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Audemars Piguet’s New Royal Oaks
There’s seven to choose from – including a turquoise dial.
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Getting ahead of the onslaught of watch releases slated to hit at the end of next month with the annual Watches & Wonders show in Geneva, Switzerland, Audemars Piguet just announced a slew of new Royal Oak models to whet collectors appetites. And there are some serious heavy hitters.
The highlights? An 18-karat gold model with a turquoise dial (to join its top competitors in the lucrative trend), an 18-karat white gold “Jumbo” Extra-Thin sporting a handsome new blue-grained dial and a Selfwinding Chronograph in black ceramic (the brand’s other iterations of Royal Oak’s in the material have famously done well in the secondary market).
But how will you get your hands on one? Unless you are already at the top of AP’s VIP list, it can only be done with deep pockets and plenty of finagling and campaigning, no doubt. For those that cannot get the blessing of buying these five-figure timepieces at retail, the good news is the company just announced that it will be launching its own certified pre-owned company by the end of the year. Happy hunting.
Royal Oak Selfwinding with Turquoise Dial
How do you keep pace with your competitors (Patek Philippe and Rolex) when they are making headlines with turquoise dial steel sports watch models that are commanding a markup of 6 times the original retail price (Rolex) to a whopping 57 times original retail (Patek Philippe) in the secondary market? You drop a solid 18-karat yellow-gold sports watch with a dial made of literal turquoise (the stone, not just the colour). It is equipped with the latest selfwinding hour, minute, seconds and date calibre, the 5900, introduced just last year. In addition, this marks the first time a 37 mm Royal Oak has been in yellow gold since 2018 and each dial is unique due to the different machining and finishing techniques required to accommodate the natural composition of each stone. And speaking of the size, it makes for a rather attractive proposition as it can be worn by all genders, and for slimmer wrists, it’s just large enough to compliment an aesthetic that is already meant to garner a room full of looks. It’s a vibe.
Price: approx $86,000
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph in Black Ceramic
This is the first Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph in 42 mm to be housed in an all-black ceramic case. The case and bracelet material has been massively popular in other models, most recently the Audemars Piguet Black Ceramic Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph and the Royal Oak Selfwinding Carolina Bucci Limited Edition. The black ceramic case and bracelet along with the black Petite Tapisserie dial, previously exclusive to 26238 references in gold or titanium, offers a striking monochrome look while the white markers and 18-karat white-gold bezel screws offer a sharp contrast that is both aesthetically appealing and functional for legibility. The hour and minute hands, small seconds at 6 o’clock, chronograph minutes at 9 o’clock and chronograph hours at 12 o’clock are outfitted with lume for an extra layer of visibility by night. The piece is powered by the 4404 calibre, an in-house integrated chronograph movement featuring a column wheel construction with a flyback function. Unlike its traditional counterparts, this chronograph can be restarted without having to first stop and reset it. For a discreet pop of colour, a 22-carat pink-gold oscillating weight engraved with the AP initials can be seen through the sapphire crystal caseback. If you are looking to exude stealth baller status, this piece may be for you.
Price: approx $120,000
Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin with Blue-Grained Dial
As seen above, a simple dial change can make a big difference. Here, the coveted “Jumbo” Extra-Thin model received a boost with a handsome blue-grained dial. The decor is inspired by a 1992 model created for the 20th anniversary of the Royal Oak collection. The dial texture was achieved by using a blue-tone PVD with a translucent coating using a finer and brighter grain that pops more significantly in the light. Not surprisingly, this 39 mm by 8.1 mm 18-karat white gold update is a limited edition, which means it will be even harder to get retail than other Royal Oaks. Housing the latest ultra-thin 7121 movement introduced last January with an 18-carat pink-gold rotor visible through the caseback, we think it’s worth the fight.
Price: approx $110,000
Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph in Black Ceramic and Yellow Gold
Another Royal Oak Offshore to receive the black ceramic treatment was elevated a touch further by adding 18-karat yellow gold for a striking two-tone combo. The Offshore line is celebrating its 30th anniversary, so you can expect more hits from this particular collection throughout the year. At 43 mm, this is a heftier timepiece and to match its more sizeable presence, this iteration comes with a Méga Tapisserie decorated dial (larger squares in the waffle pattern).
The yellow gold flourishes extend to the caseback where it frames the sapphire crystal revealing the 4401 flyback chronograph movement in a column wheel with a vertical clutch construction. As with the black ceramic offshore above, it also offers the wearer the ability to start, stop and restart the chronograph in one action. The hands start and stop without the sense that the hands are jumping forward making for a smoother transition. The patented zero resetting mechanism allows the counter hands to instantly reset to zero.
Whether you will be timing anything other than how fast it takes someone to notice your wrist candy, however, remains to be seen.
Price: approx $85,000
Selfwinding 34 mm and 37 mm and Selfwinding Chronograph in Blue Smoked Dials
There is nothing wildly different in the trio of 18-karat white gold Selfwinding models released save for small nuances that may sway a customer between the brand’s various offerings. Without having seen these pieces IRL just yet, the smoked blue dial is a deeper, moodier hue than previous iterations in steel featuring a Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50 dial. Those models also came with diamonds on the bezel, but the distinction in dial colour here is likely to accentuate the fact that these are the more elevated purchase due to the white gold casing. The midnight-looking hue is achieved through PVD, while the smokey effect is executed by spraying coloured varnish onto the dial’s periphery while the dial is rotating. It has a nice effect on the Tapisserie dial that is surely more striking in person.
Savvy insiders will be able to distinguish that your Royal Oak is a cut above the rest thanks to this regal new hue distinction.
Price: Price Upon Request
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First Drive: The Porsche 911 S/T Is a Feral Beast That Handles the Road Like an Olympic Bobsledder
The commemorative model borrows underpinnings from the GT3 RS and includes a 518 hp engine.
The soul of any sports car comes down to the alchemy of its tuning—how the engine, suspension, and chassis blend into a chorus of sensations. The secret sauce of the new Porsche 911 S/T, developed as a tribute to the 60th anniversary of the brand’s flagship model, is more potent than most; in fact, it makes a serious case for being the most driver-focused 911 of all time.
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Gentlemanly Restraint
Art and science collide in the the newly released BR03A watch collection by Bell & Ross.
In keeping with the brand’s design salute to aviation and military equipment, the pared-back face of the Bell & Ross BR03 Automatic takes its cue from the instrumentation in cockpits. It’s unabashedly minimal and confidently masculine style is set to make it a future classic.
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From Electric Surfboards to Biodegradable Golf Balls: 8 Eco-Conscious Yacht Toys for Green and Clean Fun
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Without toys, yachts would be kind of sedentary. There’s nothing wrong with an alfresco meal, sunsets on the flybridge and daily massages. But toys add zest to life on board, while creating a deeper connection with the water. These days, there are a growing number of options for eco-friendly gadgets and equipment that deliver a greener way to play. These eight toys range from do-it-yourself-propulsion (waterborne fitness bikes) to electric foiling boards, from kayaks made of 100 percent recycled plastics to non-toxic, biodegradable golf balls with fish food inside. Your on-water adrenaline rushes don’t always have to be about noise and gas fumes. They can be fun, silent, and eco-conscious.
A game of golf isn’t just for land. Guests can play their best handicap from the deck with Albus Golf’s eco-friendly golf balls. The ecological and biodegradable golf balls are 100 percent safe for marine flora and fauna, and manufactured with non-contaminating materials. The balls will biodegrade within 48 hours after hitting the ocean and release the fish food contained in their core. For a complete golfing experience, add a floating FunAir green. From $3100 (FunAir Yacht Golf) and $315 a box (golf balls). funair.com
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The 50 Best Cocktail Bars in the World, According to a New Ranking
The World’s 50 Best organisation gave the Spanish bar Sips top honours during an awards ceremony in Singapore.
If you’re looking for the best bar in the world, you better head to Barcelona.
Sips, from the industry luminaries Simone Caporale and Marc Álvarez, was named the No. 1 bar on the planet in the latest World’s 50 Best Bars ranking. The organisation held its annual awards ceremony on Tuesday in Singapore, the first time it hosted the gathering in Asia. Sips, which only opened two years ago, moved up to the top spot from No. 3 last year.
“Sips was destined for greatness even before it rocketed into the list at No. 37 just a few short months after opening in 2021,” William Drew, the director of content for 50 Best, said in a statement.
“The bar seamlessly translates contemporary innovation and technical precision into a playful cocktail programme, accompanied by the warmest hospitality, making it a worthy winner of The World’s Best Bar 2023 title.”
Coming in second was North America’s best bar: New York City’s Double Chicken Please. The top five was rounded out by Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy, Barcelona’s Paradiso (last year’s No. 1), and London’s Connaught Bar. The highest new entry was Seoul’s Zest at No. 18, while the highest climber was Oslo’s Himkok, which moved up to No. 10 from No. 43 last year.
Barcelona may be home to two of the top five bars, but London has cemented its status as the cocktail capital of the world: The English city had five bars make the list, more than any other town represented. Along with Connaught Bar in the top five, Tayēr + Elementary came in at No. 8, and Satan’s Whiskers (No. 28), A Bar With Shapes for a Name (No. 35), and Scarfes Bar (No. 41) all made the grade too.
The United States similarly had a good showing this year. New York City, in particular, is home to a number of the best bars: Overstory (No. 17) and Katana Kitten (No. 27) joined Double Chicken Please on the list.
Elsewhere, Miami’s Café La Trova hit No. 24 and New Orleans’s Jewel of the South snuck in at No. 49, bringing the Big Easy back to the ranking for the first time since 2014.
To celebrate their accomplishments, all of this year’s winners deserve a drink—made by somebody else at least just this once.
Check out the full list of the 50 best bars in the world below.
1. Sips, Barcelona
2. Double Chicken Please, New York
3. Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City
4. Paradiso, Barcelona
5. Connaught Bar, London
6. Little Red Door, Paris
7. Licorería Limantour, Mexico City
8. Tayēr + Elementary, London
9. Alquímico, Cartagena
10. Himkok, Oslo
11. Tres Monos, Buenos Aires
12. Line, Athens
13. BKK Social Club, Bangkok
14. Jigger & Pony, Singapore
15. Maybe Sammy, Sydney
16. Salmon Guru, Madrid
17. Overstory, New York
18. Zest, Seoul
19. Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar, Bangkok
20. Coa, Hong Kong
21. Drink Kong, Rome
22. Hanky Panky, Mexico City
23. Caretaker’s Cottage, Melbourne
24. Café La Trova, Miami
25. Baba au Rum, Athens
26. CoChinChina, Buenos Aires
27. Katana Kitten, New York
28. Satan’s Whiskers, London
29. Wax On, Berlin
30. Florería Atlántico, Buenos Aires
31. Röda Huset, Stockholm
32. Sago House, Singapore
33. Freni e Frizioni, Rome
34. Argo, Hong Kong
35. A Bar With Shapes for a Name, London
36. The SG Club, Tokyo
37. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo
38. The Cambridge Public House, Paris
39. Panda & Sons, Edinburgh
40. Mimi Kakushi, Dubai
41. Scarfes Bar, London
42. 1930, Milan
43. Carnaval, Lima
44. L’Antiquario, Naples
45. Baltra Bar, Mexico City
46. Locale Firenze, Florence
47. The Clumsies, Athens
48. Atlas, Singapore
49. Jewel of the South, New Orleans
50. Galaxy Bar, Dubai
