CHOPARD ENGAGEMENT RINGS

Luxury Swiss-based watchmaker and jeweler Chopard takes engagement rings to a new level with its latest diamond engagement ring range. 

Chopard’s new engagement ring collection presents the Maison’s favourite symbol, the heart, and interprets it as a solitaire imbued with love and the spirit of happiness which is “the finest way of experiencing love, and is about keeping the spark alive every day and for a lifetime”.

For Chopard, happiness is about cultivating excellence, day after day. It is about working passionately on that which is most precious in order to create proofs of love pervaded by a perpetual joie de vivre and destined for all those who exchange promises of faithfulness and share in the same spirit of Happiness, walking hand in hand and in infusing each second with joy, forever and to the end of time.

While a heart-shaped solitaire is not the most conventional choice for brides-to-be, it is a unique and romantic choice for couples looking to spend a blissful life together. The Passion for Happiness engagement ring collection is available at all Chopard boutiques. (Chopard Athens, Greece)

RITZ-CARLTON IN TIANJIN

After much anticipation, The Ritz-Carlton, Tianjin, the newest luxury hotel 

in North East China, opened its doors.

The hotel brings unparalleled luxury service and accommodation to Tianjin – ‘The Port of the Emperor.’ The art deco style property is a landmark 10th property in China for the luxury hotel operator.

The Ritz-Carlton, Tianjin sits at the historial heart of the former British concession and modern central business district by the Haihe River. The property takes its architectural inspiration from the neo-classical style of the early 20th century with stately rooms arranged around an expansive courtyard in the European tradition.

Featuring 277 luxurious art deco guestrooms and 53 suites created by luxury hospitality designer, Pierre-Yves Rochon, leisure and business travelers alike will enjoy the refined elegance of the comfortable chandeliered rooms, many complete with buttressed stone outdoor balconies.

The stunning interiors with high ceilings and expanses of marble mirror many of the palaces of Europe. The walls feature hand painted murals of traditional European scenes and Chinese imperial paintings with elegant soft furnishings that create a sense of history and place.

The property will also introduce a new Ritz-Carlton Club designed as a residential concept which features an open kitchen serving five food and beverage offerings throughout the day, a private dining room, a lounge boasting intimate spaces and dedicated bar. The Ritz-Carlton Club Level service includes a dedicated concierge and private check-ins.

Four restaurants have been designed to create destination experiences in their own right. In addition to classically-styled Lobby Lounge serving cocktails and afternoon tea, Zest all day dining celebrates world cuisine with its lively open kitchens while Tian Tai Xuan, serves authentic, contemporary Cantonese creations. Meanwhile, the stylish Flair lifestyle bar and lounge with live DJs features private wine and cigar rooms, serving fine wines, cocktails, sushi and South Asian-inspired snacks.

Tianjin’s newest luxury sanctuary, The Ritz-Carlton Spa pampers with a collection of therapeutic treatments including specially-created signatures based around Tianjin’s famous China rose.

With a 1,050 square meter versatile Grand Ballroom and a unique courtyard in the tradition of Europe’s palaces, meetings, events and weddings can be crafted into unique experiences that guests will benchmark with.

The landmark Ritz-Carlton, Tianjin is 30 minutes from Tianjin Binhai International Airport and just 30 minutes from China’s capital, Beijing, by high speed train.

More info & Online booking

ULTRA FUTURISTIC YACHT

Whenever the famous British-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid gets her hands on a project, we are guaranteed of a design marked with distinct uniqueness and futuristic appeal.

Last time Zaha Hadid undertook a maritime project, we got the immensely attractive Z-boat that was nothing short of a spaceship like motorboat better suited to be the centerpiece of an art gallery. The Pritzker prize-winning architect is back, this time in collaboration with Germany’s innovative shipbuilders Blohm + Voss.

Blohm + Voss made the announcement yesterday at a private viewing in Mayfair’s David Gill Gallery, where the design concept of the Unique Circle Yachts was launched alongside the exhibition of Zaha Hadid’s latest works. The concept is based on the sculptural form of a master prototype conceived for a 128m yacht. The collaboration between the two giants will come up with a family of five individual 90m yachts, as a part of Unique Circle Yachts, which creatively explore the design philosophies of the master prototype within the technical requirements of a fully-engineered yacht design.

The most striking design feature of the Yachts is the exoskeleton structure of the upper section. It lends a natural aesthetic to the yacht’s external appearance partly influenced by organic structural systems found in nature. The 90m project Jazz will be the first yacht of the five to be built and delivered to its designated owner.

ZOUTE GRAND PRIX 2013

Well-known Belgian resort Knokke Heist, located along the North Sea, once again hosted another edition of the prestigious Zoute Grand Prix 2013.

It attracted over 150 exceptional classic cars, manufactured between 1920 and 1965, which participated in the regularity rally, ZOUTE RALLY 2013. Participants would have to drive approxiametly 250 km per day throughout a pictureque landscape in  East and West Flanders.

During this year's "ZOUTE CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE," pre-war as well as post-war automobile categories were presented and chosen by a renowned international jury.  This years winnter was announced during a gala reception which took place in the beautiful Zoute Golf Club.  The Best of Show award went to a 1972 Maserati Boomerang – Chassis NO. 081. Awards presented in other categories were:

MOST SPECIAL AND UNIQUE BODYWORK

1953 - Fiat 8V Tipo Mille Miglia By Vignale - Chassis NO. 0051

BEST PRESERVED CAR BY THE JURY

1954 - Fiat 8V Berlinetta Rapi - Chassis NO. 100

CLASS A: PRE-WAR OPEN CARS CLASS

1930 - Packard 734 Speedster - Chassis NO. 184006

CLASS B: MOST ELEGANT PRE-WAR CLASS

1938 - Lagonda V12 Drophead Coupe 'Works' Demonstrator - Chassis NO. 14029

CLASS C: POST-WAR OPEN CARS CLASS

1963 - Aston Martin DB4 Series V - Chassis NO. DB4C/1100/L

CLASS D: MOST ELEGANT POST-WAR CARS CLASS

1952 - Ferrari 250 Europa Coupe By Pininfarina - Chassis NO. 0305 EU

BEST INTERIOR

1937 - Bugatti Type 57 Gangloff - Chassis NO. 57546

MOST CREATIVE DESIGN

1972 - Maserati Boomerang - Chassis NO. 081

MOST EXCITING DESIGN

1970 - Porsche 'Prototype' 917 - Chassis NO. 021

MOST ICONIC CAR

1952 - Bentley Continental R-Type Fastback Sports Saloon By H.J. Mulliner & Co. - Chassis NO. BC7A

MOST ELEGANT CAR

1936 - Bentley 4.1/4-Litre Drophead Coupé - Chassis NO. B90GA

MOST SENSITIVE RESTORATION

1938 - Bugatti Type 57C Atlante - Chassis NO. 57570

70's RACING LEGENDS

1970 - Ferrari 512 M - Ex-Ecurie Francorchamps - Chassis NO. 1030

THE ART OF DESIGN

1955 - Lancia Aurelia Spider America B24S - Chassis NO. B24S-1148

THE ICONIC PORSCHE 911 AT FIFTY YEARS

1973 - Porsche 911 RS 2.7 - Chassis NO. 911 360 1430

Perfectly organised by the BOURGOO Brothers, avid auto enthusiasts, the novelty of this year’s auction were prestigious models from the BONHAM’s collection.  A record price of 816.500 Euros was paid for a 1954 Ferrari 212/250 bodywork by Pininfarina, one of only two remaining in the world.

LOUIS VUITTON SC BAG

A couple of years back when Sofia Coppola visited the Louis Vuitton Asnières workshops with the agenda of placing an order for a bag, she ended up designing one.

 

Holding subtle resemblance to the iconic Speedy and Keepall models, the SC calfskin leather bags at the time of its launch earned acclamation of its own. Now, Louis Vuitton is relaunching this collection, but as a special edition exclusively dedicated to the Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche, a famous department store in Paris. Thus the name of the collection comes to be as: The Louis Vuitton SC Bag Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche.

The bags would be available in small and mini versions. However, its star highlight is the color palette it would sport: a subtle blue accompanied with bright fuchsia pink pipping giving it a vibrant touch.