Indholdsfortegnelse for January/February 2023 i Robb Report Singapore

NO, YOUR MIND isn't playing tricks on you. Yes, it is already 2023. And yes, we have been thinking the same thing every year: “Where did all the time go?” We ask this as we look forward to another blank slate; 365 more days upon which we can colour with joy, purpose and untold possibilities. It is a wonderful thing, then, to be able to not just reflect, but to also reset ourselves to start the new year right. Now that we are finally free from the shackles of social restrictions, we imagine that 2023 will be packed with a resurgence of parties. Whether you prefer to host or be a guest, it is time to reconnect. So, let us equip you with our handy guide to make each soiree…

Fancy navigating your ski runs like IWC brand ambassador and double Olympic champion Eileen Gu? You will be off to a good start with these limited-edition skis. Designed in collaboration between IWC and high-end ski brand, The Faction Collective, the Faction Studio 1 IWC Collab Ltd is sheathed in immaculate white and accented with green luminescent logos. These are the same tones as IWC's striking Pilot's Watch Chronograph Top Gun Edition Lake Tahoe watch, which you have the option to buy with a purchase of the skis. Flandmade in Austria, they are crafted from sustainably harvested poplar and ash, and reinforced with carbon-rubber weave for robustness. To ensure extra performance lift, the skis are engineered to the same specifications as the ones used by Gu. The skis are limited to…

THE CELEBRATION ISSUE…

FOR ITS SYMPHONY of Speed event, intended to showcase the cream of its production car crop, Bentley chose the setting of South Australia. The Australian state is famous for, among other things, its half-hour time zone, grand vistas and vineyards. The last includes Penfolds, one of the most famous names in Australian wine and Bentley's partner for the event's welcome dinner. Penfolds is a brand that Bentley finds kinship with; it was founded in South Australia by a British couple in 1844, some 75 years before WO Bentley would start his own firm. The two brands have stood the test of time on the strength of their renowned craftsmanship. South Australia is also known as a motorsport destination. The streets of its capital, Adelaide, were the venue for the Australian…

Le Labo Discovery Set Classic Collection Get the best of Le Labo in this petite Discovery Set, comprising three five-millilitre bottles of the brand's cult unisex fragrances: Another 13, Santal 33 and Thé Noir 29. All three are predominantly woody scents hailing from the Classic Collection, and are at once sensuous and bewitching. Chantecaille Oil Free Balancing Moisturiser Chantecaille's newest lightweight, botanical moisturiser for women is all about attaining balance. Suitable for all skin types, this day or night moisturiser relies on marine postbiotics and plant stem cell extracts to gently regulate the skin's microbiota, keeping it uniformly smooth and supple. & Other Stories Eau de Toilette Collection In this Eau de Toilette collection, Swedish fashion brand & Other Stories presents three feminine fragrances – Poem A Day, Moon Fiction…

AS THE CARDINAL rule of buying (or investing in) real estate goes, location is key. One of London's most desirable and elegant properties, Chelsea Barracks is nestled in the prestigious district of Belgravia, which dominated London's prime property market transactions in 2022. The worldclass development features a grand collection of apartment suites, penthouses and Georgianinspired townhouses, set around seven lush garden squares. Its plethora of ritzy amenities – including a spa, cinema and 24/7 concierge – means residents can look forward to being pampered and indulged on a regular basis. Last November, a select group of Robb Report Singapore readers were among the first to preview Chelsea Barracks while enjoying a special fivecourse menu in the private enclave of The Dealing Room. Hosted by the experts at Knight Frank and…

OBJECTIFIED You know the drill: don't drink and drive. In this instance, however, the collaboration between two of the luxury industry's biggest titans deserves serious consideration. Islay distillery Bowmore has partnered Aston Martin to roll out the Bowmore ARC-52, a 52-year-old single-malt contained in a futuristic, supercar-inspired decanter aptly described as “half-Bowmore, halfAston Martin”. Limited to 100 bottles, the dram comprises two cask styles in equal parts: American oak hogshead and European oak butt. Expect to be hit with a full-bodied experience that starts with herbal notes before journeying into exotic fruit territory and finishing with hints of peat ash and butter. A marriage of contrasts, the vessel is an entirely modern creation. Built with the same design principles behind the construction of an Aston Martin, the otherworldly and pyramidal…

NO ONE QUITE knows about the Polestar, much less the sequel. What sounds like Santa's favourite speakeasy is really the work of Volvo and Geely. As far as electric vehicles go, it's a job well done and a pebble in Elon Musk's shoe. The automotive brand, which began life as a racing team that sped cars up for Volvo, is the perfect alternative to Tesla. If you're thinking of boycotting Musk, the Polestar 2 (S$263,000 for the long-range dual motor version, S$16,000 for the optional Performance pack) could be your answer to the Model 3. This is an electric car that's easy to love. Inspired by the Volvo 40.2 concept, the Polestar 2 manages to thrill while keeping you cloaked in a comfortable cocoon – a real treat on a…

Rega Planar 10 Planar 10 (from S$6,400) is for audiophiles who love big sounds with a preference for minimalist design. You will get an honest listening experience out of this machine: the bass is agile, and voices sound transparent and unfettered. Weighing just 4.9kg, it is one of the lightest high-end turntables on the market, equipped with a skeleton plinth made of Tancast polyurethane foam developed for the aerospace industry, and an ultra-light but robust ceramic platter. Pro-Ject Signature 12 Pro-Ject commemorated its 20 years as an esteemed manufacturer of turntables by rolling out a turntable that is unfettered by commercial limitations. Signature 12 (from S$13,300) is a gorgeous looking machine. It comes with a magnetic sub-chassis that reduces noise transfer to the cartridge, and a main platter machined from…

The Goods | TIME THERE IS STILL time; there is no more time. It doesn't matter which side you support in a tightly contested football match. As the clock winds down to the end of a game, the emotional divide is always extreme and the anxiety, insufferable. And in the sapping heat of World Cup 2022 in Qatar, fans had plenty of time to chew down their fingernails. The average active time that the ball was in play at this World Cup was between 55 and 67 minutes. In comparison, the active playing time for some games at previous World Cups was as little as 52 minutes. “Think of a match with three goals scored. A celebration normally takes one, one and a half minutes. So, with three goals scored,…

In the summer of 2020, at the height of the pandemic, an Asia-based client approached De Beers with a request so detailed and idiosyncratic that even a company accustomed to bespoke commissions for a discerning clientele could quite reasonably have been stumped. “She wanted something very specific,” says De Beers Jewellers CEO Céline Assimon. The client's exact wishes dictated a D-flawless diamond with a mix of personally significant, symbolic proportions and numbers (presumably for the carats and facets) as well as a guarantee of a certain type of light reflection and refraction – a boutique-bought diamond, no matter the cut, clarity or size, simply wouldn't suffice. “We did not have and would not have cut a diamond in that way for stock,” says Assimon. So De Beers unearthed a rough…

Rowdy Rebels Philipp Plein's unapologetically bold, maximalist aesthetic births the Lil Monsters Gang, an art collection created in collaboration with 3D visual artist Antoni Tudisco. View larger-than-life sculptures, along with their corresponding NFTs, at the Museum of NFTs Art in London. Closer to home, you can discover the capsule collection at the brand's Marina Bay Sands boutique, where the oddly charming bunch has been infused with flashy bomber jackets and swanky pullovers. Well-Thread An expression of creative director Sarah Burton's preoccupation with nature, nettles are a recurring motif in Alexander McQueen's pre-spring/summer 2023 menswear collection, delicately embroidered on trench coats, jackets and cotton jersey T-shirts. An overall muted palette invokes a sense of consistency and calm, calling attention to the precise silhouettes of sharp tailoring. Elsewhere, the McQueen graffiti print…

ARE YOU LOOKING to extend your vacation in frostier climates with a bit of adventure thrown in? You can now gear up with Zegna's new Outdoor Collection that promises to be as functional as it is fashionable. Comprising luxurious knitwear, thermals and other essentials, the collection was created in partnership with six renowned active lifestyle brands that amalgamated their utilitarian ethos with the Italian titan's sartorial sensibilities. There is La Sportiva's TX Top GTX Boots featuring water-repellent uppers and durable Vibram soles, which are perfect for mountaineering; Garmin's Venu 2 Plus Smartwatch, which comes with cutting-edge fitness tracking and safety features; and a Sigg aluminium water bottle embellished with Zegna's 232 Road Brand Mark. The options get more enticing if you are spending time on alpine slopes. The Piuma Ski…

ORLA DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES With oversized terraces of up to 420sqm and ceilings that soar to as high as six metres, the 86 residences here promise a sophisticated lifestyle that is second to none. Buyers have a choice of two- to four-bedroom units, three sky palaces, and one of the largest mansions with an area of over 55,000 sq ft on Palm Jumeirah. Designed by Foster + Partners, each residence boasts unique layouts, features and views. The residences are spread across three towers, which are located on a beachfront plot on the apex of Palm Jumeirah's crescent. This location means that residents will enjoy uninterrupted 270-degree views of Dubai's skyline and the Arabian Gulf. Price: from 23 million dirhams via Omniyat COUR DU BARON LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE Residents will…

Cenzo Housed in a light-filled shophouse that used to be a wine shop, Cenzo is the latest addition to Club Street and AC Concepts, the same group behind Kulto on Amoy Street. Cenzo also marks the return of Drew Nocente, who for the last six years, ran Salted & Hung, a minimal-waste concept restaurant. For those who know his food, rejoice. For those who don't, I am excited for you. There will be plenty of repeat visits once you get a taste and, from my first visit, I see a menu that confidently covers all bases. I am talking pickled mussels that are ever so refreshing and the classic caserecci done in cacio e pepe style – perfectly al dente and arguably better than any speciality restaurants at the moment.…

The Resource | TRAVEL PUMPKIN SPICE AND holiday music have run their course. However, you can easily trade a Silent Night for sea air, sunshine and chilled Sauvignon in the sultry southern hemisphere, where temperatures rarely dip below 27 degrees Celsius and the island waters are warmed by a full summer sun. Betsy Cox, CEO of Blackbook Concierge and magic-wand-waver to the most demanding clients, says it's no surprise people are itching for the summer side of the globe this year. “They've spent the pandemic in the Hamptons, Miami and Malibu, then they went to the Med,” she says. “Now they're dying to go somewhere really exclusive, where they won't see anyone they know.” After Oceana and Southeast Asia spent the past two years sitting out some of the strictest…

Objectified The Villeret Tourbillon Volant Une Minute 12 Jours Émail Cloisonné allows its wearer to examine the snow-covered landscape of MontTendre and Lake Joux in Vallée de Joux, Switzerland's watchmaking enclave where Blancpain is based. The evocative swathes of white and blue are depicted using a technique known as cloisonne enamelling. First, tiny gold threads are carefully shaped and cut on the dial to illustrate the scene. Following which, the crevices are filled with coloured enamel power and fired repeatedly at high temperatures to achieve the perfect shades. Housed in a 42mm platinum case, the watch brandishes a one-minute tourbillon via a display at 12 o'clock, accentuating the decorative artistry with mechanical allure.…

A CONFESSION: UNTIL recently, whenever talk of semiconductor shortages came up, I was under the impression that most cars made do with just a handful of the things. I say a handful. One seemed like it would be enough: one car, one engine, one big fat semiconductor. My estimate was a little short. Some cars come loaded with as many as 3,000. Semiconductors – also known as microchips – are big business, as you probably know. According to an organisation called World Semiconductor Trade Statistics, more than 932 billion of them were made in 2020, a number so vast I don't even know what to compare it to. Instead, some math. Of those many billions, half are absorbed by electronics while another 15 per cent go into the automotive industry,…

THE CELEBRATION ISSUE WHAT'S THE ELITE traveller in the mood for going into 2023? Think Mallorca. The Balearic island is the embodiment of the current trend for “small places, incredible locations with fabulous views that are a little bit away from everyone”, says Jules Maury, head of Scott Dunn Private. Mallorca has Tuscany's rustic charm but fewer people and a newer edge. Maury's pick is the 31-room Son Net, a 17th-century estate opening in April under the auspices of Spanish hotelier Finca Cortesin, with the general manager shuttling between the two properties. “It's going to be a grande dame, the most fabulous countryhouse hotel,” she says. Cari Gray, of privatetravel specialist Gray & Co, agrees, noting that the property's location in the foothills of the Tramuntana Mountains makes it ideal…

Cover Story The hands tell so much. Trimming millimetres off a wafer-thin sheet of pasta to make a perfect rectangle, on which dollops of rich, molten cheese would be piped, sealed and portioned into delicious, pyramidal morsels known as berlingots, Anne-Sophie Pic's hands move with assured precision honed by decades of experience. And on the Michelin-starred chef's wrist: Hublot's Big Bang One Click Steel White Diamond watch that, while hefty, seems to hug Pic's wrist just right. To many who were watching Pic in action, wearing her gem-studded Hublot watch, it would have looked like an unlikely meeting of worlds. However, for watch lovers who have been following Hublot's adventures, this coming together of different spheres – in this instance, gastronomy and horology – is par for the course. “I…

Dream Machines | WINGS EMBRAER MADE NEWS in 2021 by sharing its vision for the future, which bridges the gap between bold and, well, old: turboprops. Its Next Generation turboprop will address what Embraer believes will be an explosion in regional air travel over the next 20 years, with a design that includes aft-mounted engines for a quieter cabin and better fuel efficiency than its competitors. While initially aimed at the commercial market, the Next Generation remains a good example of how the new breed of turboprop is differentiating itself from the stodgy, ultra-practical bladespinners of old. This new guard is quickly becoming known as luxe and tech-savvy aircraft that can fill the roles of small- to mid-sized jets. “The turboprop story has been a mix of private and business…

The Goods | TIME WHY READ THE time when you can listen to it? And with that rather preposterous notion, horologists started devising ways to sound out the time for both pragmatic and artistic endeavours. The first bell clocks that chimed the hours to notify entire villages of the time surfaced in Italy in the 13th century. By the 15th century, master watchmakers were crafting pocket watches with chiming mechanisms for aristocrats and noblemen. Today, chiming wristwatches are considered the most esoteric and elusive of watch complications. Offered by the most accomplished watchmaking houses, this niche and elite category of watches is appreciated – and acquired – by discerning and well-connected connoisseurs who tend to have the CEOs of companies that make these striking timepieces on speed dial. VACHERON CONSTANTIN…

Special Feature WRIT LARGE UNDERNEATH H Moser & Cie's coat of arms and iconic cursive logo are the words ‘very rare’, a motto that expresses the exclusive nature of the independent watch brand's releases. While that may be so, ‘very rare’ has also come to convey H Moser & Cie's seemingly unlikely but remarkable overcoming of odds to become one of the most exciting names in contemporary watchmaking in the past decade. Today, H Moser & Cie is, by all accounts, in the pink of health. The brand is enjoying the most remarkable growth spurt in its history. In the past 10 years, its watch production has increased fivefold and, in tandem, its turnover has jumped eightfold. Not too long ago, however, it was a different story. Despite H Moser…

The Goods | GROOMING FOR THE TRUE gentleman with a refined sense of style, Ralph Lauren's Ralph's Club Parfum is an olfactory ode to the glamour of the roaring ‘20s – think tuxedos, raucous swing music and perhaps, a glass of old-fashioned in hand. It's an apt reference to the designer's Gatsby-esque runway presentation in 2019, during which he transformed a former bank on Wall Street into a lavish Jazz Age-era nightclub. Crafted by French master perfumer Dominique Ropion, Ralph's Club Parfum boasts the intensity of Virginia cedarwood and vetiver, with floral pops of lavandin, clary sage and geranium. It's a robust eau de parfum that gradually builds complexity, ideal for memorable nights on the town. True to form, the fragrance comes bottled in a sleek gunmetal grey and matte…

The Resource | ART & DESIGN “I DIDN'T CHOOSE film-making,” says Anissa Bonnefont, whose prolific run of three critically acclaimed films in four years belies her suggestion that her destiny was somehow predetermined. The 39-year-old French film-maker recalls spending her youth re-watching her favourite movies constantly so that she could be thoroughly steeped in her characters. In doing so, she felt compelled to do the same for others. “I wanted to do the same thing, to create worlds where people could enter and feel stronger after, or feel that they were cared for, even if it's just for a little while,” she explains. Bonnefont burst onto the scene with Wonderboy in 2019, a documentary about Balmain's creative director Olivier Rousteing and, a year later, with Nadia, another documentary, about Afghanborn…

The Resource | SAVOUR IT'S NOT EVERY day you receive an invitation to see Ryuichi Sakamoto perform live. The composer, actor and singer, whose prolific 41-year career includes writing music for The Last Emperor (1987) and The Revenant (2015), had just created another musical masterpiece. This time, it was a stirring three-part symphony scored for a 36-piece orchestra and piano, commissioned by Krug. This is what incredible champagne would sound like, and to have Sakamoto on the piano would be the cherry on top of an already fantastic symphony. Except that day didn't come. A week before the launch, Sakamoto had a relapse of cancer. He needed to rest and his live performance was cancelled. Nevertheless, at the Tokyo premiere of Seeing Sound, Hearing Krug, Sakamoto's presence was felt at…