Mp issue #94 april 2018 by Men's Passion Magazine

ISSUE NUMBER 94 - APRIL 2018

JUST A THOUGHT

Dear Passionate Readers, This issue is all about “time”. Time... that concept that is becoming more and more fluid in my mind as I am refusing to count my days and add to my years. And in my frantic quest to elude it, I one day refer to Einstein’s theory of relativity, and on another refer to the fact that the first 20 years should not count as we are not truly living until we take control of our decisions. However, a few days ago I came up with my best theory yet! We count the days and the years based on how many times the Earth rotates around itself and revolves around the Sun, right? So, how do you want to apply this concept on an individual level when each one of us thinks that the world revolves around them!!? If I am to count anything, I will count only my blessings, the happy moments I live, the dreams that I was able to achieve and the dreams that I have yet to achieve! With that comforting thought, I can now invite you to enjoy some of the most exquisite and creative encapsulations of time, as seconds, minutes and hours tick without ever adding days on my count! To all those with imaginative powers, Until next issue……

Zeina Mokaddam Managing Director

ON THE COVER: April 2018 The Watch Edition - an annual favourite of ours. Within these pages we assess the state of the watch sector in 2018. What’s new? Who’s doing what? Who’s doing it best of all? It’s a superlative-laden edition of Men’s Passion. How can it be anything other than this when we’re focused on the very finest from the world of horology. In a world where we are expected to conform more to societies ideals year by year, a watch marks out its owner as an individualist. It is to the individualists amongst us that this edition of Men’s Passion is dedicated. And to others, who seek to be inspired.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nouf Al-Hajri LEGAL CONSULTANT Khaled Al-Kandari Al-Kandari Law Firm PUBLISHED BY

MANAGING DIRECTOR Zeina Mokaddam GENERAL MANAGER Chimene Ibrahim MANAGING EDITOR Simon Balsom

CONTENTS

EDITOR Rawan Qabazard

The Watch Edition When it comes to watchmaking, a little complication goes a long, long way

CONTRIBUTOR Zahra Husain

SIHH and Baselworld Wrap A snaphot from the business-end of the sector

IN-HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHY Maher Al-Nouri

Louis Ferla CEO, Vacheron Constantin

Wilhelm Schmid CEO, A. Lange & Söhne

Philippe Dufour’s Pick of SIHH 2018

Stars of SIHH

Jean-Claude Biver CEO, TAG Heuer

Ricardo Guadalupe CEO, Hublot

The Baselworld Experience The professional and the collector

Stars of Baselworld

Brand Report - Omega

Les Ateliers

Brand Report - Jaeger-LeCoultre

Blue is the new black

Chopard Happy Sport

PH7 is a specialized publishing house based in Kuwait. Telephone +(965) 2572 0810 Fax +(965) 2572 0860 Website www.ph7-kw.com To maintain the desired quality of our publication, your contribution and feedback are welcomed. Please email your suggestions to info@ph7-kw.com For advertising, please contact info@ph7-kw.com For subscription, please email info@ph7-kw.com PH7 wishes to state that the opinions expressed in MEN’S PASSION are those of the authors concerned and not necessarily those of the publisher. BPA Audited - 2015

THE LIFE REFINED DRIVE 50 Ferrari Portofino The most beautiful Ferrari ever? 54 Bentley Bentayga V8 Love in a cold climate 57 Bentley to go hybrid Bentayga hybrid slated for year-end 58 Cadillac Alghanim transforms Investing big in Kuwait 59 Spark for the future Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo 60 Geneva - Back to the Future Why the most thrilling cars rarely make it in to production STYLE 62 Boss - Summer of Ease Ingo Wilts heads to the seaside 64 Dolce & Gabbana FW18 Millenials to the fore 66 Dolce & Gabbana sparkles in Dubai New opening at Dubai Mall 68 Zegna’s sketches from a hidden garden Alessandro Sartori’s first summer looks 70 AllSaints Out of Season 72 Corneliani Spring 2018 Technique 73 Paul Smith x Globe-Trotter Pack your bags SPORT 74 Tareq Al-Qallaf: A Champion of Causes FLY 78 First-Class all the way CULTURE 82 Hady Sy - Nothing and everything 84 Art Dubai CONCIERGE 86 Where to go, what to do when you get there WELLNESS 88 Keep fit, stay healthy ONLINE 90 Trending on passionsarabia.com What’s trending at the online home of Men’s Passion? 92 Events & Listings

THE WATCH EDITION

The Watch Edition It’s complicated...

hey say that life is simple - we just complicate it ourselves. But, sometimes, a little bit of complication adds to one’s quality of life and, when it comes to watchmaking, we’ve found that a little complication goes a long, long way. The fundamentals of watch design and manufacture have remained (basically) the same since Nuremburg’s Peter Henlein invented the watch in the early years of the 16th century. Of course as decades, and now centuries, have passed, every aspect of the watch’s creation has been refined to the nth degree. There remain simple movements inside many outwardly beautiful watches. But, for us, the true beauty of a fine timepiece lays elsewhere - often inside the case, sometimes in the heart of the maker, and frequently in the passion of the collector. Today, watchmaking is about more than merely making watches, it’s about creating lifestyles and about generating big business. The Swiss are renowned for jealously protecting and enhancing their perceived ownership of the global watch trade. They’re not the only people making watches, but a Swiss watch remains the

archetypal timepiece - aspirational to new collectors in perhaps the same way as a red Ferrari is to every young boy. This small nation currently exports watches to the value of around US$20 billion every year. That’s some considerable scale, so it makes the Swiss - and the watch business - an attractive target for global companies and thrusting nations. An interesting and current ‘game changer’ is the advent of smartwatches. As a society we’re keen to turn every product in to a connected product. A wristwatch makes the perfect vehicle. Centuries of the creation of artisanal knowledge - the DNA of every fine watchmaker - have been swept aside by the need for tech knowledge and geek culture. Not all traditional houses reacted well (none reacted quickly), but we’re seeing a process of catch-up underway where, finally, watchmakers with a heritage are creating smartwatches that are desirable and luxurious products. The successful future of the luxury watch sector is regularly written off. Time and again the same arguments are trotted out - most common these days the smartwatch is cited, as are our ubiquitous cellphones. “You don’t need a watch to know what the time is”. But what continues to grow in strength is the knowledge amongst men and women of culture and substance - that there exists no better way of making a statement than through the selection and wearing of a superbly imagined and finely executed timepiece. In a world where we are expected to conform more to societies ideals year by year, a watch marks out its owner as an individualist. It is to the individualists amongst us that this edition of Men’s Passion is dedicated. And to others, who seek to be inspired.

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SIHH Wrap

January’s real Geneva days

igger, more connected and more open than ever, the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie concluded its 28th edition on a successful note, heralding a promising year for Fine Watchmaking. Attendance figures highlighted the sector’s recovery and particularly that of the Fine Watchmaking segment. Featuring a strong focus on connectivity, the 28th edition of this inherently professional show introduced a new formula that can, in several ways, be considered a new stage - as much in terms of the number of exhibitors as the many new features provided for visitors.

The three new VIP lounges that enabled private banks and financial institutions to host their private clientele in excellent conditions – along with the cozier areas – all worked very well, as did the press area entirely redesigned as a full-fledged media center.

Firstly, as far as exhibitors are concerned, the Salon had never yet hosted so many watch Maisons, with 35 in all, compared with 30 last year and 16 just three years ago.

Finally, the open day - intended for connoisseurs and passionate Fine Watchmaking enthusiasts - also gave SIHH 2018 a whole new dimension. Until now reserved exclusively for retailers and the media, the newly transparent event enjoyed far wider coverage, particularly of the digital variety. This year, in addition to the 400,000 posts featuring #SIHH2018, the Salon achieved a global reach of 288 million people during the event.

Secondly, the creation of the ‘SIHH Live’ concept designed for enhanced networking, notably including the new auditorium – open to all and designed like a TV set – that welcomed no less than 29 presentations by the Maisons, encounters with CEOs and themed talks, all broadcast live on various communication channels including the SIHH2018 App. The entire setup sparked considerable enthusiasm and made life easier for industry professionals and global media alike.

Will we see you at 2019’s SIHH 2019? It’s taking place from January 14th to 18th 2019 at Palexpo – Geneva. If you’re in to watches, you should mark it on your calendar.

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Baselworld Wrap Six days in Basel

aselworld, the world’s most important specialised trade show for watches, jewellery and gemstones, reported an 8% increase in the number of professional visitors attending the show on the first two days copmared to last year. Numerous exhibitors expressed their satisfaction and confirmed positive results. Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Co-president of Chopard, said that “the 2018 show started positively, we were able to welcome many partners from all over the world and have received a very keen interest in our new products. With more than 300 international journalists, our press conference about ‘Sustainability’, which took place on Thursday, was a complete success. The great response demonstrates once again that Baselworld is and remains an indispensable platform for exchange for the watch and jewellery industry”. Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot, says that “Baselworld is an essential time of the year for the industry, representing the vast majority of watch exports. The show attracts the most important retailers, clients and members of the press”. As we go to print, the dates for the 2019 edition of Baselworld haven’t yet been confirmed. This year’s edition was two days shorter than 2017. Will this trend continue?

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“We are a manufacturer of eternity. This is how a brand attracts a new clientele. We are extremely relevant to our time”.

Louis Ferla

CEO, Vacheron Constantin

ustodian to the world’s most historic watchmaker - Vacheron Constantin is the manufacture with the longest uninterrupted history - Louis Ferla has been the 263-year-old house’s CEO since April 2017, and he’s a man carrying a sizeable legacy on his shoulders. To no-one’s surprise, he’s risen admirably to this challenge and raised the Maison higher still. Marking his first edition of SIHH with the Geneva and Vallée de Joux-based brand, he brought with him a handful of devilishly desireable novelties - each carving its own place in the latest chapter of an ever-extending history.

Firstly, let’s address the introduction of the FIFTYSIX - a modern interpretation of their iconic reference 6073, originally launched in 1956 and inspired by the Maltese cross. Importantly, Ferla is not presenting this new addition as a retro model, nor as a replica. His intentions are clear: “Rather,” he says, “we took some of the ideas within the 6073 and reinterpreted them for today. What we’ve made here is a watch of its time - and the feedback on it has been exceptional. “Vacheron Constantin has over 260 years of uninterrupted history, and one reason we’ve lasted so long is that we find a duality between history and innovation. What we’re showing with the FIFTYSIX is that we have a strong ability to innovate. “I wanted to ensure we kept the DNA of Vacheron Constantin; we did this by basing it on a watch from 1956 - but we didn’t copy it, again, it’s a watch of its time. “We want to be able share with everyone what it is that we do – create beautiful haute hologerie - but we need to deliver one or two entry doors for people to discover the world of Vacheron Constantin. This is another aspect of the FIFTYSIX”.

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Today, and without exception, every brand must consider positioning its watches at the right price points and across various levels of the market. Still though, this product will be pretty rare on the market – Ferla is adamant he won’t produce many. He can’t - it’s hugely time consuming to make a Vacheron Constantin watch, and their production is already maxed-out. “We don’t intend to increase our production levels. For the past two or three years we’ve maintained it at the same point. This piece is an add-on to our collection. We’ll reduce the production of other references. Vacheron Constantin is a Maison for connoisseurs. We have every intention of keeping every model rare”. Some, however, will always be rarer than others. Conversation turns to the new Métiers d’Art Les Aérostiers. A rarefied collection of five lines, with just five pieces per line. Twenty-five pieces in all. There’ll be few lucky owners. “Here we have the most complicated pieces – we show months,

dates, hours and minutes on four different discs. It’s a purely artisan-made model. “Volume is not a talking point here. Achieving the best quality and finishing is”. On the scale of a watch dial, the master engravers of the Maison also accomplish an authentic feat: faithfully reproducing in miniature the historical depictions of five flights undertaken in France between 1783 and 1785. Splendid hand-engraved and micro-sculpted gold hot-air balloons hover against a translucent plique-à-jour enamel background, while time is displayed to the beat of Manufacture Calibre 2460 G4/1. Who’s wearing a Vacheron Constantin today? “I often say, you don’t buy a Vacheron Constantin by chance, you buy it because you’ve already made a lot of research. At the end you choose a Vacheron Constantin. We come at the end of a long learning process. This defines real luxury for the real connoisseur.

“What makes Vacheron Constantin unique – and our clients and partners tell us this – is we are able to combine tradition and innovation. In the same way, our watches often appear very simple, but when you look more closely they are very complicated. We spare no effort in creating haute hologerie watches”. Louis Ferla CEO, Vacheron Constantin

If you are confident to wear a watch that is not immediately recognised by everyone, then you know you’re on the right track as a connoisseur”.

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“We prefer not to use superlatives when describing our watches – but this [the Triple Split] is probably the most complicated chronograph on the planet”.

Wilhelm Schmid

CEO, A. Lange & Söhne

or A. Lange & Söhne, 2018 is the year of the Triple Split, and as such the new movement was the highlight of this year’s SIHH novelties shown by the Saxon manufacture. Anyone who knows the brand will be aware of its solid Germanic character – so we were more than a little surprised to see Wilhelm arrive sporting a cap adorned with the phrase: EXPLICIT CONTENT – HOROLOGICAL ADVISORY. Such is the size of the technological leap forward in the creation of the Triple Split, it has inspired mirth directed towards the extreme content within each case. Is the hype deserved? Wilhelm’s satisfied grin indicates it is.

Time for a 1-0-1 lesson in haute horlogerie. What’s so special about the Triple Split? “A traditional chronograph measures one time at a time”, Wilhelm explains, conceeding things can be a little more sophisticated, for example with a flyback function, The next level is the rattrapante – with this you can measure two times simultaneously, but for only up to a minute in length. “In 2004, we introduced the Double Split which can measure two simultaneous times, and for up to thirty minutes. The Triple Split was obviously the next evolution. We prefer not to use superlatives when describing our watches – but this is probably the most complicated chronograph on the planet – it will measure simultaneous times up to twelve hours”. It’s truly a world first. Even their Double Split has never been copied, placing them effectively two steps ahead of other possibilities. Thoughts turn to collectors – they’ll now be looking at the Double Split and knowing that if Lange is going to stop making it, it becomes an even greater investment opportunity. “Well, we definitely shall stop production - but even those who are

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thinking they must go out and buy one – to be honest it’ll be difficult to find one. We produced them in small numbers. The simple reason for that is the complexity. Ask our watchmakers – and as you know we have the very best watchmakers – and give them the choice between building a tourbillon or a Double Split – when talking about complexity they’d go for the tourbillon - and the Triple Split hasn’t made it any easier for them! So, just from a capacity point of view, there is a natural limit to what we can produce. It’s the same watchmakers making all of our watches”. Indeed, it’s a common misconception that a tourbillon is the most complicated watch, but the real elite work goes in to chronographs and the like. “There are the big three: a minute repeater, a tourbillon and a perpetual calendar - those are deemed to be the big complications. However, some watches have specific details within them that are so complicated, almost beyond imagination. These details are really for the watch nerds to appreciate”. Talk of chronographs takes us back to the rebirth of A. Lange & Söhne, driven by a man who unfortunately passed away last year, Walter Lange. For 2018, Lange has realised a complication

that Walter always wanted but no one was able to achieve during his lifetime – the Jumping Second. It will be produced in limited numbers, and “people need to understand that if you have only nine months to develop a complete new movement, a complete new watch, even for us – and we’re quick - that was a huge stretch. We decided we had to do something special for Walter’s memory though. But we can’t build it in big numbers – 260 is the limit. Three models in gold, one in steel. And a very special stainless steel version with a black dial”. Delivery of the Jumping Second has not yet begun, but they are already sold out. You do have one final chance to acquire a piece of watchmaking history however. There is one remarkable piece - model number 1. It will be auctioned to support the Children Action charity – as was Walter Lange’s wish. Estimated price? Unknown. But without doubt it’ll be the most expensive Lange watch ever sold.

The manufacture calibre L132.1 is a newly developed movement that significantly distinguishes itself from the caliber L001.1 of the 2004 Double Split. A glance through the sapphirecrystal caseback reveals the chronograph movement finished to the highest Lange standards as well as the painstakingly choreographed interaction of wheels, levers, springs, clutches and jumpers that illustrates the stunning complexity of the project. The L132.1 features a total of 567 parts including 46 jewels.

How does Wilhelm see the industry in 2018? “It’s a bit early to say, but a good SIHH usually indicates a good year”. And Wilhelm had a very good SIHH.

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Philippe Dufour’s Pick of SIHH 2018

The master watchmaker reveals his favourite pieces

onsidered a superstar amongst watchmakers, Philippe Dufour was born at the very epicentre of watchmaking itself - La Vallée de Joux. He has created some of the most remarkable watches every built. Philippe Dufour doesn’t have a website, and he doesn’t share his contact details. Yet he is known by all the right people.

Romain Gauthier “Romain Gauthier has arrived in the world of the big players. It’s the first year he’s been at SIHH. I found his two women’s watches lovely” With its highly visible, intricately engineered, automatic movement featuring snow-set micro-rotor and its gently shimmering mother-of-pearl dial, Insight Micro-Rotor Lady – Romain Gauthier’s first ladies’ watch – is for those women who want their timepieces blessed with more than just a pretty face. IWC Tribute to Pallweber “At IWC there was an interesting piece. It was digital and was made as a pocket watch on the one hand – a pendant watch with a digital face – yet with the same dimensions as a wristwatch” The company is incorporating a digital hours and minutes display in a wristwatch for the very first time. IWC started using this form of time display in pocket watches back in 1884. The display was a revolutionary development for its time. Girard-Perregaux Neo Tourbillon with Three Bridges Skeleton “It’s a wonderful piece, an impressive watch with all its interior details – the bridges, the arch of the bridges” The Neo Tourbillon is dominated, as you would expect, by the horizontal bridges, curved and shimmering thanks to the

bezelled, sandblasted black PVD-finished bridges (rather than the more traditional gold). Between these bridges, scarcely hidden from sight is the 0.25 gram tourbillon cage at the bottom, and a large power barrel (good for at least 60 hours) at the top of the watch, powered by a unidirectional micro-rotor, in 18K white gold. A. Lange & Söhne Triple Split “The number of levels. There is so much detail. It’s impressive. Still using the style of Lange’s finishing - that’s what matters” The Triple Split is the first mechanical split-seconds chronograph in the world that allows multi-hour comparative time measurements. Additional rattrapante hands on the minute and hour totalisers make it possible to stop lap and reference times of events that last as long as twelve hours. The only split-seconds chronograph in the world that can measure additive and comparative times for as long as twelve hours is in a league of its own.

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A. Lange & Söhne 1815 “Homage to Walter Lange” “This is interesting. There are two seconds hands. You have a normal hand, then a small normal second hand. And then you have the dead beats second hand that you can stop” Historically inspired: jumping seconds from A. Lange & Söhne In honour of company founder Walter Lange, who passed away in January 2017, A. Lange & Söhne is enriching the 1815 model family with an extraordinary complication: The 1815 “Homage to Walter Lange” has a stoppable jumping seconds hand that dates back to a 150-year-old invention conceived by Ferdinand Adolph Lange.

Clockwise, from opposite page: Romain Gauthier - Insight Micro-Rotor Lady; IWC Tribute to Pallweber; Girard-Perregaux Neo Tourbillon with Three Bridges Skeleton; A. Lange & Söhne Triple Split; A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Homage to Walter Lange.

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Stars of SIHH

Men’s Passion’s pick of the most significant watches at 2018’s SIHH

ome would say it’s a fool’s task - selecting just ten (or eleven) watches out of a couple of hundred presented by the thirty plus Maisons at this year’s Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie. Surely we’ve missed some of the great watches out? Without doubt, we have! This isn’t a definitive list of the best. Instead, look on it rather as a collection of the pieces we viewed as the most significant as we walked the halls of Geneva’s Palexpo during January. They’re the watches that caught our eye, and when you see them for yourself we’re sure you’ll understand quite why.

Baume & Mercier Clifton Club Burt Munro Tribute

A. Lange & Söhne Little Lange 1

The Spirit of Munro continues

Three feminine versions of a unique watch

In a unique collaboration with Indian Motorcycle, America’s First Motorcycle Company, the two brands captured the iconic spirit and translated it into an intricate timepiece: The Clifton Club Burt Munro Tribute Limited Edition. This 1967-piece chronograph model honors the motorcycle racing legend and kickstarts this lifestyle partnership.

The three new versions of the Little Lange 1 stand out with the interaction of exquisite colours and materials, creating three novel and fascinating looks. The guilloched gold dials and alligator leather straps are sublimely colour-coordinated. Case diameter is 36.8 millimetres.

This limited edition automatic chronograph features a number of special details designed to commemorate the achievements of Burt Munro. Immediately apparent is the large, yellow number 35, Munro’s lucky number, in the chronograph seconds counter. Next, the “Indian Red” color of the calfskin strap evokes the deep vermillion color that is identified with the Indian Motorcycle Company, and the color of the Munro Special.

Women who have found their style and know what makes a watch desirable can choose between two white-gold versions with purple or grey dials and a pink-gold version with a brown dial. Since 1994, the Lange 1 has stood for the manufactory’s ambition to build the world’s finest watches. Showcasing an asymmetric dial and the prominent outsize date, without it, the traditional brand would not have become what it is today.

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Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Collection

Ulysse Nardin Freak Vision

Audemars Piguet Millenary

Contemporary sporting elegance

Beautiful freaks

A vintage touch

Inspired by the iconic Memovox Polaris watch from 1968, Jaeger-LeCoultre has developed a new collection to join the brand’s existing pillars.

Meet the unbelievable - the first automatic watch in the Freak Collection, the Freak Vision: a Haute Horlogerie wonder incorporating the revolutionary innovations unveiled in the Ulysse Nardin InnoVision 2 Concept Watch at SIHH 2017.

Two new Millenary models come in white gold and pink gold with mother-of-pearl dials and diamond-set bezel and lugs. The innovative feature: matching, Polish woven gold bracelets. The beautifully crafted bracelets are made in the classic Polish style to give a supple mesh that fits comfortably on the wrist, like a second skin.

Not just a single homage to a historical reference, the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris collection takes the spirit of Memovox Polaris and applies it to today’s man of action with a full range of timepieces: a three-hand automatic, a chronograph and a chronograph world time, as well as two models with a stronger vintage feel: the JaegerLeCoultre Polaris Date and the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Memovox. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris is destined to become the symbol for an active lifestyle. A new pillar, one that redefines sporty elegance.

Among the game-changers: a super-light silicium balance wheel with nickel mass elements and stabilizing micro-blades and a new case design made even thinner by a box-domed crystal. The new 3D carved upper bridge is inspired by a boat’s hull. The new box-domed sapphire allows for a thinner middle and bezel. Finally, the entire case itself is new - horns, bezel, the rubber on the side - making for a look that is much more open and generous.

Both Milanese and Polish mesh bracelets are made from long, gold-wire ‘springs’ that are woven together to obtain a chainmail structure that can be sawn, welded and assembled by hand. With the Milanese bracelet, the wires are arranged in the same direction resulting in a simpler construction. With the more complex Polish style, the wires are arranged in alternate directions, giving a richer, smoother finish.

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Greubel Forsey GMT Earth

H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Tourbillon Concept

Speake-Marin London Chronograph

Art of invention

Pure boldness

Three-dimensions; two floating counters

Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey took up a significant challenge with the GMT Earth: how to offer a comprehensive, three-dimensional view of the terrestrial globe, from the North to the South Poles. They approached the architecture of this timepiece from a different angle to give the movement and the case a more prominent role. Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey are once again venturing into uncharted territories.

The tourbillon, a complex mechanism with both technical and aesthetic appeal, revised according to the minimalist approach characteristic of H. Moser & Cie. The Schaffhausen-based Manufacture has revisited this classic piece of mechanical watchmaking and extracted only the essence: A dial featuring the brand’s signature fumé, two blued hands, and at 6 o’clock, a one minute flying tourbillon produced in module form, because for H. Moser & Cie., the details make all the difference.

A special edition in many ways, by its number of pieces being made, but also by its heart: the Valjoux 92 calibre. Made during the 1950s and 60s, the quartz revolution in the late 60s shortened the life of such calibres like many other mechanical calibres. The Valjoux 92 was then a popular chronograph movement, used by some of the largest and most successful movement manufacturers such as Patek Philippe and Rolex.

The GMT Earth enables a clear view of three time zones simultaneously to within a quarter of an hour. Furthermore, on the movement side of the timepiece, 24 time zones are displayed with the summer and winter times to complement the universal time indicated by the terrestrial globe.

The Endeavour Tourbillon Concept with a steel case features a design of very rare power, reinforced by the absence of both logo and indices on the dial. H. Moser & Cie. has allowed the tourbillon complete license for self-expression, in an ode to simplicity.

The movement components used for the London Chronograph were stored in a safe for many years and have been assembled by a Speake-Marin master watchmaker in their Swiss atelier. The use of vintage movements is part of Speake-Marin’s strategy to develop and work with exceptional movements exclusively.

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Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Automatic

Panerai Luminor Due 38mm

Urwerk UR-210 Black Platinum

The ultra-thin

Panerai’s smallest ever

Blink and you’ll miss it

Piaget provides a new demonstration of its supremacy in the field of ultra-thin watchmaking, stemming from the excellence of its two integrated Manufactures.

The Luminor Due case is 38 mm in diameter, the smallest ever produced by Panerai, and it is only 11.20 mm thick. It is made entirely of AISI 316L stainless steel, a steel alloy with excellent properties of corrosion resistance. The winding crown is protected by the classic bridge device with lever, patented by Panerai in 1956. The case and bezel have a polished finish. Solid steel back.

Once they’ve seen it in action, nobody can deny the appeal of the UR-210. To appreciate it fully you have to keep your eyes glued to the dial as the minutes hand approaches the end of its hour. Don’t blink, because if you do, you’ll miss a display of controlled energy in the lighting return of the retrograde hand as it snaps back to the start of the next hour.

The anthracite dial with satiné soleil finish has the classic Panerai design with large luminous linear hour markers and figures. The small seconds counter is at 9 o’clock and the date window is at 3 o’clock.

URWERK presented the extraordinary UR-210 in a black platinum version, in keeping with a tradition held since its foundation. The Black Platinum model is the most select and exclusive of the UR210s, and as such, irresistible. A double coaxial cam in the shape of a star governs the retrograde action. Its gearing and then its rotation determine the trajectory of the minutes hand.

At a mere 4.30 mm thick, the Altiplano Ultimate Automatic expresses boldness and a constant quest for infinite slenderness, as well as for the elegance and refinement prized by Piaget. It sets the crowning touch to 60 years of virtuosity in the field of ultra-thin horology. Engaged in an iconic dialogue, movement and case form an indivisible whole, featuring tolerances that have been pushed to their limits and setting a new record. The world’s slimmest self-winding watch.

The Luminor Due 3 Days is fitted with the Manufacture OP XXXIV automatic calibre.

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Jean-Claude Biver

CEO, TAG Heuer - “Motor racing is part of our DNA”

e’s the most divisive man within the watch industry today. Love him or not, there’s no denying he and his strategies are largely responsible for the massive growth of the sector over the past decade and more - indeed, he can take a large amount of credit for its survival. A living legend in the field of watchmaking, Jean-Claude Biver revived Blancpain, gave Omega a reason to live, saved Hublot, and is now CEO of TAG Heuer (and all LVMH watches). When he talks, we listen.

The wearer of many hats in different roles within the industry and various companies, today he’s talking TAG... Last year, TAG Heuer introduced a revolutionary Swiss-made connected watch, the Heuer Connected Modular 45. How was the response from the customers and are there any new additions this year? Jean-Claude Biver: The responses from our customers were really good, especially after the launch this January of the Connected Modular 41, which was developed for smaller wrists. The TAG Heuer Carrera Connected Watches have been successful because of their incredible quality and performance. As an avant-garde brand, we have been able to create a whole new opportunity for our industry through boldness and astute technological management. Extraordinary support from Intel made this project possible. Not only do we have the best quality, but on top of that we have all the latest updates and avant-garde technology, which make our Connected Watch fully comparable with the best products on the market. TAG Heuer draws upon on a rich history of motor racing activities. Is this heritage reflected in new products? Definitely. Motor racing is part of the DNA of TAG Heuer, and this is reflected in everything we do. The Monaco, the Autavia, as well as the TAG Heuer Carrera are perfect demonstrations of our motor racing heritage.

What is your favourite timepiece among the line-up in 2018? My favourite timepiece is the TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer-02. In 2018, we are celebrating the 55th anniversary of the TAG Heuer Carrera collection by launching the Heuer-02 manufacture movement. The TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer-02 symbolises the continuity in investment and creativity made by TAG Heuer, which has been an avant-garde Swiss brand ever since it was founded in 1860 and sincerely wishes to remain so. You have participated at Baselworld for decades. What do you appreciate most about this premier industry event? Baselworld is not just the trade show of the best Swiss watch brands, but more importantly it is the number one event for the entire Swiss and international watch industry. Throughout the show, people not only enter into the heart of the industry, but also feel its pulse and gain a vision of its future. This is what I appreciate most about Baselworld.

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Clockwise, from left: TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16; TAG Heuer Monaco Bamford; TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph GMT; TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tête de Vipère.

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Ricardo Guadalupe CEO, Hublot

ublot’s CEO Ricardo Guadalupe is very much looking forward to the FIFA World Cup – and presents once again a real innovation at Baselworld. A confirmed all-round sportsfan, he came to Baselworld with genuine surprises, new watches that have been the talk of the show. Hublot’s CEO Ricardo Guadalupe, “we are not breaking with the past, on the contrary we are paying homage to it by connecting it to the future”.

Creativity, innovation and plenty of new ideas: Hublot is presenting some important novelties at Baselworld. Which one do you regard as the most important? Ricardo Guadalupe: Knowing that this year is the FIFA World Cup, our Baselworld product is the Big Bang Referee FIFA World Cup. The event we held on March 21st for the Match of Friendship with all our footballing friends of the brand proved to be a particular highlight. The FIFA World Cup is the Holy Grail of emotions for football fans, so just imagine the feelings that can be conjured up by an object such as a watch that captures each and every one of the tournament’s moments, its turning points, and its high stakes! The football aficionados among the brand’s friends have been waiting for this watch for a long time! Hublot has a lot of friends from different worlds – not only sport, but also design and creativity. How does this enrich the brand? At Hublot, we go where our clients are! We continuously focus on our customers, we develop our partnerships in accord with our clients’ interests to best suit their needs and expectations. Football, cars, art and music are some of the areas where our customers are. We do things differently to other traditional watchmakers, in accord with our motto “First, unique, different”. When entering a new partnership, we always carry out research to fuse our world with that of the ambassadors. This too is Hublot’s ‘The Art of Fusion’!

“The Art of Fusion” is the main philosophy of Hublot. It means that you are very innovative through the craft of watchmaking. Which innovation do you highlight for Baselworld? This year we are continuing to celebrate ‘The Art of Fusion’ by presenting an unprecedented product: the world’s first watch made of brightly coloured ceramic: the Big Bang Red Magic. Our in-house R&D has been working for four years to achieve this red ceramic. For Baselworld, we have continued to create and develop new models based on sapphire, and we are one of the only brands to be able to industrialise this material in such quantities. We were the first brand to launch an all-sapphire watch two years ago as a limited edition of 500 watches in transparent sapphire and another 500 in black sapphire. Last year, we added blue and red coloured sapphire. And this year, we are again arriving with something stunning.

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Clockwise, from top left: Toubillon Sapphire; Big Bang Unico Red Magic; Big Bang Unico 42mm; Classic Fusion Chronograph Berluti.

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The Baselworld Experience The professional and the collector share their thoughts

aselworld is the year’s largest watch and jewellery fair - and it’s widely acknowledged as the best. A time for watch manufacturers and store buyers to meet, what would a knowledgeable collector make of the experience? This year Behbehani Luxury, Kuwait’s leading watch dealer, took passionate collector and valued client Dr. Hussain AlTarrah along for the ride. Men’s Passion’s Simon Balsom caught up with him in the exhibition halls. Left: Shahzad Gidwani, General Manager at Morad Yousuf Behbehanl, with Dr. Hussain AlTarrah, watch collector and surgeon

Firstly, introductions – Dr. Hussain AlTarrah is a passionate and knowledgeable collector; and a man we soon discovered to be as amiable as he is eloquent. As a surgeon at Kuwait’s Amiri Hospital, he’s also well accustomed to making precision and time the cornerstones of his life. Shahzad Gidwani is a walking reference for luxury watches. Respected within the business for many years, he counts the world’s leading watchmakers, as well as renowned collectors, as his personal friends. It’s Dr. Hussain’s first visit to Basel. His thoughts? “I came here with no expectations, simply to discover. And what discoveries I made! The only thing I haven’t been able to do is that I wanted to visit every brand to see what they’re doing. It wasn’t possible to do everything I wanted during this short visit – everywhere is so busy! “I was particularly looking forward to meeting Hublot. I’ve been discussing the possibility of a couple of special watches with Hublot for the past three years, and now they’ve made one that I’ve been asking for – the red ceramic. As soon as I saw it today, I ordered one”. It truly is a remarkable piece – it is one of our ‘Stars of Baselworld’ - and, although it’s not the first red ceramic to be

produced, it surely is the first time it has been created in such a striking way. It will fit in well amongst Dr. Hussain’s collection - “I go for sporty watches, pieces that are a little different from the rest. I like catchy colours that attract attention. Key brands for me include Hublot and Panerai”. This year Hublot, along with Omega, have particularly impressed Shahzad. “Hublot amazes every year, and this time Omega have really surprised me with their use of new materials”, he notes. The 42mm Hublot Big Bang Unico is 2018’s big news, along with a favourite of Shahzad’s – the Big Bang Referee 2018 World Cup Russia (shown opposite, appropriately accompanied by a matryoshka doll). With only 2018 pieces being made to celebrate the World Cup, he’s been quick to pre-order one for himself – Dr. Hussain ordered one too.

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Shahzad is excited at the proliferation of exotic materials across previously traditional brands - including Omega. “For the first time they’re mixing titanium with gold, they’re trying things we wouldn’t normally expect - but people are tired of seeing the same every year. The reaction to these new developments is very positive”. The extraordinary Omega Titanium Tantalum Limited Edition is shown below left - the metal’s blue-grey tones offer a subtle contrast to the grade 2 titanium and 18K Sedna™ gold, which are used for the other features of the watch. Dr. Hussain is keen to stress that, as a collector, he buys his watches to wear rather than to have them sit as museum pieces. Such is the depth of his collection, it is indeed the envy even of the manufactures he buys from. His advice to collectors is first and foremost to buy what you like, what you want to see on your wrist. He backs this up with sound investment advice too – “Panerai. Omega. You may not make money, but you won’t lose”. Whichever business you’re in, the nature of retailing has rapidly evolved over recent years. The watch business has changed. Yet Dr. Hussain chooses to add to his collection directly from the Behbehani network of watch boutiques in Kuwait. “I’ll tell you why. They give me the opportunity to buy exactly the watch I want, not merely what they have in stock” – which is typically the only option in greyer markets. “They treat me and their other clients very well. I’m happy to say that I’ve introduced many new customers to them – many of my colleagues at the hospital are now proud owners of Hublots and other watches”. To use a couple of medical methaphors - it’s a contagious habit, and Dr. Hussain’s knowledgable enthusiasm is highly infectious. As this year’s Baselworld memories begin to fade, Dr. Hussain AlTarrah is already planning to return in 2019. You too?

The Behbehani Group presents a world of luxury with prestigious brands in all the right places: Salhiya Mall Souk Sharq Behbehani Complex The Avenues Mall 360 Mall Marina Mall Al Hamra Luxury Center Kout Mall Gate Mall

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Stars of Baselworld

Men’s Passion’s pick of the most significant watches at 2018’s Baselworld

t’s the world’s biggest watch and jewellery fair, but it comes some two months after January’s SIHH. Did those that wait for Basel get their thunder stolen by the upstart show in Geneva? Not at all. In truth, running alongside (and notably outside) of SIHH, a number of manufactures band together under a simple alternative banner - ‘Geneva Days’. Effectively, it offers an insight in to what delights await us in northern Switzerland in March. It’s a pre-Baselworld show. Of course, they keep the very best until the full show. Here are our highlights from this year’s Baselworld.

Patek Philippe Ref. 5531R World Time Minute Repeater

Blancpain Villeret Quantième Complet GMT

The new sound of time

Technically innovative

Chiming carillon and repeater watches make time audible and rank among the most fascinating products of haute horlogerie. This genre enjoys a long tradition at the Patek Philippe manufacture in Geneva, where the brand’s President personally checks each timepiece’s legendary clear sound.

Incorporating Blancpain’s latest technical innovations, the in-house Calibre 67A5 features a silicium balance spring for greater precision. The dial is white (stainless steel version) or opaline (red gold version), with the applied stylized Roman numerals that are a signature to the Villeret collection.

The new Reference 5531R sounds local time anywhere in the world. In contrast to all other wristwatches of this type, the World Time Minute Repeater strikes local time rather than home time and can be conveniently set to the respective time zone via a separate pusher. A horological feat that has never been accomplished so consummately and is in fact the subject of a patent application.

The week and month appear in windows in the traditional arrangement, while the date is indicated by a blued serpentine hand on a scale placed around the chapter ring. The GMT function, which elevates this piece to the status of a high complication, presents the home time with a red-tipped hand on the inner dial, while local time is displayed with central hands pointing to the Roman numerals.

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Hublot Big Bang Referee

Longines HydroConquest

Omega Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8

Because Hublot loves football

Diving down deep with an elegant attitude

“We’ll see you on the other side”

Beating to the rhythm of football, the Big Bang Referee 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia immediately shows its distinctive spirit as the personification of an application specially developed for the competition and a series of “fan” dials in the colours of each participating nation.

Combining technical excellence and traditional elegance, these watches feature a bezel enhanced with a coloured ceramic insert adding a touch of brilliance and modern styling. This ceramic insert also adds pizzazz to the watch, since it is matched to the dial and strap – either black, grey or blue – reinforcing the vibrant colour.

50 years after the Apollo 8 mission, the first to orbit around the moon, OMEGA is proudly releasing its newest Dark Side of the Moon timepiece. Unlike previous Dark Side models, this release houses a specially decorated version of OMEGA’s famous Moonwatch movement.

Featuring several notifications, the Big Bang Referee 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia announces matches 15 minutes before their kick-off, as well as yellow and red cards, player changes and goals. The Big Bang Referee 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia vibrates, displaying the word GOAL instantly every time a goal is scored. During the match, the dial shows the match statistics including the score, number of cards, names of goal-scorers, player substitutions and match time.

This is a true diver’s watch, with 300-metre water resistance, a unidirectional rotating bezel, screw-down crown and case back, crown protector and a double security folding clasp with integrated diving extender. There are two versions, including a 41 mm chronograph model and a 41 mm or 43 mm three-hand with calendar. Each version contains an automatic mechanical movement.

To display the workings inside, the dial of this timepiece has been expertly skeletonised. Inside, laser ablation has been used to precisely decorate the bridges and main plate of the blackened movement, producing realistic imagery of the lunar surface. And like the moon, it reveals two unique sides. The dial-side is a light shade to represent our view of the moon’s surface from Earth, while the back of the watch delves into the dark side that only astronauts get to see.

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Chopard L.U.C Quattro

Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Moon Black Enamel

Zenith Defy Zero G

An appealingly lengthy power reserve

A poetic complication

Defy gravity

This watch is a veritable marathon runner: with a power reserve that lasts for nine full days, Chopard’s legendary L.U.C Quattro now debuts in a new interpretation.

Jaquet Droz’s flagship Grande Seconde collection contains the most poetic of complications, the moon phase, as a tribute to the role of astral phenomena in the origins of watchmaking.

The Defy collection is the embodiment of Zenith’s horological complexity.

One highlight is COSC-certified L.U.C handwound Calibre 98.01-L, which was developed and produced by Chopard Manufacture.

The clean aesthetic of the Grande Seconde collection, with its figure-8 dial configuration, is rendered here in black Grand Feu enamel. The lower subsidiary dial is dominated by a realistic moon, engraved out of 22K gold and mounted on a black onyx disk that rotates. It is an astronomical moonphase, which means it requires correction only once every 122 years, and is driven by an in-house automatic calibre with a silicon balance spring. A red-tipped hand indicates the date on an 18K gold ring surrounding the moon phase, while another hand indicates seconds.

It is distinguished by the patented Quattro technology. Its two pairs of stacked barrels endow this certified chronometer with a maximum of 216 hours of autonomous running, while simultaneously keeping it surprisingly slim with a low height of just 3.7 mm. This, in turn, gives the L.U.C Quattro a peerlessly slender and elegant profile, which welcomes a new dial entirely in tune with the times.

This year, the Defy appears as a full collection, including the Defy Zero G, with gyroscopic “Gravity Control.” The device, fitted here into a skeletonized version of Zenith’s high-frequency El Primero calibre, cancels the effects of gravity by maintaining the regulating organ and balance in a horizontal position. The spherical system is composed of 139 tiny components, which have been redesigned to reduce the module’s dimensions by 70%. This enables it to fit between the two flat sapphire crystals of the Defy case. The 44 mm case is brushed titanium.

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Certina DS Action Diver Sea Turtle Conservancy

Frederique Constant Hybrid Manufacture

Omega De Ville Trésor

Professional diver’s watch

Mechanical and smartwatch

Timeless beauty with sophisticated details

This special edition commemorates Certina’s membership in the Sea Turtle Conservancy, which is devoted to the conservation of the sea turtle and its habitats. It was established in 1959, the same year Certina debuted its DS “Double Security” concept. Furthermore, the watch is conform to the ISO 6425 standard for diving watches by using special O-ring seals in the crown and case back. As a professional diver’s watch, it is water resistant to 300 metres, and has a screw-down crown, screw-down case back and a unidirectional bezel with Super-LumiNova coating markings for high readability. It contains the automatic ETA Powermatic 80 movement, noted for its remarkable 80-hour power reserve. The blue seconds hand is a reference to the Sea Turtle Conservancy, the official logo of which is featured on the case back.

The Hybrid Manufacture combines Swiss-made fine mechanical watchmaking with smartwatch functionality in a single watch.

At Baselworld 2018, Omega presented the De Ville Trésor, a new collection of ladies’ watches with diameters of thirty-nine and thirty-six millimetres.

Functions include hours, minutes, seconds and date, as well as smartwatch functions, including activity tracking, sleep monitoring, battery life indicator, worldtimer and dynamic coach.

Classically styled but with a modern touch, this collection is distinguished by an extensive variety of executions, materials and colours.

In order to overcome the negative magnetic effects between the two technologies integrated into one case, Frederique Constant developed and patented a unique anti-magnetic shield case within the case. The movement also features something called calibre analytics, which measures the rate, amplitude and beat error of the mechanical calibre.

The attractively shaped cases are manufactured either from Sedna gold, which is Omega’s own alloy, or from stainless steel. Variously sized diamonds adorn each case’s flanks all the way to the horns. The crown too is embellished by a diamond solitaire. The gem is surrounded by a flower, applied in liquid red ceramic and composed of five intertwined Omega logos. Omega’s Calibre 406 keeps time inside the case.

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Omega

Timeless, classic design and technological innovation

s OMEGA unveils its newest watches for 2018, there are many designs and updated looks that are sure to be admired. From the complete makeover of the Seamaster Diver 300M, to the inspired Olympic Games timepieces, OMEGA is truly proud to add even more choice, materials and colour to its growing collections. Keep up to date with the latest watches and watch news at passionsarabia.com/ life-refined

However, now is also a time to appreciate the technical innovation that is driving OMEGA’s watchmaking forward.

was opened last year, the efficiency and capacity of testing and certification will only get better.

Since 2015, the brand’s Master Chronometer movements have provided customers with the highest certified standard of precision, magnetic-resistance and chronometric performance in the Swiss watch industry.

This is what OMEGA has always been about. Since its earliest days of watchmaking in 1848, now 170 years ago, the movement has been at the heart of this company’s thinking. It is still what OMEGA prides itself on today.

When the Master Chronometer testing and certification was first launched, there was naturally a lot of interest from media and customers, who all wanted to understand the long-term potential and plans for this ambitious undertaking.

Their watches for Baselworld once again show both the heritage and modern excellence of OMEGA. Yet behind-thescenes, it’s important to remember that the brand is eagerly building on its Master Chronometer promises and constantly developing new calibres that will define the highest quality for many years to come.

In 2018, it is clear to see that the Master Chronometer mission is firmly on course and rapidly growing. This year sees the arrival of the 12th and 13th new Master Chronometer calibres. It clearly shows that almost every new mechanical OMEGA watch is being rethought and modelled around the strength of its movement. And thanks to the new OMEGA factory that

Seamaster Diver 300M OMEGA is unveiling a complete facelift of this famous watch in 2018, with 14 unique models, including 6 in stainless steel and 8 in a mix of stainless steel and gold.

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Now sized at a larger 42 mm, each new Diver 300M has been given a Master Chronometer Calibre 8800, instantly taking the collection into a higher realm of precision, performance and magnetic resistance. Every detail of the outward design has also been rethought, including the iconic diving bezel, which is now made from ceramic with the diving scale in Ceragold™ or white enamel (for longer-lasting whiteness and durability). The dials are also made from polished ceramic and are available in black, blue or PVD chrome colour. Most notably, OMEGA has reintroduced the wavy pattern (now laser-engraved) that was a popular feature of the original design. Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 50 years after the Apollo 8 mission, the first to orbit around the moon, OMEGA is proudly releasing its newest Dark Side of the Moon timepiece. Unlike previous Dark Side models, this release houses a specially decorated version of OMEGA’s famous Moonwatch movement – a calibre that deserves to be seen! Seamaster Diver 300M Titanium Tantalum Limited Edition This year, OMEGA is paying tribute to that 1993 release by introducing a special model with tantalum, limited to 2,500 pieces. Once again, using this metal gives the watch a unique touch and offers a collectable addition to the new Diver 300M selection. Sized at 42 mm, this Limited Edition model follows the same facelift principles as the new Seamaster Diver 300M collection. For example, the conical helium escape valve, wave-edged caseback and the integrated bracelet. Seamaster 1948 Limited Editions Though both watches stay true to the original post-war design, the Seamaster 1948 Small Seconds and the Seamaster 1948 Central Second are powered by calibres which are very much a product of the 21st century. Driven by Master Chronometer movements 8804 and 8806 respectively, these watches have been battle-tested at the watch industry’s highest level. A stainless steel case, polished bezel, opaline silvery domed dial and polished crown, embossed with vintage Ω are common to both watches; but a closer look at the diamond polished 18K white gold hands reveals subtle differences between the two. Seamaster Aqua Terra Jewellery OMEGA’s Seamaster Aqua Terra collection has recently undergone a celebrated transformation, embracing a number of subtle and inspired changes. Now, the collection is going one step further, with several new “Jewellery” models that offer a design beyond compare. With more models set to be unveiled, this particular version features a symmetrical 38 mm case crafted from 18K Sedna™ gold and includes a diamond-paved bezel. This same gold is also used for the watch’s hands, which point to 12 marquisecut red rubies at every hour.

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Les Ateliers

Baselworld 2018 presents fantastic artistry in watches

aselworld not only brings the world’s best-known watch and jewellery brands to Basel, but also attracts trailblazers, revolutionaries, the avant-garde and artists. Located apart from the main hall, they have an optimal showcase in the ‘Les Ateliers’ exhibition area for independent watchmakers. Baselworld was the first show worldwide to include a sector expressly for independent watchmakers: initially in the ‘Palace’, and since last year in the ‘Les Ateliers’ area, which was specially conceived for outstanding independent manufactories to present fascinating horological craftsmanship and innovative time measurement. ‘Les Ateliers’ sparked strong interest among exhibitors and visitors alike. The exhibitors reported positive contacts, while the visitors cited ‘Les Ateliers’ as a “highlight of the show.”

The independent watchmakers in the ‘Les Ateliers’ exhibition area recapture the pioneering spirit of watchmakers of the past

“With ‘Les Ateliers’, Baselworld gives the art and craft of watchmaking the space and prestige it deserves. Handcrafted as one-of-a-kind pieces or fabricated in small series, the exhibitors’ timepieces cater to the increasingly perceptible desire for genuine artistic craftsmanship, sophisticated mechanisms and grandiose creative achievements”, explains Sylvie Ritter, Managing Director of Baselworld. The exhibitors at ‘Les Ateliers’ include numerous brands and watchmakers which are renowned in the industry for their expertise and innovative spirit, among them MB&F, Louis Moinet, Graham, Paul Picot, Kari Voutilainen or Ferdinand Berthoud. Arnold & Son is also part of ‘Les Ateliers’, which COO Florian Serex strongly appreciates: “With ‘Les Ateliers’,

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Baselworld offers independent brands, which handcraft both the movement and the rest of the timepiece, a valuable opportunity to present themselves in appropriate surroundings. We saw last year that the visitors came to ‘Les Ateliers’ because they were keenly aware of the unconventional products, innovations and aesthetics which are on display there. It’s only natural that Arnold & Son shows it products here: we are in a suitable environment, surrounded by brands that share our values and our convictions.” Christine Hutter, Managing Director of Moritz Grossmann, is likewise pleased that ‘Les Ateliers’ continues this year: “The concept of ‘Les Ateliers’ was a smashing success last year. We are delighted to present ourselves in this area again because the exhibitors at ‘Les Ateliers’ are active outside the mainstream – as is our manufactory, which is characterized by high-quality craftsmanship coupled with love for details and complicated mechanisms.

Opposite page: Arnold & Son Tourbillon Chronometer This page, clockwise from top: Graham Chronofighter Superlight Carbon; Paul Picot Firshire GMT; Ferdinand Berthoud FB-1R.6-1 MB+F Legacy Machine Perpetual.

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Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Collection

Inspired by history and contemporary sporting elegance

nspired by an icon from Jaeger-LeCoultre’s vast archives, the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris collection continues the adventure and takes it into the future, with a selection suitable for any man of action. Ready for anything, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris awaits. We visited Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Manufacture in Switzerland’s Vallée de Joux to capture the essence of their new collection first-hand and for the creation of this special report You can discover the full Polaris Collection in detail online at passionsarabia.com /life-refined

Inspired by the iconic Memovox Polaris watch from 1968, Jaeger-LeCoultre has developed a new collection to join the brand’s existing pillars. Not just a single homage to a historical reference, the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris collection takes the spirit of Memovox Polaris and applies it to today’s man of action with a full range of timepieces: a three-hand automatic, a chronograph and a chronograph world time, as well as two models with a stronger vintage feel: the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Date and the JaegerLeCoultre Polaris Memovox. Combining the high manufacturing know-how of JaegerLeCoultre, where all mechanical movements are made inhouse, with the robustness, design aesthetic and sporty elegance today’s man demands, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris is destined to become the symbol for an active lifestyle. Comprised of an initial release of five models, with one limited edition paying tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Memovox watch, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris collection is a new pillar, one that redefines sporty elegance. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Design The new Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris collection channels the best of the Grande Maison’s watchmaking tradition and its attention

to detail, while creating a contemporary sporty yet elegant timepiece, with a vintage touch. The dial architecture in the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris collection is distinctive, combining a mixture of finishings on three concentric circles: a Memovox Polaris-inspired center with a sunray finish, graining on the outer circle with the hours and minutes, and an opaline finish on the rotating inner bezel. The Jaeger-LeCoultre logo is applied, as are the classic Arabic numbers and the contemporary trapezoidal indexes. The hands are large and filled with Super-LumiNova™* for excellent visibility in low light. In two models, the Super-LumiNova™* is vintage vanilla-colored as an homage to the look of Tritium featured on the original Memovox Polaris. Historically black, the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris is offered in a black or ocean blue dial, bringing a sense of urban elegance. The cases for the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris collection are brand new, with proportions designed for an elegant sports watch.

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They feature an eye-catching combination of brushed and hand-polished surfaces, with sharp, plunging lugs and thin, rounded bezels. The large crowns, emblematic of the 1968 model, have been redesigned for better grip. The exhibition backs of three pieces in this new collection show off the high watchmaking manufacture movements, complete with an oscillating weight featuring the emblematic Jaeger-LeCoultre logo. A newly designed three-link metal bracelet with polished and brushed finished surfaces is ergonomic and comfortable. The straps are interchangeable for both alligator leather and calfskin. The latter is offered in both light and dark brown version with an aged leather patina. A new graphic folding buckle featured on leather straps echoes the case design with a combination of polished and brushed surfaces.

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Heritage Gallery

Opening a window to the future

evoted to showcasing the Brand’s rich history, the new Heritage Gallery extends across more than 500 m2 of the oldest buildings in its Manufacture in the Vallée de Joux, in Switzerland. The space has been considerably enlarged to bring together the Maison’s finest pieces through the ages, its historical archives, and a workshop that restores old timepieces. To afford visitors a real experience of the Brand, the gallery design is totally in harmony with Jaeger-LeCoultre’s aesthetic codes, with pure colours, understated pale furnishings, and light as a central feature. Right from the start, an interactive feature invites visitors to gain an insight into the Maison’s rich past. By selecting a year on a touchscreen, an image symbolising a significant creative moment for Jaeger-LeCoultre is projected onto a background. The big journey through the wealth of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Heritage begins with an exposition of the Maison’s outstanding historical archives, followed by the “Reflections of History and Great Inventions” area. Here, the story of the Vallée de Joux, the Maison’s founding fathers, and the birth of the Brand are all related through a clever play of mirrors: objects displayed on one side are reflected in the visuals on the opposite wall. For instance, the millionometer from 1844 – a revolutionary instrument for measuring a micron – illustrates the inventive genius of Antoine LeCoultre, whose portrait hangs on the facing wall. The visit then leads into an elegant room bathed in light, displaying the Maison’s iconic pieces with modern-day creations basking in the glory of past masterpieces. Visitors can understand how the current collections are legitimately descended from the rich legacy of the LeCoultre Maison and of Jaeger-LeCoultre.

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Jaeger-LeCoultre Generations in the pursuit of excellence

orn in La Vallée de Joux in the Swiss mountains in 1833. Since day one, each watch, from the calibre to the case, is designed, made and assembled in the Manufacture by their master watchmakers. It demands inventiveness, determination, hard work and courage. How long it takes is irrelevant. What matters is how long it will last. This is the maker spirit. Since its creation, Jaeger-LeCoultre has been delighting and surprising devotees of beautiful objects. In keeping with the inventive spirit initiated in 1833 by its founder Antoine LeCoultre, the artisans of the Manufacture combine their talents and expertise to create collections which have been at the forefront of watchmaking both technically and artistically: Reverso, Master, Rendez-Vous, Duomètre, Geophysic and Atmos – this rich legacy built by the Grande Maison over centuries serves as a constant source of inspiration in its ongoing pursuit of excellence. In the wake of many legendary models, the 21st century has seen the emergence of the Hybris Mechanica™ and Hybris Artistica™ collections. These rare pieces are as surprising as they are sophisticated yet again bearing witness to the creative passion of the men and women who work in symbiosis under its roof – some of them descending from a long line of watchmakers.

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Blue is the new black

by AGi Architects

lue has surpassed all other colours with the sovereignty of its presence in the world of watches in recent years. It has stood the test of time because it comes in such a remarkable variety of shades and nuances that handsomely stage complications of all sorts. The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Blue Miracleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, which began four or five years ago, has firmly established itself alongside perennially popular black and white. The radiance of the blue dials, which gleam all the brighter this year thanks to fine sunburst or guilloche patterns on many models, is all the more subtle and expressive. Here is a selection from the positively super-overwhelming palette of blue watches at Baselworld 2018

THE WATCH EDITION

1. Glashütte Original - Senator Excellence; 2. Breitling - Navitimer 8 Chronograph; 3. TAG Heuer; 4. Zenith - Defy El Prmero 21 Blue; 5. Longines - Conquest V.H.P.; 6. Raymond Weil - Maestro Blues; 7. Chronoswiss - Flying Regulator Open Gear; 8. Nomos Glashütte - Autobahn; 9. Tissot - Excellence; 10. Sinn Spezialuhren - Pilot Chronograph 103; 11. Certina DS Action Big Date Automatic; 12. Citizen Eco-Drive One Super Titanium.

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Chopard Happy Sport

25 years of this trendsetting watch

hopardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Happy Sport started a trend 25 years ago with two innovations: sportiness was staged for the first time with an elegant and luxurious touch, and stainless steel joined precious diamonds in an unprecedented combination. This developed into a successful collection which has evolved continually and is now celebrating its 25th anniversary with the debut of a very special model. The new Happy Sport unites its iconic look of sporty chic with the strength of a self-winding movement specially developed by the Chopard Manufacture. Calibre 09.01-C, exclusively developed for 30mm ladiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; watch cases, is also manufactured in-house. The new movement enjoys a glamorous debut under a mantle of light: the heart of the dial is suffused with the depth of textured mother-of-pearl. The silky iridescence this elegant material endows each Happy Sport with a unique character. This luminous heart framed by a 30mm case is available in four versions: a blue dial with a gem-set steel case; a pink dial with a steel and 18-karat rose gold case; a white dial with an 18-karat rose gold case; and a white dial with a gem-set 18-karat rose gold case. These chromatic landscapes are enlivened by the mesmerising presence of five moving diamonds that seem to whirl above the dial. Movement In-house Chopard mechanical movement with automatic winding 09.01-C, 159 components, 27 jewels, 25,200 vib/h (3.5Hz), 42-hour power reserve. Case Four references in 30 mm wide and 10.95 mm thick, including: diamond-set stainless steel; stainless-steel and 18k rose gold; 18k rose gold; diamond-set 18k rose gold. With glareproof sapphire crystals over dial and exhibition caseback with screws and Happy Sport logo. Water-resistant to 30 metres (3 bar/100ft). Dial Light blue, light pink or white textured mother-of-pearl, with gilded or rhodium-plated Roman numerals and hour markers, gilded or rhodium-plated cone-shaped hours, minutes and sweep seconds hands.

THE LIFE REFINED Our carefully curated guide to the finest from the spheres of horology, automobiles, style, travel, design and much more. In The Life Refined we look at the best, and meet the people that are making it happen.

THE LIFE LUXEREFINED CARS

Ferrari Portofino

Maranello’s replacement for the California - is it the most beautiful Ferrari ever?

O An elegantly pretty, front-engine, eight-cylinder, folding-hardtop Ferrari.

nly ten years ago, for Ferrari to place an eight-cylinder engine in front of the driver was unheard of, as was the inclusion of an automatically folding hardtop. These defining landmarks first appeared with the California and they’ve been carried over to the aesthetically superior Portofino. Not only is Maranello’s new grand tourer prettier than the car it replaces, we contend it’s a better looker than any Ferrari on the road today. And here’s a fact to consider - it’s their new ‘entry level’ model. A 600 cv entry level model though. Kind of gives it all a whole new meaning doesn’t it?

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It’s a looker, but more than this it’s a grand tourer that demands to be driven. As guests of the Ferrari dealer in Kuwait, Al Zayani Kuwait, Simon Balsom (in car, left) headed to the coastal roads of Italy’s Puglia region to get the top down and put some miles on the clock

Although we loved the California, it was always a difficult relationship. It’s still an accomplished automobile, but the niggles we had have all been answered with the arrival of the Portofino. Although only marginally lower, wider and longer than the California, the Portofino immediately looks every inch the nimble athlete to its predecessor’s slightly heavier stance. Roof up or down, it looks the complete sporting GT. No compromises. Indeed, roof up, so neatly does the roofline blend in to the trunk that you’d be pushed to guess there’s a retractable roof only the flick of a switch away. This is no mean feat, and countless other marque’s failed attempts to achieve this spring to mind. The power-folding hardtop is lighter than before despite being larger and beefed up. It can be opened and closed at speeds up to 40 kmh; but doing so is like opening a drag chute. The body is sculpted and includes a plethora of slats, vents and intakes – all designed to drag hot air away from the engine and feed air to the intercoolers. Complex, and necessarily open, the Portofino is nonetheless fully 6 percent more slippery than the California T. Add to this more power – 40 cv more; deduct the sizeable weight-reduction – around the mass of an averagely-sized man; plus, factor in a slight addition to maximum torque; and you’ve got a car that will take you to 200 kmh in 10.3 seconds (it launches hard), and onwards to more than 320 kmh. The roads of Puglia are not Italy’s finest – they put the Portofino’s chassis and suspension to the test. Ferrari claim the car’s lighter body is still 35 percent stiffer than before, and front springs are 15.5 percent firmer, 19 percent firmer in the back. It’s a sporting – but comfortable – ride all the time… adaptive damping sees to that. Electrically assisted steering – only previously part of the 812 Superfast – is perhaps on its way to becoming the norm for all Ferraris. It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s super-smooth and it centres well. The last one percent of feedback that you might be looking for doesn’t always appear – your heightened senses will be employed when the time comes make up for this. Carbon-ceramic brake rotors are standard, and these offer reassuringly strong stopping power delivered in conjunction with a firm pedal feel.

Infotainment systems are a focus for both driver and passenger alike. In the Portofino neither is overlooked - as long as you select the optional touchscreen for your passenger to play with - then they’ll be able to modify navigation waypoints mid-journey.

See more images of the new Ferrari Portofino at passionsarabia.com/liferefined

The front seats, now with thinner - and magnesium - frames, are superbly supportive and wildly adjustable. They don’t provide enough rear leg-room for more than the briefest journey however. Another Ferrari that’s really useable every day. This is becoming a habit for Maranello. The Portofino has picked up the California’s ball, but such are its advances, it is now playing an altogether more enjoyable game.

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Portofino The Design Designed to delight

he Ferrari Design Centre-penned Ferrari Portofino is an aggressivelystyled car with a two-box fastback configuration – unprecedented in a coupé-convertible with a retractable hard top - that adds extra sleekness to its silhouette, lending it a sportier character without impinging on its elegance and dynamism. Close collaboration between the Aerodynamics department and Ferrari Design has ensured maximum efficiency in the development of the surface treatment. Starting with the front, the form of the large radiator grille opening, that stretches from edge to edge of the carefully contoured nose, is underscored by a new full-LED headlight assembly with a more horizontal shape. The outside edge of the headlight hides an innovative air intake which vents into the front wheelarch and exits along the flank to reduce drag. The tail design underlines the car’s sporty stance which has been further enhanced by placing the tail lights futher apart. This elegant solution cleverly conceals the rear volume housing the all-new RHT which features a more lightweight design and can be raised or lowered at low speeds. There was also a particular focus on board comfort which is guaranteed by a slew of new features, not least an infotainment system with 10.2” touchscreen display, a new air-conditioning system that improves occupant comfort both with the top up or down, a new steering wheel, 18-way electrically adjustable seats with a new backrest design that boosts increased legroom for rear seat passengers - although in reality they’re not going to thank you for making them sit in the back - and the passenger display. All occupants will particularly appreciate the new wind deflector which, when the top is dropped, cuts air flow inside the cabin by 30% and also reduces aerodynamic noise.

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Portofino The Tech

V8 turbo + 320 kmh + 600 cv

he Ferrari Portofino’s all-new chassis features a significant weight saving over the California T it replaces. Thanks to the extensive use of modern production technologies, all the chassis and body-in-white components have been redesigned with a consequent reduction in weight despite an increase in torsional rigidity. The renowned Ferrari V8 turbo, part of the engine family that was nominated International Engine of the Year in both 2016 and 2017, now punches out 40 cv more than the California T’s power unit thanks to the adoption of new components and specific calibration of the engine management software. The characteristic Ferrari V8 soundtrack has also been further enhanced and can be fully appreciated, particularly in topdown driving. All aspects of the 8-cylinder’s efficiency have been honed with the adoption of new pistons and con-rods, and a new intake system design. The geometries throughout the exhaust system have also been revolutionised. The new one-piececast exhaust header reduces losses, an important factor in ensuring Ferrari’s characteristic throttle response with zero turbo lag. These improvements, combined with the Variable Boost Management which adjusts torque delivery to suit the gear selected, enable the Ferrari Portofino to offer even higher levels of acceleration in all gears and lower fuel consumption compared to the outgoing model. The Ferrari Portofino’s vehicle dynamic characteristics have been completely revised and benefit from the introduction of new technological solutions. For the first time on this type of Ferrari model, the third generation electronic rear differential (E-Diff3) has been adopted and integrated with the F1-Trac, improving both mechanical grip and the control of the car on the limit. The Ferrari Portofino is also the first GT in the range to be fitted with EPS (Electric Power Steering).

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THE LIFE REFINED

Bentayga V8 - love in a cold climate Above all, it’s a Bentley

ou might ask yourself, what’s the relevance in taking the new Bentayga V8 to the snow-covered slopes of the Austrian Alps when your readership lives in the most highly-populated arid desert in the world and swelters in its hottest cities. Well, think about it. Partly, it’s because if you can balance 3,250kg of leather-lined Bentley on a surface that you’d have difficulty walking across in anything but studded boots, then you know it’s going to excel in all conditions. But mostly, it’s because you know it’s going to be a whole lot of fun.

When first introduced, the Bentley Bentayga set the luxury SUV benchmark – it became the definitive automobile for drivers seeking the ultimate Grand Touring experience unrestricted by landscape or conditions. It is, before anything else, a Bentley. Now it’s available in its most sporting guise ever – the Bentayga V8. The beating heart within the new range is a new-generation 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine. This power plant, installed within a leather-lined Bentley, fuses exquisite luxury with power, usability and extensive sporting ability. And it’s done in a style that perhaps no other manufacturer can match with performance customisable on demand by the driver through Bentley’s Drive Dynamics system – from limousine-like refinement to sporting precision at the flick of a switch. For real. Its typically understated Bentley looks are clear. It’s purposeful, but not brash. It’s far from anonymous, instead always demanding a second look. The Bentayga is still rare enough on

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We were invited to drive the Bentley Bentayga V8 in the Austrian Alps by those kind folk at Al Zayani Kuwait - the nation’s exclusive Bentley dealer. You can find more online at: passionsarabia.com/liferefined the road that it inspires curiosity. “Is that a Bentley?” The shape is defined by the Bentayga’s unique muscular, sculptural lines, balancing athleticism with an unmistakable presence on the road. From the four round LED headlamps to the large matrix grille, the Bentayga V8 exudes the Bentley design DNA, while the overt powerline, large rear haunches and raised ride height reflect the rugged off-road ability of the luxury SUV. For those in need of a little bling, but who feel comforted by adding a genuinely useful reason, also introduced on the Bentayga V8 are sporting red brake calipers for the front and rear standard iron brakes. The calipers are painted in special, hightemperature resistant Tornado red paint, and signal strongly the dynamic intent of this performance-oriented Bentayga V8. If you’re in the market for a Bentayga, you’re in the market for a vehicle with supreme load ability and the highest levels of

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THE LIFE REFINED

comfort. Rest assured, the Bentayga V8 continues the Bentley tradition of intricate detailing and fine, handcrafted precision using authentic materials. Customers can specify hand crossstitching, which highlights the interior styling lines of the seats and door panels, and there is the choice of the Bentayga’s four-, five-, or seven-seat configuration, for ultimate versatility. It’s a driver’s car. And that remains the same whether the driver is on the school run, late for a business meeting across town, or heading out on a weekend of off-road adventure. How? The Bentayga V8 is available with Bentley Dynamic Ride - the world’s first electric active roll control technology that utilises a 48V system. This system instantly counteracts lateral rolling forces when cornering and ensures maximum tyre contact to deliver class-leading cabin stability, ride comfort and exceptional handling. Bentley’s adaptive and reactive system provides variable torsional resistance, allowing the Bentayga to be both dynamically capable and comfortable for all occupants at all times. The pioneering use of a 48V system results in silent, instantaneous responses to deal with all road surfaces. The Bentayga’s 8” touch screen infotainment system boasts class-leading navigation technology, a 60GB hard drive, and a choice of up to 30 languages. Rear seat passengers benefit from the introduction of the Bentley Entertainment Tablet - a removable I 0.2” Android device with 4G, WiFi and Bluetooth for effortless, high-speed on-board connectivity. Customers can choose between three different sound systems for the Bentayga V8: Bentley Standard Audio, Bentley Signature Audio and Nairn for Bentley Premium Audio. The latter is the most powerful system in the segment, with 1,950 watts, a network of 18 speakers and super-tweeters for unrivalled recreation of the highest audio frequencies. We can vouch for the Nairn - truly sublime quality and (when required) raucous power - a bit like this Bentayga V8! In the creation of the Bentayga V8, Bentley might just have created the car to trump all cars. It truly is ‘every car’. It has competition in its execution as a practical, rugged SUV. There are others that match it, but none better it. As a sports SUV, again, you might point to pretenders to Bentley’s crown, you might suggest others do it better. We’d happily argue that point with you though. However, there simply isn’t a car on the road today within this sector that does everything in quite such refinement and luxury. And this, for us, is the essence of the new Bentley Bentayga V8. It’s a car where the driver need accept no compromises.

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Bentley to go Hybrid

Bentayga hybrid slated for year-end

entley has announced full details of the world’s first luxury hybrid model. The Bentayga Hybrid represents Bentley’s first step towards full electrification, combining the serenity of silent motoring with exquisite comfort and effortless performance. Offering the best of both worlds, the new plug-in hybrid model combines an advanced electric motor with a powerful and efficient new-generation V6 petrol engine. The hybrid version of the world’s most luxurious SUV will be the company’s most efficient model ever with CO2 emissions of 75 g/km (NEDC).

The Bentayga Hybrid feels and rides like a true Bentley, providing the refinement, effortless performance and exquisitely tranquil cabin environment for which the luxury British brand is famed.

It represents the future of luxury mobility; an oasis of calm and tranquillity in the city and beyond.

Adrian Hallmark, new Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bentley Motors, said: “The Bentayga Hybrid is our first step on

the road to electrification, combining traditional Bentley values with the very latest technologies.

It gives customers the best of both worlds – engaging, effortless performance on the open road and silent, emission-free driving in the city, which will become increasingly important with the ever-changing regulations around the world.

“Following Bentley tradition, the Bentayga Hybrid pioneers a new automotive sector – the luxury hybrid – and sets Bentley on the path towards a sustainable electrified future.”

Bentayga Hybrid is not yet available to order. It will become available to order in selected markets from the second half of 2018.

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Cadillac Alghanim is transforming Christian Soemmer, Managing Director, Cadillac Middle East

s part of the U.S. brand’s global transformation strategy, Cadillac Alghanim recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new multi-million US dollar project in Kuwait’s Shuwaikh district, marking the start of construction for Cadillac’s flagship dealership facility under the new brand Corporate Identity in the country. Cadillac Middle East’s MD, Christian Soemmer told us more.

“We’ve had a lot of success in Kuwait with Cadillac. Last year we grew by 18% while we’re seeing the overall market is cooling off. We have a lot of loyal fans here. It’s part of a global strategy. We have numerous dedicated teams throughout this region now too”, he says. In line with the global brand strategy in upgrading customer experience, this development comes in addition to Cadillac Alghanim’s earlier groundbreaking in December 2017 on the construction of the country’s first Cadillac boutique showroom in Fahaheel. The smaller showroom will feature exclusive Cadillac consumer touch points, including highly trained sales and service staff to better serve new and existing customers in the south of Kuwait. “The new facility here will enable us to showcase twenty cars in a runway concept, and it will also provide ample space for us to create dedicated delivery suites”. The new Cadillac facility in Shuwaikh will be located at the heart of a premium automotive showroom hub and is expected to be completed in 2020. Stretched across an area of over 4,500 sqm, the three-storey facility includes a sales showroom with a capacity to house over 22 Cadillac vehicles, and a state-of-the-art service center that features ten lift bays and six flat bays, including valet bays.

“These new showrooms will complement the premium vehicles they will house including the new product line-up we will be launching every six months from the end of 2018, starting with the new XT4.” “We’re creating a space reflecting our global flagship in New York’s Soho. Not only is that a state-of-the-art showroom facility, we’re also engaged with the art community and using the showroom as an exhibition space for emerging artists and fashion designers. We plan to do the same here in Kuwait. “This is the kind of mindset we want to work with and link with as we move forward, and it’s something our partner here in Kuwait - Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons - are keen to pursue with us”. Together, they are creating an edgy environment that will be about more than simply displaying and selling automobiles. Cadillac Alghanim sees itself within society’s life. Globally, and in line with the New York-based premium automaker’s 12 billion-dollar global outlay, Cadillac is on course in realizing major transformations across diverse range of areas including dealer network development, manufacturing and product strategy. Over the last three years, Cadillac has undergone a significant shift in direction – using sophisticated design, technology and an authentic attitude to appeal to independently minded individuals.

Mohamed El Talkhawi, General Manager of Cadillac Alghanim, added: “We are privileged to be associated with Cadillac one of the world’s premium automotive brands - and honored to extend such a premium experience to our customers in Kuwait. As part of the brand’s global direction, we are happy to drive this transformation in the local market with two new CI-compliant facilities, complementing the current and upcoming model lineup of Cadillac led by the flagship Escalade and the stylish CT6 sedan.”

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Spark for the future Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo

t the Geneva Motor Show, Porsche presented the Mission E Cross Turismo, a concept study of an electronically powered Cross-Utility Vehicle (CUV). The model is targeted at individuals with active lifestyles that include travelling, sports or outdoor activities. Thanks to the allwheel drive, any ski piste is reachable with ease, while the interior features ample space for sports equipment and the modern mounting systems make it easy to transport surfboards or a Porsche e-bike.

Features of the four-door, four-seater concept include an emotional design with striking off-road elements, as well as a new display and control concept with touchscreen displays and eye tracking. The 4.95-metre length concept vehicle is ready for charging either via the 800-volt fast-charge network, induction technology, a charging dock or with the Porsche home energy management system. The Mission E Cross Turismo is a continuation of Porscheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mission E study, initially presented at the 2015 International Motor Show (IAA). Two permanently excited synchronous motors with a system output of over 600 hp (440 kW) accelerate the Mission E Cross Turismo to 100 km/h in less than 3.5 seconds and to 200 km/h in under twelve seconds. This performance is in addition to a continuous power level that is unprecedented among electric vehicles: Multiple jump-starts are possible in succession without loss of performance. The demand-controlled all-wheel drive with Porsche Torque Vectoring, which automatically distributes torque to the individual wheels, transfers the power to the road.

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THE LIFE REFINED

Geneva - Back to the Future Why the most thrilling cars rarely make it into production

Three concept cars we didn’t see enough of and that disappeared into obscurity - until now. Can you name them?

Concept cars are like shooting stars – objects from a distant

Indeed, many concept cars are destined for a future which – for

eyes of visitors and burn up before you have a chance to

least in their current form. Concept cars first became a selling

galaxy which provide a car show with all its glitz, light up the make a wish, even one as simple as “please, please build this car”!

In less figurative terms, concept cars are left to rust in hangars – that is, if they’re lucky enough to escape the shredder. And then

good or for bad – will never actually materialise for them, at point in the 1930s. In 1939, the US brand Buick rolled out its trailblazing Y-Job for the sole purpose of gauging the public’s

reaction. Ever since, the launching of these ‘trialballoons’ has become a tradition.

there’s the feeling that sometimes creeps up on spectators as

Mass producers including VW, Peugeot, Jaguar and Toyota use

after all, they’re just being duped by overzealous designers.

technology. Classic Italian automobile designers like Pininfarina

they behold the dazzling specimens, the sense that perhaps, An underwater roadster? A 6-wheeled batmobile? A 1,000 hp monster from a respectable everyday manufacturer? Not in a hundred years!

concept cars to test the marketability of their new designs and and Giugiaro take advantage of concept cars to showcase

their talent, while design schools such as IED present their creations as visiting cards to promote both themselves and

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their students. Finally, suppliers with products that lack visual

Visitors to the show on Lake Geneva not only discover vehicles

Rinspeed to boost the aesthetic appeal of their offerings.

as they implore the manufacturers to “please, please build

oomph can team up with creative think tanks like the Swiss firm

Provocation is a must – those unwilling to go to the extreme will be outshined by other stars. It’s not for nothing that

concept cars have been one of the major attractions at the Geneva International Motor Show for so many decades.

Smaller than other shows but definitely not lacking in

that might one day hit the streets in a modified form (as long this car!”), they’re also offered a glimpse into the future – a

reflection of the current state of the art, an expression of what the industry is currently busy creating. A look, furthermore, that is unrestrained by the legislation that only too often forces designers and engineers to compromise their work.

prestige, the GIMS conserves its independence due to

Free from current technological constraints. Free from the

brands to come up with something extra special and even

by an incubation period of at least three years. Although – or rather

the absence of any local automotive industry. It obliges allows lesserknown companies to be introduced to the scene.

1. Lamborghini Marzal (1967) 2. Giugiaro Namir (2009) 3. IED Syrma (2015)

pressure to appeal to the masses. And without the delay caused because – they burn up after their brief appearance at the car show, these shooting stars are sights that are not to be missed.

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Boss - Summer of Ease Ingo Wilts heads to the seaside for inspired style

“It’s all about lightness of ease,” said designer Ingo Wilts backstage before the show at an equally airy space near the South Street Seaport on Fulton Street.

apturing the mood of a mellow summer’s day, BOSS Menswear heads to the seaside for Spring/Summer 2018 in a collection entitled ‘Summer of Ease’. Effortless, airy sartorialism is met with refined utilitarian detail in this highly crafted collection. With this higher-end collection, Wilts is positioning Boss as a lifestyle brand for the globetrotting guy.

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The color scheme is directly inspired by the weather-beaten hues of the coastline. Brilliant white fades to sun-bleached cream and flint-stone shades, while cool blues fill the collection with a mellow mood. Pops of signal red and mustard yellow add flashes of color.

The BOSS codes of tailoring and fine quality are shown in the most relaxed way yet. Signature suiting is cut from lightweight fabrics and comes unlined this season for new airiness. Cast in the freshest off-white and gray shades, these pieces provide effortless elegance in the highest temperatures. Even shirting feels refreshed, with designs that wrap across the front for laidback attitude. Sportier pieces are also crafted using tailoring techniques, bringing BOSS quality to off-duty attire. Intricate embroidery and hand-knitted leather shirting further emphasize an attention to craft and detail. The new collection presents a refreshed, summery take on the nautical themes introduced for FW2017. Much of the tailoring is double-breasted, while horizontal bands make an appearance on the traditional Breton top and are turned vertical for a sporty effect on sleeves and the seams of trousers. Maintaining this graphic look and highlighting a utilitarian edge, contrasting

heavy-duty overstitching trims clothing and accessories. On tops and outerwear, rope is threaded through metal rivets and eyelets, recalling the clean functionality of nautical equipment. Embroidered ‘HBNY’ letters and the coordinates of Columbus Circle, the location of the BOSS flagship in NY, continue the theme. Airiness is found in the fine fabrics selected for this collection. Lightweight cottons and linens underpin many of the looks. Innovation comes in the form of silks and wafer-thin, lightweight leathers, both of which have been treated for a tactile, papery feel. The effect is crafted and luxurious, but effortlessly at ease. Silhouettes are loose and oversized – and expertly tailored to look laid-back yet refined. Generous pleats add tailored volume to trousers and wide Bermuda shorts, while outerwear sits away from the body, creating a breezy feeling.

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Dolce & Gabbana FW18

Millenials to the fore

ur favourite Milanese designers conjoured up another millenials show for the presentation of their Fall Winter 2018 collection. Sons of famous families trod the runway at the city’s Metropol, and were joined by a posse of others who’ve made fame their

own way. Dropping a few names, Austin Mahone, Christian Combs and Cameron Dallas shimmied past in a series of

gold-brocaded tailcoats draped atop super-slim pin-striped

pants in Dolce & Gabbana’s homage to imagined dynasties past and present.

The collection unfolded, and the menswear genres and periods

reflected broadened. There was significant showing of closely fitted large-lapel suits in colors that ran from pink, lilac, and green to Harington’s favorite all black, and came either brocaded, pin-

striped, and embroidered, or all three. Frogged velvet jackets were teamed with silk jacquard pants and jeweled slippers. A

red brocade suit was worn under an overcoat of ripped-up and refashioned denim jeans. Tracksuits in velvet or silk jersey were heaped with collaged embroideries of heraldry, sequined shorts

were worn with oversize collegiate-striped and embroidered sweatshirts, and a ceramic-floral bomber jacket was topped by a backpack fashioned to resemble a golden angel.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;For Dolce & Gabbana, God is in the Detailsâ&#x20AC;? Suzy Menkes - International Editor, Vogue online

As the Colombian performer Maluma came on for the finale wearing a gold sequin suit - and sang a couple of numbers, the nonstop mix-and-match, maximalist opulence of this collection overwhelmed: There was just so much in it and of it to try and take in. These were raiments as much as garments - competitively street regal and unstintingly extravagant.

Keep updated with the finest fashions and styles at passionsarabia.com

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Dolce & Gabbana sparkles in Dubai New opening at Dubai Mall

he magical Eastern nights sparkle with the enchanting lights of the Dubai Mall and the reflections from the Sahara Noir marble that characterises the facade of the new Dolce&Gabbana boutique. Located on the Fashion Avenue Expansion of the great shopping centre; its imposing marble veneer reveals a splendid sheen when the gilded interior panels are illuminated at the setting of the sun. The boutique, which hosts the Women, Men and Children’s Collections, occupies three floors and is designed by architect Marco Costanzi of MCA Studio, who has interpreted the spirit of Dolce&Gabbana in a unique way, imbuing it with the dreamlike atmosphere and warm colours of the Middle East.

The strong identity of the Dolce&Gabbana brand has evolved over the years without ever forgetting its roots. An unmistakable style, which, season after season, combines strong innovation with the Mediterranean flavour of its origins. A brand whose essence lies in its contrasting features.

The interiors of the boutique harmoniously combine the marbles and onyx that characterise the floors and walls, alternating with prized damask fabrics in red and gold by Bevilacqua, the historic and prestigious Venetian textile manufacturer. Especially noteworthy is the elegant Sahara Noir marble, whose intense black colour is paired with Sequoia Red marble, lending a vibrant touch of red to the ground floor and mezzanine, whereas the grey onyx that dominates the entire first floor is characterized by subtle veining that ranges from white to dark grey. Towards the back of the two main floors, an explosion of Breche de Vendome yellow marble illuminates the two areas dedicated to Accessories. The ground floor hosts the Women’s Collections, together with the Fine Jewellery and Watches for Men and Women. There’s also an area dedicated to Dolce&Gabbana Beauty featuring both Make up and Fragrances, including the prestigious Velvet Collection, a range of prized artisanal fragrances that revisits

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the concept of traditional luxury. An homage to the sartorial tradition of Dolce&Gabbana, the Velvet Collection explores the depths of the masculine and feminine soul. The stairway is composed of Sahara Noir, cut and joined meticulously so that the veining is uninterrupted for its entire length. The stairs conduct to the mezzanine floor: a sort of suspended treasure chest where the younger shoppers can realize their dreams of being a fairy tale princess by selecting a dress from the Mini Me Collections, coordinated with a dress from the Eveningwear Women’s Line. Here, the floor is in Sequoia Red marble and the walls are clad in glass panels finished in gilded brass and lace inserts, also gilded, creating a play of transparency with an Eastern flavour. Another staircase connects the mezzanine to the first floor, dedicated to the Men’s Collections. This is a space for fine tailoring, designed for men who prefer their suits made to measure and handcrafted by expert tailors. The furnishing elements are in prized Angico Preto wood, with glossy brass hardware and detailing in black leather on the ground floor, while on the first floor the shelving, clothing racks and furniture are finished in gunmetal bronze. The décor also features display tables in Sahara Noir marble and grey onyx, Baroque chairs and mirrors, and elegant red velvet drapery.

Find Dolce&Gabbana: in Dubai at: The Dubai Mall, Fashion Avenue, Boulevard Level in Kuwait at: The Avenues, Prestige Mall

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THE LIFE REFINED

Zegna’s sketches from a hidden garden Alessandro Sartori’s first summer looks for Zegna

“To design a forward-looking men’s fashion wardrobe built around fluidity, freshness and color but enriched by the possibility of adding your own hint of personality and style, I couldn’t imagine a better place than this courtyard, where I often spent time in my youth reading, writing and sketching” Artistic Director Alessandro Sartori

or his debut Summer collection, Artistic Director Alessandro Sartori is clashing innocence and sensual masculinity in an exploration of conscious and sub-conscious fantasies. The linear backdrop of one of the historic courtyards of Milan’s Università Statale is the framework for a futuristic garden with tangerine lawns in a labyrinth of aesthetic compositions.

STYLE

Outdoor life unexpectedly meets the indoor throughout a fresh summery breeze which pervades the fluidity of fabrics and delicate silhouettes enlightened by a blaze of colors

Couture constructions fly and inflate, moving with a carefree attitude. The interplay of proportions privileges uncommon freedom and ease replacing classic shirts with deconstructed tops in various volumes, doubled tank tops and scoop neck sweaters play with active yet tailored trousers and joggers. The studied assembly of sport-inspired clothing is enriched by oversized handmade pockets, hoods and iconic Triple Stitch logos, synonymous with Couture. Fluid washed silks, Century Cashmere and pure mohair confer concrete weightlessness to the collection, while giro inglese and mesh jacquards, together with perforated and intarsia leather give hints of ethereal substance. The delicate color palette favors natural shades of walnut, signature Vicuna, geranium, freesia, lotus, cypress and bleached aqua, while optical whites meet unexpected color flashes. Even the accessories indulge in the laid-back pace of the season: technical Triple-stitch

sandals, elasticated leather boots and iconic maxi-logo TIZIANO sneakers for footwear immediately available for purchase; and the super-soft evolution of PELLE TESSUTA™ in new, colorful knitted effects for bags, baseball hats and visors. The day after the show, twelve of the Couture looks seen on the catwalk will be available to order Made-to-Measure in selected worldwide boutiques, with delivery scheduled within eightweeks as per the rigorous atelier process. Yet it’s the degree of one-of-a-kind personalization, in which every single garment and accessory from the show is customizable with handmade knotting, painting and embroidery uniquely crafted by Zegna artisans, that reveals the true depth of Ermenegildo Zegna’s commitment to Bespoke. It is here, indeed, that the genuine Zegna values can be seen within every hand-made stitch.

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AllSaints

Out of Season

ult and cool British brand AllSaints has grown big while managing to retain its loyal following, and it remains headquartered in the coolest part of London - Shoreditch. This season AllSaints and creative director Wil Beedle champion reality and pragmatism. “The more we take AllSaints’ collections and the attitude of East London across the world, the more acutely I’m aware of the changing of the seasons. And how this affects our clothing and style choices – and our identity in general. It feels like fashion has a newfound interest in the reality of people’s lives and society at large, so it seems curious that fashion brands and media continue to unveil bikinis at a time when many global customers are still waking up to icy-cold conditions. It’s the same when puffa jackets are launched in the mid-summer months. Call it the effects of global warming or simply fashion remaining perched in its ivory tower, but this all seems out of synch. Out of season.

STYLE

AllSaints: in Kuwait at 360 Mall

So I wanted to champion reality and pragmatism with a collection, a campaign and a seasonal message entitled “Out of Season”. The collection of coats, knits and jackets drops through February and March, and showcases a spring palette for these typically winter garments. And we’ve documented the collection in an ideal “Out of Season” destination – Ibiza. We shot the imagery in January, against the island’s wind-battered shuttered beach-huts and empty streets. In doing so, we escaped the crowds and discovered the true spirit and physicality of “Out of Season”. There’s real beauty when the masses have left, revealing a genuine community. Like when the tide sweeps back to uncover the reality of the landscape. Seasonal dressing has never felt more real.”

AllSaints revealed their latest collection - Out Of Season in-store and to invited guests at their 360 Mall boutique during March. DJ Bonita provided the sounds, and stylist Adel Al-Ansari provided a local creative edge.

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Corneliani Spring 2018 Technique

ew pinstripes with frisé effect and interrupted lines give a modern signature to traditional tailored fabrics. The crisp blues are conceived alongside warm grays and browns, in a series of proposals exploring the theme of windowpane patterns. Clever handling of the tones underlines textural contrasts, and new structures give a dynamism to fabrics and yarns, creating a look that is both casual and elegant.

Fluidity and movement

Keep updated with the finest fashions and styles at passionsarabia.com

Spring time

This dominant characteristic of our times, this continual

This is dominated by cool tones: nuanced shades of the new

The collective rules fade away before our eyes, and before

illuminated with an oil green accent, exclusively used for the

rhythm of change, seems to dictate the beat of a new style. we can construct new ones, each of us seeks assurance

in our own personal identities. This is reflected in the way

“whale” blue are matched with masculine grays which are accessories and knits.

we choose to portray ourselves. Fashion responds to this,

Techniques: New pinstripes with frisé effect and interrupted

nomadic restlessness, creating everyday objects that adapt

crisp blues are conceived alongside warm grays and browns,

offering concepts suited to the new geographic and existential to a variety of conditions, indulging us with elegance and delicacy. Being a part of the Corneliani look is like belonging to a club where elective affinity determines membership.

The idea of fluidity and movement has been the inspiration for the next season, which offers a fully coordinated wardrobe that flows from a metropolitan look to one of leisure.

The story Corneliani have dreamed up is of a voyage, through

city and desert, structured in three chapters and written with the language of color, in pigments borrowed from an impressionist painting.

lines give a modern signature to traditional tailored fabrics. The in a series of proposals exploring the theme of windowpane

patterns. Clever handling of the tones underlines textural contrasts, and new structures give a dynamism to fabrics and yarns, creating a look that is both casual and elegant.

Strong contrasts, such as beige and black, hint at an identity that is sporty, yet sophisticated. Violet-toned inky hues run through the entire collection, creating a surprising harmony.

Emphasis on detail creates a synthesis between sportswear and tailored garments: hydro zips, nylon with prints extracted

from traditional drapery, and cottons with a membrane add functionality, while maintaining a tailored look.

STYLE

Paul Smith x Globe-Trotter Pack your bags

aul Smith has joined forces with Globe-Trotter to create the ultimate in quintessential British design – a classic trolley case with trademark Paul Smith colours and stripes. Globe-Trotter is the foremost luxury travel lifestyle brand, producing handcrafted luggage and leather collections. Joining forces with celebrated British designer Paul Smith the collaboration illustrates a mutual affinity for artisanal craftsmanship and impeccable design. The much-loved 20” classic navy trolley case has been given the ‘Paul Smith’ treatment, its leather corners now featuring the colours of his trademark Artist Stripe, each one a different shade; navy blue, ochre, yellow and midnight black. The webbing strips, handles and chapes on the trolley are also adorned with his distinctive Artist Stripe, which was inspired by the colours of impressionist art. “As somebody who travels more-or-less every week of my life, collaborating with Globe-Trotter was very appealing because of the robust nature and classical appearance of their luggage,” says Paul Smith. “The design is already amazing and so I’ve respected this and just added the Paul Smith touch with details of colour and stripe. The one I have customised is the perfect size to carry-on, an essential for me when travelling!” The limited edition of 120 trolley cases will be presented at the Paul Smith boutique in Milan during Salone del Mobile (18th – 22nd April 2018). A true marriage of British design and craftsmanship, this collaboration is certain to ignite the interest of design lovers and Anglophiles alike. It’s in-store from 19th April.

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A Champion of Causes

Tareq Al-Qallaf: A Global Champion’s Success Story

ince its establishment in 1977, Burgan Bank has been keen to enhance its role in community development and as an active member of the society that will inspire positive changes. Now, as one of the highest contributors to society, Burgan Bank has been an integral part in supporting community initiatives that make a difference locally and internationally across various sectors and areas of need, with particular focus on partnerships by aiding in their development and ensuring a sustainable outcome. The special needs segment has been at the forefront of Burgan Bank efforts for nearly 40 years. The Bank promotes diverse opportunities to pursue independent goals and an inclusive environment that people with disabilities can benefit from as equal members of the community. Its corporate social responsibility strategy is driven by the belief that each individual has the right to showcase their abilities and passion for excellence to fulfill their ambitions in any field of choice as well as successfully contribute to the growth of Kuwait as a whole. Additionally, Burgan Bank aims to reiterate its commitment to the wider community as part of its social efforts, the Bank used to annually honor outstanding special needs patients across various categories during the ‘Al Mass awards’ ceremony. The largest and most distinctive special needs program in Kuwait, was developed as a simple idea by Burgan Bank to acknowledge their abilities to overcome everyday challenges and facilitate their integration in the community through funding and regular sponsorship. As a progressive financial institution, part of Burgan Bank’s long standing mission also is to ensure best in-class services for the special needs segment. The bank has ensured they are met with a full-fledged banking experience accommodated by improved accessibility and the latest world-class technological applications. Burgan Bank has dedicated 6 fully-equipped branches in various governorates to enable physically disabled,

visually impaired and seniors’ access to tailor-made products and services. All the six branches are managed by a number of well-trained employees who have been taught to communicate via sign language with those who suffer from sensory disabilities – hearing and speech impairment. In addition to ATM services for the visually impaired and disabled customers, easily accessible safety deposit boxes, and debit and credit cards with photo functionality for quick identification are also present. The banks products and services, terms and conditions, and account statements can also be printed in Braille language while all ATMs are backed with audio guidance command technology available in both English and Arabic as well as braille key pads to help perform transactions in full privacy. In an effort to safeguard customer safety further, Burgan Bank also employed extra security measures inside the ATM rooms. Guided by its long standing principle of placing people at the heart of its business as it accommodates the interests of the community within which it operates, the homegrown brand also heavily invests in local youth sports and entrepreneurial skills through sponsorship of various engagements that help demonstrate talent and advance their potential. To ensure a prosperous future for its youth, the bank is renowned for advocating social initiatives locally and internationally with the objective of promoting Kuwait’s inherent talents on global platforms.

SPORT

Burgan Bank’s Senior Officer Public Relations, Hessa AlNajadah, celebrates Tareq’s resilience and success

Success Story One cause that is particularly close it its heart and is directly responsible for having made successful, is the rise of the talented World Champion in Wheelchair Fencing - Tareq AlQallaf. Raising the Kuwaiti flag high on international platforms, Al-Qallaf serves as the perfect example of determination who overcame his difficulties and consistently achieved first place throughout his tenure as a sportsman. It was his childhood dream to challenge what some might call his handicap and convey a strong message to all those who have similar aspirations to beat their fears and restrictions and reach for their dreams too. Tareq Al-Qallaf who is considered a role model since his first win in 1982 not just to the special needs segment but the entire community as a whole, has broken the record and proved that anyone like him can be equally as successful. Sponsoring for the fourth consecutive year, this year, Burgan Bank will continue to support for an entire year as Al-Qallaf prepares to face his opponents and bring pride to his country - Kuwait. The young, dynamic, and diverse bank, known to pursue sustainability through its varied efforts, has been created on a foundation of real values – of trust, commitment, excellence and progression. The same values that are fundamental to Tareq Al-Qallaf as he serves as an inspiration and role model

to all those who aspire to follow their dreams. Which is the same values adopted by the hero Tareq Al-Qallaf, is a source of inspiration and a model for everyone who looks forward and seeks to achieve his dreams. Tareq Al-Qallaf: Journey of a dedicated athlete You have been practicing fencing since 1982. What drove you to practice and pursue this particular sport? During my treatment in Britain, I had the opportunity to visit Buckingham Palace. While there, the iconic uniform of the Royal Guard proudly holding the sword in hand and their military demeanor instilled a new desire and interest in the tool or weapon itself. I was instantly inspired to fight my limitations, do what I love and lift my country’s name on global grounds.

Burgan Bank promotes diverse opportunities to pursue independent goals and an inclusive environment that people with disabilities can benefit from as equal members of the community. One cause that is particularly close it its heart and is directly responsible for having made successful, is the rise of the talented World Champion in Wheelchair Fencing Tareq Al-Qallaf.

Tell us about how your disability got you on your way to the next phase of life & how you became world champion? I was born a healthy child without any issues but at the age of seven, ironically, the needle that was meant to prevent me from polio became the cause of it. My family and I were shocked by the news and had to endure treatment for 3 years in Britain. When I returned to Kuwait, I was strengthened by the belief that I was indeed equipped with all of the tools and more importantly, determined mindset to lead a normal life, make my dream come true and practice my favorite sport. My handicap

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Raising the Kuwaiti flag high on international platforms, Al-Qallaf serves as the perfect example of determination who overcame his difficulties and consistently achieved first place throughout his tenure as a sportsman.

would soon become my fortress of strength and a symbol of triumph. You have shown the world that a single disability will not stand in your way and you are now Kuwait’s proud contender in international arenas. Tell us more about your achievements. We are no different from the rest of our peers. Armed with strong faith and I had a message to deliver, that no one was exempt from achieving their goal or from transforming a simply hobby into a career as long as he or she is steadfast in their mission and is fortunate enough to have the support of their countrymen, as I did from Kuwait. As Kuwait’s world titleholder, I’m proud and honored to won the ‘sword of honor’ as the best performing global player in international championships and won more than 8 world cups as best player in the world. I’m proud to won total of 395 gold, silver and bronze medals over the years, and won more than 15 sword including Royal sword honors. I would like others to know that this is all due to my resolution to always aim higher and tenaciousness to strive for what I want. Have hope, go out there and make yourself and Kuwait proud. You’re World Champion and Kuwait’s most celebrated athlete. You’ve been associated with Burgan Bank for four years now. Describe your experience to us. Burgan Bank’s continued support and conviction in my abilities

has been the source of motivation. This has driven me to excel in performance and keep persisting in winning further recognition. The bank has helped me to cover the costs of the game with tools, equipment and special trainers, which served me well in preparing and qualifying for the tournaments. I am proud to associate my name and success with Burgan Bank, one of the largest social contributors to the betterment of the community and its youth. Today your name graces the books of academic curriculums. How were you chosen? I am honored and proud to be part of this initiative, and I’m thankful for Ministry of Education for including my story as part of the seventh grade curriculum. I look forward to it inspiring future generations as they hear of my victorious journey. It also brings me great pleasure when the schools invite me to narrate my accomplishments in life to help motivate students and be a fulfilling part of their stories as well. Tell us about your future plans. I dream of someday establishing an academy named “Tareq Al-Qallaf International Fencing Academy” to teach my favorite sport which has earned its prominence and credibility over the decades. What was first considered a military training grew into a modern combative sport that could be practiced by all. A noble tradition that still maintains its distinction, fencing

SPORT

originated as swordsmanship for duels and self-defense. Fencing integrates key characteristics that make it an exciting yet challenging sport – a combination of flexibility, patience, strength, coordination, balance, and timing. It demands competitive physical and mental agility for instance, foil fencing, touches are scored with the tip of the blade. Additionally, the sport teaches one good sportsmanship and respect for your opponent. Both genders of all age groups from different segments can enjoy the sport. With the collaboration of ZLCOF ZFA Academy in the United States of America where they exchange relevant experiences and training workshops, I would equip players for the tournaments through training camps here in Kuwait. The Academy is amply equipped with training classes, certified trainers, appropriate equipment and protective clothing. I look forward to making another dream possible to give back to the community that adopted and nurtured my talent, through the continued support of Burgan Bank, my greatest benefactor. Describe one of the funniest moments encountered during your international tournaments. One of the funniest and most memorable incidents I have had was with one of the world’s most renowned special needs player, the Italian sportsman André Pellegrini whose leg was

amputated. I managed to play a prank on him by stealing his artificial leg during one of the training sessions. When I ran into the stadium, he ran after me yelling out my name in front of the audience! The spectators saw this and broke out into laughter and applauded as well! What is your daily training routine? When I am stationed in Kuwait, I ensure to train five times a week in order to maintain my physical composure, fitness and stamina while adhering to a strict customized diet followed by adequate sleep. Other days, I train twice a day in the morning and evening and never carry heavy items to keep fit. Keeping safe my hands at all time, I am disciplined and train extensively before and during the tournament phase. A specialized medical team is always readily available to aid me during my exercise sessions to avoid injury and to relax when needed.

“Burgan Bank’s continued support and conviction in my abilities has been the source of motivation. I am proud to associate my name and success with Burgan Bank, one of the largest social contributors to the betterment of the community and its youth” Tareq Al-Qallaf

What is the core message you want our readers to know and remember? Never give up! Go aggressively in the direction of your dreams and keep your eye on the goal. Become the epitome of determination and commitment. Build yourself up like I did and serve as an example to those in search of role models. I immensely thank Burgan Bank for always being by my side and sharing in my success story. God willing, we will continue to progress and make headlines around the world together.

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First-Class all the way

Flying has never been a better experience - as long as you’re in First Class

ne has little option but to cast a tearful eye around the world’s everbusier executive lounges, only to lament the lengthening lines queueing for priority boarding, and to conclude that, today, every air traveller claims VIP status. It’s good to know that there’s one final bastion that offers respite from the hoi polloi - First Class. Discover the secrets of ultimate comfort in the skies

Even though airlines have reduced the number of first-class seats in favor of a larger business class in recent years, they’re tailoring an even more exclusive experience for the privileged few who are still willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars for a ticket. The question is, who’s the best of the best? If you’re going to stump up a five-figure sum for two-legs of intercontinental flight, where’s your money best spent? Food for thought, and thoughts of food Singapore Airline’s first class, created by BMW’s Designworks, was designed as a cocooned haven with exclusive sensory experiences, from the luxurious texture of a diamond-quilted leather armchair to the soft, warm glow of cove lighting that spotlights unexpected storage spaces. Singapore Airlines’ partnership with such Michelin-starred chefs as Alfred Portale of New York’s Gotham Bar and Grill ensures the satisfaction of refined palates onboard. Sky-high luxury Emirates first-class suites offer each traveler the comfort of their own home with the luxury of a five-star hotel, boasting a leatherseat-turned-bed in each private room. Take advantage of the onboard lounge for a beverage with your fellow passengers. Not feeling social? Indulge in the opulent pop-up refreshment consol in your suite or summon your private butler and enjoy a drink in

peace. The height of decadence comes in the airline’s onboard shower spa with luxe Bvlgari products. On Her Majesty’s Service British Airways’ reimagined first class on the Boeing 787–9 carries a very British air of distinction. Swathed in handstitched leather and chrome finishes, the new design focuses on additional storage: An ottoman doubles as a case for shoes or handbags; a wardrobe and mirrored cabinet are accessible within arm’s reach; and a compartment for plugs and tablets is discreetly tucked beside an armrest. Dual-screen viewing is possible through a smartphone-like handset and a 23-inch flat screen. The esteemed ambience wouldn’t be complete without a traditional afternoon tea with smoked salmon and rocket lettuce sandwiches and house-made scones and clotted cream. Tally-ho. Dine à deux dans la boudoir Air France’s La Première cabin embodies the sophistication you’d expect from the airline’s home country. The boudoir-esque suite, which can be closed off by sound-absorbing curtains, is clad in leather and suede and accessorized by a sea-horse print lamp and a slate-gray ottoman. You can dine à deux on Atlantic lobster in a curried coconut sauce by Daniel Boulud, and come turn-down, the ergonomically designed, tweed-covered seat transforms into a memory-foam cushion bed topped with a Sofitel My Bed duvet and fluffy down pillows.

FLY

Around the world, airlines are shrinking or phasing out firstclass cabins entirely. Instead, they are investing heavily in pleasing a larger group of well-heeled travelers than the rare few who would shell out more than $25,000 for over-the-top luxury. Get on-board while you can. Profitable fact: only 5.3 percent of travellers in the first seven months of 2017 flew in a premium-class cabin, which includes business class, but their contribution of airline revenue was 26 percent in that period.

Global Firsts clockwise, from top left: Singapore Airlines, Emirates, British Airways, Air France

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Hady Sy

Nothing and everything

ultimedia artist Hady Sy explores the role of money in society and politics through his latest solo exhibition, Sifr. The artist uses two universal objects – the number Zero and the US dollar bill, juxtaposed against each other as ‘Zero Dollar’, to bring out the idea that money in itself means nothing if not for the value assigned to it by society, writes Zahra Husain. Hady Sy opened his show ‘SIFR’ at Kuwait’s Dar al Funoon gallery on 12th March 2018

“Everything we do everyday is driven by money. From day jobs to financial scams, from waging wars to rebuilding communities everything is in one way or another linked to money and what it can do for us. For some it can buy security, for others it means access to luxury. The value we assign to these pieces of paper and what we buy with it, is perhaps what decides our place in society,” said Hady Sy while talking about the inspiration behind Sifr. The Zero Dollar poses as the central character in all of the artworks, exploring various themes like language, history, equality, immigration and empowerment. Tapping into our collective reservoir of images, popular songs, and expressions, and shifting from somber to humorous, profound to light-hearted, Hady constructs powerfully evocative works that conjure up the role of money in our lives. Sifr is as much a historical journey as it is a discussion of world events unfolding around us today. It starts with discussing Mohammed Ibn-Musa Al-Khwarizmi’s contributions to Algebra, and arrives to the conclusion that this game of numbers would mean nothing were it not for the quintessential ZERO. Hady presents the viewer with thought provoking images of how ZERO like money, amounts to both nothing and everything. That both these concepts depend heavily on our interpretation of their value.

“I use my art to incite conversations that I think people need to have. It provokes the viewer to think about the value system that a divided and capitalistic world has thrust upon us in the name progress, when what we really need is love, kindness and humanity to move forward. I hope the viewers / collectors see a reflection of themselves in these images,” said Hady when asked what he expects to gain out of Sifr. As an artist Hady Sy is extremely structured and his work thoroughly researched. Inspired by mundane things that people sometimes don’t pay too much attention to - like a dollar bill, or the colour of blood or even the composition of a human body under x-ray, Hady likes to use his art to shine a different light on these things. His artwork reflects his viewer as much as it reflects his own thoughts and ideas. As a single dollar bill, or in stacks, stashed in pockets, suitcases, pillows, and bags, as shadowy presence in our craniums, or growing on trees, the Zero Dollar show builds a thematic on the pernicious role of money in our personal, social and political lives, and our value systems today. Sifr is a dark and ominous representation of our times, a reflection of the human soul, our trial and tribulations, our collective human experience.

CULTURE

In the world today, we use paper money without much thinking. A symbol of an unsubstantial entity, we tend to confuse paper money with real value. We believe it carries intrinsic value, although most of us would be hard pressed to define what that value is. Hady Sy’s Zero dollar confronts us with a conundrum. The American dollar bill, the familiar and ubiquitous world currency, displays a Zero, a symbol of nothingness, the absence of value. A brilliant conceit, real in its materiality and reproducibility, it is a symbol without a referent, valueless, and unsettling. The Artist’s devalued dollar stands for a world gone awry, a world that has lost its moral compass, where money trumps all human values. Tapping into our collective reservoir of images, popular songs, and expressions, and shifting from somber to humorous, profound to light-hearted, he constructs powerfully evocative works that conjure up the role money

in our lives. As a single dollar bill, or in stacks, stashed in pockets, suitcases, pillows, and bags, as shadowy presence in our craniums, or growing on trees, the Zero dollar show, wistfully and with humor, builds a thematic on the pernicious role of money in our personal, social and political lives, and our value systems today. Corruption. Venality. Greed. Selfishness. Cruelty. Violence. Poverty. Wars. It is an unhinged, dystopian world, where a man stands upside down, his head buried in a pile of dollar bills; the scales of Justice tip under the weight of money; people die in their pursuit of happiness; medicine is a commodity; and wars and destruction are perpetuated with profits in mind. In a world saturated with images, Hady Sy’s Zero dollar endures in our imagination, less for its shock value, then for the ominous shifts and uncertainties it elicits. Zero dollar is a fitting symbol of the time.

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Art Dubai

Celebrating global diversity

eld under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the 12th edition of Art Dubai – the fair’s most globally diverse to date – opened its doors on 21 March. Art Dubai 2018 welcomed a variety of exhibitors from all over the world and premier a new gallery section, alongside a wealth of programming and talks around art and beyond. Reaffirming its position as a leading international art fair and the preeminent place to discover art from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, Art Dubai 2018 featured 105 galleries from 48 countries across its Contemporary and Modern halls as well as its new section Residents. Highlights of this year’s programming included the unveiling of Lawrence Abu Hamdan’s winning commission for the 10th edition of the Abraaj Group Art Prize and Khaleeji artist collective GCC

CULTURE

turning Art Dubai’s The Room into a TV studio in GOOD MORNING GCC. As part of Art Dubai’s new partnership with the Misk Art Institute, the fair presented a museumquality exhibition entitled, That Feverish Leap into the Fierceness of Life, featuring rarely-seen Modern works from across the region as well as Reframe Saudi, a Virtual Reality documentary film that explores Saudi Arabia by looking inside the studios of Contemporary artists based in the Kingdom. Alongside gallery halls and exhibitions, Art Dubai featured a comprehensive talks programme: the 12th edition of the Global Art Forum entitled “I AM NOT A ROBOT” that explored the highly topical theme of automation; as well as the second edition of Art Dubai’s Modern Symposium, which addressed the lives and cultural impact of 20th century masters from the Middle East, South Asia and Africa. The Sheikha Manal Little Artists Program returned for its 6th edition, featuring Japanese-Australian Artist Hiromi Tango as the lead-artist, who worked with children throughout the week as part of her project Healing Garden. “Once more, Art Dubai reaffirmed its position as the platform representing the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, where initiatives are formed or announced, artists’ careers launched onto the international stage and where new partnerships and discoveries are made.” said Myrna Ayad, Director, Art Dubai. Pablo del Val, Artistic Director, Art Dubai, commented: “With each edition, we work towards stronger, more defined curatorial narratives that this year, are combined with the cultural offerings of 48 countries. It’s been extremely rewarding to launch Residents and see it culminate at the fair; this initiative is in line with our objective to both engage communities and attract new energies to the fair and city.”

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Think you know Cyprus? Think again. European Union money is today matched by an influx of Russian and Middle East investments in real estate and financial enterprises. With a pretty good idea of how to live the highlife, Limassol is leading the way with impressive public and private developments, providing the impetus to new businesses and giving a boost to all-round quality of life in the city.

Island Life

Make your next getaway an island (re)treat

here is something intangibly different about the experience of spending time on an island. There’s a different vibe, one that is never replicated on the mainland. Somehow, on an island, time moves differently. There’s more of an appetite to savour life’s smallest pleasures. And, on an island, you’ll notice a little luxury goes a long, long way. We hopped across to Cyprus, often overlooked and underrated, and stopped off in the city of Limassol.

Limassol is Europe’s southern-most city. With a history so rich and varied, you could do your research and visit all the places every tourist has on his or her list - but you’d be missing the essence of Limassol. In reality, it’s a city of its people and, above all, it’s a city of today. Blessed with natural beauty in abundance, and with urban and rural infrastructure their Greek cousins can only dream about, put yourself in the hands of the Cypriots and let them show you a good time. Hotels? Actually, you can go badly wrong here, so best to take our advice and head for the Amathus Beach Hotel or its partner the Four Seasons. Fancy something different? The Library. Dining out - a new marina development has attracted a coterie of fine eateries - Epsilon doesn’t disappoint. Seek out Dionysus Mansion in the city’s lanes for something deliciously Greek. Coffee is a great yardstick for the sophistication of a city - and Limassol hosts a vibrant scene. One of the newest, and one of the very best, is super-slick Coffee Capital. Drop in on the quirky Uluwatu while you’re in the neighbourhood.

CONCIERGE

Guided by Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group’s oriental heritage and influenced by local cultural diversity, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London’s newly renovated spa, wellness and beauty areas will provide a haven of tranquillity within the heart of Knightsbridge, promoting an aura of relaxation, mindfulness and life balance, whilst providing busy guests with specialist, comprehensive and results driven treatments and fitness advice.

Two original floral wall features symbolise both rebirth and the flow of energy, while the colour palette reflects those found in nature and natural materials, such as solid woods and precious metals. In keeping with the fresh, new look, guests will be able to benefit from several exclusive partnerships with some of the most sought-after health and wellness experts. Included as part of the spa’s 14 treatment rooms, is a new spacious Oriental Suite with two massage beds and a Rasul water temple that combines the health enhancing properties of heat, steam and mud for a totally relaxing and skin conditioning treatment. The extensive spa menu will represent a tailor-made combination of Mandarin Oriental’s own signature therapies, together with treatments and journeys for the face and body using Mandarin Oriental’s bespoke signature oils, Aromatherapy Associates, Sodashi and Linda Meredith products. Guests will also be able to discover the powerful and effective Nescens cosmeceutical and anti-ageing face and body treatments for both men and women. In addition to the spa treatment rooms, there will be a room for traditional ASANTE Chinese Medicine consultations and treatments; a Bastien Gonzalez Pedi:Mani:Cure Studio and two additional beauty rooms providing a series of results-driven express treatments, for those who are short of time, including a soothing hair therapy treatment by Philip Kingsley. Guests will be encouraged to arrive 45 minutes before their appointment time to take time to relax and enjoy the extensive spa facilities, which include the Amethyst Crystal Steam Room, Sanarium, Vitality Pool and the Zen Colour Therapy Relaxation Area. The comprehensive Fitness Centre will continue to provide guests and members with some of the best high-tech workout equipment by Technogym® and a 17-metre stainless steel, heated pool. Additionally, award-winning trainer and founder of London’s successful PilatesPT studio, Hollie Grant, has set up residence at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London, and is offering guests a menu of holistic and bespoke programmes at the hotel’s new PilatesPT studio.

MO’s Hyde Park Spa

Harmonizing Chinese philospohy

he redesign of the next-generation of The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, London has been overseen by renowned international designer, Adam D. Tihany, and will introduce impressive new features and fresh, elegant interiors. The spa redesign takes inspiration from traditional Chinese fashion and symbolism, providing a contemporary environment that reflects the attention to detail and harmony of elements found in Chinese philosophy.

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MO’s New York Spa

Welcoming spring the Mandarin Oriental way

ith spring in the air, visitors and locals alike are invited to experience a series of renewing facials and wellness programs recently introduced at the Five-Star Spa at Mandarin Oriental, New York. Guests can discover a range of new programs and partnerships with well-known product lines including Brooklyn-based emerginC and renowned natural skin care brand, Shankara, as well as a variety of wellness programs from Reiki to Meditation.

A stunning fusion of modern design with stylish Oriental flair,

Mandarin Oriental, New York features 244 elegant guestrooms and suites — all with breathtaking views of Manhattan. Luxurious

amenities include Asiate, the hotel’s elegant restaurant; The Aviary NYC, an innovative restaurant-for-drinks, and speakeasy concept, The Office NYC from Chef Grant Achatz of The Alinea Group; a 14,500 square-foot Five-Star Mandarin Oriental Spa; and a state-of-the-art fitness center with a 75-foot lap pool.

In addition, there is premium meeting and event space, including a 6,000 square-foot pillar-less ballroom with three walls of windows overlooking Central Park. Located in Columbus

Circle’s Time Warner Center, Mandarin Oriental, New York is in an idyllic location.

CONCIERGE

Eat with Six Senses

at Zighy Bay

Six Senses Zighy Bay implements a farm-to-table approach to food preparation, focusing on balanced meals made with

whole, fresh elements. The resortâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gardener and chefs work together to create hearty and healthier menus full of flavour,

while unapologetically avoiding the bad stuff such as flavour enhancers, lectins, lactose, gluten and sugar. Instead, chefs

select ingredients and preparation methods that promote a healthy gut flora to offer better digestion and absorption of nutrients while boosting the immune system.

Six Senses Zighy Bay implements a farm-to-table approach to food preparation, focusing on balanced meals made with

whole, fresh elements. Eat With Six Senses has a positive effect on guests, hosts and the environment.

pioneer in holistic wellness, sustainability and ecotourism, Six Senses Zighy Bay invites guests to indulge in tasty food without derailing their health goals with their new Eat With Six Senses philosophy introduced across all food and beverage outlets. Thanks to a nearby farm and an onsite garden supplying the resort with organic and fresh produce, guests are guaranteed to have halal and nutritious meals throughout their stay.

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Why keto is the new paleo The paleo diet was popular because it had a powerful narrative. It was the standard “eat real food and less junk food” health message, just gift wrapped by strong cavemen. The keto diet builds on that narrative but includes additional and seductive promises.

The ketogenic diet (keto diet for short) is a very low-carb,

high-fat eating pattern. The aim is to replace the vast majority of carbs in your diet with fat, which puts your body into a

metabolic state called ketosis. When this happens, your body becomes more efficient at burning fat for energy. Your liver also produces ketones, which can supply the brain with energy.

The standard ketogenic diet typically contains 75% of calories from fat, 20% from protein and only 5% from carbs.

This means the average man – requiring 2000 calories per

day – must eat fewer than 25 grams of carbs each day, every day. So eating a sandwich or one boiled potato will max out your daily carbohydrate allowance. Exceeding that will likely put you out of ketosis. Note that protein intake must also be

limited to around 100 grams per day, as a higher intake will also affect ketosis. It’s a high fat diet, not high protein.

The Ketogenic Diet - 101

Cheese your way to weight loss

etogenics is currently the most talked about diet in the nutrition world. In essence it’s a low-carb diet that focuses on eating moderate amounts of protein but humongous amounts of fat - particularly favouring avocados and cheese. The theory is that by eliminating carbohydrates, your body will instead burn stored fat through a process known as ketosis; ergo, the kilos drop off.

WELLNESS

So what are the warning signs of prostate cancer? Unfortunately, there usually aren’t any early warning signs for prostate cancer. The growing tumor does not push against anything to cause pain, so for many years the disease may be silent. That’s why screening for prostate cancer is such an important topic for all men and their families. In rare cases, prostate cancer can cause symptoms so you need to be aware of what they are:

Prostate awareness isn’t only for September. It’s something us guys have to be aware of every day. Improve your knowledge, and stay safe.

- A need to urinate frequently, especially at night, sometimes urgently - Difficulty starting or holding back urination - Weak, dribbling, or interrupted flow of urine - Painful or burning urination - Difficulty in having an erection - A decrease in the amount of fluid ejaculated - Painful ejaculation - Blood in the urine or semen - Pressure or pain in the rectum - Pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, pelvis, or thighs Remember: urinary symptoms don’t necessarily mean you have cancer. Prostatitis or BPH (Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy, also known as enlargement of the prostate) are benign diseases but can cause similar symptoms and are very common. What about difficulty in having an erection? Again, this is most likely not caused by cancer but by other factors such as diabetes, smoking, cardiovascular disease, or just plain getting older. That said: Symptoms are symptoms, and no matter what’s most likely to be causing them, you should get them checked out by a doctor. The ultimate goal is to prevent men from developing prostate cancer. Although significant progress has been made and genetic and environmental risk factors for prostate cancer have been identified, the evidence is not strong enough for conclusive recommendations on prostate cancer prevention.

Prostate Cancer - let’s face it

Signs and symptoms

he more you know about the prostate and the normal development and function of the prostate, where it’s located, and what it’s attached to, the better you can understand how prostate cancer develops and impacts a man’s life over time - due either to cancer growth or as a result of treatments.

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Trending on passionsarabia.com

What’s trending at the home of Men’s Passion online

look at the hottest stories from the past month on Men’s Passion’s online home at passionsarabia.com. Follow us on Instagram @passions.arabia for a regular dose of the styles, the trends, the brands, the maisons and the marques... with stories of the passionate people who are maikng it happen. Tamara Qaddoumi Forward-thinking artists, such as Tamara, through their creative process and stories, illuminate our sense of the world, and of ourselves, instilling within us ideas, thoughts and perhaps persuasion to walk on a new path and venture into something dramatic.

passionsarabia.com/tamara-qaddoumi

Panerai’s new Luminor Due 38mm Panerai presented their new Luminor Due 3 Days Automatic models at this year’s SIHH, with the stainless steel or red gold case, in sizes of 42 mm and – for the first time – only 38 mm in diameter. These dimensions and characteristics make these watches extremely versatile, as does the new range of colours for the dials and straps of each new model. They’re worth closer inspection. passionsarabia.com/panerai-luminor-due-38mm

Kuwait Yacht Show 2018 – Almanei Power Boats Abdullah Al Manei is about to change the way marine enthusiast in Kuwait look at sports catamarans. The man behind Almanei Boats and Marine Equipments, Abdullah is all set to debut his unique, top-of-the-line catamarans at this year’s Kuwait Yacht Show.

passionsarabia.com/kuwait-yacht-show-2018-almanei-power-boats

PASSIONS ARABIA

Hugo Boss Spring / Summer 2018 Leading on from the ease first introduced at New York Fashion Week, BOSS heads to the coast for a mellow day under the light of the sun for Spring/Summer 2018. passionsarabia.com/hugo-boss-ss2018

Ivy Babies’ Hajjer Al Huwaishel “Ivy Babies is an online baby boutique that provides different products from different vendors. The vendors that we search for and select are up and coming brands from different parts of the world that each offer its uniqueness. The one thing that our vendors do have in common is that they provide high quality material that is non-toxic and environmentally friendly”. passionsarabia.com/ivy-babies-hajjer-al-huwaishel

Trailblazing across Fujairah Invited, as a guest of the Porsche Centre Kuwait, to put the new Cayenne to the test on the rugged trails of Fujairah, Men’s Passion’s Zeina Mokaddam jumped at the chance. Sporty and precise with a clear design – new and yet familiar, the appearance of the Cayenne has been enhanced in the style that runs through the Porsche Design DNA. The enlarged air intakes at the front are clear indicators of the increased performance. passionsarabia.com/porsche-cayenne-g3

Mandarin Oriental’s Barca-lux Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has announced an agreement to brand and manage 34 luxurious Residences by Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona housed in a 20- storey tower, with a prime location at the intersection of Passeig de Gràcia and Avinguda Diagonal. The Residences are scheduled for completion in 2020. passionsarabia.com/mo-barca-lux

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Korloff x Bibi Exclusive Collection at 360 Mall

Korloff collaborates with Bibi Alabdulmohsen, one of the top social media influencers in the Middle East and North Africa region. The sublime woman has created an exclusive capsule collection for the French jewelry house. Starting from a common desire to propose feminine and sparkling jewels, Korloff and Bibi demonstrate that modernity is synonymous with timelessness. This chic and casual collection, launched at Korloff Boutique, 360 MALL in the presence of Abdul Mohsen Behbehani, Director of Behbehani Group, and Bibi Alabdulmohsen, the known social media influencer. The iconic Saint-Pétersbourg bracelet has been subtly reinvented by Bibi. A delicate pink gold chain magnifies the medallion adorned with fine stones like malachite, cogolan, tiger eye and lacquer, associated with a heart of diamonds, allow light to perfect every detail and to highlight the chiseling design of the profile. Bibi has perfectly carried the role of jewelry designer and has known to transpose the Korloff spirit, “I always liked the refinement of Korloff jewels as well as the modern vision of the brand to combine colors and materials. This collaboration came very naturally to me. It was very interesting to work with Korloff, exploring our creative ideas.” Abdul Mohsen Behbehani added “The collaboration between Korloff & Bibi is quite the capsule collection catering to the Kuwaiti market since Bibi puts her local touch to the collection bringing a touch of shine colors and lightness.”

EVENTS

Marli New York Now in Kuwait in partnership with ali Alghanim & Sons

Kuwait’s Ali Alghanim & Sons annouced their partnership with Marli New York at the beginning of March. Marli is the fine jewelry brand from New York. Created by Maral Artinian and founded on the principles of timeless presence and individuality, Marli has a minimal, magnetic aesthetic that draws inspiration from the world’s most dynamic city and the amazing women who live it. Hand crafted in 18K gold with brilliant-cut diamonds and touches of vivid color from an array of exquisite gemstones,

Marli pieces stand apart for their fluid lines, perfect material vocabulary and flawless reflective qualities. Architectural, contemporary and refined, Marli appeals to a new generation of woman who go beyond the obvious cues of status. Maral’s vision is to create bold, emotive pieces that assert an unmistakable presence yet are effortless to wear, day and night. From the avenues of New York to the women of the world and now Kuwait - Marli enhances the unique allure of those who choose it.

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Celebrating Bloomie’s First Birthday! Bloomingdale’s marks one year in Kuwait

America’s favourite department store opened in Kuwait one year ago, so we joined our friends at Bloomingdale’s Kuwait, along with invited guests and passing shoppers, to celebrate. An evening of elevated entertainment ensued as guests mingled and entertainers entertained. Every moment a remnider of just how much #BloomiesLovesKuwait.

EVENTS

IWC introduces Ingenieur Chronograph Edition Kuwait City New limited edition honours Kuwait

Swiss luxury watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen and its retail partner in Kuwait, Morad Yousuf Behbehani Group, marked the exciting introduction of the exclusive Ingenieur Chronograph Edition Kuwait City with a cocktail reception. The launch follows the success of the Portugieser Automatic Edition Kuwait and commemorates the longstanding partnership between IWC and the Behbehani Group, as well as the vibrant country’s passion for racing. Held at the IWC boutique at 360 Mall, the event was attended by a selection of guests who learned more about the limited-edition timepiece. “It gives us great pride to launch this limited-edition Ingenieur

timepiece in Kuwait with our partner the Morad Yousuf Behbehani Group. This is our way of paying tribute to the effervescent country of Kuwait and its passionate watch aficionados who have been collecting IWC timepieces over the years. We intend to keep strengthening the relationship we have forged”, explains Luc Rochereau, Brand Director for IWC Schaffhausen. “We are delighted to launch the second IWC limited edition for Kuwait and thrilled with the new timepiece, especially as it reflects the golden age of classic motorsport”, added Abdul Mohsen Ali Behbehani, director of the Behbehani Group.

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Exclusive Harvey Nichols Kaftan Collection Unveiled at Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait

In late March, and at the Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait at Burj Alshaya, Harvey Nichols Kuwait hosted a preview of their exclusive Kaftan collection by renowned regional Kaftan designers including After Twelve, AKS The Label, Bambah, Bthaina, By Nouma, Double De, Elegant by Laila, Eman AlAhmed, Gold Dust, Lilly Kaftans, Loodyana, Maison Chic, Marina Quereshi, Misha Design, Mona Co., Montaha Couture and Ssquared.

EVENTS

Panerai Watchmaking Class Dipping a toe into the world of horlogerie

It takes years, some would says generations, to train a watchmaker. As the guest of Behbehani Luxury and Officine Panerai, our Zeina Mokaddam dipped her toe into the world of fine watchmaking during a special workshop held at Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait. Overseen by Milvin George - Managing Director, Middle East, Turkey and India, for Officine Panerai - and guided by master craftsmen from Paneraiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Swiss-based manufactory, it was a lesson in details and the heights of precision involved in creating a Panerai watch. With a rich heritage - in 1850, Giovanni Panerai became the first Florentine watchmaker. Fifty years later, he was designated supplier of optical instruments for the Italian Ministry of Defence. The watchmaker was able to capitalise on his military-aquatic past creating masculine models with an identifiable design. His Luminor and Radiomir collections are enduringly popular with diving enthusiasts and numerous collectors - who better to learn to appreciate the importance of focusing on the finest details than our friends at Panerai?

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Hady Sy’s SIFR At Kuwait’s Dar al Funoon

Under the patronage of Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK), Dar al

Poverty. Wars. In a world saturated with images, Hady Sy’s

Funoon hosted SIFR by Hady Sy.

Zero dollar endures in our imagination, less for its shock value,

Corruption. Venality. Greed. Selfishness. Cruelty. Violence.

then for the ominous shifts and uncertainties it elicits. Zero dollar is a fitting symbol of the time.

EVENTS

Al Sayer & Toyota Unveil 2018 Yaris And it’s packed with style

Setting new standards for the compact sedan segment, Toyota has launched the new exciting and stylish Yaris with Mohamed Naser Al Sayer & Sons. Featuring advanced and emotional design and offering superior comfort along with uncompromising blend of quality and durability, the new Yaris delivers a true Toyota experience to reinforce the car’s position in the region’s automotive market. The new Yaris, with its stylish and bold look, sets new benchmarks for compact sedans.

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IAA honors Managers of Advertising Departments Dinner banquet at Symphony Style Hotel

The International Advertising Association (IAA) recently honored the managers of advertising departments of daily newspapers, weeklies and monthly magazines in appreciation of their efforts and continued cooperation and support for the activities of the International Advertising Association and outstanding success gained by the IAA during 2017. The participants in the ceremony were welcomed by the president and board members of IAA. The dinner banquet was held at the Symphony Style Hotel. Then president of the IAA, Kuwait Branch, Walid Kanafani spoke on behalf of the association. In his speech he paid tribute for the continuous support and cooperation believing in the goals of the association as well as its role to enhance relations among the dailies, magazines and the advertisement agencies. At the end of the ceremony all participants were given mementoes and wished success for such future occasions. During the evening, Managing Director of PH7 Group and Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Passion magazine, Zeina Mokaddam, was presented with an award by the board of the IAA.

EVENTS

Salt’s new menu announced Jumeirah Beach Resort and Spa presents new menu

The Jumeirah Beach Resort and Spa, Kuwait’s most luxurious hotel, presented its new seasons menu at restaurant Salt. Renowned as one of the nation’s finest seafood restaurants, the chef and management once again stepped up a level with the presentation of their new menu.

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Listings

Our essential guide. What not to miss in April Ahlam What: Music concert Where: JACC, Kuwait When: 6 April 2018 Ahlam has a strong presence; a unique personality, with a passion for her work and remains inspired by her audience. Being the highest-selling artist in the Middle East, Ahlam was deemed the Star of the Arabs by Mohammed Abdo, and Alexandria Arabic Song Festival. Ahlam meets her fans in Kuwait to present her latest songs at Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre. jacc-kw.com

Top Pick

Dar al Athar al Islamiyyah What: Cultural season Where: Various venues across Kuwait When: thru’ May 2018 Now well in to its 23rd annual cultural season, DAI has always presented a veritable selection of activities to inspire individuals from all walks of life and every interest imaginable, these activities include: lectures, concerts, educational opportunities, workshops, cultural excursions, film screenings, theatrical productions, and special events. darmuseum.org.kw

Romeo & Juliet What: Ballet Where: Dubai Opera House, Dubai When: Opens 19 - 21 April 2018 Be enthralled by The Moscow City Ballet’s performance of Romeo and Juliet. Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet is the perfect marriage of a powerful dramatic musical score with a passionate love story. All the hustle and bustle of Renaissance Verona is brought vividly to life in this fast-moving, powerful production all enhanced by the dynamic vitality of a live orchestra. dubaiopera.com

Middle East Film and Comic Con What: Geek’s paradise Where: Dubai World Trade Center When: 5 - 7 April 2018 MEFCC is a fun-packed thrill-ride of regional and international entertainment and geek culture, and this year we bring you stars from Stranger Things, Infinity War, Thor: Ragnarok, Doctor Who, Power Rangers, Star Trek, Dredd as well as artists behind such incredible titles as Wonder Woman, Wolverine, Suicide Squad, Street Fighter, Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk! mefcc.com

Bahrain Grand Prix What: Formula One race Where: Sakhir, Bahrain When: 8 April 2018 The second race of a marathon 21-race 2018 series sees the F1 circus rock up at Bahrain’s Sakhir circuit. New rules, driver changes, and McLaren’s new engine deal could open this up as the most entertaining season of recent years. Formula 1’s favourite night race is back and Bahrain International Circuit is ready to host another brilliant spectacle under the desert stars. The ‘Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’ will be front and centre once again on the international stage. Don’t bet against a win for Hamilton though, and a fifth championship in 2018. bahraingp.com

HUGO BOSS AG Phone +49 7123 940 hugoboss.com The Art of Tailoring Kuwait Boss Store 360 Mall T: 22288030 Kuwait Boss Store Prestige The Avenues T: 22288020 Kuwait Boss Store Mariam Complex Salmiya T: 22288021 Kuwait Boss Sportswear Store 2nd Avenue The Avenues T: 22288010 Kuwait Boss Sportswear Store Marina Mall Salmiya T: 22288023