pershing

I recently mentioned how the Vacheron Constantin Historiques 1921 won the jury prize in Swiss Montres Passion's 2009 Watch of the Year Award. Well this Parmigiani Pershing Asteria watch won the Prix du Public (publicly voted award) for 2009, in the same magazine. I find it so interesting that the editors at the magazine itself would choose such a quirky classic watch, while the public would vote for a thoroughly modern in appearance sport watch - a women's version at that. Of course the Parmigiani Pershing comes in male variants as well.

This is one serious sport women's watch. The 42mm wide case is in white gold with a mother-of-pearl dial - and has all the hallmark features of a diving watch. Inside is a Parmigiani manufacture made 002 Chronograph automatic movement. On the dial there are two charming little features that compliment the easy to read chronograph subdials. At the end of the chronograph seconds hand is (not able to be seen in this image) a small octopus as the counterweight, while the seconds hand/dial for the time itself is a stylized, spinning sea star (starfish).

The luxury watch is also available with various levels of precious jewel decoration. I believe it is a winning watch because the public appreciates its sporty exterior, charming design accents, manufacture made movement, luxurious construction, and modern looks. Quite a departure from what the editors of the Montres Passion magazine took into consideration when giving their award.

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

Pershing makes some of the world's coolest high-performance yachts but conservation has never been very high on their agenda. That hasn't been a problem since the typical Pershing customer wants a killer craft and doesn't have to worry much about the price of gas. With their latest superyacht design however, the Pershing 108 (above) just unveiled in Milan, the famed shipyard has made a concession to the times and fitted split engines for the first time. The yacht's three 1815kW MTU diesel engines combined with three Arneson surface propellers can produce a total speed of 41 knots. However by not running all three you can cut back on consumption and emissions. The central engine will get you going at 11 knots, while two engines allow you to hit 23 knots.

Belowdecks everything is still luxury to the max. Copious amounts of Canaletto Walnut characterize the elegant, modern interior. The aft part of the saloon features a dining table for 10 and a large C-shaped sofa made by Poltrona Frau, which produced luxe leather seating and beds throughout. Access to lower deck accommodation is via a large stairway located behind the steering seats and comprises a large VIP cabin in the bow, 2 twin guest cabins, and a full beam master cabin in the center of the yacht. The master cabin's large windows allow plenty of natural light, and the suite features a walk-in wardrobe or fully equipped studio, a large, en-suite head and separate bathroom.

The new Pershing 72' yacht recently was presented to the press before making its debut at the major boat shows. The 72-foot yacht is design for cruising enjoyment at the level where you may have a crew member or two and an intimate gathering of friends or family. The yacht has a sleek design with a hard top that is a sunroof and slides open in both the saloon and the cockpit. There is a glass partition between the cockpit and the salon to create one large indoor/outdoor environment. The cockpit includes the sundeck with a large sofa and a foldout table. There is a full beam master cabin with a king size bed and a bathroom with a shower. There is also a guest cabin with twin single beds and a third stowaway berth and a VIP cabin with one large bed and an en-suite bathroom. The crew area has a small living room and a cabin with two beds. The garage has an area that can be lowered into the water and can store both a tender and a jet ski. The yacht uses two 1823hp engines and can hit a top speed of 45 knots. After the jump, interior shots of this pleasingly modern vessel.