[Header image features Breitling Superocean in black. Image courtesy of Breitling]
It’s a testament to the innate class of the luxury diving watch – and its limitless appeal – that this sub-genre of haute-horology has never fallen from fashion since its original heyday almost a century ago.
Forged in the spirit of intrepid exploration, finessed across decades of innovative craftsmanship, the diving watch has become a benchmark of technical mastery equalled by its elegance. The utmost balance of durability and precision, beauty and functionality, diving watches are perhaps in greater demand than ever before; reflecting a more experiential aspect to the luxury industries, and one that’s driving dynamism and investment among younger HNW individuals.
The headiest heights of diving watch design was undeniably in the midst of the 1960’s. It was an era in which deep sea exploration represented a new frontier for discovery, as well as a very particular masculine pursuit that appealed to a new generation of wealthy go-getters. However, diving watches command more admiration today than ever before, and certain examples have risen through the ranks to become nothing less than essentials in any gentleman’s collection of timepieces. Some have gained a mythic status across the years, others have taken their cue from timeless classics, breathing new life into original designs.
Featuring an array of pioneering horological complications and imbued with the spirit of adventure, diving watches are among the most fascinating and collectible timepieces on the market today. This month, we’re picking out ten unmissable examples guaranteed to not only make an impact on the wrist, but also to make for a potentially rewarding investment.
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms GMT
Launched in 1953, the Fifty Fathoms is the first modern diver’s watch. Created by a diver to meet the needs of underwater exploration,it was chosen by diving pioneers and elite marine corps around the world as a professional timekeeping instrument. With its water resistance, robust doubled-sealed crown, self-winding movement, contrasting dark dial with luminescent indications, unidirectional rotating bezel and anti-magnetic protection, the Fifty Fathoms has become an indispensable instrument for divers on their underwater missions. Images courtesy of Blankpain.
Often regarded as the world’s first haute-horology maison, Blancpain has pioneered innovations in the world of luxury watches since it was founded in Switzerland way back in 1735. It perhaps therefore comes as no real surprise to discover that it was the watchmakers of Blancpain who launched the very first diving watch in 1953 – the iconically-named Fifty Fathoms GMT. With this very timepiece, Blancpain spearheaded a design trend that continues to inspire seventy years later.
The Fifty Fathom GMT has undergone countless tweaks, improvements and re-releases since that first pioneering unveiling. However, there’s no shortage of joy to the fact that the key design features of every single iteration since the original have – by and large – remained thrillingly true to those of the first design. There’s an instantly-recognisable oversized and beautiful bezel, the flyback chronograph, the leak gauge picked out in red and an overall air of understated minimalism (which now, of course, looks brilliantly vintage), each of which comes together to produce a watch imbued with a real classic sense of masculinity. It’s an iconic timepiece, a nonchalant masterclass in horological perfection, and one which never fails to send considerable ripples of excitement at auction.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore
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Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches are perhaps the most sought-after luxury timepieces in the ever-changing market today, prized for their nautical and effortlessly masculine design credentials alongside a commitment to precision that’s almost unmatched. The Offshore is the Royal Oak’s foray into the world of diving watches, and it’s one that quickly became a modern classic that takes the design’s maritime approach to its logical conclusion.
The oversized and impactful Royal Oak Offshore exudes a sportier design than its dressier forebears, and it has become a firm favourite with sports stars worldwide – namely cricket champion Sachin Tendulka, Michael Schumacher and Shaquille O’Neal. Straight from the imagination of maison design legend Gerald Genta, the Offshore looks fantastic and immediately conjures up images of the golden age of deep sea diving. Indeed, those distinctive oversized screws on the bezel were inspired by a vintage deep sea diver’s helmet; a theme which works perfectly with that instantly-recognisable porthole design we know and love so well.
IWC Aquatimer 2014
Limited to 350 watches, the Aquatimer Automatic 2000 Edition “35 Years Ocean 2000” (Ref. IW329101) is the thinnest deep-sea diver’s watch in IWC’s collection. Image Courtesy of IWC.
The very first IWC Aquatimer was released in 1967, and ever since, this luxury timepiece brand has dominated the diving watch scene. In 2014, a whole new iteration of the Aquatimer range hit a newly dynamised market, hinting at a reinvigorated playfulness within the opulent sport watch industry. It wasn’t hard to understand its appeal: beautifully coloured details, an oversized rotating bezel and plenty of luminous markings on the face immediately set the new IWC Aquatimer out as a modern icon in the diving watch world. The triple-dial complications were a real game-changer, too – and almost instantly, we had a contemporary classic on our hands, and one which proved that even a sub-genre as quintessentially as diving watches could be revamped with peerless class.
It’s impossible not to be impressed by the lume details of the 2014 release, and it’s easy to recognise how the glowing face would come in handy when submerged in some underwater cave. However, the practical is – as always – matched by the luxurious and the precise, with a sapphire crystal casing that doubles as both an opulent dust damage safeguard and a way for the watch to withstand water pressure as deep as three hundred metres. IWC kept the innovations coming with an internal bezel controlled not, as is usual, by the crown, but rather via a distinct external bezel. This innovation was truly one-of-a-kind, and adds a slick simplicity that exemplifies what the timepiece does perhaps better than any other.
Panerai Luminor
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Some diving watches are all about the panache, the beauty, and the opulence that grew around the mid-20th century ‘celebrity adventurer’ scene, driven forward by James Bond movies and Jacques Cousteau’s awe-inspiring nature films. Others, however, celebrate the grit and reality behind these timepiece’s military foundations… and the Panerai Luminor beautifully straddles the two with effortless charm.
Officine Panerai was producing watches fit for diving (although not what we’d recognise today as a ‘diving watch’) for the Italian military as far back as the early 1930s. The iconic Panerai Luminor model pays tribute to those early innovations, resulting in a luxurious and highly-collectible timepiece featuring a small lever to ensure a watertight seal, incredible accuracy, and luminescent detailing on the dial to ensure full visibility in underwater conditions. Overall, it’s a sleek and stylish timepiece perfect for sportsmen seeking a watch imbued with history, and which makes no compromises whatsoever when it comes to quality.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor
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The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor truly promises the best of both worlds. It’s a diving watch which ticks all the right boxes when it comes to luxury and opulence, passing beautifully as a high-end dress watch perfect for black tie events and showcasing your peerless sense of taste. However, it’s also fitted with a mechanism that allows it to withstand an awe-inspiring three thousand feet of water pressure, making it a diving watch fit for serious explorers on missions below the waves.
Jaeger-LeCoultre is a timepiece brand that’s renowned worldwide for an unrivalled insistence on impeccable standards, and each and every one of those standards shines brightly in the Master Compressor. Take in, if you will, the highly-polished lugs, the non-corrosive titanium detailing, and the keenly-designed caseback. Remove the casing, and you’ll discover the diving watch’s sporting credentials: there’s an instant wheel chronograph (operating perpetually without causing wear to the movement, and a patented Jaeger-LeCoultre hallmark), and a chrono key which completely compresses the chronograph to protect it from deep sea pressure.
Whether the wearers of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor ever actually don a diving suit and head below the waves is irrelevant: this timepiece is a masterful example of craftsmanship and engineering, making it as collectible as it is beautiful.
Breitling Superocean
Breitling Superocean 44 Special. Image courtesy of Breitling.
When we think of Breitling, we immediately turn our mind to their stunning and gorgeously-crafted aviator watches. However, the Superocean proved once and for all that the luxury timepiece brand is far from a one-trick pony – this diving watch is an exemplary example of the brand’s ability to finesse sporting pieces for underwater use, while still absolutely looking the business as a dress watch for showcasing style.
The Superocean was meticulously designed for military and professional divers. Launched back in 1957, it has undergone countless new iterations – many of which promise water resistance up to 2,000 metres. Thanks to its spectacular sapphire crystal fronting, there’s plenty of opulence involved in the fundamentals of its finish. What’s more, a patented luminescent technology ensures that there’s a brilliant legibility to the central hands and hour indices even in pitch darkness.
Omega Seamaster
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The combination of sporty looks and cutting-edge movement technology – paired with a distinctive matte grey bezel crafted from scratch proof ceramic and a 44mm stainless steel casing – means even the most demanding of timepieces collectors cannot help but be moved by the sheer power of the Omega Seamaster’s wrist impact.
The Seamaster may not be able to boast the same depths of water pressure resistance as many of the examples on this rundown, but that’s not to say there aren’t plenty of impressive features to be found within its boisterous and masculine casing. The Omega Seamaster features a remarkable movement: the Omega Calibre 3603, which brings a dynamic GMT complication into the heart of the famed in-house Calibre 3330 and makes it a collection piece par excellence for serious timepiece aficionados. There’s also a silicon balance spring, a co-axial escapement and impressive tech that wields resistance against magnetic interference.
As such, the Seamaster is a watch-lover’s watch with unrivalled accuracy, and one that’s as fitting for the club as it is for the deck of a superyacht, or indeed for underwater exploration.
Calibre de Cartier Diver
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When it comes to luxury timepieces, few brands hit the high notes of opulence quite like Cartier. The Calibre de Cartier Diver was a welcome addition to the Cartier line of sports-inspired watches, bringing a touch of timeless glamour to the scene alongside some seriously impressive features that made it an instant hit with collectors and adventurers alike.
As far as looks go, the Calibre de Cartier Diver isn’t a world away from the Calibre de Cartier. However, there’s an unmissable diver’s bezel that sets this watch apart from the rest of the collection, and it has been designed to boast 300 metre water resistance; perfect for light scuba trips or the chance to dive down to coral reefs in some far-flung exotic destination. One of the key points of appeal is the thickness of this watch: unlike many other diving watches, the Calibre de Cartier Diver has an impressive thickness 11mm, making it an elegant choice for those seeking a lighter, sleeker and more versatile timepiece to add to their collection.
Tudor Black Bay
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The Rolex Submariner is arguably the quintessential luxury diving watch, and a collector’s bucket list mainstay. So much so, in fact, that it isn’t included on this list as everything that could be said about the timepiece has already been stated, or is at least common knowledge to every diving watch fan worth their salt. What should be stated, however, is that the Submariner was the direct inspiration for the Tudor Black Bay, and given the rapidly-ascending collectibility of Tudor watches, this particular release is absolutely worth a mention on our rundown.
Released in 2012 by Rolex’s eminent sister brand, the Black Bay is the latest underwater launch from Tudor. It bears a distinguished crystal domed covering, stark white ‘snowflake’ hands, and the kind of sleekness and rugged masculine design idiom that hints at its Rolex DNA. As for its diving credentials, the Black Bay is water resistant to 200 metres below the waves, and comes with a truly impressive 70-hour power reserve. As such, it’s no real surprise that this sister release to the Submariner is quickly making its way onto collectors’ wishlists.
Rolex Sea-Dweller
Rolex Deep Sea Seadweller with original gas escape valve. Image courtesy of Rolex.
Let’s end this rundown with a bonafide legend of the diving watch world, and one which combines remarkable horological engineering with an undeniably alluring visual design: The Rolex Sea-Dweller. While still not quite as iconic as its predecessor – the aforementioned Submariner – the Sea-Dweller stepped up the Rolex diving watch line in 1967 with considerable panache and a distinctive modern swagger.
Part of its self-assuredness arose from the fact that this timepiece is one for those who take their diving seriously: it resists pressure at up to four thousand feet, and boasts a double-thickness sapphire crystal and a completely unique helium valve, meticulously engineered to eradicate issues caused by decompression within the complications.
As is the case with so many of Rolex’s heritage lines, the Sea-Dweller proved enduringly popular throughout all of its later iterations. Indeed, many would claim that more recent Sea-Dwellers have even greater appeal than the vintage model, not least because the 2017 Deep Sea release featured the Rolex Calibre 3235 sports movement, which set a whole new standard for reliability, longevity and robust precision. A sleek new ceramic bezel joined the list of contemporary additions to the Sea-Dweller design sheet, offering a flawless finish that adds to its eye-catching allure.
[Imagen de cabecera muestra un Breitling Superocean en negro. Imagen cortesía de Breitling]
Es un testamento a la clase innata del reloj de buceo de lujo y su atractivo ilimitado que este sub-genero de la alta relojería nunca ha dejado de estar de moda desde su apogeo original hace casi un siglo.
Forjado en el espíritu de la exploración intrépida, refinada a lo largo de décadas de innovativa artesanía, el reloj de buceo se ha convertido en un punto de referencia de maestría técnica igualada por su elegancia. El máximo balance de durabilidad y precisión, belleza y funcionalidad, los relojes de buceo tienen, quizás, una mayor demanda que nunca antes. Reflejando un aspecto más experimental de las industrias de lujo y uno que está incentivando dinamismo e inversión entre los individuos de alto valor neto más jóvenes.
Las alturas más cautivadoras del diseño de relojes de buceo fue, sin duda alguna, a mediados de los años 60, una era en donde la exploración del océano profundo representaba una nueva frontera de descubrimiento, así como una búsqueda masculina muy particular que atraía a una nueva generación de ambiciosos adinerados. Sin embargo, los relojes de buceo demandan más admiración hoy que nunca antes, y ciertos ejemplares han subido a través de los rangos para convertirse en nada menos que esenciales de la colección de relojería de cualquier caballero. Algunos han obtenido un estado mítico a través de los años, mientras otros han seguido el ejemplo de los clásicos atemporales, dándole nueva vida a los diseños originales.
Presentando una variedad de complicaciones pioneras de la horología e imbuidos del espíritu de aventura, los relojes de buceo están entre los relojes de colección más fascinantes en el mercado hoy en día. Este mes, estamos destacando diez ejemplos imperdibles que garantizan no sólo impactar en la muñeca, sino también ser una inversión potencialmente gratificante.
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms GMT
Frecuentemente considerada la primera casa relojera del mundo, Blancpain ha sido pionera de innovaciones en el mundo de los relojes de lujo desde que fue fundada en Suiza en 1735. Quizás por eso no resulta sorprendente descubrir que fue uno de los relojeros de Blancpain quien introdujo el primer reloj de buceo en 1953, el icónico Fifty Fathoms GMT. Con esta mismísima pieza, Blancpain encabezó una tendencia de diseño que continua inspirando setenta años después.
El Fifty Fathom GMT ha sufrido innumerables ajustes, mejoras y relanzamientos desde su pionera revelación. No obstante, no falta la alegría por el hecho de que las características de diseño clave de cada iteración desde el original, generalmente se han mantenido increíblemente fieles a las del primer diseño. Hay un bisel de gran tamaño, hermoso y reconocible al instante; el cronógrafo flyback; el indicador de fugas resaltado en rojo; y un aire general de minimalismo discreto, que ahora, por supuesto, se ve brillantemente antiguo. Cada uno de éstos se une para producir un reloj imbuido con un verdadero sentido clásico de la masculinidad. Es una pieza de relojería icónica, una clase magistral despreocupada en relojería a la perfección, y una que nunca falla al causar ondas de emoción en subastas.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore
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Los relojes Audemras Piguet Royal Oak son, quizás, las piezas de relojería más deseadas en un mercado siempre cambiante, apreciados por sus credenciales de diseño masculino náutico y sin esfuerzo junto a un compromiso a la precisión que es casi inigualable. El Offshore es la incursión de Royal Oak en el mundo de relojes de buceo, y es uno que rápidamente se convirtió en un clásico moderno que lleva el enfoque marítimo del diseño hacia una conclusión lógica.
El sobredimensionado e impactante Royal Oak Offshore, emana un diseño más deportivo en comparación a sus antepasados más elegantes, y se ha convertido en un firme favorito con estrellas del deporte a nivel mundial, como Sachin Tendulka, campeón del cricket, Michael Schumacher y Shaquille O’Neal. Directamente de la imaginación de la leyenda del diseño, Gerald Genta, el Offshore se ve fantástico e inmediatamente conjura imágenes de la era dorada del buceo de océano profundo. En efecto, aquellos distintivos tornillos sobredimensionados en el bisel fueron inspirados por el casco vintage de un buzo de aguas profundas. Un tema que funciona perfectamente con el instantáneamente reconocible diseño de ojo de buey que tanto conocemos y adoramos.
IWC Aquatimer 2014
El primer IWC Aquatimer fue lanzado en 1967 y, desde entonces, esta marca de relojería de lujo ha dominado la escena de relojes de buceo. En el 2014, una nueva iteración del rango de Aquatimer llegó a un mercado recién dinamizado, insinuando una alegría revitalizada dentro de la opulenta industria de relojes deportivos. No era difícil entender su atractivo: detalles hermosamente coloridos, un bisel giratorio sobredimensionado y varias marcas luminosas en el dial que inmediatamente situaron el nuevo IWC Aquatimer como un ícono moderno en el mundo de relojes de buceo. Las complicaciones de triple-dial del reloj fueron revolucionarias, y, casi de forma instantánea, tuvimos un clásico contemporáneo en nuestras manos, uno que probó que incluso un subgénero tan esencial como los relojes de buceo podía renovarse con una clase sin igual.
Es imposible no impresionarse con los detalles de luminiscencia del lanzamiento del 2014 y es fácil reconocer cómo el brillante dial sería útil cuando se encuentre sumergido en una cueva submarina. Sin embargo, lo práctico, como siempre, se combina con el lujo y lo preciso, con una carcasa de cristal de zafiro que funciona tanto como una protección opulenta contra el polvo, como una manera para que el reloj aguante la presión del agua hasta unos trescientos metros. IWC mantuvo las innovaciones con un bisel interno controlado no, como lo es habitualmente, por la corona, sino a través de un bisel externo distinto. Esta innovación fue realmente única y agrega una elegante simplicidad que ejemplifica lo que el reloj hace quizás mejor que cualquier otro.
Panerai Luminor
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Algunos relojes de buceo se deleitan en el estilo, la belleza y la opulencia que creció a mediados de la escena de “celebridades aventureras” del siglo XX, impulsada hacia adelante por las películas de James Bond y las alucinantes películas de Jacques Cousteau. Otros, en cambio, celebran la valentía y realidad detrás de las fundaciones militares de estos relojes… y el Panerai Luminor hermosamente combina ambos con un encanto sin esfuerzo.
Officine Panerai producía relojes aptos para el buceo (aunque no lo que reconoceríamos hoy en día como un reloj de buceo) para el ejercito italiano desde inicios de 1930. El modelo icónico de Panerai Luminor toca tributo a aquellas tempranas innovaciones, resultando en una lujosa y altamente coleccionable pieza de relojería que cuenta con una pequeña palanca para asegurar un sello hermético, increíble exactitud y detalles de luminiscencia en el dial para garantizar absoluta visibilidad en condiciones submarinas. En general, es una elegante pieza con estilo, perfecto para el deportista moderno en busca de un reloj lleno de historia y que no hace concesiones en lo absoluto cuando se trata de calidad.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor
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El Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor realmente promete lo mejor de ambos mundos. Es un reloj de buceo que cumple con todas las casillas necesarias cuando se trata de lujo y opulencia, pasando hermosamente como un reloj de vestir de alta gama, perfecto para eventos de corbata negra y mostrando su inigualable sentido del gusto. Sin embargo, también está equipado con un mecanismo que le permite resistir unos impresionante tres mil pies de presión bajo el agua, convirtiéndolo en un reloj de buceo para serios exploradores en misiones bajo las olas.
Jaeger-LeCoultre es una marca de relojería reconocida mundialmente por su insistencia sin rivalidad de impecables estándares, y cada uno de aquellos estándares brillan en el Master Compressor. Déjese maravillar por los pasadores altamente pulidos, los detalles de titanio inoxidable y el fondo de caja cuidadosamente diseñado. Retire la caja y descubrirá las credenciales deportivas del reloj de buceo: un cronógrafo de rueda instantáneo que funciona perpetuamente sin desgastar el movimiento, un sello patentado de Jaeger-LeCoultre y una llave de cronógrafo que comprime completamente el cronógrafo para protegerlo de la presión del mar profundo.
Ya sea que quienes porten el Jaeger-LeCoultre alguna vez realmente porten un traje de buceo y se dirijan hacía el fondo de las olas es irrelevante, esta pieza de relojería es un ejemplo magistral de la artesanía y la ingeniería, haciéndolo tan coleccionable como es hermoso.
Breitling Superocean
Breitling Superocean 44 Special. Imagen cortesía de Breitling.
Cuando pensamos en Breitling, inmediatamente dirigimos nuestra mente a sus despampanantes y magníficamente elaborados relojes de aviador. Sin embargo, el Superocean demostró de una vez y por todas que la marca de relojería de lujo tiene muchos trucos más bajo la manga. Este reloj de buceo es un ejemplo ejemplar de la capacidad de la marca de refinar las piezas deportivas para uso submarino, sin dejar el prestigio de la imagen de un reloj de vestir que exhibe estilo.
El Superocean fue meticulosamente diseñado para buzos militares y profesionales. Lanzado en 1957, ha pasado por innumerables nuevas iteraciones, muchas de las cuales prometen una resistencia hasta de 2,000 metros bajo la superficie. Gracias a su espectacular cristal de zafiro, hay mucha opulencia involucrada en los fundamentos de su acabado. Aún más, una tecnología luminiscente patentada asegura una brillante legibilidad de las manecillas centrales y los índices de la hora incluso en absoluta oscuridad.
Omega Seamaster
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La combinación de un look deportivo y tecnología de movimiento de vanguardia, acompañada de un distintivo bisel gris matte elaborado con cerámica a prueba de rayones y una carcasa de 44mm de acero inoxidable, significa que incluso los coleccionistas de relojes más demandantes no pueden evitar ser conmovidos por el poder puro del impacto del Omega Seamaster en la muñeca.
El Seamaster puede no ser capaz de presumir la misma resistencia de presión submarina como muchos de los ejemplos de la presente lista, pero eso no quiere decir que no tiene múltiples características impresionantes dentro de su exuberante y masculina carcasa. El Omega Seamaster presenta un notable movimiento: el Omega Calibre 3603, que trae una dinámica complicación GMT al corazón del famoso Calibre 3330 y lo convierte en una pieza de colección por excelencia para los apasionados aficionados. También cuenta con un resorte de equilibrio de silicona, un escape coaxial y una impresionante tecnología que otorga resistencia contra la interferencia magnética.
Como tal, el Seamaster es un reloj para los amantes de la relojería con una precisión inigualable, y es tan adecuado para el club como para la cubierta de un superyate, o, de hecho, para la exploración submarina.
Calibre de Cartier Diver
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Cuando se trata de relojes de lujo, pocas marcas alcanzan las notas altas de la opulencia como lo hace Cartier. El Calibre de Cartier Diver fue una incorporación a la línea Cartier de relojes de inspiración deportiva, que aporta un toque de glamour atemporal a la escena, junto con unos seriamente impresionantes características que lo convirtieron en un éxito instantáneo con coleccionistas y aventureros por igual.
En lo respectivo a su apariencia, el Calibre de Cartier Diver no está a un mundo de diferencia del Calibre de Cartier. Sin embargo, hay un imperdible bisel de buzo que separa a este reloj de los demás de la colección. Además, ha sido diseñado para resistir 300 metros bajo el agua, perfecto para viajes ligeros de buceo o la oportunidad de sumergirse en los arrecifes de coral en algún exótico destino lejano. Uno de los puntos claves de su atractivo es el grosor del reloj. A diferencia de muchos otros relojes de buceo, el Calibre de Cartier Diver tiene un impresionante grosor de 11mm, convirtiéndolo en una elegante opción para quienes buscan un reloj más liviano, impecable y versátil para adicionar a su colección.
Tudor Black Bay
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El Rolex Submariner es posiblemente el reloj de buceo de lujo por excelencia y un pilar en la lista de deseos de los coleccionistas. Tanto así, de hecho, que no está incluido en esta lista ya que todo lo que se podría decir sobre el reloj ya se ha dicho, o al menos es de conocimiento común para todos los verdaderos fanáticos de los relojes de buceo. Sin embargo, lo que sí debe decirse es que el Submariner fue la inspiración directa para el Tudor Black Bay, y dada la coleccionabilidad en rápido ascenso de los relojes Tudor, este lanzamiento en particular absolutamente merece una mención en nuestro resumen.
Lanzado en 2012 por la eminente marca hermana de Rolex, el Black Bay es el último lanzamiento submarino de Tudor. Porta una distinguida cubierta de cristal curvo, manecillas blancas “copo de nieve” muy rígidas, y el tipo de elegancia y resistente diseño masculino que alude a su ADN de Rolex. En cuanto a sus credenciales de buceo, el Black Bay resiste hasta 200 metros debajo de la superficie y viene con una verdaderamente impresionante reserva de batería de 70 horas. Como tal, no es una sorpresa que este lanzamiento hermano del Submariner está rápidamente asegurando su lugar en la lista de deseos de los coleccionistas.
Rolex Sea-Dweller
Rolex Deep Sea Seadweller con válvula de escape original. Imagen cortesía de Rolex.
Terminemos esta lista con una leyenda del mundo de los relojes de buceo y una que combina la impresionante ingeniería horológica con un diseño visual innegablemente atractivo: El Rolex Sea Dweller. Aunque no es tan icónico como su antepasado, el previamente mencionado Sumbariner, el Sea-Dweller subió la barra de la línea de relojes de buceo de Rolex en 1967 con su considerable elegancia y distintivo estilo moderno.
Parte de su seguridad en sí mismo nace del hecho de que esta pieza de relojería es una que se toma el buceo seriamente, resistiéndo presión de hasta 4,000 pies bajo el agua y ostentando un cristal de zafiro de doble grosor con una válvula de helio completamente única, diseñada de forma meticulosa para desterrar cualquier problema causado por la descompresión dentro de sus complicaciones.
Como es el caso con muchas líneas de herencia Rolex, el Sea-Dweller gozó de una popularidad infatigable a través de todas sus posteriores iteraciones. Sin duda, muchos podrían argumentar que los más recientes Sea Dwellers cuentan con un mayor atractivo que los modelos más vintage, sobre todo porque el lanzamiento de Deep Sea en 2017 presentó el movimiento deportivo del Rolex Calibre 3235, que estableció un estándar completamente nuevo para la confiabilidad, la longevidad y la precisión robusta. Un nuevo y elegante bisel de cerámica se unió a la lista de adiciones contemporáneas de la hoja de diseño del Sea-Dweller, ofreciendo un terminado impecable que añade a su irresistible atractivo.
By now it’s more than clear that humans are always finding new and exciting ways of doing things, whether that be technology, space travel, unbelievable cars or… cooking. It’s a fact that no one wants to eat something unappetizing, and when the world is so globalized that we now can eat what people on the other side of the planet eat, things can get a little boring. But what if you could eat dishes you already know in ground-breaking new ways? That is just what molecular gastronomy is about. A phenomenon taking the gastronomy world by storm, molecular gastronomy is a rule-bending movement that incorporates science in the art of cooking, presenting a final dish that is nothing short of a work of art and an experience on its own.
Chefs that double as mad scientists thrill their palate with incredible and delicately curated meals that leave nothing to chance, having been carefully designed from their very molecules. Not anyone can be a molecular gastronomy chef. It is a skillful artform that requires the utmost attention to detail, knowledge of flavors and sleek presentation.
With that being said, let’s take a look at some of the most staggering molecular gastronomy restaurants around the world.
The Fat Duck, London
Located in London, England, The Fat Duck is one of the most legendary masters of molecular cuisine. Having opened in 1996, The Fat Duck has positioned itself as a bucket list essential for the epicurious. Even more, The Fat Duck’s Chef is no other than Heston Blumenthal, a true pioneer of the molecular movement and if that’s not enough to make your mouth water and heart beat with excitement, this restaurant can proudly boast its, not one, not two, but three Michelin stars -a feat only few worthy can accomplish- and seats 42 diners, making it a rather intimate and elite experience.
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Like many of the other restaurants you’ll see on this list, you must make a reservation in order to enjoy the ambiance of the unique molecular restaurant. However, unlike many of the restaurant soon to be mentioned, The Fat Duck has a relaxed approach to dress codes, not imposing a dress code policy to access the premises.
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Atera, New York City
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More than just a meal, Atera provides diners with a sensory dining experience that immerses the lucky few into an ocean of creativity and culinary poetry. With their tasting menu starting at $298 per person, Atera finds itself in constant evolution by offering different menus that follow a unique seasonal pattern. With the everchanging experience, Atera constantly surprises even the most loyal epicurious. Going beyond taste, the restaurant aims to involve your nose, your eardrums and your eyes into the artform that is the world of molecular culinary. The exclusivity of the restaurant finds its source in the limited seating of the Main Dining Room. Focused on the details of the experience, the restaurant welcomes parties of up to 4 guests, ensuring that the incomparable experience is as private as can be.
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Atera is a restaurant experience like no other, which is why not just anyone can walk in. Reservations must be made a month in advance, making the dinner an event in and of itself. The restaurant consists of two areas, the Main Dining Room and The Library. The first boasts an open kitchen with a Chef’s counter, allowing diners to be part of the making of the meals and “behind the scenes” magic that is usually hidden in other, more conventional, restaurants. The Library can accommodate up to 8 of the most passionate gastronomes, making your private dinner parties a night to remember. No matter which room you decide to dine in, in Atera you will find an unrepeatable experience that tingles all of the senses.
Noma, Copenhagen
Curating a one of a kind menu does not mean you have to import foreign and exotic ingredients. Noma not only knows this but has actually perfectioned the art of exploring and discovering local ingredients to make a spectacular and delicious menu. By finding inspiration in what is local, they also appreciate the magic of what is in season, meaning that their menu follows nature as it changes throughout the year. For more than 20 years, Noma has perfected the art of innovation in the kitchen. Having a team comprised by more than kitchen staff, Noma relies on a team of gardeners, foragers and researchers.
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True fans of the gourmand know that dining at Norma is a luxury few can enjoy, which is why reservations are sold out faster than they open up. However, there is no need to worry as Norma allows aspiring guests to join a waiting list where they can join other ambitious and pleasure-seeking individuals that know good food is one of the luxuries of life. Their prices vary in the tasting menu you desire, but a prepayment of approximately $560 USD per person is required to confirm the reservation.
El Cielo, Bogotá
Colombia’s gastronomic scene has been subject to a massive and impressive boom in most recent years. An iconic pioneer is El Cielo, a successful gastronomic experience that now enjoys an international title, and locations in Washington D.C and Miami that boast a Michelin star each. With an avant-garde experience and paradigm breaking meals, El Cielo brings new life to traditional Colombian food. They pride themselves in their ingredients, which, like those preparing them, are Colombian. Their menu, like a story, is divided into moments, having an interesting beginning, and exciting plot and a wonderful end that makes diners feel and array of emotions.
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Menus vary from location to location, but they mostly consist of approximately 20 moments that transport the diner to a voyage of senses. The experience can be paired by a set of glasses of wine, but those that prefer drinks without alcohol can also find options perfect for them. Whatever your food preferences are, El Cielo will fascinate each of your senses as you discover a new and modern take of a rather niche cuisine.
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STAY by Yannick Alléno, Dubai
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Crowned by two Michelin stars, Stay by Yannick Alléno is an experience of fine dining that presents the perfect marriage between playfulness and luxury. The restaurant has a magnificently curated menu of French cuisine. Unlike the aforementioned restaurants, Stay does not consist solely of a prix fixe menu, but rather allows its diners to choose from its exclusive a la carte menu as well as set menus of 4 or 6 courses. Chef Yannick’s success is not surprising when you think about the numerous Michelin stars he has been awarded in France, making him one of the most talented chefs in the world and an icon when it comes to new technologies meeting the classics.
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Es más que claro que los seres humanos siempre están encontrando nuevas y emocionantes maneras de innovar, ya sea en la tecnología, viajes espaciales, increíbles vehículos o… cocinar. Es un hecho innegable que nadie quiere comer algo que no estimule el apetito, y cuando nuestro mundo es tan globalizado que fácilmente podemos comer lo mismo que comen al otro lado del planeta, las cosas pueden tornarse un poco monótonas. Pero, ¿y qué si pudieras disfrutar de platos que ya conoces y aprecias, pero de formas no antes vistas? Es justo eso lo que hace la cocina molecular. Un fenómeno que está arrasando en el mundo de la gastronomía, la cocina molecular es un movimiento que rompe las reglas e incorpora la ciencia en el arte de cocinar, presentando un plato final que no se queda corto de una obra de arte y una experiencia en sí misma.
Chefs que se doblan como científicos locos emocionan su paladar con platos increíble y delicadamente curados que no dejan nada al azar, pues han sido diseñados cuidadosamente desde sus mismísimas moléculas. No cualquiera puede ser un chef de la cocina molecular. Es un arte que requiere habilidad, la máxima atención al detalle, conocimiento de sabores y una impecable presentación.
Habiendo dicho eso, tomemos un vistazo a algunos de los más asombrosos restaurantes de cocina molecular en el mundo.
The Fat Duck, Londres
Ubicado en Londres, Inglaterra, The Fat Duck es uno de los maestros más legendarios de la cocina molecular. Abrió sus puertas en 1996 y se ha posicionado como un infaltable en la lista de los deseos de los gastrónomos. De hecho, el Chef de The Fat Duck es nada más y nada menos que Heston Blumenthal, un verdadero pionero del movimiento molecular y, si eso no es suficiente para que se te haga agua la boca y te lata el corazón acelerado con emoción, este restaurante presume orgullosamente, no una, no dos, sino tres estrellas Michelin (algo que pocos dignos pueden lograr) y tiene capacidad para 42 comensales, convirtiendo la velada en una experiencia bastante íntima y elite.
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Como muchos de los restaurantes que verás en esta lista, es necesario hacer una reservación para poder disfrutar del ambiente de este único restaurante molecular. Sin embargo, a diferencia de muchos de los restaurantes a mencionar, The Fat Duck cuenta con una filosofía más relajada en cuanto a códigos de vestimenta, pues no impone ninguna política de etiqueta para acceder a sus instalaciones.
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Atera, Nueva York
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Más que una simple comida, Atera le ofrece a sus comensales una experiencia sensorial que sumerge a algunos pocos afortunados en un océano de creatividad y poesía culinaria. Con su menú de degustación comenzando en $298 dólares por persona, Atera se encuentra en constante evolución al ofrecer cartas diferentes que siguen el patrón único de las temporadas. Con su siempre cambiante experiencia, Atera constantemente sorprende incluso a los más leales gastrónomos. Yendo más allá del sabor, el restaurante tiene como objetivo involucrar tu nariz, tus oídos y tus ojos en el arte que es el mundo de la cocina molecular. La exclusividad del restaurante encuentre su origen en su capacidad limitada del Salón Principal. Enfocado en los detalles de la experiencia, el restaurante le da la bienvenida a grupos de hasta 4 invitados, asegurando que la incomparable experiencia sea lo más privada posible.
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Atera es una experiencia gastronómica como ninguna otra, razón por la cual no cualquiera puede entrar. Las reservas se deben hacer con un mes de anticipación, ocasionando que la cena sea un evento en sí mismo. El restaurante consiste en dos áreas: el Salón Principal y la Biblioteca. El primero cuenta con una cocina abierta y un mostrador de chef, permitiendo que los comensales hagan parte de la preparación de su comida y de la magia del “detrás de escenas” que usualmente está escondida en otros restaurantes más convencionales. La biblioteca puede acomodar hasta 8 de los gastrónomos más apasionados, haciendo que tus cenas privadas sean una noche para recordar. No importa en qué salón escojas cenar, en Atera encontrarás una experiencia irrepetible que hormiguea todos los sentidos.
Norma, Copenhague
Curar un menú único no significa que se deben importar exóticos ingredientes del extranjero. Norma no sólo lo sabe, sino que ha perfeccionado el arte de explorar y descubrir ingredientes locales para hacer un menú espectacular y delicioso. Al encontrar inspiración en lo local, también aprecian la magia de lo que está de temporada, implicando que su menú sigue la naturaleza a medida que ésta cambia a lo largo del año. Por más de 20 años, Norma ha perfeccionado el arte de la innovación en la cocina. Con un equipo compuesto por más que solo personal de cocina, Norma cuenta con un equipo de jardineros, forrajeadores e investigadores.
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Los verdaderos fanáticos de lo gourmet saben que cenar en Norma es un lujo que pocos pueden disfrutar, razón por la cual las reservas se agotan más rápido de lo que se abren. Sin embargo, no hay por qué preocuparse, pues Norma le permite a quienes sus aspirantes comensales a unirse a una lista de espera en donde pueden juntarse con otros ambiciosos individuos en busca del placer que saben que la buena comida es uno de los lujos de la vida. Sus precios varían dependiendo del menú de degustación que desees, pero un pago anticipado de aproximadamente $560 dólares por persona es necesario para confirmar la reserva.
El Cielo, Bogotá
La escena gastronómica de Colombia ha sido sujeta a una explosión masiva e impresionante en los últimos años. Un pionero icónico es El Cielo, una exitosa experiencia gastronómica que ahora disfruta de un reconocimiento internacional con ubicaciones en Washington D.C y Miami que presumen una estrella Michelin cada una. Con una experiencia de vanguardia y platos que rompen paradigmas, El Cielo trae nueva vida a la cocina tradicional colombiana. Se enorgullecen de sus ingredientes, que, al igual que quienes los preparan, son colombianos. Su menú, como una historia, se divide en momentos, teniendo un interesante comienzo, una emocionante trama y un maravilloso final que hace que los comensales sientan una variedad de emociones.
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Los menús varían dependiendo de la ubicación, pero normalmente consisten en aproximadamente 20 momentos que transportan al comensal en un viaje de los sentidos. La experiencia puede ser acompañada con una degustación de vinos, pero quienes prefieren bebidas sin alcohol también encontrarán opciones perfectas para ellos. Sean cual sean los gustos del comensal, El Cielo fascinara cada uno de sus sentidos a medida que descubre una nueva y moderna aproximación a una cocina de nicho.
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STAY por Yannick Alléno, Dubai
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Coronado con dos estrellas Michelin, Stay por Yannick Alléno es una experiencia de alta cocina que presenta la combinación perfecta entre lo jueguetón y el lujo. El restaurante tiene un menú de cocina francesa magníficamente curado. A diferencia de los restaurantes previamente mencionados, Stay no se limita a un menú fijo de degustación, sino que también permite a sus comensales escoger entre su menú a la carta o menús fijos de 4 o 6 tiempos. El éxito del Chef Yannick no es una sorpresa cuando se tiene en cuenta las numerosas estrellas Michelin que ha ganado en Francia, convirtiéndolo en uno de los chefs más talentosos y en un ícono cuando se trata de las nuevas tecnologías llegando a los clásicos.
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Hay algo verdaderamente emocionante de la presentación de un auto conceptual, ya sea en un lanzamiento exclusivo de marca o en exhibiciones de superdeportivos opulentos en todo el mundo. Ellos apuntas a una serie de ideales e innovaciones creadas casi totalmente por sí mismos. La mayoría de las veces, los creadores de los autos conceptuales de lujo saben bien que nunca se verá una producción en masa… y, no obstante, se construyen desde cero simplemente porque los límites necesitan sobrepasarse, las reglas necesitan ser rotas y la imaginación merece volar.
Los autos conceptuales presentan el fundamento en el que se construye el futuro de la industria. Desde un diseño de chassis impactante hasta un diseño interior alucinante, nuevas nociones de producción de motores y formas corporales escandalosamente atrevidas, ellos le dan a las marcas la oportunidad de realmente flexionar sus músculos creativos.
Aunque ocasionalmente estos autos encuentran compradores (y hay algunos ejemplos seriamente impresionantes mantenidos en las colecciones privadas de individuos de alto patrimonio a través del mundo), usualmente son mantenidos en exhibiciones, como puntos de inspiración y como una prueba de fuego para las nuevas ideas que, puede que sí o puede que no, ver frutos algún día en el futuro.
Todos los fabricantes de superdeportivos, y múltiples marcas detrás de automóviles más convencionales y cotidianos, dedican tiempo, energía y fondos significativos en la producción de autos conceptuales. Sin embargo, algunos ejemplos de creaciones de autos conceptuales merecen ser recordados, sus logros anunciados desde lo más alto. Miremos diez autor conceptuales de lujo que son demasiado hermosos, demasiado impresionantes y demasiado innovadores para perderse.
[Imagen del encabezado del Maybach 6 Cabriolet es cortesía de Mercedes-Benz]
El Cadillac Sixteen
Imagen por That Hartford Guy. CC BY-SA 2.0. , cortesía de Wikimedia Commons. No se realizaron cambios.
Lanzado a considerable fanfarria en el 2003, el Cadillac Sixteen fue un profundamente elegante aunque monstruosamente poderoso auto conceptual, perfecto para dar inicio a esta cuenta regresiva de estilo sin igual. Hoy, la histórica marca norteamericana es mejor conocida por sus modelos de camionetas todoterreno de lujo, pero el Sixteen fue un bello regreso al importante aspecto de la herencia Cadillac: la creación de berlinas decadentes y naturalmente llenas de estilo.
Si hay un (relativamente) contemporáneo auto conceptual que perfectamente une el pasado y el presente, el antiguo y el avant-garde , y el poder puro con el estilo elegante, opulento y atemporal, el Cadillac Sixteen sería un fuerte competidor por la corona. Futurista y, sin embargo, tomando inspiración del Cadillac V-16 -un verdadero ícono de los años 30- es un auto conceptual que lleva su herencia en la manga con una gracia impresionante y una serie de líneas y curvas que hacen que su presencia se sienta el día de hoy.
En cuanto a lo que hay debajo del capo, este auto conceptual daba un impacto asombroso con su enorme motor de 1.000 CV, 13,6 litros y 16 cilindros, ofreciendo un rugido y aceleración que fue, sin duda alguna, destinado para la gran carretera abierta norteamericana. El motor nunca llegó a ningún auto que eventualmente tomara la pista, pero varias de las ideas de diseño que aportaron al Sixteen definitivamente sí.
Jaguar C-X75
Imagen por SbastienRondet, CC BY 2.0 , cortesía de Wikimedia Commons
La revolución eléctrica del mundo de los superdeportivos ha sido un movimiento que defina la industria, y uno que no ha visto escasez de emocionantes autos conceptuales presentados en exhibiciones mundiales de marcas. Sin embargo, Jaguar fue una de las primeras marcas más reconocidas de superdeportivos en lanzarse al reino de la producción de hyper autos híbridos, presentando el C-X75 en el 2010. Una bestia de auto de rendimiento que cuenta con una increíble velocidad y poder junto a su notable economía de combustible.
El C-X75 no sólo se ve impresionante, sino que innovó con cuatro motores eléctricos para cada rueda, respaldados por dos turbinas diesel que impulsan la batería. ¿El resultado? Jaguar fue energético en hacerle saber al mundo que este concepto llegó a 778CV, un nuevo record para la floreciente escena híbrida del momento.
Había planes para crear una una seria limitada de modelos legales para la vía (aunque fueron diseñados con un motor híbrido menos ambicioso), pero solo cinco autos fueron hechos para cumplir con tales especificaciones. Como muchos autos conceptuales, este no fue un retroceso para Jaguar, el vuelo de fantasía que formó el núcleo del C-X75 abrió un camino que sería seguido tanto por el I-Pace como por el F-Type, demostrando lo que era posible con tecnología híbrida tecnología híbrida para un futuro más económico de la industria.
Ferrari Mythos
Ninguna lista de autos conceptuales fantásticos estaría completa sin mencionar al Ferrari Mythos, que frecuentemente es considerado uno de los mejores vehículos de su tipo y uno que tiene su lugar en la lista de deseos de muchos individuos con alto patrimonio neto.
Dado a conocer en selectas ferias de exhibición desde 1989, el Mythos fue específicamente diseñado por la casa de diseño Pininfarina para ir contra la corriente de la época y evocar el glamour de los grandes éxitos de Ferrari en los años 60s… mientras también mira sólidamente al futuro de la fabricación de superdeportivos.
Nadie puede mirar al Mythos, con su carrocería imposiblemente baja y sus líneas elegantes, sin inmediatamente reconocer las referencias al Testarossa. Justo detrás del piloto se situaba el corazón de esta bestia… un motor de 12 cilindros plano, con una capacidad de 4.9 litros que generaba 390 caballos de fuerza, el Mythos era tan liviano como maniobrable como un Ferrari puede serlo. Asombrosamente rápido, de alguna manera clásico y con visión hacia el futuro en su apariencia y innegablemente sexy, el solo prototipo fue adquirido por un coleccionista billonario japonés. Fascinantemente, el Sultan de Brunei (probablemente el dueño de la colección de autos más envidiable) estaba tan impresionado por el Mythos que comisionó dos autos más para adicionar a su repertorio.
Mercedes-Benz Biome
Imagen cortesía de Mercedes-Benz
A veces, las ideas y creaciones de autos conceptuales son diseñadas por ninguna razón además de apuntarle a las estrellas en lo que respecta exhibir la imaginación, innovación e ideas que parecen nada menos que una locura. No obstante, como la historia ha demostrado, ocasionalmente esas ideas que parecen meramente ridículas al inicio, terminan cambiando las reglas del juego más adelante. Entra aquí el Mercedes-Benz Biome, presentado en el Los Angeles Auto Show de 2010 y quizás uno de los conceptos más descabellados que el mundo automovilístico ha presenciado.
Primero, el Biome se ve increíble. Futurista a carta cabal, parece que salió directamente de un juego de video o, por lo menos, de un siglo hacia el futuro. Porta atrevidos diseños nuevos que cubren todo desde la carrocería baja hasta el interior e, incluso, la forma de las ruedas.
Segundo, el concepto en sí: la carrocería del Biome sería cultivada a partir de unas semillas que producirían biofibras ultraligeras, que podrían cosecharse y tejerse para formar el vehículo. Las ruedas también serían hechas de otro cuarteto de semillas. El auto fue diseñado para ser impulsado por BioNectar4543, una fuente de combustible sostenible almacenada en la BioFibra misma, acabando con cualquier necesidad de un tanque de combustible. Si eso no es suficientemente futurista, Mercedes-Benz creo la visión de usar árboles con un receptor especial que puedan recolectar energía solar para transformar en BioNectar 4543, creando así un ecosistema entero diseñado para los autos del futuro. El hecho de que algún día nos acerquemos a que esta idea se convierta en realidad quedará por verse, pero la profundidad de consideración y visión que se invirtió en este diseño es innegablemente impresionante.
Rolls Royce Vision Next 100
Imagen cortesía de Rolls Royce
Similar al Mercedes-Benz Biome, el Rolls Royce Vision Next 100 mira hacia el futuro del diseño automovilístico. Al hacerlo, destapa un concepto de lujo que armoniza con los cambios dramáticos de consumo de combustible y sostenibilidad, todo lo que la industria de superdeportivos necesita afrontar desesperadamente.
Exhibido en el 2016 por el grupo BMW, el Rolls Royce Vision Next 100 demuestra cómo los valores de la marca Rolls Royce -lujo inigualable, viajes sin esfuerzo y la creación de un santuario de calma en la vía- pueden existir junto con la conducción autónoma de cero emisiones. Es un modelo verdaderamente impresionante que logra verse increiblemente futurista mientras continua siendo innegablemente un Rolls Royce y vino con una serie de características personalizables que apuntas a la industria automovilística de lujo del mañana y las crecientes demandas de su público de altos patrimonios.
El Rolls Royce Vision Next 100 demuestra cómo la marca permite que sus futuros dueños sean los arquitectos mismos de su experiencia de conducción, cubriendo aspectos personalizables de la figura, espacio y material. El Spirit of Ecstasy -la icónica figura decorativa de la marca- fue nuevamente imaginada como un conserje de inteligencia artificial llamado Eleanor, que responde a comandos de voz y maneja prácticamente todos los aspectos del vehículo y su funcionamiento. Otras características fascinantes incluyeron una cubierta del techo que se abre y cierra en su totalidad y una deslumbrante pantalla OLED del tamaño de la cabina.
DS XE-Tense
Imagen por Roman S., cortesía de Stellantis y DS Automobiles
DS era previamente una parte de la marca Citroen y no una inmediatamente asociada con el mundo de los vehículos de alto rendimiento o los superdeportivos. Sin embargo, desde su separación, Automóviles DS ha estado trabajando sin descanso para establecerse como uno de los principales fabricantes de vehículos eléctricos e híbridos en Europa, con mayores planes para entrar al mundo de los autos de lujo en los próximos años.
La presentación del X E-Tense demuestra la ambición de la marca con un estilo realmente impresionante y que rompe paradigmas, y alude a cómo DS está dispuesta a reimaginar el diseño de automóviles para hacer que su presencia en la escena se sienta.
¿Lo primero que se nota del X E-Tense? Se ve curioso, pues presenta un diseño asimétrico que parece ser dos vehículos diferentes unidos casi por la mitad. Hacer que los espectadores se pregunten por qué la simetría siempre ha sido central a la apariencia y el diseño de los autos es un truco inteligente, como también lo es el hecho de que el lado del conductor tiene un emocionante diseño de tapa abierta mientras el pasajero está abrazado en un capullo futurista. En cuanto a autos conceptuales, este es uno que definitivamente gana puntos por innovación e imaginación, y no podemos esperar a ver lo que esta marca tiene reservado para los años a venir.
Lamborghini Terzo Millennio
Imagen por ramp Magazin / Matthias Mederer, cortesía de Lamborghini
No se puede escapar la increíble asencencia de la industría de automóviles eléctricos y ha sido absolutamente fascinante ver el impacto que ésta tiene en la escena de los hypercars. El hecho de que ahora hay una amplia gama de autos deportivos eléctricos de alto rendimiento no es nada menos que una maravilla, y el Lamborghini Terzo Millennio fue seguramente uno de los factores impulsores detrás de los grandes saltos que la escena ha tomado en recientes años.
Aunque podemos estar a algunos años de obtener un auténtico Lambo completamente eléctrico, este hermoso auto conceptual demuestra que los planes para hacerlo existen, que las ruedas giran y que solo es cuestión de tiempo antes de que uno sea finalmente presentado.
Construido en colaboración con MIT, el Terzo Millennio causó ondas significativas cuando tuvo su debut en el 2017. No es difícil ver por qué: es una visión futurista de un auto hasta la médula, completa con unas atractivas ruedas brillantes y una carrocería con una figura salida directamente de un paisaje de ensueño de absoluta ciencia ficción. Impulsada por un impresionante sistema de motor de cuatro tiempos que hace uso de la alta capacidad de sus supercondensadores para almacenar energía, ha sentado las bases para una nueva generación de vehículos eléctricos que, sin duda alguna, veremos en las vías en los años y décadas a venir.
Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet
Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet
Como ya hemos visto en esta lista, Mercedes-Benz no pierde el tiempo cuando se trata de autos conceptuales magníficamente sensacionales. El Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet es, posiblemente, el auto conceptual más hermoso que los diseñadores alemanes alguna han lanzado hasta ahora. Es espectacularmente deslumbrante, gozando de un capo alongado, una carrocería increíblemente curvilínea y una nítida línea característica imperdible que fluye a lo largo de la longitud del auto.
El interior también es igual de especial. Hay un matrimonio perfecto entre el lujo y suntuosa comodidad y una modernidad intensa, tipificada exitosamente con la cabina virtual de alta tecnología. Con un tren motriz eléctrico que consta de cuatro motores eléctricos, el Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet alcanza máximos de 738 CV, ofreciendo un rendimiento exquisito junto con ese aspecto listo para la pasarela.
Tesla Cybertruck
Imagen cortesía de Tesla.
Tesla es, por lo menos en el 2023, una marca automovilística tan divisiva como su CEO famoso en los titulares. Que seas fanático de Musk o no aguantes al hombre es irrelevante, pero no hay cómo alejarse del impacto que Tesla ha tenido en el mundo automovilístico en la última década, ni se puede negar la audacia y el atrevimiento de sus autos conceptuales.
El Tesla Cybertruck es un ejemplo de ello. Es difícil de pensar en otro auto conceptual cuyo lanzamiento se convirtiera en noticias globales. Realmente dio de qué hablar a través del mundo y no sólo por su diseño, pues el concepto en sí mismo, con genuino abrazo del futurismo junto con su practicidad, fue diseñado para ser tema de conversación.
Con todo aquello de lado, el Cybertruck fue, y continua siendo, una fascinante creación. Un auto del futuro con un salvaje diseño con aire de cyborg y el conjunto completo de ángulos agudos, repleto de tecnología de conducción de próxima generación, funciones de inteligencia artificial y transmisión totalmente eléctrica es una propuesta fascinante. Solo es cuestión de tiempo antes de que éste, o algo notablemente similar a ello, entre en producción.
Aston Martin Lagonda Vision
Foto por Bascar, via Shutterstock
Aston Martin no lanza muchos autos conceptuales… pero cuando lo hacen, el mundo se detiene y escucha. La marca AM es una poderosa, construida sobre generaciones de diseño e innovación superlativos. Como tal, los equipos creativos detrás de estos icónicos automóviles de Aston Martin tienen poco que demostrar y la mayoría de sus ideas y conceptos refinados se abren paso en cualquier lanzamiento tan esperado que la marca haya preparado para el futuro.
El Lagonda Vision fue un ejemplo realmente alucinante de lo que la inigualable y estimada marca inglesa hace mejor: un ejercicio de lujo, combinado con una excelencia performativa y velocidad vertiginosa. Como concepto, se propuso cambiar la forma en que concebimos la conducción de lujo, abriendo un interior estilo “sala de estar” diseñado en su totalidad de materiales de alta gama y asientos delanteros que pueden dar la vuelta para mirar a los pasajeros.
¿La noción? Maximizar el vehículo más grande como un espacio en donde se puede disfrutar pasar el tiempo y no solamente en la carretera. Este fue elevado aún más con bisagras traseras, luces escondidas y un ingenioso estante deslizante detrás del asiento trasero. La llave de contacto que levita levantó algunas cejas, pero es difícil negar el factor de genialidad que ésta aporta. Es un concepto cautivador en lo que respecta al futuro de las camionetas todoterreno, y una presentada con el savoir-faire tan natural para Aston Martin.
There’s something truly exciting about the unveiling of a concept car, whether at exclusive brand launches or at opulent supercar showcases across the globe. They point to a set of ideals and innovations created almost entirely for their own sake; more often than not, the manufacturers behind luxury concept cars know fully well that they’ll never see mainstream production… and yet they’re built from scratch simply because limits need to be stretched, rules need to be broken, and the imagination deserves to fly.
Concept cars lay the groundwork on which the future of the industry is built. From envelope-pushing chassis design to awe-inspiring interiors, new notions of engine production and outrageously bold body shapes, they give brands an opportunity to truly flex their creative muscles.
While occasionally these cars do find buyers (and there are some seriously impressive examples kept in the private collections of UHNW individuals across the globe), they’re usually kept for exhibitions, points of inspiration, and a litmus test for new ideas which may or may not see fruition one day in the future.
Every major supercar manufacturer – and several brands behind more regular everyday automobiles – spends a significant amount of time, energy and funding on concept car production. However, some examples of concept car creation deserve to be remembered, their achievements shouted from the rooftops. Let’s take a look at ten luxury concept cars that are just too beautiful, too impressive, and too groundbreaking to miss.
[header image featuring the Maybach 6 Cabriolet is courtesy of Mercedes-Benz]
The Cadillac Sixteen
Image by That Hartford Guy. CC BY-SA 2.0. , courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. No changes were made.
Launched to considerable fanfare back in 2003, the Cadillac Sixteen was a deeply elegant yet monstrously powerful concept car, perfect for kicking off this countdown in peerless style. Today, the historic American car brand is best known for its luxury SUV models, but the Sixteen was a gorgeous callback to a significant aspect of Cadillac heritage: the creation of decadent and effortlessly stylish saloon cars.
If there’s a (relatively) contemporary concept car that perfectly marries the past and present, the vintage and the avant-garde and raw power with sleek, opulent and timeless style, the Cadillac Sixteen would be a strong contender for the crown. Futuristic and yet drawing serious inspiration from the Cadillac V-16 – a veritable icon of the 1930s – it’s a concept car which wears its heritage on its sleeve, and does so with impressive grace and a set of lines and curves that still make their presence felt today.
As for what’s under the bonnet, this concept vehicle packed a jaw-dropping punch with its enormous 1,000hp 13.6-litre 16-cylinder engine, offering a roar and acceleration that was surely destined for the great American open road. The engine never made it into any cars that eventually took to the tarmac, but several of the design ideas that went into the Sixteen most certainly did.
Jaguar CX75
Image by SbastienRondet, CC BY 2.0 , courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
The electric revolution in the supercar world has been an industry-defining movement, and one which has seen no shortage of thrilling concept cars unveiled at brand showcases worldwide. However, Jaguar was amongst the first major supercar brands to dive headfirst into the realm of hybrid hypercar production, delivering the C-X75 in 2010; a beast of a performance vehicle presenting incredible speed and power alongside remarkable fuel economy.
Not only did the C-X75 look the business, it innovated with four electric motors for each wheel, backed by twin diesel-powered turbines boosting the battery. The result? Jaguar were keen to let the world know that this concept hit 778hp – a new high for the burgeoning hybrid scene at the time.
There were plans to create a limited run of road-legal models (although, they were designed with a rather less-ambitious hybrid engine), yet only five cars ever got made to these specifications. As with many concept cars, this wasn’t a fallback for Jaguar: the flight of fancy that formed the core of the C-X75 blazed a trail that would be followed by both the I-Pace and F-Type, proving what was possible with hybrid tech for a more economical industry future.
Ferrari Mythos
No list of fantastical concept cars would be complete without some mention of the Ferrari Mythos, which frequently gets picked as one of the greatest vehicles of its type, and one which sits on the wishlist of all too many UHNW car collectors.
Unveiled at selected trade shows all the way back in 1989, the Mythos was specifically designed by styling house Pininfarina to go against the grain of the time, and evoke the glamour of Ferrari’s 1960s big-hitters… while also looking solidly to the imagined future of supercar manufacturing.
Nobody can look at The Mythos – with its impossibly low-slung body and sleek lines – without immediately seeing the references to the Testarossa. Packing a 390hp 4.9 litre flat-12, which was tucked neatly behind the driver’s seat, The Mythos was as lightweight and manoeuvrable as a Ferrari can possibly be. Blisteringly fast, somehow both classic and forward-thinking in its appearance and undeniably sexy, the sole prototype was snapped up by a Japanese billionaire collector. Fascinatingly, the Sultan of Brunei (arguably the owner of the world’s most enviable car collection) was so impressed by The Mythos, he commissioned two further cars to add to his own garage.
Mercedes-Benz Biome
Image courtesy of Mercedes-Benz
Sometimes, concept car ideas and creations are designed for no other reason than to shoot for the moon when it comes to showcasing imagination, innovation, and ideas which seem nothing short of insane. However, as history has shown us, occasionally those ideas which seem utterly ridiculous at first end up being genuinely game-changing further down the line. Enter the Mercedes-Benz Biome, unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show 2010, and perhaps one of the most far-out concepts the car world has ever witnessed.
Firstly, the Biome looks incredible. Futuristic through and through, it seems to have dropped right out of a video game set at least a century from now, boasting bold new designs which cover everything from the low-slung body to the interior and even the shape of the wheels.
Secondly, the concept itself: the Biome’s bodywork would be grown from a pair of seeds that would go on to produce ultralight biofibres, which could be harvested and woven together to form the vehicle. The wheels, too, would be grown for another quartet of seeds. The car was designed to be powered by BioNectar4543 – a sustainable fuel source stored in the BioFiber itself, doing away with the need for any kind of fuel tank. If that’s not forward thinking enough, Mercedes-Benz envisioned using trees featuring special receptors that could harvest solar energy for transforming into BioNectar4543, creating an entire ecosystem designed for the cars of the future. Whether we’ll ever get close to this idea becoming a reality remains to be seen, but the depth of thought and vision that went into this design is undeniably impressive nonetheless.
Rolls Royce Vision Next 100
Image courtesy of Rolls Royce
Similarly to the Mercedes-Benz Biome, the Rolls Royce Vision Next 100 looks to the far future of automobile design. In doing so, it unveils a concept of luxury that harmonises with the dramatic shifts in fuel consumption and sustainability, all of which the supercar industry so desperately needs to face.
Showcased in 2016 by the BMW group, the Rolls Royce Vision Next 100 demonstrates how the brand values of Rolls Royce – peerless luxury, effortless travel, and the creation of a sanctuary of calm on the road – can exist alongside autonomous zero-emission driving. It’s a truly impressive model which manages to look remarkably futuristic while remaining undeniably a Rolls Royce, and came with an array of customisable features that point to tomorrow’s luxury car industry and the growing demands of its HNW audience.
The Rolls Royce Vision Next 100 demonstrated how the brand will allow its future owners to be the architects of their driving experience, covering customisable aspects of form, space and material. The Spirit of Ecstasy – the brand’s iconic figurehead – was reimagined as an AI concierge named Eleanor, which responds to voice commands and handles pretty much every aspect of the vehicle and its performance. Other fascinating features included a roof canopy that opens and closes in its entirety, and a full cabin-width dazzling OLED display.
DS XE-Tense
Image by Roman S., courtesy of Stellantis and DS Automobiles.
DS was previously a part of the Citroen brand, and one not immediately associated whatsoever with the world of high-performance vehicles or supercars. However, since breaking away, DS Automobiles has been working tirelessly to establish itself as one of the leading EV and hybrid manufacturers in Europe, with major plans to enter the world of luxury cars in the next few years.
The unveiling of the X E-Tense demonstrates the brand’s ambition in truly impressive and groundbreaking style, and hints at how DS is willing to reimagine car design through and through to make their presence on the scene felt.
The first thing you notice about the X E-Tense? It looks bizarre, as it features an asymmetrical design which appears to be two different vehicles blended together just off-centre. Making viewers question why symmetry has always been central to the appearance and design of cars is a clever trick, as is the fact the driver’s side has a thrilling open-top design and the passenger is coddled in a futuristic cocoon. As concept cars go, this one definitely wins points for innovation and imagination, and we can’t wait to see what this brand has in store for the coming years.
Lamborghini Terzo Millennio
Image by ramp Magazin / Matthias Mederer, courtesy of Lamborghini
There’s no escaping the incredible ascendency of the EV industry, and it’s been utterly fascinating to see its impact on the hypercar scene. The fact that there is now a broad array of performative electric sports cars is nothing short of a marvel, and the Lamborghini Terzo Millennio was surely one of the driving factors behind the vast leaps the scene has taken in recent years.
While we may be a few years away from getting a bonafide fully electric Lambo, this beautiful concept car demonstrates that plans are in place, the wheels are turning, and it’s only a matter of time before one is unveiled.
Built in collaboration with MIT, the Terzo Millennio made significant waves when it debuted back in 2017. It isn’t hard to see why: it’s a through-and-through futurist vision of a car, complete with eye-catching glowing wheels and a body shape straight out of a sci-fi dreamscape. Powered by an impressive quad-motor system that makes use of high-capacity supercapacitors for storing energy, it has laid the foundation for a wholly new generation of electric vehicles that we’ll surely see on the roads in the years and decades to come.
Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet
Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet. Image courtesy of Mercedes-Benz.
As we’ve seen on this list already, Mercedes-Benz doesn’t mess around when it comes to jaw-droppingly impressive concept cars. The Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet is arguably the most beautiful concept the German auto designers have ever launched; it’s spectacularly gorgeous, boasting a hugely elongated hood, a stunningly curvaceous body and an unmissable sharp feature line that flows along the vehicle’s entire length.
The interior, too, is every bit as special – there’s a perfect marriage of plush and luxurious comfort alongside blistering modernity, typified most successfully with the high-tech virtual cockpit. With an electric drivetrain consisting of four electric motors, the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet hits highs of 738hp, offering exquisite performance alongside those catwalk-ready looks.
Tesla Cybertruck
Image courtesy of Tesla.
Tesla is – at least in 2023 – about as divisive a car brand as its headline-stealing CEO. Whether you’re a Musk fan or you can’t stand the man is irrelevant, however – there’s no getting away from the impact that Tesla has had on the automotive world across the past decade, nor is there any denying the boldness and audacity of its concept vehicles.
The Tesla Cybertruck is a case in point. It’s hard to think of another concept car whose launch became worldwide news; it was a genuine water cooler moment right across the planet, and not least because the design, the concept itself and the wholehearted embracing of futurism alongside practicality was manufactured to get people talking.
All of that aside, the Cybertruck was and remains a fascinating creation. A futuremobile with a truly wild, cyborg-esque design and the full set of sharp angles, packed with next-gen driving tech, AI features and all-electric drivetrain is a fascinating proposition. It’s only a matter of time before it – or something remarkably close to it – comes into full production.
Aston Martin Lagonda Vision
Photo by Bascar, via Shutterstock.
Aston Martin doesn’t release a whole lot of concept cars… but when they do, the world stops and listens. The AM brand is a powerful one, built upon generations of superlative design and innovation. As such, the creative teams behind the iconic automobiles of Aston Martin have little to prove, and most of their most finessed ideas and concepts find their way into whatever much-feted release the brand have lined up for the future.
The Lagonda Vision was a truly fascinating example of what the esteemed and peerless British brand does best: an exercise in luxury, paired with performative excellence and earth-shattering speed. As a concept, it was pitched at changing the way we think of luxury driving, opening up a ‘living room’ styled interior fashioned entirely from high-end materials, and front seats that could rotate to face rear passengers.
The notion? To maximise the larger vehicle as a space in which to enjoy spending time not just on the road. This was elevated further with rear-hinged doors, hidden lights, and a nifty sliding shelf behind the back seat. The levitating ignition key raised a few eyebrows, but it’s hard to deny the cool factor that it provided. It’s a captivating concept as far as the future of luxury SUVs goes, and one delivered with effortless Aston Martin savoir-faire.
Cuando se trata de lo mejor en los viajes de lujo, nada se compara a la privacidad, la opulencia y la pura esencia del escapismo de un retiro en una isla remota.
Con las vidas frecuentemente dominadas por el interés de los medios, el ajetreo de los poderosos y acelerados negocios y la intensidad de la vida en las grandes ciudades, no es una sorpresa que los individuos con patrimonios ultra altos en el mundo deseen escaparse de todo. Una escapada en una isla, situada en una lejana esquina de un mar azul profundo, presenta un descanso irresistible de la normalidad y una oportunidad de disfrutar del luxo entre unos alrededores de naturaleza fenomenal.
Claro, los retiros isleños más exclusivos y costosos del mundo no brindan exactamente una experiencia de náufrago al estilo de Robinson Crusoe, aunque no hay duda de que tales cosas podrían arreglarse si la clientela realmente lo desea. Muchos retiros isleños, incluyendo aquellos en esta lista, presentan un balance óptimo de la vida tropical remota, la soledad y paz, y todos los elementos y extravagancias que tales estilos de vida ofrecen. Restaurantes con estrellas Michelin, acceso a aviones privados y marinas de megayates, spas idílicos y mucho, mucho más hacen parte del encanto de estos destinos, por lo cual aquellos suficientemente suertudos y suficientemente adinerados para pasar su tiempo en estas islas, pueden disfrutar al máximo de un descanso bien merecido.
Miremos con más detenimiento estas diez islas exclusivas que se han ganado el estatus de leyenda gracias a su clientela de celebridades de primera categoría, la capacidad de proporcionar discreción y privacidad absoluta, y retiros sin igual en el mundo.
Isla Laucala, Fiji
Foto cortesía de Fiji Vacations
Foto cortesía de Fiji Vacations
No es una sorpresa que nuestra lista comience con una isla en Fiji, una esquina del mundo que desde hace mucho es sinónimo de lujosos retiros tropicales. Sin duda, esta nación cuenta con más de 300 islas hermosas, muchas de las cuales podrían fácilmente hacerse espacio en esta lista como resultado de su impresionante belleza natural, conocida hospitalidad, clima paradisiaco y playas blancas.
Sin embargo, Laucala se sienta en una liga propia. Atrayendo a individuos de patrimonio ultra alto a través del mundo, este retiro isleño ofrece la oportunidad de sumergirse en una selva virgen prístina, relajarse en extensiones de arena aparentemente interminables y disfrutar de las suaves aguas azules mientras éstas rozan en la orilla, repletas de una asombrosa vida marina. Unos campos de golf de categoría mundial son una clara atracción para aquellos que buscan trabajar en su swing, y las hermosas residencias en la cima de la colina, con un precio de alrededor de $170,000 dólares por noche para un descanso de lujo con todo incluido, combinan el lujo con la belleza incomparable de la isla.
La Isla Laucala, como destino discreto y lujoso para los super-elites del mundo, es la creación de Dietrich Mateschitz, el dueño de la marca Red Bull. Su visión era crear una ubicación opulenta para que sus amigos de ultra altos patrimonios disfrutaran. Es una visión que ha sido completada con un garbo notable. Accesible exclusivamente por yate privado o en hidroavión, Laucala establece el estándar para retiros isleños elegantes y perfectamente ubicados en todo el mundo.
SonevaJani, Las Maldivas
Parecido a Fiji, las Maldivas ha construido su reputación internacional en sus credenciales como un destino tropical de lujo, ofreciendo días soleados al rededor del año, dulces aguas cristalinas y el tipo de simplicidad elegante que atrae profundamente a aquellos que buscan escapismo.
Salir a las playas de SonevaJani, el resort más exclusivo de las Maldivas, es deleitarse con las vistas panorámicas del hermoso Océano Índico y comprender visceralmente la atracción irresistible de esta isla paradisíaca. Con solo 24 villas de lujo disponibles en el resort, la exclusividad realmente es el corazón de su modus operandi, algo adicionalmente demostrado por el acceso a una laguna privada de 3.5 millas, donde los visitantes pueden conocer de cerca una variedad de fauna marina o simplemente dejar que las olas se lleven sus preocupaciones.
La proximidad a la belleza natural proporciona gran parte del negocio de SonevaJani. El resort, aunque innegablemente lujoso, celebra la simplicidad del contacto con la playa, el océano y los cielos despejados. De hecho, las villas (con un precio de alrededor de $20,000 dólares por noche) están suspendidas sobre pilotes sobre las suaves olas. Estas maravillosas villas cuentan con dormitorios principales con techos retráctiles, lo que permite a los huéspedes dormir bajo las estrellas. Con restaurantes increíbles, una gran cantidad de actividades de deportes acuáticos y safaris naturales que se ofrecen durante el día, no es difícil ver por qué SonevaJani es una opción popular entre las personas de grandes patrimonios que buscan alejarse de todo.
The Brando, Polinesia Francesa.
Ubicada en la impresionantemente hermosa isla exclusiva de Tetiaroa, The Brando está a la altura de los resorts isleños de lujo más despampanantes de cualquier parte de la Tierra. Como su nombre sugiere, este resort es donde el legendario actor, Marlon Brando, finalmente desaceleró su ritmo de vida, se asentó y, según se dice, pasó muchos años dichosos disfrutando del entorno impecable… y, como tal, se ha convertido en un innegable favorito entre las celebridades que buscan emular a un héroe de la edad dorada del cine.
Situada en un atolón compuesto de 12 islas pequeñas que rodean una centelleante laguna, a The Brando sólo se puede acceder en un vuelo de hidroavión de 20 minutos desde Tahití. Una vez aterrizan, los visitantes descubrirán 35 hermosas villas, playas idílicas de arena blanca, un par de restaurantes premiados que exhiben lo mejor de la cocina polonesa y francesa, y un spa que se murmura se encuentra entre los más finos del mundo. Es un genuino paraíso natural y el tipo de lugar donde magnates pueden verdaderamente darle la espalda al resto del mundo, disfrutando al máximo cuando se trata de belleza, relajación, privacidad y hospitalidad.
Isla de Calivigny, Granada
Si bien hay mucho que decir sobre la relativa sencillez despojada y la vida impulsada por la naturaleza de muchos lujosos retiros isleños, también hay muchas escapadas opulentas que simplemente no se suscriben a la ideología de “menos es más,” sino que optan por un estilo más de la vieja escuela del glamour. La isla de Calivigny, situada en el punto de encuentro del imponente Océano Atlántico y los suaves trópicos del Mar Caribe, sin duda se ubicaría en el último campo. Se ha convertido en un firme favorito para las personas de grandes patrimonio que buscan divertirse lejos de miradas indiscretas.
La isla se ha ganado una poderosa reputación entre la élite mundial por su enfoque opulento de la fiesta, la vida de lujo y alejarse del ajetreo y bullicio de la vida cotidiana con grupos de amigos y familia. Esto se debe, principalmente, al hecho de que la isla cuenta con un poco más en lo respectivo a alojamiento de lujo que dos hermosas e históricas mansiones coloniales francesas, las cuales permiten que sus huéspedes vivan sus fantasías imperiales en un entorno verdaderamente espectacular.
Con un dedicado personal de muy elogiados chefs, terapeutas de relajación, guías locales, expertos en la vida silvestre y tripulaciones de yates disponibles para cumplir cada y cualquier deseo, la isla de Calivigny brinda a sus huéspedes ultraricos la posibilidad de hacer suya la isla durante su estadía. Es especialmente popular con aquellos que visitan en megayates o comandando su propio barco, ya que la marina es famosa por su calidad y belleza. La maravillosa ubicación de la isla revela muchas de las “joyas ocultas” más codiciadas del Caribe.
Time + Tide Miavana, Madagascar
Para aquellos que buscan encuentros inolvidables con la naturaleza mientras también disfrutan del más fino alojamiento de lujo, Time + Tide Miavana es difícil de superar. Ubicado en una hermosa isla cerca a la costa de Madagascar, es difícil imaginar un destino más remoto para disfrutar de la muy necesaria privacidad y relajación. De hecho, este resort isleño es famoso por albergar a visitantes ultraricos que buscan aprovechar al máximo un valioso tiempo de inactividad con estilo.
Rodeado por espectaculares playas de arena blanca y un vasto arrecife de coral, el resort en la isla de Miavana es popular entre quienes buscan marcar varias interacciones naturales únicas en sus listas de deseos. Un breve viaje en barco permite a los intrépidos visitantes explorar la selva tropical de Madagascar, famosa por sus lémures, camaleones y una increíble biodiversidad, antes de regresar a la isla para disfrutar de la suntuosa cocina local que demuestra el talento de los chefs y los ingredientes naturales verdaderamente impresionantes con los que éstos trabajan.
Catorce lujosas villas con piscina a medida están repartidas a lo largo de la playa, permitiendo a los huéspedes salir directamente a la playa desde la comodidad de sus terrazas privadas, donde las puestas del sol panorámicas del Océano Índico llenan el cielo cada noche. ¡Pura dicha!
Como Parrot Cay, Turcas y Caicos
Si ha estado al tanto de las tendencias de vacaciones de lujo en los últimos años, es probable que se haya topado con el hermoso retiro isleño de Como Parrot Cay, una isla privada opulenta por excelencia. Como Parrot Cay se ha posicionado como el destino por excelencia para celebridades, personalidades destacadas y personas ultraricas que buscan un escape holístico, caracterizado por retiros terapéuticos y yoga. La isla también es favorecida por los gastronautas que buscan una buena cocina con un ángulo especialmente orientado hacia la salud, así como por quienes buscan sumergirse en un entorno natural increíble o disfrutar. de las extraordinarias oportunidades de buceo ofrecidas.
Hermoso, elegante y con atractivo atemporal, el resort goza de arquitectura al estilo español y de 1.5 millas de una perfecta playa de arena blanca, ideal para la más extrema relajación y privacidad. Con las cálidas aguas del Caribe rozando la costa, cielos oscuros perfectos para noches de ensueño bajo las estrellas y un dedicado equipo de hospitalidad acostumbrado a servir a las élites del mundo, no es de extrañar que Como Parrot Cay se haya asociado con una iteración de la vida de lujo del siglo XXI.
Isla Necker, Islas Británicas
Quizás la más famosa de todas las lujosas y exclusivas islas caribeñas, la Isla Necker es el hogar privado de Sir Richard Brandon, el billonario emprendedor británico y dueño del siempre creciente imperio Virgin. Eminentemente exclusiva, la isla usualmente está abierta sólo para huéspedes invitados, a quienes el mismísimo Branson entretiene y guía a través de su colección de hermosas villas y prístinas playas caribeñas.
En el corazón de la Isla Necker se encuentra The Great House, una grandiosa mansión de nueve habitaciones construida para satisfacer las necesidades y deseos de sus huéspedes de altos patrimonios. Sobre la isla de 74 hectáreas, se encuentran seis otras villas inspiradas en Bali. El personal de 100 personas del retiro isleño está siempre disponible para brindar bebidas, tratamientos de spa y toda la gama de servicios de lujo. Cuando la isla está abierta a huéspedes no invitados, las tarifas por noche rondan los $50,000 dólares. Visitar la Isla Necker es una rara oportunidad para codearse con estrellas de Hollywood y magnates de los negocios por igual, festejando en la playa con su famoso ambiente relajado y disfrutando del increíble entorno en medio de una impresionante belleza natural.
Amanpulo, Filipinas
Amanpulo es uno de los resorts isleños emblemáticos administrados por el Grupo Aman, conocido como la marca de hospitalidad más lujosa del mundo. Como tal, este complejo se toma en serio su nivel de exclusividad y escapismo al ser la única propiedad en la isla que, a su vez, hace un notable uso del espacio único, el entorno y la oportunidad de ir más allá en lo que respecta a la decadencia, la opulencia y la exquisita hospitalidad tropical.
Una colección de 40 amplias y hermosamente diseñadas villas y casitas, dan paso a 3.5 millas de arenas coralinas, que a su vez rodean una densa jungla en el centro. Amanpulo es un lugar que permite verdaderamente perderse en uno mismo. Las playas privadas permiten practicar esnórquel y buceo de clase mundial, hay recorridos guiados por la isla para descubrir criaderos de tortugas, un renombrado spa Aman y muchas oportunidades para explorar el fenomenal arrecife y su increíble biodiversidad marina.
Todo esto, junto con la reputación incomparable de vida de lujo que se encuentra en el corazón de la marca Aman, hace de Amanpulo una de las escapadas isleñas exclusivas más deseables en el mundo.
Isla Hayman, Gran Barrera de Coral
La Gran Barrera de Coral de Australia es un destino de la lista de deseos para viajeros entusiastas de todo el mundo, y el estado en peligro de extinción de esta preciosa región de asombrosa belleza natural ha elevado el deseo de muchos de pasar tiempo en medio de sus maravillas. La Isla Hayman es uno de los relativamente pocos resorts ultra lujosos australianos y no es difícil entender su atractivo para quienes buscan un escapismo absoluto en el increíble rincón de las Antípodas.
Siendo la isla más cercana al arrecife en sí, la Isla Hayman ofrece a sus visitantes experiencias naturales realmente exclusivas. Sin duda, sus huéspedes podrán disfrutan de deportes acuáticos de clase mundial, la oportunidad de bucear con tiburones ballena y otras alucinantes criaturas, como también gozar del lujo de las playas vírgenes bañadas por el sol. Un espectacular ejemplo de arquitectura contemporánea y con visión hacia el futuro, el diseño del resort incorpora florituras modernas con toques tradicionales e indígenas en sus 160 suites y villas. Con siete restaurantes que exhiben lo mejor de la siempre impresionante escena gastronómica y de vinos australiana, es el resort más grande de esta lista, pero de ninguna manera un caso atípico cuando se trata de escapismo elegante, ubicación de ensueño y hospitalidad de calidad.
Isla Norte, Seychelles
Quizás mejor conocida hoy en día como la ubicación de la luna de miel del Príncipe y Princesa de Wales, la Isla Norte es uno de los más exclusivos resorts privados del planeta. Favorecido por la realeza, celebridades y magnates que buscan sacar el mayor provecho de este espectacular rincón del mundo, el resort elevó el listón de lujo y se convirtió en un punto de referencia para el diseño de hospitalidad opulenta de forma global.
Parte del encanto de la Isla Norte es su ubicación al borde de la reserva ecológica Île Du Nord, donde coexiste armoniosamente junto a un hábitat natural verdaderamente increíble. Las playas de arena blanca y las aguas turquesas son de rigor en las Seychelles, pero en la Isla Norte se incorporan perfectamente a la vida interior y exterior que forma el corazón palpitante del propio complejo.
When it comes to the utmost in luxury travel, nothing compares to the privacy, opulence and sheer essence of escapism of a remote island getaway.
With lives often dominated by media interest, the hustle and bustle of high-powered and fast-moving business and the intensity of big city living, it’s no wonder the UHNW individuals of the world crave getting away from it all. An island getaway, situated in some far-flung corner of an azure ocean, provides an irresistible break from normality and a chance to luxuriate in truly phenomenal natural surroundings.
Of course, the world’s most exclusive and expensive island retreats don’t exactly provide a bonafide Robinson Crusoe-esque castaway experience, although there’s little doubt such things could be arranged, should the clientele truly desire it. Many of the luxury island escapes – including those on this list – feature the optimal balance of remote tropical living, peace and solitude, and all the trappings and extravagances such lifestyles afford. Michelin starred restaurants, access to private planes and superyacht marinas, idyllic spas and much, much more form much of the appeal of such locations, meaning those lucky enough – and wealthy enough – to spend their time on these islands can truly make the most of a well-earned break.
Let’s take a closer look at ten exclusive island getaways which have gained legendary status on the back of their A-list clientele, ability to provide the absolute in discretion and privacy, and retreats quite unlike any other on Earth.
Laucala Island, Fiji
Photo courtesy of Fiji Vacations
Photo courtesy of Fiji Vacations
It should come as no real surprise that our countdown kicks off with an island in Fiji, a corner of the world long since synonymous with luxurious tropical escapes. Indeed, this nation boasts over 300 beautiful islands, many of which could quite easily find their way onto this list as a result of their astonishing natural beauty, renowned hospitality and paradisiacal climate and sugary beaches.
Laucala, however, sits in a league of its own. Drawing in UHNW individuals from across the globe, this island retreat offers the chance to immerse oneself in pristine virgin rainforest, relax on seemingly endless stretches of sand and enjoy the gentle blue waters as they lap on the shore, teeming with astonishing marine life. A world-class golf course is a clear attraction for those seeking to work on their swing, and the beautiful hilltop residences – priced at around $170,000 per night for an all-inclusive luxury break – match in luxury the unrivalled beauty of the island.
Laucala Island, as a luxurious and discreet destination for the world’s ultra-elites, is the brainchild of Dietrich Mateschitz, owner of the Red Bull brand. His vision was to create an opulent location for his HNW peers to enjoy, and it’s a vision that has been completed with remarkable panache. Exclusively accessible by private yacht or seaplane, Laucala sets the standard for elegant and perfectly-situated island retreats the world over.
SonevaJani, The Maldives
video courtesy of Soneva Jani resort.
Much like Fiji, The Maldives has built its international reputation on its credentials as a luxurious tropical getaway, offering year-round sunshine, gentle crystal waters and the kind of elegant simplicity that deeply appeals to those seeking escapism.
To step out onto the beaches of SonevaJani – the most exclusive resort found anywhere in The Maldives – is to luxuriate in panoramic views of the beautiful Indian Ocean, and to viscerally understand the irresistible pull of this island paradise. With just 24 luxury villas available on the resort, exclusivity really is at the heart of its MO; something further exemplified by access to a 3.5 mile private lagoon, where visitors can get up-close-and-personal with a variety of marine fauna or simply allow their cares to be washed away by the waves.
Proximity to natural beauty provides much of SonevaJani’s business. The resort, while being undeniably luxurious, celebrates the simplicity of contact with the beach, the ocean and the clear skies above. Indeed, the villas (priced at around $20,000 per night) are suspended on stilts above the gently lapping waves, and feature master bedrooms with retractable roofs, allowing guests to experience sleeping beneath the stars. With incredible restaurants, a wealth of watersports activities and nature safaris on offer during the day, it’s not difficult to see why SonevaJani is a hugely popular choice with HNW individuals seeking to get away from it all.
The Brando, French Polynesia
Situated on the breathtakingly beautiful exclusive island of Tetiaroa, The Brando is right up there with the most awe-inspiring luxury island resorts found anywhere on Earth. As the name suggests, this resort is where legendary actor Marlon Brando finally slowed his pace of life, settled down, and reportedly spent many blissful years taking in the flawless surroundings… and as such, it’s become a firm favourite with A-listers looking to emulate a bonafide hero of the golden age of cinema.
Nestled in an atoll composed of 12 tiny islands surrounding a glimmering lagoon, The Brando is accessible only by 20-minute seaplane flight from Tahiti. Once landed, visitors will uncover 35 beautiful villas, idyllic white sand beaches, a pair of award-winning restaurants showcasing the best of Polynesian and French cuisine, and a spa which is whispered to be among the finest in the world. It’s a genuine natural haven, and the kind of place where UHNW individuals can well and truly turn their back on the wider world, luxuriating in the utmost when it comes to beauty, relaxation, privacy and hospitality.
Calivigny Island, Grenada
While there’s plenty to be said for the stripped-back relative simplicity and nature-driven living of many luxurious island retreats, there’s also plenty of opulent escapes which simply don’t subscribe to the ‘less is more’ ideology, opting instead for a more old-school notion of glamour. Calivigny Island, situated at the meeting point of the awe-inspiring Atlantic Ocean and the gentle tropics of the Caribbean Sea, would most certainly sit in the latter camp, and has become a firm favourite for HNW individuals looking to party far from prying eyes.
This island has garnered a powerful reputation amongst the global elite for an altogether more opulent approach to partying, luxury living and getting away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life with groups of friends and family. That primarily comes down to the fact that the island boasts little more when it comes to luxury accommodation but two beautiful and historic colonial French mansions, allowing guests to live out their imperial fantasies in truly spectacular surroundings.
With a dedicated staff of heavily-lauded chefs, relaxation therapists, local guides and wildlife experts, and yachting crews on hand to fulfil every wish and desire, Calivigny Island gives its ultra-rich guests the chance to make the island their own during their stay. It’s especially popular with those visiting by superyacht or chartering their own vessel, as the marina is renowned for its quality and beauty, and the location of the island unveils many of the Caribbean’s most coveted ‘hidden gem’ destinations.
Time + Tide Miavana, Madagascar
For those seeking unforgettable encounters with nature while also enjoying the finest luxury accommodation, Time + Tide Miavana is a difficult one to beat. Located on a beautiful island just off the coast of Madagascar, it’s hard to imagine a more far-flung destination to enjoy some much needed privacy and relaxation. Indeed, this island resort is renowned for hosting ultra-rich visitors looking to make the most of some valued downtime in style.
Fringed by spectacular white sand beaches and a vast coral reef, the resort on the island of Miavana is popular with those seeking to tick several unique natural interactions off their bucket lists. A short boat trip allows intrepid visitors to explore the Madagascar rainforest – renowned for its lemurs, chameleons and incredibly biodiversity – before heading back to the island for sumptuous local cuisine demonstrating the talent of the chefs, and the truly awe-inspiring natural ingredients they have to work with.
Fourteen decadent bespoke pool villas are dotted along the beach, allowing guests to step directly onto the sands from the comfort of their private decks, where panoramic Indian Ocean sunsets fill the skies each night. Bliss!
Como Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos
If your finger has been on the pulse of luxury vacation trends over the past few years, the chances are you’ve already stumbled across the beautiful island retreat of Como Parrot Cay. A quintessentially opulent private island, Como Parrot Cay has positioned itself as the destination par excellence for celebrities, A-listers and HNW individuals seeking a holistic escape, typified by therapeutic retreats and yoga. The island is also favoured by gastronauts seeking fine cuisine with a particularly health-oriented angle, as well as those looking to immerse themselves in incredible natural surroundings or enjoy the remarkable diving opportunities offered.
https://www.visualitineraries.com/VisitPoint.asp?location=1723&title=COMO+Parrot+Cay
Beautiful, elegant and timelessly appealing, the resort benefits from Spanish-themed architecture and a picture-perfect 1.5 mile white sand beach – ideal for the utmost in relaxation and privacy. With the warm waters of the Caribbean lapping the coastline, dark skies perfect for dreamy nights beneath the stars and a dedicated hospitality team accustomed to serving the world’s elites, it’s no wonder Como Parrot Cay has become associated with a thoroughly 21st century iteration of luxury living.
Necker Island, British Virgin Island
Perhaps the most famous of all the luxury Caribbean exclusive islands, Necker Island is the private home of Sir Richard Branson, the British billionaire entrepreneur and owner of the ever-expanding Virgin empire. Quintessentially exclusive, the island is usually only open to invited guests, whom Branson himself entertains and guides through his collection of beautiful villas and pristine Caribbean beaches.
At the heart of Necker Island sits The Great House, a grandiose nine-bedroom home built to meet the needs and desires of its HNW guests. There are six other Bali-inspired villas on the 74-acre island, and the getaway’s 100-strong staff are forever on hand to provide drinks, spa treatments and the full gamut of luxury services. When the island is open to non-invited guests, rates per night hover around the $50,000 mark. Visiting Necker Island is a rare opportunity to rub shoulders with Hollywood stars and business moguls alike, partying on the beach in its renowned relaxed atmosphere and enjoying the incredible setting amid stunning natural beauty.
Amanpulo, Philippines
Amanpulo is one of the flagship island resorts managed by the Aman Group, known as the most luxurious hospitality brand on Earth. As such, this resort is one which takes its level of exclusivity and escapism seriously; it’s the only property on the island, and one which makes remarkable use of the unique space, setting, and opportunity to push the envelope when it comes to decadence, opulence and exquisite tropical hospitality.
A collection of 40 spacious and beautifully designed casitas and villas give way to 3.5 miles of coral sands, which in turn encircles a dense jungle in the centre. Amanpulo is a place to truly lose oneself – the private beaches allow for world-class snorkelling and scuba diving, there are guided island tours to discover turtle hatcheries, a renowned Aman spa, and plenty of opportunities to explore the phenomenal reef and its incredible marine biodiversity.
All of this, coupled with the peerless reputation for luxury living that sits at the heart of the Aman brand, makes Amanpulo quite rightly among the most desirable exclusive island getaways found anywhere in the world today.
Hayman Island, Great Barrier Reef
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is a bucket-list destination for keen travellers the world over, and the endangered status of this precious region of astonishing natural beauty has elevated the desire for many to spend time amid its wonders. Hayman Island is one of relatively few Australian ultra-luxury exclusive resorts, and it isn’t difficult to understand its remarkable appeal to those seeking absolute escapism in this incredible corner of the Antipodes.
The nearest island to the reef itself, Hayman Island offers its visitors a truly exclusive nature experience. Indeed, its guests enjoy world-class watersports, the chance to scuba dive with whale sharks and other incredible creatures, as well as luxuriate on pristine sun-soaked beaches. A spectacular example of contemporary and forward-thinking sustainable architecture, the resort’s design incorporates both modern flourishes with traditional and indigenous touches across its 160 suites and villas. With seven restaurants showcasing the best of Australia’s ever-impressive gastronomic and wine scene, it’s the largest resort on this list but by no means an outlier when it comes to elegant escapism, dreamlike location and quality hospitality.
North Island, Seychelles
Perhaps best known today as the location of the Prince and Princess of Wales’ honeymoon, North Island is one of the most exclusive private island resorts on Earth. Favoured by royalty, A-list celebrities and UHNW individuals looking to make the most of this stunning corner of the globe, the resort has raised the bar for luxury and become a benchmark for opulent hospitality design the world over.
Part of North Island’s appeal is its location on the edge of the Ile Du Nord eco-reserve, where it harmoniously exists alongside a truly incredible natural habitat. White sand beaches and turquoise waters are de rigueur in the Seychelles, but at North Island they are flawlessly incorporated into the indoor-outdoor living that forms the beating heart of the resort itself.
Eleven opulent and meticulously-designed villas, each raised from the ground to catch the Indian Ocean breeze, allow for absolute relaxation and escapism. Most spectacular of all its many impressive features are the lounge, dining areas, pools and spa. All of these – and more besides – are built into an imposing granite outcrop, allowing guests to feel immersed in the very landscape of the island while enjoying its remarkable facilities.
When it comes to extravagance, opulence, and the peerless combination of innovation, elegance and ostentatious displays of wealth and success, few – if any – scenes in the world come close to the superyacht industry.
At the uppermost echelons of this elite sector, one can discover mind-boggling gilded interiors, technological marvels and vessels capable of traversing oceans while attaining wholly new heights of luxury. No wonder, therefore, superyacht owners, designers and shipyards feel a compulsion to celebrate and display their wondrous creations… and that’s where superyacht shows, galas and regattas come into play.
There is no shortage of superyacht shows in the world, and each year seems to bring with it a brand new marina packed to the gills with glittering examples of shipbuilding prowess. However, as is so often the case with the luxury industries, there are certain shows which sit head and shoulders above the rest, benefiting from either a centuries-old history and set of traditions, or a particularly favourable or fashionable location.
In this week’s article, we’re going to draw back the velvet curtain on the world’s greatest, most impressive and exclusive superyacht showcases, exploring what it is that makes them such a key fixture in the luxury calendar. Prepare to hoist anchor and set sail into a realm of sheer opulence!
[header image for this article is courtesy of Monaco Yacht Show]
Dubai International Boat Show
When: 1st – 5th March 2023
Where: Dubai Marina, UAE
It should come as no real surprise that this countdown kicks off with the Dubai International Boat Show, the Gulf’s largest regatta and one of the world’s most rapidly-growing marine fixtures. After all, there’s nowhere on Earth where luxury matters as much – or is such a key aspect of the local brand – as Dubai, and nowhere quite as fitting for a showcase of wealth, success and elite leisure activities.
The Dubai International Boat Show exclusively displays superyachts of 25 metres and above, and visitors will uncover a stunning array of (what else?) supercars and various luxury accessories. Both local and international brands are showcased with signature ostentatious style, and it’s the perfect place in which to uncover the latest innovations and designs spearheading the future of the maritime industries.
It’s not just the displays of yachts and other luxury vehicles that draws UHNW visitors to Dubai each March, however. The city’s famed VIP hospitality services reach top gear for the annual event, with private beaches, live entertainment and legendary parties at Nikki Beach Club (and many more) highlighting why Dubai retains its crown as a luxury destination par excellence.
Palm Beach International Boat Show
When: 23rd – 26th March 2023
Where: West Palm Beach, Florida USA
photo by Palm Beach International Boat Show
The 2023 iteration of Florida’s principal yacht show promises all the usual bells and whistles, and as one of the USA’s key yachting events, it’s sure to be an absolute stunner of a gathering. Renowned for featuring $1.2 billion worth of prime shipbuilding, visitors to West Palm Beach this spring will be able to view hundreds of brand new and heritage vessels – perfect for buyers and enthusiasts alike.
One of the main draws of the Palm Beach International Boat Show (apart from, of course, the beautiful sun-soaked location) is the opportunity to truly get up-close-and-personal with some legendary examples of the craft. Captains and crews invite interested parties on board to tour the vessels, allowing potential charter customers or buyers the chance to learn all about various ship’s capabilities, and uncover the wonders of Florida’s enviable fleet.
Singapore Yacht Show
When: April 2023
Where: One 15 Marina, Sentosa Cove, Singapore
Hosted at One 15 Marina Sentosa Cove – arguably the most well-equipped marina in all of Asia – each April, The Singapore Yacht Show 2023 will the 13th event of its kind, and is destined to showcase why this famed luxury location continues to be a hub for the world’s most elite individuals.
Celebrating innovation, design and astonishing heights of beauty and astonishment, the Singapore Yacht Show attracts nautical lifestyle enthusiasts from across the continent and the wider world. It’s a first-class platform for professional yacht brokers to liaise and reach out to a new generation of prospective ship owners, while also uncovering and highlighting new vessels and concepts to pioneer the industry’s ever-widening horizons.
Accommodating superyachts up to 200 feet in length, The Singapore Yacht Show is renowned for being the quintessential place to witness some of the most renowned superyachts on Earth. Partnering with countless luxury restaurants, clubs, hotels and spas, any trip to this unrivalled Asian yacht show is sure to reveal no shortage of wonders.
MYBA Charter Show
When: 24th – 27th April 2023
Where: Barcelona, Spain
There are a plethora of reasons to visit the beautiful city of Barcelona in the spring; the incredible gastronomy, the jaw-dropping architecture and the vibrancy of Spain’s most dynamic city, to name but three. However, yacht owners and those seeking to charter a luxury vessel flock to Barcelona’s stunning marina in droves each April to check out the MYBA Charter Show – one of Europe’s unmissable yachting events of the year.
The show kickstarts the Mediterranean charter season in peerless style, and is widely regarded as a genuine highlight of the Med yachting calendar. It’s a chance to meet the world’s leading charter captains and crews, uncover some astounding charter vessels, learn all about the year’s most attractive locations to sail, and get updated on the latest and greatest additional luxuries for those looking to get away from it all in style. It’s an industry-only event, but those lucky enough to be within the inner circles of the superyacht world can revel in a number of red carpet gatherings, galas, workshops and awards ceremonies, all set against the backdrop of one of the continent’s most alluring marinas.
Palma International Boat Show
When: 27th – 20th April 2023
Where: Palma, Mallorca
photo by Stuart Pearce (courtesy of Palma International Boat Show)
Despite being less than a decade old, the Palma International Boat Show has more than proven its worth as one of the world’s most luxurious yachting events. Held in the stunning Balearics Moll Vell Marina in Palma, Mallorca, next year’s gala event is expected to play host to over 600 bonafide superyachts, making it one of the most glittering events of its kind on Earth.
With almost 90,000 square metres of exhibition space along the marina’s multitudinous boardwalks – with the majesty of the Atlantic ocean as the perfect setting – the Palma International Boat Show highlights the innovative and stylish nature of the superyacht industry in its entirety. Over the four days of the event, networks will be established, deals will be shook upon, and several seminars and discussions will take place.
This being the Balearics, there is also ample opportunity to check out the volcanic island’s incredible wine scene, with tastings and exhibitions from the region’s most respected and revered winemakers and chefs keeping the guests satisfied from start to finish. Parties, DJs, cocktail masterclasses and plenty of other entertainment options mean that this superyacht show in Palma is aimed squarely at a younger HNW crowd, and is one not to miss.
The Mediterranean Yacht Show
When: 29th April – 3rd May 2023
Where: Port Nafplio, Greece
image courtesy of Mediterranean Yacht Show
For so many of us, when we think of superyachts and the yachting lifestyle, our thoughts immediately turn to the beautiful azure waters and myriad islands of Greece. The Mediterranean Yacht Show, widely believed to be the largest of its kind in the world, celebrates the country’s intimate and far-reaching relationship with luxury sailing, showcasing an incredible array of awe-inspiring vessels and the opulent accessories which form the backbone of this ever-evolving industry.
The scenic port of Nafplio will invite over 100 luxury vessels and no fewer than 450 high-flying yacht brokers in 2023, where new ideas will be displayed, new designs will be feted and the latest and greatest of the superyacht industry will be unveiled. The exclusive B2B event, The MEDYS, will see brokers obtaining first-hand insights into the East Mediterranean fleet, ensuring the year ahead promises a buoyant set of sales and charters for the scene as a whole.
Each day of the event promises a wide range of attractions for visitors to the show. Ships will be open for exploration, informative conferences will take place, and marine-oriented exhibitors will line the boardwalks while parties, dining events and late-night functions continue through to the early hours. While The Mediterranean Boat Show is still a relative newcomer to the yachting calendar, it’s already done more than enough to elevate itself to become a much-anticipated fixture, and one we’re sure will continue for many years to come.
The TYBA Yacht Charter Show
When: May 2023
Where: D-Marin Gocek Marina, Turkey
image courtesy of TYBA Yacht Charter Show
May 2023 will see the exciting return of the TYBA Yacht Charter Show, one of the world’s most luxurious yachting events and a key fixture for those seeking to explore the fleet of the Eastern Mediterranean. Held each year in the beautiful five-star Gocek Marina, this event has become a real hotspot for a younger yachting audience seeking a vibrant alternative to the old-school charms of the Cote d’Azure.
The TYBA Yacht Charter show perfectly blends the convenience of getting up-close-and-personal with the region’s most majestic superyachts, with the dynamism of a world-class networking event. Workshops, conferences and brokerages make this show a must-visit event which highlights a spectacular corner of the world rapidly finding its feet on a peerlessly sophisticated scene. For those seeking to sail amid cultural hotspots, ancient landscapes and placid waters, there’s nowhere else quite like it.
Cannes Yachting Festival
When: 12th – 17th September 2023
Where: Cannes, France
photo courtesy of Cannes Yachting Festival
The French Riviera, and Cannes in particular, has been at the heart of the luxury yachting industry since its earliest years. The sparkling sea, golden beaches, incredible gastronomy and quintessentially Gallic nonchalence continues to draw in the UHNW individuals of the world, and the Cannes Yachting Festival makes the city a hub for those whose wealth and prestige is centred around these incredible vessels.
The festival itself attracts over 50,000 visitors annually, ranging from those seeking to purchase or charter some of the world’s most iconic vessels to brokerages, innovators, and aspirational visitors seeking to get a taste of the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Showcasing over 650 glamorous yachts – all built by world-beating shipyards – and 600 exhibitors displaying submersibles and other toys, lifestyle products and luxury brands alike, it’s a festival of opulence and beauty, driven by innovation and the pursuit of life’s finest features.
Cannes Yachting Festival is perhaps best known as the home of superyachting innovation, however. Each year, the festival acts as a launchpad for the latest industry developments and concepts, ranging from novel yacht propulsion systems to the most en-vogue interior design pitches and beyond. It’s a truly indulgent and unforgettable event, which is as much a spectacle of wealth and success as an industry fixture, and one no superyacht enthusiast should ever miss.
Monaco Yacht Show
When: 27th – 30th October 2023
Where: Port Hercule, Monaco, France
image courtesy of Monaco Yacht Show
Glitzy, glamorous and quintessentially luxurious, The Monaco Yacht Show is one of the most prestigious maritime events in the world. Highly anticipated by not just industry insiders and yacht owners but also the full spectrum of HNW individuals, it’s an opportunity to celebrate life’s treasures and a broad range of opulent vehicles and accessories, all hosted within the magnificent setting of Port Hercule on the Riviera.
The Monaco Yacht Show features a meticulously-curated array of 100 mega-yachts and luxury vessels, on a strict invite-only basis to showcase the creme de la creme of the world’s most beautiful examples of shipbuilding. The show itself is renowned for its world premieres – for those looking to see the future of the yacht industry, there’s nowhere else quite like it – and it’s where the most high profile deals of the year take place.
With Monaco being Monaco, the annual festival isn’t just about superyachts. Indeed, visitors can discover over 500 exhibitors featuring everything from private jets to luxury concept vehicles; it’s an exquisite microcosm of the uppermost echelons in the world of high-end design, and a veritable playground for the super-rich. Talks, conferences, launches, award shows and (of course) gastronomic flights of fancy are also de riguer, making The Monaco Yacht Show a truly unparalleled event.
Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show
When: 25th – 29th October 2023
Where: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
The final major superyacht event of the year takes place in the sunshine state’s key yachting capital, which many consider the luxury boating capital of the world. Each October, thousands of industry exhibitors and over 1,200 luxury vessels head to Fort Lauderdale for the largest superyacht festival on Earth – an awe-inspiring gathering of everything we love most about the high-end nautical industry.
The five-day event covers an astonishing three million square feet, meaning that visitors to FLIBS (as it is affectionately known) can truly immerse themselves in the innovative spectacle on its stunning beachside setting. Relaxed yet dynamic, elite yet welcoming, it’s a calendar fixture for mega-wealthy and aspirational delegates, where incredible yachts and supercars – amongst many other exhibitions – are highlighted in wondrous style.
Haute-horlogerie, or the esteemed craft of fine watchmaking, is the point at which the most meticulous expression of engineering meets the worlds of art, luxury and peerless elegance.
For centuries, the world’s most talented craftspeople and the greatest timepiece studios in the world have consistently pushed the envelope, taking opulence and precision to wondrous new heights. New complications and awe-inspiring new techniques have achieved the barely-imaginable within impossibly-thin components, crafted from precious metals and gemstones. The phases of the moon, perpetual calendars, and timekeeping perfected to a thousandth of a second have been mastered, encased in beautiful housings, and collected by those for whom second-best is never an option.
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In the world of luxury goods, where the astonishing and the extraordinary are de rigueur, haute-horlogerie remains a pinnacle of sophistication.
As is the case in any of the luxury industries, fine timepieces have a zenith entirely of their own. Purchased as treasured possessions, status symbols and investment pieces, certain watches from a small number of workshops have risen to become far more than the sum of their parts; an elite scene within an elite scene, capable of fetching eye-watering prices at auction.
The world’s most expensive timepieces consist of a curious blend of items, their value arising from an array of explanations. Some, as one might expect, are imbued with historical significance – once gracing the list of Hollywood royalty and literal royalty alike. Others represent a pioneering breakthrough in the watchmaker’s artistry, presenting world-first and record-breaking complications. Others still justify their price tags from the materials used, gilded in the most precious metals and encrusted with a king’s ransom in diamonds.
Haute-horlogerie is a scene in which the limits of possibility are almost completely ephemeral, and present a testament to human endeavour in ways unrivalled by other creations within the luxury industries. In this article, we’re going to be peering into the truly fascinating and glimmeringly opulent world of the most expensive timepieces, and gazing in wonder at just what it is that makes them record-breakers like no other.
10. Vacheron Constantin 57260 – $8 Million
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For those in the know, there’s simply no Swiss timepiece brand quite like Vacheron Constantin. The last word in sleek and precision-led luxury, this maison of horlogerie has been astonishing collectors for centuries, bringing perhaps the most quintessentially Swiss vision of luxury to the world of fine watchmaking.
Ever the pioneers, the 57260 release embodies its astonishing price tag for good reason: it is the most complicated timepiece in existence on Earth today. That’s some feat in an industry where complications continue to become ever-more impressive, year on year, and even more astonishing when one sees that this record-breaking watch not only features an eye-opening list of features whilst still looking incredibly beautiful and peerlessly stylish.
Hand-crafted by three masterful artisans over the course of eight years, the 57260 boasts 57 complications across 2,826 individual components. An array of calendars, including a zodiac calendar and a beautiful moonphase, and unique features such as a double backward split-second chronograph make this timepiece a truly legendary creation.
9. Patek Philippe 1518 Stainless Steel – $11 Million
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It’s no great surprise to see Patek Philippe on this list – the Genevan watchmaking house has been astounding collectors and enthusiasts since the early 19th century, and has been responsible for many of the great leaps forward in haute-horlogerie across the past two hundred years.
The 1518 Stainless Steel chronograph, sold for $11 million in 2016 at a Swiss timepiece auction, is an unusual addition on this countdown of the world’s most valuable watches. Not least because it’s made from stainless steel – a relatively humble material, especially among the Patek Philippe range which usually utilises rose and yellow gold. However, it’s the uniquity of this watch that justifies its value; it’s the only perpetual Patek Philippe calendar chronograph crafted from stainless steel, and was part of an extremely limited 1943 run.
For completists and collectors, it’s considered one of the Holy Grail watches of the world, which goes some way towards explaining its astronomical price.
8. Paul Newman Rolex Daytona – $17.6 Million
Photo by: Martial Trezzini/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
The Rolex Daytona ‘Paul Newman’ wristwatch with rare ‘Tropical’ Dial.
Celebrity status and the Rolex house of fine watches go hand in hand – few other timepiece brands have a cult and household name status like Rolex’s… and its Hollywood A-lister clientele have often helped drive sales figures into the millions over the years.
The Paul Newman Rolex Daytona is perhaps the most iconic example of this kind of celebrity association. Hollywood royal and star of some of the most loved movies of the 60s and 70s, Paul Newman was a diehard Rolex aficionado, and the infamous Daytona model was gifted from his wife as a gesture of love and reflection of his enthusiasm for motorsports. Featuring a distinctive black and cream dial, the actual model Newman wore was originally a custom-made piece, but it spawned a line of timepieces in honour of the original after he wore it on the Daytona track while pursuing stardom behind the wheel.
Rolex, motorsports and a Hollywood legend combined? Of course the Paul Newman Daytona is on this list, and commanding a truly incredible price.
7. Jacob & Co. Billionaire – $18 Million
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When it comes to some of the most glamorous timepieces on this countdown, their value is almost immediately self-explanatory. That’s certainly the case with this item from Jacob & Co, which utilises a stunning full skeleton face to embody a daring watch which sparkles almost unlike any other.
To ensure the creation of a luxury timepiece worthy of its $18 million price tag, Jacob & Co encrusted the watch with 260 carats of flawless emerald-cut diamonds. The result is a sparkling gem – a peerless item which matches decorative panache with bold innovation – that never fails to captivate the imagination.
6. Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication – $24 Million
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A Sotheby’s Employee Shows the Henry Graves Supercomplication Handmade Watch by Patek Philippe During a Preview at Sotheby’s Auction House in Geneva.
Yet another release from Patek Philippe, and one which rockets us into the $20 million plus bracket, this timepiece takes its name after the American banker Henry Graves Junior. Graves himself commissioned the watch to a number of exacting standards and demands, and the Swiss studio delivered in signature meticulous style.
The Henry Graves Supercomplication combines an 18-carat gold bezel and bracelet with twenty-four complications, formed from a stunning 920 interconnected components. It represented a number of challenges for the watchmakers of Patek Philippe, but their efforts resulted in a timepiece which was the first of its kind for the brand. A first-minute repeating complication came with major sonnets, a fixed clock, beautiful moon phase detail, split-second chronographs, astrological charts, chiming alarms and more.
A rather romantic detail: the star chart featured on the watch’s face features the view of the night sky from Graves’ home in New York, showcasing the spectacular attention to detail that typifies this whole creation.
5. Jaeger-LeCoultre Joaillerie 101 Manchette – $26 Million
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Valued at $26 million, the Joaillerie 101 Manchette from Jaeger-LeCoultre is a timepiece fit for royalty – literally so, as it was specifically commissioned by the French president as a gift to the late Queen Elizabeth II to celebrate her ongoing reign.
Gifted in 1952, the timepiece features no fewer than 576 brilliant diamonds and a vibrant sapphire dial, the combination of which reflects and references Elizabeth II’s crown jewels. Within the mechanism, you’ll discover the critically-renowned Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 101 movement – regarded for decades as among the finest anywhere, and until 2010 held the title as the tiniest movement in the world – and the winding crown adds further sophistication to this shimmering gem of a watch.
4. Breguet Grande Complication Marie-Antoinette – $30 Million
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A Replica of the Legendary Watch the ‘Marie-antoinette Grande Complication – Breguet No 1160’ is on Display at the World Watch and Jewellery Show ‘Baselworld’ in Basel Switzerland 25 March 2009 the Original Marie-antoinette Pocket Watch was Completed in 1827 34 Years After the French Queen was Guillotined and Four Years After Watchmaker Breguet’s Death the Original Watch was Reported to Have Been Stolen in Jerusalem in 1983.
All of the timepieces on this list are, by their very nature, of historical significance. However, this particular watch takes the historical aspect of haute-horlogerie to new heights of wonder, and has an almost mythic quality lauded by watch-lovers worldwide.
A gold pocket watch of inestimable beauty, the Breguet Grande Complication was supposedly commissioned by Queen Marie Antoinette herself in 1782. No stranger to the headiest heights of luxury, the queen of France never lived to see the completion of the timepiece – which received its final finishing flourish in 1827, following 45 years of meticulous craftsmanship and the sourcing of eye-wateringly precious materials – as she had a historic date with the guillotine, kicking off the start of the French Revolution.
3. Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime ref. 6300 – $31 Million
As we’ve seen, Patek Philippe has forged a powerful and lasting reputation for the very utmost in excellence in watchmaking. The Grandmaster Chime ref. 6300 gilds and cements that reputation further than ever, presenting complications which go above and beyond even the loftiest heights previously attained by the Swiss brand.
With twenty meticulously-crafted complexities, a fully-detachable case and twin dials lasting ten thousand hours and tuned to the most exact timekeeping, this timepiece is as beautiful as it is wondrously engineered. With a pristine minute hand, time struck alert, instantaneous perpetual calendar, date repeater and four-digit annual display being just the beginning, it’s perhaps no surprise that there are 1,366 individual components in this watch, each working harmoniously to produce a creation that’s more than the sum of its parts.
While the $31 million price tag may put this timepiece out of reach to all but the uppermost elites of the world, there’s no doubt that this complex watch features craftsmanship, attention to detail and artistry worth every dime.
2. Graff Diamonds The Fascination – $40 Million
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The World’s Most Valuable Transformable Timepiece ‘The Fascination’ a Watch with a Detachable Part That Becomes a Ring Pictured at the Booth of Graff Diamonds at the Official Opening Day of the World Watch and Jewellery Show ‘Baselworld’ in Basel Switzerland.
The second-most expensive watch in the world looks like no other, and sits almost entirely in a league of its own. Crafted by Graff Diamonds – arguably the world’s most exclusive jeweller, catering for royalty and billionaires with its timeless opulence and astronomical levels of sophistication – it’s a splendid creation that pushes at the boundaries of what horology can be.
Until just a couple of years ago, The Fascination was the most expensive timepiece in the world. Looking at this dazzling innovation, it isn’t difficult to see why: it’s literally encrusted with 153 carats of flawless white diamonds, providing a shimmering mirage of elegance that harkens back to the golden age of Hollywood glamour. In the very centre of the timepiece sits a 38.13 carat pear-shaped diamond ring – a detachable detail that can be removed and worn, showcasing the innovative heart of this astonishing work of art.
1. Graff Diamonds The Hallucination – $55 Million
At the very top of this list of the world’s most expensive timepieces, we discover an item of haute-horlogerie which is so opulent, so decadent and so valuable, it outstrips the nearest competitor by a full $15 million in price… and that competitor comes from the very same jewellery maison, and the very same designers.
With a client list that includes European royalty, Hollywood legends such as Elizabeth Taylor and contemporary mega-rich tycoons ranging from Donald Trump to Oprah Winfrey and beyond, Graff Diamonds knows that luxury has no limits. That’s the spirit behind the creation of The Hallucination; a fittingly-titled watch that showcases 110 carats of the world’s most dazzling coloured diamonds, resulting in a $55 million confection quite unlike any other on Earth.
With pink, yellow, blue, orange and scarlet diamonds – each cut to perfection to put their brilliance on a pedestal – covering the dial, face, bezel and platinum bracelet of this watch, it’s an item that truly goes beyond the most imaginative heights of luxury. Little is known about the nature of the movements and workings within the watch, but frankly, the timepiece’s appeal is all in that incredible sparkle and the craftsmanship that went into the jewelwork. Laurence Graff, the maison’s current leading jeweller, claims The Hallucination to be a ‘celebration of miracles’, and it’s hard to disagree – it’s a truly impressive feat to bring together so many beautiful coloured diamonds into a single flawless design.
The World’s Most Decadent and Valuable Examples of Haute-Horlogerie
There you have it – the run-down of the ten most valuable timepieces of Earth, each a shimmering example of brilliance, historical significance, innovation and peerless engineering.
The very nature of the luxury watchmaking and timepiece investment industry, of course, means that it might not be long before this list alters quite radically. New designs, new complications, new uses of gemstones or new desires and whims within the ever-shifting horology marketplace mean that next year may see plenty of new inclusions. However, that’s the very essence of the world of luxury goods… and that’s a big part of what makes it such a fascinating world to explore.