NOLA

Ferrari Launches the Pit Stop Store at Vulcano Buono

Does Art imitate Life, or does Life imitate Art? Replace Art with Architecture, and Life with Nature and you very well might have your answer in Vulcano Buono. The innovative commercial space sits in the heart of Nola – one of Italy's most important industrial centers – and the foothills of Mount Vesuvius. The building imitates the menacing volcano above in its form, and is insulated by acres of sloping vegetation fields in a unique green initiative.

The only thing such a structure might share with a company like Ferrari (aside from the carbon spewing into the atmosphere) might be the country they both call home, but this is also the site that Ferrari chose to open a new kind of retail space. Called the Pit Stop, it's similar to other Ferrari Stores around the world, but is targeted specifically at race fans (as opposed to sportscar owners on the flip-side of the Ferrari coin).

The 900-square meter store is the first of its kind, and is styled after the pit-lane garages used by Ferrari on the grand prix circuit. The decor and furniture are inspired by the industrial-strength travel cases used by the Scuderia, there's a reproduction pit wall where visitors can drive the Ferrari Virtual Academy driving simulator and of course there's plenty of memorabilia on offer. The Vulcano Buono store is the first of what Ferrari plans will be many situated around the world.

Gallery: Ferrari Pit Stop store at Vulcano Buono

Tags: ferrari pit stop, ferrari pit stop store, ferrari store, italy, nola, pit stop, retail, store, vulcano buono

Brad Pitt Enjoys Wearing His Patek Philippe Nautilus Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Celebrity Shopping

Brad Pitt, known watch lover, has a seriously intense watch collection. From the timepiece I've heard he buys (and at the frequency he does so), he must have a very large collection. Enough so that each of his kids are likely going to get a sizable timepiece inheritance someday.

Here is Brad wearing his Patek Philippe Nautilus timepiece while doing work with the Make It Right project in New Orleans . This watch debuted in the late 1970s, and came about when luxury steel sport watches really became en vogue. Today's Nautilus watches comes in a few varieties, but Brad likes his in the classic style with a steel case and bracelet, with a blue face, and a three-hand Patek Philippe made automatic movement. Like all Patek Philippe movements, it is beautifully made and decorated - and visible here through a sapphire exhibition caseback window. I like how Brad matched the blue dial with his shirt. The watch is 43mm wide and in all steel except for the while gold hands and hour markers - which are applied.

The Nautilus is an interesting piece - and took a little while for me to appreciate. What really sold the watch for me a few years back was seeing it on the wrist. As you can see, it has a very masculine, flattering look on the wrist. The specific reference number for this piece is 5711/1A, and retails for about $23,000.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Thanks to Gabriella K. and JustJared.com.

Tags: brad pitt, Make It right, Nautilus, NOLA, Patek Philippe, watch, watchspotting, wears