The Petit Coeur (meaning Little Heart) drinking glass is the latest creation of Etienne Menueau, a French designer who brought us a series of unusually-shaped carafes.
This work of art is an abstract reinterpretation of the human heart, complete with its atriums, ventricles, and an aorta for a spout.
The unique drinking glass is 20 cm tall, and made of borosilicate glass. only 12 (eight numbered and signed and four artist proofs) were made and they cost a shocking €1,500 ($2,000). Wine is good for the heart right ? ^_^
These gorgeous bath fixtures from Hidra are now available in the luxury finishes of black and gold! A classic combination for those who love opulence, these finishes bring out the best of two of Hidra’s great bath ranges.
Hi-Line, an attractive bathroom design with a sleek modern look benefits from the high-shine golden glaze and the glossy black. It emphasises the curving lines by way of contrast.
This chandelier, made of molded thermoplastic “pebbles” with a polished chrome finish, can make any room look like it has fragments of a T-1000 liquid Terminator dangling from the ceiling. Designed by Ross Lovegrove this year for Artemide, this lamp is called “Mercury, obviously named for the cool blog-like organic shapes that resemble mercury.
During the day the piece acts as a sculptural object reflecting the dynamics of natural light and the movement of people around them. When it lights up, the pebbles reflect light in a chaos of distorted color. I love it, but at $2,700, I wouldn’t be able to afford the electricity to turn it on!
The entrants for the 2008 Design Los Angeles Challenge have been officially released, with the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Center of North America unveiling the Formula Zero.
Built around the theme of motor sports racing in the year 2025, the Formula Zero concept aims to combine “the thrill of Formula One, the track dynamics of the bobsled or luge, and the grace and efficiency of yacht racing.”
Reminiscent of the Mercedes Benz racing heritage of the 1930’s, the Mercedes Formula Zero Racer concept is loaded with technology designed to extract the maximum thrust from the electric hub motors, aero-efficient solar skin and high-tech rigid sail. Continue reading →
The London-based Stephane Schwarz Studio has revealed the 125-metre superyacht Project IKKO that showcases a counter-proposal to the current market trend by defining a new approach to exclusive yachting.
Her innovative architecture offers a new level of harmony with the landscape: 360° breath-taking sight lines of her upper deck lounge including side transparent floorings, topped by an optimum full view helicopter platform, a 180° panorama on the main deck and a sprawling forward outdoor entertainment space.
Spray on solar-power cells from the exterior faceted surfaces supply energy, amongst others, to Domotics, a cutting edge computing network managing interior-wide automation and communication for appliances and equipment, distributed and remote control of domestic tasks from inside out, enabling more intimacy thanks to a reduction of the crew number.
Over her four decks Project IKKO holds airy cabins overlooking private balconies and adaptable saloons with electro-luminescent sliding panels. With her patented BMT Nigel Gee designed Pentamaran hull she achieves new standards of hydrodynamics to reduce fuel consumption whilst providing more speed and excellent seakeeping comfort.
There will be a new limited Absolut series available, soon. Last year’s flashy Absolut Disco series sold almost 3 million bottles !
The Swedish vodka brand, that is distributed by Pernod-Ricard (a French company) from October on, wants to tie in with last year’s success. The result: Absolut Masquerade.
The new limited gift pack Absolut Masquerade is made from 3238 shiny red sequins, and comes with a zipper in the back. When you unzip the wrapping the label states: “In an Absolut world every night is a masquerade.” Continue reading →
Caran d’Ache’s 1010 Limited Edition fountain pen is a tribute to honor the Swiss watchmaking industry.
The inspiration for the name “1010†comes from “Ten minutes past ten (10:10),†the moment when the hands on a watch dial are rightly balanced.
The body of the pen recalls the delicate gears of fine timepieces and is made of rhodium-coated silver. The clip looks like a watch hand, then there is a decorative balance wheel mounted between two rubies under a sapphire dome. Plus there are tiny tick marks around the barrel. The luxury pen even has a piston pump set with a ruby and a sapphire crystal dome at the bottom tip.
The pen is presented in a black lacquered box along with a raw glass bottle containing blue-black ink and a palladium-plated silver stopper. Each limited edition of 500 is individually numbered. Price: $19,000 (and up, depending on your choice of rhodium-coated silver or gold). (Photos : Timezone)
These shoes were part of Chanel’s 2009 Cruise Collection, and were actually designed by Laurence Decade, who was apparently handed an image of a gun by Lagerfeld, with the instruction to turn it into footwear
And he did. The scary bit is that these aren’t just pieces of catwalk art – they are actually available to buy with the rest of the collection, priced at €2,000 ($2,800).
Latest to be seen in the pair is Madonna. We can just imagine how much trouble this confusion is going to cause at airport security ^_^
Fine watches and exotic cars are a natural combination, both have a tendency to make the heart beat a little faster.
DuPont Registry has combined the two with the duPont REGISTRYâ„¢ A Buyers Gallery of Fine Watches, which features 44 pages of more than $1,500,000 of watches back dropped by exotic vehicles. The photos include lots of what Publisher Thomas L. duPont calls “Mega Watches” those that measure 44-47mm for men and 37-40mm for women.
Sales within this luxury market, including oversized watches are on the rise, confirmed by industry expert, Corum President, Michael Wunderman. “Oversized watches are no longer only a trend or a gimmick,†says Wunderman. “It is what watches have become – bigger, stronger and more intricate in design. Less than 10 percent of people actually use the chronograph function on their watches, but complicated watches are dominating the mechanical watch market.
Oversized designs allow for complex movements and robust construction with room for interesting design elements for the winding crowns and chronograph pushers using multiple materials and various surface finishing throughout.†Continue reading →
According to fashion blog nitro:licious, classic Chanel handbags will be experiencing a 20% increase in price. The new & improved price mark-ups will take effect come November 1.
Motorola’s going upmarket with its latest phone Aura, a luxury model featuring what the company claims is the world’s first circular display on a mobile device.
The Motorola Aura features a unique design in which the cover twists one hundred and eighty degrees to reveal the keyboard, it has a round sapphire crystal high resolution LCD display. The switch-blade design comes with 2 megapixel camera, 2 GB memory, video capture and streaming capability and about 7.3 hours of talk time.
The case of the Aura is made of chemically etched PVD coated stainless steel whilst the twisting mechanism is made of Tungsten Carbide coated gears and features one hundred and thirty ball bearings meaning each twist is identical.
“The hand-sculpted richness of Aura can literally be felt in its stainless steel housing, textures and patterns chemically etched into its surface,” says Motorola.
The Aura is available for pre-order now and is expected to be launched worldwide beginning in Q4 2008 for a cool $2000. It really looks elegant, but it also costs a lot !
Korean company Yujin Robot has been showing off a coffee barista robot that delivers your coffee with precision and with complete politeness.
For those who believe that technology and robotics will make their life a lot easier than at any time in the past, this is probably something that would not really surprise you.
Although details are sparse the robot has already been given the catchy name CAFERO and has been making the rounds at Robot World 2008, which is currently running in Seoul. There is no date set or even price tag on CAFERO yet. (Photos : Aving)
If you are looking for a high end bag with a unique look, check out this multi-colored fringe baguette from Fendi.
This bag offers two removable straps that allow you to convert it from a shoulder bag to a crossbody bag to a clutch. This Fendi handbag is available now for $5,420 at Neiman Marcus.
Antiquorum auctioned off Albert Einstein’s 1930 Longines wristwatch last week. The house estimated the watch would fetch up to $35,000. They got $520,000. (With fees, the total came to $596,000.) That’s over 2000% higher than the estimated price, and a record for any Longines at auction.
The tonneau-shaped watch, made of 14K gold bears the inscription “Prof. Albert Einstein, Los Angeles, Feb. 16, 1931.” According to information from Antiquorum, the timepiece was manufactured by Longines in 1930, and presented to the famous scientist one year later. The white dial bears large gold-colored Arabic figures, a feature doubtless appreciated by Einstein, a sufferer of poor eyesight.
The world’s most expensive pacifier features a silicone nipple sporting over 278 pave cut diamonds totaling 3 carats. The pacifier is also made with 14k white gold and has a moveable handle.
The most expensive pacifier in the world can be purchased for $17,000 and can even be customized with colored diamonds and engraved with bubby’s name or initial, birth date or birth weight.
While the Diamond Pacifier isn’t recommended for actual use, this gift is one that lets any baby know how precious they really are to those who love them. Alternatively, you can buy a latex pacifier with your baby’s name printed on it for US$7 a pop ^_^ (photo : Gizmag)
Moët & Chandon prepares to welcome 2009 with an amazing surprise : a new creation signed by talented French designer Camille Toupet.
Midnight Gold is an Imperial Crude Moët & Chandon provided with a luxury and limited edition case.
The Moët & Chandon Midnight Gold case is a case designed specifically to chill bottles of Moët & Chandon and is made of lambskin covered with gold and decorated with hand-sewn swarovski crystals and gilded pearls, which draws it inspiration from Champagne bubbles.
To celebrate the 60th (Diamond) Anniversary of the popular board game, Hasbro Inc. is auctioning off a one-of-a-kind SCRABBLE: Swarovski Encrusted Board Edition, featuring more than 30,000 Swarovski crystals.
Each of the 30,000 glittering crystals is hand-selected to perfectly match the Diamond Anniversary edition of Scrabble, which will be available soon from all the usual retailers.
As for this sparkling edition, there is just one, and it’s selling here on eBay.
Orbino announced on Tuesday that it has launched the Strada Tre Case, Pantera Flap Case, and the Tasca Pocket Case for the iPhone 3G.
Strada Tre Case
The Orbino Strada Tre Case transforms your 3G iPhone into a premium Italian accessory with a case entirely stitched by hand in gorgeous Tuscan leather. Prices start at $99
Tasca Pocket Case
The Orbino Tasca Pocket Case for the iPhone 3G sheaths your phone in Premium Tuscan Black Leather. Traditional Italian artistry is partnered with high-tech design to create a perfectly simple, stylish pocket case. Prices start at $119
Pantera Flap Case
The Orbino Pantera Flap Case cloaks your 3G iPhone in a beautifully sleek luxury accessory. Prices start at $149
All cases are crafted by hand in Italy using the finest Italian materials.
John pomp has redefined contemporary design through the art of glass blowing. for the past decade, he has been living and working in new york city, and has established himself as one of the leaders in modern design.
Master of fine glass, lighting, and sculpture, he utilized all three of his specialties to create this giant aquarium of light.You can see more of the Infinity Chandelier (above) here on YouTube.
John Pomp runs a public access, educational, glassblowing facility in Brooklyn, New York called One Sixty Glass. He has also designed an exclusive line of glass for Tiffany & Co. and donna karan’s new york flagship store and designed glass for an installation at jcrew’s rockefeller center store in new york city . Images and other works can be seen at johnpomp.com
Last Monday at Drouot, Paris main auction room, a piece of Eiffel tower staircase was sold for 80,500 euros ($105,000). It’s 3 meters and a half high, 20-step section, 1 meter 70 cm round, and weights over 700 kilos.
It’s a piece of a staircase leading from second to third floor, which was cut in twenty four pieces and sold in auction in 1983.
The original 1911-step staircase leading up the tower was removed so that elevators could be installed. Gustave Eiffel himself climbed the staircase in the 1889 inaugural ceremony.
Adriana Lima is pictured here wearing the world’s most expensive bra, costing a whopping $5million.
The Victoria’s Secret’s Black Diamond Miracle Bra is adorned with 3,900 precious gems, tiny black diamonds, 117 one-carat round diamonds and 34 rubies. On the top, it’s designed to offer a maximum cleavage lift.
Adriana stripped off for an ad promoting Victoria’s Secret’s new fragrance, VS Wish. “Whether her sexy poses will entice ladies to purchase the perfume remains questionable, But at least her male fans can enjoy looking.”
The Petit Coeur (meaning Little Heart) drinking glass is the latest creation of Etienne Menueau, a French designer who brought us a series of unusually-shaped carafes.
The unique drinking glass is 20 cm tall, and made of borosilicate glass. only 12 (eight numbered and signed and four artist proofs) were made and they cost a shocking €1,500 ($2,000). Wine is good for the heart right ? ^_^
