Once again, Swarovski proves that light and crystal is a match made in heaven, with these dazzling crystal ceiling lamps. Quite simply, light reflected by crystal creates a wondrous play of luminous color.
The Fana is an unusual decorative ring-shaped ceiling lamp, part of the Spots range. The glittering and modern combination of metal and crystal is sure to be a focal point wherever you choose to locate it.
The Crystal Boogie Pyramide is something rather out of the ordinary… its diaphanous pyramid-shaped crystal captures light and reflects it back onto the ceiling in beautiful patterns. This dramatic effect belies the lamp’s uncomplicated form, and breathes life into the precious glass.
For a $20 investment, Chris Clark a tech entrepreneur, made the best decision in his life. He bought the domain name Pizza.com in 1994 for twenty bucks and sold it recently for almost $3 million.
A week’s worth of anonymous bidding at an online auction site had pushed the price to $2.6 million, compared to the fact that most domain names go for around $2000, we’d say Clark has a good deal on his hands and a great pie going in his favor. Continue reading →
Luxury watchmakers are well positioned to escape a possible slowdown in consumer spending as they target wealthy customers who are increasingly willing to splash out on extravagant and unique watches.
Swiss watchmaker Romain Jerome’s “Day&Night” watch — which does not tell the time, only whether it is night or day — sold out within 48 hours of its launch earlier this year as watch fanatics snapped up the $300,000 timepiece. Continue reading →
The 10-course feast is being touted as a “once-in-a-lifetime inspirational dinner.” On April 5, Bangkok’s five-star Lebua hotel will treat 50 favored guests to a repast prepared by a glittering array of Michelin-starred chefs. To thank the guests for their loyalty to the hotel, Lebua plans to spend $300,000 for the meal. Accustomed though they may be to showy p.r. stunts, social activists are nonetheless up in arms over this particular act of epic extravagance. The reason? The banquet comes with a pre-dinner commitment to what the Lebua’s p.r. mavens have dubbed “emotional tourism.” Hours before digging into truffles and foie gras, the 50 diners will fly by private jet to a village in central Thailand to see how impoverished Thais manage to get by without regular infusions of Brittany lobster and Bresse chicken.
Originally, three Michelin-starred chefs — Alan Soliveres, Michel Trama and Jean-Michel Lorain — were to have catered the dinner, for a fee of $8,000 each. But the trio pulled out last month after European media assailed the hotel group for not committing any of its own money to helping the indigent Thai villagers. Lebua responded by saying it hopes the rural visit will spur some of the assembled guests to donate cash of their own. And the hotel assures potential diners that it has found Michelin-starred replacement chefs — although it will not release their names, presumably for fear that they, too, might be pressured by negative publicity into withdrawing from the event.
Lebua certainly knows all about hosting lavish feasts. Last year, the hotel organized an event it modestly titled “The Epicurean Masters of the World,” a Michelin-starred extravaganza at a cost per head of 1 million baht (around $28,000). Despite the hefty check, the dinner event was fully booked — and it received its share of official criticism, coming at a moment when Thailand’s then-ruling military junta was unveiling an economic policy based, in part, on scaling back ostentatious shows of wealth. The dinner also mystified many ordinary Thais, who are used to dining on some of the world’s tastiest street food for no more than a dollar a plate. […]
Black shiny python skin, a slouchy shape and over sized silver Gucci hardware, gives this purse a distinctively 80’s feel.
A uniquely small top handle, appears more decorative than functional, while a long detachable shoulder strap seems to be the likely way you would carry it.
Highly visible, more than a thousand Swarovski boutiques and concessions are located in all major fashion capitals around the world. Now, Swarovski opened a new flagship store in Tokyo’s renowned Ginza district on Saturday, March 29, 2008.
It will showcase the entire Daniel Swarovski Couture Line and the jewellery and accessories from the Swarovski fashion collection.
Three exclusive Ginza limited edition pieces will be available at this particular flagship store: the Black Elvis Pendant, the Signature Necklace and the Signature Power Evening Bag.
Modelled on the flagship store, all of the other Swarovski boutiques will be refurbished from 2008 according to the new architectural concept. These new design concepts have resulted from the collaboration between Swarovski and the famous Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka.
Inside the Ginza boutique the “Crystal Forest†comes to life. All of the walls are textured with reflective white relief prisms of various lengths. These faceted, multi-layered elements create visual depth and exude an internal rhythm. For this one-of-a-kind boutique, named Swarovski Ginza, the conventions of design are challenged by bringing the “inside to the outsideâ€. An experience to embrace when in Tokyo!
Recognizable by their unique octagon shape and tricky numeric layout, Haimovs also have a convenient removable bezel. Prices range from $8,000 up to $52,000, and have more bling than you’ve ever seen, the HM1 style packs a whopping 21 carats!
The New York International Auto Show at the Jacob Javits Center features a stunning Rolls-Royce motorcar mascot designed by a Manhattan-based jeweler.
The mascot, known as the Spirit of Ecstasy, sits on every Rolls-Royce coming out of the factory. A one-of-a-kind mascot was commissioned by local luxury car dealership Manhattan Motorcars.
Designer Jean Kemanjian described his creation, valued at $200,000, and the design process.
The latest design from Teschner Coach, the German converter of luxury motor homes, is one of the most tasteful and high end motor home designs that whispers elegance. The White Star starts with a Prevost XLII 40-foot bus shell and creates a beautiful interior that includes cherry wood cabinets, granite mosaic tiles, wood floors and recessed LED lighting strips. Equipped with state-of-the-art vehicle technology, it also has leather upholstery, hot-water underfloor heating and a 26.2-cubic-foot side-by-side refrigerator with a door-mounted 15-inch LCD TV. Other than this TV, there are are three other televisions in the home including a 32-inch unit mounted in the outside entertainment center.
The White Star has a granite shower, large rear bedroom and ample storage space. Features stainless-steel water and holding tanks — 158 gallons of freshwater and 79 gallons each for the gray- and black-water tanks. It cost $1.5 million.
The protective case is built specifically to keep your apples perfectly encased, shielding them from jabbing pens and exploding bronzers that could end up damaging your cherished iPhone. The strap is equipped with a handy knife holder, so you’ve got no excuses left as to why you’re not getting your daily vitamins!
The quirky green, lambkin bags are part of the launch of Hermès’ new site addition called,â€Travel the World of Hermès.â€
In Tel Aviv, Israel, the G Tower offers Tel Aviv’s most expensive apartment, a flat priced at $34 million.
The new apartment has 360 degree views of the city and measures 1,500 square meters (around 15,145 square feet) for a price of over $22,000 per square meter.
The Gindi Group, which developed the G Tower recently announced the selling price for the triplex flat which combines a former duplex and penthouse apartment on the 24th, 25th and 26th floors.
What do £640,000 (US $1.3 milliom) jeans look like? Well, Secret Circus Clothing made a pair, and its back pockets were crusted in diamonds Designed only for the very obscenely rich, this pair of denim actually has 15 shimmering diamonds on the right back pocket. Irma Matulionyte has designed this stunner which has one marquise cut diamond, two round cut diamonds, a princess cut, a pear cut and ten single carat diamonds.
With space for you and five friends, you can float through the skies with your very own blimp. The Advanced Hybrid Aircraft’s Hornet Aerial Work has four twin motor engines that propel the airship at up to 81 knots (93 mph), at up to 7000 ft, for a distance of 200 miles.
The airship is 100 ft long by 20 ft wide, can carry up to 2820 lbs, and sells for $1.46 million. Advanced Hybrid Aircraft will custom design the interior of the gondola to your specifications.
But this innovative ride on blimp from house of Advanced Hybrid Aircraft doesn’t come cheap and thus demands $1.46 million
Rare collection of work by Charles Dickens will reach the Christie’s auction block in New York on 2 April and is expected to fetch $2 million.
This includes an alliance copy of “Oliver Twist,†which is emblazoned by Dickens to a fellow author and is anticipated to generate $200,000-$300,000.
Eyebrows are raised for high price tag attached to the books and manuscripts. And the very reason that it is not only the first edition of Oliver Twist, one of the great novels of English literature but also it was adorned by Dickens to William Harrison Ainsworth, a novelist colleague. Continue reading →
Designed by Luiz de Basto of Miami, the SeaFair’s Grand Luxe is world’s first luxury-exposition megayacht. It will display art, jewelry, and antiques from prestigious U.S. and European museums, art galleries, and jewelers. Sized at 228 foot, it will also be available for private events, offering two five-star quality restaurants, open-air caviar and champagne lounges, and cocktail areas in conjunction with the exhibitions. All events will occur portside only.
It is an innovative concept designed to expand the marketing reach of American and International dealers while revolutionizing interest in the local arts and cultural community. In today’s challenging global environment, this custom-designed exhibition yacht will bring dealers directly to collectors’ seasonal residences rather than requiring the collector to travel a great distance in order to visit world-renowned galleries. The massive three-tiered $20 million Grand Luxe, is currently undergoing ship modifications, and marketing adjustments.
Switzerland’s Basel Fair is just around the corner and to most watch aficionados that means seeing the newest designs from all of the major watch brands.
One brand we always look forward to is Bell & Ross, who just unveiled their Minuteur Tourbillon and Grand Minuteur timepieces.
The Minuteur Tourbillon features a satin polished pink gold case that houses a manually wound mechanical movement, flyback function, and three-day power reserve indicator.
Our favorite, The Grand Minuteur, has a black scratch-resistant titanium case that also has a manually wound mechanical movement that features a flyback function and 10-day power reserve indicator. Continue reading →
A gold-leaf facial is the latest beauty craze among ladies of a certain age.
The Luxe 24 Karat Gold Facial uses the highest grade of gold leaf in an 80-minute procedure which costs $400. The flakes of gold leaf are laid on the face, before being massaged in.
UMO – the company behind the facial – claimed that the procedure will result in firmer, brighter and more supple skin.
The treatment’s use of the metal follows a strong historical tradition. It is said that Cleopatra slept in a gold mask every night, and Chinese empresses supposedly used gold rollers to massage their faces. Continue reading →
Just in time to set sail this summer, the Maltese Falcon mega-yacht, measuring 288 feet long, is for sale.
Sailing charter company Perini Navi USA recently put this yacht on the market for an eye-popping $115 million.
The Maltese Falcon sailed for the first time last June, awing nay-sayers with its revolutionary technology and groundbreaking design.
The Maltese Falcon sports a riveting fifteen sails with an area of 2,400 square meters.
There are five lavish staterooms that can be used to entertain up to 12 guests and house 18 crewmembers (including six attractive stewardesses), and has a revolutionary navigation system called the Falcon rig.
The Maltese Falcon is powered by two Deutz TBD60 engines and will fly through the sea at an amazing nineteen and a half knots per hour.
Krug, the French champagne house, has come up with a new way to attract luxury consumers by offering the world’s most expensive balloon rides, available in locations all over the world ; in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Tuscany, France – and Gloucestershire.
Besides the obvious trip up in a luxury balloon (gleaming hardware, basket lined with premium white leather) you also get gourmet dining complete with champagne and butler service while you’re in the air for a price tag of €50,000 for a group of up to 8 people.
Ferrari recently launched a new “One-to-One Personalisation Program†at the Geneva Motor Show.
The program allows buyers to fully customize their car by choosing details and materials they want in consultation with the Italian carmaker’s experts.
The personalization program is inaugurated with the 612 Scaglietti.
Once again, Swarovski proves that light and crystal is a match made in heaven, with these dazzling crystal ceiling lamps. Quite simply, light reflected by crystal creates a wondrous play of luminous color.
