roman abramovich

Madonna Borrows Abramovich's New Yacht to Film Duke of Windsor Flick

Aging pop chameleon Madonna has borrowed Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich's brand new superyacht while filming W.E., the new Duke of WIndsor movie she's directing in the South of France. No, not the gargantuan Eclipse – we're talking about the 377-ft. Luna (above), the world's largest expedition yacht which Abramovich just took delivery of in April. The luxurious yacht provides convenient accommodation for Madonna as she films the movie's beach scenes, London's Daily Mail reports. Each day she returns via tender to the luxe yacht which features two helipads, a swimming pool, games room and sunbathing areas, along with a beach club leading down to a swim platform. Abramovich, who generously lent Madonna the ship, apparently bought the yacht to tide him over while the Eclipse is being completed; afterward it will act as a support vessel for the megayacht.

Tags: celebrity, Duke of WIndsor, Eclipse, entertainment, expedition yacht, France, Luna, Madonna, movies, Roman Abramovich, superyacht, yacht

Abramovich's Daughter Named One of Russia's Most Eligible Women with a $3.4 Billion Fortune

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wealth

Russian business magazine Finans has named oligarch Roman Abramovich's 17-year-old daughter Anna (right) one of Russia's most eligible women, citing her $3.4 billion fortune. Anna, who lives with her mother Irina, the billionaire's second wife, in London, will inherit the cash as part of the oligarch's divorce settlement. Her father threw her a $600,000 Sweet Sixteen party last year.

Anna has four siblings and a half-brother, born this year to Abramovich's gorgeous girlfriend Dasha Zhukova. The Australian reports that Abramovich is displeased at the magazine's coverage of his daughter. Back in May we reported that Anna had been partying hard in London with Will.i.am and the Black Eyed Peas at posh nightclub Whisky Mist.

Anna's no Paris Hilton however, nor is she Russia's biggest heiress; she's worth less than Anastasia Potanina, 26, daughter of mining magnate Vladimir Potanin, who's expected to inherit $3.8 billion. Seven young women are included in the list in total, with combined fortunes worth over $17 billion. Of course exact details are a closely guarded secret.

Tags: anna abramovich, billionaire, Dasha Zhukova, heiress, London, oligarch, Paris Hilton, Roman Abramovich, Russia, Russian billionaires, socialite

Art Basel Attracts Abramovich, Kilmer, Millions

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art

The exclusive opening of Art Basel – for the most serious buyers – had the desired effect. The most famous art show in the world attracted the likes of art collector Roman Abramovich (however much it may be at the behest of his squeeze) and fetched some major sales, including $15 million for a sculpture by Pablo Picasso.

So, who joined Abramovich in scratching the art itch ... one that's been hard to scratch since the art market collapsed in 2008? Well, Val Kilmer, Peter Brant and Laurence Graff were among the elite.

Prices haven't returned to 2007 levels, noted art dealer Nicholas Maclean to Bloomberg News, but he added that the top stuff is selling well. This doesn't exactly defy common sense, of course. There are 303 galleries at Art Basel this year, and they're all hoping to ride this wave.

A Christie's International auction in Paris the day before Art Basel started set the tone for the affair. A sculpture by Amedeo Modigliani moved for $53 million, setting a record for the French auction market.

Source

Tags: amadeo modigliani, art auction, art auctions, art basel, art market, auction house, auction houses, christies, ChristiesAuctionHouse, laurence graff, modligiani, peter brant, roman abramovich, val kilmer

Rolls-Royce to Design New Line of Superyachts

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Luxury Cars & Autos

Florida's Atlantic Yachts is collaborating with Rolls-Royce's Marine division to design and engineer a new line of superyachts dubbed the NVC 85 Y. The 279-ft. ships will be built by Germany's Nobiskrug GmbH while Atlantic's founder Paul Madden, formerly of Blohm + Voss (builders of Roman Abramovich's gigayacht Eclipse) will oversee the project. Available in different trims, the yachts will be equipped with completely bespoke interiors with plenty of Rolls-Royce branding. Featuring a steel superstructure and hydrodynamically efficient hull the NVC 85 Ys will be capable of a maximum speed of about 20 knots and a cruising speed of 17 knots with a range of 8,000 nautical miles at cruising speed, with the aim of minimizing fuel consumption and environmental impact. Accommodation for 12 passengers in six double cabins and 22 crew members will be the base configuration, while a helipad on the foredeck assures they will arrive in style. While no price has yet been named, Killian Yacht & Ship Brokers will handle sales beginning with the first completed hull in 2012.

[via JamesList}

Gallery: Rolls-Royce NVC 85 Y Superyacht

Tags: bespoke, Blohm + Voss, Eclipse, Florida, Germany, Rolls-Royce, Roman Abramovich, superyacht

Ship of Fools: Abramovich's Billion-Dollar Yacht Beset by Problems

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Wealth

Roman Abramovich's new 557-ft. Eclipse (above), the world's largest and most expensive privately owned yacht, is awash in a sea of snafus leaving the oligarch steaming mad, the London Daily Mail reports. Abramovich has yet to take delivery of the jaw-dropping ship, which is said to have cost up to $1 billion and features a military-grade missile defense system, armor plating, bullet-proof windows, three helipads, two swimming pools and a wellness center. He is reportedly feuding with the boatyard, Germany's Blohm + Voss, over allegedly defective finishes and fittings.

The paper reports that the problems are said to include a giant mirror on one of the nine decks being smashed during tests in the North Sea; vibrations from the electro-diesel engines rattling the billionaire's bespoke crystal glassware; a dispute over demands by Abramovich that exotic animal and reptile skins used on chairs and to line the walls of a massage room be ethically sourced; an argument over who should pay for shifting the location of one of the helipads; difficulties with the French-made navigation system; and flaking paint on some of the decks. Neither Blohm + Voss nor Abramovich would comment for the Daily Mail's story.

Source

Tags: Blohm + Voss, Eclipse, gigayacht, megayacht, Roman Abramovich, Russia, Russian billionaires, superyacht, yacht

German Newspaper Scores Sneak Peek Inside Abramovich's Eclipse

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Wealth

German newspaper Bild has scored an exclusive sneak peak inside Roman Abramovich's new 557-ft. Eclipse (above), the world's largest and most expensive privately owned yacht which was recently completed by Hamburg shipyard Blohm + Voss at a cost estimated to be near $1 billion. The gigayacht boasts every luxury finish imaginable in its nearly 20,000-sq-.ft. interior, including a master suite upholstered in shagreen (stingray skin) on the topmost sixth deck with a retractable moon roof. On Deck 4 there are two VIP suites and eight guest cabins, while accommodations for the 80 crew members needed to man the massive vessel are located in the bow. The décor however is fairly understated with earth tones predominating, we note. One of the three helicopter landing pads disappears under the deck with the push of a button, and the yacht also features the world's largest onboard swimming pool which converts into a dancefloor, in addition to a wellness center including a fitness studio, hairdresser, massage parlor, sauna, steambath and whirlpool. Bild notes the Eclipse will cost about $100,000 per day, or $36.5 million per year, to operate. Check out some exclusive interior images here.

Tags: Blohm + Voss, Eclipse, Germany, gigayacht, helicopter, megayacht, oligarch, Roman Abramovich, Russia, Russian billionaires, shagreen, swimming pool, yacht

Abramovich's Daughter Paints the Town Red

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wealth

Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, whose billion-dollar gigayacht Eclipse has garnered him plenty of headlines lately, isn't the only member of the family in the spotlight – his curvaceous 18-year-old daughter Anna's antics in London are making her a bold-face name as well. The UK's Metro reports that Anna (above, right) recently partied the night away with Will.i.am (left) and the Black Eyed Peas at posh London club Whisky Mist, the favored haunt of Princes William and Harry. Despite the gaggle of female admirers surrounding the singer and his bandmates, it was Abramovich's daughter who held sway, Metro reports. Anna's magnanimous side was also on display; spotting some homeless men hanging around outside the club the heiress gave the bouncers £100 to give to the unfortunate fellows. Meanwhile, Marie Claire also spotted Anna partying with Rihanna on another recent occasion. No doubt she's always quick to pick up the tab.

Source

Tags: anna abramovich, Black Eyed Peas, celebrities, heiress, London, nightclub, oligarch, Rihanna, Roman Abramovich, Russia, Whisky Mist, Will.i.am

Lucian Freud at the Pompidou Could Boost Prices

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art

Lucian Freud is coming back to the Centre Pompidou for the first time since his first retrospective was held in 1987 – at the same museum. Historically, these exhibitions have been great for collectors of Freud's work, according to Artprice.

A 2002 Freud retrospective at the Tate kicked off a nearly immediate 185 percent increase in the index for this artist, and by 2004, he became a staple at prestigious auctions, and his sales revenue surged 450 percent. In 2005, the Freud price index, according to Artprice, gained 41 percent, and demand for his work was substantial. He debuted on the list of top 10 artists at auction, with an aggregate total of $33.7 million for the year.

Of course, the 2005 results paled in comparison to 2008, in which Roman Abramovich made Freud the most expensive living artist (seizing the title from Jeff Koons) with the $30 million purchase of "Benefits Supervisor Sleeping" – a familiar enough topic for anyone who's looked for some help from the human resources department. Yet, the upside was short-lived.

No piece by Freud crossed the $1 million mark in 2009, and with only $405,000 in auction results, he ranked 1,327th at auction, just above ... someone who is likely irrelevant in the global art community. The auction houses couldn't try to sell the good stuff, though, because nobody would put it on the block. Only prints and drawings were offered.

Did the Sotheby's auction last month signal a turn? Both "Self-Portrait with a Black Eye" and "Guy and Speck" crossed not just he million dollar but the million pound threshold, though the hype around Freud failed to materialize. Maybe Freud will lag the market in recovering, but that's probably because the art market is showing such a robust return.

Source

Tags: art, art market, ArtMarket, france, Jeff Koons, JeffKoons, lucian freud, LucianFreud, paris, Pompidou, PompidouCenter, roman abramovich, RomanAbramovich, tate modern, TateModern

Lisin Replaces Prokhorov as Russia's Richest Man

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wealth

Mechanic turned steel baron Vladimir Lisin (right) has replaced Mikhail Prokhorov as Russia's richest man with a fortune of $18.8 billion. Russian magazine Finans just released its annual ranking of the country's oligarchs, showing that Prokhorov, known for his shenanigans over the Villa Leopolda, has slipped into second place while Roman Abramovich languishes in third.

All three men did very well for themselves last year. Lisin, 53, more than doubled his wealth from a year earlier to overtake Prokhorov, whose own fortune grew 27 percent to $17.85 billion, and Abramovich, whose estimated wealth is $17 billion, an increase of 22 percent. As my colleague Deirdre Woollard reported last week Russia gained 28 new billionaires in the last year.

The somewhat secretive Lisin is a keen hunter and a connoisseur of Cuban cigars. He owns a 16th century castle in the Scottish Highlands with 13 bedrooms on 3,300 acres ideal for grouse shooting, deer stalking and game fishing. Lisin's name means "fox" in Russian, and he is well known in his homeland for always staying on the Kremlin's good side.

Tags: Mikhail Prokhorov, MikhailProkhorov, oligarch, Roman Abramovich, RomanAbramovich, Russia, Russian billionaires, RussianBillionaires, Vladimir Lisin, VladimirLisin

Russia Is Back In The Billionaire Minting Business

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wealth

In the last few months we've been noticing Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich doing a lot of spending. There was that pricey New York dinner, the lavish New Year's Eve party, the new house in Los Angeles. He seems to be doing quite well and he's not alone, Russia is making billionaires once again. The Moscow-based magazine Finans says that Abramovich remains one of Russia's top three richest men. The magazine's data reveals that all those in the top ten had a fortune of at least $9.95 billion. Two of the richest, Mikhail Prokhorov and Roman Abramovich were worth more last year, with $14.1 billion and $13.9 billion, respectively.

Businessweek reports that Russia gained 28 new billionaires bringing the total to 77 from 49 a year ago. That's a good number but not quite up to the 101 billionaires that were filling Russia's coffers in 2008. Finans states that the combined wealth of the 10 richest Russians now sits at $139.3 billion, up 84 percent over last year but still down from the $221 billion the 10 richest were worth two years ago.

Tags: billionaires, Mikhail Prokhorov, MikhailProkhorov, roman abramovich, RomanAbramovich, Russian billionaire, Russian billionaires, RussianBillionaire, RussianBillionaires

Russians, Chinese and British Diamond Dealer Fueling Art Market

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

All secrets eventually come out. At the recent London auctions, in which both Sotheby's and Christie's saw several lots set records, Russian collectors poured some money back into the art market, and Laurence Graff, chairman of Graff Diamonds, parted with a healthy dose of cash. It's this action that caused a combined tally of £258.9 million (including fees), more than double the result a year earlier.

The UK-based diamond dealer sunk £8.1 million into Pablo Picasso's "Tete de Femme (Jacqueline) at the Christie's auction, spending 100 percent more than the high-end presale estimate for the piece. According to Bloomberg News, Graff confirmed the acquisition by e-mail.

Russian billionaires got back into the game, as well, and they exercised better judgment than they did during the art boom, when prices for artists such as Damien Hirst were propelled to absurd levels.

The Impressionist sector has held on rather well, by comparison. "The market for Impressionist and modern art hasn't been as frothy and speculative as contemporary," said Guy Jennings, partner in the London-based dealership Theobald Jennings. "Last year, prices might have slipped five or 10 percent, but since then there's been some asset inflation. That might not be the case in six months' time if there's a double-dip recession."

Source

Tags: art auction, art auctions, art collecting, art collection, art collector, art market, ArtAuction, ArtAuctions, ArtCollecting, ArtCollection, ArtCollector, ArtMarket, auction-house, china, Christies, ChristiesAuction, ChristiesAuctionHouse, giacometti, Pablo Picasso, PabloPicasso, roman abramovich, RomanAbramovich, russia, RussianBillionaires, Sotheby, sothebys

Continue reading “Russians, Chinese and British Diamond Dealer Fueling Art Market”

Emocean Design for World's Largest Yacht to Beat Abramovich

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Wealth

Roman Abramovich's recently launched Eclipse is currently the world's largest private yacht at a whopping 557 ft. His oceanic supremacy may be short lived however, as Belgium-based Emocean Yacht Design has just unveiled plans for a 656-ft. gigayacht (above) which would put the the oligarch's new toy to shame. Like Emocean's 541-ft. design for the UK's Devonport Yachts to be featured at the upcoming Abu Dhabi Yacht Show, the 656-footer is a completely bespoke design, with equipment, styling, configuration, and class tailored to the desires and tastes of the client.

The monstrous but attractively styled vessel features a drive-in garage, two 98-foot day boats, helipad and hanger, a 100-ft. swimming pool, nightclub, casino, games room, two-level cinema, three beach clubs, a health spa, and 10 VIP rooms, 22 guest suites and a private owners deck accommodating a total of 45 passengers, along with 70 crew. Even at that size she'll be impressively fast, with a planned maximum speed of 28 knots, a cruising speed of 20 knots and a range of 6,500 nautical miles at cruising speed. No price has been mentioned yet but expect it to clock in at well over $500 million.

[via JamesList]

Tags: Belgium, Emocean, gigayacht, megayacht, Roman Abramovich, RomanAbramovich, superyacht, yacht

Sunday Real Estate Round-Up, 1/31/10

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

From the LA Times Hot Properties:
--The Bel-Air home of director and artist Stephen Verona is for sale $4.395 million. The red tile-roofed villa, shown above, includes gardens and a gazebo. The property website is here.
--Television writer Daniel Freudenberger has listed his historic Cheviot Hills home for $3.695 million. The listing is with Ben Lee Properties.

Gallery: Daniel Freudenberger in Cheviot Hills

From the Wall Street Journal's Private Properties:
--Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has paid $19.5 million for a Tuscan-style home in the Hollywood Hills.
--George Stephanopoulos, co-host of ABC's "Good Morning America" show and a former adviser to President Bill Clinton, has bought a home in East Hampton, N.Y., for $3.5 million.
--Interior designer Cindy Rinfret, whose clients other local residents Tommy Hilfiger and television personality Regis Philbin, has put her Greenwich, Connecticut home on the market for $14.5 million.

Gallery: Laurel Hill

From the NY Post:
--Katie Lee, the cookbook author and ex-wife of Billy Joel is said to be selling her 23 Perry Street that she and Joel once shared and that she bought from Joel for $3 million after their split last year. It is expected to be listed with Dolly Lenz for $12.9 million.
--Jeffrey Loria, the art-dealing owner of the Florida Marlins, has picked up part of the Howard Gittis' Southampton estate on Ox Pasture Lane. The estate was divided into three portions and sold for a combined $38.5 million to Loria and designer Tory Burch.
--Someone wants in at the Trump International Hotel and Tower. A Russian family walked away from a deal to buy an $18.5 million, 5,500-square-foot penthouse at the tower but it was auctioned off for more than $31 million. It is reportedly gutted and a renovation could cost $10 million.
--Julianne Moore was spotted checking out the Soho Mews development looking at two townhouse units priced around $5 million to $5.5 million. Her townhouse remains on the market for $11.995 million.

Gallery: Julianne Moore in New York City

From the Real Estalker:
--Billionaire Jerry Perenchio has added to his huge Bel Air estate by picking up a $9.2 million property across the street from his home.
--The seven-bedroom home that Michael Jackson rented in las Vegas for around six months has sold for $3.1 million. The home in Las Vegas he was interested in buying remains on the market at $16.5 million.

Gallery: Michael Jackson's Wonderland

From Zillow Blog:
--Sean Penn and Robin Wright have sold their Marin County home. The price was not revealed but the home was first listed their home for sale in August 2008 for $15 million.

From the Chicago Tribune's Elite Street:
--Charlotte Bobcats and former Chicago Bulls center Tyson Chandler has listed his six-bedroom mansion for $3.395 million. He bought the home for $4 million and in the past he tried to sell it for as much as $4.9 million. The listing is here.

Gallery: Tyson Chandler in Northfield, Illinois

--Former Chicago Bears quarterback Rex Grossman has sold his 36th-floor condominium in Chicago's Trump International Hotel & Tower for $2 million.
--Chicago sportscaster Steve Kashul has sold his three-bedroom, ranch-style house in Naperville, complete with a basement bowling alley, for $475,000.

Tags: Ali Velshi, alicia keys, AliciaKeys, AliVelshi, android, celebrity real estate, CelebrityRealEstate, cindy rinfret, CindyRinfret, Cynthia Nixon, CynthiaNixon, daniel freudenberger, DanielFreudenberger, dick cavett, DickCavett, George Stephanopoulos, GeorgeStephanopoulos, jeffrey loria, JeffreyLoria, jerry perenchio, JerryPerenchio, julianne moore, JulianneMoore, kathleen turner, KathleenTurner, Katie Lee Gifford, katie lee joel, KatieLeeGifford, KatieLeeJoel, lenny kravitz, LennyKravitz, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, roman abramovich, RomanAbramovich, stephen verona, StephenVerona, Tory Burch, ToryBurch, walter cronkite, WalterCronkite, whoopi goldberg, WhoopiGoldberg

Continue reading “Sunday Real Estate Round-Up, 1/31/10”

Billionaire Buys Art to Decorate World's Biggest Yacht

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has ordered a new yacht, the "Eclipse", which is due for delivery from Blohm & Voss sometime this year and is being heralded as the world's biggest private yacht at 560 ft long. Among its many outstanding features are armor plating and a missile defense system, plus a laser shield that shoots bolts of light at cameras to ruin photographs and foil the paparazzi. He must feel safe leaving valuables inside (I guess!) because over the last several months he's been busy buying up art from the Millennium gallery in south England to decorate the yacht's massive interior. Although details on the specific pieces and prices purchased have not been released, we do know it totals 35 pieces so far and the collection is valued at over $300,000 dollars.

I would love to see that interior!

Source

Tags: abramovich, art, eclipse yacht, EclipseYacht, roman abramovich, RomanAbramovich, yacht

Photos from Abramovich's $5 Million New Year's Bash

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events, Wealth

The kids at Gawker got their hands on pix from Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich's lavish New Year's Eve bash in St. Bart's which my colleague Deirdre Woollard first reported on. Abramovich is said to have spent about $5 million on the bash for 250 of the chosen, including Lindsay Lohan, Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr.

Despite some bad weather, the party proceeded as planned at the 70-acre $89 million estate Abramovich purchased on the posh island back in September, with loads of fancy food, an ocean of champagne, fireworks fired off from one of his superyachts and musical performances by Gwen Stefani, Beyoncé, and Prince. Click here to see the photos.

Tags: celebrity, Gwen Stefani, GwenStefani, Lindsay Lohan, LindsayLohan, New Years Eve, NewYearsEve, parties, Roman Abramovich, RomanAbramovich, St. Barts, St.Barts

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