Forget cruising the roads in style, now you can swish ahead on snow in the swankiest way possible. The Lamborghini Huracan has been repurposed by the Italian brand into a snowmobile—and nothing beats this on the white stuff. The concept was created by Rain Prisk Designs, with the four wheels being replaced by chains. The car in stock condition pumps out 600 horsepower, driven by a 5.2-liter engine. Now this is some accessory for the billionaire’s winter holiday!
Burberry has named Marco Gobbetti as its brand new CEO, replacing Christopher Bailey. But Bailey isn’t being displaced— he will, instead, serve as President and Chief Creative Officer and will oversee all elements of brand and design, working in partnership with Gobbetti, who will join the company next year. Shares in Burberry jumped 7.9 percent on the news, their strongest day in three years. Both Bailey and Gobbetti will report to Burberry chairman John Peace. In a separate statement, Burberry also announced it had appointed Julie Brown as Chief Operating and Financial Officer. Brown will join the company in early 2017. Gobetti is currently the chairman and CEO of luxury label Céline and has an impressive resume, having spent 20 years in the industry. Prior to his role at Céline, Gobbetti was the CEO for both Moschino and Givenchy.
The Luxe Café: How old are these cars that you sell? Give us a few examples?
We sell cars which are one to three years old. We have 2014 Dec Bentley GTV8, 2013 Apr Ferrari 458 Italia etc.
Which are the top-selling brands/models?
Our top selling brands are Porsche Cayenne, Jaguar XLR, Ferrari 458, among others.
Why do people sell them?
Big Boy Toyz gives them the comfort of changing cars every six months because we have a confirmed buy back of 25% on every car. So after the first use of let say a Ferrari, eight months down the line they give back Ferrari and gets Lamborghini and it goes on. So, people pursue their dream cars with the minimalistic depreciation with a minimum hit on the capital.
Can you give us a few examples of the popular cars in your showroom, your selling price and the original selling price? An exhaustive list would be helpful?
Here are a few examples:
Depreciation depends from car to car, from product to product.
Which cities do you see the most demand coming from?
The maximum demand comes from Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi, Gurgaon and Bangalore.
On what factors do you decide the selling price of the car?
The selling price is decided upon conditions, availability, model years, kilometres etc.
Do customers want anything else like warranty, customization etc. while buying these cars? Do you facilitate these requests as well?
We don’t customize cars and that’s not our business. We provide six months warranty, buy back one year @ 25% less.
When does demand peak?
I would say Jan-Mar & Sep-Dec are the peak time where demand shoots up
What do people look for while purchasing pre-owned luxury cars?
Quality of the product, along with color, specifications, aesthetics etc are the factors people take into consideration.
What kind of customers do you usually get? What’s their age group, socio-economic profile etc?
The customers are not restricted to one group, it ranges from 20-60 years and their profile varies from CEOs, CFOs, MDs and Directors to Elite Page 3 crowds, Cricketers, Celebrities and Entrepreneurs.
Are these mainly first time owners of luxury cars?
Mainly they are car aficionados who buy these cars from us, a handful are first time owner of luxury cars.
How big is the second-hand luxury car market in India?
The pre-loved car market is growing at a pace of 15-20% every year. With new models coming in, every client wants to change his car often. We estimate the pre-loved car market to be 1.3 times bigger than the new car so the ratio will be 1.3:1.
What is your marketing methodology? How do you get in touch with potential customers?
I strongly believe that word of mouth from our satisfied clients is the best marketing strategy and this is what we have practiced so far with 99.8% repeat business. Besides, we have participated in Automobile events, Fashion shows, Music videos and associated with print and electronic media.
What are the most expensive cars you have sold?
We have fifteen cars in the budget starting from 2.5 Cr to 4 Cr right now in the stock which include Marques like Rolls Royce, Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin etc.
This is the year of blue diamonds, with one spectacular stone after another being auctioned off at Christie’s and Sotheby’s. From the Cullinan Dream that set new records to the Shirley Temple that shockingly failed to sell, the bedazzling Blue Moon of Josephine and the De Beers Millenium Jewel that became the most expensive piece of jewelry sold at auction in Asia, the world has been captivated by the power of blue.
But the Jane Seymour is an inimitable piece of jewelry, in a league all its own. The ring doesn’t just flaunt a rare blue diamond—it carries the spectacular super-sparkle of celebrity allure. Jane Seymour OBE, the A-lister British-American star, has been honoured with this extraordinary 2.08 carat Fancy Vivid Blue Diamond ring in platinum to celebrate her accomplishments in the film industry. Crafted by the World of Diamonds Group In Geneva, one of the world’s largest privately held diamond corporations, The Jane Seymour ring reflects the power of the celebrity who has clinched an Emmy Award, two Golden Globe Awards and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
During her trip to Singapore where she starred in The Vortex play, Jane Seymour was hosted for a welcome dinner by World Of Diamonds Group at CÉ LA VI. The ring was first unveiled to her then, which she wore with aplomb, snapping selfies with the extraordinary piece of art, perfectly accentuated by the blue dress she flaunted. Seymour wasted no time authenticating the masterpiece through the signing of several catalogues of The Jane Seymour. The A-lister had later stated in an interview with Singapore’s Channel NewsAsia that the ring was “matching and doing very well” with her Open Hearts bracelet, so this is reassuring for Seymour’s fans that the bejeweled treasure may also complement the Open Hearts jewelry collection that she is the designer for.
This enchanting ring comes plated in rose-gold as it provides the blue diamond a refreshing and unexpected outlook, with a combination of matt and gloss plating utilized for the creation. Many connoisseurs of luxury in Europe and the Americas are opting for rose-gold as it provides a combination of class and elegance, since most find white gold being “too contemporary” and yellow gold being “too classic”. The ring’s floral motif represents Seymour’s personality— her her grace, elegance and demeanor. Despite her accomplishments, the celebrity is extremely down to earth, and therefore Erodium malacoides was the flower of choice for this unique ring. Erodium malacoides are naturally purple to magenta in color, hence the rose-gold plating was well represented.
The masterpiece has been showcased at various private events around the country post the Singapore dinner, and is now seeking a worthy owner. Blue diamonds of this saturation are among the rarest and most sought after gems in the world, known to fetch over $2million at Sotheby’s and Christie’s in the past, but this celebrity ring is priceless because it reflects the individuality of the star herself. Celebrity jewelry pieces are known to be unavailable in the market, unless they are pre-owned—such as the prized collections of Elizabeth Taylor, Ellen Barkin and Maria Felix. Illustrating the scarcity of such masterpieces, while the diamond in The Jane Seymour itself is worth over $2million according to market sources and recent records from Sotheby’s and Christie’s, this bedazzling piece may even sell for over $5million because of its star-studded recognition.
While the eventual buyer of the ring shouldn’t even blink an eye at the price tag (the celebrity association alone is worth many million dollars), those who covet this sparkler must also remember that even in the world of extreme luxury, money can’t buy everything. There are some things that demand a little extra, a touch of the intangible. As defined by the World of Diamonds, the connoisseur that desires this ring must also fulfill certain criteria established at the discretion of the Group’s Chairman. As the company informs us, there have been a few enquiries thus far—unsurprisingly from royal families as well. But we daresay that whoever clinches this crowning glory would be the indisputable monarch.
Nutritious soups and smoothies, detoxifying body massages and private yoga sessions by the South China Sea are among the array of options on offer as part of The Sanchaya’s new detox program designed to provide the ultimate restorative holiday. Situated on Indonesia’s Bintan Island, The Sanchaya hotel is a spectacular 9.5 hectare property overlooking placid bays and gorgeous islands, a 45-minute ferry ride from Singapore’s Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. Under the two-day “Detox at The Sanchaya” package, guests kick-start the day with an early morning detox drink and yoga with a private instructor at the luxurious estate’s pavilion on the beach. After a reinvigorating breakfast holidaymakers indulge a body massage, choosing from The Sanchaya’s seven customized chakra oils, each promising health benefits derived from distinctive ingredients. A warm cup of chakra tea follows the treatment. Between servings of smoothies anchored by almond proteins, greens or coconuts, soups ranging from lentil and kale to roasted cauliflower, and snacks such as pumpkin cookies, guests can recharge in an exquisite environment and bid good riddance to toxins. The program, exclusive to guests staying at The Sanchaya, is priced at USD 245 ++ per person for two days. The package can be extended on a pro rata basis.
Milan’s darling Versace has entered into an agency agreement with RR Decor, India’s premier textile company and a pioneer in the weaving of handloom silks, with the aim of establishing a partnership network of showroom customers across India. RR Décor is a company focused exclusively on originality of designs, fusing ancient fabrics with modern eccentricities. The collaboration, which goes by the name of Versace 1969, specializes in Bed & Bath Linen for residential and contract markets. The newly launched Greek Key Bed Linen collection flaunts exquisite Greek key patterns artfully embroidered on cotton satins. Fine detailing with borders, flanges and hemstitching underline the collection. Rohit Khemka, Owner of RR Decor said ““The Versace 1969 design sense and its classic colours connect beautifully with the core ideology of RR Decor. We know that our discerning clients will love the way Versace 1969 interprets the trend of Bed & Bath Linen in India.” The collection will be available at all premium furnishing stores across India.
Fendi celebrated its 90th anniversary in the most ethereal mode ever: with a fairytale fountain fashion show in Rome. The models literally sashayed upon water, as a clear plexiglass runway stretched across Rome’s iconic Trevi Fountain. The couture collection’s theme was fittingly ‘Legends and Fairytales,’ as models walked across the backdrop of the famous fountains and pools from the 1960 film, La Dolce Vita. This marked the first-ever fashion show to take place at the Italian landmark. Guests were chartered to the show via a private Fendi plane from Paris’s couture collections to Rome—the only fitting way to arrive to a show of such stature, of course. The clothes mirrored the fairytale ambience—all nymphette dresses, swaggering capes with fur shredded and patched into intricate woodland scenes, replete with mink flowers and astrakhan skies straight out of a Hans Christian Andersen fable! Elaborate flowers embedded in delicate lace and chiffon, and bits of fur latticed into lace, the entire effect was befittingly that of a storybook come to life. Yes, you can sigh in ecstatic delight.
One of the best race cars ever created by Porsche is all set to go under the hammer on August 20 at the Pebble Beach Auction. But that’s not the only claim to fame for this iconic 1979 Porsche 935. It oozes celebrity status, having been driven by movie icon and race team owner Paul Newman at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The car, which Newman raced for the Dick Barbour team, is being auctioned by Gooding & Company and has may honours to its credit, having won the 1981 24 Hours of Daytona and the 1983 12 Hours of Sebring, too. It also won best in class at the 2007 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance after it was restored to concourse condition in 2006 by Porsche specialist Paul Wilson. And that’s not all. This car was was sponsored by Apple in 1980—making it the first and only racecar the company has ever sponsored. How’s that for Hall of Fame?
The classic Meisterstück collection by Montblanc has always occupied pride of place among the collections of writing instrument aficionados. This iconic line, with its unique built-in inkwells and hand-crafted gold nibs, now gets a facelift with the new Meisterstück Ultra Black Special Edition fountain and ballpoint pen. Revamped versions of their classic Meisterstück collection feature a special matter resin in place of the earlier shiny black one. This new resin is created using ebonite, a mixture of sulphur, linsed oil and natural rubber that doesn’t just provide a matte texture to the ultra-stylish pens but also a trademark fragrance. Drawing inspiration from Montblanc’s rich heritage, the special edition pens are a tribute to the iconic brands 110-year legacy. Though the proportions and shape remain unchanged from the original classic collection, the writing instruments give a distinctive feel upon touching the surface—adding smooth elegance to the poised writer. Finished with an Au585 gold nib, these pens are the ultimate possession of the connoisseur of fine writing.
The new limited edition special series Convertible LaFerrari is all set to be unveiled at the Paris International Motor Show this October, but even before the unveiling every single unit has already been called for. Details such as the name and technical characteristics are still under wraps but what you can be sure of is that the price of this stunner would be no mean amount—even for those with a penchant for special editions. This special edition has the same 800hp, 6.3L V12 engine coupled with the 163hp electric motor of the original LaFerrari, which was the company’s first hybrid car. This baby sprints form 0-62 mph in under three seconds, and 0-124 mph in under seven seconds. The top speed, you ask? Well, gallop your prancing horse with the wind’s horses at 225 mph! Available with both removable carbon-fibre hard top & a removable soft top, the convertible has ostensibly the same torsional rigidity and beam stiffness as the coupé version but promises advanced aerodynamics to guarantee the same drag coefficient even without the roof.
