Indholdsfortegnelse for August 2023 i Robb Report Singapore

PHILIPPE DUFOUR DOESN'T know this, but I owe him a debt of gratitude. Dufour, who is now in his 70s, is a highly respected independent watchmaker, famed for his deceptively monikered Simplicity series of highly limited and exquisitely handcrafted watches. Some 20 years ago, during a visit to his tiny workshop in a sleepy Swiss town, Dufour flicked the switch for me on what it means to love and appreciate watches. It was a serendipitous encounter, setting me on course for years of financial sustenance writing about the world of luxury and, to a large extent, watches. I was a rookie then: into my first year as a hack for a watch magazine, and feeling like a fraud as I grappled with the whys and hows of luxury watchmaking. Like…

IMAGINE REDESIGNING A watchmaking icon that has enjoyed two decades of unparalleled success, born from the brilliant mind of a visionary watchmaker. Now picture your creation being not only widely panned by the horological community but also labelled a “sea elephant” by the very designer you sought to honour. It couldn't have been much fun being Emmanuel Gueit. The Genevan designer had been tasked with tweaking Audemars Piguet's unassailable Royal Oak for a younger, trendier audience. In 1993, Gueit delivered the Royal Oak Offshore on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of its famous older sibling. The reception was divided and among his harshest critics was a bemused Gérald Genta, the man who designed the original Royal Oak. At 42mm, the thick and beefy Royal Oak Offshore Ref. 25721 was…

ACCORDING TO HOROLOGICAL standards, IWC Schaffhausen has been making chronographs for a relatively short amount of time. The earliest examples of chronographs were created in the 1800s, and wrist-worn versions followed in the early 1900s. IWC, on the other hand, rolled out its first chronographs only in 1980. But age, as they say, is just a number. The Swiss brand's chronograph debut hit the ground running and IWC instantly demonstrated its virtuosity and progressive thinking with this popular complication. The chronograph in question was the Reference 3700, a hardy and high-performance watch made in partnership with Porsche Design. Right away, it disrupted an industry norm dominated by steel chronographs. Reference 3700 was clad instead in lightweight and robust titanium—the world's first chronograph to be so. Appreciating IWC's chronographs requires an…

HERMÈS Arceau Grand Carrosse Royal Rigour. Hermés never ceases to testify to the premium that high horology places on impeccable craftsmanship. The Grand Carrosse Royal is a sterling embodiment of that virtue. Every aspect of its existence, from its ultra-exclusive run of 12 pieces to its breathtaking artisanship, exudes care and assiduousness. On this white gold watch, Hermès Horloger's artisans engage in the literary practice of ekphrasis, paying homage to the content and essence of an existing opus on a wholly different medium. The motif on the dial is a meticulous recreation of Danish illustrator Claus Rye's design for a Hermès silk scarf, depicted using the grisaille technique, distinguished by its monochromatic palette of neutral colours. For each dial, more than 20 layers of enamel are applied, one coat at…

FOLLOWING ITS DEBUT in 2005, Land Rover's Range Rover Sport has evolved nimbly and is now well into its third generation. The latest iteration proves that good things do come in threes, firmly establishing itself as a formidable contender in the competitive midsized luxury SUV segment. While it may not possess the same imposing presence and ruggedness of its larger sibling, the classic Range Rover, that's precisely the point. Setting its sights on delivering a sportier (read: livelier, more dynamic) driving experience, the new Range Rover Sport achieves this with ease, placing cutting-edge technology and comfort at the fore. Where a regular Range Rover might feel expansive and open, the new Range Rover Sport feels comfortably cocooned, fronted by a gorgeous 13.1-inch touchscreen at the dashboard. It's equipped with the…

Objectified Bubbling Over Rolex dominates the conversation with each annual reveal and, for 2023, no model is talked about more than the Oyster Perpetual Celebration. The steel watch's uninhibited exuberance, beaming from its turquoise dial that bursts with colourful bubbles, is simply irresistible and, to many, a surprising but welcome switch up. Of course, top-notch chronometric precision, robustness and performance are guaranteed, whether it's the 31mm, 34mm or 41mm version you desire—it is a Rolex, after all. But really, what you will be craving is a shot of endorphin that this watch delivers at all times of the day. Luxe ‘N Roll Fender and Saint Laurent have done it right. The legendary American maker of music instruments and amplifiers and the French luxury fashion authority have linked arms for a…

WHISKING MEMBERS OF the global press to Paris to unveil its new Type XX pilot's watches, Breguet spared no effort to remind us of its intimate links with the world of aviation. Leading to the unveiling of the Type 20 Chronographe 2057 and Type XX Chronographe 2067—a duo billed as the next generation of the Type XX collection—the brand conducted a not-too-subtle museum tour to reiterate its contributions to aeronautical history. And so, at the cavernous Paris Air and Space Museum to the north of the city, we learnt that Breguet didn't simply make groundbreaking watches; its name was equally intertwined with French aviation. This is thanks in large part to Louis Charles Breguet, the great-great-grandson of Abraham-Louis Breguet, the brand's legendary eponymous watchmaker. A bona fide aviation pioneer, Louis…

THE TIMEPIECES ISSUE DaeWha Kang Design In June, DaeWha Kang found himself in a completely different world. He was an avatar among other avatars, exploring an elegant, futuristic world called The Movement, home to the world's first metaverse watch community. The Robb Report Singapore initiative—a virtual horological hub of exclusive content, augmented reality (AR) experiences and special programmes—launched a preview in June and the fact that it looked so good was thanks to Kang. DaeWha Kang Design, an architecture firm he established in 2014 after a decade at Zaha Hadid Architects, is known for beautiful, timeless work. “I set it up with the idea of beauty built with wisdom,” Kang says. “It is about thinking deeply about the way we live and how design can contribute to a better world.…

Dream Machines | WINGS AFTER YEARS OF hype, aviation's electric revolution has arrived. EHang's EH216 is expected to be certified this year, the first of a half-dozen electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) rotorcraft planning to enter the market in 2024 and 2025. A handful of more conventional-looking electric airplanes are aiming for certification at about the same time. Development programmes have been proceeding at breakneck speed for several years, with billions now being poured into the market by investors. Six of the leading companies have already gone public. But the runway to silent, zero-carbon aircraft will have bumps. In March, Beta Technologies, one of eVTOL's early adopters, announced it was delaying the launch of its Alia-250 eVTOL and will instead seek certification for its electric conventional takeoff-andlanding CX300 in 2025. The company…

Guerlain Bouquet de la Mariée Murano Edition by Aristide Najean 2023 To celebrate its 170th anniversary, Guerlain has given master glassmaker Aristide Najean carte blanche to reenvision the iconic Bee Bottle. The result? An exquisite bottle from which sprouts an intricate bridal bouquet of white Murano glass flowers, inlaid with 24k gold. As for the precious fragrance within, expect glittery notes of orange blossom, sugared almond accord and frankincense. A total of 10 engravable, numbered bottles have been produced, retailing for S$37,000 each. Louis Vuitton Pacific Chill Take a chill pill with this breezy cologne by Louis Vuitton. A cool, Californian-inspired fragrance, Pacific Chill features a light-hearted blend of blackcurrant, cedrat and lemon. A spritz will remind you of laidback cocktails by the beach, watching the sun as it dips…

Path It's been a year since Path opened and if it's possible, the food is even better. Marvas Ng, the down-to-earth chef behind the restaurant, continues his journey through his personal culinary map with brand-new menus. Think glorified and showstopping East Asian flavours in an unpretentious environment. First-timers may dip their toes at lunch with an a la carte or ever-changing prix fixe menu, but Path is best experienced at dinner, when you may opt for the sixcourse Voyage or eight-course Expedition menu. Of course, go for the latter if you like an adventure. There's rhythm and flow from beginning to end, and every dish stands out in one way or another. The meal begins with three snacks inspired by Ng's childhood, which includes an Abacus Seed Skewer that's quite…

Special Feature A HUNDRED YEARS is more than a lifetime for practically all of us. For those in the business of making aged spirits, however, a century represents merely a couple of cycles, highlighting the punishingly uncompromising journey to perfection. This year, the revered Yamazaki marks its centenary and Hakushu, its golden jubilee—and both are certainly cause for celebration. While Suntory was founded in 1899, it was in 1923 that founder Shinjiro Torii laid the foundations for what would become the most iconic Japanese whisky in the world today— Yamazaki. Fifty years later, the company would repeat the feat with Hakushu, forming the bedrock of the House of Suntory. To commemorate 100 years of the House of Suntory, the company will launch four limited editions of its signature whiskies in…

PATEK PHILIPPE CALLS it PP6, the brand's sixth production wing at Plan-les-Ouates in the Genevan suburbs; a watchmaking plant that will birth all your Calatravas, Nautiluses, Aquanauts, Gonodolos and Twentỹ4s for foreseeable decades to come. A creative hub, inner sanctum and manufacturing monolith rolled into one, PP6 took five years to construct and cost almost CHF600 million—and it is bigger and better than any facility that Patek Philippe has built. PP6 needed to be massive, too. Especially when the 184-year-old company has outgrown itself several times over. Patek Philippe has come a long way from the 19th century, when its watchmakers made timepieces at the top floor of its historic building on rue du Rhône, along Lake Geneva, which is now an iconic landmark that houses its flagship salon. And…

THE WATCHMAKING BUSINESS isn't one that is synonymous with risk taking, but there was a sense that A. Lange & Söhne was taking a huge gamble when it launched the futuristic-looking Zeitwerk in 2009. Though A. Lange & Söhne was founded in 1845, it was relaunched in 1994 and the company had spent the past 15 years building up a reputation among aficionados as a classically rooted marque. Suffice to say, eyebrows were raised when A. Lange & Söhne pulled the curtain on the first Zeitwerk model in Geneva all those years ago. Collectors were faced with a huge, hand-wound watch that displayed the time like a digital watch would. It was an undoubtedly innovative creation. But the brand's loyalists also questioned: is this an A. Lange & Söhne watch?…

HAVING ENJOYED SIX years of independence from former parent company Seiko, Grand Seiko has been hitting its stride in continuing to build upon its reputation as a watchmaker known for nature-inspired aesthetics, obsessive attention to detail and a relentless pursuit of timekeeping precision. Its 2023 novelties run the gamut of modern design and utility, but there are three models in particular that perfectly embody the multi-faceted appeal and diverse talents of this Japanese horologer. The first is the Masterpiece Collection Spring Drive Limited Edition Majestic White Birch SBGZ009, which is limited to 50 pieces. The Masterpiece watches represent the pinnacle of what Grand Seiko is capable of: blending technical virtuosity and artistic expression through intricate handdecorated textures and exceptional complications. These rare watches are made by a small team in…

SYMMETRY HAS ALWAYS been a central tenet of yacht design. Still, that hasn't stopped Sanlorenzo from redefining the traditional way of living on board, with the introduction of the world's first asymmetrical yacht, the SL102. Premiered at the 2018 Cannes Yachting Festival, the revolutionary design was conceived by Chris Bangle—previously head of design for BMW—in collaboration with Zuccon International Project. The studio was tasked with developing subsequent iterations of the Italian shipbuilder's increasingly popular asymmetric SL range, and duly obliged by dividing spaces in an unconventional manner. As such, each model embraces a sense of openness and flow atypical to what you'll experience on yachts of similar sizes, all while boasting refined, madeto-measure interiors. SL120A As befits the flagship model of Sanlorenzo's asymmetric SL range, the 37m SL120A offers the…

GRAND MARINA, SAIGON HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM Rising up in Ho Chi Minh City's iconic waterfront District 1 is a cluster of towers that will house the country's first, and the world's largest, Marriott and JW Marriott branded residences. The development's prime location puts it within mere minutes of famous landmarks such as Saigon Opera House and Notre Dame Cathedral. Scheduled to open in late 2024, the project is being developed by Vietnambased real estate firm Masterise Homes and will have close to 4,200 residential and officetel units. The Marriott-branded units, called The Prime Collection, will have sophisticated spaces that are meant to inspire residents, while the JW Marriott-branded units, called The Legacy Collection, will be designed for mindfulness and to foster togetherness with loved ones. All residents will…

When they started dating in the 2010s, Aaron Trotman and his now wife, Miranda, spent every free minute travelling the world together on epicurean adventures. “We were Anthony Bourdain–ing across the beaten track,” says Trotman, a serial entrepreneur from Melbourne, Australia, with a background in cosmetics. They signed up for food tours in Paris and chased down the best ramen in Tokyo. In New York and London, they booked the most talked-about Michelin-starred restaurants. While he often ordered wine pairings with his lengthy tasting menus, Miranda—who gets flushed from drinking alcohol—opted for intoxicant-free wine substitutes. Much to their surprise, these house-made libations, which skewed savoury rather than sweet, were often more interesting than his aged cuvees. “Miranda's drinks were very creative, with unusual ingredients,” he recalls. Back in Melbourne in…

The Resource | TRAVEL THE 14-SUITE MIAVANA resort, which occupies its own private island off Madagascar's northeastern coast, has introduced an all-inclusive package with a difference: fivestar room and board is bundled with a round-trip private transfer in the hotel's Learjet 45 from Johannesburg's Fireblade private terminal. Since Miavana launched the programme (priced at US$33,000 per person for one week) in COVID's wake, Scott Dunn Private head Jules Maury reports she has regularly sent guests to the hotel, always booking its shuttle service alongside a villa or two. The package appeals for practical reasons, per Maury: a charter is the only smart way to reach Madagascar now, easing the logistical hiccups created by patchy commercial service since the onset of the pandemic. Adding a connection by private jet also ekes…