Ulysse Nardin’s Marine Torpilleur Military Watch

Ulysse Nardin, the 152 year old Swiss brand renowned for supplying accurate military timepieces to some of the world’ top navies, has unveiled the Marine Torpilleur Military Watch as part of a trio of unique chronometers launched for SIHH 2018. Representing the twin characteristics of high accuracy and strong legibility, this watch is a true marine chronometer with a high precision, state-of-the-art UN-118 in-house movement ensconced within the sand-blasted 44mm steel case. In a nod to the pocket chronometers of sea captains from the 19th and early 20th centuries, the watch features an oversized screwed-down crown and a fluted bezel. It uses Arabic rather numerals, a small seconds track at 6 o’clock, and a stamped caseback, displaying a Torpilleur or destroyer. The watch comes either in eggshell dial with brown leather strap or black dial matched with black leather strap. Each of the options is limited to 300 units, and each one individually numbered.

Three palatial suites added to the Orient Express

Agatha Christie immortalised the Orient Express with her iconic whodunit ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ and now the very famous real life luxury train Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, which is the setting for the film adaption of the mystery, just got three new palatial suites, each as big as a carriage! Every suite is equipped with a personal bathroom and a private living area, and all of them named after three iconic cities—Paris, Venice, and Istanbul. Interestingly, these cities were also stops on the route of the original train, and have been used as design inspiration for the eponymous carriages, so the Istanbul suite features hand-carved woods and embossed leather while the Venice suite flaunts hand-crafted Venetian glass.

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British designer Lee Broom and iconic glassware brand Nude have collaborated to create the ultimate Christmas tree for Cinderella, apparently! So you have the 10 meter tall ‘Tree of Glass’ composed entirely of 245 hand-blown pendant lights. This Christmas tree is an installation placed inside The Shard in London, inspired by its setting in the triple-storey atrium of the Aqua Shard restaurant on the 31st floor of the Renzo Piano-designed skyscraper. Each of the individual pendant lights were pre-set to their specific height and specifically wired and suspended to create the entire tree. While designing the structure, Lee Broom considered the interior of the Shard and the angles and facets of the building as a whole. The Tree of Glass has been designed so it can be disassembled in the New Year and sold as individual lighting products. All proceeds from their sale will be donated to The British Red Cross, Broom’s chosen charity.

Fancy a ‘flying carpet’ chair for $14000?

No, this isn’t a chair that can fly. It’s a very creative use of the power of illusion, through which a carpet appears to float while folded into the shape of a chair. Created by Cypriot designer Stelios Mousarris in collaboration with artist Jan Blythe, the secret of this flying carpet chair is a 6mm steel frame designed to be invisible, supporting the Persian carpet. Each of the carpets is bespoke and handmade, each produced meticulously over a period of four months, and priced at €12,000 ($14,089 approximately). Now that is one piece of whimsical furniture perfect for flights of fancy.

Korean beauty brand Innisfree launches flagship store in Gurugram

Innisfree, the naturalism brand from South Korea’s pristine Jeju Island, is all set to launch its flagship store in Gurugram at Ambience Mall on 24th November 2017, making it their seventh outpost in India. Spread over carpet area 1095 sq ft, the store is designed to bring the beauty brand to life with its first exclusive virtual reality experience. The new innisfree store encompasses an exclusive Jeju experience with virtual reality technology, which aims to deliver the real experience of clean and pure energy in Jeju, the origin of natural benefit. The program features a 360-degrees viewing angle & 3D technology and consists of a user-interactive system that supports reaction against users’ sight and action. The brand has 3 series under VR: Jeju Flying Bike, Someday in Jeju (with Lee Minho) &Innisfree Wonderland. The store interiors features a vertical garden to give consumers a fresh feeling of nature and allows them to experience and breathe clean air creating an eco-friendly ambience at the store. Offering a full range of 100% natural and pure product lines, Innisfree is bringing an assortment of over various categories like Perfumes, hair makeup, and new products such as lava seawater effector ampoules, real fit velvet lipstick and so on.

‘Silent Night’ at the Mandarin Oriental Spas worldwide on Dec 12

The Spas at Mandarin Oriental are offering a night of silence in all of their spas worldwide on 12 December 2017. All of the Group’s spas will offer their normal treatment menu but after 5pm there will be no talking and no music within the spa to instil a sense of peace and allow for individuals to experience contemplation and mindfulness. All communication will take place in a brief consultation at the beginning of the spa journey, before the guest changes into their robe. “A lot of the value of a spa experience comes from simply disconnecting from technology and experiencing time for yourself in silence,” said Jeremy McCarthy, Group Spa Director for Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. “During this stressful time of the year, we want to create a space where people can press the pause button and have some time to think, meditate, or just take a break from being inundated with noise.” Guests are encouraged to come alone or to bring a loved one with whom they would like to share an experience of silent connection.

Six Senses resort to open soon inside Rajasthan’s Fort Barwara

A Six Senses resort is all set to open inside one of the forts in Rajasthan. Named Six Senses Fort Barwara, it is situated 110 kilometers southeast of Jaipur, in the village of Chauth ka Barwara on the site of a 700-year-old fort which was owned by the erstwhile royals of Rajasthan and was constructed in the 14th century. The 48 suite resort is now being designed by a team of conservation experts to preserve and protect the original fort structure, with an eye on the five-star green rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) certification, which is the highest classification of national sustainable design ratings in India. Set to open its doors in 2018, the Six Senses Fort Barwara is also otherwise important for the global hotel chain, as it will be only the second heritage property that Six Senses will manage.

Festive shopping in Paris with Mandarin Oriental

Mandarin Oriental, Paris is offering an accommodation package for Christmas shoppers from 1 November, in collaboration with Vestiaire Collective, the leading global marketplace for premium and luxury pre-owned fashion. Guests booking the Festive Shopping Season in Paris package will receive a variety of benefits, including assistance from a personal shopper. Also, the Palace is celebrating Christmas and New Year with festive menus and its own Christmas Market. Showcasing the most acclaimed luxury fashion brands, the elegant rue Saint Honoré offers an elevated retail experience. Guests booking the Festive Shopping Season in Paris package will receive a VIP welcome at Vestiaire Collective’s first ever pop-up boutique, which is located a few steps away from Mandarin Oriental, Paris, and where a personal shopper will assist them in selecting from its desirable range of premium pre-owned fashion items. The package is priced upwards of EUR 975 per night.

Diamond encrusted iPhone X from Caviar for $40,000

Russian luxury customization brand Caviar has unveiled a one-of-a kind customized version of iPhone X, which is studded with no less than 344 diamonds and 14 rubies, and carries a price tag of 2.4 million rubles –about $40,000! Named Imperial Crown, this dazzling iPhone X has been designed by Caviar as a tribute to black caviar, to traditional Russian jewelry technique filigree and to the Great Imperial Crown, which was made by Georg-Friedrich Eckart for the coronation of Catherine II and monarchs of the Russian Empire.

Limited edition Skylab Batman watch from Romain Jerome

Romain Jerome’s collaboration with Warner Bros continues further with the limited edition Skylab Batman watch, coming after the Batman-DNA and Spacecraft Batman watches. The watch is characterised by its dark theme, for the Dark Knight, as well as its transparency apparent in the skeletonized construction. The 75-piece limited edition timepiece introduces a new facet of “The Dark Knight”. Looking into the dial, Batman seems to be overlooking Gotham City and when darkness comes, the bat signal shines blue to echo the previous Batman models as well as “The Dark Knight” trilogy aesthetics. Not to mention the Gotham City map on the back sapphire crystal glass that lends a brilliant touch. The 48mm case has a bi-tone finish achieved through a combination of polished and satin-finished steel and black PVD. The case features a Swiss made manual winding movement designed by RJ and characterized by straight lines and chamfered angles, offering a power reserve of 48 hours. Black alligator straps with steel folding clasp finish of the look.