Rare ‘Dracula’ poster auctioned for record-breaking $525,000!

Vampires have been multi-million dollar businesses for sure, but this rare ‘Dracula’ film poster broke auction records by selling for $525,900—becoming the most expensive film poster ever sold. Previously owned by the family of longtime cinematographer and photographer George J. Mitchell Jr. since the 1950’s, the poster is still in mint condition. The auction was held by Dallas-based Heritage House and the poster is one of the only two of its kind to be left in the world. It displays the face of Bela Lugosi on the front, against a classic blue background that is typically representative of the film era that it belongs to.

For the love of cricket: Hublot’s special ‘Ashes Edition’ chronograph

Hublot which has been associated with the International Cricket Council for three years now, has just unveiled the limited edition Classic Fusion Chronograph that is the perfect symbol of an undying passion for cricket. Dubbed ‘The Ashes’ edition, this timepiece celebrates the extension of Hublot’s association with ICC further upto 2020 and was unveiled by former Australian Captain Michael Clarke during an exclusive event held at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground. The watch has a unique dial that has cricket symbolism stamped all over it, in the form of hands of shaped like a bat the shape of a bat and, at 12 o’clock, a triple applique referring to the stumps. The sapphire glass caseback carries the Ashes Series logo while the leather strap flaunts triple white saddle stitching as a nod to the cricket ball. Twin oversized chronograph counters reside at the 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock markers whilst a subtle date window can be found at the 6 o’clock mark. Only 32 units of this unique limited edition chronograph will be created, each carrying a price tag of AUD 16,200 (approximately $12,300).

Major exhibit at London’s Design Museum to mark Ferrari’s 70th anniversary

Ferrari’s 70th anniversary is being marked by a specially curated exhibition at The Design Museum in London, showcasing history of the supercar with a host of Ferraris and Ferrari memorabilia. Titled ‘Ferrari: Under the Skin’, this exhibit features a 70 classic and contemporary Ferraris— reportedly worth a combined value of £140 million—including a replica of the 1947 125 S, the very first Ferrari ever made and champion cars with glorious history such as 166MM that won the Mille Miglia and Le Mans in 1949, the 1962 250 GTO which is considered the holy grail of classic Ferraris and also a commission work by Fiat’s chief, Gianni Agnelli to roll out a factory-built Ferrari Testarossa Spider (convertible). The Ferrari memorabilia on display include original sketches, handwritten letters from Enzo Ferrari, and trophies won from the numerous racing disciplines.

The all-electric Tesla semi-truck

Tesla’s all electric semi-truck is the boss of all freight haulers, loaded with features and power. Equipped with four electric motors taking it from 0-60mph in just 5 seconds without cargo and in 20 seconds while fully loaded (80,000 pounds), the electric truck boasts special megachargers providing a range of 500 miles per charge. Safety has always been a major Tesla concern and therefore the truck features armored glass to protect the driver from flying hazards. The cabin features a central seat with two screens displaying such key information as vehicle diagnostics, navigation, and live-camera feeds, while an advanced autopilot system offers emergency braking, lane detection, and lane departure warnings. The truck is geared to enter production in 2019.

Gold leaf from Napoleon’s crown sells for $740,000 at Paris auction

A gold leaf from the crown of Napoleon Bonaparte fetched a whopping sum of $740,000 at an auction in Paris recently. The gold laurel leaf formed a part of the conqueror’s crown that he wore during his coronation. One of six laurel leaves with gold carving, it was detached from the crown before the coronation because the monarch had considered it too heavy. However, the gold leaf was later sold in the 1980s for 80,000 francs. Sold for 625,000 euros ($740,000) the leaf smashed all estimates which had pegged it between 100,000 and 150,000 euros. About 400 items went under the hammer at Paris auction house Osenat, including a decorated box engraved with gold flowers ($178,000 approximately).

Mumbai to host Luxury Lifestyle Weekend in March 2018

From March 9 to March 12, Mumbai will host the Luxury Lifestyle Weekend (LLW), a platform for bringing together luxury brands and consumers, with over a hundred Indian and International luxe brands setting up bespoke pop-up experiences in art, automobiles, aviation, decor, hospitality, jewellery, watches and more. To be held at Jio Garden, Bandra Kurla Complex, the event will feature exclusive sneak previews of yet-to-be launched luxury offerings as well.

Bedazzling tiaras crafted by Dolce and Gabbana with Swarovski

Swiss crystal company Swarovski and Dolce and Gabbana have come together to create these very elegant and swoonworthy tiaras for the 2018 Vienna Opera Ball—intricate floral delights inspired by a passage from none other than Mozart—his opera Le nozze di Figaro: “Giovani lieti – fiori spargete!” (“Happy maids, scatter flowers!”). Comprised of 702 Swarovski crystals and “Xirius Chatons” in hues of Crystal and Golden Shadow, along with six rose-colored enamel flowers, these tiaras are heartbreakingly gorgeous. The tiaras shall adorn the heads of debutantes who will be opening the Opera Ball.

Volvo XC40 production commences in Belgium, India launch in 2018

Volvo revealed their smallest SUV, the XC40 in September this year, and now the Swedish carmakers have started production of the India-bound XC40 SUV in Belgium. The Volvo XC40 will initially be produced at Volvo’s Belgian facility in the city of Ghent which is also responsible for the production of V40 hatchback, S60 sedan and the XC60 SUV. The Volvo XC40 is the first car from the Swedish marque to be based on the firm’s new Compact Modular Architecture platform, developed by Volvo in collaboration with its parent company Geely Auto. The new Volvo XC40 which will make its North American debut at next week’s LA Auto Show borrows several styling cues found on other new Volvo SUVs including the Swedish company’s trademark Thor’s Hammer LED headlights, vertically stacked tailights and beefy bumpers. The XC40 is expected to arrive in India in the second half of 2018.

Salt and Sin: Limited edition gourmet chocolate bar

Salt and Sin is the name of this limited edition gourmet chocolate bar created by the coming together of T.V. personality and chef Anthony Bourdain, French chef Eric Ripert and éclat Chocolate. Comprised of 72% cacao chocolate made from Fair Trade organic cocao beans, this gourmet treat is flavored with such impossible combinations as Himalayan sea salt, orange, fennel, and spices. Each 2.6 oz. bar is priced at $13 and they will be available exclusively at Williams Sonoma. In a previous collaboration with éclat Chocolate, Bourdain and Ripert had created the ‘Good and Evil’ chocolate bar. Well this time, here’s to Salt and Sin.

Wonder wings on your wrist
Swiss luxury watch brand Jaquet Droz celebrates the magnificence of nature with Jaquet Droz Tropical Bird Repeater watch

We’re addicted to marvels of beauty and feats of engineering showcased in exquisite timepieces, and this spellbinding watch that brings alive a tropical paradise in the tiny space of your wrist has to be seen to be believed. Swiss luxury watch brand Jaquet Droz is celebrating the magnificence of nature with Jaquet Droz Tropical Bird Repeater watch, pushing the boundaries further in the “art of astonishment.”

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This captivating work of mechanical artistry draws inspiration from the Enlightenment-era passion for nature and animals of brand founder and namesake Pierre Jaquet-Droz. Automatons, along with the Ateliers d’Art, represent two of the eight codes of the La Chaux-de-Fonds manufacture, hand-decorated by engravers and miniaturist painters. These codes are indispensable to the creation of the scene that unfolds on the dial, replete with striking colors that emerge like a lush oasis on a mother-of-pearl dial, which is enclosed in a red gold case adorned on the sides of its lugs and on the middle band with an animal motif hand-engraved by the brand’s craftsmen.

The handcrafted watch joins the Mainson’s line of automaton timepieces first introduced in 2012. But the most fascinating part of it is the lush, exotic forest scene featured on the dial. In the center, a hummingbird hand-carved and hand-engraved by the Maison’s artists moves towards a shrub of bright orange birds of paradise. A one-of-a-kind animation, its wings beat up to a remarkable forty times a second. To the right, a peacock with intense blue feathers fans out its tail, while a toucan emerges from the palm leaves at 3 o’clock to open its beak. And that’s not all—you have three dancing dragonflies, located at 9 o’clock, with tiny SuperLuminova-coated wings that glow in the dark! In all, 7 animations that may exceed twelve seconds allow for up to 4 different scenarios, all the more striking as they contrast with the suspended background of the scene.

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And the grand horological complication merits as much of a mention: the Jaquet Droz RMA89 movement features a minute repeater that enables the marking on demand of the hours, quarter hours and minutes via the vibration of cathedral gongs struck by hammers inside the case. A slide activates this complex mechanism. The movement is equipped with a virtually silent wheel regulator, as the regulation of the minute repeater’s speed is operated by the friction between small outer spring blades. New rack springs, an extended pause between the quarter hours and minutes, and the striking of the quarter hours at major third (spanning four semitones) are also part of the complication’s innovations. The power reserve has been increased to 60 hours with an oscillating frequency of 3 Hz. The case itself is 47mm-wide and 18.95mm-thick.

A dark green alligator strap lends the finishing touch to the masterpiece, whose exclusivity is heightened by the fact that only 8 pieces of it will be created. Priced at $661,500 this is truly a collector’s delight, a timepiece that’s nothing short of magic.

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