Sommaire pour November 2017 de Robb Report

Secrets of the Vine From Ruché to Lacrima di Morro, these beautiful but lesser-known varietals will please your palate and round out your cellar. robbreport.com/ unsungvarietals STORY OF THE MONTH Cabin Comfort Five FAA-approved ways that aviation manufacturers are making private travel even more appealing. robbreport.com/ cabincomfort READER SURVEY RESULTS Which Top Chef winner would you choose to make your Thanksgiving dinner? This is how RobbReport.com  readers sliced the pie: WEB EXCLUSIVES POWDER UP! FROM THE HOTTEST SLOPES TO THE COOLEST COATS, ROBBREPORT.COM HAS YOU COVERED FOR SKI SEASON. The High Five THE FUTURE OF AUTOMOTIVE This Mercedes-Maybach Concept Reinvents the Convertible robbreport.com/cabrioletconcept The Lucid Air Is a 1,000 hp Electric Car robbreport.com/lucidair The Top 5 Concept Cars at Pebble Beach 2017 robbreport.com/pebblebeachcars Infiniti’s Prototype…

1 ROAD - READY RACER 2018 PORSCHE 911 GT3 “Whether whirling around tracks or weaving through traffic, the 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 is an automotive acrobat, nimble and beautifully balanced. Starting at $143,600, the road racer will have me doing flips—thanks to its new naturally aspirated flat-6 engine, redesigned chassis, and ability to vault to a top speed of 197 mph—when it starts landing in showrooms as early as this month.” —VIJU MATHEW 2 HAPPY PLACE EL CAREYES CLUB & RESIDENCES “Mexico’s most exclusive coastline is welcoming a rare newcomer toward the end of this month with the debut of El Careyes Club & Residences. Stretching from Manzanillo to Puerto Vallarta, the Costalegre region is home to just a few elite retreats, among them the spectacular and surreal Costa Careyes.…

1 Built for true audiophiles, the Audeze LCDi4 ($2,495, audeze.com) is the world’s first planar-magnetic in-ear headphone, using the same speaker design as some of the finest full-size models. Although large for an in-ear model, the LCDi4 provides superlative sound with a vivid soundstage and admirable reproduction across all frequency ranges. But while its audio quality is unparalleled, its open-back design performs best in a listening environment with minimal ambient noise. Suffice to say, it’s a treat after a lengthy gym session or transatlantic flight. 2 Travelers trying to escape the din of the airplane cabin will find solace in the new Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay E4 ($250, bang-olufsen.com), which offers some of the best active noise cancellation of any in-ear headphones on the market. The device offers top-notch sound…

Bon Marché $141,360 This month, 34 dealers in European decorative arts gather in the City of Light for the inaugural edition of Fine Arts Paris. Among the notable offerings is Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Debay’s white marble Head of a Young Ephebe, a study for his larger 1824 work Mercury Seizing His Sword to Cut Off the Head of Argus (which is now in the collection of the Château de Compiègne). The study is available at the stand of Galerie de Bayser. FINE ARTS PARIS, NOVEMBER 8–12, PARIS, FINEARTS-PARIS.COM “Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.”-PABLO PICASSO Portrait de femme endormie. III $1 million–$1.5 million Pablo Picasso’s sublime 1946 crayon on paper, which depicts his lover Françoise Gilot sleeping, is one of four important drawings hailing from…

 Swiss watchmakers are famously adept at making their timepieces evermore ornate and complex. They are decidedly less renowned, however, for making sensible, value-oriented watches—exactly the kind of timepieces that many aficionados, young and old, now crave. During the boom years, the slightest currency fluctuation or twitch in the price of gold was often accompanied by a price increase from the watch companies. But now, with stagnating retail sales and a frenzy in the vintage and pre-owned markets, watchmakers are realizing they have to address buyer demand for better value retention in the pieces they purchase. But as developers and executives have quickly realized, raising prices is much easier than lowering them. At one time, the solution to producing accessible, affordable watches was simply to make them…

At first glance, fine wine presents almost unlimited opportunities for passionate investors. While drinkers might balk at the $3,000 average price tag attached to a bottle of Pétrus, one of Bordeaux’s greatest reds, that sum is trivial beside the cost of a new Bugatti sports car, Patek Philippe watch, or Joan Miró painting. Compared to other collectibles, fine wine represents a relatively modest investment—one whose returns can be considerable. “In the last few years, it has been the top wines from the best producers in great, mature vintages that have appreciated the most,” observes Jamie Ritchie, head of Sotheby’s global wine business. As prices for young wines soared at the beginning of the millennium, mature bottles increasingly looked like a compelling proposition—especially to a new generation of buyers eager to…

“While every market is subject to the vagaries of currency fluctuations, political upheavals, and all the things that adjust our lives on a daily basis, I am surprised that there has been such resilience in the market for photography over the pastdecade,” says Michael Hoppen of London’s Michael Hoppen Gallery. He will be among the 160 international dealers exhibiting at Paris Photo, the 21st edition of which runs at the Grand Palais November 9 to 12. Hoppen’s observation is underscored by a recent analysis of this niche, says Roman Kräussl, a specialist in alternative investments at the University of Luxembourg School of Finance. “Benchmarked against other asset classes, photography remains a wise investment,” Kräussl notes. “Moreover, its relative affordability provides a wealth of opportunity for collectors looking to get in…

The vintage-watch market has exploded in the past few years with an unprecedented number of buyers entering the category for the first time, many of them prepared to make significant purchases. But this development has not benefited every brand. At the top tier of the industry, the gap has widened between the prices of the most desirable models and those that may offer the same degree of rarity but lack buzz within the online collector community. Thanks to platforms like Instagram, vintage watches are subjected to a real-time jury of opinion that either pumps up or deflates their value in ways conventional analytical tools have not yet begun to measure. The vintage-watch market has always been the primary focus of those who take a serious interest in the financial performance…

LOS ANGELES CHATEAU MARMONT BALVENIE 40 YEAR OLD, $450 (1.5 OZ.) YOUNTVILLE, CALIF. THE FRENCH LAUNDRY J.B. BEAM PRE-PROHIBITION BOURBON, C. 1911, $1,500 (2 OZ.) WASHINGTON, D.C. ROSEWOOD HOTEL TESSERON ROYAL BLEND RARE RESERVE COGNAC, $325 (2 OZ.) LAS VEGAS Not surprisingly, Sin City has one of the greatest assemblages of rare spirits by the glass. Here are just a few: DELMONICO STEAKHOUSE, THE VENETIAN GLEN GRANT 50 YEAR OLD, $375 (1.5 OZ.) THE DORSEY, THE VENETIAN HIBIKI 30 YEAR OLD BLENDED JAPANESE WHISKY, $1,400 (2 OZ.) NOBU RESTAURANT & LOUNGE, CAESARS PALACE THE LAST DROP 1950 VINTAGE COGNAC, $450 (2 OZ.) PICASSO RESTAURANT, BELLAGIO PAPPY VAN WINKLE 23 YEAR OLD BOURBON, $425 (2 OZ.) CHARLIE PALMER STEAK, FOUR SEASONS A FOUR-POUR FLIGHT OF THE MACALLAN 1824 MASTERS SERIES: RARE…

JAMES DE GIVENCHY FOR TAFFIN These earrings featuring eye-catching spinels, bright blue ceramic, and spiky reverse-set diamonds illustrate Givenchy’s bold style. Anything but conventional, the designer is known for creating wearable statement pieces such as these, as well as rings highlighting important diamonds in minimalist settings that seem to float the stones over the finger. (212.421.6222) HEMMERLE This fourth-generation German jewelry house forges striking designs of exceptional diamonds and gemstones with metals such as iron and copper echoing the Bauhaus aesthetic. Hemmerle is pursued by art collectors who are drawn to its strong, sleek image, as illustrated in these earrings of diamonds, copper, and white gold and the aquamarine pendant necklace with turquoise, gold, silver, and onyx. (+49.8924.22.600, hemmerle.com) BHAGAT Led by Viren Bhagat and his two sons, the Mumbai-based…

Destiny doesn’t always announce itself with lightning bolts and dramatic music. Sometimes it favors the discreet dealings of a really good dinner. A few years ago, Coco Chu, the chairwoman of Fortune Fountain Capital, a prominent Asian financial group, was in Paris attending a runway show at the invitation of Chanel. Her friend at the fashion house suggested dinner at Le Cristal Room at Maison Baccarat, a destination in the 16th arrondissement that elegantly undermines any prosaic English translations of “museum café and gift shop.” A sophisticated free-fall into the historic craftsmanship and design of the French cristallerie, Maison Baccarat was once the home of artist and iconoclast Vicomtesse Marie-Laure de Noailles and her husband, Charles. Baccarat reimagined the residence in 2003, enlisting Philippe Starck and Gérard Garouste for the…

WRITE STUFF Four showpiece executive pens. A beautifully conceived, meticulously crafted writing instrument can tell a story without ever being put to paper. The Graf von Faber-Castell Pen of the Year 2017 ($3,600), for instance, is inspired by the Vikings, with a platinum-plated barrel inlaid with five slivers of curly birch—significant in Nordic mythology—and decorated with engravings of ancient runes. The Montblanc Patron of Art Homage to Scipione Borghese Limited Edition 4810 ($2,505) showcases a unique granite barrel and a pattern inspired by the Borghese Vase (now housed in the Louvre). Marking the centenary of the Romanov abdication, the David Oscarson Russian Imperial ($5,900) collection displays the imperial family crest and intertwining cords of gold vermeil over a guilloche sunburst pattern, while Montegrappa’s Ernest Hemingway, Traveller ($3,750) pays tribute to…

In 1905, Samuel Langhorne Clemens—Mark Twain—was turning 70 and his editor and friend, George Harvey, wanted to fete the famous author with a repast worthy of such a man of letters (See “Party of a Lifetime,” page 72). Harveyproved himself a consummate host—not only did he stage the event at a restaurant (Delmonico’s) as legendary as Twain’s writings, but he crafted a unique menu that both flattered and mocked the man of the hour, in the spirit of the humorist himself. The front of the menu was illustrated with a cast of Twain’s characters toasting him, while on the interior, pen and ink sketches of Twain’s various jobs—from Mississippi river pilot to hard-drinking, tempestuous editor—decorated the margins. Harvey perfected all the essential elements of a superb party: thoughtful cuisine and…

Cocktail books from before 1970 emphasize concoctions made with gin, and lots of it. Some of the most well-known classics are gin drinks that never go out of style, such as the martini, Negroni, French 75, Tom Collins, and rickey. But between the era of those drinks and the more recent craft cocktail revival, vodka had come into the spotlight, fueling a proliferation of cosmopolitans and Sea Breezes, while gin somehow gained a reputation as stuffy. Gin, however, has let down its hair and is making a comeback around the world as distilleries capitalize on using native botanicals in compelling combinations in countries as diverse as England, Japan, and Australia, whetting our appetites for equally alluring mixed drinks. Here, four of the world’s top bartenders offer their interpretations for hosts…

GONE FISHING From Eric Ripert to Daniel Boulud to Dan Barber to Thomas Keller, when New York’s best chefs want premium seafood, especially caviar, they go to Rod Mitchell and his Browne Trading Company. Browne offers a wide assortment of caviar from around the globe, importing osetra produced by Russian sturgeon and working with aquaculturists on Idaho’s Snake River to source some of America’s best caviar. It’s hard to pick just one, so the Connoisseur’s Choice collection offers four types—Snake River Royal White Sturgeon, Royal Belgian Platinum, Galilee Prime Osetra, and Giaveri Siberian—packaged neatly in a wooden box along with a mother-of-pearl serving dish and spoon set. At a time when overfishing, poaching, and environmentally destructive harvesting practices are happening in the world of caviar, Browne has made it part…

WHEN MARK TWAIN’S FRIEND AND PUBLISHER GEORGE HARVEY threw the master of American letters a 70th birthday party in 1905, he didn’t skimp as host. Choosing to hold the party at Delmonico’s in New York—which is celebrating its 180th anniversary this year—Harvey invited 170 guests, had a 40-piece orchestra perform, gave each attendee a foot-tall, plaster of paris bust of Twain, and printed a special menu with illustrations by Leon Barritt showing the writer’s varied occupations throughout his life, from riverboat pilot to editor. The menu also provides a glimpse of fine dining at the end of the Gilded Age. There are the staples that endure to this day—Champagne, oysters, and ice cream, for instance—among the era-defining ingredients and preparations that are mostly lost to history. Though Charles Ranhofer was…

“We can forgive a man for making a useful thing as long as he does not admire it. The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely. All art is quite useless.”-OSCAR WILDE THE IRISH POET, playwright, novelist, and incorrigible coiner of epigrams made his career defying the conventions of Victorian society. Wilde rejected the notion that art and literature should be valued for how they furthered the ends of empire and industry. He reveled in beauty for its own sake—though he did accept one practical aspect of his own art: the considerable income he earned from his popular plays. Profit and aesthetic pleasure serve as our themes in “The Investor’s Luxury Index” (page 117), which offers the speculatively minded a pragmatic analysis of many…

“Automotive design and architecture appear in a lot of the things that inspire me, and in a lot ofmy work.” Motor Oil in the Blood I’m originally from Detroit. My dad was in the automotive business, and we were always talking about the latest in automotive design. A lot of people don’t realize it, but Detroit really was very rich in architecture and design. One of my favorite architects, Eero Saarinen, and his father established Cranbrook, an art school in Detroit. Automotive design and architecture appear in a lot of the things that inspire me, and in a lot of my work. Dad, the Clothes Horse In the 1970s, my dad wore an ascot with a ring or medallion attached. He always had the sharpest, newest shirts—all of that Pierre…

THE MASERATI GRANTURISMO coupe and convertible have received strategic and appealing updates for 2018. Foremost among them, redesigned front and rear bumpers significantly decrease aerodynamic drag. The hexagonal grille, taking inspiration from Maserati’s Alfieri concept car, introduces an exceptional 3-D vividness. In addition, freshly created chrome trims the grille and accents the headlights. Inside the cabin, the center stack incorporates an 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment display that also features smartphone mirroring. An array of Harman Kardon speakers—10 in the coupe, 11 in the convertible—are nestled throughout the breathtaking interior, which, as in the case of our test car, can include optional carbon-fiber seat backs. Although electric power-train technology may soon be added to Maserati’s range of vehicles, the GranTurismo carries a 454 hp V-8 engine—a visceral complement to the car’s aesthetic…

JUST AS MB&F FOUNDER Maximilian Büsser promised after the launch of the Legacy Machine Perpetual in 2015, an all-new model has arrived: the Legacy Machine Split Escapement, or LM SE ($79,000). Staying true to the essence of the series, this new release is the second timepiece from MB&F (mbandf.com) to be conceived and developed by the master movement designer and independent watchmaker Stephen McDonnell—the creative genius behind the perpetual calendar. While not as complex as his first creation, the LM SE is a welcome addition to the collection, and a replacement for the now-discontinued LM1. The LM SE’s most eye-catching feature is (of course) the unorthodox escapement configuration that gives it its name. Much as he did with the LM Perpetual, McDonnell has separated the free-floating balance wheel from its…

Del Mar James Beard Award–winning chef Fabio Trabocchi pays tribute to his wife and fellow restaurateur Maria Trabocchi’s Spanish roots with this bi-level, Majorcan-inspired temple to seafood where the paella is rivaled only by the waterfront views. delmardc.com Potomac Distilling Company Sommelier and mixologist Todd Thrasher is declaring his love for all things cocktail—and tiki—with this soon-to-open bar that will feature a grass-covered rooftop, complete with torches and fire pits, and a rum distillery. Capital Yacht Club Founded in 1892, the CYC (as local boaters call it) has a sleek new home in the Wharf’s marina. The glass-walled space provides slips for yachts up to 160 feet long as well as a cushy clubhouse and private event space with panoramic views that stretch from the Washington Channel to the Jefferson…

bank holiday Despite its location in London’s financial district, the Ned (thened.com) is no business hotel. Opened in April within the 93-year-old Midland Bank landmark, the 252-room property brings an urban resort ambience to the pin-striped precinct with 13 bars, a rooftop pool, a spa, and nine restaurants, including an outpost of Mayfair’s Venetian-inspired Cecconi’s. Satisfying the man of leisure further is a speakeasy-style barbershop, a fitness center with a boxing ring, and a handful of Heritage Suites adorned with vintage velvet sofas and dark wood paneling. —AMANDA MILLIN material comforts The Danish furniture brand Carl Hansen & Søn (carlhansen.com) has partnered with Edelman Leather to give seven of its Hans J. Wegner–designed chairs a revamp. Six leathers in shades of green, ecru, and brown complement Wegner’s midcentury-modern forms for…

“Give me the luxuries of life, and I will gladly do without the necessities,” entreats an oft-repeated maxim, sometimes attributed to Frank Lloyd Wright. This appeal can be interpreted as a shallow dismissal of the daily struggle for survival that many endure or as recognition of the fact that human needs extend far beyond the physical prerequisites of existence. Yet the line also reminds us that one of the essentials of well-being—financial security—can derive from the very objects that enrich the mind and spirit. Art, classic and vintage automobiles, rare whiskies, fine wines, antiques, jewelry, and mechanical timepieces are popularly regarded as the trophies of material success; the cognoscenti, however, recognize that over the course of the last decade, these ostensible indulgences have frequently exceeded the returns of the financial…

THIERRY ALLEMAND, CORNAS, RHÔNE, FRANCE The stoical Thierry Allemand has farmed his rocky, terraced vineyards in Cornas for decades, winning renown as one of the world’s Syrah masters and a loyal following from sommeliers and collectors alike. His eventual retirement is certain to push his wines toward record prices. MAISON PIERRE OVERNOY, ARBOIS-PUPILLIN, JURA, FRANCE Pierre Overnoy rejected sulfur in his winemaking long before the practice was fashionable. Now retired and devoted to baking bread, Overnoy has given the reins to his apprentice and protégé Emmanuel Houillona decision that has done nothing to dim this estate’s luster. These wines already change hands for sums that would have been unthinkable a decade ago, and no plans are in place to increase production. HENRI BONNEAU, CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE, RHÔNE, FRANCE Henri Bonneau, one of…

The collector-car world was on edge this summer, and with good reason. After an incredible upward price run that started in the mid-1990s and peaked in 2014, the market for European sports and GT cars had seen values drop by 20 to 30 percent over the past 2 years. Prices for muscle cars and other American offerings, meanwhile, had been creeping upward for about 5 years—but only after a crash of at least 50 percent during the Great Recession. ¶ Given the volatility in these and other categories, collectors were eager to see what this past summer’s Monterey Car Week would hold. Every August, aficionados from around the globe congregate on the picturesque Monterey Peninsula in Northern California for events such as the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Rolex Monterey Motorsports…

The kind of sensational headlines that, for the past decade, have been associated with multimillion-dollar art transactions are now occurring with notable regularity in the world of diamonds and gemstones. News makers include Laurence Graff, who acquired a $53 million, 1,109-carat uncut diamond in late September, and Christie’s, which announced that this month it will sell a 163-carat D-flawless diamond. The largest ever to come to auction, the Christie’s stone is likely to fetch over $30 million. “Ultimately, we can only find what Mother Nature gives us.”—Laurence Graff These and many other marquee sales have drawn attention to an auction category that was once driven more by insiders than by private collectors. As has happened with fine art, wine, and other categories, well-informed consumers are rapidly recognizing the opportunities inherent…

The overall market for 20th-century design made a strong recovery in 2016, even after a sharp fall in 2012 followed by 3 flat years. Art Deco period furnishings and decor accounted for the greatest value of sales last year, but the volume of sales from that era declined compared to 2015. Meanwhile, interest in postwar-modern and contemporary works trended upward. Twentieth-century design can be broken up into roughly five styles and time spans: art nouveau (1900–1920), Art Deco (1920–1945), postwar-modern (1945–1970), postmodern (1970–1990), and contemporary (1990–2011). DeTnk—which is an online marketplace for collectible design, a showcase for designers, and a self-proclaimed think tank dedicated to interior design—released a recent report that analyzes sales prices and volumes for each period. Using sales data from auction houses Christie’s, Sotheby’s, Phillips, Dorotheum, and…

 One might be tempted to call Buenos Aires the Paris of South America. “Book a table at Patagonia Sur well in advance.” IGNACIO “NACHO” FIGUERAS Its grand boulevards, belle époque architecture, and tree-lined plazas certainly evoke a European sense of grandeur and style. But Argentina’s bustling capital is a vibrant city beyond compare, where old-world heritage and Latin flair are bolstered by the boundless creativity of its ever-fashionable citizens, known as porteños. Long an influence in the art, fashion, and design worlds, Buenos Aires this month becomes the host of Art Basel Cities (artbasel.com), a yearlong initiative by the venerable Swiss art institution to support, promote, and exhibit Argentina’s best and brightest. The showcase, which kicks off on November 2, coincides with homegrown fairs like ArteBA (arteba.org)—a contemporary-art show running…

“You cannever be overdressed or overeducated.” —Oscar Wilde 1 COOL QUARTZ Brazilian designer Yael Sonia’s clean-lined Pyramid cuff links in 18-karat yellow gold frame two squares of rutilated quartz, resulting in an Art Deco–inspired, rough-meets-refined look. yaelsonia.com ($3,200) 2 BUTTONED UP These playful titanium button cuff links from the Milanese jewelry house Vhernier are a cool take on the traditional shirt closure. The pair glimmers with eight white diamonds. vhernier.com ($5,950) 3 THE BLUES These sterling-silver cuff links from UK-based Deakin & Francis boast an entrancing central pattern in Bentley Blue. deakinandfrancis.co.uk ($335) 4 SQUARE OFF In these Yael Sonia cuff links, a polished smoky-quartz bead is eternally encased in an 18-karat-gold cube, making for an intriguing, kinetic accessory. yael sonia.com ($3,200)…

ART & ANTIQUES ARTWORK WANTED Inherited American paintings wanted. Premiums paid for new-to-the-market family-owned 19th and 20th listed artists. Hudson River school, American impressionists, modern, and postwar are desired. If you have one painting or an entire collection please call or e-mail Newportart. Contact: (401) 954-5078; E-mail: jay@newportart.com AUTO MERCEDES SPRINTER CONVERSION Turn heads. The #1 classiest, ultimate Mercedes Sprinter conversion. Entertain in style, tailgate with class and travel in comfort. Loaded with options. Offered wholesale from $115,900 by one of Midwest Automotive’s largest dealers. 2018s in stock. Domestic and international immediate delivery available.www.UltimateToys.com 513-770-1665 BUSINESS & FINANCE LIFE IS GREAT! The most liberating feeling: knowing how to make consistent, confident gains on the stock market! We teach you how to day trade stock options using one very effective strategy…

Actor and avid jewelry collector Elizabeth Taylor once claimed, “I adore wearing gems, but not because they are mine. You can’t possess radiance; you can only admire it.” And admire we do. Our fascination with the natural brilliance of precious stones has endured for thousands of years, manifesting today in record-breaking, multimillion-dollar auctions and a global race to unearth the next colossal cache of rubies, colored diamonds, and emeralds, among others. Here, we highlight historic notes and recent statistics for 10 types of gems—both classic and up-and-coming—catching the eyes of collectors and investors right now, with blue diamonds garnering the highest price per carat and the Paraíba tourmaline looking like a new contender. —CAROLYN MEERS Ruby BIGGEST EVER 25.59-carat Sunrise Ruby AUCTION RECORD HOLDER Sunrise Ruby, sold by Sotheby’s Geneva…

COMING SOON TO PRIVATE terminals and hangars is the Gulfstream G600 (gulfstream.com), the $56.2 million wide-cabin, ultralongrange business jet that fills the niche in terms of size and range between the company’s flagship G650/650ER and G500. This summer, Gulfstream began flying the fifth and final test-model G600, an aircraft outfitted with a complete interior. The company expects to receive FAA certification and begin deliveries next year. Passengers will enjoy plenty of elbow room and headroom in the G600’s cabin, which is 7 feet, 11 inches wide and 6 feet, 4 inches tall. It’s also just over 45 feet long (excluding baggage space) and features 14 large windows that allow natural light to fill the interior. One possible configuration divides the cabin into four separate zones that together accommodate 12 or…

KRIS VAN ASSCHE, THE creative director of Dior Homme (dior.com), understands the need to break out of the formal mold. His new Black Carpet capsule collection blends sartorial style with streetwear influences to create evening wear with the right amount of edge. “I introduced coolness in tailored clothes,” says Van Assche, who marks his 10th anniversary with the men’s fashion brand this year. “My work brings street and youth culture into classical designs.” The designer’s take on classical black tie includes a minimalist black tuxedo jacket adorned with jeweled lily-of-the-valley appliqué (the favorite flower of Christian Dior himself) and a fishtail jacket with leather confetti appliqué on the collar. More heavily embellished jackets feature bugle beads or embroidered bees on the collar and over the breast. “Those tuxedo moments are…

WHEN AUDI LAUNCHED its Audi Sport brand at the New York International Auto Show this past April, it also unveiled the 2018 Audi TT RS (audiusa.com)—the first of eight new Audi Sport models that the company expects to bring to the U.S. market over the next 2 years. In July, the German automaker brought its new $64,900 coupe to the 1.5-mile-long track at Connecticut’s Lime Rock Park. There, the 5-cylinder phenom flexed its muscle and flashed its agility. To increase the car’s performance over that of the previous TT RS generation, the marque relied on a trusted formula: Increase power and reduce weight. The compact engine now churns out 400 hp and 354 ft lbs of torque, and the vehicle is almost 60 pounds lighter than its predecessor. “There’s no…

Topping the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list should be a boon for a business—that is, unless the proprietors close their winning establishment right after its victory. The duo behind Eleven Madison Park (elevenmadisonpark.com), chef Daniel Humm and restaurateur Will Guidara, did just that this spring, shutting down to remake their New York City institution. As they prepared for their October reopening, they couldn’t help but laugh at their awkward timing. —JEREMY REPANICH What did you think when you won World’s Best Restaurant knowing you were going to close? WG: I loved it because we achieved this milestone and then 3 weeks later, before we’d close, we did the retrospective menu. To get that award, come back, honor the road that got us there, and then say, OK, now it’s time…

Richard Mille RM 11-03 Jean Todt 50th Anniversary Limited Editon Rather than collaborating with one of the many legendary racecar drivers, Richard Mille opted to recognize Jean Todt—the former director of racing for Ferrari and Peugeot Talbot Sport and the current president of the Fédération Internationale de L’Automobile—by designing a trio of limited-edition releases. Todt and Mille forged a strong friendship over the years through their shared passion for motorsports and obsessive pursuit of perfection. Cased in vibrant blue and white TPT quartz—a quartz-and-carbon compound—the piece is as much a nod to Todt’s favorite colors as to his successes during his stint with Peugeot. richardmille.com BRM V12-44-MR-01 The fine mastery of machining and an obsession with all things motorsports have fueled BRM’s French manufacture since its inception in 2003. Over…

The often glamorous but vaguely understood world of auctions of fine and decorative art, gems, timepieces, and classic cars topped $27 billion in global salesin2016, according to Clare McAndrew of Dublin-based Arts Economics. The lion’s share of the lots offered—which were sold in the major art hubs of New York, London, Paris, Geneva, and Hong Kong—could be followed and bid upon online, eliminating the need to wave a paddle in a crowded salesroom. And not surprisingly, most were tendered by the four largest players in this arena. Christie’s led the pack with auction sales of $4.4 billion, trailed by Sotheby’s at $4.25 billion, Bonhams at $622 million, and Phillips at $500 million. (Interestingly, Dallas-based Heritage Auctions—the largest house in the United States, which specializes in coins and sports memorabilia as…

● Wine fraud is endemic for very good reasons: The ill-gotten gains are potentially vast, and the downside is relatively small compared to other forms of forgery. Counterfeiter Rudy Kurniawan, sentenced in 2013 and the subject of the recent film Sour Grapes, is the first person to serve federal jail time for wine fraud; in France, the maximum sentence for the crime is 2 years. Not surprisingly, multiple sources estimate that fully 20 percent of fine wine is fake. “It’s a massive problem, and it’s getting worse, not better,” says Maureen Downey, authenticator extraordinaire and founder of WineFraud.com. The fine-wine trade, she believes, is “in peril” from the twin scourges of counterfeit wine and theft. Not only are counterfeiters getting better, but they’re also turning their attention to younger vintages,…

“1970s Porsche Turbos. A flood hit the market, which has hurt prices.” —Craig Jackson “High-production-number ‘prom-queen cars,’ where everyone said ‘I have to have one’ in 2013 and 2014. This would be early Porsche 911s and Turbos, late-model Ferraris with manual transmissions, and Mercedes 190 SLs.” —Steve Serio “Second-tier models in mediocre condition. Bad examples with accidents or where main components such as the engine have been replaced.” —Jakob Greisen “Things from the 1930s and ’40s, the generic four-door stuff that has no real following.” —Alex Finigan “Cars with the ‘principal of substitution,’ where you have a choice of so many that it can easily be replaced. This would be Porsche 911s, Jaguar XKEs, that type of thing.” —Donald Osborne “Prewar Rolls-Royce [down 20 percent in the last 12 months],…

Whiskies are entering the echelon of collectible artwork and garnering higher prices than ever both at auction and online—and their ascentshows nosigns of slowing. Long-discontinued and pre-Prohibition spirits continue to be the best investments, as demand for these bottles far exceeds supply, while rare-cask purchases are beginning to gain momentum. ¶ In January 2014, a faceted, handblown Lalique crystal decanter containing 6 liters of Macallan Ma vatting of seven exquisite sherry-barreled whiskies personally selected by the Macallan’s master blender, Bob Dalgarno—set a world record at Sotheby’s Hong Kong as the most expensive whisky ever sold at auction. The catalogue estimate called for the lot to fetch between $258,000 and $516,000, but when the hammer finally fell, the bid stood at $628,000. When it was introduced in 2013, a 750 mL…

BINA GOENKA Influenced by the colorful spirit of her native India, Bina Goenka creates one-of-a-kind artistic expressions—such as this gecko brooch bejeweled with diamonds (white, yellow, pink, and black), sapphires (pink, blue, and orange), emeralds, rubies, tanzanites, rubellites, coral, and gold. She recently opened a by-appointment salon in London to meet the demands of her growing international audience. (+91.22.2665.3616, info@binagoenka.com) SILVIA FURMANOVICH The Brazilian designer’s recent exploration of India and its rich artisanal traditions lives on in this hand-painted bangle set with white topaz and these marble earrings inlaid with malachite, carnelian, lapis lazuli, and turquoise, set with fire opals and emeralds. (At Bergdorf Goodman, 212.753.7300, bergdorfgoodman.com) VANIA LELES Founder of the London-based brand VanLeles Diamonds, the Guinea-Bissau-born Vania Leles uses ethically sourced stones in her jewelry, including this necklace…

Paul Morelli Lagrange Pearl Trellis earrings with Akoya pearls and diamonds set in white gold (212.585.4200, paulmorelli.com). POWERFUL PEARLS 2: Assael gold cuff with Akoya pearls and diamonds (at Richards, 203.622.0551). 3: Bibi van der Velden Galaxy Planet Tahitian-pearl earrings with diamonds and opals set in rose gold (at Bergdorf Goodman, 212.753.7300, bergdorfgoodman.com). 4: Mish New York Bonnelle Pussywillow Lariat necklace with keshi pearls and tassels (212.734.3500, mishnew york.com). 5: Jewelmer Zen ring with a golden South Sea pearl and diamonds set in gold (jewelmer.com; at Oliver and Espig, 805.962.8111). Chopard Red Carpet Collection cuff with emeralds, Paraíba tourmalines, pink and blue sapphires, apatites, tanzanites, tsavorites, amethysts, and diamonds set in titanium and white gold (800.246.7273, chopard.com); Martin Katz Sapphire Teardrop earring with diamonds set in white gold (310.276.7200, martinkatz.com).…

“Style is theperfection of a point of view.” —Richard Eberhart 1 GUCCI This ferociously fashionable tawny leather portfolio boasts a head-turning brass tiger-head closure, a popular symbol from the Italian fashion house. gucci.com ($2,200) 2 VALEXTRA The simple, straight lines of Valextra’s Italian-made gray leather portfolio pair perfectly with a suit, slacks, and a solid presentation. valextra.com ($1,950) 3 BOTTEGA VENETA Mini but mighty, this portfolio can hold a dozen documents as well as a tablet or two. Plus its intrecciato woven motif—a Bottega Veneta signature—is dappled with eye-catching iridescent threads. 800.845.6790 ($2,300)…

FOR YOUR SIBLING Sibling rivalry can manifest itself in many ways. For the brothers and sisters who vie with one another to choose the coolest gifts during the holidays, Kaitlyn Caruke, head sommelier at Walnut Street Café in Philadelphia, suggests vibrant bottles from the hippest producers and regions around—wines certain to assert your superior taste within the family circle. Jolie-Laide 2016 Pinot Gris Rorick Heritage Vineyard ● “This one is one of those where, if you show up somewhere with a bottle people will say, ‘Oh my god, where did you find it?’ Winemaker Scott Schultz sources Pinot Gris from Calaveras in California. It’s all foot-stomped, then fermented in stainless steel, and maintains a pink hue. It’s a little tart, a lot of stone fruit, and a touch salty, with…