17 Ways To Do Europe After Lockdown
It’s a way off yet – but you can still dream and plan with our ultimate luxury guide to avoiding cliches and crowds.
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There will always be another European summer – and with that in mind we’re happy to provide some dreamy plans and an undisputed cure for the quarantine blues. From sailing the Med in a multi-million dollar superyacht to an overlooked French island, the best dining and most exclusive accommodation, we’ve pulled together the ultimate luxury guide to avoiding cliches, crowds and finding newfound fun for when we next can.
Corsica, France
‘We’re not French and we’re not Italian – we’re Corsican’. It’s a refrain proudly ousted by locals across this mountainous Mediterranean island known to most as the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte.
The claims of autonomy, despite being one of 18 French ‘regions’, coupled with the Franco and Italian influences, make this a unique European option that delivers on picturesque hilltop villages, passionate locals and stunning white sand beaches lapped by transparent waters. The food culture here is strong – so too the growing luxury market, especially along the southern coast around towns such as Porto Vecchio and the enchanting Bonafacio.
The Thinking Traveller holds the keys to the island’s most indulgent villas – Cala d’Istria and I Bruzzi two Robb Report faves – though exquisite and exclusive hotel offerings come in the form of Porto Vecchio’s Casadelmar and, further south, the elevated Hotel Version Maquis Citadelle.
Take a week, grab a car or a bike and soak up this remarkable island that remains comparatively overlooked when compared to some of its closest neighbours.
thethinkingtraveller.com; casadelmar.fr; hotel-versionmaquis.com
Kea, Greece
Yes, a Greek isle that isn’t Mykonos and which still curiously flies somewhat under the radar – at least until One & Only opens its doors here in 2021.
Overlooked by the hordes who push on past to islands better-known, Kea (Tzia) is, in fact, the closest to the mainland, located just an hour from Lavrio.
On offer is a wonderful local setting that delivers a ritzy yachting scene around Koundouros and Vourkari and, beyond, the subtle charms of a dusty island of desirable space and general tranquillity.
There’s also some brilliant wreck diving to be done and many secluded beaches on which to laze. That’s if you can be bothered leaving accommodation such as that on offer by White Key Villas – newcomer, Villa Ligaria, proving to be a side of secluded Grecian perfection that comes with private beach, pool, and heightened levels of chic.
Million-Dollar Med Cruise
What does $1.13 million a week get you on the Med? Seventy-two metres of lavish cruise power, it turns out.
Available exclusively for charter, superyacht Coral Ocean has more than enough space for a neat group of 12 (plus crew) to sail and explore some of Europe’s most picturesque ports.
Gleaming bathrooms aside, the appealing, designer cruiser comes with plunge pool, spa and gym. If that’s not enough to keep you and yours entertained (well, working off any excesses) she’s also fitted with a full suite of fun – jet ski, wakeboards, stand-up paddleboards, towable inflatables, more – and a main deck that can easily accommodate a party of 80.
Capri Palace, Italy
Italy’s original luxury island retreat, Capri, is where the who’s who convene to shop for designer fashion and sip limoncello in bougainvillea-draped villas. The sun-kissed isle in the Bay of Naples has attracted Europe’s beautiful people for decades, many of them checking in to the iconic 1960s Capri Palace, styled on an 18th-century Neapolitan palazzo.
In April, the grande dame will welcome visitors once more, fresh from a revamp courtesy of the Emirati Jumeirah Group. The brand’s Italian foray is a polished version of the original, its 68 airy rooms each a vision in white.
Public spaces, meanwhile, come with pops of colour thanks to a collection of contemporary artworks by Mirò, Magritte and Warhol, among others.
While its foundations are storied, the hotel’s chefs are as forward-thinking as they come, securing three Michelin stars across the two restaurants and promising endless culinary highlights.
Aman Jet Charter & Concierge
Unlike other upscale hotel brands with private jets, Aman Resorts’ new sky-high offering is more like a luxe charter than set (read: forced) itinerary.
Here, you and 11 of your closest can sink into Italian leather armchairs on board the brand’s Bombardier Global 5000, carefree considering a private concierge has customised everything from in-flight meals and beverages to various ground itineraries at Aman’s no-luxuries-spared properties (there are now five across Europe).
Touch down first, say, in Montenegro, where Aman Sveti Stefan’s 58 rooms sit pretty in 600-year-old stone houses on a private fortified island. Connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus, the exclusive property is within easy reach of pink-sand beaches and various World Heritage-protected villages.
From here, buckle up and jet south toward Amanzoe in the Peloponnese. This architect-designed aerie, around 60 kilometres southwest of the Greek capital, affords views for days: a mise-en-scène of olive groves that tumble toward the Aegean. Speedboats await to zip you between secret coves or out to the islands of Spetses and Hydra, with helicopters on call to convey you to Athens’ hilltop Acropolis (at these heights, the journey takes just 15 minutes).
It doesn’t take much longer to fly on to Aman Venice – a gilded rococo palazzo with sumptuous Jean-Michel Gathy interiors at your disposal. Step outside, and a polished mahogany motorboat awaits on your Grand Canal doorstep.
East London
Young, cool, chic – all adjectives worthily used to describe East London since the hipsters moved in during the early naughties. OK, late ‘90s.
While postcodes in this formerly industrial part of town are now ever-popular among tech creatives and advertising types – even Hackney boasts dads sporting three-piece Richard Anderson creations pushing Bugaboos – a new breed of upscale travellers are also making their mark on this once-maligned part of town.
Why leave Mayfair, you may ask? Because, beyond the comparative and alluring edge of the East, the area now boasts some of the city’s most happening hotels – like Nhow, a design-driven bolthole and the UK’s first outpost from the NH group.
Following the lead of its older European siblings – Milan, Rotterdam, Berlin – the new London Nhow comes with style to spare. Think bright and bold interiors with whimsical flourishes that nod to their location: a larger-than-life mural of the Queen, a sculpture of Big Ben in the lobby, cockney rhyming slang carved into tables.
Helping to cement the eastern appeal is Nobu Hotel Shoreditch – a slick designer destination and the brand’s first European hotel, replete with eponymous restaurant serving Japanese-Peruvian menu favourites – including signature Black Cod Den miso as well as a first in breakfast.
There’s a buzz to the east not found elsewhere in the capital. While the independent galleries have been booted by various tech start-ups, there’s still some exciting ventures like the pending launch of Fotografiska London and planned exhibitions from the likes of Annie Leibovitz, Sally Mann, David LaChapelle and Helmut Newton.
As for dining, we’re for Champagne delivered at the press of a button at Bob Bob Cite (a rather curious upscale French affair that’s best experienced first hand), the New-Nordic Lyle’s, the energy and voluminous stylings of The Ned and its various offerings (inclusive of some rather decent upstairs digs) and the wonder of the cocktail menu at Untitled Bar on Dalston’s Kingsland Road.
nhow-hotels.com; london-shoreditch.nobuhotels.com
Zizanj Private Island, Croatia
Dalmatians call it fjaka – a deliciously lazy mood of utter contentment. And it’s found in spades on Croatia’s turquoise-sea-rimmed islands, from Hvar to Korcula.
When done sharing the sand with strangers, set your yacht’s GPS for Zizanj Private Island. One of the country’s lesser-known – but no less alluring – slips of land, Zizanj is only accessible to visitors who rent it on an exclusive basis. Aside from luxe villas with space for 14, there’s nothing else to distract you on this drop in the Kornati Archipelago. Well, aside from an olive grove producing a punchy extra virgin oil that will spoil you for all others of its kind.
Here there are no roads and no cars – meaning the only way to get around is on foot or via the water.
‘A’ is for Adriatic bliss.
Submarine Exploration
Ocean going vessel Scenic Eclipse is a bombastic union of high-end expedition frivolity and serious underwater exploration – replete with a shiny six-seater U-Boat Worx Cruise Submarine 7 known as the Scenic Neptune.
Self-described as the world’s first ‘discovery yacht’, the 228-passenger Eclipse is designed to conquer the world’s most remote regions – also, colder northern European waters.
As for the Eclipse’s sub, it can sink to a depth of 300 metres, allowing a personal Bond moment well below the waves this summer – and beats getting wet.
Cheval Blanc Hotel, Paris
One of the most anticipated openings of the year and for good reason. The Parisian newcomer – a first city outpost for the LVMH brand – lands in the thick of things next to the Seine and adjacent to Musee du Louvre this May. Housed in the landmark, and lavishly updated, La Samaritaine building, a tightly-held 72 rooms and suites means a boutique feel with Art-Deco interiors by Peter Marino.
Art runs throughout the property, which also boasts swimming pool and terrace alongside a Dior Spa.
Adding further appeal is new, in-house restaurant from three Michelin-starred chef Arnaud Donckele – a venture set to celebrate the city with a largely locally-sourced menu wrapped in his trademark inventiveness.
Forte San Giorgio, Capraia, Italy
An exclusive rental unlike anything else you’ll come across – a sensitively, luxuriously and ecologically refurbished 16th century fortress on the tiny island
of Capraia in the Tuscan Archipelago between Italy and Corsica.
$87,600 a week (high-season) means eleven bedrooms, ten bathrooms, two infinity pools, direct sea access, endless space and walking distance to local restaurants and so much more.
It took more than a decade of dedicated work to bring this unique property, a listed National Monument of Architectural and Artistic Merit, back to life and it simply cannot be overlooked in thinking about 2020’s ultimate European sojourn.
Restaurant Mirazur, Menton, France
This exquisite, Cote D’Azur fine diner largely flew under the radar – at least until its announcement last year as the world’s best. Chef Mauro Colagreco has taken from his Italian-Argentinian heritage, paired to French learnings under the likes of Alain Ducasse, to deliver a unique menu – forged on what’s available from an impressive rear garden and the ocean it overlooks. Two so-called ‘surprise’ menus are offered and run to nine courses and unparalleled views for approx. $426 per head.
Private Train Travel
When the journey matters just as much as the destination, there’s no better way to see the world than by rail. And when the rail journey demands decadence, there’s no better company to enlist than Golden Eagle.
With two trains click-clacking across Europe, the luxe line is ideally enjoyed on a private charter. Think of the cabins on the Golden Eagle Danube Express as moving five-star hotel rooms, transporting you across captivating Balkan landscapes in serious style. Or, spend 15 vodka-fuelled days on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express between Moscow and Vladivostok, enjoying what is arguably the world’s most epic rail ride.
Butler service, ensuite bathrooms, high-tech entertainment and Michelin-esque restaurant meals are just some of the on-board luxe.
Rome’s Grand House
Hospitality brand The Grand House allows access to some of Rome’s most prestigious residences, while providing the high-touch services you’d expect from a five-star hotel. Included on their books of Roman apartments is a three-bedroom pied-à-terre owned by an art collector in a historic building just steps from the Pantheon, and a five-bedroom abode in a Renaissance palazzo on Piazza Mattei – the seat of the aristocratic Costaguti family for centuries.
Here, at the Costaguti home, period details like original frescoes, terra cotta floors and marble fireplaces are juxtaposed with contemporary art and mid-century furnishings by Charles and Ray Eames, Verner Panton and Achille Castiglioni. Services include 24/7 concierge, access to The Clubhouse for work and luggage storage, exclusive tours and dining options and the general ability to peek behind curtains usually drawn on tourists.
Volcano Dining, Iceland
When you’re sated by the parade of eye-popping courses at Catalonia’s three-Michelin-starred El Celler de Can Roca, and you’ve lingered over every bite at Copenhagen’s NOMA, the only European culinary experience left to thrill is one that sees you seated in an extinct volcano.
Jacada Travel has created the world’s coolest (hottest?) meal, served inside a magma chamber of Iceland’s Thrihnukagigur Volcano. You could fit the Statue of Liberty tilted on her side in here, but instead, the luxury operator sets an intimate scene with starched linens and crystal and a menu entirely of your design. Befitting of such a setting are helicopter transfers and the night’s lighting – time your visit right and feast under the glow of the Aurora Borealis.
A Plummy Guide To Paris
There’s something quite wonderful about staying in a well-appointed city apartment – tranquil, private and grafted to tangible emotions that touch on being ‘local’.
Of the wealth of operators that ascend well beyond Airbnb, The Plum Guide opens the front doors of some seriously luxurious properties across continental cities – each vetted by humans, not algorithms.
The Bilbury, Paris, is a standout worthy of some summer downtime. Located in the central 8th arrondissement, a mere meander from the Champs-Elysees, Arc De Triomphe and most luxury distractions, the two-level, light-filled and spacious apartment boasts five bedrooms, four bathrooms, impressive views, designer touches and an enviable terrace.
Hotel Du Cap-Eden-Roc, Antibes, France
This is the elevated setting of F Scott Fitzgerald’s Tender Is The Night, where A-Listers play whether attending the Cannes Film Festival or not – a place that simply must be experienced, if only to realise lofty expectations can be met and to engage the ‘Haute Cote’ at its finest. 22-acres of luscious grounds wrapped by the ocean, 117 rooms of which the Eden Roc Suite is best and a cliff pool that only furthers romantic notions of historic Riviera glamour.
Kate Moss’s pad, Cotswolds, England
Give the British Cotswolds a twirl this European summer – all green charm, rolling hills, quaint gastro pubs and more just two hours west of London (quicker still by chopper, with a wealth of transfers available from the capital). Once here, opt for a stay at contemporary villa Barnhouse – the centrepiece of the sprawling Lakes by Yoo estate and a property boasting interiors styled by the supermodel Kate Moss.
Put aside any images of what such wording may first prompt – this ‘barn’ is a slick, if colourful, slice of airy living shielded by stunning woodland and which features five bedrooms, private pool, fireplaces, art by Damien Hirst and an insight into Moss’s musical taste via a slate of chosen records to play. The villages of Thornhill and Claydon are a five-minute drive away.
This story comes from our latest Autumn 2020 issue. To purchase a copy or to sign up to an annual subscription of Robb Report Australia & New Zealand click here. To stay in touch with all the latest news click here.
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Watch of the Week: TAG Heuer Formula 1 | Kith
The legendary sports watch returns, but with an unexpected twist.
Over the last few years, watch pundits have predicted the return of the eccentric TAG Heuer Formula 1, in some shape or form. It was all but confirmed when TAG Heuer’s heritage director, Nicholas Biebuyck, teased a slew of vintage models on his Instagram account in the aftermath of last year’s Watches & Wonders 2023 in Geneva. And when speaking with Frédéric Arnault at last year’s trade fair, the former CEO asked me directly if the brand were to relaunch its legacy Formula 1 collection, loved by collectors globally, how should they go about it?
My answer to the baited entreaty definitely didn’t mention a collaboration with Ronnie Fieg of Kith, one of the world’s biggest streetwear fashion labels. Still, here we are: the TAG Heuer Formula 1 is officially back and as colourful as ever.
As the watch industry enters its hype era—in recent years, we’ve seen MoonSwatches, Scuba Fifty Fathoms, and John Mayer G-Shocks—the new Formula 1 x Kith collaboration might be the coolest yet.
Here’s the lowdown: overnight, TAG Heuer, together with Kith, took to socials to unveil a special, limited-edition collection of Formula 1 timepieces, inspired by the original collection from the 1980s. There are 10 new watches, all limited, with some designed on a stainless steel bracelet and some on an upgraded rubber strap; both options nod to the originals.
Seven are exclusive to Kith and its global stores (New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Hawaii, Tokyo, Toronto, and Paris, to be specific), and are made in an abundance of colours. Two are exclusive to TAG Heuer; and one is “shared” between TAG Heuer and Kith—this is a highlight of the collection, in our opinion. A faithful play on the original composite quartz watch from 1986, this model, limited to just 1,350 pieces globally, features the classic black bezel with red accents, a stainless steel bracelet, and that creamy eggshell dial, in all of its vintage-inspired glory. There’s no doubt that this particular model will present as pure nostalgia for those old enough to remember when the original TAG Heuer Formula 1 made its debut.
Of course, throughout the collection, Fieg’s design cues are punctuated: the “TAG” is replaced with “Kith,” forming a contentious new brand name for this specific release, as well as Kith’s slogan, “Just Us.”
Collectors and purists alike will appreciate the dedication to the original Formula 1 collection: features like the 35mm Arnite cases—sourced from the original 80s-era supplier—the form hour hand, a triangle with a dot inside at 12 o’clock, indices that alternate every quarter between shields and dots, and a contrasting minuterie, are all welcomed design specs that make this collaboration so great.
Every TAG Heuer Formula 1 | Kith timepiece will be presented in an eye-catching box that complements the fun and colour theme of Formula 1 but drives home the premium status of this collaboration. On that note, at $2,200 a piece, this isn’t exactly an approachable quartz watch but reflects the exclusive nature of Fieg’s Kith brand and the pieces he designs (largely limited-edition).
So, what do we think? It’s important not to understate the significance of the arrival of the TAG Heuer Formula 1 in 1986, in what would prove integral in setting up the brand for success throughout the 90’s—it was the very first watch collection to have “TAG Heuer” branding, after all—but also in helping to establish a new generation of watch consumer. Like Fieg, many millennial enthusiasts will recall their sentimental ties with the Formula 1, often their first timepiece in their horological journey.
This is as faithful of a reissue as we’ll get from TAG Heuer right now, and budding watch fans should be pleased with the result. To TAG Heuer’s credit, a great deal of research has gone into perfecting and replicating this iconic collection’s proportions, materials, and aesthetic for the modern-day consumer. Sure, it would have been nice to see a full lume dial, a distinguishing feature on some of the original pieces—why this wasn’t done is lost on me—and perhaps a more approachable price point, but there’s no doubt these will become an instant hit in the days to come.
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The TAG Heuer Formula 1 | Kith collection will be available on Friday, May 3rd, exclusively in-store at select TAG Heuer and Kith locations in Miami, and available starting Monday, May 6th, at select TAG Heuer boutiques, all Kith shops, and online at Kith.com. To see the full collection, visit tagheuer.com
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8 Fascinating Facts You Didn’t Know About Aston Martin
The British sports car company is most famous as the vehicle of choice for James Bond, but Aston Martin has an interesting history beyond 007.
Aston Martin will forever be associated with James Bond, ever since everyone’s favourite spy took delivery of his signature silver DB5 in the 1964 film Goldfinger. But there’s a lot more to the history of this famed British sports car brand beyond its association with the fictional British Secret Service agent.
Let’s dive into the long and colourful history of Aston Martin.
The origin of the Aston Martin name
The company that would become Aston Martin started out as a car dealership. In 1912, Englishmen Robert Bamford and Lionel Martin partnered to sell cars, but soon after they decided to build their own models. Their first prototype debuted in 1915, named in honour of Martin, a racing driver, and his favourite racing venue, Aston Hills. Thus, the name Aston Martin was born.
A speed-demon co-founder banned from driving
Aston Martin co-founder Lionel Martin wasn’t just a keen racing driver—he was an all-out speed demon. As a student, Martin won numerous gruelling bicycle racing records, including riding nearly the full width of England in one 22-hour stretch. He competed in motorcycle and sidecar races and automotive hillclimb competitions. It seems he also brought that need for speed to the public roadways: In 1909, having neglected to pay a previous speeding fine, Martin was caught driving 41.5 km/ph in London and was banned from driving for two years—during which he set yet another cross-country bicycle record.
A tractor company takes over
The years after World War I were tumultuous for Aston Martin, with financial difficulties and numerous takeovers. In 1947, Aston Martin went up for sale and was purchased by David Brown Limited, a company that specialised in farm tractors and industrial gears. Sir David Brown, grandson of the company’s founder, was a lifelong car enthusiast and racer, having built his own competition cars while working as an engineer at the family company. The first car built by Aston Martin after this takeover was called the DB1, named after the tractor company (and the man) that had saved the carmaker.
An indirect connection to Bentley
Around the same time that Sir David Brown took over Aston Martin, he purchased another struggling British carmaker, Lagonda. The company was developing a revolutionary twin-cam six-cylinder engine called the LB6, and Sir David wanted the engine for his new line of Aston Martin sports cars. The Lagonda engine had been designed by none other than W.O. Bentley—the man who co-founded Bentley Motors, who had long since been pushed out of the company bearing his name.
The history of the DB Series
Aston Martin built seven vehicles named in honour of owner Sir David Brown: The DB1, DB2, DB3, DB4, DB5, DB6, and the combo-breaker DBS all bore Sir David’s initials. In 1972, Sir David sold the car company, and the new owners ended the DB series of vehicles, but the name was revived in 1993 with the DB7 in honour of Sir David—who himself was given an honorary position at the company that same year.
Bond, James Bond
Of course, the most famous Aston Martin of them all is the DB5. Just over 1,000 examples were built between 1963 and 1965, but millions worldwide know this as the James Bond car. In the books, author Ian Fleming had specified an earlier Aston Martin DB Mark III as Bond’s car. Still, the DB5 was introduced in the 1964 Bond film Goldfinger, equipped with gadgets including machine guns, smoke screens, oil slicks, an ejector seat, and rotating license plates. Bond has driven several Aston Martin models over the years, including a V8 Vantage, a V12 Vanquish, and two DBS models, but the original DB5 will always be considered the quintessential Bond car.
The angular years
Today, the Aston Martin badge is most closely associated with swooping, evocatively curvy car designs, but in the 1970s the company was obsessed with angular, wedge-shaped designs. The trend began in 1976 with the Aston Martin Lagonda, a shockingly unconventional four-door luxury sedan with “folded-paper” body styling and the world’s first all-digital instrument panel. The Lagonda’s styling was further evolved in 1979 with the Bulldog, a radical concept car with gullwing doors and a sharply pointed nose. The Bulldog was meant to become the fastest road car on earth, but the project was abandoned before production could begin.
For Bond’s eyes only
While most of James Bond’s Aston Martins have been commercially available to anyone who could afford one, the DB10 seen in the 2015 film Spectre was exclusive to 007. As Aston Martin executive Marek Reichman explained to Variety, director Sam Mendes, producer Barbara Broccoli, and Bond star Daniel Craig were touring Aston Martin’s design studios when they saw a concept sketch on the wall. The Bond team insisted that this should be 007’s next car, and Aston Martin spent the next six months furiously working to turn the drawing into a real-world car. The DB10 was unveiled during the launch of the film Spectre, and eight of the 10 examples built were featured in the movie, with the remaining two used for promotional appearances.
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What Venice’s New Tourist Tax Means for Your Next Trip
The Italian city will now charge visitors an entry fee during peak season.
Visiting the Floating City just got a bit more expensive.
Venice is officially the first metropolis in the world to start implementing a day-trip fee in an effort to help the Italian hot spot combat overtourism during peak season, The Associated Press reported. The new program, which went into effect, requires travellers to cough up roughly €5 (about $AUD8.50) per person before they can explore the city’s canals and historic sites. Back in January, Venice also announced that starting in June, it would cap the size of tourist groups to 25 people and prohibit loudspeakers in the city centre and the islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello.
“We need to find a new balance between the tourists and residents,’ Simone Venturini, the city’s top tourism official, told AP News. “We need to safeguard the spaces of the residents, of course, and we need to discourage the arrival of day-trippers on some particular days.”
During this trial phase, the fee only applies to the 29 days deemed the busiest—between April 25 and July 14—and tickets will remain valid from 8:30 am to 4 pm. Visitors under 14 years of age will be allowed in free of charge in addition to guests with hotel reservations. However, the latter must apply online beforehand to request an exemption. Day-trippers can also pre-pay for tickets online via the city’s official tourism site or snap them up in person at the Santa Lucia train station.
“With courage and great humility, we are introducing this system because we want to give a future to Venice and leave this heritage of humanity to future generations,” Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said in a statement on X (formerly known as Twitter) regarding the city’s much-talked-about entry fee.
Despite the mayor’s backing, it’s apparent that residents weren’t totally pleased with the program. The regulation led to protests and riots outside of the train station, The Independent reported. “We are against this measure because it will do nothing to stop overtourism,” resident Cristina Romieri told the outlet. “Moreover, it is such a complex regulation with so many exceptions that it will also be difficult to enforce it.”
While Venice is the first city to carry out the new day-tripper fee, several other European locales have introduced or raised tourist taxes to fend off large crowds and boost the local economy. Most recently, Barcelona increased its city-wide tourist tax. Similarly, you’ll have to pay an extra “climate crisis resilience” tax if you plan on visiting Greece that will fund the country’s disaster recovery projects.
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Omega Reveals a New Speedmaster Ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics
Your first look at the new Speedmaster Chronoscope, designed in the colour theme of the Paris Olympics.
The starters are on the blocks, and with less than 100 days to go until the Paris 2024 Olympics, luxury Swiss watchmaker Omega was bound to release something spectacular to mark its bragging rights as the official timekeeper for the Summer Games. Enter the new 43mm Speedmaster Chronoscope, available in new colourways—gold, black, and white—in line with the colour theme of the Olympic Games in Paris this July.
So, what do we get in this nicely-wrapped, Olympics-inspired package? Technically, there are four new podium-worthy iterations of the iconic Speedmaster.
The new versions present handsomely in stainless steel or 18K Moonshine Gold—the brand’s proprietary yellow gold known for its enduring shine. The steel version has an anodised aluminium bezel and a stainless steel bracelet or vintage-inspired perforated leather strap. The Moonshine Gold iteration boasts a ceramic bezel; it will most likely appease Speedy collectors, particularly those with an affinity for Omega’s long-standing role as stewards of the Olympic Games.
Notably, each watch bears an attractive white opaline dial; the background to three dark grey timing scales in a 1940s “snail” design. Of course, this Speedmaster Chronoscope is special in its own right. For the most part, the overall look of the Speedmaster has remained true to its 1957 origins. This Speedmaster, however, adopts Omega’s Chronoscope design from 2021, including the storied tachymeter scale, along with a telemeter, and pulsometer scale—essentially, three different measurements on the wrist.
While the technical nature of this timepiece won’t interest some, others will revel in its theatrics. Turn over each timepiece, and instead of a transparent crystal caseback, there is a stamped medallion featuring a mirror-polished Paris 2024 logo, along with “Paris 2024” and the Olympic Rings—a subtle nod to this year’s games.
Powering this Olympiad offering—and ensuring the greatest level of accuracy—is the Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 9908 and 9909, certified by METAS.
A Speedmaster to commemorate the Olympic Games was as sure a bet as Mondo Deplantis winning gold in the men’s pole vault—especially after Omega revealed its Olympic-edition Seamaster Diver 300m “Paris 2024” last year—but they delivered a great addition to the legacy collection, without gimmickry.
However, the all-gold Speedmaster is 85K at the top end of the scale, which is a lot of money for a watch of this stature. By comparison, the immaculate Speedmaster Moonshine gold with a sun-brushed green PVD “step” dial is 15K cheaper, albeit without the Chronoscope complications.
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The Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope in stainless steel with a leather strap is priced at $15,725; stainless steel with steel bracelet at $16,275; 18k Moonshine Gold on leather strap $54,325; and 18k Moonshine Gold with matching gold bracelet $85,350, available at Omega boutiques now.
Discover the collection here
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Here’s What Goes Into Making Jay-Z’s $1,800 Champagne
We put Armand de Brignac Blanc de Noirs Assemblage No. 4 under the microsope.
In our quest to locate the most exclusive and exciting wines for our readers, we usually ask the question, “How many bottles of this were made?” Often, we get a general response based on an annual average, although many Champagne houses simply respond, “We do not wish to communicate our quantities.” As far as we’re concerned, that’s pretty much like pleading the Fifth on the witness stand; yes, you’re not incriminating yourself, but anyone paying attention knows you’re probably guilty of something. In the case of some Champagne houses, that something is making a whole lot of bottles—millions of them—while creating an illusion of rarity.
We received the exact opposite reply regarding Armand de Brignac Blanc de Noirs Assemblage No. 4. Yasmin Allen, the company’s president and CEO, told us only 7,328 bottles would be released of this Pinot Noir offering. It’s good to know that with a sticker price of around $1,800, it’s highly limited, but it still makes one wonder what’s so exceptional about it.
Known by its nickname, Ace of Spades, for its distinctive and decorative metallic packaging, Armand de Brignac is owned by Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy and Jay-Z and is produced by Champagne Cattier. Each bottle of Assemblage No. 4 is numbered; a small plate on the back reads “Assemblage Four, [X,XXX]/7,328, Disgorged: 20 April, 2023.” Prior to disgorgement, it spent seven years in the bottle on lees after primary fermentation mostly in stainless steel with a small amount in concrete. That’s the longest of the house’s Champagnes spent on the lees, but Allen says the winemaking team tasted along the way and would have disgorged earlier than planned if they’d felt the time was right.
Chef de cave, Alexandre Cattier, says the wine is sourced from some of the best Premier and Grand Cru Pinot Noir–producing villages in the Champagne region, including Chigny-les-Roses, Verzenay, Rilly-la-Montagne, Verzy, Ludes, Mailly-Champagne, and Ville-sur-Arce in the Aube département. This is considered a multi-vintage expression, using wine from a consecutive trio of vintages—2013, 2014, and 2015—to create an “intense and rich” blend. Seventy percent of the offering is from 2015 (hailed as one of the finest vintages in recent memory), with 15 percent each from the other two years.
This precisely crafted Champagne uses only the tête de cuvée juice, a highly selective extraction process. As Allen points out, “the winemakers solely take the first and freshest portion of the gentle cuvée grape press,” which assures that the finished wine will be the highest quality. Armand de Brignac used grapes from various sites and three different vintages so the final product would reflect the house signature style. This is the fourth release in a series that began with Assemblage No. 1. “Testing different levels of intensity of aromas with the balance of red and dark fruits has been a guiding principle between the Blanc de Noirs that followed,” Allen explains.
The CEO recommends allowing the Assemblage No. 4 to linger in your glass for a while, telling us, “Your palette will go on a journey, evolving from one incredible aroma to the next as the wine warms in your glass where it will open up to an extraordinary length.” We found it to have a gorgeous bouquet of raspberry and Mission fig with hints of river rock; as it opened, notes of toasted almond and just-baked brioche became noticeable. With striking acidity and a vein of minerality, it has luscious nectarine, passion fruit, candied orange peel, and red plum flavors with touches of beeswax and a whiff of baking spices on the enduring finish. We enjoyed our bottle with a roast chicken rubbed with butter and herbes de Provence and savored the final, extremely rare sip with a bit of Stilton. Unfortunately, the pairing possibilities are not infinite with this release; there are only 7,327 more ways to enjoy yours.
