Inhaltsverzeichnis für October 2018 in Robb Report

STORY OF THE MONTH Batteries Included Yacht manufacturers are testing the waters of electric engines. robbreport.com / electricyachts READER SURVEY RESULTS Which new-release Napa Cabernet Sauvignons will tempt you this fall? Our online oenophiles weighed in on their perfect autumn pour. WEB EXCLUSIVES FIVE FABULOUS FALL OPENINGS YOU’VE GOT THE TRAVEL BUG; WE’VE GOT THE HOTELS.…

1 NEXT-LEVEL LEVANTES MASERATI LEVANTE GTS AND TROFEO “Italian marque Maserati continues its off-road renaissance with new GTS and Trofeo variants of the Levante (starting at $119,180 and $169,980, respectively). Set for delivery this month, both carry an enhanced 3.8-liter, twin-turbocharged V-8 that turns out 538 ft lbs of torque. The top-tier Trofeo, however, runs with 590 horses (compared to the 550 hp GTS) and can reach more than 187 mph—further proof to me that this is the Golden Age of the SUV.” —VIJU MATHEW 2 RETRO REDUX CORNELIANI’S ARCHIVE COLLECTION “Mining the archives for inspiration is nothing new. But this fall, Corneliani has done it epically well—forgoing the obvious (think over-wide lapels or trousers with room for two) in favor of something supremely subtle. The house has reworked vintage…

Body Art The sleek Cross Personal is the ultimate expression of an elliptical machine, with its high-tech interface that measures and stores performance stats and its smooth movement. 1 Sketch Pad Inside the design atelier, artists work on pairing the appropriate leathers with gold or silver mirrored surfaces for the Personal line of equipment. The creative team uses 3-D printing technology to mock up models and fine-tune them before they go to the next stages of production. 2 Built to Order The factory, a light and airy building designed by Citterio, focuses on just-in-time production, where every piece being assembled already has an owner. Yellow boxes contain the “ingredients” to build each machine, and each piece is tested before it gets boxed for shipping. 3 High Touch A technician assembles…

COHIBA, ONE OF THE WORLD’s revered cigar names, paradoxically exists in both Dominican and Cuban versions—neither of which has any relationship to the other. And although the merits of the two are often debated among cigar aficionados, when it comes to complexity and price, the new Dominican-made Cohiba Spectre (cohiba.com) may have trumped the Havana version. It’s priced at $90 a cigar—or $900 for a container of 10. Each 7¼ × 54 stick is encased in a red Plexiglas tube that hints at its silky Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper, which developed a unique reddish hue during the curing process. Eight bales of these upper primings were hand-selected and given an additional six months of fermentation to enhance their already exceptional flavor. Although the Cohiba Spectre features eight varietals of tobacco from…

ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES to being at the top of your craft is the freedom to invite talented friends into the studio and let them loose. For his latest project, British leather specialist Bill Amberg (billamberg.com) called on his creative circle to collaborate on a new line of digitally printed fine leather hides. “I’ve always been interested in how new technologies can be mixed with old techniques and traditional materials to create something fresh and compelling,” says Amberg. “As developments in tanning and printing have moved forward, I became curious as to how we could produce something attractive to a wider audience.” It helps to begin with good base material: undyed European bull hides, measuring around 53 square feet. There are nine rousing patterns from noted designers Natasha Baradaran, Alexandra…

A quick take on the fairs? This year’s Frieze London roster is stronger than ever, with more than 160 participating galleries from around the world—including newcomers Xavier Hufkens and Galerie Lelong—which are offering works from leading international artists. We also have new territories opening up with Edouard Malingue from Hong Kong and Jhaveri Contemporary from Mumbai. Both are exhibiting in our Focus section, which is dedicated to emerging talent. At Frieze Masters, we will be welcoming more than 130 galleries that are presenting works spanning some 6,000 years of human history in a smart, contemporary environment designed by architect Annabelle Selldorf. Not to be missed? At Frieze London, Social Work: a themed section dedicated to female artists who explored the possibilities of politics in their work in the late 1980s…

A TIMELY OFFERING THE SFORZA BOOK OF HOURS “The Sforza Book of Hours is filled to the brim with extraordinary illumination,” says Basel-based rare-book dealer Jörn Günther. The diminutive volume on vellum was commissioned by Ludovico “Il Moro” Sforza of Milan as a wedding gift for his niece, Bianca Maria Sforza, upon her November 1493 marriage to Maximilian I, the Holy Roman Emperor elect. The fresh-to-market exercise in piety, on offer at Frieze Masters, measures less than 3 × 4 inches and has 235 leaves with 15 full-page miniatures. It also carries a bride price worthy of its station: €3.8 million ($4.4 million). guenther-rarebooks.com…

A ribbon of eerily smooth road unspools, revealing a staggering vista of jagged Bavarian mountain peaks at every curve. Clouds dot the sky as cattle graze lazily in a meadow, cowbells jangling. If this landscape sounds all too perfect, that’s because it feels that way, and you can bet it’s why Aston Martin held its first drive of the new DBS Superleggera in such a setting. It reeks of “grand tour” over road trip. The latest in Aston Martin’s salvo of next-generation super sleds, the DBS Superleggera is positioned as the brand’s ultimate grand touring machine. Acceleration has been amped up, the cornering sharpened, and the brakes reinforced—all wrapped in the Superleggera’s jaunty body, which wears incrementally leaner, meaner edges than the more restrained DB11. Superleggera—the word may conjure Italian…

JAFFA MAY HAVE more than 4,000 years of history under its belt, but these days, Tel Aviv’s ancient walled town has become the city’s improbable epicenter of cool. Wedged between modest Arabic cafés and historic synagogues is a hotbed of hipness, with new restaurants, designer-led boutiques, art galleries, hotels, and more. Here, a mini guide of the Old City’s new (and old) scene. The Setai Tel Aviv Clock Tower Square’s 12th-century landmark led many lives—as a Crusader fortress, an Ottoman Empire compound, and eventually a police station—before it became this opulent 120-room hotel with lush inner courtyards and a rooftop pool. thesetaihotel.co.il The Drisco Hotel Located just outside the old city walls, this charming boutique brings contemporary design and furnishings to well-preserved circa-1866 architecture. thedrisco.com The Jaffa London-based architect John…

SHUK HACARMEL Tel Aviv’s most famous market is brimming with farm-fresh produce, mountains of fragrant spices, and barrels of pickles and olives. Go early Friday morning to see it in full swing before the Sabbath. NACHLAT BINYAMIN This arts-and-crafts bazaar takes over Nachlat Binyamin Street every Tuesday and Friday.(nachlat-binyamin.com) HATACHANA Now a beachside shopping arcade, the HaTachana compound was originally built in the 1880s as Tel Aviv-Jaffa’s central train station. (hatachana.co.il) SHUK HANAMAL Located along the Tel Aviv Port boardwalk, this indoor market sells gourmet cheeses, olive oils, spices, produce, sweets, and more. (shukhanamal.co.il)…

Karma Automotive’s Revero Marks a Beautiful New Beginning robbreport.com/karmareverodrive Airbus’s ACJ330neo Cabin Concept Offers Harmony at 30,000 Feet robbreport.com/acjharmonycabin The Yak 110 Is What You Get When You Combine Two Planes and a Spare Jet Engine robbreport.com/yak110showplane James Bond’s Aston Martin Goldfinger DB5 Has a New License to Thrill robbreport.com/goldfingerdb5 Porsche’s Project Gold Is a Restored 993 to Be Sold for Charity robbreport.com/porscheprojectgold…

IN 2013, THE SWISS WATCHMAKER LOUIS MOINET announced a remarkable discovery. The company had uncovered a timepiece that its founder and namesake completed in 1816. The so-called compteur de tierces (or “thirds timer”) measured events to the sixtieth of a second. Not only was this the most precise instrument of its time, but also proof that Moinet’s invention predated the first chronograph by nearly half a century. Moinet’s compteur de tierces is now hailed as the world’s first chronograph, though the horological pioneer is equally famous for his clocks, which have been displayed in such collections as those of the Louvre and White House. After the British burned down the Presidential Mansion in 1814, James Monroe bought a gilt-bronze table clock to help furnish the new White House. That clock,…

Though it was founded just a decade ago, Kerbedanz has already shaken up haute horlogerie by creating bespoke timepieces featuring inventive and highly technical designs that both honor Swiss watchmaking traditions and forge new paths of originality. The Neuchâtel company’s founder and namesake, Tigran Kerbedanz, pays tribute to his goldsmith ancestry with the extraordinary craftsmanship that goes into each Kerbedanz watch, while also telling a story through symbols and micromechanical expression designed into the timepieces. The company garnered significant attention last year when it introduced Maximus, a spectacularly complicated timepiece featuring the largest tourbillon ever found on a wristwatch. The flying tourbillon, housed in a 27 mm cage, rotates every 6 minutes by varying the positions of the latter, in order to compensate for errors caused by gravity and the…

AS YOU MIGHT DEDUCE FROM ITS NAME, Hublot’s Big Bang Unico Red Magic (hublot.com) is a large red watch—a very red watch. And while the significance of rendering that particularly vibrant shade in ceramic might escape the notice of most people who have grown used to the brand’s characteristic flamboyance, it took a considerable amount of travail in the company’s materials-engineering factory. Hublot is one of the few watch manufacturers to have mastered the process of sintering its own scratch-resistant ceramic components, going so far as to create its own alloy of ceramic and gold for certain watch cases. Surprisingly, developing a vibrant red required almost as much effort. “The high heat of the sintering process burns most pigments,” says materials engineer Luca Bianco. “That’s why the reds you see…

WHISKY THAT NOT ONLY SURVIVES in barrel for 50 years but also thrives without taking on too much wood deserves a special treatment. And that’s just what Highland Park (highlandparkwhisky.com) has given this batch of scotch, which was first put into its sherry-seasoned casks in 1964 and stored in the lonely reaches of a warehouse on the Scottish island of Orkney. Its nature is the Viking spirit that imbues the island—hearty, bold, and up for a challenge—and characterized the distillery’s founder, Magnus Eunson, a descendant of the Vikings who claimed Orkney for 600 years. He had little regard for the rules; in the late 1700s he smuggled his whisky (a much more raw and potent spirit, to be sure) out from High Park under cover of night. The peat harvested…

INTO THE DEEP FRIEZE ALL EYES ARE ON LONDON THIS MONTH Barry Flanagan’s hare-raising spectacle Large Nijinski on Anvil Point (2001) is just one of the 25 striking contemporary works dotting the manicured grounds of Regent’s Park, the idyllic setting for Frieze London and Frieze Masters. Tendered by Waddington Custot, the monumental bronze, which features one of the late British artist’s signature dancing lagomorphs, can be yours for £2.8 million ($3.6 million). The sibling fairs run October 5–7, with two VIP preview days on October 3 and 4. frieze.com/fairs…

IT’S OFTEN QUOTED that a bespoke two-piece suit absorbs upward of 80 hours of work, a combined time that involves the tailor, a cutter, and possibly another chap who specializes in trousers. A tailor’s apprentice will study for five years before qualifying as a coat maker (the “coat” being what tailors call jackets; “only potatoes have jackets,” they’ll tell you), and the Savile Row Bespoke trade association has very particular stipulations for what passes muster, from hand-stitching the trouser fly to hand-easing a jacket’s armholes for comfort. A bespoke suit has always been the product of a very traditional set of skills—the expression of a craftsman’s hand and eye. Until now. The last 18 months have seen a shift in the hallowed halls of European tailoring. More and more thoroughbred…

FOR SOME WHISKY aficionados, a bottle of premium rare scotch is enough of a victory acquisition. For others, only their own cask of the good stuff will suffice. And then some want to go further still. Increasingly, for those who want it just so—perhaps a 30-year-old Glenfiddich housed in a refill ex-bourbon cask at the distillery, then reracked in an ex-sherry cask by a specialist broker—the only way to do this is via the specialized world of bespoke spirits. Although that pursuit can start at a reasonable few thousand dollars, once connoisseurs get to curating their own casks of aged Macallan or blending their own amber from ghost distillers, prices can quickly rise past $100,000 into the $2.5 million range. Cask 88 is one such service, where customers can effectively…

AS THE PRIVATE-FLIGHT market becomes more democratized, it also becomes increasingly polarized. Newer companies that place price as their primary focus are looking to make private flights even more accessible and affordable, while more established companies are taking a different course, attempting to elevate the private experience ever higher for those who value privacy and service above all. While ownership is always king, charter jets have made huge gains in popularity. The Knight Frank’s 2018 Wealth Report finds that, in terms of the number of private flights taking off in the United States, charter has surpassed fractional and moved into second place behind full ownership. Charter flights now account for 27 percent of U.S. private flights versus fractional’s 11 percent share. JetSmarter is among the companies responsible for the rise…

WHILE THESE DAYS he lives in London, Ron Arad—the world-renowned industrial designer, artist, and architect whose work spans everything from jewelry to what will soon become Israel’s tallest tower—rarely stays away from his birthplace of Tel Aviv for long. The master of modern design takes us inside his hometown. How would you describe Tel Aviv? There are two types of cities: There’s the city you go to, and you meet the locals, and they apologize, saying, “Oh, of course, it’s not like London.” And then there are places where people enjoy their city and they just want to share it with you. Tel Aviv is that second type of city. There’s a phrase in Hebrew—yihiye b’sederthat means “It will be okay.” Tel Aviv is in a bit of an optimistic…

BETWEEN 1920 and 1940, German-Jewish architects who immigrated to Israel constructed more than 4,000 Bauhaus buildings in Tel Aviv. Today, those structures—identified by their unadorned facades, flat roofs, and outdoor living spaces—compose what is known as the White City. The neighborhood on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea is a prime example of classic German modernism and, according to Bauhaus expert Asaf Gottesman, the founder of Gottesman Architecture, a reminder that “it does not take a great deal to make a beautiful and meaningful building.” Here, Gottesman shares his top Bauhaus sites in Tel Aviv. Kruskal Residence: Hess 21 “The architect Richard Kaufmann designed this urban villa in 1932 for Dr. Victoria Kruskal. My parents bought the house in 1992, and I was fortunate enough to work on its renovation.…

Eyal Shani, a judge on Israel’s MasterChef, is undoubtedly Israel’s chef de rigueur. Of his many restaurants, Abraxas North (+972.3.516.6660) is the best—and perhaps the best in all of Tel Aviv—for its creative menu showcasing fresh ingredients like Jericho beans and Jerusalem artichokes. Yuval Ben Neriah’s upscale restaurant Taizu (taizu.co.il) has been one of Tel Aviv’s top Asian spots for years, but it wasn’t until last year, when he opened his acclaimed Japanese eatery Ya Pan (yapan.co.il), that Ben Neriah was cemented as one of the city’s best chefs. Haaretz newspaper declared Barak Aharoni the “New Star of Israeli Cuisine” last year when the executive chef of the Norman Hotel unveiled Alena (thenorman.com), his restaurant focusing on clean and minimal Mediterranean cuisine. Meir Adoni is a constant presence on Israeli…

Because while mine was a perfectly nice example of the genre, his was something else—made to his specification, designed precisely to his whim. The result of many years of trial and error, design and redesign, it was a bespoke, slimline wallet with a particular technical flourish all its own that allowed cards to be extracted easily while remaining secure at all times; subtle but sophisticated. It got me thinking: Commissioning anything, whether a suit, a car, a whisky, or a watch, is as much an exercise in censorship as it is in expression. It’s knowing what to leave out as much as what to include. And it’s why the bespoke process at its best is usually very much a conversation, a continued dialogue between client and crafter until two ideas…

JACKET AND JEANS Use soft tailoring to sharpen up your weekend wear. Double down on cashmere but keep the sneakers box-fresh to look as sharp as those peak lapels. COUNTRY CASUAL You’re still laid-back in this plaid sports coat, as the tonal knitwear and flannels help keep things in check. GET YOUR OATS Oatmeal, beige, biscuit; call it what you want, but use it. Its neutral tones go beautifully with blues, grays, browns, greens.... CHECK IN The sophisticated way to wear plaid, this houndstooth coat pairs well with the richness of the maroon polo. Boots with a slim silhouette add a little sturdiness while still looking smart.…

FILE IT UNDER leisurely pursuits: Foosball hasn’t quite met the same rigorous Olympic standards as most conventional sports, but it does require hand-eye coordination, grip strength, and a willingness to berate figurines for missing an open goal as if they were flesh and blood. (Those who prefer not to sweat can opt for darts or back-seat driving.) Trust Hermès (hermes.com) to reimagine society’s most jovial Pilsner-soaked diversion with this elevated incarnation, in maple and Swift calfskin ($73,600), that showcases the French house’s signature upholstery, saddle stitching, and finishing details like leather-wrapped handles. Hand-painted jockeys (not soccer players, note—nice touch) play across a leather field. It takes artisans 60 hours to create each player, with special attention paid to their jerseys, which are meant to resemble silks. A varsity rush of…

Wading through the Ballona Wetlands at the edge of the Pacific Ocean in pursuit of samphire, sea kelp, and wild pepper flowers, Jordan Kahn’s buzzing iPhone distracted him. It was late October, and spending Mondays—when his restaurant Vespertine is closed—foraging for ingredients had become his routine in the four months since it opened. Despite the sprawl of Los Angeles, remote pockets remain where you can find yourself lost in nature with spotty cell service, a welcome reprieve from the noise of daily life. And there had been a lot of noise around Kahn and Vespertine in those early days. “We were getting beaten up,” he says. “I never read the reviews. I just knew they existed and they were bad.” By month four, Kahn’s experimental restaurant-slash-art-installation in Culver City had…

TEL AVIV HAS EVERYTHING you want in a global city: authentic culture, seaside allure, and a creative scene that is forever evolving. But for every new boutique hotel, innovative restaurant, and envelope-pushing gallery, this sunny metropolis has a historic counterpoint. Here, glossy skyscrapers elbow Bauhaus landmarks, culinary hot spots compete with humble hummus joints, and cutting-edge concept shops border centuries-old markets. Tel Aviv’s greatest contradiction, however, is its status as a progressive and pleasure-seeking oasis in a region often marred by conflict and uncertainty. This energetic second city is one of the first on the list of modern travelers to the Middle East—and we can’t wait to see what it’s going to do next.…

ISRAEL’S HISTORY OF MARKETS goes back thousands of years to the days of the ancient Spice Route, when traders from around the world would assemble to barter for za’atar, turmeric, and sage. In Tel Aviv, that lively exchange of goods is alive and well at the recently renovated Sarona Complex, a large park surrounding a restored German Templar Colony originally built in 1871. Visitors can peruse the paved squares and grassy lawns, stopping into the 33 two-story tile-roofed buildings that house boutiques by local designers and restaurants from some of Israel’s best chefs. The adjacent 93,646-square-foot indoor Sarona Market (saronamarket.co.il ) is a vital stop for gourmands for its chef-led stalls, like Israel Aharoni’s Freestyle Ramen Bar and an outpost of Paris’s Fauchon, plus culinary shops selling everything from chef…