Tag: Bulgari

Budding Romance With Bulgari Rose Goldea Blossom Delight

Following the success of the iconic Rose Goldea perfume that was launched in 2016, Bulgari has again paid a knowing homage to that most regal of flowers – rose – with its newly-unveiled Bulgari Rose Goldea Blossom Delight.

Bulgari Rose Goldea Blossom Delight

Centred around the ever-romantic rose, the new aroma is as layered as the petals of the eponymous flower that it emulates. Inspired by the tender rosebud on the verge of bloom, the scent conjures the exact moment when the bud begins to flourish. With signature complexity, Bulgari’s Master Perfumer Alberto Morillas deftly recreates both the delicacy of the blossoming buds and the allure of the flowers in full bloom. So the top notes open with a fruity fragrance creating an eager anticipation for the heart notes which are dominantly rosy, while the finish is unabashedly musky and sensual.

This perfume, then, is for a woman who is spontaneous and bold in equal measure. While the original Rose Goldea fragrance was all about innocent femininity, the Bulgari Rose Goldea Blossom Delight is surely meant for the adventuress at heart, giving her confidence as she gets ready to rule the world, her head held high.

Golden Hour: It’s time to say yes to responsibly sourced gold

“How many carats?” While slightly impertinent, it’s a question that most jewellery aficionados could answer easily enough. Should they, however, be challenged with: “Where does it come from?”, they might be harder pressed to provide a definitive answer.

Indeed, it was a query that even Caroline Scheufele, the Co-President of Chopard, clearly struggled with. When asked that very question at the Academy Awards several years back, her inability to respond prompted her to review the company’s sourcing protocols. Recalling the revelation sparked by the impromptu enquiry, she said: “I really had no idea. As with most jewellers, we tended to buy our gold in bulk and never thought to ask where it actually came from. Once you’ve been made aware of the related issues, however, it’s something you just can’t turn your back on.”

responsibly sourced gold

Indeed, the issues in question are murky, tangled and, all too often, tainted with the blood of innocents. The gold industry is huge, with its mining operations extending across 60 countries and providing employment to over 15 million people. Unfortunately, it’s also known for being the root cause of a vast number of environmental and humanitarian problems, with the workers toiling in the gold mines – many of them underage – being subject to long hours, low pay and dangerous conditions.

In recent years, though, the more conscious customers and jewellers have become only too aware of the problems wrought by the gold industry. This has led many of the most well-known names in the sector – including Chopard, Gucci and Boucheron – to commit to using only eco-friendly or recycled or responsibly sourced gold. This has seen the emergence of several virtuous certification systems of which two – Fairmined Gold and Fairtrade Gold – are well on the way to being recognised as global standards for responsibly sourced gold. Some brands, like Bulgari, meanwhile, also abide by the codes of the Responsible Jewellery Council.

The high profile accorded to such initiatives is, however, unfortunately at odds with their actual success. Indeed, of the 3,300 tonnes of total gold mined every year, only a paltry few 100kg are actually bona fide responsibly sourced.

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

Bulgari Man Wood Neroli explores the bond between man and nature

Man has forever been pitted against nature, with the bounty of nature seen as ever-shrinking to give space to the onward march of civilisation. But it doesn’t need to be “man vs nature”, it should rather be “man with nature”, working together in harmony to nurture and protect…

It is exactly this  message that Italian luxury marque BVLGARI propagates through its new Bulgari Man Wood Neroli. Using the earth’s natural aromas, BVLGARI’s Master Perfumer Alberto Morillas creates a sensory experience that keeps the modern man grounded and creates a subtle balance between mankind and the elements. The fragrance uncovers man’s true nature, reconnecting him with his fundamental spirit.

Channelling the vitality of the sun, the sea and the Mediterranean shrubs, Bulgari Man Wood Neroli opens with notes of brilliant neroli. Fresh and floral, its citrusy essence is inflected with salt and bergamot to conjure up the ambience of the Mediterranean climes. The scent’s heart notes reflect cedar and cypriol bathed in orange blossom – warm and woody, just like the earth it pays homage to. The fragrance is anchored by white musk accords that are a BVLGARI signature. Gentle, sensual and crystalline, it trails luxurious imprints on the body, just like a second skin.

Drop Earrings: What celebrities are wearing on red carpets?

If red carpet trends are anything to go by, there’s one look that celebrities the world over seem to be digging these days – haute couture gowns, swept-up hair and drop earrings. Be it at Cannes or charity galas or other high-society events, it’s easy to understand why this look is so popular with A-listers.

At the centre of this look is of course an eye-catching, glittering, twinkling pair of earrings that spells glam all the way. Choose from the high jewellery collections from the acclaimed purveyors of luxury jewellery, from Chopard’s Red Carpet Collection to Chaumet’s Josephine Aigrette earrings, but do remember it’s a fine line between chic and crass, so here’s out top five picks to help you make the right choice every time.

 

A Hint of Basel: Haute horological treasures from Baselworld 2019

The month of March is inevitably ring-fenced and red-circled on the wall-planners of watch lovers the world over. This, of course, is because within its 31-day span, some six of them are given over to Baselworld, the high point of the haute horology year and the expo par excellence for keen chronometer collectors.

Best Baselworld 2019 watches

This year, the event ran from 21 to 26 March, with the 520 brands on show attracting 81,200 attendees. While the available space does not stretch to showcasing all the debutante designs that merit a mention, the claim to greater attention of seven of them in particular just cannot be disputed.

Baselworld 1 MB&F Legacy Machine FlyingT
MB&F Legacy Machine FlyingT

Female watch fans were in for a particular treat with MB&F opting to unveil its first-ever ladies’ timepiece – the Legacy Machine FlyingT – at the event. With its accentuated crystal dome, dazzlingly diamond-studded bezel and fascia, and central flying tourbillon, this was one new arrival that was all but impossible to miss. Quirky yet undeniably chic, it’s a design that’s every bit as eye-catching as any of the marque’s more outré chap-friendly chronometers.

Baselworld 2 Chanel Boy∙friend Skeleton Black Edition
Chanel Boy∙friend Skeleton Black Edition

For those in search of something a tad subtler, Chanel’s limited-edition Boy∙friend Skeleton Black Edition is an ode to minimalism, with its rectangular black ceramic case – devoid of any embellishments – the perfect foil for its skeletonised dial. Here the proprietary manually-winding Calibre 3 movement is clearly visible, as are the overlapping hour-and-minute dial and small seconds subdial. It’s actually something of a shame that only 55 such watches are ever to see the light of day.

Baselworld 3 Bulgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Automatic
Bulgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Automatic

Gentlemen horological connoisseurs, meanwhile, were treated to a veritable smorgasbord of timepiece treasures, including Bulgari’s groundbreaking Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Automatic. Rightly securing the marque its fifth world record, this ultra-slim timepiece’s Calibre BVL 318 movement clocks in at just 3.3mm, with the watch’s overall thickness being merely 6.9mm. Fitted with a GMT function – allowing the watch to display two separate time zones – this would be a welcome addition to the armoury of any non-tardy traveller.

Baselworld 4 Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 42
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 42

A more athletic approach was on offer from Rolex in the form of its all-new upsized 42mm Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 42. From the off, its white gold bezel (complete with a striking matte black Cerachrom insert) and all-black dial make it a real attention-grabber. Underneath beats a Calibre 3235 movement, the most cutting-edge time-and-date generator this most eminent of watchmakers has ever produced. Sturdy yet sophisticated, this is truly a chronogram for the sophisticated seafarer.

Baselworld 5 TAG Heuer Autavia Isograph
TAG Heuer Autavia Isograph

Eschewing seaborne soirées for airborne adventure is Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer with a new iteration of its long-loved Autavia – (aut)o and (avia)tion – collection. Dubbed the Autavia Isograph, its bi-directional 60-minute bezel, broad hands and oversized Arabic numeral hour markers are all in true cockpit character. For the curious, the Isograph nomenclature is a knowing nod to the unique carbon composite that resides within its Calibre 5 movement –  a fittingly innovative touch for a watch that has already won fans the world over.

Baselworld 6 Patek Philippe Alarm Travel Time Ref. 5520P
Patek Philippe Alarm Travel Time Ref. 5520P

Renowned haute horology label Patek Philippe also revealed a new aviation-inspired design at the event – the Alarm Travel Time Ref. 5520P. Its robust, four-crown, pilot-style platinum case stylishly houses the brand’s latest high-precision movement, a slim 6.6mm Calibre AL 30-660 S C FUS, while its all-black dial is home to a 24-hour alarm, a digital alarm display, a second time zone display and a day-night indicator. As intricate as it is innovative, this limited-edition creation is all but guaranteed to be a real collectors’ item.

Baselworld 7 Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin
Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin

A true statement timepiece, though, came courtesy of Chopard in the beguiling form of its L.U.C Flying T Twin. Set to astound in aesthetic terms alone, its painstakingly hand-guilloché dial is fetchingly patterned with the selfsame honeycomb motif that company founder Louis-Ulysse Chopard selected as the maison’s first logo, making this an apt showcase for the brand’s renowned artisanal handcraftsmanship.

Beyond its alluring looks, however, the virtuoso technical skills on show here also merit a special mention. From its ultra-sleek 3.3mm Calibre 96.24-L movement to its flying tourbillon – a first for Chopard – this is haute horology at the very highest end. If that weren’t enough, it is also crafted using only ethically-sourced Fairmined gold for its case, hands and hour markers. By fusing time-honoured techniques with contemporary flair, and mechanical know-how with visually stunning iconography, it stands as a resounding celebration for the watchmaking craft and more than justifies any Baselworld jolly in its own right.

Text: Tenzing Thondup

Oversized Watches: Huge horology is now doing the rounds big time…

It’s no secret that, by and large, the world of haute horology is inherently conservative, strictly adhering to watchmaking traditions laid down generations ago. In some cases, this has even seen classic complications – step forward the tourbillon – prized long after they have become somewhat surplus to requirements. There is, however, one aspect of watchmaking that continues to evolve, one driven by both changing tastes and technology – the actual dimensions of a desirable timepiece.

Check out these latest oversized watches

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the ever-dynamic wristwatch sector. When first introduced post-WWI for mass public consumption, the average men’s dial ranged from 28mm to 32mm in diameter. By the ’90s, 38mm was the norm. Today, 42mm is pretty much the standard, with only those above 45mm seen as oversized watches. While historically more petite, ladies’ watches have undergone a similar expansion and, for those keen to pick a premium plus-size model, thankfully, there are several prime specimens available.

Bulgari's Serpenti Tubogas

With its eye firmly on distinctly feminine design, Bulgari has deftly fused the worlds of high-end jewellery and luxury watchmaking in the Serpenti Tubogas. Shaped to recall the coils of the eponymous creature that inspired it, its dominant 35mm curved-steel dial sits atop the serpent’s head – replete with a dazzling diamond-studded bezel and fascia – while its single-spiral steel-and-rose gold body bracelet extends down to wrap around the forearm.

Extra large Panthère de Cartier Manchette watch by Cartier

Similarly taking the small-watch-expanded-setting approach is Cartier, whose all-new extra-large Panthère de Cartier Manchette model is equal parts jewellery cuff and chronometer. While the quartz movement is housed in a delicate 22mm x 19mm rose gold case, the watch itself is surrounded by a far chunkier 41mm rose gold-black lacquer linked bracelet. Available in a strictly limited edition of 50, it’s the perfect wrist adornment for any fashionable foray.

Zenith’s Pilot Type 20 Extra Special Silver

For discerning gentlemen collectors, meanwhile, there’s a veritable treasure trove of attention-seizing oversized watches on offer. First up is Zenith’s Pilot Type 20 Extra Special Silver, the Swiss marque’s inaugural silver-cased chronogram. Boasting a 45mm burnished silver dial with large Arabic numeral hour markers, this pilot watch’s metal sheet-patterned fascia and rugged look is a knowing homage to the aviation aesthetics of a bygone age.

Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Spitfire by IWC

Another outré, outsized pilot’s watch comes courtesy of IWC, with its limited-edition 46mm Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Spitfire revealing a keen understanding of just what today’s aviators actually require. Fitted with an in-house Calibre 52615 movement, a perpetual calendar and a double moon display – allowing for accurate lunar positioning in both the northern and southern hemispheres – this eye-catching olive-bronze creation is a more-than-fitting tribute to the WWII British fighter plane that inspired it.

Panerai's Submersible Mike Horn Edition – 47mm

Eschewing high-altitude adventure in favour of deep-sea discovery, though, is Panerai with its Submersible Mike Horn Edition – 47mm. Inspired by the exploits of Mike Horn, the Swiss-South African explorer, in addition to being notably robust and water-resistant up to a depth of 300m, this wide and wonderful watch is also hugely eco-friendly. Its case, its crown, its bezel and the caseback all come crafted in the brand’s proprietary recycled EcoTitanium, while its reassuringly sturdy straps are fashioned from repurposed Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET).

Excalibur Pirelli Ice Zero 2 by Roger Dubuis

Not to be outdone, Roger Dubuis sought inspiration from wintry Swedish landscapes for its gigantically-proportioned, limited-edition-of-eight, 47mm Excalibur Pirelli Ice Zero 2. Created in partnership with Pirelli, the top tyre folk, it has been designed to embody the hardy qualities required to endure extreme cold. For this particular outing, the marque’s iconic skeletonised dial comes punctuated with a brilliant double flying tourbillon, with its Calibre RD105SQ movement perceivable beneath, while its straps reference the steel nail-studded design of Pirelli’s Ice Zero tyres.

MB&F's Horological Machine No.6 Final Edition

The undoubted governor of the gargantuan, the true master of oversized watches – this time round at least – is mighty MB&F, the much-admired architect of all things avant-garde and, in particular, the bold creator of the Horological Machine No.6 Final Edition. A formidable 52mm in diameter, this time-telling titan boasts a recherché rectangular biomorphic case fitted with five 360-degree spheres, with the bottom two marking hours and minutes, while taking pride of place in the middle is an intricate flying tourbillon.

Comprising 475 individual parts and 68 gemstones, only eight of these final iterations of this much-loved series are ever destined to see the light of day. Essentially, it’s a simply colossal, carefully curated and cunningly-crafted collectors’ item and a prime example of oversized watches – but, then, aren’t they all?

Text: Tenzing Thondup

Snake Charms: Why snake-themed jewellery finds favour through the ages?

While cats and dogs pretty much clean up on the online meme front, these doughty domestic favourites do noticeably less well on the feature jewellery front. In fact, it’s fair to say, in that particular arena, “four legs bad, no legs good”, with sultry serpents notably snaking out in front.

snake-themed jewellery
The bust of this ancient Pharaoh shows snake-themed jewellery on his crown

Pretty much since one bright Bronze Age beau fashioned the first romantic keepsake, snakes have been a recurrent fine jewellery motif on many of the world’s most cultured civilisations. In China, for instance, the snake symbolises reproduction – it doesn’t take too great a leap of the imagination to see why. It has similar resonances throughout India and Nepal, with Hindu god, Shiva, depicted as draping a snake around his neck, and believers worshipping the snake as symbol of desire and sexual passion. The more business-minded Romans, however, primarily associated the creature with wealth and prosperity.

Snake-themed jewellery
Snake-themed jewellery is draped around the statue of Hindu god Shiva

It was perhaps Ancient Egypt, however, that set the high watermark for snake veneration, with these legless lizards seen as wholly synonymous with royalty and even divinity. Indeed, a pharaoh was not deemed to be a legitimate ruler unless his crown incorporated the rearing gold cobra that was the mark of Wadjet, the goddess under whose protection Egypt thrived.

In times more contemporary, the serpent motif has been co-opted by the haute joaillerie world, with a number of high-end jewellers – notably Bulgari and Damiani – creating exotic, wholly snake-themed collections. This celebration of the reptile has even extended to Hong Kong, where Stéfère now offers a range of snake-themed jewellery, a homage to one of the most venomous members of the snake clan.

Check out our slideshow of the most viper-esque jewellery below.

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

V-Day Jewellery for Ladies Who’d Rather Pamper Themselves

Those days when ladies needed to be ‘gifted’ jewellery as a standard step in the game of wooing and courtship are long, long gone! Of course, it doesn’t mean ladies have grown out of their fondness for sparkly surprises, but it’s just that, in the age of women empowerment, more and more women are buying jewellery for themselves, choosing pieces to match their moods and styles and celebrating their financial independence, all without the burning a hole in their partner’s pocket.

Especially for those ladies who’d rather indulge their own whims this Valentine’s Day, we’ve chosen a range of eclectic, far-from-mushy V-Day jewellery for you, because self-love is true love.

V-Day Jewellery

Chanel Camélia Collection – Not just a flower, but a symbol of elegance, it represents a free spirit much like Coco Chanel herself.

V-Day Jewellery

Spread Your Wings Collection from Sarah Zhuang Jewellery – A celebration of a woman who’s ambitious, career-driven and confident, this is for a lady who believes in her own abilities and is capable of attaining great heights.

V-Day Jewellery

Fluid Azzurro from Atelier Swarovski Core Collections – A bold combination of Montana blue and silver crystal, set in palladium metal, each item in the collection speaks to the woman who believes in making everyday beautiful.

V-Day Jewellery

Bulgari B.zero collection – There’s a reason why pieces from the B.zero collection were featured in Bulgari’s latest Wild Pop High Jewellery. Embracing a mood of irreverence and parody, this collection is surely meant for the rebels among us.

V-Day Jewellery

MIKIMOTO Jeux de Rubans collection – The lustre of MIKIMOTO pearls, as well as their refinement, would appeal to a lady who knows the value of understated elegance.

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

Scentsory Pleasures: Four spring perfumes for scentsational ladies

From Bulgari to Esteé Lauder, our favourite brands have unveiled an array of scintillating spring perfumes for ladies just ahead of the SS19 season.

Spring perfumes

The fine folks at Bulgari remain committed to dispelling the winter blues with the new Rose Goldea limited edition. While its freshly redesigned bottle is supposed to depict the mythical gardens of the Roman gods, the fragrance within is said to unleash your inner Aphrodite, with apt hints of pomegranate and damask rose.

Spring perfumes

Not to be outdone, international fragrance house Carolina Herrera has unveiled its deceptively titled Good Girl – a fragrance that’s supposedly so sensational that it is sure to set your inner femme fatale free. With its unapologetic motto – “It’s good to be bad” – and a heady mix of jasmine and tonka beans, it may just be your one-way ticket from dowdy to diva.

Spring perfumes

For its part, New York-headquartered Esteé Lauder is looking to channel girl-next-door sweetness with its golden vial of Aerin Éclat de Vert, a timeless combination of citrus, magnolia and jasmine that’s at once classic and contemporary. In a world of ever-changing haute couture trends, it’s good to know that this is one fragrance that won’t go out of style any time soon.

Spring perfumes

Sneaking up on some, meanwhile, is renowned glassware brand Lalique with its latest foray into the fragrance field – three all-new scents in it Les Compositions Parfumées collection, a playful and girlish trio that evokes the beach and all things warm and sunny. From the woody notes of its Pink Paradise through the musky essence of its Electric Purple, to the vanilla-esque vibes of its Sweet Amber, this is a perfumed parade that welcomes one and all.

Look the Part: Top five accessories for women this fall

After giving tips to the dapper gentlemen about this season’s top five accessories, we turn our attention to the fairer sex. It’s time for the ladies to sit up and pay attention, because we reveal the five must-have accessories for women this fall.

Moomin Marvellous

 

The Moomins X Strathberry collection is the latest offering to come courtesy of Strathberry, the Scottish luxury luggage label. Produced in association with the Finnish illustrator Tove Jansson, every item in the range features one of the Moomins, the ever-popular fairy tale characters Jansson created back in 1945. The most famous of these – Moomintrol – can be found traipsing across the collection’s East/West and Mini Crescent bags, with a series of mini-Moomins emblazoned across the more compact leather purses and pouches.

Uncommon Scents

Carat Eau de Parfum, the latest fragrance from those fine folk at Cartier, is said to charmingly encapsulate the finest and freshest floral notes from a selection of nature’s most evocative nose-pleasers, including hints of violet, iris, hyacinth, ylang-ylang, daffodil, honeysuckle and tulip. Clearly designed to not only satisfy just one sense, the scent comes packaged in the kind of cut-glass finery more usually associated with the company’s high-end jewellery. A true visual and olfactory treat, it’s a must for the dressing tables of all the most modish.

Pyramid Selling

While pyramids will always first bring to mind the long-dead pharaohs of long-lost Egyptian dynasties, nuzzling into second place, in terms of three-dimensional triangle association, is surely Hermès, the Paris-headquartered high-end, high fashion brand. Not only were these pointy promontories a recurring motif in the marque’s truly memorable Fall/Winter 2018 collection, they are now the defining element of its newly-released and elegantly eye-catching Médor Rock collection of watches, with each model coming with a distinctly pyramidesque dial-mounted gem. 

Amore in Store

 

With love always in the air among the most stylish and best-heeled, Bulgari, that most laudable of Italian luxury brands, is clearly looking to revive flickering flames of affection and to add a little added allure to any spontaneous outpourings of amore with its collection of limited-edition passion-themed handbags and heartfelt haute jewellery designs. So, if you want to declare your love with a Divas’ Dream pink gold necklace, Bulgari might well prove the middleman you’ve been looking for.

Gorgeous Grisogono

In a unique celebration of its 25-year history of eye-catching creativity, De Grisogono, the renowned Swiss luxury jeweller, has unveiled a commemorative collection of 25 stunning examples of bespoke, bejeweled innovation. Ably capturing a quarter-century of unpredictable affluence, the collection is awash with unexpected contrasts and finely-crafted counterpoints, not to mention astonishing stones, startling structures, artful aesthetics and, of course, the brand’s characteristic flair for the exceptional.