Twelve boats to watch out for at Sydney International Boat Show

Research on the internet can’t replicate the touch and feel experience of a boat show for prospective boat buyers.

By Jeni Bone 31/07/2017

Even in this era of seemingly infinite net-knowledge, prospective boat buyers can’t replicate the touch and feel experience of a boat show.

“You can research on the internet, but boat shows are the only way to see the vessel’s features for yourself, compare them with other models, and really immerse yourself in the emotion of boating,” states Howard Glenn, National CEO of the Boating Industry Association.

“Compared to the investment of buying a boat, a day at a boat show is a small cost in time and entry fee to fully experience the boat of your dreams on the water. You make sense of the research, talk to the experts – not just sales people, but the designers and other owners – and you may be surprised; you might discover other options as well.

“The Sydney International Boat Show presents boat, engines, equipment and accessories from all over the world, available here and supported here.”

The show runs from August 3-7 at International Convention Centre Sydney and on adjacent Cockle Bay Marina. Tickets and details: www.sydneyboatshow.com.au

Here are 12 boats not to miss at the Sydney International Boat Show:

MY GHOST II

(Gulf Craft Majesty 122 raised pilot house)

Starting price: $12.5 million

Length: 122 feet

Top speed: 20 knots

Accommodation: five luxuriously appointed suites for 10 to 12 guests.

GHOST II is considered the most technically advanced motor yacht to enter charter in Australia, featuring two large decks for entertaining up to 120 guests, spacious flybridge with Jacuzzi and onboard chef.

www.australiansuperyachts.com.au

Sanlorenzo 106

Starting price: $15 million

Length: 106 feet

Top speed: 28 knots

Cruising speed: 24 knots

Accommodation: Eight guests in four staterooms, four to five crew cabins.

Highlights: Italian-built, fully-customised, lavish Beach Club on the transom with spa and gym.

ensignbrokers.com.au

NISI 2400 80’ ‘NISI’

Starting price: $6.5 million

Length: 80 feet

Top speed: 27 knots

Accommodations: Eight guests in four staterooms, plus four crew.

Highlights: Going into charter on Sydney Harbour in time for summer; all one level, 360⁰ glazing for uninterrupted views; six person sunpad on aft deck.

ensignbrokers.com.au

Italia 13.98

Starting price: $800,000

Length: 47 feet

Top speed: Sailing yacht

Accommodation: Three cabins for up to six guests, or available in four cabin layout.

Highlights: Hand-built in Venice, the sportscar of cruisers, designed by iconic designer and experienced offshore sailor, Maurizio Cossutti; winner 2013 European Yacht of the Year, praised for attention to the finest details in aesthetics and performance.

ensignbrokers.com.au

Heysea 135

Starting price: $US15 million ($A18.8 million)

Length: 135 feet

Top speed: 18 knots

Accommodation: Six staterooms, including owner’s suite occupying entire skylounge with private aft deck, crew quarters for eight.

Highlights: Chinese-built, designed by Italian firm, Unielli and VYD for interiors; massive Beach Club with Opacmare Transformer platform for lifting watertoys.

ensignbrokers.com.au

Maritimo S70

(World premiere)

Starting price: $3 million.

Length: 135 feet.

Top speed: 30 knots.

Accommodation: Four cabins, including a full-beam, apartment-sized master cabin.

Highlights: the S70 is the largest single-level vessel by Maritimo; the serious bluewater passage maker boasts nimble handling, wide beam and a class-leading range of 1600 nautical miles at nine knots.

www.maritimo.com.au

Pershing 64

Starting price: $3.95 million

Length: 64 feet

Top speed: 46 knots

Accommodation: three cabins, each with ensuite, including full-beam Master.

Highlights: The pearlescent hull E200,000 addition; windshield is carbon-fibre reinforced glass; disappearing saloon creates seamless flow of indoor-outdoor entertaining space; hydraulic tender garage with jet tender.

www.raywhitemarine.com

Riviera 68 Sports Motor Yacht

(World premiere)

Starting price: $3.8 million

Length: 68 feet

Top speed: 30 knots

Accommodation: Option of four-cabin Classic or the three-cabin Grand Presidential design with full-beam Master.

Highlights: A true bluewater motor yacht, versatile platform for all; next generation CZone digital switching which can interface with an iPad.

BRIG Eagle 10

(World premiere)

Starting price: $250,000

Length: 33.6 feet

Top speed: 50 knots

Accommodation: two person cabin.

Highlights: Hailed as the “game changer” in rigid inflatable boats; two 300hp engines; deep-V-hull for dry, smooth ride; virtually unsinkable due to its carbon fibre Hypalon tubes.

www.siroccomarine.com.au

Fjord 36 Xpress

Starting price: $350,000

Length: 36 feet

Top speed: 45 knots

Accommodation: Two person cabin.

Highlights: table and aft bench can be lowered, converting into a sun terrace with a bar, refrigerators and direct access to the water.

eyachts.com.au

Concepts

Of exceptional interest at this year’s SIBS, two motor yachts, vastly different, one currently in build and scheduled for unveiling with significant fanfare as a new concept, and the other, the dramatic and much-anticipated reworking of the fledgling brand, Elandra, now under the Maritimo marque.

Whitehaven Harbour Classic 4000

Known for their fully-custom built, long-range motor yachts, Whitehaven is branching out into something entirely different, reviving the nostalgia of boating in the era of quiet, contemplative cruising with a thoroughly high-tech dayboat. Described by its designers as “a modern classic with personality and panache”, the 40ft Harbour Classic 4000 will be a beacon of style and sophistication for boaties keen to downsize to something more manageable, more spontaneous and more intimate. With one cabin, there’s just room enough for two, and perhaps the grandkiddies on the convertible dining table, with ample room for entertaining friends and the ability to reach your tranquil mooring swiftly, with a top speed of 30 knots. Due for launch in 2018, the fully-custom designed and built vessel will be priced at “under $1m”.

Maritimo X60

Tom Barry-Cotter – son of company founder, Bill Barry-Cotter – has recrafted the Elandra motor yacht he designed in tandem with step-brother Luke Durman. Now stamped as the ‘X-Series’, it’s deemed “the largest design and development project ever undertaken in the company’s history”, the new range forms part of the brand’s long-term plan.

The shaft driven, Maritimo X60 will borrow systems and components developed for the World Champion Maritimo Racing Team, making it the most technologically advanced vessel the company has ever manufactured, with all the attributes of oceangoing performance, durability and fuel economy synonymous with the Maritimo brand.

In a world first for a vessel of its size, the Maritimo X60 design features a large aft cabin and ensuite accessible from both swim platform and saloon, which provides the kinds of customisable spaces previously only seen on superyachts.

The Maritimo X60’s aft cabin incorporates twin entry points, via swim platform and the internal staircase from the saloon, extending the X60’s living space to that similar of 70ft vessels. It then enables customers to opt between Beach Club, Queen Stateroom, Euro Galley or Service Cabin with optional tender garage and laundry.

The Maritimo X60 will be available in 2018 and priced at $2.25 million.

www.maritimo.com.au

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How Off-the-Rack Suits Got Sophisticated Enough to Win Over Bespoke Guys

Ready-to-wear tailoring has never been better, and it offers even the most particular dressers a fast, easy platform for experimenting with their look.

By Aleks Cvetkovic 18/02/2025

The world moves fast—and for once, tailoring is moving a little bit faster.

Guys around the globe are rediscovering their love of suits, but many have determined that they can’t stomach the monthslong wait for bespoke. The good news? Ready-to-wear tailoring has never been better.

That’s in part because bespoke makers are beefing up their off-the-rack offerings. Anderson & Sheppard’s shop-in-store at N.Y.C.’s Bergdorf Goodman—the first outpost beyond its London flagship— opened in December with, among other things, a sharp wool-and-cashmere jacket in a delightful shade of teal. Huntsman’s recent fall-winter collection, billed as its most comprehensive assortment yet, offered everything from tuxedos to shooting breeches. Even Leonard Logsdail, Hollywood’s highly esteemed bespoke purveyor, is experimenting with hem-and-go models.

But non-custom tailors are upping the ante, too. Some of the best ready-to-wear suits on the market come from such brands, whose wholly distinctive points of view provide a welcome departure from the rigidity of many bespoke tailors’ house styles. The preponderance and diversity of such high-quality, easy-to-access threads has recast off-the-rack suits as the ultimate way to experiment with your look, not just a way for some to get dressed on the cheap. What’s more, it reflects the new reality that even people who suit up regularly might want to show up looking different on Thursday night than they did on Tuesday morning.

“Life nowadays is much more fluid,” says Chris Modoo, a London-based stylist who once worked as a tailor on Savile Row. “Things happen, invitations appear. You might get an invite for a black-tie party in the South of France for next Saturday.” Ready-to-wear is the obvious solution when you’re in a last-minute menswear quandary, but “it also means you can try new things.”

One maker worth a test-drive is Husbands Paris, founded by Nicolas Gabard, who sees his role as an “archivist of the past.” His look, inspired by stylish men such as Yves Saint Laurent, David Hemmings, and Gary Cooper, is unabashedly striking—think long, fully canvased jackets, broad lapels, structured shoulders, and wide-leg, high-waisted trousers. These wares are made in small workshops in Italy and Portugal, where craftspeople infuse them with high-end details such as hand-sewn buttonholes and silk bar tacks, a form of stitching that reinforces seams and pockets.

Thom Sweeney L.A. store Brett Wood

They’re the kind of touches any menswear enthusiast can appreciate—even if they’re the trees to Gabard’s style forest. Clothes like this are designed as a form of wearable self-assurance, enhancing what Gabard calls a “classically masculine” silhouette: broad shoulders, slim waist, narrow hips.

“Of course, tailoring has to fit well, but it also has to bring something else,” he says. “More and more [Husbands] customers want to be confident, powerful, and sexy in their outfit.”

When you want to look more suave than soigné, turn to the indie Milanese brand Massimo Alba, which is known for its chic casualwear but made its name with easygoing tailoring. “A great suit is not just about the way it fits but about the way it makes you feel,” says the eponymous label’s founder of his relaxed approach. “For me, the essence lies in balance, between structure and softness, elegance and ease. In my opinion, a suit should adapt to the wearer, not the other way around.”

Alba’s creations are cut from plush materials such as corduroy and flannel, featuring natural shoulders and only the lightest of canvasing in the chest, which results in a less-formal look. Which is not to say they aren’t workhorses: Daniel Craig wore one of Alba’s Sloop suits to dodge bullets in 2021’s James Bond film No Time to Die. “I always focus on fabrics that move with the body, details that whisper rather than shout, and cuts that allow for freedom,” Alba adds.

And freedom is precisely what this newfound inventory of great ready-to-wear tailoring provides. Modoo advises some clients to look to bespoke tailors for investment-level garments, such as morning suits, tuxedos, or the dark, serious stuff you might need for a funeral or odd courtroom appearance. “You know you’re going to wear these for 10 or 15 years,” he says. Let the new class of distinctive ready-to-wear step in when you want to try something that just wouldn’t make sense as a bespoke order. “Your pink-velvet blazer for the Christmas party? How well does that need to fit?”

London bespoke tailor Caroline Andrew is one of many who admits ready-to-wear has its place. Courtesy of Caroline Andrew

Fortunately, with so many options available, the fit is easier to dial in. You can expect most high-end operations to make a long list of changes, from ensuring that the seat of the trousers drapes appropriately to cutting working buttonholes on the jacket. For a peerless experience, you can always reach for garments from one of the many talented bespoke tailors offering ready-to-wear. At Thom Sweeney, such clothes are “all influenced by our bespoke cut,” says Thom Whiddett, who cofounded the brand with Luke Sweeney in 2007. “You try on [our ready-to-wear] jacket, and you immediately get a sense of the proportions and shapes that we put into a bespoke garment.”

That alluring sense of near-instant gratification is the point. For some, nothing will ever replace the distinguished feeling of slipping into a bench-made suit—and plenty are willing to wait for it.

“You have to mentally buy into the process and enjoy it,” says Caroline Andrew, a London bespoke specialist. “The journey is just as important as the finished product.” But ready-to-wear sets the time-strapped tailoring enthusiast down a different path: discovering new facets of your personal style at a record pace.

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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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