Luxury Insider

November 28, 2006: A Christie's Hong Kong auction of fine Chinese ceramics and art yielded the world auction record for a Qing porcelain, with an imperial famille rose “swallows” bowl going for US$19.7 million – the highest price ever achieved for a work of art at auction in Asia. This important treasure of the Qianlong period in the late 18th century was joined in the world record books by an exceptional white jade libation cup of the same era, which fetched an extraordinary US$1.47 million after spirited bidding.

In fact, the entire auction was a thorough success, with no less than six world auction records broken. The pieces came from the Robert Chang collection, as well as the collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, and helped make 2006 – the twentieth anniversary of Christie's Hong Kong – doubly successful compared to 2004 or 2005, with a total of US$113 million's worth of Chinese works sold.

Ebel, the Architects of Time, first introduced their 1911 collection – named after the year of their conception – twenty years ago. The successor to these emblematic watches is the 1911 BTR, a highly contemporary, entirely mechanical, and eminently masculine collection of timepieces.

With their bold looks and their technical sophistication, the new 1911 BTR models are set to impress the contemporary man, especially since they are powered exclusively by Ebel proprietary COSC-certified mechanical movements, all of which are made in Ebel's own workshops in Switzerland. The movements are the historical automatic chronograph Caliber 137, the new automatic GMT Caliber 240, and the latest automatic perpetual calendar chronograph Caliber 288. Put these into the iconic 1911 BTR cases and you have the ideal showcase for the brand's expertise.

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage is one of the best sports coupes out there, with a rasping 4.3 liter V8 and poised handling balance, so the new Roadster version launched recently is destined to be one of the great convertibles. The V8 Vantage was designed as a cabriolet from the beginning, so the Roadster required minimal structural modification, keeping the weight gain low and thus retaining similar performance figures (0-100 km/h in 5.0 seconds, 280 km/h top speed) to the hardtop. Its fabric roof folds away in 18 seconds, even whilst the car is moving at up to 50 km/h.

The Roadster is complemented by a new, optional automated 6-speed manual gearbox called Sportshift, which is operated via paddles on the steering column. Sportshift changes gears up to three times faster than the manual transmission, in under 200 milliseconds. In addition to making the V8 Vantage slightly faster than before, the Sportshift offers a “Comfort” mode for relaxed changes as well. Perhaps most interestingly, the new gearbox has a unique low speed “crawl” feature, making this one of the most complete sports cars for every occasion. Deliveries commence next spring.

Aiming to be the industry benchmark, Singapore Airlines has launched, along with new Business and Economy Classes, their brand new First Class. Enhanced by the new KrisWorld on-demand inflight entertainment system, the new First Class is limited to just eight stately seats in the airline's new fleet of Boeing 777-300ER planes, offering passengers complete privacy and virtually undivided attention from the cabin crew.

The leather-clad seats – complete with furnishings and amenities designed by Givenchy, such as down-filled pillows and duvets – are 35 inches wide, an unprecedented size for a commercial airline. The seat can be converted into a full-sized flat bed for lounging on, in order to best enjoy the StarOffice document processing suite, as well as a library of movies and music, viewed through a large 23-inch LCD entertainment screen connected to active noise-reducing headsets. Dining is equally luxurious, with Singapore Airlines' lineup of renowned Michelin-starred chefs and wine experts designing meals for consumption at the passenger's own request.

With this new standard of luxury in the commercial airline industry, Singapore Airlines has raised the bar once again. Truly, the new First Class is a great way to fly.

Each year, Krug works with craftsmen to create one product which encapsulates and magnifies Krug's personality. In a renewed creative collaboration with bespoke trunk-maker Pinel & Pinel - the first Pinel & Pinel and Krug partnership occurred in 2005 with the Krug Trunk - the renowned champagne maker presents the Krug Escape Artists, a limited edition of 30 trunks worldwide, in ten each of three different designs.

Every personalized Krug Escape Artist trunk is an extravagant hold-all tailored for the fine art of leisure. Inside every case are four Baccarat crystal glasses, a Krug stopper, and a Krug champagne cooler, created exclusively for the collection by leading designer François Bauchet. Craftily, the trunks come with a - whisper it - secret compartment in which four matching coasters are provided. However, what you choose to put in there shall be up to you...

Goldarths Review has launched its third issue of 2006. In our inaugural Goldarths Special Feature we focus on the spirit of Old World Elegance, and have lined up a host of feature articles devoted to the old-fashioned gentleman's lifestyle.

Be sure also to look out for our end-of-year Luxe List 2006, coming soon.

This year, Bentley Motors celebrates 60 years of production at its factory in Crewe, the United Kingdom. To mark this milestone, the respected manufacturer of superlative British luxury motorcars is embarking on an unprecedented tour around Australia, New Zealand, and South-East Asia, during which they will be showcasing the successful Speed 8 race car, as well as their much-loved Continental GT Diamond edition coupe – one of the most wanted cars on sale today.

Also, the company will be proudly unveiling to its Asia-Pacific market the lovely Continental GTC, which not only shares the coupe’s fabulous running gear but goes one better with its superbly-resolved soft-top that does nothing but enhances the product line’s utter desirability.

Omega pays homage to the venerable Commander James Bond - aka Agent 007 - with a limited-edition Seamaster chronograph. In the new Bond film Casino Royale, 007 wears an Omega Seamaster Professional 300M like the one below, which features an automatic-winding Omega Co-Axial movement that reduces internal friction and aids accuracy and durability in the long term. Water resistant to 1000 feet, the Seamaster Professional 300M comes with a classic stainless steel bracelet and a screw-in crown to match our hero’s intrepid, yet refined, lifestyle.

Raymond Weil was founded 30 years ago, and with 2006 being a significant milestone in the luxury watch brand’s history, they have launched the Shine limited edition range of precious timepieces. With its 18 carat pink gold case, 99 full cut diamonds on the bezel and mother-of-pearl dial, and an additional full cut diamond on the crown, the Shine ladies’ watch is the company’s birthday present to itself and to its customers. To suit all occasions, the strap is easily interchangeable from 18 carat pink gold to black alligator skin. Just 99 Shine watches will be made.

The super-luxury brand Hermès has acquired from the Sandoz Family Foundation a 25% stake in Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier, the developer and producer of haute horlogerie mechanical watch movements. In doing so, Hermès reinforces its presence in the luxury mechanical watch sector, and thus adds to its portfolio another master in its respective field alongside expert bootmakers John Lobb, goldsmiths Puiforcat, and fabric weavers Perrin & Fils.

The tenth collection of the Roger Dubuis brand, dubbed Excalibur, was revealed in 2005, wowing audiences with a world first flying tourbillon with differential, as well as an automatic flying tourbillon with minute repeater.

For 2006, CEO Carlos Dias has revealed a fully-fledged line of Excalibur watches in 39mm, 42mm, and 45mm, with a collection of natural rubber straps. This one is the RD 79 Chronograph with fly-back system, which features an automatic winding movement with micro rotor, with a rugged-looking case made of either rose gold or white gold. The independent fly-back system displays on-demand two different elapsed times or the desired number of intermediate times while the direct-drive seconds hand continues to advance. Once the time is read, the wearer operates the pushpiece for the stopped fly-back hand to fly back and rejoin the chronograph hand and resume calculation of the time which has elapsed since the start.

When the five independent watchmakers of Time æon announced their strategic alliance earlier this year, they set out a goal to uphold the highest standards of traditional Swiss watchmaking, and to revitalize the art of contemporary horology.

Now, in November 2006, these horological masters have announced the Three Muses watches, launched to speed up the continuing development of their forthcoming watch series bearing the alliance's name. The Three Muses, which are based on alliance members Greubel Forsey's Double Tourbillon 30°, bear a discreet Time æon stamp, as well as the engraved name of the Greek muse each watch represents: Mnemosyne, Thalie, and Clio.

Renowned purveyor of fine jewelry and watches Harry Winston present a range of fine jeweled watches with an elegant winter holiday theme. All decked out in white, with either mother-of-pearl, white silver, or full pavé dials, this collection draws from the Avenue, Premier, and Ocean collections of Harry Winston – already fine timepieces in their own right. These glittering, snowy-white special edition watches are ideal to help commemorate the upcoming festive season.

In time for the festive season, DeWitt watches of Switzerland present three splendid timepieces decorated with the purest diamonds – both brilliant and baguette cut – in their classic “Imperial Columns” bezel style. Their Seconde Rétrograde Joaillerie Academia, Alma Haute Joaillerie, and skeletonized Tourbillon Mystérieux Academia models are the lucky recipients of this brilliant diamond treatment, and to sparkling effect. All three are available through special order only, and are numbered and certified by Mr. Jerome De Witt himself.