monaco

Tag Heuer Monaco V4 Limited Edition Watch - $80,000

It is the timepiece that you never thought Tag Heuer would make - but they did. As a limited edition of just 150 watches the Monaco V4 is a great looking watch that is as fun to watch in operation as it is to show off. Plus, it is the only Tag Heuer watch I know of made from platinum (170 grams of it). Aside from the unique look of the watch and the modern styling, there are two major points of interest in the watch.

First, the watch movement uses a series of transmission belts instead of pinions. The belts are the smallest made anywhere and still have a thin steel wire in them for strength. Basically, instead of smaller gears connecting some of the larger gears, there are the belts that do it. Second is the use of a liner weight for the automatic movement. The idea is meant to resemble a piston in a engine. Instead of an oscillating weight moving around in a circle, the linear weight moves up and down to power the movement. Power is stored in four barrels that are seen in the rear of the watch (hence the V4 name). The power reserve is 52 hours, and the watch is actually very accurate at about plus or minus 4 seconds a day.

The watch also uses mini ball bearings instead of "rubies" that are commonly used in watches for low friction between gears and palettes. Tag Heuer says that the ball bearings provide even less friction than the commonly used synthetic rubies. The watch functions include the time and a power reserve indicator. It is a new style of skeletonized watch, and very Tag Heuer in character. Price is $80,000 for each piece in the limited edition (save for the first piece that is being auctioned off for charity).

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

Gallery: Tag Heuer Monaco V4 Limited Edition Watch

Tags: limited edition, LimitedEdition, monaco, platinum, tag heuer, TagHeuer, v4, watch

Bamford Adds TAG Heuer Monaco To Bespoke Line Of Timepieces

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Some companies make things. Others make things better. Take for example the Bamford Watch Department. They don't make their own watches. Probably because they know there are enough companies out there making excellent timepieces. What's lacking, in the eyes of the British purveyor of luxury items, is customization options. So they offer a line of Rolex wristwatches – like their PVD-coated Daytona Cosmograph – with a seemingly endless array of color combinations. The watches can be customized right on their website (not unlike premium automakers' configurators on which we've wasted countless hours), and now Bamford has added another model to their portfolio: the TAG Heuer Monaco.

Now celebrating its fortieth anniversary, the square-cased Monaco is one of the most iconic wristwatches of all time. But while TAG Heuer has released some special anniversary editions in various color combinations, Bamford lets you specify everything, from the dial color and strap stitching to the date window and chronograph indices. The privilege will cost you around ￡5,000, but there's no cost for toying around with the online customization interface.

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Tags: bamford, bamford monaco, bamford tag heuer, bamford tag heuer monaco, bamford watch department, BamfordMonaco, BamfordTagHeuer, BamfordTagHeuerMonaco, BamfordWatchDepartment, heuer, monaco, tag, tag heuer, tag heuer monaco, TagHeuer, TagHeuerMonaco

Tag Heuer Monaco LS Chronograph Calibre 12 Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

From concept to reality - sort of. I got excited seeing some of the Tag Heuer Monaco watch concepts shown at Baselworld the last few years. Instead of any of those watches really making it to production (with some exceptions) we have this Monaco LS Chronograph Calibre 12 watch model, that is like the "eventual production model of a concept car" that itself was too impracticable for production. Alas, this Monaco LS Chronograph Calibre 12 watch is "based" on the Tag Heuer Monaco 360 concept watch.

Underneath the designer dial, is a basic array of subdial discs, save for the dial and hand for the chronograph hours located at 6 o'clock. For the most part the dial is just a series of visual tricks to make it look more complicated than it really is. For example, take the "linear" seconds counter located at 3 o'clock. It looks like a horizontally laid out linear gauge, but in reality it is just the appearance of that with a disc bearing a spiral red line underneath that looks like it travels across the linear dial. The same goes for the chic looking counters at 12 and 9 o'clock - nothing that special and more gimmicky.

Powering the watch is Dubois Depraz automatic mechanical chronograph movement inside of the 40.5mm wide steel case that is WR to 100 meters. Style of course refers to the "futuristic" concept Monaco watches that some of you have lusted for, but for me this Monaco LS Chronograph watch is simply not that satisfying a consolation prize to those interesting concepts which are not available. Not a bad watch, but certainly underwhelming once the initial novelty of the style wears off.

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

Tags: calibre 12, Calibre12, chronograph, LS, monaco, tag heuer, TagHeuer, timeiece, watch

Fairmont Monte Carlo: The Only Way to Watch the Tour de France

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Sports

There are two ways to take in the Tour de France. One is to cram yourself into a spot along some godforsaken stretch of road with all the other riffraff. You can hope to get a look at the action ... as long as they person in front of you isn't tall. Or, you can find your way to Monaco's F1 circuit, where the race departs. Instead of schlepping out to the site, you can stay nearby. Without the hassle of getting to and from, you might actually enjoy the experience!

To help you enjoy the kickoff of the 96th Tour, the Fairmont Monte Carlo has put together a great package. Stay from July 1 to July 5, and you can pick up a room for €529 (around $735) a night, with a buffet breakfast included.

So, if you've ever wanted to witness the greatest cycling spectacle of all time, here's your chance to do it the right way. Once the riders depart, drop some cash on the roulette table, and sip a wine carefully crafted in Provence. Do everything that those dedicated athletes can't. The lucky racers won't be back until next year, but you can take a few more days to play with the wealthy.

Tags: bicycle, bicycles, cycling, cyclist, cyclists, fairmont, fairmont hotel, fairmont hotels, FairmontHotel, FairmontHotels, monaco, monte carlo, MonteCarlo, tour de france, TourDeFrance

Martini Girl Too Hot for Formula 1 Drivers in Monaco

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Luxury Cars & Autos, Events, Sports

A billboard featuring sultry model Jessiqa Pace (above) on the racetrack at the Monaco Grand Prix had to be taken down after it proved too distracting to Formula 1 drivers over the weekend. Pace, 29, appears in the campaign for Martini, the Italian winemaker founded in 1863 and famous for its iconic vermouth.

F1 team representatives asked for the posters to be taken down after drivers complained during trial runs; champ Lewis Hamilton crashed in Saturday's qualifying round close to the gigantic image of Jessiqa. "All the attention is overwhelming," she told the London Daily Star. "I find it really funny. Obviously it's very flattering that I'm distracting the drivers so much, but I'd feel terrible if someone got hurt."

Gallery: More Jessiqa Pace

Tags: Ad campaigns, AdCampaigns, Formula 1, Formula One, Formula1, FormulaOne, Jessiqa Pace, JessiqaPace, Lewis Hamilton, LewisHamilton, Martini, models, Monaco, Monaco Grand Prix, MonacoGrandPrix

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COYS Monaco Auction Features 1982 Title-Winning Suzuki Motorbike

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions

Once derided as knee-dragging crotch-rockets, motorcycles have been gaining more respect in the world of classic motors. We reported earlier that Pebble Beach would be welcoming classic motorbikes to its vaunted concours for the first time this year, and now a famed automotive auction house is gearing up to sell off a corral of historic motorcycles, including this noteworthy example. The Suzuki 500 XR40 you see here is the bike with which Franco Uncini won the 1982 MotoGP World Championship, the two-wheeled equivalent to Formula One. It would be the first and only world title the legendary rider would win, a crash in Holland the following year putting him temporarily into a coma and subsequently ending his career. Long since recovered, Uncini today acts as a safety representative for the series, making good use of their new BMW X6 M safety car. He'll also be on hand at the COYS auction in Monaco on May 18 where his title-winning bike is expected to go for as much as €350,000 ($470k), hitting the auction block together with several other historically important motorcycles.

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Tags: 1982 motogp, 1982 suzuki 500 xr40, 1982Motogp, 1982Suzuki500Xr40, auction, coys, coys auction, CoysAuction, franco uncini, FrancoUncini, monaco, motogp, motogp suzuki, MotogpSuzuki, motorcycle, motorcycle auction, MotorcycleAuction, suzuki, suzuki 500 xr40, suzuki xr40, Suzuki500Xr40, SuzukiXr40

The Brothel Prince & His Louis Vuitton Rolls-Royce

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Wealth, Crimes and Misdemeanors

Spotted in Monaco recently was this pimped-out Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe customized in a Murakami multicolored Louis Vuitton monogram, belonging to the infamous Prince Marcus von Anhalt. Von Anhalt, who's said to have essentially bought his title - Prinz von Anhalt, Herzog zu Sachsen und Westfalen, Graf von Askanien in full - by paying Zsa Zsa Gabor and her ninth husband Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt millions of dollars to adopt him, is one of Germany's largest and most high-profile brothel and nightclub owners.

He refers to himself as "Prince Germany" and apparently uses the Rolls to promote the Royal Race, a Gumball 3000-style exotic auto rally he launched last year. The Prince, who's been known to pal around with Pamela Anderson, claims to be a millionaire "in the three digit range" and to own 26 cars plus luxury real estate in several countries including Monaco and Dubai, attended by 12 bodyguards and 25 servants. This looks to us like not only a crime against taste but exactly the kind of thing LVMH's lawyers love to sue over.

[via JamesList]

Tags: Germany, Louis Vuitton, LouisVuitton, Monaco, Murakami, Pamela Anderson, PamelaAnderson, Prince Marcus von Anhalt, PrinceMarcusVonAnhalt, Rolls Royce, Rolls-Royce, RollsRoyce, Royal Race, RoyalRace, Royalty, takashi murakami, TakashiMurakami, Zsa Zsa Gabor, ZsaZsaGabor

Christian Slater's Aston Martin for Sale

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions, Celebrity Shopping

Christian Slater's vintage Aston Martin is among the lots on offer at Bonhams' Collectors' Motor Car Sale at the S.A.S. le Prince de Monaco Motor Museum in Monaco on May 18. The car is a 1984 Aston Martin V8 Volante, finished in gray with a matching gray leather interior, that the Hollywood star bought in Los Angeles in 1997, a few years after he starred in True Romance. The Aston is estimated at €40,000 - €50,000, or about $50,000 - $65,000. Slater's Aston is a steal compared to the auction's top lot, the 1928 Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 Mille Miglia Speciale, one of only three in existence, which is expected to fetch up to $1 million.

Tags: Aston Martin, AstonMartin, Bonhams, celebrity, Christian Slater, ChristianSlater, Monaco

Russian Dartz Kombat Grenade-Proof Luxury SUV

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The other day we told you about the awesome $1.5 million armored Rolls-Royce Phantom. If you're looking for something a little more utilitarian (and less expensive) though equally anti-ballistic, feast your eyes on the new Russian-made Dartz Kombat T98 SUV. The Hummer lookalike, a sort of tank-meets-luxury SUV, features heavy steel plated doors and 3-inch windows, and is impervious to everything from AK-47s to rocket-propelled grenades. Powered by an 8.1 liter Vortec V8, capable of 110 mph, it's priced at about $200,000. Prince Albert of Monaco was spotted checking the vehicle out at the recent Top Marques Monaco auto show.

Tags: armored car, ArmoredCar, bulletproof, Monaco, Prince Albert of Monaco, PrinceAlbertOfMonaco, security, SUV, Top Marques Monaco, TopMarquesMonaco

MkVI AC Cobra Unveiled at Top Marques Monaco

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, The Classicist

The more things change, the more they stay the same. That's what they say, but the inverse might as well be true when it comes to the latest AC Cobra. The iconic roadster that originally went into production in 1961 and immortalized by the legendary Carroll Shelby is still around, its latest version scheduled to be unveiled shortly at the prestigious Top Marques show in Monte Carlo. Only instead of being built in England with a big-block Ford engine, it's now being built in Germany with a Chevy small-block.

The AC Cobra MkVI is available in two versions: the GT with an enormous 437 horsepower, or the GTS with an unfathomable 647. Keeping all that power in check are a set of Porsche brakes (vented discs with four-piston calipers), which is good because the GTS will hit 60 in a heartbeat over three seconds. Since it's being built now by Gullwing GmbH, the latest Cobra comes with a removable hard-top with gull-wing doors to ease access. Click on the thumbnail images below to view in high resolution.

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Tags: 289 Cobra, 289Cobra, 427 Cobra, 427Cobra, ac, ac cars, ac cobra, AcCars, AcCobra, Carroll Shelby, CarrollShelby, cobra, gull wing, gull-wing, gullwing, gullwing gmbh, GullwingGmbh, monaco, Shelby Cobra, ShelbyCobra

Monaco Is Tops For Expensive Property

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Real Estate Developments

The most expensive place to own prime real estate in the world is now Monaco which beat out London as the most expensive place to buy residential property in a recent survey. In Monaco a piece of prime property costs 50 000 euros per square meter ($68,000) versus 28,000 euros for London and 16,000 euros for Manhattan. The Wealth Report, compiled by Citi Private Bank and Knight Frank shows that property values fell 17 percent in London and 25 percent in Hong Kong. Real estate around the world is generally gloomy with prices either down or in stasis in most of the world's cities.

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Tags: monaco, property, real estate, RealEstate

'Only Watch 09' Charity Watch Auction In Monaco This September

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Auctions, Charity

This special annual watch auction is a collaboration between Patrizzi & Co. (auctioneers) and the Monaco Yacht Show. To be held in Monaco on September 24th, 2009, the intended purpose of the auction is to raise money for the Monegasque Association against Dunchenne Muscular Dystrophy - who is heading efforts to develop new and innovative surgical techniques to fight Muscular Dystrophy. The event that starts with good intentions also has a great concept behind it. Plus, the auction will have no reserve prices.

The name "Only Watch" refers to the fact that each watch auctioned must be unique. This falls into two categories: the watch must be "number 1" in a limited edition set, or it must be a watch that is wholly originally and cannot be bought anywhere else. These special requirements add an distinct attractive quality to the event. Although the auction is not for another six months, the items offered will be on tour in several key locations before the show starting in August, see the link below for complete tour dates.

Watch brand participators include only high-end Swiss makers such as Audemars Piguet, BNB Concept, Cartier, De Bethune, Urwerk, Patek Philippe, and many others. There are going to be a great deal of very interesting watches. Pictured above is a unique watch movement from BNB Concept - a maker of movements for some of the higher-end watch makers of today. They will be participating in the event, and this movement is likely to be housed in one of the available watches for auction. Check back for more information as it becomes available.

Via Only Watch 09 Press Release - Patrizzi & Co.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: 09, auction, bnb concept, BnbConcept, monaco, only watch, OnlyWatch, patrizzi, timepiece, watch, yacht show, YachtShow

Monaco Offers Lower-Priced Getaways To Tempt Tourists

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Tourism just about everywhere from Dubai to Las Vegas is hurting and now some places that have never had to deign to ask for your tourist dollars are throwing out the welcome mat. Bloomberg reports that the ultra-pricey small country of Monaco is offering travel packages costing around $500 to attract new visitors. Monaco is traditionally a vacation spot for some of the world's wealthiest people. But hotel bookings dropped eight percent in January and with the worldwide economic crisis affecting many deep-pocketed globetrotters the country wants to let people know it is open to more than just the rich. A new five-year marketing plan from Monaco's tourism board will get the message out that all are welcome in Monaco. The country still hopes that the well-heeled, especially those coming in on luxury cruises and yachts, will visit but right now anyone with cash is welcome. As my colleague Jared Paul Stern reported last year, Monaco has already shelved plans for a multibillion dollar land expansion into the Mediterranean which would have created more space for shops and apartments.

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Tags: monaco, tourism

The Classicist: The World's Greatest Luxury Yachts

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Books, The Classicist

In the rarefied world of mega yachts, the ultimate achievement is to have one designed by a certain Norwegian genius named Espen Oeino. The world's top star in naval architecture, Oeino's megabucks creations "combine the precision of fine machinery with indulgent finishes and the high-end amenities of a palace." When German luxury publisher teNeues opted to focus a volume in its amazing Luxury Toys series to the world's greatest yachts, it was quickly decided to dedicated the entire book to Oeino.

Luxury Toys: Mega Yachts showcases 20 of the Monaco-based Oeino's stellar creations accompanied by text from top yachting author Nick Jeffery, the most respected authority on luxury watercraft. Among the megayachts featured is Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's 413-ft. Octopus, the 8th largest yacht in the world and the second largest superyacht that is not owned by a head of state. The nine deck ship cost $200 million to build and has an annual operating budget estimated at $20 million.

Designed for self-sufficient long range cruising, the Octopus contains a wet dock for a 59-ft. tender and an equally large remotely-operated submarine that can descend to 2500 meters, a twin helicopter hangar and two helipads, countless giant antennae and a telescopic sonar, a cinema and music studio. Another Oeino creation featured in the book is the military-looking 233-ft. SKAT, pictured above, built by Lürssen of Bremen, Germany for Charles Simonyi, a former Microsoft software engineer and pioneering space tourist. The yacht features an elevator serving all four decks, a gymnasium, matching helicopter, and motorcycles with a special lift.

Gallery: Luxury Toys: Mega Yachts

Tags: Charles Simonyi, CharlesSimonyi, Espen Oeino, EspenOeino, Lurssen, megayacht, Microsoft, Monaco, Octopus yacht, OctopusYacht, Paul Allen, PaulAllen, teNeues, yacht

Continue reading “The Classicist: The World's Greatest Luxury Yachts”

Exotic Four-Door "Roadyacht" Convertible Supercar to Debut at Monaco Top Marques Show

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The four-door convertible is one of those old-world luxuries that has long since been lost to the annals of history. Several automakers have contemplated reviving the body-style, known as the phaeton or parade car: Chrysler unveiled a Phaeton show car in 1997 before the company was acquired by Daimler-Benz, which in turn toyed with the idea in the Mercedes Ocean Drive concept in 2007 and the million-dollar, limited-production Maybach 62 Landaulet. But while these rare automobiles attempted to revive the classic body-style in splendid retro fashion, a team of Dutch engineers has given the idea a decidedly modern twist.

Called, in longwinded fashion, the Bewerp Savage Rivale Roadyacht GTS, the vehicle takes the four-door convertible concept and blends it with that of the most exotic supercars while throwing in some nautical cues, just to mix it up. Based on a custom space-frame chassis with carbon fiber body and powered by a Corvette-sourced 600-horsepower V8, the Rivale promises to deliver an entirely unique motoring experience to any buyer with the $340,000 to spare after it makes its debut this April during the exclusive Monaco Top Marques luxury automobile show at Prince Albert's Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo.

Gallery: Bewerp Savage Rivale Roadyacht GTS