Luxist

Java Head, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 27th 2010 1:01PM

A lot of the estates I show you in Florida are newer homes but today's vintage beauty in Coral Gables was built in 1936. Java Head is a beautiful old estate. The three-acre property includes gardens, a tennis court, pool house, a four-car garage with a separate apartment and a protected dock that offers your boat open access to ocean. The seven-bedroom main house has Art Moderne and Art Deco notes. Of particular charm is the massive living room with the 23-foot cathedral ceiling. The lower half of the room is encased in dark wood panels and an old stone fireplace is a relic from another time. A round doorway leads to a mural-covered dining room. This unique home is listed at $13.9 million.

Gallery: Java Head

Tags: coral gables, CoralGables, estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, florida real estate, FloridaRealEstate, java head, JavaHead

Swarovski Octea Sport Orange Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) — Feb 27th 2010 12:02PM

My favorite Swarovski watch is back for 2010 and even sportier. I discussed the Octea watches here last year and was pleasantly impressed with the design. It was an interesting combo between women's sport watches, and popular glass crystal maker. I commented that if they made a men's version, I would probably wear it. As such, I think almost any woman interested in a sporty (and relatively affordable) watch would dig one of these. The case is in steel, 39mm wide, and has a series of crystals placed in it. Who'd a thought you'd ever see a rotating diver's bezel with Swarovski crystals in it?

For 2010 the watch gets an orange redo. Mostly the same from last year, but now primed for even more action. I like how they kept the swan logo at the 12 o'clock indicator - but now it is in orange. It it wasn't for all the faceted stones, I would say the watch more or less is a men's design - but that is very trendy for women these days. Movement is a Swiss quartz, and it comes with a rubber strap or a metal bracelet. Both of these have inset faceted hematite stones that really give it a cool look. There is another swan logo placed in the crown as a cabochon. Really a cool women's watch collection from Swarovski. Plus, the Octea Sport watches are all about $800 - $900 in price.

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

Tags: 2010, octea, orange, sport, swarovski, watch

Dunhill Bladon Leather Collection

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Feb 27th 2010 11:01AM

For Spring / Summer 2010 London luxury goods firm Dunhill is debuting a new line of gentleman's heirloom luggage dubbed the Bladon Leather collection. With a nod to Dunhill's history of creating beautifully crafted and durable leather luggage for almost 120 years, the collection is made of tanned leather with a natural grained appearance crafted into timelessly elegant but always functional forms. Honouring the brand's esteemed British heritage, Bladon takes its name from the English town where Sir Winston Churchill is buried - a British icon who was a faithful customer of Dunhill. Each of the four styles in the Bladon collection are destined to become heirlooms, with the designs respecting every demand of the modern luxury traveller. The resilient vegetable tanned cowhide leather ensures each piece is individual, with every cut of hide presenting variations in marks and shades which will darken with age, taking on a soft and rich patina over the years.

Tags: Dunhill, leather, London, luggage, UK, Winston Churchill, WinstonChurchill

Ice Couture's Crystal-Encrusted Ski Helmets

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) — Feb 27th 2010 10:02AM

Ice Couture helmets were invented by Dareece Saca because she just couldn't stand to wear a ski helmet unless it was pretty and had some fashionable bling on it. "I'll never wear a helmet unless it's crystallized like a Judith Leiber bag." So she affixed crystals to her own helmet by hand and got so many compliments that a business idea was born.

The helmets are expected to hit it big next season as more and more skiers are looking for a way to make being safe on a slopes more stylish -- why can't your helmet be an accessory of sorts? Saca's designs include everything from girly pink camouflage to edgier skull and crossbones patterns. $200-$2000

Via Luxurylauches

Tags: crystals, helmet, helmets, ski helmet, SkiHelmet, skiing, swarovski, winter gear, WinterGear

The Greatest in Greek Revival Architecture

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Feb 27th 2010 9:01AM

In March Rizzoli will publish an updated version of Roger G. Kennedy's stunning volume Greek Revival America, originally issued 20 years ago and still the landmark lavishly illustrated work on the subject. Kennedy provides an enriching look into the past to explain the reasons for the much-admired architecture movement in America and describes the political landscape of the period before, during, and after the Greek Revival era in a compelling narrative. With hundreds of full-color photographs specially commissioned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation along with illuminating illustrations, the book demonstrates the lasting importance of the Greek style and its impact in America evidenced in iconic buildings including churches, banks, government offices and private estates. Also included is a new preface and an updated appendix of every important surviving Greek Revival structure in the United States today. Kennedy is an Honorary Member of the American Association of Architects, a former Director of the National Park Service, and the Director Emeritus of the National Museum of American History.

Tags: architecture, books, coffee table books, CoffeeTableBooks, Greek Revival, GreekRevival, luxury books, LuxuryBooks, Rizzoli

Condos For Auction in the Outer Banks

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 27th 2010 8:01AM

ore oceanfront condos are headed for auction. This time we are zooming over to Nags Head, North Carolina for 20 condos which will be auctioned off on March 27. The Landings at Sugar Creek condominiums overlook Roanoke Sound and offer sunset views with ocean views from the higher units and a walk to Nags Head Beach. The condos are being sold absolute and there are 13 different floorplans with two to four bedrooms each. Units have granite kitchen countertops, private terraces and access to the dock, pool and clubhouse.

Tags: condo auction, CondoAuction, condos, nags head, NagsHead, north carolina, NorthCarolina, outer banks, OuterBanks, sugar creek, SugarCreek

Tom Binns 'Alice in Wonderland' Inspired Jewelry

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) — Feb 27th 2010 7:01AM

There's certainly no shortage of fairytale-inspired jewelry in the world but I would argue that there's a definite shortage of 'not-totally-silly' designs based on the favorite stories of our childhood. Tom Binns, however, has collaborated with Disney to come up with a set of jewelry designs inspired by the old story and new movie "Alice in Wonderland" and I think they're refreshingly grown up. The designs are each based on an event or character such as the evil Red Queen, who has a necklace of little red hearts interspersed with thorns and pins, or the bracelet shown here called "Smashing Time" that is made up broken tea party dishes. Look for the pieces to be on sale this spring in the Tom Binns New York store and other boutiques for $1000 - $1500 each.

Gallery: Tom Binns for Disney, "Alice in Wonderland"

Tags: alice in wonderland, AliceInWonderland, disney, tom binns, TomBinns

Huge Diamond Sells For Over $35 Million

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 26th 2010 11:01PM

Last fall we speculated that a huge 507-carat piece of rough diamond might sell for $30 million. The result was even bigger than anticipated. Petra Diamonds announced that the stone sold for $35.3 million which was the highest sale price ever for a rough stone, an impressive $69,557 per carat. Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Company Ltd. bought the rock which has been given the preliminary name "Cullinan Heritage," at a tender in South Africa. The stone is the 19th largest piece of rough unearthed in history and is exceptional both in terms of size and color and clarity.

It is believed that the buyers will seek to sell the stone in China. The rough stone could yield a "D-flawless" clear polished stone of 170-180 carats, a stone which could sell at a huge price. The diamond will be doubtlessly be scrutinized by teams of expert cutters and all possible strategies will be mapped and modeled before the first cut is made.

Tags: cullinan heritage, cullinan mine, CullinanDiamond, CullinanHeritage, CullinanMine, diamonds, rough diamond, rough diamonds, RoughDiamond, RoughDiamonds

New Catalog For Private Jet Flyers Launched

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 26th 2010 10:01PM

If you are flying in a private jet perhaps you are beyond the offerings of the SkyMall. Private Shoppes has created a new in-flight and online catalog to be distributed by jet charter operators, in-flight caterers and private air terminals. With the economy beginning to recover, private jet travel is starting to become popular once again, it is estimated that 2.5-3.5 million passengers fly privately each year. In a press release, Gillian Christie, CEO of Christie Communications said that Private Shoppes "makes Sharper Image look like a Sears Catalog." The catalog includes brands like Tumi, Mulholland, Steuben Glass, Shafer Vineyards, Bissinger's Chocolatier and more.

Tags: private jets, PrivateJets, shopping

Mercedes-Benz Shows Off SLS AMG F1 Safety Car

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) — Feb 26th 2010 9:01PM

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG F1 Safety Car – Click above for high-res image gallery

Sometimes, speed equals safety. Perhaps nowhere else is that more true than on a racetrack when you're piloting the so-called safety car and you've got a pack of Formula One cars riding up your tailpipe. Good thing, then, that the newest safety car to be used for F1 duty is the 571-horsepower Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.

Interestingly, that tailpipe is the only mechanical change made to the SLS AMG to bring it up to Official F1 Safety Car specs. Mercedes-Benz left everything else on the car, including the engine, suspension and carbon-ceramic brakes, stock. Not that you won't be able to tell the difference between the Safety Car and a standard Gullwing – a new carbon fiber hood with front-mounted camera, rear number plate with a camera and 700 LEDs and an "aerodynamically optimised roof light bar" (for the first time using all LEDs) ensure nobody can miss this particular SLS AMG.

For what it's worth, the SLS AMG replaces the SL63 AMG, which had been the Official Safety Car for the previous two seasons. Again, the F1 Safety Car will be piloted by former DTM driver Bernd Mayländer. Also, the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Estate (that's wagon to us Americans) will serve as the Official F1 Medical Car. Let's hope that one doesn't see too much track time, eh? Click past the break for the official press release.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG F1 Safety Car

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Tags: f1, f1 safety car, F1SafetyCar, formula 1, formula one, formula one safety car, Formula1, FormulaOne, FormulaOneSafetyCar, mercedes, mercedes-benz, mercedes-benz sls amg, Mercedes-benzSlsAmg, sls amg, sls amg gullwing, SlsAmg, SlsAmgGullwing

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