Monthly Archives: January 2009

The $100,000 Tuna

This 282 pound Japanese bluefin tuna was purchased at auction for $100,000 at the first auction of the New Year on the Tokyo Metropolitan central Wholesale market, commonly known as the Tsukiji market. The price was about ten times the average price and the highest in nearly a decade.

Two sushi owners, one in Hong Kong and one in Japan, paid out for the large fish Monday. This is the first large fish Tokyo auction this year, which usually determines how the market will react over the course of the year. So, if that’s true, we’re in for a very stakes year.

Members of international tuna conservation organizations have agreed to cut their bluefin catch quota for 2009 by 20 percent to 22,000 tons which could mean more high prices this year.

Silverstris Speedboat

Silvestri speedboat – what we like to call the Porsche of the sea – is a 23-foot speedboat from the makers of the Spyker sports car.

The Silvestri 23 SC has a tabular space frame and houses cutting edge technology and hi-tech gadgets that you expect from a superior sports car, from remote control hatched compartments to a sleek leather interior.

Rhe Silvestri speedboat comes standard a Volvo Penta V8 pushing 320 horsepower for a top speed of 48 knots– or 55mph. A beauty, this water speedster is definitely the classiest and most stylish luxury speedboat.

Beckham’s Son Zooms In £50,000 Porsche Toy Car

While, Papa Becks who is crazy about cars drives a Porsche, son is no behind when he vrooms with élan in his latest toy car, which is none other than the refined version of the ultra-small Porsche sports car.

The toy car is handcrafted and is powered by a diesel engine. Costing £50,000 (approx. $73,000), the customized small Porsche is a single-seater.

Rain Bi 비 Unveils ‘Six to Five’ Fashion Line

Wildly popular Korean pop singer Rain has launched his own fashion line, called Six to Five. He introduced the collection with a fashion show in Ilsan, which was attended by celebrities and fans alike.

“Six to Five means that we are aiming to reach the sixth sense from our original five senses. I also wanted to use numbers to make it easier to find and comfortable to approach”, he said.

“I think it’s a bit unreasonable to call myself a designer. I never learned the trade professionally, but I did try to analyze the clothes I enjoy wearing and feel comfortable in. I volunteered as a designer, thinking the public may understand my views,” he said.

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Ski Home Simulator

Called the Ski Home Simulator, this recreational option has been tailored only for those with impressive bank accounts, who can also afford to take out quality leisure time.

Meant only for the PC, you just have to plug it to your computer machine to enjoy 32 different courses taken from 18 real life venues that include Beaver Lake, Lake Luise and Chamonix.

The ski simulator vibrates, rotates, tilts – exactly like a real ski descent. It comes loaded with “Alpine Ski Racing 2007″ software to train you without a computer professional ski and fitness trainer.
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Giorgio Armani on Fifth Avenue

Giorgio Armani has unveiled his vision for his latest store: « Massive » can’t even begin to describe the 43,000 square-foot space that will house all of the designer’s collections – from the mainline Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani ranges to Armani Casa and Armani Jeans.

Set along New York’s trend setting Fifth Avenue, the space, which formerly housed Hugo Boss, will give its customers a “total experience” that will include an in –house restaurant.

Armani himself was actively involved in the design, which was realised by architects Doriana and Massimilano Fukas – the creative minds behind the brand’s Chater House and Ginza Tower concept stores in Hong Kong and Tokyo respectively.
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Embraer Lineage 1000 Corporate Jet

The Embraer Lineage 1000 is largely based on the highly successful Embraer passenger jet, the E-190. Manufactured by the Brazilian aerospace firm Embraer, the Lineage is an “ultra-large” business jet with comfortable seating for 19 passengers but many more in a less comfortable configuration.

The Lineage 1000 is the largest designated jet except for the Boeing Business Jet and Airbus Corporate Jet. The jet also boasts a lavish interior, divided into up to 5 sections including an optional bedroom, washroom with running water, and a walk in cargo area at the rear.

The range of the Lineage 1000 in comparison to the E-190 is nearly double due to its added fuel tanks in the cargo hold. Due to this added range the plane can fly from New York to Brasilia with out stopping. Price : $41 million
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Spheric by Mumm

For the 2008 Holiday season, FX Balléry Design imagined 5 giant Murano glass bubbles to symbolize unique Christmas baubles. Inside each blown glass ball rests a G.H Mumm Champagne bottle.

Created in five different patterns and colours, they aim to make each place where they are exposed exceptional, sophisticated and luxurious.

Five declinations of Champagne are featured: Mumm demi-sec, Mumm Grand Cru, Mumm Brut Cordon Rouge, 1999 Mumm Cordon Rouge, Mumm Rosé.

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Floating City Ark for Eco-Refugees

According to the less alarming forecasts of the Intergovernmental group on the evolution of the climate, the ocean level should rise from 20 to 90 cm during the 21st Century with a status quo by 50 cm (versus 10 cm in the 20th Century).

As a solution to this alarming problem architect Vincent Callebaut came up with this ecotectural marvel that could serve as a luxurious future retreat for 50,000 inhabitants seeking refuge from rising waters due to global warming.

He believes the world will be desperately seeking shelter from the devastations of climate change, and hopes the auto-sufficient amphibious city will serve as a luxurious solution.
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A New Five-Star Hotel in Baghdad

Rotana Hotels has signed an agreement with Summit Hotels to manage a 5-star property in Baghdad, Iraq, scheduled to open in early 2012.

The hotel, the first in Iraq for the luxury brand, is located within the International Green Zone, which is the heavily guarded diplomatic/government area in central Baghdad.

It will feature 250 rooms and suites, Club Rotana Executive floors, several restaurants and bars, banqueting and conference facilities and complete recreational areas including Bodylines health and fitness club and a swimming pool.
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Boucheron B Fragrance

From jeweler Boucheron comes a new fragrance to celebrate the 150th anniversary of its founding as well as the 20th anniversary of its first fragrance, Boucheron (1988).

Inspired by the Exquises Confidences jewelry collection, B’s flacon is executed with the same perfection as Boucheron’s jewelry, incorporating the trademarked design known as the plisse (pleats) cut.

Only a cabochon emerald-green stone and the engraved letter “B” decorate the bottle’s cap, in keeping with the brand’s discreet design sensibility.
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Sweden’s first floating hotel

In October 2008, Sweden’s first floating hotel opened alongside the famous restaurant “Salt & Sill”. Situated atop floating pontoons just outside the restaurant, the 46 guestrooms including one suite will overlook the Bohuslän’s outer archipelago.

Salt & Sill is a hotel and meeting place with a cosy, personal atmosphere, and a style characterised by modern Scandinavian simplicity.”

Outside seating rooms are attached, to allow access to the sea. A Jacuzzi room comes with the only master suite available, an alternative viewing pad for the seafront scenery.


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Swarovski Mouse

This gorgeous « Swarovski Mouse » which is a wireless device for your computer was designed by Jeremy Doherty, Simon Doherty and Dareen Doherty from New Zealand for the Crystal Vision design competition organized by Designboom and Swarovski.

The design of the mouse is a play on the form of the Swarovski logo. With this wireless computer mouse, we see the neck of the Swan supporting the crystal which is used as the toggle tool to scroll up and down.

The body of the Swan becomes the body of the mouse which supports the users hand and leads the users fingers up to the two buttons located alongside the crystal.
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Chanel To Cut 200 Jobs

Chanel is to cut 200 jobs as fears grow that the supposedly recession proof luxury market is falling victim to the global credit crisis.

The staff cuts are a direct result of declining sales, part of the overall slide in luxury spending that was not alleviated by the recent holiday shopping season. Among the jobs are 16 posts at the brand’s boutique on rue Cambon in Paris in the heart of Paris’s fashion district.

The job losses, described by some commentators as the label’s worst crisis since founder Coco Chanel fired all her staff at the outbreak of war in 1939, represent almost 10% of the company’s production workforce.
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G-Dog can be your best friend



G-Dog by G-Robot is a high performance four-leg robot that comes with a processing unit and motion editor.

Coming in kit form the G-Dog, once assembled, measures in at 190mm in height and is supplied with a cable allowing you to connect the G-Dog up to your PC allowing you to use the bundled « motion editor » software to teach your robotic puppy new tricks.

It is set to retail for around €550.
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Christie’s about to come under the hammer

It’s just a whisper at the moment but it may well be the case that Francois Pinault is considering the sale of his Christie’s auction house which he bought in May 1998 for $1.2 billion.

The speculation is based on one obvious fact: at circa €4.7bn, Artemis, Mr Pinault’s holding company, is carrying too much debt.

And while all auctions across Bonhams, Sotheby’s and Christie’s haven’t experienced a great year, Christie’s has already cut a couple of departments, shrunk others, let a few employees go and plan more reorganization for the company in January.

PELORUS – The Most Beautiful Yacht in the World

Pelorus is the world’s fourteenth largest private yacht at 377 feet 3 inches (115 metres) in length, with a price tag of US-$300 million. It was built at the Lürssen yard in Bremen, Germany to the design of Tim Heywood and was launched in 2003.

It was briefly owned by a Miles businessman who sold it to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich (the owner of British soccer club Chelsea FC) the following year. Abramovich had it refitted to his own requirements by Blohm & Voss.

This included the addition of a second helicopter pad forward, four new zero-speed stabilisers and modifications to the exhaust, mast and stern.


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Dubai the world islands

the world’s first fashion island launched in Dubai

There is going to be an island built that is completely devoted to fashion! Dubai Infinity Holdings has announced plans to develop the world’s first fashion island – Isla Moda

The multi-million dollar island, which will be located on the man-made “The World” archipelago, will boast fashion themed residential villas, haute couture boutiques and luxury hospitality facilities.

It will be designed to represent The World, and the world’s top fashion capitals, both countries and cities, will receive excellent representation. Isla Moda won’t be a country, but a “city of fashion” instead.
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BMW Z4 Painting – Video

One of the many interesting things occur when you bring together something that’s known for elegance and speed, and a form of expression that holds no boundaries.

BMW uses their new Z4 as a brush on a canvas the size of a football field. Bringing in modern artist Robin Rhode along with a group of technicians, taking the Z4 and customizing it with adjustments that spray paint from the wheels.

Here the car is no longer just a stunning model, but itself executing artist. “This work is an expression of painting in action – my hope is to communicate the power and thrill inherent in the creation of art”, says Rhode.


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