The new Mecchaniche Veloci’s Crocodile strap 4-valve watch still shows the time as others do and looks like yet another kiddo watch in the making.
It has a Royal Blue Crocodile strap along with its unique feature of 4-valves having high-precision dials with Swiss mechanical and automatic movements.
The dial colors are kiddish considering the look and feel of the watch as of a white face with canary yellow dials.
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Carlos Falchi began his fashion career as a costume designer, creating outfits for the likes of Mick Jagger, Cher and Tina Turner.
He now has a successful high-end purse line, featuring his signature vivid color combinations on exotic materials.
His sophisticated and chic Croc Clutch is available in an array of colors including watermelon, vanilla, black and sky blue.
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Sideshow Collectibles’ C-3PO and R2-D2 are the most authentic life-size reproductions ever available to private collectors. Available now for pre-order, these highly-anticipated collectibles will begin shipping in 3rd Quarter 2008. Crafted of fiberglass and various quality materials, these sought-after droids are sure to be the centerpieces of any Star Wars collection, perfect for your home, office, or theater room.
Both figures will include light and sound function, for the most ‘real’ experience possible. Details on the sound and light function will be made available in future updates on SideshowCollectibles.com.
Each figure will include a display base, perfect for keeping your favorite droid in a comfortable standing position.
C-3PO and R2-D2 will each include a restraining bolt accessory, which you may attach via magnets imbedded in the figures.
C-3PO priced at $5,950
R2-D2 priced at $5,450
Bigger and bolder are the watchwords of the watch industry these days, along with the very real drive to control more and more of the production process.
For Piaget, this is not the whole story , as the brand is trying to have its cake and eat it too.
Over the years, the brand’s expertise in ultra-thin mechanical watches and its investments in its own in-house know-how have been well-documented.
The new Altiplano watch embodies all these things, with a manufacture movement – caliber 838P – measuring a mere 2.5mm thick married to case in very contemporary dimensions (40mm).
As is the norm with this collection, the watch is elegant and understated, with only the small seconds sub-dial at 10 o’clock and the case diameter breaking the mould. It is available in both white gold and pink gold, with a limited edition in platinum.
Via watchtribune
Due to ever increasing crowds, SERERO architects have submitted a proposal to extend the third floor of the world famous tower.
Since its creation the amount of visitors coming to reach the top of the tower has increased to reach its limit capacity, 6.5 million.
The floor area of each level decreases with the height because of the tower geometry resulting in very long waiting lines and crowd management problems.
In celebration of the 120th birthday of the tower, the Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel decided to restructure the public reception and access areas of the tower.
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Famous UK department store Harrods has launched a luxury Pot Noodle – the Posh Noodle sells for £29.95 with all the proceeds going to charity. To add to the exclusivity, only a limited quantity of 100 are made.
The vegetarian-friendly posh noodle comes in a hand-flocked and gold-leafed pot. It also comes with a fork and table linen.
Melted down, a gold Ming Dynasty bowl would sell for about $30,000, twice as much as four years ago. At a Hong Kong auction next month, the imperial vessel may fetch more than HK$60 million ($7.7 million), Sotheby’s said.
Inscribed with dragons and set with pearls, turquoise, rubies and sapphires, the three-legged vessel — made with 1.3 kilograms of 18K gold — is the highlight of Sotheby’s auction of more than 25 gold and precious-metal objects in Hong Kong on April 11, the New York-based auction house said. The lots may raise a combined HK$100 million, said Sotheby’s.[…]
“Timing couldn’t be better,” said Tian Kai, a Beijing- based art dealer. “Gold is all the rage right now.”
Sotheby’s Hong Kong was offered the consignment in mid- January, days before the cut-off date for assembling lots for the auction, said Nicolas Chow, the auction house’s head of Chinese ceramics and artworks. He declined to identify the seller. Several European and Asian private collectors have inquired about the consignment.
“Gold is the most comprehensive marker of luxury in ancient cultures, including the Ming Dynasty,” said Chow. “If fine porcelain from these eras could fetch record prices, there is no reason art made with costlier material couldn’t fare better.”
The record for a Qing ceramic was set in November 2006 when Hong Kong businesswoman Alice Cheng paid HK$151.3 million for a porcelain bowl at a Christie’s International auction. Several private collectors, including casino magnate Stanley Ho, have bought imperial artifacts at auction and donated them to China in the past few years. […]
Read the full article on Bloomberg
To contact the reporters on this story: Le-Min Lim in Hong Kong at lmlim@bloomberg.net
This bling encrusted Nespresso Crystal Coffee Machine from Goldstriker International must be a contender.
Features include:
• Encrusted with 3100 original Swarovski crystals complete in the colour crystal
• Width: 22.6 cm depth: 23 cm height: 23 cm
• Weight: 4,50 kg Power: 1260 Watts
• Cup warmer in aluminum
• Removable grill for the preparation of Latte Macchiato
It is priced at £1,995
When two name like Cassina and Jean Marie Massaud team up the results are bound to be impressive, and more than likely very contemporary.
The Aspen opposing sofas work well together as a long sleek single seating surface, or as individual chaise lounges.
Cassina’s Aspen collection includes an end table suspended on a center cylinder that transitions into the side of the sofa in a very smooth transition.
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Philips has launched a range of iPod docks for the iPod and iPhone range.
Starting with the Philips DC910 it does the usual charging and synchronizing, apart from this it comes with a USB and SD card slot for direct MP3 / WMA playback.
The dual wOOx loudspeakers deliver 30W RMS. Whats unique is the new connector which allows the iPod to be docked vertically and horizontally.
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Ulysse Nardin’s revolutionary use of materials continues, with the use of silicium in all its new models.
The dial, micro-precision components, exclusive spring, oscillator, anchor and escapement, developed in collaboration with ASRH (Swiss Association for Horological Research), are technical features used in the movement and design of this latest model.
Available in a limited series of 300 in both pink and white gold, this model is equipped with a cathedral gong alarm that can be set over 24 hours.
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Made of resin and wood, the Corian rectangular bathtub features back rest, automatic drainage, combined bath spout and overflow.
This stylish luxury will set you off about $17,300. Designer: Antonio Lupi. Source : trendhunter
Chopard is going to the dogs. The luxury jeweler has created an exclusive jewelry line comprised of limited edition watches and pendants with floating diamond paws. The collection is available exclusively at Chopard’s Fifth Avenue flagship. Five percent of the proceeds from the sales from each piece will benefit the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Chopard first introduced the concept in 2006 with a pendant and watch. This year’s collection includes the original designs as well as new watches. The new “Happy Paw” ” watch features a square face with a brown diamond floating paw accompanied by five moving white diamonds in stainless steel with a dark mother of pearl dial, paw logo, and a leather strap; it retails for $6,955. A diamond bezel version is available for $15,715.
To further their commitment to the cause, Chopard will again sponsor the 11th Annual ASPCA Bergh Ball, “Ain’t Nothin but a Pound Dog,” which they have done for the past three years. The black tie gala will take place on April 17th at The Plaza, with Isaac Mizrahi serving as the evening’s auctioneer. Expected attendees include Nicole Miller, Catherine Malandrino, Kelly Rutherford, and Annette and Matt Lauer.
As a two-seat, mid-engine car that can compete with some of the most notable Italian hot rods in size and style, the Raptor S5S has a 5.0L Supercharged engine which puts out 650hp, allowing the car to race from 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds.
Unlike other fancy European rides, the Raptor is built to digest cellulosic ethanol making it a clean car as well looking out for the environment.
While the car’s design isn’t extremely unique, the car does sport some aggressive features, like a large front grille and 20-inch rims.
The ROSIE Coffee Table Touchpanel Controller is a full home entertainment hub, based around a 40″ flat panel monitor embedded in a tabletop. The interface can be customised and features include media playback, home automation and control of various devices such as security cameras or streaming devices.
There will be a variety of furniture design styles available, but no word on price or availability just yet.
Hello Kitty is the best-known of the many Sanrio characters. Created in the early 70’s it was initialy marketed to the children-teen age group, but in recent years the Hello Kitty logo can be seen making cameos on products for all ages. While these watches may look playfull, they pack some serious bling, they retail for around 2 grand and have a stunning diamond bezel.
They’re available with black, white or pink patent leather straps with square or round faces and various cutesy Hello Kitty graphics. Each one has a 0.89 total carat weight and a pink saphire flower denoting 12. Available for around $2,000, the whole collection can be seen here.
Multimedia beds have succeeded in turning more than a few heads in the past. No doubt, these high-tech luxury beds will ask you for some huge bucks in exchange for a blissful sleep, but can you really put a price tag on a good night’s sleep? Multimedia beds have evolved into one of the most important pieces of furniture in any home and are here to stay as people are getting increasingly personal and fussy about their choices. Here, we have compiled a list of Top 10 high-tech luxury beds for geeks, like me, who think that living through the day with all the assistance from the gadgets is not just enough. Check out the fabulous beds after the jump.
1. Magnetic floating bed
The magnetically levitating bed by Dutch architect Janjaap Ruijssenaars is an upshot of six long years research work. The bed faces gravitation with magnets and it can support up to 900 kilos and is supported by four steel cables. The scale model of the bed was presented at the Millionaire Fair in June 2006 and the floating bed is estimated to be priced around 115,000 Euros for the scale model and for complete model expect to lay down around 1.2 million Euros.
2. Starry Night Sleep Technology Bed
The Starry Night Sleep Technology Bed from Leggett & Platt is a spellbinding combination of technology and bedding that makes use of diagnostic tools to moderate temperature, monitor body movements and alleviate snoring. At $50,000, it’s not just another run-of-the-mill luxury bed. It touts anti-snore technology to reduce snoring in mild to moderate cases by elevating your upper body a few degrees. Its dual programmable temperature control from 68 to 117 degrees Fahrenheit adjusts the temperature to your liking. The Sleep Diagnostic Center monitors body movement and breathing pattern throughout the night. If you are the one who can’t live without music, the bed comes with an iPod docking station and 2500-watt surround sound system with four 8-inch subwoofers. Other salient specs include Internet connectivity, wireless RF remote that connects to a 1.5TB media server with four gigs of RAM, and a 1080p projector.
3. Hollandia Platinum-Luxe Elite sleep system
I bet you would never want to get out of the Hollandia Platinum-Luxe Elite sleep system. It boasts loads of other luxury options besides a retractable 32-inch Sony Bravia HDTV integrated into the bed’s footboard. The TV sits 80 inches from the headboard, slightly exceeding the normal 1:3 ratio of screen size to viewer distance, and the brightness dynamically adjusts to the ambient light, to reduce eye strain. The Elite is also equipped with a Sony Bravia theater system that includes a five DVD/CD changer, a five speaker surround sound system, a subwoofer beneath the bed for a complete hi-end experience, and an iPod docking station. Last but not the least; the bed gently adjusts to a comfortable reclining position. And, the the most useful feature is the integrated massage system that features four powerful motors with a micro-computer that provides 12 individual massage programs, and a 30-minute automatic shutdown. It also has a 13-inch retractable back-sliding system and Hollandia’s telescopic head support. All the features are beautifully engineered into the bed, there are no unsightly wires visible in the room. The bed looks gorgeous design-wise too. The base is covered in Italian-designed fabric, which is a new, 100 percent synthetic fiber that protects the frame from pets. The Elite is available in white or gray to complement any bedroom decor.
4. Multimedia Bed with RUF Cinema
This magnificent multimedia bed looks like it is specially designed for a Hollywood movie. The bed has a home cinema rack fitted between the two-upholstered headboard bolsters with enough space for DVD player and game consoles. The RUF Cinema’s foot section has an aluminum cover that conceals the screen which can be easily assembled using the radio remote control. So, all it needs to make the screen stand-up and hide-out is a button on the remote control. Moreover, the padding on the headboards can be easily adjusted to suit your comfort.
5. Gravity Zero Groove bed
Hollandia International is quite known for producing extraordinary line of luxury sleep systems, mattresses, daybeds and bedding. The Gravity Zero Groove sleep system from the company comes with a 150-watt sound system to get your groove on. The two powerful sleep system motors and two massage systems with 12 massage programs make sure you never feel exhausted in the bed. The rhythmic lines and hip styling of this unique bed and mattress touts four-joint adjustability, back-sliding system, and a flexible shoulder comfort zone. The mattress is actually made from ventilated Talalay latex, which offers full comfort and support. No doubt, the Gravity Zero Groove sleep system will ask you for some huge bucks in exchange for a musical, blissful sleep.
6. Ultimate TV bed
Another cool entry onto the list is the Ultimate TV bed, the super-luxury bed with a single press of the wireless remote. The end of the bed opens silently to glide out a 22-inch flatscreen TV. The bed is delivered with in-built, electronic leveling. The price-tag is a complete knock-out for $32,375.
7. Histoire Do Be swivel bed
The Histoire Do Be is a rotating swivel bed run by remote control from Mobelform. The bed comes with built-in cabinetry with TV stand and orthopedic mattress. The bed is available in different color, sizes and wooden assortments. So folks! Give your bed-room a nice make-over with this gorgeous looking round-shaped remote-control bed.
8. Gustarle TV Bed
The Gustarle TV-Bed comes complete with Samsung flatscreen LCD TV with built in DVD player. This impressive waterbed comes with the latest top of the range Samsung 26-inch LCD TV and the Sony high definition DVD player. Several wood finishes are available for the bed, headboard and footboard, together with a superb choice of real leather fabrics for the inset panels on the headboard and each side of the footboard. This gorgeous TV Bed is also available with Visco Elastic memory foam mattress upon request. Available in various sizes, the 200cm model will set you back £6,950 (US $13,577).
9. Indestructible Bed
The Quantum Sleeper Unit is a high-level security system designed for maximum protection in various hostile environments. The high-tech bed folds up into a fire-resistant coffin-like box to keep you safe from any uneventful event. The bed is fitted with a high-level security system that protects you from destructive forces of nature, bio-chemical terrorist attack and kidnappers. Besides, the bed is not just about protection, it is also the ultimate in entertainment and communications as it also comes with a built-in CD player, DVD Screen with PC hookup, microwave and refrigerator along with cellular phones and radios to keep you connected to the outside world! The bed is designed to enable the person(s) inside the unit to see out and prevent those outside from seeing in. The bed, though not in production, costs an estimated $135,000.
10. Sonic Bed by Kaffe Matthews
Behold the big bed! The Sonic bed is a gigantic bed with 12-channel surround sound. It may resemble a wooden tank from the outside, but it touts enough speakers inside to make a perfect home theater set up. Designed by Kaffe Matthews as a museum exhibit, the bed runs on 220 volts of electricity and covers every inch of your body in sound. All you need to do is hook up a TV and you will never feel like leaving your bed.
For £10 million ($20 million), this is the most expensive advert and not because of some highest paid model flashing a million dollar smile or hour glass figure. In fact the ad features hundreds of villagers who have no clue about acting or film making. However latest in the series of ‘Good Things Come to Those Who Wait’ ads, ‘Tipping Point’ got honored for being the most expensive and complex Guinness advert to be produced. The ad sees hundreds of villagers come together to create the ultimate domino effect, featuring 6,000 iconic black and white dominoes, alongside thousands of unexpected toppling objects, include suitcases, oil drums, fridges and cars.
Directed by Nicolai Fuglsig of Sony Bravia ‘Balls’ fame, he said that shooting the new Guinness advert was the biggest challenge of his career yet. You have to see it thru to believe that the toppling items included 6,000 dominoes, 10,000 books, 400 tyres, 75 mirrors, 50 fridges, 45 wardrobes and 6 cars!
The question is: would you pay $35.00 a ticket for one movie?
Even if each complex will have theaters with digital projection to screen 2-D and 3-D movies, 40 reclining armchair seats, the ones with footrest, just like home? Except these seats have a service button to call a waiter.
Why? Because patrons will be able to have made-to-order meals like sushi and other theater foods from on-site chefs. Oh Reeaaalllyy!! Of course, they’ll have to pay extra for that.
Would you pay $35.00 + even if they have lounges and bars serving cocktails and appetizers, concierge service and valet parking?
These people seem to think so. Village Roadshow Ltd., Act III, Lambert Entertainment and the Retirement Systems of Alabama pension fund will spend $200 million to build 50 theaters nationwide over the next five years to bring us mere mortals the luxury cinema circuit Village Roadshow Gold Class Cinemas. Are you ready to give in yet? I might if I don’t have to wear pearls and a little black dress!
The first two venues are set to open in South Barrington, Chicago, and the Seattle suburb of Redmond in October.
The Burbank-based company’s hoping to attract 10 million “upscale and affluent” consumers per year to its theaters that will be housed in high-end shopping centers and malls.
Each complex will typically house eight screens.”It’s a new way to go to the movies,” said Graham Burke, managing director and CEO of Village Roadshow Ltd.
“It’s like what Mercedes is to a Toyota or like flying first class in an airplane.” Company execs said bringing the chain to the U.S. is a “natural extension” of the brand. (variety)
Via trendhunter
This collection is a dream come true for the ultimate gamer, especially so for the gamer that shares passion for both the adrenalin rush of Formula 1 and the classical battle of chess.
The pieces of this beautifully crafted set are actually parts of the Renault car – the suspension, hubs, uprights, wings and cockpit sitting.
The genuine engine pieces of titanium, stainless steel, aircraft specification aluminium and carbon fiber have literally felt the heat of Formula 1, and sit coolly on 64 squares of sterling silver and leather.
A collector’s item for all the right reasons of exclusivity, uniqueness, luxury and delight, the Renault F1 Team chess set comes at a price of £21,000 (or approximately US$41,600) for the die-hard Renault fan who can boast of having a real piece of a Renault car gleaming on their coffee table.
We have the latest exclusive pictures of the chess set for you courtesy of the makers at the Renault F1 Team Collection.
AFA (Aqua Forest Aquarium) is the first aquarium store in US dedicated to Nature Aquarium Style concept. They have the largest selection of aquatic plants in the San Francisco Bay Area, excellent selection of fresh water tropical fish, and carries full line aquarium supplies. Whether or not you are a hobbyist, come visit their store to enjoy yourself with their 6 nature aquarium display tanks and discover the limitless world of Nature Aquarium.
Via adana and apartmenttherapy
