THE ANSWERS with…  John Pearson 

Supermodel John Pearson on Hot Yoga, Ayahuasca, and Losing His Vintage Omega.

By Justin Fenner 01/08/2024

You could say John Pearson has benefitted from great jeans. The 58-year-old, regarded as the world’s first male supermodel, was discovered at age 18 while managing a denim shop in his hometown of Hull, in northern England

Three years later, in 1986, he moved to New York, where he worked for everyone from Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein to Levi’s and Gap, often shooting with photographers such as Helmut Newton and Mario Testino. A “good day in the office” moment: starring alongside Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford and Christy Turlington in the music video for George Michael’s Freedom! 90. 

In the nearly four decades since coming to America, Pearson has appeared in over 100 commercials and countless magazines. But perhaps his most personal project is the one he cofounded in 2020, the lifestyle and mental-health website Mr. Feelgood. “It’s like a campsite chat,” he says of its insightful interviews. “We all need to try and learn to open ourselves up to new experiences and new perspectives.”

Ed Niles is a Malibu-based architect known for the dramatic modernist homes he designed in the late 20th century, which are prized for their connection to their surrounding landscapes. Pearson’s residence was built in 1979. Photo by: Kurt Iswarienko

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
We live in an Ed Niles house, and I can look at the sunrise over Hidden Hills [California] from our bed. And then I say, “Thank you. I’m grateful for being here and for having another day.” And then I make coffee. 

What apps on your phone do you use the most?
Well, I’ve stopped using CNN. It’s just too depressing. I’m so embarrassed to admit it, but I use Instagram the most, just because I’m trying to do it for Mr. Feelgood. 

Do you have any personal rituals?
I do meditation. I started with transcendental meditation, but now I just find 10 minutes to be still. 

What have you done recently for the first time?
An ayahuasca ceremony. One of my older sisters passed away unexpectedly a year ago, and it was a terrible shock. And after coming back from England, I spent six months grilling a friend I’ve known for 40 years about it. I had an extraordinarily gentle, beautiful, connected experience. It was a good 14 hours, and I didn’t look at my phone once. I don’t want to get too hippie-dippie, but it made me realise that death is a part of life, and you have to surrender, to some degree, to the flow of life. 

What in your wardrobe do you wear most often?
Cucinelli pants. And a lovely, lovely navy-blue corduroy cashmere suit by Thom Sweeney that I’ve been wearing daily and feel great in. And I’m working with this designer in New York called Stephén Seo. He’s made me an exquisite cashmere coat, and when I travel, I take that with me. 

Do you have a uniform for certain occasions?
I’ve just given you three designer names, but I’m pretty unfashionable. I’m the guy who lives in T-shirts and keeps it very simple. 

What do you crave most at the end of the day?
Peace. Lightness. Knowing that my family are all okay. And knowing that I’ve done my best. 

How do you find calm?
Meditation, breath work, and definitely my true church, which is walking by the water at Point Dume very early in the morning or at sunset. 

What’s the most recent thing you’ve added to your collection?
I just received a wonderful print from John Alexander, who’s a photographer, of tribes in the Mongolian desert. It’s exquisite. 

Kurt Iswarienko

What’s the most recent thing you regret not buying?
I saw a really beautiful 1958 Triumph motorcar—not motorbike—in London. I love the idea of an open top in California, being a gentleman of a certain age, and having to really work to get through traffic. 

What’s the most impressive dish you cook?
I’m really good with soup. I do a great lentil soup. I do a pretty good watercress and potato soup. My fallback used to be Bolognese, but I’m not eating that much meat anymore. 

What’s your exercise routine, and how often do you do it?
I go through periods of absolute intensity with hot yoga. Ninety-minute sessions at 107 degrees with 26-plus postures. Sometimes four times a week, but it depends on whether I’m travelling. 

How do you get to sleep?
I tend to get into bed quite early, 10 or 11, and then I try to put my phone down and read. 

What does success look like to you?
Financial independence. Health. A positive, joyous, inspired attitude. Curiosity. Growth. Imagination. A rich, all-encompassing existence. 

Pearson wears three silver bracelets, one for each of his three children

Do you wear a watch?
I don’t. When I was 18, I inherited my father’s Omega dress watch. And when I was 21, I lost it in a bar in Paris. Every time I’m in Paris, I go to the flea markets to look for it. I have this feeling that one day it’ll come back to me. 

What car are you most attached to?
I had a ’67 silver Karmann Ghia for 30 years, which I got when I was 21. And when we moved back here to California in 2009, I left it at the Classic Car Club in London. 

Though it’s visually stunning, the 1967 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia tops out at just 132 km/h—meaning it would just about crack the speed limit in the Northern Territory.

What’s your favourite hotel in the world?
The Fogo Island Inn in Newfoundland. It looks quite imposing, but they’ve managed to create an atmosphere of warmth and comfort.

The striking Fogo Island Inn was founded in 2013 by Zita Cobb, an eighth-generation Newfoundlander, after she made a fortune in the tech sector. All of the hotel’s surplus proceeds are reinvested into the local community.

What’s your email etiquette?
I respond swiftly. I do not ghost. That’s one of my pet peeves: people that don’t respond to you. 

What’s always in your hand luggage?
Books. Right now, I’m re-reading Michael Singer’s The Surrender Experiment, which came out about 10 years ago. 

What’s the last film you paid to see?
Poor Things. 

Last box set or Netflix binge?
Beef. 

What sort of music makes you happy?
Dub reggae makes me happy. It makes me chill. But also, Bowie inspires me. Yeah. Big David Bowie fan.

John Alexander’s adventure photography has been published in The New York Times and exhibited in Paris and Milan. He started his career as a bomb-disposal and diving officer in Britain’s Royal Navy.

Learn more about John Pearson’s Mr Feelgood

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Tom Brady Wears a Jacob & Co. Watch Decked in Yellow Sapphires to the Super Bowl

The $740,000 Caviar Tourbillon was an opulent choice for the former NFL star.

By 17/02/2025

Tom Brady was on the field tonight at the 59th annual Super Bowl game, and while the retired NFL hero—a seven-time Super Bowl winner (the most of any footballer in history)—wasn’t playing, he came dressed to impress with a $116,400 Jacob & Co. watch on his wrist.

Brady, who is a notable watch collector, recently sold off several of his timepieces at a Sotheby’s auction called “The GOAT Collection: Watches and Treasures from Tom Brady” this past December. Those timepieces ran the gamut from a Rolex Daytona Ref. 6241 to a unique Audemars Piguet Royal Oak with his name spelled out in diamonds across the salmon-colored tapisserie dial. His Rolex Daytona sold for over $1.5 million, and, in total, his auction raked in around $7 million. So, he’s well-equipped for a new watch purchase.

Whether or not he owns the six-figure sapphire stunner or it was a paid spot, the watch certainly stood out against his conservative but immaculately fit gray suit. “Tom Brady is the epitome of excellence, both on and off the field,” said Benjamin Arabov, CEO of Jacob & Co, in a press release sent out by the company shortly after Brady’s appearance. “We’re thrilled to see him wearing two of our most prestigious timepieces on the biggest stage in sports. The Billionaire Mini Ashoka and Caviar Tourbillon embody the precision, luxury, and innovation that define Jacob & Co. We’re honored to have him represent the artistry and craftsmanship behind every piece we create.”

Like much of Brady’s wrist candy, his 44 by 15.8 mm Caviar Tourbillon is not easy to come by. It is limited to just 18 pieces. It features hours, minutes, and a one-minute flying tourbillon in the JCAA43 movement with 216 components and 72 hours of power reserve. The movement itself is set with 338 brilliant-cut diamonds, while a total of 337 yellow sapphires adorn the case and dial. The clasp is decorated with another 18 baguette-cut yellow sapphires, and the crown comes with 14 baguette-cut yellow sapphires and one rose-cut yellow sapphire. As far as gem setting goes, this is one extraordinary piece, but it certainly seemed like a surprising choice for Brady, who was otherwise dressed like he just stepped out of a boardroom or a Ralph Lauren catalog.

Benjamin Arabov, son of Jacob & Co. founder Jacob Arabov, is now the CEO of the company. The 32-year-old recently took to Instagram to post that he was looking for a rebranding agency with experience in visual identity and packaging. As far as marketing goes, however, with Tom Brady, he’s golden.

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This Vintage Rolex Day-Date Has an Ultra-Rare and Coveted ‘Bark’ Design

The ultra-cool piece from Wind Vintage also comes in pristine condition with a desirable patina.

By Paige Reddinger 17/02/2025

Over the last four years there has been a resurgence in interest for 18-karat yellow gold watches. Much of that is due to fatigue over the long-running craze for steel tool watches, but it is also in part due to the rising value of gold (which shows no sign of slowing), rendering these once undesirable pieces increasingly worth collecting. Add to that the fact that, in some niche and stylish circles, unusual bracelet treatments, gem-setting, and interesting dials are becoming increasingly appealing and you have a new wave of watch collecting emerging. Steel sports watches are still the bread and butter for most dealers, but as pockets of interest in more unusual timekeepers, often from younger and fashion-forward collectors, continue to rise we’re seeing some really fun pieces pop up on the market. Case in point: This 1980s Rolex Day-Date in 18-karat yellow gold with a sapphire and diamond dial from Wind Vintage currently available exclusively on The Vault.

It wasn’t that long ago that dealers had a hard time unloading an all-gold gem-set piece. Eric Wind, the notable dealer and founder of Wind Vintage, says five years ago he would have sold this piece for around $23,000 to $28,000. The asking price today? $45,000. “It is very rare,” he tells Robb Report. “I think that was all clearly hand-done. Funnily enough, bark watches were not very desirable in the past. You know, even five to 10 years ago, they were very, very hard to sell. But, over the last three to five years, there’s been such an emergence and interest in jewellery and watches and work like that engraving and other kind of artistic forms that the watches took.” The style of engraving he is referring to on this watch can be seen on the bezel and middle links of the bracelet that is referred to as “bark” for its rough tree-like appearance.

“Bark” engraving on the bezel and bracelet of the Wind Vintage 1980s Rolex Day-Date
Courtesy of Wind Vintage

And while the bracelet is certainly a notable feature that will stand out in a sea of Submariners and Daytonas, the dial is also worth bragging about. Its diamond minutes track and sapphire hour markers are executed in what is known as a “string dial” because it looks like a string of pearls. “They’ve become very popular,” says Wind. “They were very expensive back in the 80s, just because of the cost of the stones, and there are just not many that exist on the planet.” Likewise, Wind says the canary yellow matte dial is not something he comes across often, having only seen a couple of others.

An up-close look at the patina and “bark” engraving on this 1980s Day-Date from Wind Vintage.
Courtesy of Wind Vintage

Part of what makes this watch so hard to find on the market is that pieces like this often didn’t survive past their ’80s heyday. “A lot of times these watches were so undesirable that dealers would replace the bezel inserts and put on fluted inserts, or smooth bezels or fluted bezels and melt down the bracelets or polish the center link so they looked like a standard Day-Date. Those dealers should have learned that what goes around, always comes around. Now with these interesting Rolex watches on the rise, they’ll become even harder to find.

A Wind Vintage 1980s Day-Date with “bark” engraving and a gem-set “string dial”
Courtesy of Wind Vintage

If you’re interested in the piece and want to speak to Wind about it IRL, he will be at Robb Report’s House of Robb event in San Francsico today during the NBA All-Star weekend.

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Soccer Star Kylian Mbappé Is Now an Investor in Watch Marketplace Wristcheck

Just like Jay-Z.
Published on February 7, 2025

By Abby Montanez 11/02/2025

Kylian Mbappé just went from brand ambassador to investor.

The celebrated French footballer, who currently plays for Real Madrid, has taken a stake in luxury watch trading platform Wristcheck, Hypebeast reported lat week.

Off the filed, the 26-year-old soccer star is a known timepiece collector and has served as an ambassador for Swiss marque Hublot since 2018. With this new partnership, the forward joins a growing group of influential backers, including Jay-Z. The rapper and business mogul took an equity stake in the Hong Kong-based company last summer as part of a recent funding round of $7.9 million.

“I’m thrilled to join Wristcheck as an investor through Coalition Capital,” Mbappé said in a press statement. “As a Hublot ambassador and someone passionate about watches and innovation, I see Wristcheck as a platform that truly understands the next generation of collectors. They’re reshaping the watch industry with a forward-thinking approach that blends technology, transparency, and creativity.” Mbappé did not immediately respond to Robb Report‘s request for comment on his new business endeavor.

Kylian Mbappé is an investor in online watch shop Wristcheck.
Tnani Badreddine/DeFodi Images via Getty Images

Launched in 2020 by renowned horophile and Instagram personality Austen Chu, Wristcheck offers a platform for collectors to buy and sell pre-owned watches that have been authenticated by Swiss-trained watchmakers. Since it was founded, the company has raised more than $21.6 million in funding from investors including the Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, Gobi Partners GBA, and K3 Ventures.

Mbappé, meanwhile, has achieved remarkable success in his soccer career. He won the 2018 FIFA World Cup with France, becoming the youngest player to score in a final since Pelé. At PSG, he has secured multiple Ligue 1 titles and domestic cups. Individually, Mbappé has earned the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award and regularly features in top European scoring charts. And in 2020, he was ranked the world’s highest-paid player, surpassing rivals Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

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Sotheby’s Will Put on the Largest Auction of Breguet Watches in Decades This Fall

To celebrate the revered watchmaking house’s 250th anniversary, the sale includes rare collectibles belonging to living Breguet family members.

By Paige Reddinger 11/02/2025

Interest in Breguet has experienced a quiet resurgence among savvy collectors who appreciate the brand’s deep-rooted watchmaking heritage. This growing enthusiasm will soon take center stage with an upcoming auction that shines a significant spotlight on the storied Maison.

Founded in Paris 250 years ago, Abraham-Louis Breguet was one of the most influential watchmakers in history, best known for inventing the tourbillon and the automatic winding system—along with many other groundbreaking innovations. His legacy continues to inspire modern masters such as F.P. Journe and Philippe Dufour. You can see Breguet’s influence pointedly in pieces like F.P. Journe’s famous Chronomètre à Résonance timepiece, voted one of Robb Report‘s 50 Greatest Watches of All Time.

Now, Sotheby’s has announced “the largest sale of Breguet timepieces in three decades.” Though the auction won’t take place until November, the auction house is already working to build anticipation. In the meantime, it might be wise to brush up on the most coveted Breguet references.

Breguet 1827 Perpétuelle à Tact watch made for King George IV Breguet

What may pique collectors’ interest is the sale is being curated in conjunction with Breguet and Emmanuel Breguet, the vice president and head of patrimony, who happens to be a descendant of the original Monsieur Breguet. So far, the only timekeeper publicly associated (at least visually) with the auction is the 1827 Perpétuelle à Tact watch made for King George IV. Still, it hints at the historic level of pocket watches, wristwatches, and clocks that will be on offer. Abraham-Louis Breguet was a frequent supplier of high-end and state-of-the-art timepieces for royalty, including Marie Antoinette, Napoleon Bonaparte, and King George III.

Other highlights include an open-faced montre à tact (a watch that replicates the internal hour hand on the cover of the pocket watch via an arrow so that time could be read via touch) with a calendar and moonphase indications that was the inspiration for the Ref. 3330. A pendulette with alarm, perpetual calendar and repeater, and a two-color gold open-faced tourbillon watch is said to be a part of the sale, although no images were provided as of press time. More info on what will be in the sale will come this spring.

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Capella Brands Their Own Caviar to Mark Chinese New Year

Capella Sydney continues its commitment to exceptional luxury experiences, with a high tea and caviar upgrade all part of its 2025 Lunar New Year celebrations to usher in the Year of the Snake.

By Belinda Aucott-christie 07/02/2025

These days caviar bumps are on the menu at all the best seaside restaurants, and now guests checking into a suite at Capella Sydney will be saved the trip to the beach with a tin of caviar conveniently stationed in their mini bar.

Downstairs at the chic lobby café Aperture, caviar is also part of their elegantly indulgent high tea. Expertly crafted by Head Pastry Chef Arthur Carré. This bespoke menu features a delectable selection of delicacies, including Capella Kaluga Caviar, sesame prawn toast, Peking duck pancake roll cornetto, fried pork dumplings, and pandan and mandarin lamingtons. The experience is complemented by the delicate notes of white rabbit jasmine tea from Zensation Tea House, with an optional upgrade to a glass of Louis Roederer Champagne for a truly indulgent experience.

It’s all part of a chic lunar collaboration with Kaluga Caviar (from central China) which supplies 21 of the 26 three Michelin starred restaurants in Paris. Kaluga caviar offers a balance of luxury, flavour, and sustainability. Its rich, creamy texture and large pearls make it a close alternative to Beluga caviar with a lovely walnut aftertaste.

Even if you are a guest just for the day at Capella Sydney you can indulge your palate with a high tea that pairs Oscietra black caviar, from Russian Sturgeon stock, with champagne and traditional accompaniments.

Ask for the Capella Lunar New Year Afternoon Tea when you make you reservation, and take your place at the table. Each set comes with a 10g tin of Capella Sydney x Kaluga Queen Caviar.

Capella Sydney

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