Luxury Insider

Patek Philippe's ladies' watches are sometimes overlooked in light of the plethora of complex men's watches that are released by the renowned manufacture every year. More's the pity, since they no doubt are as well-made as any of the brand's masculine pieces. Though not quite of the haute horlogerie ilk, the 5067A Ladies' Aquanaut appeals with its reliable and accurate quartz movement, sweeping seconds hand, and its substantial 36 mm stainless steel case set with 46 flawless, Top Wesselton full-cut diamonds approximating 1 carat. With new colors available every year, including the addition of Ice Blue and Metal Grey versions to the 2007 lineup, there is an Aquanaut timepiece to suit every lady.

Predominantly black watches – especially in matte finishes – are one of the latest trends to sweep the watchmaking industry. Chanel is a name with a long, romantic history, but with their latest version of the J12 Superleggera men's chronograph watch, they are showing they know how to build a contemporary classic. Inspired by vintage ultra-light racing cars, the new J12 has an ultra-light articulated black rubber bracelet which complements the matte black, ceramic case perfectly. COSC-certified, and water-resistant to 200 meters, the automatic-winding J12 is a handsome, rugged thing with a fashionable appeal.

The Swatch Group is known not only for its lovable, eponymous everyday watches, but also for its dazzling array of prestige watch brands under its wing. From Breguet and Jaquet-Droz to Glashütte Original and Omega, the conglomerate is now represented majestically by their new building in the heart of Tokyo's upmarket Ginza area. Named after the Group's esteemed Chairman and CEO, the spanking-new Nicolas G. Hayek Center – designed by Shigeru Ban – is home to seven prestigious boutiques, as well as three floors dedicated to after-sales service. The 14th floor is home to La Cité du Temps, which is a dedicated space for the public to to immerse themselves in the wonder of horology, in the form of exhibitions, concerts, and press conferences. Interestingly, the Center will also feature moving boutiques – they are actually hydraulic elevators – which visitors “float” around on, for an impressive, involving customer experience.

You will have yet another reason to visit iconic department store Selfridges this September when Tiffany & Co officially opens its fifth London outlet. The 1500 square-foot boutique will open in Selfridges’ Wonder Room, where it will showcase its much-treasured diamond and pearl jewelry collections, as well as the signature designs of Elsa Peretti, Paloma Picasso, Jean Schlumberger and Frank Gehry. The outlet will have a private sales salon and feature signature design details of the jeweler’s famous New York flagship store.

If you’re looking to convey passion, strength and confidence through your choice of timepiece, you may want the CORUM VC 48. This limited edition Admiral’s Cup Competition 48 Victory Challenge timepiece speaks of the courage and determination of the Victory Challenge team, and symbolizes the fusion of competitive yachting and luxury watch making. Outstanding shock and water resistance, nautical flags and the signature blue and yellow colors of the Victory Challenge feature in this collection of 250 numbered timepieces, each of which signifies a small piece of yachting history.

Unlike the 118' Wallypower that stunned yacht-spotters five years ago, and the 70 WallyPower we showed you last year, the 85 in the new 85 WallyPower's name is the length of the boat in meters. That's over 250 feet, making this new concept yacht from WallyDesign^© the company's largest-ever. The familiar cues are still there: the vertical bow which aids performance and comfort in all sea conditions, dynamic, angular lines, and hidden communications devices for enhanced aesthetics. There are two versions of the yacht: the bold 85m WallyPower (above) and the 85m WallyPower Tradition (below) for those who prefer something a little less aggressive.

The new Atmos du Millénaire Transparente Joaillerie from Jaeger-LeCoultre combines avant-garde design with sheer elegance. It features a distinctive dial set with 10 diamonds (approximately 0.38 carats), an hour-minute disc with mother-of-pearl inlays, lapis lazuli hour-markers and a moon disc set with six diamonds (approximately 0.04 carats). This stunning limited edition clock comes in a series of 50, and indicates the years till year 3000. The perfect heirloom for your family.

Wanting to make a lasting impression at your next black-tie event? Then take a look at the catalogue of evening cufflinks from British jewelry house Asprey. Make a stylish yet sophisticated statement with the pavé diamond swirl cufflinks in 18-carat white gold, or stand out with the Asprey cut pavé diamond and sapphire cufflinks, also in 18-carat white gold.

If you want glamor on your next long-haul flight, you might want to stop over at Qantas’ new first-class lounges at Sydney and Melbourne international airports. The lounges, designed by renowned Australian designer Marc Newson, are believed to have cost US$16.5 million and will open at the end of May. With noted Australian chef Neil Perry providing the catering, the lounges will be a haven for weary travelers wanting to refresh after a long-haul flight. Special features include a luxurious Payot Paris day spa and state-of-the-art business facilities, which include private conference rooms. Décor from Italy’s Poltrana Frau and Cappellini, as well as wool carpets from Tai Ping, will adorn the lounges.

Attention all audiophiles out there – how far would you go to attain pure listening pleasure? Netherlands-based company Kharma has just made a statement in the high-end world with its custom-built Grand Enigma Speakers. Commissioned by a private homeowner in Belgium, the Enigma System cost a cool US$1 million. And we thought speakers couldn’t get any more exclusive than the US$140,000 Muon or US$150,000 La Sphere.

Hermès' distinctly luxurious lineup of accessories grows this year, with the latest lineup for the Autumn-Winter 2007 season. Inspired by the metallic skeleton of the Eiffel Tower, the Structure bracelet and ring come in white gold, and are paved with over 3000 diamonds. The geometric lattice motif really do evoke that most iconic of French landmarks, while the shimmering stones lend it a wonderful air of luxury.

Officine Panerai, the Italian maker of trend-setting sports watches, has organized the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge once more for 2007. As a prelude to this, however, the Antigua Classic was held to showcase over 60 vintage yachts, both celebrating and racing them. For the upcoming Campionato Internazionale del Mediterraneo 2007 CIM – Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge 2007, five races are planned throughout the summer, starting in Antibes at the end of May and ending in September in Cannes. With the Panerai Classic, the ties between the rugged majesty of traditional yachts and the sporting nature of Officine Panerai grow ever-stronger.

The Hour Glass, arguably the Southeast Asia region's foremost purveyor of fine timepieces, plans to make Singapore Asia's horological epicenter. With “Tempus – The Temple of Time”, their upcoming US$100 million, world-class watch exhibition featuring the world's most respected brands, The Hour Glass hopes to bring the fine art of watchmaking to not just enthusiasts, but the public as well. With the world's top brands represented at Tempus this coming September 5th, the show is set to be a real extravaganza. Additionally, it will mark the launch of the new Horological Museum in Singapore, much to the delight of local and regional watch fanatics. Best of all, visitors to Tempus will be able to witness firsthand the intriguing process of making a watch up close and in person, with a number of artisans on hand to demonstrate their beloved craft to interested parties.

Christie's will be auctioning a number of outstanding Southeast Asian art works this May in Hong Kong. Celebrating the emerging, dynamic styles of art from the region, the Modern & Contemporary Southeast Asian Art auction will feature works from old masters to contemporary artists, including Affandi, Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur de Merprès, and Le Pho. The star lot is “Women Around the Lotus Pond” from Le Mayeur de Merprès, which is expected to fetch somewhere in the region of US$1.1 million to $1.3 million.

The long-awaited Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster has finally been shown, according to Autocar online. Coming from an already rigid carbon fiber structure, the supercharged V8's bellowing 617 horsepower should offer similar performance to the opinion-dividing coupe. The part-automatic folding fabric roof does not impede on the car's 200+ mph (320+ km/h) top speed, which means the cabrio version of this monumentally expensive, but thoroughly beguiling car could just be the most coveted new Mercedes in a long time.

Connoisseurs of fine writing instruments will know the name Montegrappa. Their time-honored traditions of superb craftsmanship and handmade beauty have been enjoyed by the likes of Ernest Hemingway. The Roma Aeterna pen from the Montblanc-owned company pays tribute to Italy's glorious past, with the Temple of Saturn engraved on one side and the Arch of Severus on the other. In total, 1,229 pieces will be made, with 29 of them coming in gold and set with diamonds. A further 100 will be made of gold, while the remaining pieces will be made of sterling silver. Being limited in production, pricing is revealed upon application.

Luxury commercial air travel is certainly a sector that is on the rise, going by the proliferation of great new products from the likes of British Airways and Singapore Airlines. India's Jet Airways is getting on the deluxe First Class bandwagon as well, with its amazing new suites in the sky. Measuring 26 sq ft each, the new suites will be introduced on their long-haul flights on new Boeing 777-ER planes. They will come with dual sliding doors for complete privacy, as well as the world's longest First Class beds at 83 inches. A 23-inch flat-screen television, a personal wardrobe, dual credenza, and under-ottoman storage complete a picture of in-flight luxury. Handpicked flight attendants will tend to your every need, with Krug and Dom Perignon champagnes to make an already-comfortable flight even more enjoyable.