is achieved using different metallic oxides in the painting process. Ulysse Nardin is one of the few watch brands to continue to produce unique champlevé enamel dials in its Donze Cadrans dial manufacture. Eight blue-centered gold flowers lie at the feet of the majestic rooster, that glows with blue feathers outlined in gold, a white head and a bold red comb. This is real art on your wrist.

Chopard

expensive watches

Behold the utterly breathtaking L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Rooster timepiece from Chopard, which uses sap from the Urushi tree to paint the dial that you just couldn’t take your eyes off. Partnering with the Yamada Heiando firm in Japan, Chopard took harvested sap for the Urushi paining, which can be extricated just once year. The lacquer was applied within mother-of-pearl cells that help enhance the iridescence of the rooster, painted gorgeously in vivid blue with gold and orange tail feathers, with a bed of eight gladiolas round the bird. The L.U.C 96.17-L self-winding movement with micro-rotor powers is equipped with two barrels, offering 65 hours of power reserve. The 39.5mm watch is crafted in 18-karat rose gold. This 88-piece limited edition watch is an absolute collector’s pride, a joy to possess.

Vacheron Constantin

vacheron constantin

Vacheron Constantin’s Chinese New Year special watches come in two versions, meticulously crafted using sculpture, enamel work and engraving featuring a three dimensional sculpted 18-karat gold rooster. While one comes in 18 karat rose gold against a dark salmon-colored Grand Feu enamel dial and the other in 18-karat white gold against a blue Grand Feu enamel dial, the Métiers d’Art “Legend of the Chinese Zodiac” are extremely limited edition, with just 12 pieces of each to be created. The Grand Feu enamel dial of the watch is etched with foliage that is then filled with gold. The hands-free watches, powered by the technically advanced in-house-made mechanical Caliber 2460 G4, carry the distinctive Hallmark of Geneva certification attesting to their superb craftsmanship.

We can bet you’d find it extremely difficult to choose between them. The truly discerning timepiece aficionado, though, would like to have them all.

luxury real estate

The ongoing Dubai Shopping Festival is known for its lucrative luxury offers and grand bonanzas. In the same spirit, UAE developer Damac Properties has announced that it will offer a brand new BMW or another luxury car with the purchase of a luxury apartment starting from $163,101 for this year’s Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF). Niall McLoughlin, senior vice president, Damac Properties, reportedly said, “From luxury apartments overlooking Dubai Canal to branded residences in Dubai Marina, this offer allows property buyers not only to live the luxury, but to drive it too.” The festival which started December 26 will continue till January 28 2017, with a range of retailers offering product discounts and other deals. Previously, in 2015, the real estate developer had come up with a similar proposition of offering new luxury cars to the buyers of its apartments during DSF. As of September 30 2016, Damac had delivered approximately 16,800 homes, as stated by the company.