What We Learnt At LVMH Watch Week

Big, bold and bright – the best the of the week that was for Hublot, Bulgari, TAG Heuer and Zenith.

By Carol Besler, Paige Reddinger 17/01/2023

LVMH Watch Week rang in the new year in Singapore with a slew of new models from Hublot, Zenith, Tag Heuer and Bulgari.
The luxury conglomerate has wisely been releasing new models each January (debuting with an ultra-luxe show in Dubai in 2020) ahead of April’s Watches & Wonders when most watch brands traditionally show their new key product for the year.

The takeaway in 2023 is that most of the collections were permeated with bright saturations of colour in dials, gem-setting or sapphire crystal cases. The overall vibe is a decidedly cheerful outlook, at least as far as this luxury conglomerate is concerned, for a year that is expected to be looming with economic challenges. Here are some of the highlights.

Hublot

Want to make sure your wrist candy can be spotted across the room? Hublot has no shortage of options for you. From fully gem-set pavé rainbow watches to vibrant sapphire crystal timepieces with skeleton movements in neon yellow and a punchy purple, these models live up to the “Big Bang” in their name. With complicated movements and in-your-face design, they mean business but they’re also dressed for the party.

Big Bang Integrated + Time-Only Rainbow

Hublot Big Bang Integrated + Time-Only Rainbow

Just when you think there cannot possibly be another flex on the gem-set rainbow watch, Hublot comes along and puts yet another new spin on the cult-favorite style. The Big Bang models—an integrated self-winding chronograph and a time-only version—are executed with the usual array of multi-colored gemstones from rubies and amethysts to blue topaz, orange sapphire and more but this time around they come mixed. Pink sapphire blend into orange sapphires and blue topaz blends into tsavorites on the center bracelet links mimicking the rays of color in the natural weather phenomenon. The integrated model comes set with a total of 1,290 gemstones, while the time-only iteration sports 1,100. Hublot, as we mentioned, is always keen to make a splash.

Price: TBD
Case Size: 42 mm and 40 mm
Case Material: 18-karat King Gold

Spirit of Big Bang Carbon Blue and Purple Sapphire

Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Carbon Blue
Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Carbon Blue

Hublot has yet to release the full info on its Spirit of Big Bang models as of press time, but judging from the photos the Carbon Blue model takes after the Spirit of Big Bang Tourbillon that debuted in January 2021 which was executed in a carbon case with white micro-glass fibers. Here those fibers take on a baby blue hue and the case is paired with a rubber strap in the same color to match.

Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Purple Sapphire
Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Purple Sapphire

But Hublot is known for its work with colored sapphire crystal cases, so the model was also created in a striking purple variant of the material. Sapphire crystal cases are notoriously expensive as a result of their difficulty to machine, which is why you see so few of these in the market. But the company was an early adopter of the use of the material and therefore capitalizes on it each year.

Big Bang Tourbillon Yellow Neon Saxem

Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Yellow Neon Saxem
Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Yellow Neon Saxem

At first glance, this looks like another iteration of Hublot’s exuberantly colorful sapphire crystal cases, but this Big Bang is made of something else altogether. It’s called Saxem, a material used in satellite technology that has even more brilliance than colored sapphire. It took three years for Hublot to develop the material in bright, neon yellow, which it describes as a fluorescent shade of acid yellow. Saxem (which stands for sapphire aluminum oxide and rare Earth mineral) was first used in 2019 in a shade of emerald green on the Big Bang MP-11. Like sapphire, it is transparent and incredibly scratch and chip resistant. The automatic tourbillon caliber HUB6035 is skeletonized and uses a micro-rotor so that plenty of light passes through the case and, because it’s transparent, you can see it from all sides. It comes on a neon-yellow rubber strap, color matched to the case.

Price: approx $433,000limited to 50
Case Size: 44 mm x 14.40 mm
Case Material: Saxem

Big Bang Unico Sorai

Hublot Big Bang Unico Sorai
Hublot Big Bang Unico Sorai

Hublot has long sponsored sports heroes, but recently the company dovetailed into conservation issues, in some cases overlapping the two areas. This watch is Hublot’s third limited edition dedicated to an animal conservation organization run by former England International cricket champ, Kevin Pietersen. It’s called Saving Our Rhinos Africa & India (SORAI for short), and it focuses on protecting rhinoceroses from poachers. The dial is trimmed with colors of the sunset representing the heightened danger from poachers faced by rhinos at nightfall when the poachers pounce. Sadly, rhino horns are worth more per kilo than gold. The Unico Sorai contains the automatic caliber UNICO 2 and comes with either a gray fabric strap or a black rubber strap with black, orange and purple camouflage pattern.

 

Price: $34,583limited to 100
Case Size: 44 mm x 14.50 mm
Case Material: Gray ceramic

Zenith

Zenith is juicing up its Defy collection, the brand’s launchpad line for showcasing its most advanced technology, materials and modern designs.

Defy Skyline Skeleton

Zenith Defy Skyline Skeleton
Zenith Defy Skyline Skeleton

The new lineup is headlined by the Defy Skyline Skeleton, an openworked version of the El Primero caliber 3620 SK, with a frequency of 36,000 vph and a 60-hour power reserve. Built with an architecture similar to the El Primero 3600 chronograph caliber, the automatic movement drives a 1/10th of a second hand directly from the escapement. It famously displays the fraction-of-a-second indication on the dial, a spectacle almost upstaged by the bold, colored (black or blue) bridges. They’re formed in a four-pointed star to evoke Zenith’s double Z logo of the 1960s. Otherwise, everything about this watch is modern, including the openworked design, state-of-the-art movement and heavily lumed hands and markers—a must for reading time on a skeletonized watch, which generally has a lot going on in the background.

Price: $23,000
Case Size: 41 mm
Case Material: Steel

Defy Extreme Glacier

Zenith Defy Skyline Extreme Glacier

The Defy Extreme Glacier is the priciest of the new models and a boutique-only edition. It harnesses the power of the most advanced version of Zenith’s El Primero movements, caliber 9004, capable of timing events to 1/100th of a second. It’s the highest-frequency chronograph in regular production today, and it struts its stuff on the dial: You can see the chronograph seconds hand whipping around the dial once every second. The Defy Extreme is all about, as its name suggests, extreme watchmaking and rugged sports, and was “inspired by the raw beauty of wild terrains” according to Zenith. The Glacier represents the opposite landscape of the Defy Extreme Desert launched in 2021 and is a cooler take on the model. Accordingly, it has an unusual decorative element representing the winter palette: The pusher guards and outer bezel are made of chalcedony, a semi-translucent, fairly tough quartz stone with a pale blue hue. Each piece is cut and polished by hand, and because their matrix and hue can vary slightly, each of the 50 examples of the Defy Extreme Glacier is unique. The case is titanium, which eliminates the potentially uncomfortable heaviness of a large watch—this one is a whopping 45 mm wide. It comes on a Velcro or white rubber strap.

 

Price: $37,100limited to 50
Case Size: 45 mm
Case Material: Titanium

 

Defy Skyline

Zenith Defy Skyline 36 MM
Zenith Defy Skyline 36 MM

The Defy Skyline, the sporty everyday piece Zenith introduced last year in 41 mm, now comes in a more unisex-friendly 36 mm size. Keeping pace with the trend for bright dial colors that has been pervasive across the watch industry, the model now comes in pink, lime green and light blue dial colors. The dials are notched in a star-shaped pattern for extra glitter. It comes on a steel bracelet or optional starry-patterned rubber strap to match the dial colors. The movement is the Elite 670 automatic, with a 50-hour power reserve.Price: $12,500 to $17,000
Case Size: 36 MM
Case Material: Steel

Defy Skyline Boutique Edition

Zenith Defy Skyline Boutique Edition

Back to the more manly size, there is a new 41 mm Boutique Edition of the Defy Skyline, with a dial designed in a gray and gold version of the star pattern – like stars in the night sky. It contains the El Primero caliber 3620, so it includes the dramatic 1/10th of a second indicator in a subdial. With a price tag of $16,000, this handsome piece and the 36 mm ones above, make for compelling alternatives to significantly more expensive pieces of similar designs from other Swiss brands.

Price: approx $16,000
Case Size: 41 MM
Case Material: Steel

Tag Heuer

Tag Heuer Monza Flyback Chronometre

Tag Heuer Monza Flyback Chronometer
Tag Heuer Monza Flyback Chronometre

It’s not easy to continuously update an icon over the years without compromising the original design, but the Monza Flyback Chronometre is a futuristic refresh that enhances rather than detracts from the spirit of the 1976 original. The carbon case emphasizes the model’s signature cushion shape while taking it into the future. Adding to the sporty vibe are translucent fumé blue sapphire crystals over the subdials at 3 and 6 o’clock, which also emphasize the model’s original purpose: motorsports timing. As does the new movement, flyback chronograph caliber Heuer 02, previously used only in the Autavia. The lumed date window at 9 adds to the functionality and the modern cool vibe. The lacquered hands and indexes also glow blue in low light. Racing red details, along with a tachymetre and pulsometre, add to the racing vibe.

 

Price: TBD
Case Material: Carbon
Case Size: 42 mm

Carrera Chronograph 60th Anniversary

Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph 60th Anniversary
Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph 60th Anniversary

The Carrera was launched in 1963, and over the past six decades, it has become an important pillar for the company. The anniversary edition is a remake of the fan favorite, the ref. 2447 SN, introduced in the late ’60s. It represents the second series of Carreras and comes in a panda design featuring a silvered dial with black subdials (SN in the reference number stands for “silver” and “noir”). It also repeats the striped markers and hands of the original, along with the double index markers at 12 o’clock. The position of the 60-minute counters is reversed compared to the original, but otherwise, it’s a faithful reproduction, with the addition of Super-LumiNova and a modern movement, the Heuer 02. This is a 600-piece limited edition but stay tuned for more anniversary pieces later in the year.

Price: TBD
Case Material: Steel
Case Size: 39 mm

Bulgari

In between shattering one world record after another for micro-thin watchmaking, Bulgari can also be consistently relied upon to honor its roots as a master jeweler, with colorful, gem-laden jewellery watches. Here are the latest drool-worthy diamond and gemstone watches in its Allegra, Serpenti and Diva’s Dream collections, set to be launched next week during LVMH Watch Week in New York.

Serpenti Tubogas Infinity

Bulgari Serpenti Tubogas Infinity
Bulgari Serpenti Tubogas Infinity

The serpent, a symbol of vitality and passion, has become Bulgari’s most recognizable motif, expressed here in a rendition that, comparatively speaking, is quite refined. The latest version of the iconic Serpenti comes with diamonds slithering down the wrap-around bracelet to further hone in on its character. The “Tubogas” in the name refers to the particular intricate engineering of the bracelet, with gold links that coil around the wrist like a snake. It is set with a total of 486 diamonds weighing 5.85 carats, set into the case, dial and bracelet. The movement is quartz.

 

Price: approximately $98,000
Case Material: 18-karat gold

Diva’s Dream

Bulgari Diva's Dream and Allegra Models
Bulgari Diva’s Dream and Allegra Models

The gems in the Diva’s Dream collection demonstrate the subtle art of color blocking, using perfectly matched hues and sizes of stones and alternating them with gems of another color. There are three variations: amethyst (1.21 carats) paired with pink tourmaline (1.33 carats); topaz (1.56 carats) with tanzanite (1.45 carats); and all ruby (3.5 carats), with perky red hands to match the gems. In between the prong-set colored gems are stations of gold flutes—sculptural representations of this collection’s signature motif, the fan-shaped ginkgo leaf. The bezel and leaves are set with 1.51 carats of diamonds. The design is inspired by Bulgari brooches and necklaces of the 1980s and ’90s, with large, brightly colored gems in various sizes. The movement, as in most high jewellery watches, is quartz. The 33mm cases are rose gold.

Price: Approximately $69,800 for the ruby version; approximately $45,100 for amethyst and tourmaline; and approximately $45,100 for topaz and tanzanite.
Case Material: 18-karat rose gold
Case Size: 33 mm

Allegra

The Allegra line showcases Bulgari’s trademark ingredient: big, brightly colored gems in seemingly random cuts and sizes, arranged in a design that is freeform yet harmonious. It looks easy but from matching the gems to cutting, arranging and setting them, there is a lot of expertise involved in creating each piece. They are variously set with tourmalines, citrines, rhodolites, peridots, yellow sapphires and pink sapphires for one of the brand’s most exuberant expressions of La Dolce Vita. The gems are set prong style with open backs, the goal of which is to have as little metal as possible surrounding the gems in order to allow for plenty of light return, making the colors pop like neon. They contain quartz movements and are priced at €32,100

Diva’s Dream Mosaica

Bulgari Diva's Dream Mosaica
Bulgari Diva’s Dream Mosaica

This model also celebrates the ginkgo leaf motif, but in a way that is closer to its initial source of inspiration, the mosaics on the floors of Rome’s Baths of Caracalla. There are two versions, one fully set with a gradient of 3.5 carats of sapphires ranging from pale pink to magenta, in white gold; and the other with 3 carats of blue sapphires ranging from sky blue to deep azure, set in white gold. They are interspersed with arc-shaped panels set with diamonds. Even the diamond-set links on the bracelet of the white gold/blue sapphire model are shaped like gingko leaves, with an overall effect that, in pure high-jewellery style, is crafted more like jewellery than a typical watch bracelet. The pink version has a strap connected to decorative lugs that also take the shape of the gingko leaf. The middle case is set with diamonds, so the watch sparkles from every angle. This one is a slightly larger canvas, with a 37 mm rose or white gold case. Each contains the automatic caliber BVL 191.

 

Price: Approximately $80,570 and approximately $139,650 for the blue sapphire
Case Material: 18-karat white gold or rose goldhttps://robbreport.com/style/watch-collector/hublot-zenith-bulgari-tag-heuer-debut-new-watches-for-1234793076/
Case Size: 37 mm

 

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Show Stopping Fun

Robb Report Australia and New Zealand teamed up with Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance in late February to celebrate a weekend of fine motor cars on Cockatoo Island.

By Robb Report Team 04/03/2025

Robb Report Australia & New Zealand and Citizen Kanebridge, the new private members’ club brought to you by this masthead’s publishers, offers exclusive access to magical experiences and unrivalled networking.

This year’s Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance on Cockatoo Island did not disappoint. Our invited guests—including speakers Gerard Doyle, General Manager ASX Refinitiv Charity Foundation; Ant Middleton, the British adventure and TV personality turned hydration-drink disruptor and owner R3SUP; and Lex Pedersen, CEO of automotive investment firm Chrome Temple—enjoyed unlimited access to the three-day event and an elegant sufficiently of Champagne, wine and whisky, as well as an exquisite catered lunch inside the Citizen Kanebridge Private Members’ Lounge. They enhanced their experience by VIP transport to and from the mainland via superyacht.

Courtesy of Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance

The British-born event, which also has iterations at Pebble Beach in California and Hampton Court Palace in England, once again teamed up with the world’s most prestigious marques (among them Aston Martin, Bentley, Brabus, Genesis, Lamborghini, McLaren, Rolls-Royce and Porsche), to display their latest supercars alongside the pageant of owner-driven vintage vehicles.

Courtesy of Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance

On Sunday, Robb Report’s Editor-in-Chief Horacio Silva treated guests to a special preview of the winners of this our annual Car of the Year awards, showcased in our coming March 2025 issue. Our lips are sealed.

Courtesy of Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance

To learn how to become a member of our exclusive new community, visit Citizen Kanebridge.

Thank you to the following sponsors: Whisky and Wealth, Jacob & Co, Wine Selectors, Mulpha, Jackson Teece, Young Henry’s and Resup.

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Patron’s New Ultra-Premium Tequila Is a Reposado Blend That Punches Way Above Its Age

Patron’s latest luxury tequila is a blend of ages.

By Jonah Flicker 13/03/2025

There are certain categories in the tequila world that indicate how long the spirit has been matured, so what happens when you combine a few of them together into one release? Patron is the latest brand to get in on this multiple-maturation blending action with the new high-end El Alto release, a combination of tequilas aged for different lengths of time.

In the whisky world, an age statement represents the minimum age of the liquid that’s in the bottle—in other words, a 10-year-old scotch may have liquid much older than that in the blend, but 10 years represents the minimum age. When it comes to tequila, there are also rules in regards to how it has to be labelled based on maturation, and like whisky that depends on the youngest liquid in the blend. The core of El Alto is an extra anejo tequila (the exact proportion isn’t revealed), meaning it was aged for a minimum of three years. But master distiller David Rodriguez decided to blend some anejo (aged one to three years) and reposado (two months to one year) tequila into the mix as well, making this an expression that is defined as reposado instead of extra anejo even though it has some ultra-aged liquid in the blend.

According to the brand, 11 different types of barrels were used to mature the tequila in El Alto, with the majority being hybrid barrels consisting of American oak bodies and French oak heads—each type of wood is thought to impart different flavours into the spirit. “The tequilas that harmoniously come together in Patron El Alto are a result of selecting the finest 100 percent Weber blue agave in the highest parts of Jalisco, Mexico, a territory known for producing the sweetest agaves,” said Rodriguez in a statement. “We took four years to focus on only the best of the best and perfect the bold, sweet flavors of this expression the right way: naturally.”

This type of multi-aged tequila seems to be part of a growing trend, with a few other brands releasing similar high-end expressions including Cincoro and Volcan de Mi Tierra. Perhaps it’s a way of stretching supplies or a tactic to get consumers to dip their toes (or tongues, preferably) into another luxe tequila, a category that is growing every year.

This month Australians are getting an exclusive taste of the El Alto as this formerly USA-exclusive release is launching here with The Bacardi Group. You can find El Alto in selected hospitality venues and at Barrel & Batch for $298 as these chic spots that represent the “pinnacle of celebrating momentous occasions,” according to the brand.

 

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Neutral, Not Boring: How to Wear This Season’s Most Stylish New Menswear

The soft tones of California’s Joshua Tree provide a perfect backdrop for the season’s refined yet relaxed vibe.

By Naomi Rougeau And Alex Badia 04/03/2025

Amid spring 2025’s myriad trends, there was one connecting element: colour. From Alessandro Sartori’s rusty hues at Zegna to Loro Piana’s subdued neutrals, the palette was more sun-bleached than saturated, and the muted tones of California’s Joshua Tree provide a perfect backdrop for the season’s refined yet relaxed vibe.

Stylists Naomi Rougeau and Alex Badia, teamed up with photographer Brad Torchia to create these casual looks that turn a bold statement into a confident whisper.

Brad Torchia

Berluti leather jacket, $14,067; L.B.M. 1911 merino crewneck, $450; Dolce & Gabbana linen trousers, $1,921; Zenith 37 mm Chronomaster Revival in steel, $13,987.

Photo: Brad Torchia

Umit Benan silk jacket, silk shirt, and linen trousers, all prices upon request; Dolce & Gabbana suede loafers, $1600; Girard-Perregaux 38 mm Laureato Sage Green in steel, $23,954.

Photo: Brad Torchia

Brunello Cucinelli linen shirt, $1500; Loro Piana linen trousers, $908; Zenith 37 mm Chronomaster Revival in steel, $13,987.

Photo: Brad Torchia

Anderson & Sheppard cotton jacket, $4,421; Gabriela Hearst cashmere turtleneck, $1,430; Louis Vuitton cotton jeans, $2n138; Tod’s suede sneakers, $1438.

Photo: Brad Torchia

Canali wool, silk, and linen tweed blazer, $4,011; Thom Sweeney silk shirt, $876; Paul Smith mohair trousers, $908; Church’s patent-leather loafers, $1,768; Parmigiani Fleurier 40 mm Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date Golden Siena in steel and platinum, $40,675.

Photo: Brad Torchia

Paul Smith cotton trench, $3528; Ferragamo cashmere sweater, $1,752, and cotton trousers, $4389; Dolce & Gabbana suede loafers, $1599.

Photo: Brad Torchia

Hermès denim shirt, $1,647, and belted cotton chinos, $1,366.

Photo: Brad Torchia

Loro Piana cotton cardigan, $4,381, and linen shirt, $1,768; Todd Snyder linen trousers, $639; Zegna Triple Stitch leather sneakers, $1,768; Morgenthal Frederics sunglasses, $2,564; Berluti silk scarf, $1,221; Parmigiani Fleurier 40 mm Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date Golden Siena in steel and platinum, $40,675.

Photo: Brad Torchia

Thom Sweeney cashmere and merino sweater, $956; Brunello Cucinelli linen shorts, $1045; Manolo Blahnik raffia and leather loafers, $1,438.; Leisure Society sunglasses, $1905; Zenith 37 mm Chronomaster Revival in steel, $13,987.

Photo: Brad Torchia

Kiton jean jacket, $6061; Officine Générale cashmere sweater, $932; Brioni wool trousers, $1,768; Ralph Lauren Purple Label leather belt, $562; Morgenthal Frederics sunglasses, $52081; Zenith 37 mm Chronomaster Revival in steel, $13,987

 

 

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This New York Jewellery Gallery Is Offering up a Treasure Trove of Vintage Watches

The Mahnaz Collection’s first formal collection of timepieces will include rare finds with fascinating histories

By Paige Reddinger 04/03/2025

There was a period when Mahnaz Ispahani Bartos found it hard to hold on to a watch. The prominent collector and dealer often would post pictures on social media of the uncommon, sculptural timepieces she purchased for herself. But every time, clients of her eponymous jewellery gallery—New York City’s Mahnaz Collection—would hound her into selling them.

“They found those photographs, and they are just diligent in bothering me,” she says with a laugh, adding that some would simply persist until she changed her mind about letting them go.

In response to that demand, this month her Madison Avenue space will begin offering its first formal collection of unique watches, curated with the same rigor and studious eye Ispahani Bartos has applied to sourcing rare jewellery. (Her specialty is the hard-to-find fare made by artists, designers, goldsmiths, and architects.) One coveted example is a gold-and-diamond pendant watch handmade by the late Italian-born avant-garde designer Andrew Grima, whose work was beloved by the British royal family. This example from his historic collaboration with Omega was made in the 1970s. Lesser known but no less noteworthy is the Spanish designer Augustin Julia-Plana, who created a gold-and-jadeite watch for his brand Schlegel & Plana, also in the ’70s. “He was a great jeweller and watch designer,” says Ispahani Bartos of Julia-Plana, who penned striking and visually creative work for everyone from Chopard to Tiffany. “He specialised in really unusual stones,” she adds, noting that he died far too young at age 41.

An 18-carat gold and jadeite watch designed by Augustin Julia-Plana, circa 1970.
Photographed by Janelle Jones/Styled by Stephanie Yeh

Ispahani Bartos knows something about legacy. Born in Bangladesh—when it was still called East Pakistan—she grew up in a culture steeped in traditions of wearing and appreciating jewellery. She recalls her grandmother giving her earrings made from yellow gold, turquoise, diamonds, and Burmese rubies at age 7. (Too young to wear them, she put them on her dolls’ ears for safekeeping. Both were lost when her family fled the violence of the country’s 1971 revolution; the ship carrying their belongings, she says, was sunk by an enemy carrier.)

When she was a teenager, her mother gifted her one of Omega’s Grima-designed watches, which she still owns. That early introduction to rare design influenced her own collecting journey, which turned into her full-time job when she opened her gallery in 2013.

“I didn’t focus on watches then, but increasingly, where I have an important jewellery collection where the jeweller also made watches, I started to feel like, ‘How can I not have that person’s watches?’ ” she says.
From left: Omega and Andrew Grima Winter Sunset pendant watch in 18-karat yellow gold, smokey quartz, and citrine crystal with Swiss manual-wind movement, circa 1968; Piaget bracelet watch in 18-karat yellow gold and tiger’s eye with Swiss manual-wind movement, circa 1970.
Photographed by Janelle Jones/Styled by Stephanie Yeh

That comprehensive approach befits Ispahani Bartos’s previous career and intellectual curiosity. After earning a Ph.D. in international relations, she served as a foreign- and security-policy expert for an array of global organisations, including the Ford Foundation and the Council on Foreign Relations.

She still employs the deep preparation she once used in the aid of diplomacy, researching every piece that comes into her hands, creating extensive and beautiful catalogs for the collections, and crafting museum-style exhibitions to present them to collectors. And this work, she says, takes ages. She’ll soon debut an Italian collection whose catalog she has been researching and preparing for nearly a decade, and her vault currently houses some Ettore Sottsass–designed watches she has been holding back for the right moment. “We tend to build collections all the time, collections we don’t show for years,” she says. Which means you never know what pieces might be hiding in the Mahnaz Collection—or the yet-to-be-told stories that may accompany them.
At top from far left: Omega De Ville Emerald bracelet watch designed by Andrew Grima in sterling silver with a tropical dial; Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse in 18-karat gold; Jaeger-LeCoultre Mystery watch in 18-carat gold and diamonds; Cazzaniga watch in 18-carat gold, diamonds, and sapphires with movement by Piaget; Gilbert Albert watch in platinum, 18-carat gold, and diamonds with movement by Omega. The pieces, made between the 1950s and ’70s, all have Swiss-made manual-wind movements. 

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Penfolds Saves Best For Last with Show-Stopping Release with Creative Partner NIGO

Penfolds has just dropped their limited-edition 65F by NIGO Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz, a mouthwatering wine you need to nab now.

By Belinda Aucott-christie 28/02/2025

Though Penfolds holds many wonderful wines in its star-studded suite, their latest collaboration with NIGO is earmarked as a sure-fire collector’s item.

Retailing for $395 a bottle, the Penfolds 65F by NIGO is expected to sit snugly alongside the likes of Grange and Bin 389 as a standout single-vintage wine connoisseurs will vie for in years to come.

This prize wine isn’t just delicious and highly collectible, it looks the part. It features branding by artistic director and creative visionary NIGO, the founder of cult streetwear brands A Bathing Ape and Human Made, a pal of Pharrell Williams and current creative director of French fashion house Kenzo. For the box and packaging NIGO was inspired by the towering 65-foot chimney that prevails over Penfolds South Australian home, Magill Estate.

Penfolds archival material served as NIGO’s inspiration for the inclusions within the gift box and on the wine label. A chalkboard wine tag with coinciding chalk pencil pays homage to the chalk boards used in the original working winery at Penfolds Magill Estate and allows the opportunity for personalisation of the wine if used as a gift. The bottle label features a design which takes inspiration from the pressed bottle labels from the 1930-50s, and the tissue paper wrapping the bottle has been adapted from the Penfolds logo style used in the early 20th century. NIGO’s signature playful design style is emphasised with a chimney smoke wine stopper.

Inside it’s a classic embodiment of the way South Australian winemakers blend cabernet sauvignon with shiraz to stunning effect.

As a result this wine has a mouth-watering palate with plenty of fine grain tannins and silky mouth feel. A nose enriched with spicy nutmeg, cardamom and cassis is layered over blueberry compote and lush fig on a palate. There’s lots of blueberry soufflé, gamey tones and just a hint of fennel seed, with more complexity to come as the years fly by.

All the base wines were sourced from grapes grown in South Australia’s top wine regions of Coonawarra, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Clare Valley. And while the 65F by NIGO Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz is being released now, it will continue to reward cellaring for years to come.

Penfolds first announced NIGO as its Creative Partner in June 2023, with the global release of One by Penfolds. This was closely followed by the launch of Grange by NIGO (the first takeover of Penfolds flagship red wine) in February 2024, followed by Holiday Designed by NIGO in October 2024.A classic for the ages.

Penfolds 65F by NIGO Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2021 is available globally from Thursday 27 February 2025 (RRP AUD$395.00 for 750ml). Available via Penfolds.com, at select Dan Murphy’s stores nationally and select independent retailers.

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