russia

Russian Owner Commissions Edo to turn his Aston Martin DB9 into a DBS

Before the One-77 and V12 Vantage came along, the Aston Martin DBS was the king of the hill. Just ask James Bond: the DBS is the same supercar 007 has driven in the past two movies. But the DBS wasn't designed from scratch. It was based upon the DB9, Aston's staple V12 grand tourer.

After owning one such DB9 for five years, an owner in Russia wanted to upgrade to the DBS. But rather than taking his GT into the local Aston dealer for a trade-in, he commissioned Edo Competition to carry out its own conversion. The venerable tuning house installed the factory-sourced body panels, customized the interior and upgraded both the brakes and engine, the latter boosted from 470 horsepower stock beyond the DBS's 510 all the way up to 550. The big question, though, is whether the conversion ended up costing the owner more than trading in for a DBS straight from the factory.

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Tags: aston, aston martin, aston martin db9, aston martin dbs, db9, dbs, edo, edo competition, russia

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.

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

Art Auctions Bet on Russian Billionaires

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

Four auction houses are betting that the Russians will keep the art market recovery alive. Sotheby's, Christie's, MacDougall's, and Bonhams all have sales lined up this week, and the objective is clear: bring in Russian billionaires, and get them to spend. With a reclining nude portrait, Orthodox icons and Faberge jewelry all going under the gavel, sales could reach as high as $86 million.

Historically, Russians have been reliable buyers of their own culture's works, with William MacDougall noting to Bloomberg that classical nineteenth century paintings leading the charge and early twentieth century pieces showing promise.

And, there's hope from an economic perspective:

"Russia's economy is clearly in recovery and oil prices are up," William MacDougall, co-director of MacDougall's, said in an interview. "The main dark cloud is the Greek debt crisis. While it raises problems for euro-denominated assets, it should be good for fine art, which is a safe haven."

Last year, the four auctions were good for only 29.1 million pounds, down 50 percent from the same week in 2008. Prospects look far better for 2010. Sotheby's has 615 lots, one of which may go for 1.5 million pounds, and Christie's has more than 550 lots with a total top-end estimate of more than 11 million pounds.

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Tags: art, auction, auction-house, auctions, billionaire, billionaires, bonhams, BonhamsAuction, christies, ChristiesAuction, faberge, jewelry, russia, Russian, russian art, RussianBillionaires, sothebys

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.

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

Abramovich's Gigayacht Eclipse Sets Sail

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Wealth

When we last checked in on the progress of Roman Abramovich's new 557-ft. Eclipse (above), the world's largest and most expensive privately owned yacht, the Russian oligarch had installed a high-tech anti-photo shield designed to keep the paparazzi at bay. After numerous delays and costs spiraling to an estimated $1 billion, it seems as if the gigayacht is now finally ready to be delivered. The Huffington Post found some pix of the massive vessel leaving the dock of the Blohm +Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany, the other day, a sight to behold (apparently the photo shield isn't working yet). In addition to the paparazzi spoiler, the Eclipse features a military-grade missile defense system, armor plating and bullet-proof windows. It also has three helipads, two swimming pools – the larger of which converts into a dance floor when drained – six foot home cinema screens in every guest cabin, and a master suite where the roof opens to allow Abramovich and his girlfriend Dasha Zhukova to sleep under the stars.

Gallery: The Eclipse Sets Sail

Tags: Blohm + Voss, Blohm Voss, Dasha Zhukova, Germany, gigayacht, megayacht, Roman Abramovic, Russia, Russian billionaire, Russian oligarch, superyacht, yacht

Dartz Unveils $1.5 Million Monaco Red Diamond Armored SUV

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Back in October we first wrote about the $1.5 million Monaco Red Diamond Edition SUV concept from Russia's Dartz, billed as the world's most expensive, luxurious and strongest armored car. A controversy ensued over the kooky company's plan to use genuine whale penis leather for the interior, echoing the upholstery on Aristotle Onassis' famed yacht the Christina O. After Pamela Anderson protested the move, Dartz declared it would spare the whale's private parts. Now the company has finally unveiled the finished product at the Top Marques Monaco show. It features a matte black and ruby red paintjob, gold-plated bulletproof windows, 22′ Kremlin Red Star bulletproof wheels, tungsten and white gold gauges decorated with diamonds and rubies, an additional outside kevlar coating, and a custom Vertu mobile phone with a panic button. The interior is leather and vinyl made to look like whale skin. It also comes with three bottles of the world's most expensive vodka, RussoBaltique, another Dartz sideline adorned with yet more gold and diamonds.

[via JamesList]

Tags: armored car, bulletproof, Christina O, Dartz, diamonds, gold, precious stones, rubies, Russia, SUV, Top Marques Monaco, whale, white gold

CA$H.CAMO Bentley GT from Dartz

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Dartz, the whacked-out Russian luxury SUV brand known for the grenade-proof Kombat and whale penis leather-upholstered Monaco Red Diamond monstrosity, have come out with another assault on aesthetics: the CA$H.CAMO Bentley GT. Designed in collaboration with Russian supercar tuner TopCar, the Bentley gets some body mods and upgrades along with a truly hideous wrap. The Kevlar-based vinyl covering combines a camouflage pattern with the graphics of a 500 euro banknote with its purple color scheme and architectural motif, the currency's highest denomination. The 500 euro note is known to be a favorite with the Russian mafia. The wrap is also designed to have a texture that makes it feel like an actual banknote. The barfy Bentley will be unveiled at the upcoming Top Marques Monaco show.

Tags: Bentley, camouflage, currency, custom cars, Dartz, Dartz Kombat, Russia, Top Marques Monaco

Joseph Stalin's ZIL Limousine for Sale

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

A 1949 ZIL ZIS-110 limousine that belonged to Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin is being offered for sale in Finland via global online luxury marketplace JamesList at an undisclosed price. The car, a sort of Russian Rolls-Royce, is based on the Packard Super Eight and powered by a 6 liter, 8 cylinder engine producing 140 hp with a top speed of over 87 mph. Stalin was supposedly given a Packard by FDR during the war and was so impressed that he ordered ZIL to copy it. Stalin used the vehicle, a landaulet painted Soviet green, as a parade car from 1950–1953, a fact borne out by documents from Russia's Ministry of Defense as well as archival photos. Restored to complete perfection, it has only 1276 km on it and features a stately leather interior. See the gallery for pix.

Gallery: Stalin's ZIS 110 Limousine

Tags: JamesList, Joseph Stalin, landaulet, limousine, Packard, Russia, Stalin, USSR, ZIL

River Beluga Caviar, Recapturing a Classic

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Ever since 2005 when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service enacted its ban on the importation of Beluga caviar originating in the Caspian Sea and Black Sea basin, entrepreneurs have been struggling to find a farmed alternative capable of recapturing the most exclusive of caviars' classic attributes. After several years of development, the Caviar Merchant Company recently announced the first offering of its River Beluga Caviar, a delectable substitute that captures the very essence of the wild original and can fairly claim to be the finest alternative with impressively consistent quality. Derived from the Huso Daricus Sturgeon whose natural habitat is the Amur River bordering Russia and China, production of River Beluga Caviar takes place twice a year, for which Iranian (i.e. Caspian, where the original is from) processing teams or "saltmasters" are are flown in to oversee and conduct production. Available from $200 an ounce, the finished product is rich, buttery, smooth and decadently delicious. We recommend ultra-premium vodka or fine French champagne as an accompaniment.

Tags: Beluga caviar, Caspian Sea, caviar, Caviar Merchant Company, China, Russia, sturgeon

Miss Russia Wears World's Most Expensive Crown

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Last month a new lucky lady, Irina Antonenko, was named Miss Russia for 2010 and given the privilege of wearing what's being heralded as the world's most expensive crown. The large, white-gold headpiece features 2,358 diamonds and 14 rare pearls, and is valued at over $1 million. There was so much 'to do' at the unveiling that some wonder if the crown didn't upstage the new Miss Russia herself.

The 2010 Miss USA pageant isn't scheduled until next month (April 18th) but for a little perspective last year our crown featured 1,936 flawless gemstones set in white gold and platinum and was valued at $202,000.

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Tags: crown, miss russia, miss usa, MissRussia, MissUsa, most expensive, MostExpensive, russia, worlds most expensive crown

It's Official: Mikhail Prokhorov Loses $55 Million Villa Leopolda Deposit

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Poor Mikhail Prokhorov. Last month we reported that the metals magnate had been replaced as Russia's richest man by Vladimir Lisin, and now languishes in second place. Now a court in Nice has just ruled that the oligarch must forfeit the $55 million deposit he put down for the magnificent $750 million Villa Leopolda (above) on the French Riviera in 2008 before backing out of the deal, the London Daily Mail reports. Prokhorov signed a sales agreement for the Villa, and French law stipulates that purchasers lose their deposits if they pull out after such an agreement has been executed. The magistrate also ordered Prokhorov to pay the Villa's owner Lily Safra an additional $1.5 million penalty. Safra says she will donate all the money to ten charities, including almost $1.5 million for neuroscience research at King's College London and Imperial College London. "By transforming the deposit into an act of giving I would like to encourage all who can do so to support medical research and other humanitarian causes," she declared. On the plus side for Prokhorov, he's still worth a cool $17.85 billion.

Tags: France, French Riviera, FrenchRiviera, Lily Safra, LilySafra, Mikhail Prokhorov, MikhailProkhorov, Russia, Russian billionaire, Russian oligarch, RussianBillionaire, RussianOligarch, South of France, SouthOfFrance, Villa Leopolda, VillaLeopolda

Red Square Superyacht for Sale at $86 Million

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing

The floating oligarch's palace known as Red Square built by Turkish shipyard Dunya Yachts has been listed for sale at $86 million. The 236-ft. steel superyacht which has not one but two helipads is being fitted out like a "floating bordello" in preparation for delivery to some profligate billionaire in 2011. Designed by Diana Scott from the Monaco based studio Sterling Scott with naval architecture by Taka Yachts and interior flourishes by "master of overstatement" Alberto Pinto, Red Square can accommodate up to 16 guests in sickeningly luxurious staterooms. In addition to the two helipads, she features an infinity pool, Jacuzzi, and massive exterior entertaining spaces. Power-wise twin 3,150 hp Caterpillar diesels deliver a maximum speed of 17 knots, a cruising speed of 14 knots and a range of 4,200 nautical miles at cruising speed - hopefully more than enough to outrun your creditors.

[via JamesList]

Tags: megayacht, Monaco, Russia, superyacht, Turkey, yacht

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

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."

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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