Table of contents for Sep-15 in Robb Report

DIGITAL EXCLUSIVES

September iPad Bonus Feature Milan’s New Menswear Meccas Italy’s style capital and freshly fashionable travel destination (see “The Miracle of Milan,” page 144) is a hotbed of extravagant new menswear boutiques from Rubinacci, Caruso, and other top designers. BY CAROLYN MEERS Old Porsche, New Tricks With subtle yet significant modifications, Emory Motorsports turns vintage Porsches into modern marvels. RobbReport.com/Emory José and Friends In November, chef José Andrés will be joined by Anthony Bourdain, Eric Ripert, and José Enrique at a powerhouse culinary event in Puerto Rico. RobbReport.com/Joseandfriends Out to Sea Take a photo-and-video tour of Dunya Yacht’s 236-foot superyacht Axioma, which will be chartering in the Caribbean this winter. RobbReport.com/Axioma Robb Report is available as an interactive edition for the iPad at the iTunes App Store and through Zinio. Download…

1 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

SUPER MODEL

NOW AN ICON of 1960s design, the Miura P400 created a sensation when it was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 1966 and brought fame to Lamborghini, a fledgling brand at the time. The low-slung sports car was revolutionary, with its transversely mounted V-12 positioned midship and enveloped by a stunning body that Marcello Gandini designed and Bertone built. (The P in the car’s name stands for posteriore and refers to the placement of the engine; the 400 refers to the engine’s 4-liter displacement.) The Miura evolved through three model variants that began with the P400. The P400 S and then the P400 SV followed, with Lamborghini producing about 150 examples of the latter from 1971 to 1973. The SV stands for Superveloce, which translates to “high-speed” or “super…

1 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

REFINED DESIGNS

Gray Matters A UNIFORM SET OF high-quality, richly colored gray moonstones is a rare find. The designer Katherine Jetter (katherinejetter.com) discovered the stones used for the necklace shown here (top, price upon request) at last winter’s Tucson Gem Show and paired them with a multicolored opal. The opal weighs 33 carats and is set in gold with red-sapphire accents. The moonstones weigh a total of 238 carats. “Gray is a sophisticated and elegant color palette in gemstones,” says Jetter. Other new gray-tone jewelry designs include this Vhernier Etoile necklace ($70,000, vhernier.com), which is made of gray agate, diamonds, and white gold, and these Lily pendant earrings from Larkspur & Hawk ($1,900, larkspurandhawk.com). The earrings feature white topaz that is placed over foil to create the gray color. The stones are…

2 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

Well Done

KAMALAYA (kamalaya.com) has a long history of health and healing. Though opened only a decade ago in the dense jungle of Thailand’s Koh Samui island, the wellness retreat was constructed around an ancient cave that was used for centuries by Buddhist monks as a place for meditation. In January the resort added to this legacy with a new state-of-the-art fitness center, an 82-foot swimming pool, and six spa treatment rooms. Participants in Kamalaya’s many wellness experiences—which range from sleep-enhancement and fitness programs to Ayurvedic and detox treatments—can also now stay in the resort’s 16 new suites. Located on a hilltop overlooking the Gulf of Thailand, the freshly completed accommodations feature outdoor showers and large terraces perfectly suited for morning yoga sessions.…

1 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

MAGNIFICENT MACHINES

Positive Thinking A PERENNIAL FAVORITE WITH Robb Report Car of the Year judges, the Audi R8 (audiusa.com) first arrived in the United States in 2008. It received a face-lift for the 2012 model year, but the 2016 model is a true second-generation design. It features a new engine, a new Quattro drive, and a revamped body that remains similar to the original, showing how well the design has aged. Produced by Audi’s Quattro division, the new R8 is powered by a mid-mounted, naturally aspirated V-10 engine, which is paired with the company’s excellent dual-clutch 7-speed S-tronic automatic transmission. The top-of-the-line variant is the R8 V10 Plus, and it is the fastest and most powerful Audi production car ever. The engine delivers 610 hp, enabling a top speed in excess of…

2 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

Second in Command

THE COMPLETION OF a model line’s second hull usually is not especially notable, not when interior colors and design materials are all that distinguish the follow-up from the first. But the May launch of the second Dominator 800S—from the Dominator shipyard in Fano, Italy—was deemed worthy of a media event that included a cruise lasting several hours and an opportunity to meet the yacht’s owner. He told the boating writers that he was drawn to Dominator because the company was willing to work with him to create a highly customized yacht. The company did just that. Compared to the first Dominator 800S, which was delivered to its owner at the Miami International Boat Show in February, the new 80-footer weighs nearly 7 tons less because of its carbon-composite hull, superstructure,…

2 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

Gourmet Rendezvous

CULINARY FESTIVALS HAVE become a boisterous business, with thousands of events sprouting up around the globe, hungry crowds lining up for nothing more than a nibble on the end of a toothpick, and great chefs abandoning their kitchens to cook over a loudspeaker in front of audiences who will not enjoy a single bite. Last year, St. Barts, the famously exclusive island in the French West Indies, became the latest destination to offer a food festival of its own—but one that pursues a very different philosophy. “We want it to become a rendezvous,” said Nils Dufau, an organizer and the president of the St. Barth Tourism Committee. And so the centerpiece of the first Taste of St. Barth Gourmet Festival was a series of intricate, multicourse dinners cooked by prominent…

3 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

Winds of Change

ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2014, One&Only Palmilla announced the launch of a luxurious new amenity for its guests. Catari—a 95-foot, four-cabin yacht built by the Rome-based Canados shipyard—was intended to supplement the sublime experience at the famed Mexican retreat, a sleek vessel for exploring the Sea of Cortez on day or overnight excursions. Little did anyone know that Catari would soon be standing in for the resort itself. Just two days after Catari’s unveiling, Hurricane Odile hammered Baja California’s southern tip with 125 mph winds and torrential rains. The storm caused an estimated $1 billion in damage and closed the Los Cabos area—the 20-mile stretch from San José del Cabo in the north to Cabo San Lucas in the south—to tourism for nearly a month. The destination has been coming back…

3 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

Taking It Slow

IT IS DINNERTIME at Viva Mayr, Altaussee, and I sit alone eating a piece of stale bread. I chew slowly and thoroughly, ensuring each of my 40 bites liquefies the food before swallowing it down. My meal comprises no more than this tiny spelt morsel and a clear broth served in a china teacup. Several tables away, another guest—or patient, as we are known here—spears a boiled mini potato and takes a bite, beginning her own chewing odyssey. We lock eyes, nodding at each other as we chew, chew, chew. Finally she swallows, sighing as she sets her cutlery down on the white linen tablecloth. Behind her, Lake Altaussee sparkles. The small Alpine village of Altaussee, located roughly 50 miles east of Salzburg, Austria, is the newest home of what…

2 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

BULL SPEED AHEAD

UNDER THE SHADOWS of the Gothic spires of the nearby Sagrada Familia Basílica, the bullring of the Plaza Monumental de Barcelona sits empty, a relic of a not-so-distant past. On the plaza’s sand floor, during the final Sunday of September 2011, the matador Serafín Marín dispatched the second of the two fighting bulls he faced that afternoon. The event was momentous—spectators packed the grandstand—because it was the final bullfight in Catalonia, ending a tradition that had been practiced in the region since at least the 14th century. In May, about three and a half years after the ban went into effect, a new fighting bull arrived in Catalonia, at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, about 15 miles north of Barcelona. There, Lamborghini hosted test-drives of its latest model, the Aventador LP…

5 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

AROUND THE WORLD WITH ROBB REPORT

IF EVER THERE were an event emblematic of Robb Report, it would be our annual Car of the Year competition in California. Held every autumn, the contest brings together the world’s finest new automobiles—Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Bugattis, Bentleys—for a few days of test-drives by our editors and a handful of by-invitation-only judges. At night, the lucky few participants gather at gala dinners to debate the merits of every coupe, convertible, and supercar, after which they retire to suitably sensational accommodations. As hosts of Car of the Year, Robb Report’s editors have experienced firsthand the anticipation, exhilaration, connoisseurship, camaraderie, and just plain fun that the competition inspires. The infectious enthusiasm eventually got us to thinking: What if we could prolong this sense of excitement and extend it beyond just our passion for…

9 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

SPECIAL DELIVERIES

IN A HANGAR at the Savannah, Ga., headquarters of Gulfstream Aerospace (gulfstream.com) earlier this summer, two new customized versions of the G450 gleamed under spotlights, commanding the attention of the small group of guests and media members who had been invited to watch the fractional-shares provider Flexjet (flexjet.com) take delivery of the large-class business jets. They are the first two planes in a 50-aircraft order that Flexjet placed with Gulfstream last year. The deal includes 22 firm orders and options to buy an additional 28 aircraft. In front of the audience, which included Gulfstream engineers and technicians who developed the G450, Kenneth Ricci, the principal of Flexjet parent company Directional Aviation Capital, spoke about his affinity for Gulfstream aircraft, how he has logged about 4,000 hours piloting Gulfstreams, and how…

7 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

DON’T HESITATE TO ASK

IF YOU ARE a first-time buyer of a business aircraft, you should be asking yourself many questions before embarking on the quest to find the perfect plane: How often will I fly and how far? How much will I need to work or sleep en route to my destinations? How much luggage will I need to stow? How tall are my typical passengers and how much luggage will they bring? How long will I stay at each destination? How comfortable am I with the idea of other people chartering my plane? Once these questions have been considered, you should seek expert advice on what type of aircraft will best suit your needs. You will also want help negotiating a good price, finding any hidden issues with the aircraft, financing the…

12 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

Rich in Style

EVERY ARTIST MUST settle on a medium; and although Truman Capote, as a boy, imagined a career in films, by the time he turned 20 he had tied his hopes to a literary career. Style—in language and in life—was a preoccupation for the author of Breakfast at Tiffany’s and In Cold Blood, whose aesthetic ideal was the fusion of ambition and taste in what he described as a living work of art. “There are certain women,” he said, “who . . . are born to be rich. By and large, these persons are artists of an odd variety; money, in astronomical amounts, is their instrument.” Capote became an eminent connoisseur of such venal virtuosos, whom he playfully called his “swans.” These ladies shared more than friendship with the writer: Each…

3 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

MINERAL RITES

THE SMALL GERMAN village of Idar-Oberstein, which is renowned for its surfeit of highly skilled gem cutters, traces its history in this exacting trade to the 15th-century discovery of once-bountiful agate mines. While these sources have all but been depleted, the talent for perfectly cutting precious stones continues to thrive there—particularly in the workshop of the third-generation lapidary Bernd Munsteiner (munsteiner -cut.de) and his son, Tom, whose latest creations highlight the very mineral that brought the community to prominence in the world of gemology. “There are tons of agates out there, but finding the right one is not easy,” says Bernd, who unearthed the raw materials for these two new designs from mines in southern Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul region. Part of Atelier Munsteiner’s Agate Impressions series, these pieces…

1 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

GRAND OPENING

Linked In ZIMBABWE HAS A rich tradition as one of Africa’s original safari destinations. Famed for its strict guiding standards—and, not surprisingly, for the quality of the professionals who pass its rigorous exams—the country is also home to some of the oldest and largest wildlife reserves on the continent. Chief among them is Hwange National Park, which was established in 1930 on the former hunting grounds of the Ndebele warrior-king Mzilikazi. This May, in what is perhaps a sign of Zimbabwe’s reemergence on the safari scene, the 3.6-million-acre reserve welcomed its first luxury lodge with the debut of Wilderness Safaris’ Linkwasha Camp (wilderness-safaris.com; available through the Africa Adventure Co., africa-adventure.com). Set in a 130,000-acre private concession within Hwange, Linkwasha features nine tents that can accommodate a total of 18 guests.…

2 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

GOTHAM RISING

HOUR HOUSE • In July, the Mandarin Oriental, New York (mandarinoriental.com), unveiled 42 renovated suites featuring three distinct palettes—inspired by the colorful vistas over Central Park at sunrise, dusk, and nighttime—as well as original paintings by local artists. BUILDING A LEGACY • The design firm Champalimaud has reimagined the Plaza Hotel’s (theplazany.com) 29 Legacy Suites, adding hand-painted wallpaper and custom chandeliers. Finished in May, the remodel extended to the Hardenbergh Terrace Suite. SKY PALACE • In June, the Quin Hotel (thequinhotel.com) debuted its 3,400-square-foot Penthouse, a two-bedroom suite with a custom Bowers & Wilkins sound system, a dining room for as many as 14, and a rooftop deck with views of Central Park.…

1 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

AIRBORNE

Scheduled to enter service in 2018, the Gulfstream G500 (gulfstream.com) has made its first flight. The aircraft is part of a new line of clean-sheet designs that also includes the longer-range G600, which is scheduled to enter service in 2019. According to Gulfstream, the G500 will be able to travel more than 5,700 miles at 561 mph and nearly 4,400 at 594 mph. The aircraft’s projected price is $43.5 million. Gulfstream also has begun installing a new satellite-communication router on its G550 and G450 models. The enhancement enables passengers to use their phones to call and text while in flight at any altitude and from virtually anywhere in the world. —L.B.…

1 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

Controlling Interest

JAGUAR APPARENTLY believes you cannot have too much of a good thing. For the 2016 model year, the brand is offering U.S. customers 12 variants of the F-Type, the acclaimed sports car that it introduced two years ago. This is double the number of choices that were available for the 2015 model year. They now range from the $65,000 rear-wheel-drive base-model Coupe, equipped with a 340 hp V-6 and a manual transmission, to the top-of-the-line F-Type R Convertible, which Jaguar made available for a test-drive earlier this year at the Monticello Motor Club in the foothills of New York’s Catskill Mountains. Priced at about $106,000, the F-Type R Convertible replaces the rear-wheel-drive, 495 hp F-Type V8 S Convertible, which Robb Report named the Best of the Best in 2013. Like…

2 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

Philosopher’s Stones

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN an irresistible force meets an immovable object? In Delia Viader’s case, a vineyard is planted. The native of Argentina discovered California’s Napa Valley in the early 1980s and decided to put down roots—literally. Most vineyards at that time were situated in the richer alluvial soils of the valley floor, but Delia—who had at the time no training in oenology, though she holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from the Sorbonne in Paris—chose a site on the slopes of Howell Mountain. The steep parcel offered ideal sun exposure; its soil composition, however, was almost entirely rock. When Caterpillar D9s failed to remove these immovable obstacles, Delia turned to an even more irresistible force: explosives. “We kept breaking equipment that was never supposed to break,” recalls Delia’s son, Alan, who…

2 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

The Italian Way

RUBINACCI IS AMONG the most celebrated names in Neapolitan tailoring. The family first earned renown in the mid-1800s, when Mariano Rubinacci imported silk from Asia for his shop, which still sits at its original location near the Castello Cellamare. By the 1930s, the tailoring skills of Mariano’s grandnephew Gennaro were drawing European and American aristocrats to the shop. Now Gennaro’s grandson, the 33-year-old Luca, has introduced a ready-to-wear collection that adds fashionable flair to the family business. Along with the new collection, Luca—a dapper gentleman who demonstrates panache by mixing colors and patterns—continues to offer wardrobe advice. “I love to style my clients,” he says. A visit with Luca usually involves a glass of wine, maybe a meal, and sometimes a weekend at Casa Rubinacci in Naples, where customers can…

2 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

Happy Place

EFREN CAMPOS STEERS his ATV between two beavertail cacti, coming to a stop at the edge of a wild headland overlooking the Pacific coast. The waves crash loudly into the rocks below, spraying up through a nearby blow-hole as he surveys our surroundings. To the north are Chamela Bay and the untouched Playa Rosadas. To the south is the picturesque Playa Turquesa. The rugged beauty of Mexico’s Costa Alegre—a 150-mile stretch of coastline extending from Puerto Vallarta to Manzanillo—recalls California’s Monterey Peninsula. Here, however, succulents replace cypress trees and development is scant. Among Costa Alegre’s scattered developments—which include the exclusive Costa Careyes community and Las Alamandas resort—is the new Las Rosadas, a 420-acre parcel where Efren and his wife, Maria, serve as property managers. The San Francisco–based couple Tom and…

2 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

Object Lessons

IN DEFIANCE OF our digitally accelerated, smartphone-obsessed culture, which emphasizes an immediate gratification that seldom gratifies, Pierre-Alexis Dumas dedicates himself to dreaming up concepts intended to inspire society to slow down and savor the moment. The latest such whimsy from the artistic director of Hermès is an attaché case that unfolds to form a small writing tablet—a practical yet capricious device that gives the imagination a place to play, no matter where the owner happens to be. “I designed the Sac Écritoire for myself,” he says. “When I’m stuck at the airport or in transit, I can open my little desk and sketch wherever I am.” More than just an adaptable tool for daydreamers, the portable escritoire represents a continuation of one of the company’s most novel traditions: Each year,…

5 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

YOUR HOME IN THE SKY

THE ROBB REPORT Boeing 757-200ER—an aircraft that typically holds 233 passengers—has been custom configured to accommodate just 52 VIP guests, each in a 180-degree lie-flat seat. These white leather sanctuaries are handcrafted in Italy and feature mid-height privacy screens and 6.5 feet of space in full recline. While kicking back in the Robb Report jet, you will also enjoy: An in-flight menu designed by the trip’s executive chef to reflect the ingredients of each destination and the palate of each passenger. Journey managers and a dedicated flight crew and staff to address your every need, from completing landing documents to selecting the perfect wine. Individual iPads loaded with custom trip information and on-demand entertainment. Global Wi-Fi and in-seat USB ports and power outlets to ensure you stay connected in the…

1 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

TOUCH AND GO logout

AT AN AVIATION conference in 2007, PrivateFly founder Adam Twidell made a presentation in which he introduced his idea for an online portal for booking charter flights directly. It would allow customers to choose jets from multiple charter companies, giving them much more choice than any single company could provide. Customers would be able to select the specific jets they were interested in flying and compare the prices online. Halfway through the presentation, Twidell was shouted down by an angry aviation executive. He asserted that Twidell did not understand the luxury industry and that no one would ever book a private jet over the Internet. The executive had a point. Most private-aviation clients are over 40, and eight years ago many people in that age group were not yet accustomed…

8 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

Come Fly with Me

AT THE START of the jet age, Bill Lear and other aircraft builders counted on celebrity endorsements—not just of their products but also of the lifestyle that went with owning a private jet. Frank Sinatra became an early adopter 50 years ago, in 1965, when he took delivery of one of the first examples of the Learjet 23. He named it Christina II, after his youngest daughter. A week after taking possession of the plane, Sinatra flew it to the Newport Jazz Festival, where he resurrected his singing career. By modern standards, the Learjet 23 did not have a lot of space, just enough for two leather seats in back, a port-side seat near the door, a three- or four-person divan on the starboard side, and, on Sinatra’s plane, a…

3 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

Air Supremacy

Large-Cabin Ultralong-Range The aircraft in this class can cross nearly half the globe nonstop and provide ample space for groups of people who need to work and rest during flights that may exceed 12 hours. Although this class contains just one option at this point, it is expected to add the Bombardier Global 7000 and the Dassault Falcon 8X in 2016 and the Bombardier Global 8000 in 2017. Gulfstream G650ER PRICE: $66.5 MILLION RANGE: 8,630 MILES CITY PAIRS: LOS ANGELES TO MELBOURNE; HONG KONG TO NEW YORK CRUISING SPEED: 561 MPH TYPICAL CABIN PASSENGER CAPACITY: UP TO 18 SELLING POINTS: BIGGER AND FASTER AND FLIES FARTHER THAN ANY OTHER BUSINESS JET IN SERVICE. gulfstream.com Ultralong-Range The jets in this category can travel more than 6,000 miles, and their cabins are…

7 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

Chipping Away

SIZING UP A birdie putt on the ninth green of the East Course at Kasumigaseki Country Club, I had a realization: This could be one of the best rounds of my life. Kasumigaseki, which is located about 30 miles northwest of Tokyo, will be the host course when the Olympic Games come to Japan in 2020. The club is one of the few in the country that still features two greens on each hole—one planted with grass best suited for warm weather, the other featuring a more durable turf for play during colder months (a common practice before the advent of hybrid grasses). I was playing the easier set of greens and had managed, through nine holes, to avoid the densely grown trees that line the course’s expansive fairways, as…

7 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

ADVERTISER REGISTER

A. Testoni, page 87 212.399.7733 Abellán New York, page 141 abellannewyork.com Armin Strom, page 79 arminstrom.com Audemars Piguet, pages 20-21 audemarspiguet.com 888.214.6858, 866.595.9700 Backes & Strauss, page 138 backesandstrauss.com 212.463.8898 Bell & Ross, page 89 bellross.com 888.307.7887 Bermuda Tourism, page 154 gotobermuda.com Black, Starr & Frost, pages 36-37 blackstarrfrost.com 949.673.1771 Boglioli, page 97 boglioli.it Breguet, Cover 4 breguet.com 212.288.4014, 877.403.8160 Broadgreen Pictures' Learning to Drive, page 225 learningtodrivemovie.com Brunello Cucinelli, pages 28-29 brunellocucinelli.com 212.627.9202 Camper & Nicholsons International, page 50 camperandnicholsons.com 561.655.2121 Carl F. Bucherer, page 113 carl-f-bucherer.com 800.395.4306 Cesare Attolini, page 69 cesareattolini.com 212.246.0085, 800.550.0005 Christopher Designs, page 49 christopherdesigns.com 800.955.0970 Cohiba, page 165 cohiba.com Cvstos, page 95 cvstos.com 212.463.8898 De…

4 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

Nobuyuki “Nobu” Matsuhisa

SINCE OPENING HIS first restaurant in 1987, the chef known simply as Nobu has cooked up an international empire that today spans 38 restaurants across five continents, hotels in Las Vegas and the Philippines, partnerships with Crystal Cruises and VistaJet, and more. The James Beard Award winner has also ventured beyond hospitality, taking brief acting roles in such films as Casino, alongside his business partner and longtime friend Robert De Niro. Robb Report caught up with the 66-year-old sushi master at his Nobu Hotel at Caesars Palace to discuss his passions for food, travel, and the arts. —ANUSH BENLIYAN What are some of your favorite destinations and cuisines? Los Angeles is my home right now, but I was born and grew up in Japan, where I now have…

3 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

WHO WILL BE THE NEXT Culinary Master ?

featuring The Master Chefs & Their Nominees AUGUST 8 BEVERLY HILLS John Besh & Justin Devillier AUGUST 14 HALF MOON BAY Norman Van Aken & Phil Bryant SEPTEMBER 18 NEW YORK CITY Barbara Lynch & Patrick Campbell OCTOBER 10 SAN FRANCISCO Christopher Kostow & Kim Floresca Daniel Ryan OCTOBER 16 NEW YORK CITY Curtis Duffy & Lee Wolen OCTOBER 24 NEW YORK CITY Michael White & John Becker Robb Report is pleased to announce the fourth annual Culinary Masters Competition and this year’s panel of celebrated master chefs and their nominees. The master chefs—John Besh, Curtis Duffy, Christopher Kostow, Barbara Lynch, Norman Van Aken, and Michael White—each represent a region across the United States and each has nominated an up-and-coming chef doing groundbreaking work in the regional style. These emerging…

1 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

ELEMENTS OF STYLE

Sartorial Meets Sporty ONE OF THE menswear style trends emerging prominently for fall is the pairing of elegant sartorial pieces with casual street wear. Among those who have embraced this relaxed look is Antonio De Matteis, CEO of Kiton (kiton.it). “The hooded sweater is replacing the more traditional V-neck or crewneck sweater,” he says. “It gives a very elegant outfit a sportive look.” The style is exemplified by this Kiton ensemble that combines a finely tailored cashmere sport coat ($7,950), a cotton shirt ($595), and a silk pocket square ($215) with a lightweight cashmere-and-silk hooded sweater ($2,950). —JILL NEWMAN A Better Cashmere IN TIME FOR the arrival of cooler weather, Cruciani (cruciani.net) has unveiled a new type of cashmere that does more than just keep you warm. The Italian knitwear…

3 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

IRISH EXPRESS

Next summer, the 40-passenger Belmond Grand Hibernian (belmond.com) will make its inaugural journey, traveling through the Irish countryside from Cork to Westport. Scheduled for August 2016, the train’s first voyage will stop at the Blarney Stone, the Jameson whiskey distillery, and several other sites along the way. The Grand Hibernian, which was designed by the British firm James Parks Associates, will feature 20 en suite cabins, two restaurants, and an observation car serving up Irish whiskey and live music. Two-, four-, and six-night itineraries throughout the Republic and Northern Ireland (priced from about $3,180 per person for a two-night journey) will also offer guided tours of ancient castles, fishing expeditions at the Lakes of Killarney, and tee times at some of the world’s oldest links. —J.C.…

1 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

HEAD OF ESTATE

EVERY LEADER NEEDS a lair. For more than a decade, Nelson Mandela found respite at his private estate, the Nelson Mandela Centre for Reconciliation (centreforreconciliation.co.za) in South Africa’s Shambala Private Game Reserve. Now the storied residence—which features six bedrooms, a swimming pool, and sprawling outdoor decks—is available to travelers seeking an exclusive safari experience in the 24,700-acre wildlife reserve. Debuted in May, the home retains its original interiors, including Mozambican wood carvings, handwoven tapestries, and other African artworks. Visitors can embark on game drives and bush walks led by private guides, or glimpse elephants, hippopotamuses, and other wildlife at the estate’s watering hole. Guests of the property (which is priced from about $5,600 per night) also have access to an office where Mandela’s desk and chair remain as they were…

1 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

CELLAR NOTES

Layered Legacy FEW WINES HAVE followed a longer path to the cellar than Patriarch by Frank Family Vineyards ($225, frankfamilyvineyards.com), a 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon whose story begins in 1916, whe Hy Frank was born in New York City. As a young man, Hy joined the invasion of Normandy; on returning home, he founded his own small business, which he ran successfully enough to put his son, Rich, through college. That investment paid off: Rich launched a career in entertainment that included positions as president of the Paramount Group and Walt Disney Studios before purchasing the Larkmead Winery in Napa Valley, where Frank Family Vineyards operates. Patriarch honors the man who made Rich’s achievements possible. Redolent of black currants, dried cherries, and attar of roses, this Rutherford red adds its…

3 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

Kid Rock

BORN INTO A diamantaire family in Mumbai, India, and raised in Antwerp, Belgium, Nirav Modi learned early on how to identify the top-quality diamonds in a pile of stones. But instead of following his father and grandfather into the thriving family business, he eventually returned to Mumbai, and five years ago he established his namesake jewelry collection, which is inspired by Indian art, among other influences. “My jewelry is about design as opposed to a rock,” says the 44-year-old jeweler, whose collection will become available in the United States for the first time in September with the opening of his store on Manhattan’s Madison Avenue. Modi expresses his Indian aesthetic in Mogul floral patterns and lotus flowers formed from diamonds. Instead of pairing the stones with the bold gold…

2 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

Jump Start

THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE is bathed in golden light, the rays of the morning’s sun casting a sparkle on every dewdrop-covered blade of grass surrounding the Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire. Inside the stables, Charlie, a sturdy black cob with a white stripe running down his nose, twitches with anticipation as Anne Murray, one of the hotel’s riding instructors, readies him for a day of jumping. “It was hailing an hour ago,” Murray informs me in her soft Scottish brogue. The casual observation is enough to jangle my nerves. I have been riding for years, but jumping requires more courage than I may have in inclement weather. Still, I mount Charlie with feigned confidence and head toward the cross pole jump. I assume a two-point position—leaning forward with my backside elevated out…

2 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

Initial Offerings

LAST OCTOBER, ART dealers were gearing up for the world’s newest high-profile show, Art Silicon Valley San Francisco. Seventy galleries from New York to Beijing were in attendance, and the usual suspects—Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, and Jeff Koons, to name a few—were up for grabs. Rumors swirled that new pieces by the famed street artist Banksy would also be unveiled. But as the four-day fair commenced, it was clear that the attendees were the biggest news. Young, wealthy, and for the most part completely new to the art market, the visitors made for an unusually green audience in the world circuit of art collectors. If history is any indication, Silicon Valley may soon become the next great art market. The past has shown that, when a great deal of wealth…

2 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

Coin Op

HOW DO YOU sell the most valuable U.S. coin collection ever assembled? This is the question that Vicken Yegparian and his colleagues at Stack’s Bowers Galleries faced when real estate investor D. Brent Pogue turned to them last year to disperse the coins that he began collecting as a teenager four decades ago. Calling Pogue’s collection peerless is akin to saying that water is wet: The description is accurate but insufficient. If it is the rarest U.S. coin or the finest example of one, Pogue almost certainly owns it. The value of his collection is estimated at $200 million. (The face value of the coins is $769.14.) The next most valuable coin collection to go to auction was the $60 million John J. Ford Jr. collection, which Stack’s Bowers sold…

3 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

The Miracle of MILAN

IT IS MORNING IN MILAN, and the place to be is Pasticceria Marchesi, the venerable pastry shop on the Corso Magenta. As usual, it is standing room only at the café, packed with attractive men and women—at least a handful of whom I assume are models in this perennially fashionable city—sipping espressos, cappuccinos, and lattes between bites of biscotti and chocolates. Not long ago, this chic clientele was on edge when another local purveyor of pastries, Cova, fell into the hands of Italy’s cultural archrivals, the French, with the luxury conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton purchasing the café in 2013. Panic ensued nine months later when Pasticceria Marchesi—a cornerstone of Milanese society since it opened in 1824—went up for sale. Local patrons heaved a collective sigh of relief, however,…

12 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

AUTOPILOT EROTIC

IN THE HISTORY section of the website for Sperry Product Innovation, a Massachusetts-based business that makes packaging machines and other products, there is a brief biography of famed inventor and engineer Elmer Sperry, the great-grandfather of company founder Laurence Sperry. Known as the Father of Modern Navigational Technology, Elmer had more than 350 patents to his credit, including one for the gyrocompass, which became an essential navigating tool for warships and other vessels. The website also includes a short biography of Elmer’s son, Lawrence Sperry, who adapted his father’s gyroscopic concepts for aviation and created the first autopilot system. The younger Sperry’s invention is noted in “Automatic for the Pilot” (page 200), one of the features in this sixth annual Private Aviation Sourcebook from Robb Report. The story spotlights the…

3 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

INTERIOR MOTIVES

JUST AS JET manufacturers continually seek to produce aircraft with more powerful engines and longer range, the companies that design custom interiors compete to create the most efficient, attractive, and comfortable cabins. Their designers, engineers, and customer-service specialists will work with you to meet your requirements for a living space that allows you to conduct business while in flight or just sit back and relax. These shops can take a green jet (one with a bare interior) straight from the factory assembly line or an older jet ready for refurbishment and create a design that incorporates the lightest possible materials and makes the most use of the cabin’s limited space. The shops also must comply with strict international aviation standards to ensure that all of their constructions and materials are…

5 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

AUTOMATIC FOR THE PILOT

ACCORDING TO THE Federal Aviation Administration, on average, once every four days in the United States a fatal crash occurs when a pilot flying a small private airplane loses control of the aircraft. Actions such as banking too steeply or climbing too slowly can quickly develop into an aerodynamic stall or spin that produces the loss of control (or LOC as the FAA calls it). A crash results when the pilot fails to execute corrective actions for reasons that can include poor judgment, lack of experience, lack of ability, or impairment. Stalls are the number-one cause of fatal crashes of small aircraft, according to the FAA, which cites this type of LOC in about half of all fatal accident investigations. But new technologies, including some that are just now becoming…

7 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

The Robb Report Private Aviation Advisory Board

Peter Agur Jr. Chairman and Founder, The VanAllen Group vanallen.com Peter Agur Jr. has been a management consultant since 1985. His firm provides consulting services for large corporations, high-net-worth individuals, and royal families. Agur began his career as an army aviator and went on to work for several major airframe manufacturers. He has a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical sciences from the Metropolitan State College of Denver and an MBA from Georgia State University. James Butler CEO, Shaircraft Solutions shaircraft.com James Butler is the CEO of Shaircraft Solutions, a private-aviation consulting firm that advises individuals and businesses on the full spectrum of private-air-travel options, including fractional jet ownership, jet card programs, and private-jet charter. A business attorney with expert industry knowledge, Butler has negotiated transactions ranging from multimillion-dollar fractional-share purchases and…

3 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

Of Note

SHAMBALLA EYEWEAR shamballa-eyewear.com | 800.472.7525 Shamballa Eyewear is a collection inspired by the ancient tradition of yoga and meditation. Shamballa Jewels is known worldwide for its unique designs and use of luxury materials. The Star of Shamballa mark is a declaration of premium quality and craftsmanship. The eyewear and jewelry collections aspire to encourage the possibility of connection to our inner compassion and wisdom. OCEANCO oceancoyacht.com | +377.93.10.02.81 Oceanco is ideally positioned with a yacht-building facility in the Netherlands with direct access to the sea, complemented by a design, sales and marketing office in Monaco. In addition to utilizing its own in-house design team, Oceanco works closely with the world’s leading designers who have launched some of the largest yachts in Holland. Furthermore, Oceanco’s craftsmen are among the finest in…

1 min

Robb Report|Sep-15

Of Note

CAMPER & NICHOLSONS INTERNATIONAL www.camperandnicholsons.com | 561.655.2121 As the global leader in luxury yachting activities, Camper & Nicholsons looks after the sale, purchase, charter, marketing, management, and construction of the finest yachts in the world. Every year, the yachting specialist calls upon its unparalleled knowledge of the yachting industry to put together its famous Charter Collection—a beautiful directory revealing the best charter yachts currently available on the market—alongside enticing guides to the world’s best cruising grounds. The 2015 version is available now; to request a copy, please e-mail charter@camperandnicholsons.com. SANDI MILLER BURROWS DESIGNS sandimillerburrowsdesigns.com | 212.996.6217 The custom designed heart pendant was commissioned by a mother who wanted the initials of each of her children incorporated on it. Crafted in 18-karat black gold, the Gothic initial heart pendant is set…

1 min