rolex

Sleep with Rolex & Patek Philippe at Florence's Luxe L'O - Hotel L'Orologio

Filed under: Decor, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Timepieces / Watches, Men's Style, Architecture & Design

Under the patronage of new Italian luxury hotel group Whythebest, one of Florence's hippest and best-hidden boutique hotels is getting set to welcome the fashion crowd to the city this summer during the Pitti Uomo men's shows.

L'O - Hotel L'Orologio is unique in being inspired by the prestigious world of international high-end watchmaking as well as by owner Sandro Fratini's personal collection of over 2,000 vintage timepieces. If you appreciate haute horlogerie – and what man of style doesn't? – it's hard to imagine wanting to stay anywhere else.

Tags: Florence, Italy, luxury hotels, Patek Philippe, Rolex, Whythebest Hotels

Continue reading “Sleep with Rolex & Patek Philippe at Florence's Luxe L'O - Hotel L'Orologio”

World's Most Stylish Superyachts Set Sail for Perini Navi Cup

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Yachts & Sailing, Events, Wealth

The Perini Navi Cup, an annual super-luxe regatta in Sardinia dedicated to the world's most stylish sailing superyachts built by the famed Italian boatyard Perini Navi, is gearing up for its biggest year ever with an extra day of racing and help from some big-name sponsors.

Hundreds of millions of dollars worth of yachts, from the megabucks Maltese Falcon to the Lord Foster-designed Panthalassa and founder Fabio Perini's own Elettra are slated to make the scene and compete for the top prize under the auspices of the ultra-exclusive Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.

Set to take place September 1–4 in the waters around Porto Cervo, big ticket sponsors include Rolex, Audi and Champagne Pommery.

Want to compete in the Cup? There are six Perini Navi yachts available for sale via global online luxury marketplace JamesList, ranging from the 131-ft. Clan VI built in 1983 for $7.3 million, to the 184-ft. Salute built in 2008 for $50 million. There are also six Perini beauties for charter on JamesList, from the 110-ft. Heritage M built in 2000 for $95,000 per week to an impressive 164-ft. cruiser built in 2001 for $195,000 per week.

Gallery: The Perini Navi Cup

Tags: Audi, JamesList, Maltese Falcon, Panthalassa, Perini Navi, regatta, Rolex, sailing yachts, Sardinia, sports, yacht charter, yachts

The Classicist: Early Spring Style Starring the Volvo S60

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Luxury Cars & Autos, Books, Men's Style, The Classicist

The new Volvo S60 R-Design, the marque's sportiest model ever, serves as the inspiration for The Classicist's latest installment of seasonal style (see the late winter edition here).

As previewed by our brethren at Autoblog at the Paris Auto Show, the S60 R-Design amps up what Volvo had already declared to be its first "naughty" model; ask anyone who knows us – we've always had a soft spot for naughty models. The car's snappy 300-horsepower 3.0-liter inline turbo six remains unchanged, but the R-Design designation adds some styling upgrades that give it an aptly more aggressive stance.

Tags: bags, cars and style, clothing, luggage, mens style, R A E N Optics, Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Cooper bag, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Red Wing, Red Wing Shoes, Red Wing Wabasha Boots, Rolex, Rolex Explorer, Rolex Explorer II, Scandinavia, Steve McQueen, Sweden, The Classicist, VO Vapen, Volvo, Volvo S60, Volvo S60 R-Design

Continue reading “The Classicist: Early Spring Style Starring the Volvo S60”

The Classicist: James Bond Style - Project X's New British Military "Stealth" Rolexes

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Men's Style, The Classicist

Project X Designs, the London-based Rolex customizer whose fans include "James Bond" star Daniel Craig, has come out with three new military-inspired "stealth" designs based on the classic Rolex Submariner and Rolex Explorer. The cool new models pay homage to Agent 007, the legendary British Special Boat Service (SBS) and military issue Submariners of 1950s – 1970s, original models of which fetch a small fortune at auction.

Tags: 007, 007 Rolex, custom Rolexes, Daniel Bourn, Daniel Craig, Daniel Craig Rolex, DLC, DLC Rolex, DLC watches, James Bond, James Bond Rolex, James Bond watch, james+bond+style, jamesbondstyle, London, military, military watches, Project X, Project X Designs, Project X Rolex, project+x+designs+james+bond, project+x+rolex+limited+edition, project+x+stealth+military+rolex, projectxdesignsjamesbond, projectxrolexlimitededition, projectxstealthmilitaryrolex, Roger Moore, Rolex, Rolex Daytona, Rolex Explorer, Rolex Submariner, rolex+stealth+explorer, rolexstealthexplorer, Sean Connery, timepieces, UK, watch design, watches

Continue reading “The Classicist: James Bond Style - Project X's New British Military "Stealth" Rolexes”

Killy, Luxe Ski Wear from a Stylish Olympic Champion

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Sports, Men's Style

Killy, Luxe Ski Wear from a Stylish Olympic Champion

Jean-Claude Killy won all three ski events at the 1968 Winter Olympics, worked as a stuntman in James Bond films, appeared in Rolex ads, raced sports cars and was tapped as one of GQ's 50 most stylish men of the last 50 years. Until now we didn't know that he also has an eponymous line of luxe ski wear. Born in the French Alps, elegance, comfort and performance are the key focuses of the Killy brand. French designers, cutting edge fabrics, sporty laser cuts and color hits adorn what are otherwise very practical weatherproof garments for both men and women. The quality and style of each Killy ski piece is designed to "embody the exacting demands and spirit of Killy, the man himself." Recently merged with the leading French outdoor group Lafuma, which also owns the famed Le Chameau boot brand, look for Killy to make even more of an impression in the future.

Gallery: Killy Ski Wear

Tags: clothing, France, GQ, Jean-Claude Killy, Killy, Le Chameau, Olympics, Rolex, ski, skiing, sports, winter sports

Christie's Sells Record-Breaking $91 Million Worth of Watches in 2010

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Auctions

With its final auction of the fall season on December 14 in New York, including the stunning collection of rare Rolexes we wrote about the other day, Christie's International wrapped up a record-breaking year for fine and rare watches that realized an astonishing $91.2 million in total sales – the highest annual total ever achieved for watches at the global auction house. During what has emerged as a remarkable year for investment in fine timepieces, every watch sale hosted at Christie's salerooms in Dubai, Hong Kong, Geneva, and New York achieved sell-through rates above 90% by value. The top watch of the year was a unique Patek Philippe gold chronograph Reference 1527 (above) manufactured in 1943 that sold for a record-breaking $5.7 million at Christie's Geneva in May. The top 8 prices of the year were all attributable to Pateks, and no other auction house in the world achieved as many record prices for important timepieces during 2010.

Tags: auctions, Christies, Dubai, Geneva, Hong Kong, New York, Patek Philippe, Rolex, watches, world record

Rare Rolexes & More in Christie's Watches Sale

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Auctions

A custom-engraved Patek Philippe pocket watch from the collection of American business titan Henry Graves Jr. and a stellar collection of modern dress and sport watches from the collection of award-winning actor Anthony LaPaglia are among top lots to on offer at Christie's December 14 sale of Important Watches in New York. Price-wise the big draw is a Patek Philippe Reference 2499 in 18k gold, a perpetual calendar chronograph with moon phases, manufactured in 1982, est. $250,000–$350,000, while Graves' Patek is estimated at $40,000–$60,000. LaPaglia is an astute collector whose well-chosen pieces will lead the sale's afternoon session, with estimates ranging from $2,000 up to $70,000.

A stand-out among the vintage watches in his collection is the Rolex Reference 3646 made circa 1943 for Officine Panerai, an extremely rare example of the large, stainless steel diver's wristwatches produced for Italian navy officers during the 1940's, est. $70,000–$90,000; and the Rolex Reference 6541 from circa 1958, one of the rarest Milgauss models Rolex ever produced, est. $60,000–$80,000. Identified by its seconds hand in the form of a lightning bolt, this anti-magnetic model was originally designed for use in areas of high electro-magnetic fields, such as laboratories and power stations. And our favorite is the Rolex Reference 6239, known as the "Paul Newman" Cosmograph Daytona, (above) manufactured circa 1967 in stainless steel, est. $40,000–$60,000.

Gallery: Christie's Important Watches 12/14/10

Tags: Anthony LaPaglia, auction, christies+watches, christieswatches, chronograph, Henry Graves Jr., Panerai, Patek Philippe, rare+rolexes, rarerolexes, Rolex, Rolex Daytona, rolex+milgauss, rolexmilgauss, watches

Ltd. Edition Sir Edmund Hillary Rolex Explorer for $39,000

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Men's Style, The Classicist

Ltd. Edition Sir Edmund Hillary Rolex Explorer

Last month we reported that a collection of classic Rolex watches belonging to Mt. Everest conqueror Sir Edmund Hillary was headed to auction. If you didn't manage to snag one of the precious timepieces, there's another chance to pay horological homage to the great adventurer. The new Hillary Tenzing Explorer Series is a limited edition of three variations on the classic Rolex Explorer worn by Sir Edmund on his historic climb in 1953. Priced at $39,000 and limited to just 88 examples, the watch (above) is also named after Sherpa Tenzing Norgay who made the Everest ascent with him.

Created by the same company who brought out the Jaques Picard SingleRed DeepSea Rolex model in 2008, the watches were designed in close cooperation with Peter Hillary and Jamling Tenzing Norgay, sons of the famous mountaineers and acclaimed adventurers themselves. Each will come packaged in a custom packing crate modeled on the one that accompanied Hillary to Everest along with various accessories including bespoke shell cordovan NATO watch straps and a pair of hiking boots modeled on the ones worn by the famed explorer.

[via JustLuxe]

Gallery: Rolex 'Hillary Tenzing' Explorer

Tags: Mt. Everest, Rolex, Rolex Explorer, Sir Edmund Hillary, timepieces

EXCLUSIVE: Rugged Fall Style Starring the 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Spirits, Timepieces / Watches, Luxury Cars & Autos, Men's Style, The Classicist

Click above for a high-res image gallery and full credit info

Some people look at the colder weather as an excuse to head south for the winter; we like to think of it as an opportunity to wear lots of new clothes and find fun ways of keeping warm. In the spirit of getting ready for the season in style we took the new 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo, some classic country clothing and ruggedly handsome accouterments on a tour through the glorious autumnal landscape of northern New England, documenting our excursion with the cool new Olympus PEN E-PL1 digital camera. We let the foliage flaunt the bright colors, keeping the clothing to an elegant, understated palette of greens, grays and earthy tones with rich leather, suede and alligator skin details and subtle tortoiseshells and tartans for contrast. Warm textures of wool, cashmere, tweed, moleskin and waxed cotton combined with equestrian and hunting elements guard against the elements and the hazards of the terrain (and local fauna), handling any activity without sacrificing anything in the way of style.

That's also an apt description of the new Cayenne Turbo, hands-down the sportiest SUV around. For 2011 it gets a sleeker and more aggressive appearance, better performance and fuel economy, garnering it the 2011 Motor Trend Sport/Utility of the Year title (they noted that "the Cayenne's driving experience eclipsed that of every other contender"). Powered by a 4.8-liter, twin-turbo V8 engine generating 500 hp, it can do 0–60 mph in just 4.4 seconds if you're so inclined. Equipped with the Porsche Traction Management (PTM) active all-wheel-drive system it can do just about anything else. Fitted with Porsche's new eight-speed Tiptronic S transmission with paddle shifters on the steering wheel and a luxurious leather interior influenced by the Panamera, it features a state-of-the-art navigation system with real-time traffic updates, a surround sound system with iPod interface, Bluetooth hands-free phone operation, 18-way adaptive sport seats and more – in short, all the bells and whistles you'd expect from a $105,000 SUV with a Porsche pedigree.

Gallery: Rugged Fall Style - Porsche Cayenne Turbo

Grousa sweater jacket by Fjallraven; tumbled leather boots by Ralph Lauren

Moto jacket by LINCS by David Chu; shirt, tie and pants by Ralph Lauren; boots by Hunter

Cashmere sweater by Brooks Brothers; shirt and pants by Ralph Lauren; cap by Locke & Co., London

Gentry Russell boots by Wolverine 1000 Mile; scarf by Hermes

Tags: alligator, Barbour, Brooks Brothers, Burberry, camera, cashmere, cognac, David Chu, equestrian, Fjallraven, Hunter, Hunter boots, hunting, LINCS, mens style, New England, Olympus, Panamera, Panerai, Persol, Pierre Ferrand, Porsche, Porsche Cayenne, Porsche Cayenne Turbo, Ralph Lauren, Rolex, Steve McQueen, SUV, tweed, UK, watches, Wolverine, Wolverine 1000 Mile

Continue reading “EXCLUSIVE: Rugged Fall Style Starring the 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo”

Project X Designs PXD SS2 & SS3 Modded Rolex Watches

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Project X Designs is one of the most prestigious Rolex watch modifiers around. I previously showed off some of their timepieces here. They have no official relationship with Rolex, but what they do is take new Rolex watches and perform very (very) difficult to do modifications on them to offer cutsomized timepieces in very limited quantities. The PXD SS2 (with the black coated case) , and the PXD SS3 (with the brushed steel case) are meant as modern retro homages to Rolex military style Submariner watches from the past.

Other than the black coating of the SS2 case, the changes from stock Rolex watches are subtle, but important. The steel case on the SS3 has been done in an all brushed and satin finish. Text on the dial has been made partially in red, while the lume dot on the rotating diver's bezel is not colored black. Also, the watches are matched to high-quality black NATO style straps. The base watches are modern Rolex Submariners, but have now been made to look like highly sought after vintage pieces - though the style is unique and does not mirror any specific vintage piece. Both the PXD SS2 & SS3 watches are available in limited editions of just 24 pieces each. Price for the Project X Designs SS2 is £8,950, while the SS3 costs £6,650.

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

Tags: project x designs, pxd, rolex, ss2, ss3, submariner, watch

Everest Explorer Sir Edmund Hillary's Rolex Collection Up for Auction

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Auctions, Celebrity Shopping, Sports, Men's Style

Antiquorum's sale of Important Vintage and Modern Timepieces to be held Nov. 13 – 14 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Geneva will include the personal collection of Rolex watches of the legendary 20th century explorer Sir Edmund Hillary, credited with being the first climber to reach the summit of Mt. Everest in 1953. These exceptional timepieces have been consigned for sale by Lady Hillary and all had special significance for Sir Edmund. The earliest model in the collection is a Rolex Oyster Perpetual, ref. 6084, dating from 1953 (above) which was presented to Sir Edmund by Rolex Bosecks of Calcutta, India after his descent from Everest.

It was then worn by him during the Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1955-1958 – the first overland crossing of Antarctica and the first expedition to reach the South Pole since Scott in 1912 – and as such it has immense historic significance. The watch, with a caseback engraved "Sir E. Hillary", is conservatively estimated to fetch up to about $20,000. Also part of the collection is a gold Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date, ref. 15238, purchased by the explorer on the 50th Anniversary of the day he reached the summit of Everest, estimated at about $10,000; as well as a 1972 Rolex Explorer I and a 1973 Explorer II also owned by the great adventurer.

Gallery: Sir Edmund Hillary's Rolex Collection

Tags: Antiquorum, auction, explorer, Geneva, India, Mt. Everest, Rolex, Rolex Explorer, Sir Edmund Hillary, Timepieces, watches

Rolex Deep Sea Watch 50th Anniversary Event With Tourneau In NYC

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Rolex very rarely has events - at least in the US. In Switzerland that don't even really advertise - "because they don't need to." Which is actually quite strange for us Americans as we see Rolex ads everywhere. Anyhow, In conjunction with watch retailer Tourneau in New York City, Rolex will be hosting an event to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Deep Sea watch. Now an extension of the Submariner collection, the original Deep Sea (as seen in the above image) was basically a wrist worn diving vessel. The original one was actually taken about 7 miles underwater - and survived.

Aside from having other watches at the event, you'll be able to view the original Rolex Deep Sea Special watch, along with those from the new collection. Also attending the event is US Navy Captain Don Walsh who piloted the Bathyscaphe submersible to 35,180 feet under water - apparently the deepest recorded dive in history (manned dive I am assuming).

The Rolex event will be on October 21st, 2010 from 5-8pm at the Tourneau Timemachine store located at 57th and Madison Ave. in New York City. You can RSVP by calling (212) 758-7300 or via the e-mail address located on the invitation in the image gallery below.

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

Gallery: Rolex Tourneau invite

Tags: deep sea, event, new york, rolex, tournau

Rare James Bond Rolex Chronograph for Sale

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

An extraordinary Rolex pre-Daytona chronograph worn by George Lazenby as James Bond in 1969's On Her Majesty's Secret Service is being offered for sale in Miami. It's extremely rare for an actual Bond movie watch, let alone a rare Rolex model, to come onto the market. The stainless steel timepiece, ref # 6238, has been written about on many 007 fan sites and Rolex blogs. The Rolex was originally purchased by Bond filmmakers EON productions on October 23, 1968 for use by the underrated Lazenby in the film, and was later sold off among other props. It last surfaced at Christie's Film and Entertainment sale in London in 2003, where it went for $40,000. Recently acquired by Miami's Matthew Bain Inc., it's now being offered at an undisclosed price that could easily reach $250,000 or more.

Gallery: James Bond Rolex Chronograph

Tags: 007, actor, chronograph, James Bond, james+bond+rolex, jamesbondrolex, memorabilia, Miami, movies, Rolex, Rolex Daytona, rolex+chronograph, rolexchronograph, timepiece

Portero.com Pre-Owned Gold Rolex Watch Giveaway

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Portero.com, which has undergone some much needed changes in the last year or so, is offering a chance for people to win a free pre-owned 18k gold Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date watch. Really simple to enter it seems. Go to Portero.com and there should be a pop up window asking you to enter. They want your e-mail address to tell you about their new selection of pre-owned luxury watch. If you opt in for that, you'll be entered to win this Rolex. No idea when the giveaway ends or about additional terms. You'll have to sail on over there to find out.

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

Tags: free, giveaway, portero, portero.com, Rolex

Rolex Names Le Mans Champ Tom Kristensen New Brand Ambassador

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Luxury Cars & Autos, Sports

Danish racecar driver Tom Kristensen, winner of Le Mans a record-breaking eight times, has been named as Rolex's newest ambassador following the longstanding practice of the famed Swiss watch brand's association with world-class athletes. Rolex has never before made an official announcement naming an ambassador, but Danish Rolex retailer Klarlund persuaded them to make an exception this time. "Not only are we proud of Tom Kristensen's victories, we are also very proud hosts of such a rare and special occasion," Klarlund managing director Stig Andersen told Worldtempus after presenting the new ambassador with a Rolex Daytona Everose, one of Rolex's gifts to its new sporting face. Kristensen will also receive a Rolex Milgauss outfitted with a green sapphire crystal.

[via LuxuryLaunches]

Tags: Denmark, Le Mans, motor racing, racecar, racecar driver, racing, Rolex, Rolex Daytona, Swiss watch

rolex

Featured Galleries

HuffPost AOL Social News Most Popular

Also on AOL