Best of the Best Prestige 2010 by Neo Africa Publishing

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• Louis Vuitton • Supersonic Jets • South African Art • Dom Pérignon • Cape to Rio • Collectors’ Wines • Private Island Investments • Montegrappa • Seychelles • Blancpain • Princess Yachts • Patek Philippe • Travel Africa • Dalmore Whisky w w w. p r e s t i g e m a g . c o . z a 1

ISSUE NO. 44

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South Africa’s Premier Luxury Lifestyle Magazine

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PARAGONS OF LUXURY Battle for all Time – Patek Philippe

Setting High Standards in Luxury – Louis Vuitton

Creativity, Passion, Craftsmanship – Montegrappa

COLLECTIBLES & RARITIES The Skeleton – See-Through Safe from Döttling

Investing in Wine – Better than Gold

Art on a Bottle – Dom Pérignon & Andy Warhol

Fine, Fine Whisky – The Dalmore

Hidden Treasures, Ancient Secrets – Persian Carpets

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MOTORING & AVIATION

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Classic Cars – Made to Last

All New – The McLaren MP4-12C

The Big Boom – Supersonic Jets

Preaching to the Converted – Great Drop Tops

Dassault Falcon – It’s What’s Inside that Counts

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BOATING & YACHTING SuperYacht Lady Christine – A Royal Touch

Going Large – Princess Yachts

Heineken Cape to Rio – 2011 Race

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Living on a Wave – Best Boat Charters

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TRAVEL & ADVENTURE Five-Star Retreat – Platinum-Rated Bush Lodges

For the Whole Family – Constance Ephelia Seychelles

Alone Time – Private Cruise to Robben Island

Travel Africa – And Don’t Miss This

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Haute Horlogerie & Audio-visual

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ID Bracelets – Variety Rules in the World of Watches

Blancpain – World’s Best Watch Brand

French Revolution – New Era in Gallic Hi-Fi Equipment

Haute Fidelity – A Hi-Fi System that Dazzles

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62 LUXURY LIVING & LIFESTYLE A Star on the Rise – Creation Wines

Sabrage – Fit for Dashing Frenchman and You

South African Art – The Allure

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The Great Classics – Inspired Education with Dr Demartini 106 A Good Walk Perfected – SA’s Best Golf Courses

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A Thousand Years in Every Sip – Malus

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Supporting the Growth of Luxury Brands – SALA

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BUSINESS & PROPERTY Brands and Heritage – The New Buzzword

Treasured Islands – Buying the Robinson Crusoe Dream

A Home in Cyprus – The Perfect Getaway

This Time It’s Different – Investment Outlook for 2011

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Regulars

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Letter from the Chairman

Letter from the Editor

Live the Life

Premier Travel Portfolio

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letter from the

chairman

With a magazine of the calibre of Prestige, the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Best of the Bestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; always presents a problem to us. Needing to accommodate a plethora of interests and tastes, we have to strive to maintain a balance that keeps everyone happy. So this edition is dedicated to everything special and in many cases special is not only about price. A wise person once said to me that authenticity and remaining true to one's values are key ingredients in one's recipe for life. This year has been a revelation for many â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one for taking stock, going back to basics and for establishing a purpose. We are hopefully reaching the end of a trying period for the world, where perceived value did not exist and led to the demise of many established corporates, which is why authenticity will play a crucial role in underpinning many business and personal relationships going forward. Amidst the doom and gloom that pervades much of the world, there are some great initiatives emerging, along with the focus on environmental sustainability. We are entering a period of practical resourcefulness, where we look to nature to guide our inventiveness. Over and above that, we find an acceleration of information on both a push and a pull basis, a bombardment that is difficult to handle. The digital age has made a critical and irreversible impact on the

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world. Our hunger for instant gratification has become so voracious that we have come to a turning point: mankind has to survive its own ego in order to sustain itself. In the luxury market, many of whose members are unscathed by world events, there is a different debate around purpose, and in some cases even, forced guilt in being one of a few 'haves' when there are so many 'have-nots' around. So this market has needed to adapt to be more innovative, more socially responsible and present more value for money to sustain itself. So, the odds are that you as a discerning reader are also taking stock of where you are, and yes I applaud that, especially as we are in those same shoes. In our many strategy planning sessions, we spend a fair amount of time understanding our market. We have an everincreasing and loyal reader base that loves Prestige for its content. Through extensive research we have gained some great inputs for the magazine's direction. Finally, I thank you for your support and wish you a safe and joyous festive season.

PRESTIGE i n

letter from

the editor “Dreams are true while they last, and do we not live in dreams?” – Alfred Lord Tennyson

There is much out there in the world that could be called the best of this or the best of that, but it isn’t possible to feature everything here, as our lovely luxury magazine would then be too heavy to handle. However, we have gathered, in gorgeous detail, some of what we’ve deemed to be among the best, and laid it out for you to pore over as you indulge in (responsibly, I’m sure) a little holiday tipple. Patek Philippe stars as one of our ‘paragons of luxury’, joined by the likes of Louis Vuitton and Montegrappa. These three brands have a history that collectively spans several centuries, each of them employing time-honoured techniques of hand craftsmanship and incredible attention to detail in all their creations. They set a very high precedent for luxury contenders to follow. Farhad Vladi enlightened us, in great detail, on the joys of buying a private island of one’s own, while Princess Yachts shared with us a secret, set to launch on the market in late January: their new 32M cruising yacht. We looked back at some of the best classic cars but also penned our thoughts on what we think are some great modern convertibles, too. Our travel journalist racked her brains to compile a piece on Southern Africa’s best, platinum-rated bush lodges, and while doing so divulged the dirt on what she believes are some of the best experiences to be had on this continent, from walks with wild lions in Zimbabwe and treatments at traditional Tunisian thalasso spas, to sunning yourself on a beach that is all your own on the island of Medjumbe. And the ‘Best of the Best’ wouldn’t be complete without news from Döttling. We spoke with Markus Döttling himself about their latest luxury safe. If you’re partial to collecting items of value, there’s South African art, currently fetching record prices on auction; one-of-a-kind watches from various Houses, some pieces dating back to the early 20th century; jewel-encrusted pens endorsed by great authors; whiskies so good they’re only made in seriously limited quantities; and Persian carpets handcrafted in extremely fine detail. We also had some fun, as we’re partial to do at Prestige from time to time, and traipsed our way from green to green in order to recommend the three best courses in South Africa at which you need to tee off, at least once. We looked into the advances being made with supersonic flight, and the good news is that private jets capable of even more incredible speeds than ever before are on the cusp of being commercially available. And what else can you look forward to in the New Year? The arrival of the super-sweet supercar, the McLaren MP4-12C, that’s what. And what a fine feat of form and function it is! This is Prestige’s annual ‘Best of the Best’ edition for you to enjoy, so as always, please do. Toni

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PUBLISHER – Neo Publishing (Pty) Ltd Tel: +27 11 484 2833 Fax: +27 86 699 2266 CHAIRMAN – Vivien Natasen vivien@neoafrica.com EDITOR – Toni Muir toni@prestigemag.co.za TRAVEL & HOSPITALITY EDITORS – Charl du Plessis – charl@prestigemag.co.za Tanya Goodman – tanya@prestigemag.co.za ADMIN & CIRCULATION – Adesh Pritilall adesh@prestigemag.co.za MARKETING & EVENTS – Brandon Mcleod brandon.mcleod@neoafrica.com ADVERTISING Adie Ceruti Tel: +27 83 601 2291 / +27 11 465 1572 adie@prestigemag.co.za Katy Essa Tel: +27 82 633 2962 katy@prestigemag.co.za Rui Barbosa Tel: +27 84 290 2070 rui@prestigemag.co.za DESIGN & LAYOUT VDS Design Studio Liesel van der Schyf Tel: +27 82 336 7537 liesel@vdsdesign.co.za Proof-reading Beth Cooper Howell Print Paarl Web, Gauteng SUBSCRIPTIONS R480 for 12 issues; R840 for 24 issues To subscribe, send us an email with the words SUBSCRIBE PRESTIGE in the subject line, and your name, email address, cell number and delivery address in the body of the email. Send it to mail@prestigemag.co.za. DISTRIBUTION Prestige is available on newsstands and through subscription. Free public space distribution includes charter fleets operating in the Southern African region. Top five-star hotels and all major business class airport lounges nationally receive free monthly copies. Also look for Prestige in upmarket coffee shops, spas and private banking waiting areas. Cover Images Des Ingham-Brown; Graham's Fine Art Gallery; Montegrappa; Bulova; The Dalmore Distillery

All rights reserved. Prestige is published by Neo Publishing. Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher or any of its clients. Information has been included in good faith by the publisher and is believed to be correct at the time of going to print. No responsibility can be accepted for errors and omissions. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information and reports in this magazine, the publisher does not accept any responsibility, whatsoever, for any errors or omissions, or for any effects resulting therefrom. No part of this publication may be used, or reproduced in any form, without the written permission of the publisher. Copyright 2010. All copyright for material appearing in this magazine belongs to Neo Publishing and/or the individual contributors. All rights reserved.

IRELAND/DAVENPORT 65533

JOY MAKES EVERY DAY LESS EVERYDAY. Redefine the realm of possibility in the new BMW X3. It effortlessly transcends form and function, precisely sculpted around a variable and modernly trimmed interior. With BMW EfficientDynamics as standard, its performance is as impressive as its lower emissions. This technology includes, among other innovations, Brake Energy Regeneration and Auto Start/Stop which work together to effortlessly offer best-in-class fuel consumption of just 5.6 litres per 100 km in the xDrive20d Auto. Unrivalled urban elegance and athletic agility fill every second in the new BMW X3 with endless possibilities. For more information go to www.bmw.co.za/X3 The new BMW X3 is available in xDrive20d Auto and xDrive35i Auto.

THE NEW BMW X3.

BMW X3

www.bmw.co.za/X3

Sheer Driving Pleasure

livethelife Carry Cartier The new Feminine Bag from Cartier blends conservative chic with formal appeal, and flamboyant materials with sophisticated style. It expresses a certain French idea of elegance, a city version of a handbag that is at once feminine and precious, mysterious and bold – the ideal accessory. Grey flannel, patent, matt or exotic leather, a version with a cheetah or zebra motif, a bag that features contrasting pairs of materials – these are just some of the finishes on offer. Contact the Cartier boutique on +27 11 666 2800 (Sandton) for more.

Immortalise

Your Loved One

See the Winelands in

Sky-High Style

Visit the Stellenbosch winelands in utter luxury on a scenic helicopter flight to Hartenberg Wine Estate, one of South Africa’s finest wine producers. The 40-minute flight takes off from the V&A Waterfront, passes over the Stellenbosch and Franschhoek winelands, then sets down on the 300-year-old Hartenberg Estate for a VIP tasting and cellar tour, topped off with a homestyle picnic or cellar lunch before returning to base. Tours are available daily on request from R9,720 for a group of up to three people. Contact +27 21 418 4763 or email tracy@heli.co.za to book.

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In the past, newly discovered species were named after royalty, patrons of science, and even the explorers themselves, such as the Queen Victoria crowned pigeon, Rothschild's giraffe and Roosevelt's elk. In a first for South Africa, Strauss & Co will be auctioning the naming rights of a delicate blue iris recently discovered near Saldanha on the West Coast. The money raised during the auction will support the WWF Table Mountain Fund to protect and restore the natural wilderness of Table Mountain and the Cape, one of the most biologically rich yet threatened places on Earth. The online auction will open in December 2010 and close in March 2011, culminating in a private dinner where guests will have the opportunity to beat the highest bid. The highest bidder wins the right to name this beautiful, rare flower. Visit www.straussart.co.za to participate.

Chic New Designs from Avoova

The likes of Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, owner of the world’s largest and most luxurious superyacht, Eclipse, ordered five Avoova tables, all made by hand at the company’s workshops in the Karoo. Why? Because Avoova is fast becoming known and respected as a luxury brand of high quality and unique design, blending African inspirations with European flavour to create a sophisticated and entirely South African look. Some of Avoova’s larger designs include side tables, coffee tables and cow horns, all skilfully wrapped in a mantle of sensual ostrich eggshell, and many resembling works of art. Visit www.avoova.com.

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TIMELESS BARDOT Bentley is Back

Champagne

Giants on Safari

For the person who has everything, give that special someone in your life a gift that lasts the entire year. A subscription to Prestige is a much appreciated gift. Prestige incorporates the latest from the boating and yachting, motoring and aviation playgrounds, as well as luxury travel, style, art, design, South Africa’s Premier Luxury Lifestyle Magazine food, decor, collectibles, jewellery, business and well-being. Working with a finely nuanced definition of luxury, it is a magazine for families with finesse and financial freedom who engage with the world across many dimensions. With each edition, Prestige pursues a mix of luxury elements that include rarity, nostalgia, elegance, understatement, freedom, curiosity, generosity, intelligence, wit, aesthetics, adventure and more. Simply holding and enjoying Prestige should already feel like a luxury in itself. Email ‘subscribe Prestige’ and your name and contact number to mail@prestigemag.co.za for more information. PANTHALASSA

• Collectible Vintage Watches • Luxury Diesels • Moving Sushi Expedition • Wayachts’ Wake 66 • Bob Geldof • Panerai • Robin Hood • Grande Utopia

• Gobi Desert Dinner • New Vehicle Technologies • Nedbank Golf Challenge

ISSUE NO. 43

R39.95

A Gift of Prestige

Metal Mettle from Veronica Anderson Jewellers This new collection marks a milestone for Veronica Anderson Jewellery, which opened the doors to its jewellery ‘gallery’ five years ago. Launched with the specific intention of promoting South African jewellers, the store gives these artists a platform for their oneoff, handmade pieces. This new range of gold and silver jewellery is precious, plucky and spirited, and showcases the work of 15 top goldsmiths. Without the addition of stones or other metals, it is about discovering the raw beauty of these two materials, and turning them into extraordinary pieces, each a bold and stylish statement. Collections are presented two or three times a year, each one a new concept, and each curated by Veronica Anderson herself. Contact +27 11 783 7036 (Sandton store) or +27 11 268 2021 (Rosebank store), or visit www.veronicaandersonjewellery.co.za.

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H e a d Of fice: +27 11 615 9544 | www.europashoes.co.za

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Words: TANYA GOODMAN Images: © Patek Philippe Museum

PA R A G O N

Battle

for All Time

Patek Philippe’s Calibre 89

An historical duel between two captains of industry in America – Henry Graves Jr and James Ward Packard – was not about corporate capital, but rather for the title of owning the most complicated watch ever made. Both commissioned Patek Philippe, an internationally renowned watchmaker, to design the most complicated watch of the early 20th Century.

ill Gates might have thought that the introduction of his newest generation of personal technology devices, like a smart watch that has customisable watch faces, access to personal messages and appointments, and the ability to receive up-to-date news, traffic, weather and sports information, would revolutionise what people wear on their wrists. But it was a competition that ratcheted up between Graves and Packard over more than 30 years that resulted in one of the most sophisticated watches the world has ever seen, and culminated in the world’s most expensive timepiece, the Graves Supercomplication. Henry Graves Junior was born into a prominent banking family. He was somewhat of a mysterious character in New York, responsible for financing railroads and making millions. He was also an art collector and fond of fine watches. James Ward Packard, meanwhile, was a famous automobile engineer, best known for his formation of the Packard Motor Car Company and the manufacture of the ‘Ohio Model A’ automobile. His cars gained a reputation as the finest luxury vehicles produced

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in America. Both men were captivated by the craft and science behind watchmaking, both as symbols of status and as pieces of art. Starting in 1900, James Ward Packard began commissioning Patek Philippe to produce watches for him. A total of 13 complicated watches were commissioned between 1900 and 1927 by Packard, one of which is now kept at the Patek Phillippe Museum in Geneva. This fascinating stem-winding pocket watch combines 10 horological complications: a minute repeater on three gongs, a perpetual calendar with phases and age of the moon, indication of sunrise and sunset, equation of time, and a magnificent celestial chart in blue

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enamel, depicting the movements of over 500 stars as they would appear in the sky above Packard’s home near Warren in Ohio. Not to be outdone by Packard, Graves soon decided he wanted to own the watch with the most complications. Patek Phillippe took up the challenge and created, within a

It was sold for over $11 million, a recordbreaking amount, to a secretive, anonymous bidder at a Sotheby's auction held in New York City in 1999.

few years’ interval, the two most complicated watches in the world. The ‘Graves’ watch, with its 24 complications, was completed in 1933 after six years of research, with Graves having spent more than five times what Packard spent on his 1927 version and the watch containing an additional eight complications. Only one such watch was ever built. And this watch undoubtedly ensured that Graves won the competition. Called The Supercomplication, after Graves’s death this pocket watch was held in the Museum of Time near Chicago, Illinois for years. It was sold for over $11 million, a record-breaking amount, to a secretive, anonymous bidder at a Sotheby's auction held in New York City in 1999. It wasn’t until 1989 and the occasion of Patek Philippe’s 150th anniversary that the Graves watch was surpassed in terms of complications. The Calibre 89 took over nine years to develop – five years in research and four years to manufacture. What makes it so special is that independently of mean time (hours, minutes and seconds), it incorporates a total of 1,728 components and 33 complications that display a number of functions. Weighing 1.1 kilograms, it exhibits 24 hands and a number of subdials. A star chart, thermometer, century leap year correction, sun hand and both a grande and petite sonnerie are just some of its features. Only four were made. In comparison to the Graves Supercomplication, one of the Calibre 89s in white gold was sold at auction in 2004 for just over $5 million. Today, Patek Philippe continues its legacy of creating some of the world’s most sophisticated watches for some of the world’s most demanding clientele. The Patek Philippe Museum offers a fascinating history of watchmaking. Visit it in person or online at www.patekmuseum.com. Visit www.patek.com for more on Patek Philippe’s current offerings. 

MILLION RAND.

IT’S SIMPLY ALL IT’S SIMPLY ALL YOU EVER THE PROMISES THE PROMISES MADE YOURSELF YOU EVER TO MADE COMING TRUE. TO YOURSELF COMING TRUE.

Your barely driven, perfectly prepared Bentley comes to you in a truly immaculate condition. You’ll be reassured to know that every hand-turned gear, every walnut rim, every titaniumsheathed piston has been examined, tested, polished and brought to perfection. You’ll be delighted to learn all that is missing is the original price. The savings are substantial yet without any compromise to quality or your driving pleasure. And for your complete reassurance, every Bentley Approved Pre-Owned vehicle comes with a 12 month factory warranty. To secure your Bentley from our current stable, please visit our website at www.bentleyapproved.co.za, or better still, come to our showrooms on William Nicol Drive, Bryanston (+27 11 361 6600) or Lower Loop Street, Cape Town (+27 21 419 0595).

M&C SAATCHI ABEL/BENTLEY/PS/447/E

IT’S NOT IT’S NOT A BENTLEY FOR JUST A BENTLEY FOR OVER JUST OVERONE AND A HALF MILLION RAND. ONE AND A HALF

LouisVuitton

Setting High Standards in Luxury

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PA R A G O N

In 1854, Louis Vuitton, ‘layetier, trunk-maker and packer’, offered a modern trunk that combined pragmatism and elegance, perfectly adapted to the current modes of transport and changes in the lives his clients led. Some 150 years later and the House of Louis Vuitton is still considered the one and only source of ultra-high-end luggage, every piece a work of art, meticulously crafted in the

Words: LOUIS VUITTON; TONI MUIR Images: © LOUIS VUITTON; LOUIS VUITTON ARCHIVES

company’s Asnières workshop.

Presentation card of the Louis Vuitton Agent in Scotland at the Gleneagles Hotel, 1926-1927.

“S

how me your luggage and I'll tell you who you are.” This 1921 Louis Vuitton advertising slogan evokes the close relationship that every traveller has with his or her trunks and luggage. From trains and legendary ocean liners to automobiles and the first aircraft, the Louis Vuitton trunk crossed time and borders. Indeed, the House of Vuitton has served explorers and adventurers, princes, dandies, elegant ladies, and artists of all kinds. The Maharaja of Baroda, Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, Douglas Fairbanks, Ernest Hemingway, Jeanne Lanvin – even Damien Hirst and Sharon Stone have travelled with Vuitton. From the first domed trunks to the most modern designs produced today, the spirit of the House of Louis Vuitton is still driven by the same reputation for excellence and expertise – and a desire to elevate travel to an art. Louis Vuitton: 100 Legendary Trunks, showcases the most beautiful creations of the House through more than 800 photographs. The trunk-bed, steamer trunk, tea case, toiletry kit, circus trunk, library trunk, and caviar box are just a few of the many pieces featured in this incredible tome, along with the fascinating stories of their creation. A full technical survey – the bible of the artisanal trunk-maker – reveals the secrets of making a Louis Vuitton trunk. What follows are extracts from the book’s preface by Patrick-Louis

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Vuitton: “Luggage, which was first and foremost utilitarian, only recently became a luxury item. One hundred years ago, the notion of luxury did not even exist. A jewel box was a jewel box, something essentially useful. Luxury resulted from the standards set by the trunk-makers for their own manufacturing process. These standards became increasingly rare, which led to today’s ‘luxury’ label. “We opened up our archives, combed through long-forgotten customer cards, exhumed anecdotes,

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and revived a past never fully hidden away and of which we are very proud. Following chronological threads, shining light on contexts, sometimes frivolous, sometimes serious, it became increasingly apparent that my ancestors possessed an infallible flair for their times, in which they were so solidly rooted. “Unfortunately, there are no statistics that give the exact number of trunks made in our workshops over the last century and a half. Surely, the number is in the hundreds of

thousands. They are scattered to the four corners of the globe... Some sleep in attics, others are in museums, others are still travelling. Trunks are like special possessions, jealously preserved or lost forever – no one knows how many Louis Vuitton trunks there were on the Titanic. Some were in the movies; others played at spying. Some carried the feathers of the music hall, others the score of a symphony. Yes, the whole world came to Vuitton and placed their trust in us, even when it was a matter of sending out a family’s dirty laundry or its adulterous passions. Even when it concerned the owner’s most beautiful jewels or well-guarded secrets. “My grandfather, Gaston-Louis Vuitton, was a great collector. His collection is the nucleus of our museum in Asnières. Like GastonLouis’s trunks, each of the trunks in this book has a fabulous history. It is told through those who ordered the trunks, those who owned them, and the times in which they were made, as if, once wide open, they are no longer trunks but albums. The best part of the story is often tucked away in the inner recesses of a drawer as, for example, when an unpublished manuscript by Hemingway was discovered by chance in a Vuitton trunk. “The solid reality of a utilitarian object made with care and pragmatism often merges with the immense

romanticism of a person or a work. This juxtaposition is valid for each of the hundred trunks here, chosen for their incredible variety and versatility. From stagecoach to train, from ship to airplane and, of course, automobile, the House of Louis Vuitton anticipated all progress and modes of travel. It also expressed and respected its clientele’s privacy, literally as well as figuratively. A private order always remains private, and special; it opens a dialogue, poses a challenge, stimulates creativity, and

always results in the client’s entire satisfaction, wherever he or she may live. It has been that way for 150 years. And these one hundred extraordinary trunks simply convey all the evolving know-how that must be transmitted. You don’t have to be a Vuitton to do this. We make marvellous objects from wood, leather and canvas. It is important to know that all of our luggage was, and continues to be, designed to be repaired, even after two generations of use; old trunks and

suitcases can be restored using raw materials and spare parts dating from the period of manufacture. Of course they can no longer travel, but their story, in transit for a time, takes another turn. This book brings them all back to safe harbour.” The book, 100 Legendary Trunks is now available from Louis Vuitton stores for R1,500. Contact +27 11 784 9854 (Sandton City, Johannesburg) or +27 21 405 9700 (V&A Waterfront, Cape Town). 

Louis Vuitton Special Orders one-off creations that elegantly reconcile a client’s wishes At Louis Vuitton, special orders are a glorious tradition, with technical considerations and established design codes, one which takes pride in fulfilling every exceptional request at the same time affording Louis Vuitton's craftsmen the of every exceptional customer. It has been so for over a opportunity to demonstrate their exceptional expertise. century and a half now. From the legendary foldout trunkThe House has always offered personalisation services bed designed by Louis and Georges Vuitton for expeditions such as hot-stamping one’s initials onto a wide selection to far-flung corners of the globe to the solar-powered DVD of soft leather goods and accessories or handand Coffee secretary trunk, Louis Vuitton has devised painting one’s initials onto hard-sided luggage. Now, Louis countless elegant and ingenious ways to help its customers Vuitton is proposing a new way to personalise a monogram satisfy their specific needs and express their individuality. bag and really make it one’s own: Mon Monogram, Louis Vuitton’s historic Asnières workshop near Paris which can be done on the Speedy handbag, the Keepall has traditionally made all its special orders. The workshop is travel bag, the iconic Pégase 55 suitcase and The personally overseen by Patrick-Louis Vuitton, representing Neverfull handbag. the fifth generation of the founding family, a trained and A set of two-tone initials of up to three letters, either talented craftsman himself. Patrick-Louis Vuitton is fond of vertical or diagonal stripes, or a combination of both initials quoting the words of Georges Vuitton, his great-grandfather, and stripes can be chosen from a range of 17 different who used to say, “The main thing is to allow your personal colours, meaning more than 200 million possible effects to travel in the greatest possible comfort.” Thus, the combinations per bag. Once a choice has been made, the essential condition for any special order is that it must client’s order is sent directly to one of the Louis Vuitton respect the spirit of travel. workshops, where the bag is created and hand Louis Vuitton distinguishes between two types of assembled. This Mon Monogram personalisation is special orders: made-to-order and custom-made. Made-tocurrently offered in around 100 Louis Vuitton flagship order is an exclusive service allowing for selected items stores worldwide, including the two in South Africa. Visit from the permanent collection to be interpreted in other www.louisvuitton.com for more information. materials. Custom-made pieces, meanwhile, are unique,

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Montegrappa Creativity, Passion, Craftsmanship A legend in the world of stationery, Montegrappa has been crafting highquality writing instruments since 1912, building a reputation not simply for the superb performance of its products, but for their artistic beauty, too.

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Words: MONTEGRAPPA; JACQUI HIGGINS; TONI MUIR Images: ÂŠ MONTEGRAPPA

PA R A G O N

F E AT U R E

ontegrappa, the first Italian manufacturer of writing instruments, is recognised and lauded the world over for its creativity and style. First opened in Bassano del Grappa in 1912, Montegrappa has a long tradition of craftsmanship; its spectacular designs a collaboration between artists, artisans and engineers; their pens an emblem of skill and genius. Working out of the same historic building for over a century, Montegrappa has been a part of the lives of great men, and has born witness to moments of intense creativity and innovation. During the First World War, Bassano was one of the most crucial areas of the conflict. At that time, Villa Ca’ Erizzo, the Venetian villa next to the Montegrappa factory, was used as a military hospital. Among the many soldiers here were Ernest Hemingway and John Dos Passos, both Red Cross volunteer ambulance drivers, who used Montegrappa (then known as Elmo) implements to pen their thoughts and write letters home. In the late thirties, the modern fountain pen became more than just a writing instrument and was transformed into a fashionable, statement accessory. Thanks to the

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wide variety of colours, tasteful design, and special jeweller’s techniques – for which the Vicenza area is famous – Montegrappa really became a recognised symbol of excellence. Although styles and materials may change, all Montegrappa pens possess distinctive features: the octagonal shape, the rotating sphere on the end of the clip, the use of precious materials such as gold, silver, and valuable gems. At the very high end, Montegrappa pens are made from celluloid, with coloured pigments and powdered mother of pearl, sterling silver and 18-carat gold, embellished with precious stones. Techniques include hand-etching, low-relief engraving, die-casting and enamelling. The finest attention to detail can be seen on the nib, the clip, and the top of the cap, which slides easily onto the pen, aligning perfectly with a satisfying click. World-renowned writer Paulo Coelho is brand ambassador for the Espressione and Espressione Duetto collections. Both icons of emotion, Montegrappa and Coelho share a passion for the written word. “The fascination of a pen consists in being strictly linked with the past, the present and the future,” Coelho says, “and a beautiful Montegrappa pen can be the best ally to express and

represent one’s own personality.” The Montegrappa collection is divided into two large families: the Regular Range, comprising glamorous, beautifully designed accessories that make the daily task of writing much more enjoyable, and the Limited Editions, an extraordinary blend of craftsmanship and design inspired by the passions and myriad expressions of human creativity, and coveted by connoisseurs of fine things. Collectors of Montegrappa pens are successful and discerning, with a sophisticated appreciation for the finer things in life. They understand quality, precision and detail, and for such a person, there is no greater gift than a bespoke pen, which captures this passion in art form. Montegrappa writing instruments are distributed in nearly 60 countries, and are now available in South Africa. For distributor details contact +27 87 943 5390.  “The Pen” – by Paulo Coelho for Montegrappa The pen is the intention. It is what manifests the inspiration of the hand as a sentence in the paper. The intention must be crystal-clear, straight and balanced. Once the pen has moved, the abstract becomes real. Therefore, it is better to interrupt a word in the middle because the thoughts that led up to it were not sufficiently precise and correct, than to act carelessly, simply because the hand was holding a pen and the paper was waiting. But never hold back from using the pen if all that paralyses you is fear of making a mistake. If you feel the call of inspiration, start writing. Even if the pen does not express clearly your thoughts, you will learn how to improve next time. If you never take a risk, you will never know what changes you need to make. Each stroke of the pen leaves a mark not only in the paper, but also in your heart. And it is the sum of those marks that will make your writing and your life better and better.

The Peace Pen Montegrappa has always developed magnificent pieces both in its core range and Limited Edition series. But even its own exacting standards were exceeded when craftsmen produced what is widely considered to be not only the most opulent but also the most expensive pen in the world – the $1,187,000 Peace Pen. Designed by David Monalto di Frangito, an internationally feted craftsman specialising in crystal carving, the Peace Pen is as much a work of art as it is a writing implement. Its crystal and platinum body, encrusted with 1,259 separate diamonds weighing a total of 48 carats, is a creation to marvel. “This is an absolutely unique creation,” says Giuseppe Aquila, Montegrappa's CEO. “We will never make anything like it again. It is one of a kind. It is the result of Montegrappa's capacity to conceive a pen as a jewel, to create something that is at once both functional and artistic.” Among other elements, it includes an octagonal barrel made of platinum and pure Baccarat crystal, its eight panels engraved with 184 miniature doves, and a hidden clip that is sprung by pushing a diamond on the top of the pen. The pen comes in a crystal presentation casket sculpted in the form of a hand cradling a dove. The inspiration for the pen came from Montegrappa's association with the Peace Parks Foundation, an organisation that seeks to promote stability, economic development and cross-border cooperation in Africa by the creation of trans-national conservation areas (Nelson Mandela is the organisation's patron). This exceptional item was recently sold to a South African collector by the Luks Group, the local distributors of Montegrappa. Says Marc Hoffman, CEO of the Luks Group, “We are so excited to have the Peace Pen in South Africa. It has been all around the world – it’s a one-of-a-kind pen. It is incredible that it has returned to Africa where it was first conceptualised, and we are thrilled to have it with a South African collector, which seems a fitting home for the Peace Pen.”

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Brands&

Heritage

The New Buzzword

Luxury brands live in their own universe of beautiful and groomed people who are world-wise and sophisticated. Heritage and history have often been a mainstay of differentiation among the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most luxurious brands, yet more and more brand managers and CEOs in other categories are catching onto the value of legacy.

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LEVERAGE

Words: CHARL DU PLESSIS Image: © ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

ere is how the story was told: a 20-something-yearold woman with lots of attitude got the position at a large corporation, and was bent on making her mark. One of the first things she did was to start making unreasonable demands to their supplier, who was telling us the story, and threatening to suspend business. Her company represented 60 percent of this supplier’s revenue and they had to act fast. Their solution was simple. They sent her a copy of their company’s recently published history book. Once she understood what the supplier was all about, where they came from, and how deep the relationship with her company had been for several decades, she changed her tune immediately. No doubt, seeing photos of her superiors, several floors higher up by now, spending social and project

time when much younger with the principals at the supplier’s company must have made the penny drop that her threats to this old, trusted relationship were a sure-fire way of damaging her own career. Suddenly, companies are catching onto how valuable their own history may be, both in finding some true differentiation and in finding ways of leveraging their legacy. In the South African context, where two trends, namely BEE and mergers and acquisitions have fast reshaped the corporate landscape, CEOs are acting fast to use their history as a weapon in the battle for profits. No longer is a simple ‘History’ tab on the website sufficient to pay lip service to origin. They are deploying a sophisticated set of legacy tools to develop dynamic communication strategies for both their internal and external constituencies. Digital archives, corporate museums, history books, media clipping books and disks, induction videos, corporate culture training and business case studies are proliferating as a small group of very sophisticated legacy and heritage experts work with the top captains of industry in this area. The trend is strongly supported by the best management and social theories. Concerning employees and their change in attitude when presented with a better understanding of what they are part of, sociologist Émile Durkheim wrote about socalled ‘collective effervescence’, that one moment of insight when a group of people understand and remember the shared values and objectives that initially brought them together. Collins and Porras, best-selling management theorists, write in Built to Last about how the very best companies owe their success mostly to the ability of their leadership to articulate a clear vision of what the company stands for and what it is about. What the practitioners of legacy projects do best is to convert corporate values into value – helping CEOs to articulate to all constituencies a very clear message. And make no mistake, history is not about the past,

it is about the future. According to Gordon Metz of Memory Inc, the process of unfolding history is fascinating to his team and to the CEO’s team alike. Starting off with a meta-narrative of key milestones, such as ownership structures, people, new markets, products, awards, major clients, campaigns, and the evolution of logos, a project team starts delving deeper into the company’s history. Interviews with key individuals help to tell the story through its people, and meantime, physical artefacts such as the original documents of incorporation or the first prototypes of later famous products keep surfacing and are archived and presented across various platforms. Exhibitions, corporate videos, client pitches, training sessions and major events are channels where the onetab history line of the current website expands. “It’s an iterative process, as the more people we interview within an organisation, the more we learn about what else to look for in both private storage areas and in the public domain,” says Metz. “The story keeps growing thicker and more interesting, and the underlying values and culture of the firm gradually emerge in a very clear fashion.” The secret of using heritage has, of course, long been known by the luxury brands of the world. IWC opened its own museum. Panerai owns its original founder’s store. Four centuries of family underpin the Rémy Martin estate. Yet, according to Metz, even though we have some really old companies in South Africa, the most exciting work is happening with young, dynamic companies who have made their presence felt over the past 20 or so years. He concludes, “A brand is trust in a predictable experience. With Memory Inc, we expose the real DNA of the organisation and go beyond trust to intimacy, the ultimate relationship with any stakeholder. Smart CEOs are seeing the value of this, and given our rich recent history, the stories to tell are fascinating.” To learn more about Memory Inc, contact Gordon Metz on +27 83 270 3088. 

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See-through Security 34

PRESTIGe

TREASURE

Two years ago, a seemingly unobtrusive purchase of an old safe in Berlin lead to one of the most innovative design ideas to come out of the Döttling ultraluxury safe manufacturing workshops: a see-through safe made from bulletproof glass.

Words: CHARL DU PLESSIS Images: © DÖTTLING

n the world of specialist safe manufacture, it is the German family Döttling that has set the industry standard over four generations. Their products grace the insides of the world’s most expensive superyachts, as well as the homes and villas of only the most well-to-do across the globe. Döttling technicians and artisans have collaborated on restoring antique safes that date back to the days of the De Medici family in early Renaissance Europe. In fact, they have restored safes that belonged to the family itself. It would be safe to say then that the specialists at Döttling are familiar with only the best that this fine craft has ever produced. So, when they purchased an antique safe from one of their regular clients, a well-known German private banker family, and laid their hands on a 120-year-old safe made for the Prussian Emperor, it had to be something absolutely exceptional that would make them all look and look again. Says Markus Döttling, “When we first opened the six-seamed door of this 120-year-old masterpiece, the view on display took the breath of even longtime staff members away. The most sumptuous chasings and engravings decorate the four-sided bolt work featuring no less than 14 locking bolts. We have seldom seen a more impressive example of Prussian forged art from the time of Emperor Wilhelm II.” Döttling explains how, in their specialist circle, a revolutionary idea took shape: what if they were to make the inner workings of this safe visible, even when the doors are locked? In a unique feat of precision, the steel components of the doors were extracted and replaced with double-walled, 25-mm-thick special Silatec bulletproof glass. In this

manner, the world’s first ‘Skeleton’ safe was born. Even when closed it allows a glimpse of its high-gloss chrome-plated locking bolts and luxurious interior, consisting of the finest grained poplar and 15 Döttling watch-winders. A hand-polished grand piano lacquer finish and cognac-colored goat suede coverings round off the overall impression of an antique luxury safe that is no less than breathtaking. The customer from the US who bought the first Skeleton is one of

mechanism. When we saw it the first time, the name ‘Skeleton’ just seemed obvious,” says Markus. Döttling has received several orders for similar designs, but given the limited nature of antique safes, might proceed with building the concept from scratch and giving it a vintage look. At 600 kilograms and €275,000 for an original, only a select few will ever own one of these safes. Markus continues to explain that both the technical and aesthetic aspects of blending a modern material

Döttling’s best clients. He already owns three ‘Legends’ safes, yet he wanted the craftsmen at Döttling to make him something where his precious luxury watch selection would be more visible, while retaining a high standard of security. It was suggested that the bulletproof glass would be able to offer both visibility and safety, and he loved the idea. “Little did this customer know that perhaps the most attractive part of this new design would be one’s ability to see the moving bolts and mechanical parts of the locking

such as bullet-proof glass with an antique mechanical system are something no-one has ever done before. The customers who line up for their own Skeleton do so because of the combination of the shiny, highly complex locking mechanism together with the glossy black piano lacquer and the warm, poplar burr interior. And of course, because there is a great story to tell friends and the ability to show off collections of other precious items without compromising security one bit. Visit www.doettling.com. 

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Classic

Cars Made to Last

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CLASSICS

Words: ALEXANDER PARKER Images: © ISTOCKPHOTO.COM; MOTORPICS.CO.ZA; QUICKPIC.CO.ZA; FRANSCHHOEK MOTOR MUSEUM

Firstly and most importantly, it almost doesn’t matter what you buy. You can, indeed, buy a brand you love; a car that expresses the heritage of that brand. But when you buy a classic car, no matter what it is, you’re buying exclusivity. An R8million Rolls-Royce is certainly exclusive, but they can ultimately build you a new one. And that’s what sets the classic car apart: it’s irreplaceable.

f you’re in the market for a classic car, it’s wise to go into it with eyes wide open. They do not come with warranties. The most important thing to do is to try to drive a good example of the car before you buy one. Old cars are very, very different to drive, and it would be a pity to discover this too late. They are, naturally, often slower and less wieldy. They all brake far worse than modern cars, and they do not necessarily come with the toys to which you’re accustomed. If this is going to be a problem for you, it’s best to establish this before you sign the cheque. Having worked out which car you’d like to buy, always join a club. Get involved with the greybeards and get a diversity of opinion on not only what to look out for when buying the car, but also from whom to buy one (and who to avoid). The advice from these clubs and their members will quite possibly save you many hundreds of thousands of Rands, and a great deal of heartache. A classic car brings you the kind of yesteryear joy that’s thin on the ground in modern cars, and which won’t depreciate. A good classic car, like an artwork, is a safe place to park a little cash for whatever purpose. But what to get? While most cars will give you much enjoyment there are some favourites that are just more solidly built and unusually special. It’s important to note that the cars that follow are driver’s classics, not priceless cars that, due to their value, would never get a good run. They exist of course. The Mercedes-Benz 300SL, the original Gullwing, is an example. The Mercedes-Benz 500K, that beautiful, imposing machine is another. When Bernie Ecclestone auctioned his in 2007, it fetched almost $1.5 million. Others might include the original Alfa Romeo 8C or

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the Bugatti Type 57, the TalbotLago Figoni-Falaschi coupe or the Cord 810. Now, these are categorically not cars to take outside of Joburg for a slow, Sunday afternoon drive. The cars that follow are. They are modern enough to use and easy enough for someone accustomed to modern cars to operate, and yet they are old enough to bring about that classic car smile. The most obvious starting point is the Mercedes-Benz SL. The Stuttgart manufacturer, especially in the 1970s and 1980s, was famous for ‘overengineering’ its cars. They were built and designed to stratospheric tolerances, which means that those which have been looked after are still perfect. You can go right back to the 60s with this, the most famous being

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the ‘pagoda’ 280 SL, but you can find truly excellent examples of the SL from deep into the 1980s that look magnificent and drive beautifully. They come with a variety of engines, perhaps the most tempting being the big rumbly V8s of the 450 and the 500. Various Jaguars make excellent classic buys if you can find a good one. E-Types, simply stunning of course, are always popular, as are the old S-Types. But perhaps the most sought-after Jaguar classic is, with good reason, the Mk2. The lines on this car are especially pretty. The best is the 3.8-litre manual overdrive, and buyers would be amazed at the kind of performance a car released in 1959 would offer, including – dramatically for the era – all-round disc brakes. You thought BMW invented the sports saloon? Or that Alfa did? Nope. It was

Jaguar, and the pace of the Mk2 made it a firm hit with cops and robbers alike in London’s East End. Huffy old Blighty it is not – it’s the BMW M5 of the 1960s. The Mk2 is such a lovely car that they’re very, very hard to find. To prise a good one from the grips of its happy owner is likely to require, in the words of Simon Mann, “a serious splodge of wonga.” Now, any classic Rolls-Royce comes with an unmatched regal sense to it, but be warned that when Rollers go wrong, they can really cost a fortune to fix. There is no such thing as an inexpensive Rolls-Royce. Finally, it is possible to cheat, as one can buy a brand-new ‘classic’. If you’d like a Ford GT40 (Bailey Edwards Cars) or a Lotus 7 (Birkin Cars) or perhaps a Shelby Cobra (Backdraft Racing) but don’t want poor brakes, bad handling and hideous bills, just buy a new one. Each of these cars is built and sold locally by various small operations. They’re equipped with modern technology but absolutely go and look the part, meaning you can drive a fast, V8-powered Cobra that knows how to go around corners without killing you. It means a priceless Ford GT40 that goes and looks like the original, but was built here in sunny South Africa. And though it might make the purists weep, it is a fairly practical option, if we’re honest.  Franschhoek Motor Museum In a society where fine art is measured against the great masters, and couture by the names of the great designers who created the pieces, it is often overlooked that the finest automobiles have passed through the hands of the greatest coachbuilders and carrozzeria in the world. Names like Barker, Hooper, Pinin Farina, Bertone and Touring, to name only a few, have been responsible for creating and setting the benchmark for the most stunning and collectable automobiles known to man. Many of these creations can be viewed at the Franschhoek Motor Museum. Visit www.fmm.co.za or contact +27 21 874 9002.

Cape Cod Collection Inspired by the stormy weather of Massachusetts’ Cape Cod region and the seaside clapboard houses in Nantucket, the unfussy Cape Cod Collection suits comfortable living. Cape Cod pieces are available for the living room, diningroom and bedroom.

0861 300 159 • www.wetherlys.co.za

NOW OPEN ON WILLIAM NICOL BRYANSTON, CLEARWATER MALL AND NELSPRUIT WET0910_019B

Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton • Tel +27 11 784 0203 • www.worldsfinest.co.za

S T AY

Platinum-Rated

Bush

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S T AY

Words: KERI HARVEY Images: © WILDERNESS SAFARIS; RANI RESORTS

Lodges Southern Africa’s bush and game lodges are world renowned for their exceptional levels of luxury and service. While there are countless excellent lodges from which to choose, some have the added attraction of being in iconic natural areas – places so beautiful they will take your breath away. w w w. p r e s t i g e m a g . c o . z a

here may not be a bush in sight on the Skeleton Coast, but this desolate, duned landscape possesses a beauty that is surreal. It’s both tranquil and harsh, washed by the cold Atlantic and often shrouded in fog, but this delicate environment holds many secrets. Garnet and agate mountains, others that resemble clay castles, massive seal colonies and more space than the mind can imagine make this area intoxicating. Set in the heart of this 300,000-hectare private wilderness area is Skeleton Coast Camp, built and run according to the strictest environmentally friendly principles. On the banks of the mostly dry Hoarusib River, the tented lodge runs on solar power, water is ferried in and the lodge platforms barely touch the earth. It’s impeccably organic and 100-percent luxurious. Day trips from the lodge in Land Rovers enable guests to commune with the ancient Himba tribe, see rare desert elephants and view gemsbok, springbok, giraffe, zebra and hyena – possibly even lion and cheetah. It’s an exceptional wildlife experience, in a very different environment amid roaring dunes and shipwrecks. The lodge is only accessible by light aircraft, which land on a sand runway. All who visit here are forever changed by this desert experience, in one of Africa’s most spectacular settings. Skeleton Coast Camp, Namibia – visit www.wilderness-safaris.com. Named for the two great African explorers, the Stanley and Livingstone hotel is set in the Victoria Falls Private Game Reserve. Surrounded by prolific wildlife and situated just a stone’s throw from the falls, the Stanley and Livingstone offers the best of both worlds – wild and water. With opulent decor that reflects the old era of African adventure and colonial culture, the lodge encourages relaxation, reading and revelling in the atmosphere of a time now past. Game viewing can be enjoyed from

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your private veranda or on daily game drives, and includes black rhino tracking atop open vehicles. Close by are all the attractions of Victoria Falls town, the actual tumbling Falls just 10 minutes away. Shop for sandstone curios in the village, float along the Zambezi River on an evening sundowner cruise, fly over the falls in a helicopter or plane, or bungee jump off the bridge linking Zimbabwe and Zambia – if you’re after an adrenalin rush, this is easily arranged, though one could just as happily sit quietly and listen to the birds. Stanley and Livingstone, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe – visit www.raniresorts.com. There are few places left in Africa that are true wilderness areas – pristine, untouched and largely inaccessible to everyday travellers. Lugenda Wilderness Camp, deep in the Niassa Reserve of northern Mozambique, has this claim, without forgoing any luxury. The tented lodge rests on the banks of the Lugenda River, and is only accessible for eight months of the year – from May to early December. The area is flooded during the rainy season and not even

accessible by air. The lodge is simply packed up and watched over by herds of elephant that inhabit the area. After the rainy season, Lugenda opens its camp once more. Wildlife and birdlife is plentiful in the massive reserve, marked by enormous granite domes that tower out of the surrounding landscape. Grazers and browsers live here, enjoying the scenic woodlands and the tall grasses. Game walks and mokoro excursions down the Lugenda River make for fascinating outings, but the feeling of being in a true wilderness area, free from modern technology and irritations, yet swathed in comfort, is the real reason to visit Lugenda. Lugenda, Niassa Reserve, Mozambique – visit www.raniresorts.com. Mombo Camp – on Mombo Island just off the tip of Chief’s Island, Botswana – rests under shady trees with views over the vast floodplains. A man of vision, Chief Moremi declared this area a wildlife reserve decades ago, and today it’s teeming with wildlife – just like old Africa. The elegant camp is built on raised platforms connected by

walkways, so at night buffalo or elephant may literally sleep beneath your tent. However, wildlife roams freely through the camp by day and night. While game drives are on offer to guests, extraordinary wildlife viewing is possible from your luxury suite, or your private thatched sala on a raised viewing platform. This is as close as you get to living with wildlife, but in complete five-star comfort. You can even game view from your outdoor shower, or while lying flat on your back in bed. This iconic wildlife area is particularly well known for its lions and huge herds of buffalo numbering hundreds of animals. Dining is in the main lodge, under thatch or in the outdoor boma, where traditional dinners are served. There’s a pool in which to cool off and a library for relaxation. Plan a visit and be pleased to stay in ‘Africa’s Best Resort’ – so voted in 2010 by Conde Nast Traveller magazine. Mombo, Chief’s Island, Moremi, Botswana – visit www.wilderness-safaris.com. Set in possibly the world’s greatest outdoor art gallery, Bushmans Kloof lodge is surrounded by a treasure trove of ancient rock art. This lends an

ancient air of calm to the area, which is magnificent in its natural beauty. While game viewing includes rare mountain zebra and a wide variety of antelope, there are no predators on the reserve, so nature walks can be enjoyed freely. Explore the open plains or follow the river course on foot, mountain bike or rock climb – it’s all possible here in perfect safety. But Bushmans Kloof is perhaps best known for its spa, a sanctuary for relaxation. Treatments can also be done in the privacy of your suite, or outdoors in a rock art cave if you prefer. Dine on sumptuous cuisine infused with indigenous flavours of rooibos, herbs and flowers, before turning in for the night, cocooned in bushveld comfort. This multi-award-winning establishment is also a Relais & Chateaux property and was recently voted the ‘Best Hotel in the World’ as well as the ‘Best Hotel in the Middle East and Africa,’ by prestigious Travel and Leisure magazine. If you go there, you’ll quickly see why. Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve and Wellness Retreat, Cederberg, South Africa – visit www.bushmanskloof.co.za.

A joint venture with the Makuleke community of northern Kruger, Pafuri Camp lies in a bend of the Luvuvhu River, shaded by indigenous trees. Wildlife congregates daily to drink at the river, so sightings are excellent right from the lodge. The area is also a birding Mecca, with myriad species of birds from diverse habitats found here. The refreshingly colourful suites of Pafuri Camp are tented and under thatch. Decor reflects the vibrancy of the Makuleke people, whose culture and hospitality can also be savoured by guests, with visits to the nearby community and possibly even an overnight stay available on request. Guests to Pafuri Camp can enjoy game drives and bush walks and trails, as well as venturing further to Crooke’s Corner on the border of Mozambique for a sundowner with a difference. Pafuri Camp, Kruger National Park, South Africa – visit www.wilderness-safaris.com. Whatever your heart’s desire, there is a lodge to satisfy it. It may be a hop over the border, but within southern Africa you’re spoilt for choice – all these lodges are exquisite and offer the best in five-star stays. 

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gold

Better than

PRE S TI G e

COLLECT

Investing in Wine Takes on a New Tenor Demand from countries with an abundance of disposable income has forced French wine prices through the roof. In Sotheby’s Hong Kong auction in October 2010, two cases of unbottled 2009 Lafite commanded $68,632 – the sort of money previously realised by wines 20 years their senior, and four times greater than the estimate. As for the vintage wines, how about three bottles of 1869 Lafite Rothschild at $233,972 each?

Words: KEN KESSLER Images: © KEN KESSLER; ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

uite why the ‘new money’ from mainland China has targeted the French greats is a subject of much discussion in behindclosed-doors sessions among the world’s wholesalers, vendors and auctioneers. Perhaps they’re following their predecessors in economic miracles (the Japanese in the postSecond World War years), who also embraced French wine? For Japanese collectors, wine was approached with the finesse and dedication they apply to the acquisition of vintage cars and wristwatches: with a passion that combines the academic and the spiritual, and with attention to detail and condition that can only be described as ‘fastidious’. Chinese wine fanciers are better described as ‘enthusiastic’. A half-serious reason may explain

the fervour for Lafite, precisely in the way that numerology prevents the Chinese acquisition of products bearing the number 4. The Mandarin for ‘4’ sounds too much like the word for ‘death’, so exporters to Hong Kong and the mainland prefer not to feature that digit in model nomenclature. Conversely, it’s been posited by some – without tongue in cheek – that ‘Lafite’ sounds like the Chinese word for ‘prosper’. If that seems a specious reason for spending a cool $68k on wine yet to be bottled, then you’re underestimating the genuine importance of numbers for the Chinese consciousness. Yet another twist to wine acquisition for which the Chinese are credited is actually drinking the stuff. While the more mercenary among global collectors are perfectly happy (or maybe a tiny bit frustrated) to leave their wines to their heirs, the new-wave Chinese connoisseurs

enthusiastically consume their acquisitions. One imagines that the 1869 Lafite Rothschilds might be secreted to a cellar, but the fate of more recent vintages is to be enjoyed by the glass. Whether or not you’re a drinker or a hoarder (I consider myself to be one of the former – my son can buy his own wine), it’s worth investigating other wines beyond the five great French houses of Haut Brion, Lafite, Latour, Margaux and Mouton Rothschild. The same applies to the ‘halo’ wines that denote deep pockets, especially when imbibed in restaurants frequented by paparazzi, such as Petrus or Domain RomanéeConti, also subject to inflation. There’s no suggestion that the French are losing their grip, or that the likes of La Tache, Petrus, Lafite, Mouton Rothschild et al have to worry about anything other than too much demand. But for those who

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Fantasia Sassicaia A beautiful woman on the other end of the phone. “Ken, I have two tickets for dinner in London. At Harry’s Bar.” Hmm…quick recall: private dining club, sublime food. “All of the wines will be Sassicaia. Are you free?” Poker is not my game, nor is acting. “Ohyesohyesohyesthankyouthankyouthankyou,” was my response. The next month went by with agonising slowness. Some 70 or so diners, all who looked as if they knew their ‘87s from their ‘88s. The staff was all-Italian. The guest of honour? Dott Sebastano Rosa, Direttore Commerciale of Tenuta San Guido, parent of Sassicaia, one of Italy’s most noble wines. Dining in his presence would be like hanging around the Ferrari pits at a Formula One race with Luca di Montezemolo. A corner table, romantic atmosphere – alas, she’s a dear friend and not my wife. We commenced with a melt-in-the-mouth Tuscan rejoinder to foie gras, supported by fresh, raw porcini. The first wine arrived: a 2008 Guidalberto, Sassicaia’s ‘second wine’ and a genuine bargain. Fresh and young it may have been, but there was no mistaking its provenance. I’d had enough bottles of it before to know that an evening with only that wine would not be a hardship. An exquisite dish of tagliatelle with a sauce of boar arrived, complementing a 2007 Sassicaia. Despite its youth, the wine belied or even contradicted any need to wait-wait-wait, as if justifying the impatience of the modern age. But Sassicaia ‘old hands’ would know that its best years were ahead of it, even though one can delight in its pre-pubescent state. A main dish fit for a king provided the platform for the next two wines. It was Chianina beef marinated in, yes, Sassicaia. We started the course with a ‘98, in and of itself a wine not to be forgotten – greater depth, interwoven tastes and aromas, never overpowering, always enticing. The tenderest cut of beef, fried zucchini, and the creamiest potatoes. And then a 1982 Sassicaia arrived. They saved a legend for last. Any Sassicaia from the 1980s is wine to savour with respect, control, deliberation. I could have spent the evening merely inhaling its perfume. On the tongue? A realisation that this breed of wine from Italy’s Western coast, commercially available for less than 40 years, has a permanent place among the global greats. It beat the world’s best in 1978, with the 1972 vintage. It has been a permanent recipient of Gambero Rosso’s ‘three glasses’. It is everything you’ve heard said of it and more.

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want to drink wine rather than merely hoard it, there’s reason enough to be cheerful: most mature wineproducing countries long ago graduated from the ‘table wine’ class. French wines may still be the ‘default’ purchase, but only for those who lack imagination. Among the fabulous wines with far less forbidding prices than the French classics targeted by Far Eastern consumers, with perceived prestige determined by the openmindedness of the drinkers, are Spain’s superior Riojas, the exquisite Vega Sicilia Unico, or the legendary Dominio de Pingus, though the latter’s prices approach those of the French. Then again, so too, does the taste. I recently savoured a Spanish red at a monastery between Saragossa and Barcelona, in the company of a Parisian and an Italian journalist. We assumed it was around €80 per bottle. It was selling for €7 at the door. Napa Valley’s finest Cabernets are dismissed only by xenophobic Frenchmen, still bruised by the battering Californian wines gave them in 1976. I love the curiouslynamed Paraduxx (32 percent Cabernet), which even the English can purchase for under £35 a bottle. Similar treasures can be found from Portugal, South Africa, a smattering of South American countries and further afield to Australia and New Zealand. As for my preferred tipple, I bow to the wines of Italy. The country has over 1,000 vintners, with variety that even the French cannot match. I’m partial to red, preferably but not exclusively Tuscan, and have a cellar housing Tignanello, Guado Al Tasso, Ornellaia, Solaia, lots of Amarone and Brunello, a smattering of Barolos and cases of ‘bargain’ wines such as Le Difese, Guidalberto, Le Volte and Le Serre Nuove. And it looks like I won’t be competing with Far Eastern connoisseurs for Italian wines from the best year in recent memory: 2004. Because 4 is, after all, the unluckiest number in Chinese lore. 

Bra

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Words: KEN KESSLER Images: © BREGUET; BULOVA; RALPH LAUREN; ROMAIN JEROME; ZENITH

TICK TOCK

Any watch wardrobe – and you should always have one each for work, dress and play – ought to include a ‘personal statement’ timepiece. Watches have, for a decade or more, become a form of shorthand for revealing a person’s personality and tastes.

atchmakers have always served up a mind-boggling range of unusual deviations from the classical norm, from radical case shapes to garish dial colours to straps made of uncommon materials. Of late, though, they’ve managed to convey individual looks without necessarily reverting to the bizarre. Certainly, the high-end watch market is filled with creations so freakish that they look like props from the 1960s SF film, Barbarella. Trouble is you have to be either a well-known rockstar or rap musician, or a wellheeled 19 year old, to be able to carry off the look. But what if there remains in you a bit of a rebel? Instead of eccentric watches that would soon lose their appeal, like catwalk fashions with a ‘life of one month’, the latest individualist watches exhibit enough restraint to ensure that their attractiveness will remain for as long as that of simpler timepieces. Limited edition status helps because you’ll be wearing a watch unlikely to adorn another wrist at the same dinner, cocktail party or boardroom session. Often, this is the result of a new model with a unique function – one of those capabilities beyond time-telling that makes a watch special, like a calendar or moon phase indicator. Manufacturers deliberately restrict the production, for both the obvious reasons – they have a fairly accurate idea of how many they can sell – and for the

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simple need to endow the model with exclusivity. In the past, such functions were integrated with discretion bordering on the bashful. There were, for example, tourbillons with utterly plain, full-face dials. Only the wearer knew that the watch was somehow special. Not so the tourbillons of the current show-me age, such as Zenith’s exceptional new El Primero Tourbillon Chronograph. That watch connoisseur sitting to your left knows all about the El Primero. He won’t need to be told that it’s one of the finest chronograph movements ever devised, launched in 1969 and still regarded with awe by enthusiasts. He’ll also know that a tourbillon – in which key parts of the movement rotate within a minuscule cage, to counter the effects of gravity – is one of the most difficult complications to produce. Zenith’s new model, offered in

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steel or rose gold, combines the two in an elegant case, with a large dial offering the legibility and clarity needed to allow the stop-watch functions of the chronograph to be of use. And yet there, in the upper lefthand quadrant, is the tourbillon in full view, a microscopic masterpiece that captures your attention. Closer examination, however, reveals an added detail available nowhere else: the wizards at Zenith have devised an ingenious calendar that forms the circumference of the tourbillon aperture. If a tourbillon represents the

principle, but using a disc adorned with pins rather than a traditional music-box’s cylinder, excited by the 15 metal teeth of a comb. Acting as its 'amplifier’ is a metallic glass membrane, engine-turned by hand, which increases the sound to audible levels, to produce the tune. Breguet addressed the fundamental acoustic factors that would ensure lasting superlative sound quality, while optimal sound transmission is guaranteed by several openings drilled in the gold case, allowing the music to be distributed uniformly and without distortion.

mechanical and therefore intellectual pinnacle, then watches that make music attain the emotional heights. It is appropriate that the House of Breguet advances the musical watch to another level, with the Réveil Musical, providing the gentlest way imaginable of being alerted to the time. It employs the manufacturer’s new self-winding movement with silicon escapement and a patented musical mechanism. The watch plays a tune either by the user pressing a push-piece positioned at 10 o’clock or at time pre-set by the alarm function. Breguet devised a patented application of a music-box mechanism

Enhancing the musical event is a visual treat: connected to the pinbearing disc is an inner dial which performs a complete turn during the 20 to 25 seconds while the tune is being played. Ingeniously, the dial will not rotate should there be insufficient power on reserve, as displayed at 3 o’clock. It also ensures that the piece of music will always be played in its entirety. New kid on the block (in horological terms) is Ralph Lauren, which launched a range of watches that reflected the famed designer’s ethos on every level: tasteful, subtle, understated. For 2011, however, the company has turned to its founder’s

passion for vintage cars for inspiration. The new Sporting Collection features a truly distinctive timepiece that pays homage to his 1938 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe – arguably the most beautiful car of all time. Noting the details of its interior, the watch’s designers employed the look of the dashboard and its period dials, right down to the wooden panelling. Their watch marries the

contemporary and the vintage, its elm burl inlay surrounding a white-onblack dial with Arabic numerals and sword-shaped hands. Purists will appreciate that within beats a manual-wind movement made for Ralph Lauren by IWC. If the ‘period’ look of the Ralph Lauren Sporting appeals to you, or you’d like a vintage milestone but don’t want to indulge in old watches, Bulova has a limited edition replica that will sell out its 1,000-piece production run with alarming rapidity. It will mark the 50th anniversary of the iconic Accutron, known colloquially as the ‘tuning fork’ watch because it was controlled by an electronically activated tuning fork – instead of a ticking it hummed. The version chosen is the still-futuristic Accutron Spaceview 214, with its mechanism in full view. Each handmade replica of this historically important timepiece will be presented in a specially-designed wood and glass display case. Collectability is enhanced by an official plaque on the presentation case, inscribed with its limited edition number. If, however, you want something individualistic, with a model name you may not be able to pronounce, move quickly to acquire one of Romain Jerome’s ‘EyjafjallajökullDNA’ models. This often-peculiar company – it has produced watches containing rust from the Titanic and moon dust – has chosen to commemorate the erupting of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano by incorporating ash from the cloud. The dial itself looks as if lava is about to burst through a fissure. Beyond its limited edition status and the fact that underneath the dramatic dial is a decent movement, Romain Jerome's Eyjafjallajökull-DNA will forever remind you of all those cancelled flights suffered throughout 2010. And it certainly proves, as with the other watches in this round-up, that even a tiny object worn on the wrist, not even two inches across, can make a powerful – or in this case, volcanic - statement. 

Dr. John Demartini has consulted for Fortune 500 CEOs, entrepreneurs, Hollywood celebrities, sports personalities, financiers and other professionals. He has appeared on hundreds of national and international radio and television talk and financial news shows including CNN’s Larry King Live, CNBC, CBS, NBC, PBS and more.

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SUPER

All New

The

McLaren MP4-12C

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F E AT U R E

Well, this is interesting, almost like watching a flower unfurling with time-lapse photography. There’s a new supercar player in town, with an all-new supercar, and yet they’ve kind of been around

Words: ALEXANDER PARKER Images: © DES INGHAM-BROWN

forever.

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nyone who’s ever watched a Formula One grand prix will have heard of McLaren, the outfit that keeps on winning F1 championships (although not this year) under the tutelage of the legendary Ron Dennis. And people will have vague memories of a car called the McLaren F1, released in 1991. They might remember how it was the fastest car on Earth until the Bugatti Veyron came along, many years later. Remember McLaren’s involvement with Mercedes-Benz, not just on the circuits of Formula One, but also in the collaboration that spawned the mighty SLR? Well, filled with confidence, the company is, over the next few years, set to launch at least

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three new cars for sale, the first car of this assault onto the established brands of supercar manufacturing recently launched in South Africa. It’s called the McLaren MP4-12C. This, truthfully, is typical of the company, which believes quite openly that form should follow function; that engineering triumphs first and foremost, and that what follows will naturally be beautiful. As a result, all the new McLarens will be more

McLaren believes that form should follow function; that engineering triumphs first and foremost, and that what follows will naturally be beautiful.

engineered than designed. And it’s there in the name too. It’s a complicated naming convention that, when you get into the detail, makes sense. As to whether it’s ‘pretty’, well, that’s for you to decide. The launch kit included a rolling chassis, which speaks volumes of McLaren’s pride being more in the engineering and the sheer outright cleverness of what resides under the skin. And, boy, is there some clever stuff under there. The MP4-12C has hydraulic adjustable suspension. In terms of a ‘comfort’ mode, the benchmark, they’re happy to admit, is the ride of a new 5-Series BMW. Get to the track, or start to hammer down a winding country road, and you can dial that suspension as hard as a rock to improve road holding.

Then there’s the gearbox – a seven-speed, twin-clutch affair. People may be accustomed to doubleclutch gearboxes as perfected by Audi and VW, but in this case the paddleoperated gearbox has a really cool trick up its sleeve. To pull the gear paddle there are two very obvious ‘steps’, much like using an SLR

to-weight ratio, which they happily point out is better than a certain Veyron, the MP4-12C will hit 200km/h in less than 10 seconds. That’s savagely quick. But the obsession with weight also helps with the braking. You can spec the car with carbon ceramics of course, but those who will use the car

camera: half a press to focus, a full press to take the shot. In the case of the MP4-12C, half a tug on the paddle informs the car as to which gear you will want next. The ‘resting’ clutch then selects that gear for you. Then you give the paddle a full tug and the gear change is absolutely instant. In a normal double-clutch affair the computer would’ve had to have guessed which gear you wanted next, but of course the computer can’t see the rapidly approaching corner. It’s a really good example of McLaren giving back the responsibility of driving to the driver, while keeping the useful side of technology. Other elements of genius are McLaren’s long-held expertise with carbon fibre. The car is incredibly light (less than 1,300 kilograms) and yet it comes with a 3.8-litre twin turbocharged V8 that pumps out almost 600 horses. As a result of this power-

on the road will be glad to know that ‘standard’ steel brakes weigh less than the ceramics. And they’ll bring the car from 100km/h to a dead stop in just seven car lengths. I asked a smiling Ian Gorsuch, head of sales and marketing for the Middle East and Africa, how they achieved such breakthroughs. “It’s about starting with a blank piece of paper, of finding the solution that works best,” he answered. “Not worrying about what other people do and finding our own way.” There’s no denying that the MP412C is aimed at the Ferrari 458. I ask Gorsuch how one takes on that brand, that heritage? Gorsuch’s response is vintage McLaren, “You call it heritage, we call it baggage.” The MP4-12C is available from next year from the Daytona Group, Sandton Isle. Expect to pay something in the region of R3.5 million. And expect to be utterly blown away. 

ADMIRE

Royal Touch

SuperYacht Lady Christine

The aesthetic of the newly launched 68-metre Lady Christine is dramatically different, even for the renowned Netherlands-based boat builder, Feadship. She was designed for worldclass sailor Lord Irvine Laidlaw and his wife Lady Christine, who themselves have built a succession of multi-million-Pound sail yachts called Highland Fling.

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Words: TANYA GOODMAN Images: © FEADSHIP

ADMIRE

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fter his first week onboard Lady Christine, Lord Laidlaw said, “We set exceptionally high standards for our houses, boats and cars and yet, in every way possible, Feadship has exceeded

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our expectations on this project.” The Laidlaws certainly have sufficient benchmarks to make such a statement. Leveraging on all their rich building and sailing experiences, they threw themselves into the design and construction of Lady Christine. Their own lifestyle and

respect for craftsmanship dominate the design both inside and out, including her unique exterior looks, the creation of a split-level layout in order to incorporate an owner’s observation lounge, the ‘terraces’ either side of the main deck, and the addition of an extra helm station on the sun deck. Despite Lord Laidlaw’s exceptional degree of involvement, however, the Feadship designers and artisans still managed to surprise him with extra touches that were not in the original specs. “Take the stairs that link the sun deck with the owner’s deck,” explains Lord Laidlaw. “Any other yard would have simply brought these stairs straight down. Curving them in the way Feadship has done must have cost them a significant amount of extra time as the central spine also had to be formed into a curved shape along with the stairs and the banisters themselves. It is all beautifully done, and the initiative came entirely from the yard itself.” Lady Christine has, in essence, six decks. Her exterior is characterised by enormous flowing windows on

the main deck and owners' stateroom and, at the owners’ request, green colouring elements were incorporated in the superstructure to match the green of the glass and the false windows; all of which create grand, sweeping lines. For the interior, British designer Rodney Black has certainly made a stunning debut with Lady Christine, his first superyacht project. The result is a wonderful fusion of materials, fabrics, woods, glass, precious metals and marbles that offers endless surprises at each and every turn. Among her many outstanding entertainment spaces is an impressive indoor area called the Key West Room, located at the peak of the sundeck. A fabulous place to sit and relax with virtually 360-degree views, this is the area that the owners use most during the day when cruising. The central table is made of a natural teak root that was initially slated to be hung from the ceiling. However, as it weighs over 400 kilograms, the piece was given a stainless steel base, cleaned, waxed, polished and topped off with an attractive glass top. There are various cooking options available on the sun deck aft area, including a BBQ, teppanyaki grill and pizza oven. The furthest aft area serves as a storage spot for tenders and a crane, but the primary purpose

of this section of the deck is to act as a helipad, a facility that is regularly used as Lord Laidlaw enjoys flying a helicopter himself. Another unusual innovation for a superyacht of this size is a flybridge, featuring two pilot chairs so that the owner can sit beside the skipper. Everything needed to operate the yacht is found here, including electronic chart, conning display and autopilot. The motivation for this idea was so that if the owners spot a lovely little bay they wish to discover, there is no need to run down to the wheelhouse to request a change of course. The owners’ deck is a raised, private area featuring 180-degrees of glass to ensure a panoramic vista. Lord and Lady Laidlaw always sail with their two dogs, and the master stateroom has therefore been deliberately left uncluttered and spacious, embracing the full beam of the boat. Located forward of the bedroom is the owners’ bathroom, finished in cream onyx and soft mouldings. The quest for fine detailing is taken even further in the two studies. Both ‘his’ and ‘her’ studies have wonderful views aft and to the sides, with glass doors leading to a large private deck. Lord Laidlaw’s study is dominated by strong tones and mahogany, whereas

hers has an altogether different atmosphere of femininity and flamboyance. The formal entrance to Lady Christine on the main deck makes an instant and dramatic impression. Here, the full-height windows can be opened up on both sides and a large platform slides out horizontally from beneath the floor to create terraces to both port and starboard, increasing the beam of the deck in this area to almost 15 metres. Accessible from both the bar and dining room, the main deck lounge boasts gorgeous cherry panels with maple inlay interspersed with six glass columns containing carved glass figurines. The lower deck hosts four guest suites, all placed athwartships rather than the traditional fore and aft arrangement. Poplar joinery is the main decorative theme of the suites, and the two forward cabins have walk-in closets. On the tank deck, Lady Christine is powered by 12-cylinder MTUs, not the 16 cylinder engines one might expect. This reflects the fact that the owners are never in a hurry and find a top speed of 15.5 knots easily sufficient. Given the attention to lifestyle and the personalised elements and taste integrated into Lady Christine, it is no surprise that she is not available for charter. Visit www.feadship.nl. 

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ACQUIRE

Buying the Robinson Crusoe Dream Since 1971, Farhad Vladi has sold around 2,000 private islands to celebrities and to people who simply want somewhere to really get away from it all. They can cost anything from $100,000 to tens of millions. So why is owning your own island â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;pharmacy for the soulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and, even in these economically challenged times, a good investment?

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Words & Images: © ANDY ROUND/TCS

n uncertain times it’s always good to have a few certainties in life. And one of the biggest of all is that nature is not creating any more islands soon. For your honest-to-goodness, never-to-be-repeated-anytime-soon paradise lost, you can’t beat a naturally created island. As Farhad Vladi says, “Owning an island really lightens your soul.” And Vladi should know. Since 1971 he’s sold at least 2,000 and is known as a ‘fine art dealer of nature’. He’s the globetrotting president of Vladi Private Islands – the biggest island-selling company in the world. Naturally, he even has his own. Just off the coast of New Zealand is Forsyth Island in the Marlborough Sound. Although it’s become “part of the Vladi family”, it’s up for rent if you’re interested. At any one time there are about 120 islands on Vladi’s books, of which between 20 and 30 are sold every year, with prices ranging from US$100,000 to US$5 million. According to Vladi, demand over the past 20 years has grown. “These days, many of our clients feel the need to get away from modern noise, daily sorrows and lighten up,” says Vladi, speaking from his headquarters in Hamburg, Germany. “When we travel

we put distance between problems and ourselves. On an island this healing is magnified considerably. It’s a pharmacy for the soul.” Behind the poetry of ownership, of course, there is serious business intent, and many shrewd investors are seeking out islands for their rarity factor. Uniqueness always sells and in times of economic downturn it’s wise to back sure-fire winners. “At Vladi we have seen several economic downturns and during these times I think clients come to us for reliable

additions to their portfolios,” he says. “There is a finite supply of naturally created islands, nature really isn’t making that many more, and clients like that. They feel safe. They may buy an island from us and only visit it for a day every three years, but they know that it’s steadily increasing in value.” Vladi believes that quality islands consistently offer a return that comfortably beats inflation every year. One New York island, which was bought through Vladi in 1997 for $1 million, was sold 10 years later by

Luxury Head Restraints. An extension of our luxurious seats. Another reason to take the long way round. With its many luxurious touring car features, the New Generation Mercedes-Benz R-Class provides you with many reasons to keep driving it. The New Generation Mercedes-Benz R-Class. Take the long way round.

the brokers for a recession-beating US$18 million. “But it’s impossible to make generalisations about island prices,” he says. “A lot depends on what is on the island, accessibility, international connections, infrastructure, and location. We sell a very special commodity. Islands don’t follow normal rules of economics. Demand depends on availability.” Vladi maintains that of all the privately owned islands in the world, there are only five percent that he

would describe as ‘quality’, and these are always in demand. They are extraordinarily beautiful, very habitable, close to infrastructure and not too far from the mainland. “The remaining 95 percent are what I would refer to as ‘adventure islands’,” he says. “And these have been affected by the economic situation. Speculators bought them at inflated prices thinking they would grow in value the same way as quality islands. It’s not the case, the bubble has burst

and prices are in free fall.” One joy of island buying is that you can get involved for under US$40,000. That kind of money would get you a “small parcel of land with mixed woodland” on a Canadian lake in Nova Scotia. There are no amenities, no electricity and, to be honest not a lot of people around. If you worry about WiFi connections or iPhone reception this is probably not the place for you. With a little more cash, say, €18 million, you could be the proud owner of 12-acre Trinity Island off the Greek Gulf of Euboea. From Athens it’s just 90 minutes by car and ferry and enjoys hundreds of olive, pistachio, pine and cypress trees, a natural water supply, electricity, a four-bedroom, 115-square-metre house with a nearby private church, watchtower, separate beach house and a villa to accommodate the staff. Oh, and three beaches. Most of the islands sell in the ‘mid-range’ of between US$3 million and US$5 million. One of Vladi’s recent favourites is the 400-acre Sanda Island off the coast of Scotland, which not only comes with its own helipad and lighthouse but also includes the title Laird of Sanda, granting owners the right to print their own stamps and coins. Vladi’s company caters to a varied clientele and while he won’t disclose names he is happy to discuss buyer trends. “Our buyers are always individuals, we don’t sell to

Celebrity Islands For the rich and famous, escaping tabloid telephoto lenses is a serious business and an island retreat is the perfect hideaway. The list of celebrity owners is extensive: Marlon Brando owned Te’tiarao in French Polynesia; John Lennon, Clew Bay Island, Ireland; Nicholas Cage owns Leaf Cay in the Bahamas; Robin Williams, Pender Harbour Island, Canada; John Wayne enjoyed Taborcillo Island in Panama; ABBA’s Agnetha Faltskog has an island off the coast of Sweden and the founder of CNN, Ted Turner, a little place off South Carolina. Hollywood actor Mel Gibson bought Mago Island in Fiji for US$14.8 million. The 5,500-acre island is surrounded by white beaches, soaring cliffs, turquoise lagoons, has free-flowing spring water and a farm. Nearby, Malcolm Forbes of Forbes magazine sold his island to Dietrich Mateschitz, the owner of Red Bull, for US$10 million. Singer Diana Ross is no stranger to island life. When she married Norwegian shipping magnate Arne Naess, Ross found that her new husband also came with the Tahitian island of Taino. More contemporary island dwellers include Johnny Depp who, after the hit trilogy Pirates of the Caribbean, decided to invest US$3 million in Little Hall’s Pond Cay, which enjoys six beaches, a lagoon and harbour and is only accessible by boat. Sir Richard Branson has always been a shrewd businessman, and his purchase of Necker Island in 1978 for US$300,000 was no exception. Almost 30 years later, after extensive transformation into a miniature Bali, the island is valued at US$106 million.

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developers; that’s not our market. If there are defining characteristics I would say they are usually inspired by nature and don’t want leasehold. They want to genuinely own the island outright and like solitude, tranquillity and privacy. One client of mine bought an island off the coast of Canada a few years ago. When we later asked him if he wanted to sell it for a 20-percent profit he said ‘no, he wanted to be buried there’. There are those who like to have something in the family portfolio,” Vladi continues. “It’s nice to have a fat file in the library to show friends detailing your own island even if you don’t visit very often. Families like the Rockefellers have had islands in their families for many, many years.” Vladi believes it’s vital to create a strong dialogue with clients. Before setting up island visits, he likes to establish climatic preferences, airport/ boat connections, international lifestyles, budgets, proposed usage (and expected investment) and the level of a client’s expectations. “I need to know if you enjoy a sense of isolation or if you would not feel happy being cut off completely from civilisation,” he says. “Accessibility is important for people, as are tax implications. And we always urge people to invest in a region that is politically safe and where the laws of ownership are clear.”

Island buying and selling is a long, drawn-out process that requires the patience and international insight of a diplomat. Vladi has to kindly inform clients that by buying an island they are not creating their own country or buying another nationality. He has to untangle legal issues, family ties, ownership problems and the occasional greedy vendor while ensuring clients make informed choices. For example, in The Philippines the islands are beautiful but cannot be owned outright by foreigners. Practical details have to be considered in depth, from building regulations and mainland accessibility to uncomplicated freehold title and political or climatic stability. In many respects technology has made the world a smaller place, but if a generator breaks down in the middle of an island monsoon, it’s not easy to find a handy electrician nearby.

So where are fashionable island hunters jetting off to buy? “Some areas such as the Caribbean or Indian Ocean will always be popular, but availability is scarce,” says Vladi. “In The Seychelles there is nothing for sale now and in the Maldives there are environmental problems, but these places are the perfect palmlined island dream.” Areas that are becoming more popular, according to Vladi, are good islands off Belize – with a wonderful colonial history and idyllic climate – and untouched areas of Scandinavia. But, ultimately, this natural art broker prefers to look beyond the economics of fashionable locations and return to the basics of what island ownership is all about. “I think in these challenging times a biologically created piece of natural paradise is the perfect way to unburden a heavy heart.” Visit www.vladi-private-islands.de.

Bi-Xenon Headlamps*. Giving you the luxury of illuminated night-time driving. Another reason to take the long way round. With its many luxurious touring car features, the New Generation Mercedes-Benz R-Class provides you with many reasons to keep driving it. The New Generation Mercedes-Benz R-Class. Take the long way round.

* Optional extra.

Creation

Wines A Star on the Rise When Creation Wines was recently awarded the coveted Veritas Double Gold for its 2009 Syrah Grenache blend, it only confirmed what those in the know have been predicting all along: that this boutique

part from glittering at the 2010 Veritas Awards, the Creation 2008 Bordeaux blend and the 2009 Merlot having won gold, Creation also recently distinguished itself by winning a Diamond Award at the Investec Winemakers’ Choice Awards. Creation Wines is situated high up on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge near Hermanus. When Mother Nature created this tiny piece of paradise she bestowed upon it not only spectacular beauty but also exceptional winegrowing conditions. The vines climb the steep hills of Babylon Toren Mountain to a lofty altitude of 350 metres above sea level. Here they bask in generous sunlight, flourish in clayrich soils and dance in the cool breezes blowing in from the nearby Atlantic Ocean. In fact, the vineyards are within seven kilometres of Walker

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Bay and, according to co-owner and winemaker Jean-Claude Martin, these maritime conditions are fundamental to the quality of their wines. When the Swiss-trained JeanClaude and his family bought the small property at the top end of the Hemel-en-Aarde Road in 2002, there was nothing but the virgin land. No telephone lines, no running water; only the courage of their conviction – a conviction that rested in the vast potential of the terroir. With Swiss precision, Jean-Claude set out to select 22 hectares of prime land, establishing virus-free strains of the finest varietal clones. Meticulously chosen for their suitability to the soil and prevailing conditions, the young vines quickly flourished, yielding flavourful grapes of the finest quality. In 2005 the Martins’ friends, Swiss winemaker Christoph Kaser and family, co-invested in the farm. The custom-

designed cellar was completed in time for the 2007 harvest, and since then Creation has established itself as a trendsetting winery, currently offering a range of seven exceptional wines. These wines have become highly sought after in both local and international markets – with demand often exceeding supply. The year 2008 heralded another highlight for Creation Wines: the completion of their tasting venue. Set in a beautiful, indigenous garden overlooking a picturesque landscape of mountain, vineyard and lake, this impressive venue has been vital in establishing this winery as a worldclass tourist destination. Touches of class and creativity are everywhere – from the classic Riedel tasting glasses to the fine local art adorning the walls. A star on the rise? Indeed so. Visit www.creationwines.com or email info@creationwines.com. 

Words: CAROLYN MARTIN Image: © CREATION WINES

Walker Bay winery is destined for greatness.

SHINE

Haute Stuff The World’s Oldest Watch Brand

May Be Its Best

When celebrating your 275th anniversary, it’s safe to assume you’ve seen everything life can throw at you. Since 1735, Blancpain, Swiss watchmaking’s oldest name, has seen off a litany of wars, the (original) Depression, quartz watches and their threat to the mechanical, the closing of the firm’s doors, a revival, another decline, and yet another revival. The reward for Blancpain’s tenacity? A survey from the New York-based Luxury Institute identified it as the best watch brand around.

hen you consider that it came in ahead of the equally venerable firms of Vacheron Constantin and Breguet in the second and third positions, it’s a remarkable achievement for a oncedormant brand. Those polled rated the companies in four categories, including ‘Consistently Superior

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Quality’, ‘Uniqueness and Exclusivity’, ‘Making the Customer Feel Special Across the Entire Experience’, and ‘Being Consumed by People Who Are Admired and Respected’. Heady stuff, but then Blancpain certainly warrants a place among the best in any list of legendary haute horlogerie manufacturers. When some yet-to-be-born watch historian – from a suitable

vantage point many years hence – writes the enthralling saga of the mechanical watch revival, he or she will be able to point to Blancpain as having been a prominent figure in the first wave. Although the company had been inactive for more than a decade when it was revived, its impact was immediate. After all, its heritage was genuine, and not the imaginings of some marketing whizz-kid.

Words: KEN KESSLER Images: © BLANCPAIN

SHINE

Blancpain first opened its doors in 1735, when Jehan-Jacques Blancpain – born in 1693 – established himself as a watchmaker in his farmhouse in the village of Villeret. Land-locked Switzerland, with its brutal winters, developed communities with a mentality of creative shut-ins: the burgeoning need for watches was the trade that attracted many Swiss during the long winters, the St Imier valley being typical of this trend. Blancpain saw a commercial opportunity, one that would prove to be a cornerstone of the Swiss nearmonopoly in watchmaking, as well as a template for conglomerates that wouldn’t emerge for a couple of centuries. Blancpain would visit watchmakers at their farms to collect completed watches, which he would sell on to wholesalers in Geneva. Once he had set up his own workshop, he was able to produce parts and to finish ‘blank’ movements, known as ebauches, fitting them into cases for eventual sale. Blancpain’s descendants were capable and industrious, rather than merely being the recipients of nepotistic largesse. They kept the name alive for six generations, moving from their cottage-industry origins to larger-scale production by 1815, opening a modern manufacture in 1836. By 1932, the last of the family members had passed away. While under the family’s reign, continued modernisation led the company to building a plant in the late 1890s that used electricity produced by its own generator, driven by the Suze River, on whose banks it stood – a green gesture over a century ago. During this period, the twilight years of the pocket watch, Blancpain produced the complications to which it would return a century later, as well as extra-flat watches and small ladies’ watches. The company was also a pioneer in the development of self-winding, or

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‘automatic’ watches, introducing them as far back as 1926. After the passing of the last heir, a management buy-out kept the company alive. Another major achievement that would have a huge impact on the company’s success in recent years was the development in 1953 of the Fifty Fathoms diving watch. Produced for the French and US Navies, it was water resistant to 100 metres. It also caught the attention of underwater explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau, who wore a

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Fifty Fathoms in his milestone film, The World of Silence – an example of monumentally successful product placement before the term existed. After the firm was sold to the watchmaking conglomerate SSIH, the company lay dormant throughout the 1970s. Quartz had decimated the watch industry, destroying the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of Swiss who were employed in the manufacturing of mechanical timepieces. A visionary named Jean-Claude

Biver, then employed but let go by Omega, along with Jacques Piguet, who manufactured movements, acquired the Blancpain name in 1982. Concurrent with this, others in the watch industry were slowly, painstakingly re-establishing the mechanical watch as a highlydesirable form of functional jewellery. Young watchmakers who learned their craft before quartz arrived would append their names to their own creations. Biver, with perfect timing, chose, instead, to revive the by-then relatively obscure Blancpain. It was a brave move, one that predated the explosion in interest in haute horlogerie by nearly a decade. But by the time the rest of the industry had caught up with the revivalists, Bivet had already established Blancpain as a must-own brand, based in the Vallee de Joux, and able to produce the most complicated pieces consumers could covet. Biver’s recipe was a successful one that still works for the brand: round, slim, elegant watches with automatic movements, from timeonly pieces to those that feature complications including perpetual calendar, moon-phase indication, split seconds chronograph, a minute repeater and a tourbillon. Biver would combine these to create the 1735 Grande Complication, of which only 30 were produced, with a price of approximately $700,000. In 1992, Biver sold Blancpain to the company we now know as the Swatch Group, Blancpain joining Breguet as one of their most prestigious marques. The new owners

moved Blancpain headquarters to Paudex, east of Lausanne on Lake Geneva. Since 2001, Blancpain has gone from strength to strength under the aegis of Marc A Hayek, grandson of the Swatch Group’s late founder, Nicolas G Hayek. The younger Hayek, with watch manufacturing in his genes, relaunched the Fifty Fathoms. In under a decade, he has developed it into one of the most desirable sport watches on the market. Hayek, a keen racing driver, also formed an alliance between Blancpain and Lamborghini, the two producing a one-make series of motor races called the Super Trofeo Series. And Hayek has maintained Blancpain’s reputation for producing complications and models of unbridled extravagance, such as the Tourbillon Diamants, that most coveted of watch statements, which is housed in a case covered entirely in diamonds. To mark the brand’s 275th anniversary, three exceptional launches have taken place: the extreme, exotic and expensive Carrousel Répétition Minutes Le Brassus, with the world’s first carrousel powered cathedral gong minute repeater movement; a new Villeret collection reinterpreting the look of Blancpain’s most traditional and understated line; and a new complicated addition to the L-evolution Collection featuring a week of the year indication. All are manufactured completely inhouse. And all are unmistakably Blancpain. 

UNWIND

Constance

Ephelia Seychelles For the Whole Family

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Words: TANYA GOODMAN Images: © CONSTANCE HOTELS EXPERIENCE

UNWIND

The Seychelles can, without exaggeration, lay claim to some of the most spectacular beaches in the world, with powdery soft sand, giant pink boulders, and perfectly transparent water. But of all the bays we’ve visited since our love affair with the region began four years ago, it is Baie Gran Lans at Constance Ephelia that has our family quite smitten. w w w. p r e s t i g e m a g . c o . z a

or most South Africans, despite the Seychelles being only a short trip from OR Tambo International Airport, the archipelago is still one of the most neglected Indian Ocean destinations. Finding a five-star-plus retreat that surpasses all expectation is actually a rather easy task â&#x20AC;&#x201C; exclusive villas, private residences and boutique hotels are all on offer. But when it comes to finding a place that caters to the entire family without compromising style

Constance Ephelia, life slows down, even if just for a few days, and becomes sheer tranquillity. We chose to stay in one of the Family Villas for the ultimate familyfriendly environment. A master bedroom en suite plus two additional bedrooms upstairs, each with two twin beds, meant that mom and dad could have some private time in their own air-conditioned, elegantly designed and decadent space. Each Villa has its own private courtyard and generously sized pool along with

(iPod connection, CD & DVD), complimentary Wi-Fi, mini bar, mini wine cooler with a selection of wine, and espresso machine were all on hand. A number of other suite and villa configurations are available, with most equipped to host children. While the superb Family Villa accommodation means that you may not ever need to leave your home-away-from-home, it would be a great shame not to experience the rest of the resort. Set in a nature reserve, the

and luxury, the Constance group of hotels comes out tops. Their newest offering is Constance Ephelia, located on the north-western tip of MahĂŠ. This means that for those travelling with young children, you need not island hop to get to your final stop. And once you arrive at

a dining pavilion and shaded gazebo. Many hours were spent out here, watching the kids learn to swim like dolphins, their little naked bodies turning brown by day and the moonbeams reflecting off their skins at night. For more traditional entertainment, LCD TV, Mac mini

property straddles two beaches and spans 120 hectares of land bursting with lush vegetation. Yoga and meditation instruction is available every day at the Spa for the experienced and novice alike. Hikes and daily bike rides are an option for the athletically inclined, and more

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than a few energetic guests were seen jogging at sunrise and sunset along the paths. There’s also tennis, kayaking, wind surfing, a full gym and, naturally, PADI certified diving. A spot of deep sea fishing is another way to work the muscles, and we thoroughly enjoyed one long, lazy evening with our toes in the sand, dining on my husband’s catch of the day served both sushi-style and grilled by the chef at the Seselwa restaurant. For those interested in other forms of wellness, this is a hallmark of

begin to feel a sense of harmony. And if you are serious about a wellness experience, Constance Ephelia now offers ideal accommodation to do so. If you opt for a Spa Villa you have your main bedroom with Victorianstyle bathtub, own sauna, hamman and swimming pool, plus a private couple’s massage pavilion both indoors and out. Bathed in natural light and decorated with organic materials, this space is quite obviously devoted to well-being. Everywhere at Constance Ephelia

then there is Gran Lans; an idyllic beach with gentle waves, walk-in snorkelling, and a bevy of boats beckoning to be taken out for an excursion at sea. Constance Ephelia offers a Mini Club for kids, fully equipped with all things that might intrigue a child as well as an appropriately sized pool and scheduled outings. We had so much fun, though, and even some grown-up down-time that we barely took advantage of it. Instead, we filled our days and nights with shared

Constance Ephelia. The spa village, set in beautiful tropical gardens, is the largest in the Indian Ocean and provides both the Spa de Constance Spirit and Shiseido Spa, which specialise in different treatments. With close attention to every detail, one need simply enter this space to

there is water, be it in the myriad geometric swimming pools that abut each restaurant, the state-of-the art shower that washes off the sea salt and sunscreen, magical waterfalls that enhance the sense of relaxation at the Spa, or the turquoise ocean that greets you each morning. And

laughter and discovery – the stuff of which family memories are made.  For more information, contact Constance Ephelia Resort: • Tel: +248 395 000 • Email: info@epheliaresort.com • Visit: www.epheliaresort.com

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F E AT U R E

Princess

Yachts

Going Large

When the London International Boat Show opens its doors in January 2011, the British yacht manufacturer Princess will be showcasing its latest addition, the 32M. For the first time, with this launch, Princess will be entering 100-foot-plus territory.

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Words: CHARL DU PLESSIS Images: © PRINCESS YACHTS INTERNATIONAL PLC

CRUISE

he 32M will be the largest overall vessel to have been showcased inside London’s Excel exhibition halls. At 32 metres in length and over 13 metres in height at her tallest point, she only narrowly fits through the enormous South Hall doors at the exhibition centre, posing a challenging logistical feat. Once inside, she promises to be a hugely impressive feature, dominating the new boardwalk arena. The new 32M is a remarkably accomplished long-range cruising yacht with an authoritative style, and engineered to the highest seagoing standards. Her huge saloon features vast windows to each side and sliding doors leading out to a drop-down balcony to starboard, which gives the entire main deck the benefit of a

spectacular open vista. Offered with four or five guest cabins, her owner’s suite is located on the main deck, benefitting from large windows that offer excellent views on two sides, and an equally impressive bathroom forward with spacious shower and separate whirlpool bath. Down below, a full-beam VIP suite is also truly imposing and there is an additional double guest cabin on the port side, with a roomy twin to starboard, reached via an impressive central lobby. Owners who enjoy cruising with larger groups, or those with an eye on the charter market, are able to opt for the fivecabin layout, with two double guest suites in place of the palatial midships VIP, as is the arrangement on hull number one. The 32M heralds the dawn of a

new era for Princess Yachts, and a distinct horizon for the brand. Approval has now been gained to transform the Company’s South Yard site through a £45-million investment programme, to create an industryleading manufacturing facility for a range of larger yachts. And 2012 will see the arrival of the 40M, a 130-foot tri-deck vessel and new flagship for the company. Construction will commence in early 2011. Princess has invested heavily in products across their entire size range, and 2010 saw the company launch five new models, some of which will make their London debut at the show. The Princess 64 and revised Princess 42 will be on display together with the V52 sports yacht, while the V56 will feature a full-beam master cabin layout. 

Experience Princess Princess South Africa offers several charter options onboard the 85-foot Princess Emma. Charters are tailor-made according to the needs of the client and the time he or she has available. Call +27 21 794 6561 or email info@thelastword.co.za. One-day charters • Clifton – depart Waterfront mid morning for Clifton. A gourmet lunch will be served onboard before a relaxing afternoon of sunbathing and swimming. After watching the sun set, Princess Emma will take a slow cruise along the Atlantic seaboard back to her berth at the Cape Grace marina. With luck, guests will enjoy sightings of dolphins and whales while out at sea. • Hout Bay, Clifton – depart Waterfront mid-morning, cruise along the Atlantic coast for lunch at Hout Bay harbour either onboard or at one of the well-known harbour restaurants, returning via Clifton for sundowners and dinner onboard at Clifton or back at the marina. Two-day charters • Waterfront, Hout Bay, Simon’s Town, Kalk Bay, Cape Point – depart mid-morning from the Waterfront to Hout Bay for lunch. Continue around Cape Point to overnight in Simon’s Town harbour, with dinner either onboard or at one of the wellknown restaurants nearby. The next day, cruise False Bay to Kalk Bay and Seal Island, returning via Clifton Beach for sundowners and afterwards the marina for dinner and overnight stay onboard. Three-day charters • West Coast to Langebaan – cruise up the West Coast via Dassen Island, Yzerfontein and Saldanha Bay, to overnight in Club Mykonos harbour. The following day, cruise Langebaan lagoon to Kraal Bay and stay overnight. Depart at lunchtime and return to the Waterfront for dinner and overnight stay at the marina. Three to five-day charters • Southern Cape Coast cruises to Knysna can be tailor-made to suit clients’ needs.

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EXCLUSIVE

art

EXCLUSIVE

on a

bottle

Words & Images: © THE ANDY WARHOL FOUNDATION

Dom Pérignon Pays Homage to Andy Warhol

With the creation of an exclusive collection of three bottles by the Design Laboratory at Central Saint Martins School of Art & Design, Dom Pérignon pays tribute to Andy Warhol, creative genius and one of the most illustrious artists of the 20th century.

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F E AT U R E

elow is an entry from Andy Warhol’s diary on 8 March, 1981. Warhol, the pope of Pop Art and a leading figure of the New York underground art scene, had just returned from Munich where he had had a show, and was recounting what he had seen. “Went to the gallery where they were having a little exhibition of the glittery Shoes, and had to do interviews and pics for the German newspaper and then we had to go back to the hotel and be picked up by the ‘2,000’ people – it's a club of 20 guys who got together and they’re going to buy 2,000 bottles of Dom Pérignon, which they will put in a sealed room until the year 2000 and then open it up and drink it and so the running joke is who will be around and who won't...” Warhol really loved this story. Not surprising. He once said that he had

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been to thousands of parties in his life. In the late 1970s he liked to go to New York’s Studio 54, the wildest and most theatrical club of the period (along with Le Palace in Paris), with his friends. And they loved to drink Dom Pérignon there. Inspired by Warhol’s unconventional representation of icons and the playful use of codes and colour in his work, Dom Pérignon commissioned the Design Laboratory at Central Saint Martins School of Art & Design to reinterpret its timeless bottle. The result, Dom Pérignon Pays Tribute to

Andy Warhol, is a unique collection of three bottles, each with a distinct label in red, blue or yellow – a tribute to Warhol’s iconic colour games. Andy Warhol was born Andrew Warhola on 6 August, 1928. From an early age he showed an interest in photography and drawing. After attending Carnegie Mellon University, Warhol moved to New York and worked as an illustrator for several magazines including Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and The New Yorker. In 1952, the artist had his first solo exhibition, and four years later participated in his first group show exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art. Appropriating images from popular culture, Warhol created many paintings that remain icons of 20thcentury art including the Campbell's Soup Can, Marilyn and Elvis series. Warhol worked in a variety of mediums from painting to photography, and in the eighties hosted his own talk show on MTV. Andy Warhol died on 22 February, 1987, firmly established as one of the most important artists of the 20th century. Warhol challenged the world to see art differently. His cultural legacy lives on through his artworks and the works of The Andy Warhol Foundation and The Andy Warhol Museum. This project with Dom Pérignon is produced under licence from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc, a New York not-for-profit corporation that promotes the visual arts (www.warholfoundation.org). The Dom Pérignon Warhol Gift Box is available from leading liquor merchants nationwide, for R1299.95. 

Dom Pérignon Vintage 2000 Tasting Notes by Richard Geoffroy, Chef de Cave Dom Pérignon is made from grapes grown on Dom Pérignon’s eight Grand Crus, together with the Hautvillers Premier Cru. Each vintage is a new creation. Fresh, crystalline and crisp, the first notes on the nose reveal a unique vegetal, aquatic world, with accents of white pepper and gardenia. Then the wine’s maturity softly, lightly declares itself before exhaling peaty accents. On the palate, the first impression is direct, a prelude to hints of anise and dried ginger, gliding over the skin of a pear and a mango, an effect that is more tactile than fleshy. The finish stretches out and then comes to rest, calm, mature and diffuse.

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CONTACT Jenny Ellinas: +27 83 448 8734 | jenny@cypriotrealty.com | www.cypriotrealty.com

SETTLE

A Home in

Cyprus

The Perfect Getaway Cyprus, located in the Eastern Mediterranean, and the birthplace of the Goddess Aphrodite, has been attracting visitors to her shores for centuries. The combination of beautiful and contrasting scenery, fascinating coastal seascapes and priceless mosaics makes this paradise island a must-visit destination.

f you think Cyprus is a backwater country with outdated infrastructure, a struggling economy and little to offer the traveller and seasoned investor – think again. Cyprus will amaze you with what’s on offer. In Cyprus the lifestyle really is the best of the best. Boasting one of the lowest crime rates in the world, expect the utmost in peace and tranquillity here – you can be anywhere, anytime and never experience or be threatened by crime. The country will surprise you with its excellent healthcare facilities,

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first-rate banking services, top-notch road network and exceptional telecommunications setup. And this European destination continues to improve facilities, services, infrastructure and development for its residents, visitors and investors. For avid sports enthusiasts wanting to enjoy the best in sports, the 320 days of annual sunshine and the short, mild winters offer a wide choice of activities – not to mention world-class facilities and many international sporting tournaments. The golf courses are set in magnificent surrounds, and Cyprus is fast

becoming known as the next hotspot on the global golfing calendar. For car enthusiasts, both the annual FxPRO Car Rally, which spans two days and covers 850 kilometres, and the Classic Car Rally, take participants through incredible rural scenery and breathtaking hillside routes. In winter, go skiing or snowboarding and then visit an authentic cobble-stoned mountain village for glühwein and a cheese fondue, and the chance to experience the warmth of Cypriot hospitality. Cyprus has an established and flourishing yachting and boating

Words: JENNY ELLINAS Images: © CYPRIOT REALTY

SETTLE

industry and is regarded by many as the best sailing centre in the eastern Mediterranean. A wealth of nautical adventures can be enjoyed here, from short excursions and exploring secluded bays to weeklong charters and exquisite wreck dives, as well as time spent navigating your way past exotic sea caves. With three new, state-of-the-art marinas under development, Cyprus will soon offer the most modern mooring facilities in the Med too. Superb retail, residential and commercial opportunities will complement these marinas. Where Cyprus sets itself apart from most European countries is that the best real estate is available mere metres from the sparkling Mediterranean Sea. Internationally acclaimed and award-winning developments like Apollo Beach Villas showcase ultimate island-living, combining exquisite location, leisure and luxury with privacy and elegance. Each custom-built home offers a rare opportunity to own a very valuable seafront asset that will create a legacy for generations to come. If living on the water’s edge isn’t quite for you, then an opportunity

Cyprus: Some Facts and Figures: • Total Size: 9,248 square kilometres • Cyprus is a completely independent country to Greece, and not part of Greece at all. • Greek is not the main language. Cyprus was a British Colony and everyone speaks English. • They drive on the left-hand side of the road. • July and August are the hottest months of the year but from late December to early February Cyprus offers great snowboarding and skiing. • The currency is Euro. • A Cypriot visa is required for all citizens excluding UK, USA and EU citizens and passport holders. • Permanent residency is possible. exists to invest in an exclusive and luxurious hillside location: Kamares Village – ranked in the Top Five Villa Developments in the world. Here, original architecture, clever interior planning and landscaped exteriors blend harmoniously into the surrounding natural environment. For ultimate luxury, a stay at the 5-star Thalassa Boutique Hotel in Paphos – on the western side of the island – should definitely form part of your itinerary. Thalassa has developed a new service concept: a personal butler for every suite, which is a first for the island. Thalassa is more than a hotel, it’s an experience. It’s a place where boundaries between the hotel

and its guests fall away, and Thalassa becomes your home, where you are looked after and tended to by friends, and where the motto of the staff is ‘The answer is yes, what is the question?’. Life here sure is laidback, and you can set your own pace. And what better place to do this than where the blue skies meet the Mediterranean Sea, on the beautiful island of Cyprus?  Contact Jenny Ellinas at Cypriot Realty: • Tel: +27 83 448 8734 • Email: jenny@cypriotrealty.com • Visit: www.cypriotrealty.com

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The

Big

Boom Supersonic Jets

Flying faster than the speed of sound is still civil aviationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest dream. Although Concorde was sadly scrapped several years ago, its appeal lingers. But, despite much success over the years, the major hurdle to supersonic flight still stands. The draw is in the journey times. In the Concorde, New York to Paris flights took around four hours and 15 minutes versus about seven hours and 30 minutes in existing subsonic aircraft.

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SUPERSONIC

Words: LIZ MOSCROP Images: © AERION; GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE

t’s LOUD. So noisy, actually, that it’s banned over land in many parts of the world. Shock waves develop around airplanes as they near speeds of Mach 1, and at ground level these are perceived as a loud double boom or bang. Many manufacturers, however, refuse to be daunted by the task of building a new supersonic plane and claim to have resolved the noise problem. Aerion, for example, has secured around 50 orders for its $80-million supersonic business jet (SSBJ) from customers in key markets including Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the USA. Last October the company revealed early results from a new round of flight tests carried out in collaboration with NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center. The tests achieved a top speed of Mach 2.0. Vice chairman Brian Barents called

this “a tremendous validation of the aircraft’s appeal.” The company is still looking for someone to build the aircraft – which will likely cost $3 billion by the time the first one rolls out. Should Barents eventually realise his goal, the SSBJ will carry eight to 12 passengers and travel at both supersonic and subsonic speeds. Barents reckons that Aerion is “at least seven years ahead” of major competitors Gulfstream and Supersonic Aerospace International (SAI), both of which are developing technologies optimised for supersonic flight only. Other original equipment manufacturers investigating supersonic flight include Gulfstream and Dassault, both of which are working on sonic boom reduction. John Rosanvallon, Dassault Falcon’s CEO, said, “Dassault wants to be part of the international team that builds the first supersonic business jet.” However, Dassault seems to have parked its plans for the time being as it concentrates on other products. Gulfstream, meanwhile, is concentrating on sonic boom noise reduction using ‘Quiet Spike’ technology, which it has flown on a NASA F-15 flight test aircraft capable of flying at speeds in excess of Mach 2.0, or twice the speed of sound. The company has developed a telescopic spike that extends from 14 feet in subsonic flight to 24 feet in supersonic flight. This spike flattens out traditional spiky ‘N’-wave sonic boom pressure waves into more rounded shapes, fashioned roughly like a sideways ‘S’. This modification creates a softer sound that is quieter than Concorde’s sonic boom by a factor of 10,000. The manufacturer is also working with the International Civil Aviation Organisation, the US Federal Aviation Administration and NASA to gain regulatory approvals for its work. Recently, Italian aviation giant Alenia was reported to be in talks with

Russia’s Sukhoi to bring a new supersonic business jet to market by 2015. The plane is slated to fly at more than Mach 1.6 and carry eight passengers, with muffled sonic booms. Sukhoi and Alenia are collaborating on the Superjet, a commercial airliner, which is now in flight testing. Fellow Russian airframer Tupolev has also developed concepts for a supersonic business jet, the Tu-444. Others also wish to muscle in on the market. Back in 2001, Michael Paulson founded SAI to fulfil his late father's wishes as outlined in his will. Allen E Paulson wanted to create a quiet, low-boom supersonic business jet, and hired Lockheed Martin to complete a feasibility design study for a revolutionary ‘low boom’ supersonic passenger aircraft. The study resulted in the design of the Quiet Supersonic Transport (QSST), an aircraft that would have a sonic signature 1/100th that of the Concorde at a speed up to Mach 1.8 and a range of 4,000 nautical miles (roughly 7,400 kilometres). SAI is looking for a consortium to develop the QSST. Slated to cruise at 60,000 feet at speeds of Mach 1.6 to 1.8 (approximately 1,960 to 2,200 km/h), with a range of 7,400 kilometres, the twin-engine QSST was designed to create a sonic boom only 1 percent as strong as that generated by Concorde. A long fuselage and ensuring that the individual pressure waves generated by each part of the aircraft structure did not impact as heavily on each other would have achieved this result. The idea is that this would produce a longer, but quieter, boom. Interestingly, civil and military giant Boeing has concluded that supersonic aircraft could be economically and environmentally viable in multiple markets. With such a powerful advocate, supersonic speeds may be back in vogue sooner than we think. 

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CRAFT

Words: ROB BRUCE; TONI MUIR Images: ÂŠ THE DALMORE DISTILLERY

The

Dalmore Fine, Fine Whisky The Dalmore whisky is crafted in small batches using an artisan philosophy that has been passed down through generations. The small band of stillmen who run the distillery all originate from a handful of local families with years of experience, showing true craft, dedication and pride when creating one of the finest malt whiskies in the world. w w w. p r e s t i g e m a g . c o . z a

he first bottle of whisky in the world to break the sixfigure price barrier originated from The Dalmore Distillery, which sold two bottles for £100,000 – each. The two bottles of the 64-year-old Trinitas, named because there were just three bottles produced in total, were acquired by a luxury whisky lover in the US and a renowned whisky investor in the UK. The third bottle of this record-breaking spirit was recently sold at the Whisky Show in London,

though organisers have remained tight-lipped about the exact details of this most-exclusive sale. Industry experts claim that if the bottle was sold by the glass in exclusive restaurants and clubs, it could fetch up to £20,000 for a typical 50ml dram. Exclusive indeed! But this is because Trinitas is believed to contain some of the rarest and oldest stocks of whisky in the world, some of which have been maturing in the distillery on the shores of the Cromarty Firth, the Scottish Highlands, for more than 140 years. The Dalmore Distillery is watched over by master distiller, Richard Paterson, the third generation of a family long associated with the Scotch whisky industry. After many years

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working his way up, learning all he could about whisky, from stock records to distillation and blending, perfecting his ever-improving abilities, Paterson joined Whyte & Mackay Distillers in 1970. He was just 26 years of age, reputed at that time to be Scotland’s youngest master blender. Ever since, Paterson has been responsible for crafting Dalmore’s great malts. Paterson used his unrivalled expertise to fuse together a range of those most exclusive malts to produce Trinitas. He says this was not about

reported to be changing hands for double that. More recently, a bespoke Dalmore expression called Oculus was sold on auction, fetching more than £28,000. The magnificent and rare Northern Lights phenomenon, Aurora borealis – a natural light show very few get to see – inspired The Dalmore to create its very newest product, one they’ve simply christened, Aurora. Just 200 bottles will be made available at a toe-curling £3,000 each. This particular spirit has been maturing in

cynical and jaded you are, they will stop you in your tracks, awaken your senses and make you shout ‘wow’. I try to make sure The Dalmore offers that in each and every bottle we produce, whether it is through our permanent core range or that one-off exclusive bottle that sells for tens of thousands of Pounds. Tasting Aurora will be like experiencing the Northern Lights for the first time – once will never be enough. You will just want more. And pretty soon, it may be easier to find the heavenly lights than

breaking world records but about making the best whisky money can buy. “The hand of time has been generous and rewarding with the malts I chose to use,” he says. “They allowed me to create a taste sensation that will never again be repeated and which will only ever be available to those who own these bottles. You cannot put a price on that.” The Dalmore has become one of the most sought after whiskies in the world. In 2005, The Dalmore 62 was bought in a Surrey Hotel by an anonymous businessman for a recordbreaking £32,000, and was consumed there and then. Last year, 12 bottles of Sirius were snapped up in four days despite the price tag of £10,000 per decanter. Six months later they were

the distillery for 45 years. The part of the Scottish Highlands where The Dalmore Distillery is located is also one of the places where, when the conditions are right, you can see the northern lights in all their glory. Says Paterson, “The Northern Lights are an amazing natural wonder offering an intense, unique experience and no matter how

it will be to find one of these bottles!” The Dalmore has a history of breaking the conventions of the whisky industry; an authentic and original Scottish product with a growing presence in today’s burgeoning market. It enjoys an unrivalled richness of tradition and craftsmanship; a key trigger for luxury purchasers. Paterson believes that people recognise they have to pay a premium for this exclusive quality; this heritage. He says in conclusion, “Even in this day and age, when times are tough, those who enjoy the finer things in life want to reward themselves with something very special.” For more information, visit www.thedalmore.com.

Industry experts claim that if the bottle was sold by the glass in exclusive restaurants and clubs, it could fetch up to £20,000 for a typical 50ml dram.

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F E AT U R E

French

Revolution Gallic Hi-Fi Equipment Enters a New Era

France has always had a strong reputation for manufacturing extreme hi-fi components. Traditionally, this manifested itself as huge record decks, outré tube electronics or loudspeakers that bore a greater resemblance to avant-garde sculpture than to audio equipment. But the country embraced digital technology from the outset – France is simply mad about Apple and the iPod – so perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that its wireless offerings are truly forward thinking.

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t was the launch of the genuinely radical Devialet D-Premier amplifier, at Paris’ Salon Hi-Fi Home Cinema back in 2009, that made it clear France was producing very advanced and ultra-modern home entertainment equipment. They had delivered something unlike anything we’d seen before. It was simply gorgeous, as chic as you’d expect of something so utterly French, a proper objet d’art so far-removed from the knob-festooned boxes of yore that it was hard to believe it was, yes, an audio amplifier. But not just any amplifier – it takes the form of a polished metal slab

Words: KEN KESSLER Images: © DEVIALET

V I VA L A R E V O L U T I O N

measuring only 12 inches by 12 inches – like an LP sleeve – and is less than two inches thick. You can place it on a shelf or hang it on the wall. What you most certainly would not do is hide it. All it features beyond the metal expanse is a discreet display: everything else is accessed by the sexiest wireless remote control you’ve ever seen. And yet, despite such a minimalist presence, the D-Premier accepts every form of digital source, from DVD to CD to computers, with HDMI for routing the signals from DVD and Bluray players, compatibility with multiroom controllers – it will even address your vintage sources, like tape, FM radio and the signal from not one but two turntables. As for its drive capabilities, the D-Premier pumps out a massive 240 watts per channel, for sublime stereo playback. There are surely no currently available speakers that D-Premier is incapable of powering to concert levels. With total flexibility and the unlikelihood of reaching obsolescence in the near future, the D-Premier raised the bar to new heights. In turn, this inspired a new wave of components that will position the French ‘high-end’ electronics community alongside those of Germany, the UK, Italy and the USA. As of 2011, France is giving the rest of the world a run for its money with cool wireless devices, servers, amplifiers and upscale docking hardware, from companies such as Micromega, Vismes, Jarre, Storm and Soledge. They’re offering impressive components designed to exploit everything from iPods to state-ofthe-art CD players, whether wirelessly or through conventional cables. What’s certain is that the music lover of the 21st century will be able to feed the music stored in his or her mobile phone or portable device directly to the ‘proper’ hi-fi system in the home, with no more difficulty than needed to hook it up to a sonically inferior dock. Soledge’s Maestro is an arresting device with a screen that raises or lowers when addressed; its styling sublime, its finish immaculate. This is a full-function, remote-controlled

server system with a built-in CD mechanism (the slot is located inbetween the fins at the front) for uploading your CD library, with a standard capacity for between 500 and 900 hours of uncompressed music. Options include an FM or DAB module, while an array of inputs allow for memory expansion if your library is larger than the standard storage can accommodate. Also available is a matching power amplifier, the Tenor, which actually looks like a vertical portable hard drive! If you’re simply after something to feed from your iPod, but you’re too discerning to suffer the terrible iPod docks that dominate the market, high-quality loudspeakers with builtin amplifiers are an ideal solution. And don’t let the dimensions of Vismes’ handsome 22x22x22cm Cube fool you: it weighs a deceptive 17 kilograms because it’s fashioned from steel, each box containing a 25-watt power amplifier to drive its frontfiring, full-range speaker and a 57watt amp for its subwoofer. The Cube may be small, but it delivers serious bass. For those who value convenience as well as sound quality, it can be connected easily to any line source such as a TV or iPod, or driven by a conventional pre-amp. Another clever alternative for those who have filled their iPods with many hours of music is a space-age cylinder from Jarre Technologies. And, yes, this loudspeaker is the brainchild of that Jarre – as in ‘Jean-Michel’. The AeroSystem One is an iPod/iPhone dock developed over four years by Jarre and a team of sound engineers. It plays pretty much every format – MP3, AAC, WMA, and so on – and is compatible with all iPod and iPhone models. It can also ‘talk’ to computers and other devices through USB 2.0 ingress. The sleek unit stands 1.085 metres tall, with a diameter of 115mm and 260mm at the base, yet it contains a 30-watt

France is giving the rest of the world a run for its money with cool wireless servers.

amp for each 75mm tweeter and a 60watt amp for the 135mm woofer. Price in Europe is only €799. Storm’s knock-out V55 Vertigo integrated amplifier may seem almost conventional, but, if my schoolboy French served me well, it features a circuit they call ‘StormFocus’, which dynamically tracks the impedance of the speaker load and behaves accordingly. Forget the technobabble: the audible result is supposed to provide a far more accurate matching of amplifier-to-speaker behaviour, for superlative sound. Available in the usual black or silver, or – for the adventurous – a sexy

shade of red – it’s rated at 2x170 watts, accepts five line sources such as a CD player or FM tuner, and the build quality is divine. Even if you already have a fine system, you’ll probably want to add wireless capability to it, and Micromega’s WM-10 AirStream (€990) might be just the device to do it. It uses the company’s in-house ‘WHiFI’ system and Wi-Fi 802.11n technology to ensure that the wireless communication will provide unparalleled sound quality, enough to survive critical listening with true, high-end credibility. The technology is extremely fast, and the AirStream ensures that the sound reproduction system is isolated electrically from the computer or other source on which your music content is stored. Also new from Micromega is the AS-400 integrated amplifier with built-in AirStream, and a phono stage for your LPs! It would seem, then, that despite embracing the best that digital can offer, the French still have plenty of respect for the venerable black vinyl record. Or as they might put it, Plus ca change… 

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Sabrage

Fit for Dashing Frenchmen, Cossacks and You There’s more to the traditional devil-may-care, conversation-stopping art of sabrage than shearing off the top of a champagne bottle with a sword.

f you want to be a sabreur and impress your friends, what you do is this: obtain a bottle of (preferably French) champagne, chilled in the fridge to as near six degrees Celsius as you can get it. That’s important. Never put it on ice, as the neck cools at a different rate to the rest of the bottle, and it’s the neck (or collar) in which we’re interested. Because we’re going to casually lop it off with an almighty

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great sabre, the way swashbuckling young officers in Napoleon’s day used to do to celebrate a victory on the battlefield, or to impress the young filles. What happens now, although it looks impressively reckless, takes mastery. And mastery takes practice. Sabrage is a tradition, built as much around bravado as it is around honouring fine wine. “One of the more spirited tales

surrounding the tradition,” says Miguel Chan, Southern Sun Hotel Group’s Certified Sommelier, “is that of Madame Clicquot, who inherited her husband’s champagne house at the age of 27.” She apparently used to entertain as many of Napoleon's officers in her vineyard as she could squeeze into her busy nights, and as they rode off tired but happy in the early morning with their bottles of champagne, they would casually open them with their sabres to impress the rich young widow." Although you can theoretically do it with the back of the kitchen breadknife, the effect isn’t quite the same. You need to use the back edge (that’s the blunt one) of a beautiful, shimmering, pedigreed aristocrat of a sabre. Having availed yourself of the implement in question, you need to locate the ‘seam’ that runs along the bottle and over the collar. Strip the foil wrapping off to expose the seam. Then, holding the blunt edge of the sabre against the seam at an exact 20-degree angle, you simply slide the sabre purposefully (but not violently) along the seam towards the neck, which then comes off neatly in one piece, the cork still inside. There’s no risk of debris, as the contents are under pressure and any glass particles will always go upwards rather than sink back into the wine. Says flamboyant sabrage master and raconteur Achim von Arnim, of top wine estate Haute Cabrière: “Despite the showmanship associated with sabrage, wine shouldn’t be put on a pedestal or made a cult of, but shared with friends in good spirit. The real value of wine is the sharing of it.” To acquire an authentic French sabre to call your own, contact Dan Vergottini, who imports solid brass, high carbon steel sabres in leather scabbards direct from the continent. Contact +27 79 595 8011 or email info@vergottini.co.za.

Words: GAVIN BARFIELD Images: © HAUTE CABRIERE

WIELD

frika 21688 www.jhafrika.co.za

Exclusively available at

MELROSE ARCH JOHANNESBURG 011 684 2820 & ALSO AT GERI, MANDELA SQUARE 011 783 2814

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CONVERTIBLES

Preaching to the

Converted

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Words: ALEXANDER PARKER Images: ÂŠ MOTORPICS.CO.ZA; QUICKPIC.CO.ZA; ROLLS-ROYCE; LORENZO MARCINNO/FERRARI

CONVERTIBLES

It is, in a way, almost criminal not to own one. They are available to almost every budget and this country is one of the best for owning them. Contrary to popular belief, our roads are often superb and, of course, the weather is perfect.

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onvertible cars are often a compromise. They lose structural rigidity, they lose solidity and sharpness, and the strengthening beams and struts the manufacturers have to use to beef up the stiffness lost by cutting off the roof usually add a good 100 or so kilograms, blunting performance. But come on, it’s not every day that you live on the ragged edge; that thrilling place between a neatly caught tailslide and

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an accident that’ll have your insurance broker wincing. Most of the time you just drive and, if you’ve never experienced it, top-down motoring is closer to heaven than you might imagine. It’s motoring, with the volume turned up full. It assails every sense. You can feel the wind, that clear indication of speed. You can smell the flowering wattle and, in winter, smoky fires and braais. You can hear the tyres scrabbling for grip on the tarmac. Driving with the roof down is truly an

event. One of the great sports cars of our time is a relatively cheap Japanese roadster – the Mazda MX-5. Some will scoff at such a notion, but then they’ve usually not driven one. The Mazda is the direct descendant of legends of open-top motoring from England’s sports car era – cars such as the MG-B, the Triumph Spitfire, the Lotus Elan and the TR6. None was particularly fast in a straight line. All were epic in the twistys. It is said that the engineers at Mazda deliberately copied the

transmission whine from an Elan in the original 1989 MX-5. It’s all so simple. Keep it small and light. Put the drive to the rear and the engine up front. Resist the temptation to add horses. Rather remove weight. And that’s why the MX-5 is such fun. It fairly skips across the road. The steering is weighty enough and as sharp as a razor. Grip isn’t huge, but that’s the point. You don’t want too much grip. It’s a toy, after all, not a track-day superstar. Up the scale and it’s hard to ignore the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class convertible. Not only is it elegant and as quiet as a coupe with the roof up, it is utterly outstanding with the roof down. Of all the convertibles I have ever driven, including some truly expensive pieces of kit, this car is remarkably devoid of the dreaded scuttle shake, the jellylike wobble you get in drop-tops with the roof down. It felt solid and, in E500 form, was a real performer too. It is a great car for the real world. Drive to work in the teeming rain with the roof up. Cruise the suburbs on a balmy Sunday afternoon, sans roof. One might say it’s a car that’ll change to suit your mood. Aston Martin makes some pretty special drop-tops. You can have a V8 Vantage Roadster or both DB9 and DBS in Volante form. All are beautiful and all are pricey. My choice would be the DB9 Volante. It is elegant beyond belief and more suited to the role of

boulvardier than the harder DBS, and taller men will find the V8 cramped. For smaller men and women, the V8 makes perfect sense. The V12 is, as we know, one of the great engines, with its linear power delivery and – especially with the roof down – that wonderful V12 yowl that speaks of relaxed wineland roadtrips and happy days. When it comes to the ultimate convertible it really starts to come down to taste. They say the Ferrari California is almost too good to be true. Some folk like to keep it oldschool and simple, and park R150,000 in a solid 1980s Mercedes-Benz SL 280. But the ultimate convertible, to me, is the Rolls-Royce Phantom. Thing is, it’s still Rolls-Royce. It’s got that sense of otherworldly perfection about it, be it the decking on the rear of the car or the perfection that is the interior. It may be the utterly unique and somewhat intimidating style, but the truth is that no matter what the

car may say about you, no matter what it expresses about success and taste and all those good things, the real joy of the Phantom remains in the drive itself. They are special cars, in every form, these Phantom coupés. The detachment from the vulgarities of the road is total, the silence with the roof up astounding. The view down that long, elegant bonnet, with the spirit of ecstasy some distance away from the driver, remains one of the most coveted in motoring. With the roof down, it’s not just motoring with the volume turned up to 10; it’s driving a Rolls-Royce with the volume turned up to 10. And that has to be experienced to be believed. In conclusion, if there are no kids, or if they’ve moved on, whether you commute or not, whether budgets are tight or stratospheric, you’ve got to ask yourself; why don’t you have a convertible? It’s a question we all ought to ponder. 

S T R AY

Alone

Time

Private Cruises to Robben Island Rather than experiencing Robben Island as one of several hundred people flooding the monument en masse, might we suggest an exclusive tour through Original Boats onboard luxury motor yacht, Inala. This is currently the only trip of its kind and guarantees a most memorable experience.

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S T R AY

obben Island, the onceinfamous maximum security prison off the coast of Cape Town, has long been associated with the great local leaders who contributed towards the struggle for freedom in South Africa. During the Apartheid regime, between 1964 and 1991, African chiefs, political heavyweights and business leaders who were brave enough to stand against any form of oppression, were incarcerated at Robben Island. The list of freedom fighters includes one of the world's most respected icons, former President of South Africa and Nobel Laureate, Nelson Mandela, who spent decades imprisoned here. Today, Robben Island is a symbol of strength, resilience, hope and freedom, and attracts visitors the world over. What better way to be part of this historic experience than to travel there in style? The Inala, which means ‘having enough for all’ in Zulu, is a spacious, 50-foot, luxury motor yacht with six beautifully styled en suite cabins accommodating up to 12 guests. With her teak floors, cherry wood finishes, leather upholstery, exquisite interiors, quality construction and superior performance, Inala is in a class of her own. Original Boats has brought together the best in exclusive boating with this most remarkable of Heritage sites, to offer discerning travellers an experience unlike any other. Upon arrival, guests are greeted with rose scented towels to freshen up, followed by welcome cocktails. The boat has a full bar, with a selection of local beers and wines available and snacks or meals provided, suitable to the time of the cruise. Once at Robben Island, a dedicated guide accompanies guests on a private tour in an airconditioned vehicle, visiting sites of the island and the prison that are not available to the general public. On the return cruise, guests are treated to views of the world famous Table Mountain and the beautiful Cape coastline, along which they may encounter seals, dolphins or other

marine life, including whales when in season. The brains behind this unique visitor’s concept are Thabane Zulu, one of Robben Island’s youngest prisoners, and legendary yachtsman and skipper, John Martin. Martin has sailed in excess of 560,000 kilometres and has had a very successful career achieving notable success in six

He retired from the SA Navy in 1990 with the rank of Comannder and 17 years of service behind his name, with many honours and awards including a Chief of Defence Force Commendation Medal for outstanding Seamanship and Leadership. He is also the Commodore of Royal Cape Yacht Club. Martin and his crew are on 24-

Transatlantic Races and two Round the World, Single-Handed Races. He has achieved Springbok colours nine times and was awarded the State President's Sports Award (Gold) twice. He was also voted Yachtsman of the Year twice and was the three-time winner of the Gordon Burnwood Trophy for Outstanding Yachting Achievements in South Africa.

hour standby and focused on delivering superior service to guests wishing to enjoy this fantastic day out at sea. For more information or to book, visit www.africanaccessholdings.com, email info@originalboats.co.za, or contact +27 82 941 4389. Original Boats is a subsidiary of African Access Holdings. 

Experiences – Choose from the following charter options: • Private Robben Island cruise – This 3-hour tour includes an exclusive charter of the Inala Antares and a private tour of Robben Island with a personal tour guide. Local beverages and a finger buffet are served onboard. • Sunset Cruise – This 2-hour cruise to the famous Clifton beaches, with panoramic views of Table Mountain and the 12 Apostles, includes sparkling wine on arrival, and local beverages and canapés. • 3-Hour Cruise – A personalised cruise, including local beverages and a finger buffet. • 4-Hour Cruise – A personalised cruise including local beverages and a finger buffet. • Additional Cruise Options – Full day charters, overnight charters, photo shoots and movie productions.

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The Allure of

art

South African

Anyone doubting the importance of art as a worthwhile asset class capable of delivering serious returns will have been quietly hushed as record prices were repeatedly set for South African art in the later months of 2010. Substantial gains were made in the local art market, with 12 major artists breaking auction records during this short time.

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hese consistent results indicate that the market for quality works is strong. Paintings by Irma Stern achieved particularly high results during October and

investment vehicle. Prices paid for paintings have gained much international publicity and South African Art has become particularly appealing. Art as an asset class can also serve

Respected showrooms and dealers such as Graham’s Fine Art Gallery offer one of the finest collections of South African masterpieces, with a focus on presenting clients with excellent

November. Stern thus not only holds the record for the top price recorded for a South African artwork, but is also the South African artist whose work has consistently fetched the highest prices. Tracking some of Stern’s auction records for the past 10 years gives a clear indication of market growth: • 2000 – R1,782,297 (estimate R500,000 to R800,000) • 2006 – R2,450,800 (estimate R90,000 to R120,000) • 2007 – R7,352,400 (estimate R1 million to R1.4 million) • 2010 – R13,368,000 (estimate R5 million to R7 million) • 2010 – R26,857,560 (estimate R6.6 million to R9.9 million) Other South African artists, such as Stanley Pinker, JH Pierneef, Maud Sumner, Cecil Skotnes and Alexis Preller, among others, also achieved considerable growth, shifting the role of South African art from an aesthetic statement to that of a desirable

as a valid form of diversification in one’s investment portfolio, while having the added advantage of being movable and easily transferable. The recent recession saw works by top artists continue to increase in value. True quality is rare and therefore remains ever-more collectible. Charlotte Burns, in a recent article for The Art Newspaper, reminded us that “art appeals because it is tangible, can be traded in any currency and comes with kudos – collectors cannot hang stocks and shares on a wall to show their friends. Art may be particularly attractive now because of the uncertainties of the stock markets, big currency fluctuations and the looming spectre of inflation in some major countries, and deflation in others.” Experts agree that when considering art as an investment, the most important consideration is quality. Where you buy your art should be an important consideration, too.

investment pieces. Graham’s Gallery only deals with works that illustrate great significance through execution, condition, aesthetics, value and iconicity. The Gallery specialises in 20th Century, Post-War and Contemporary South African art and is situated in the upmarket area of Broadacres in Fourways, Johannesburg. Contact +27 11 465 9192 or visit www.grahamsgallery. co.za for more information. 

Considering art as an investment? Graham’s Fine Art Gallery recommends the following: • Buy what you like, but always prioritise quality. • Structure your portfolio for maximum return and enjoyment. • Consider Historical and Contemporary Art. • Buy top-quality art and focus on always acquiring the best work which you can find by an artist.

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101

Heineken

Cape to Rio

2011 Yacht Race

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SAIL

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When the Heineken South Atlantic fleet sets out on 15 January 2011, leaving Table Mountain astern, it will be returning once again to its roots, and to that other famous skyline of Rio de Janeiro. It will be 40 years almost to the day since the first competition in 1971 – an impressive record for a trans-ocean race.

n fact, this race is just a few years younger than the northern hemisphere 1968 Trans-Atlantic Race which inspired it. As Anthony Hocking notes in his book Yachting in Southern Africa, when the race was originally planned, “clearly the organisers had underestimated the interest of the race for overseas competitors.” Competitors included some of the greatest names in international yachting. Cornelis Bruynzeel, with his Dutch-registered Stormy, was one of the first international yachtsmen attracted to the event, soon followed by Robin Knox-Johnston and Leslie Williams in the 71-foot Ocean Spirit and other entries from Britain.

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Famous French single-hander Eric Tabarly, with a full crew on Pen Duick III, plus two other top French entries also participated. From Germany came three entries, three from the United States, two from Italy, and others from Denmark, Canada, Hong Kong, Australia, and a little closer to home, Mauritius and Mozambique. In South Africa, several boats were built specially for the race, including the Royal Cape official entry, Stormkaap, with the hull from the same mould that had produced Bruynzeel's Stormy. Boats were produced all around the country, including Durban, Port Elizabeth, Knysna, Germiston, Springs, and Johannesburg. Altogether there were nearly 60 entries.

On the start day in 1971, Cape Town docks closed for the event, while a howling southeaster and a thick horde of spectator boats met the fleet. Southeasters at the start are now almost a tradition, and the Cape Doctor is an expected, if slightly fearsome, guest. There are other features of the initial race, equally fearsome, which still reappear. The Cape to Rio may be billed as a pleasant down-wind race, but all ocean sailing has inherent dangers. Gear failures are one menace. In the ’71 race, both Stormkaap and Jakaranda, favourites among the local entries, had rudder failure in heavy seas, and despite valiant and nervewracking attempts at repair, with Stormkaap in Port Nolloth and

Jakaranda in Cape Town, they were eventually forced to retire. Because of the almost continuous heavy forces crossing the Atlantic, rudder failures are practically an occupational hazard on yachts. Keel failures, though, can be more terrifying. In the 2006 race, the 52foot Thunderchild was nursed into Salvador with a partly-sheared keelframe. For nearly half the crossing the crew had been in terror of sinking. In heavy winds, masts are also at risk. In the 2009 race to Salvador, both Gumption and Vineta lost their masts within hours of each other off the Namibian coast. Whales are another danger. In the ‘71 race, Pionier, skippered by Gordon Webb, was 11 days out of Cape Town and lying third shortly after midnight when there was a shuddering crash, and then another seconds later. Looking aft, Webb saw the huge tailfin of a whale in the glow of the stern light. It took Pionier just 16 minutes to sink. Floating in a life raft, away from major sea-lanes, the crew were despondent. It was only the alertness of 3rd Officer Roy Newkirk on the bridge of a US grain-carrier, Potomac, which led to their rescue the following afternoon. Similarly, in the 2006 race, Hi Fidelity, a potential winner, hit a whale and limped into Walvis Bay with a bent rudder shaft and in danger of sinking. Even in benign circumstances, ocean sailing has life-threatening risks, which is why it offers such an excellent training ground, not just for sailing, but for general life skills. It is for this reason that navies around the world recognise and rate sail-training so highly. It is a view that Royal Cape Commodore, John Martin, takes as axiomatic. “About 60 percent of the sailors racing this time will be people under the age of 25,” he notes, as he reflects on the type of training such an event offers. Martin has long been a strong supporter of the Izivunguvungu Sailing School in Simon’s Town, run partly under SA Navy auspices. In 2006 he skippered the 42-foot SA Navy yacht, MTU, with

a crew of Izivunguvungu graduates, and remembers their performance with pride. For the upcoming race Martin has gone one step further. During a visit to Rio in June, he contacted the Grael Project, initiated by Brazil's top sailor and Olympic medallist Torben Grael. With similar aims to that of Izivunguvungu, the Grael Project takes youngsters from the favelas (slums) of Rio and teaches them varied skills based around sailing. At Martin's invitation, four of their senior trainees will be flying to Cape Town to participate in the race. The Heineken Cape to Rio has other objectives too, such as developing closer bi-lateral ties with Brazil. These relationships have already been boosted by the 2010

FIFA World Cup South Africa, with numerous visits here by Brazilian officials seeking advice on South Africa's success. In addition to the sporting connections and a naval agreement between the two nations, Brazil's Consul-General in Cape Town, Joaquim A Whitaker Salles, anticipates that the event will certainly create opportunities for strengthening trade, investment and technical cooperation ties. Says Salles, “The Cape to Rio Yacht Race is not just a yacht race but a very special one linking, in a transatlantic embrace, these two cities displaying strikingly similar physical and human landscapes.” The 2011 race organisers anticipate at least 25 entries on the start line this year. To follow the race visit www.capetorio.heineken.com. 

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Inspired Education:

The

Great

Classics

It could be said that without education we will blunder and slumber, but through education we will climb and soar. The journey of our species has shown repeated advancements of creativity and technology as a result of perpetual education. Without having continually marched forward through ever-advancing study and expanding our minds, we may have ceased our evolution and destined our extinction.

ducation has been essential to the fulfilment of our individual and collective being. It is through this intellectual and intuitive development and the resultant greatness of mind that we have catapulted our civilisation across the world. When symbolic language and written

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alphabets emerged, stone tablets, papyri, vellum, parchments and tree leaves became the documents of our progress and the birth and offspring of the first and subsequent great and classical books of inspired wisdom. Our road to inspired education lay through reading and understanding the great classical works. We cannot claim to be truly educated unless we

have become acquainted with such literary masterpieces. These great books have endured, mainly because they are what the common voice of humanity has come to call the finest creations in writing. From epoch to epoch, new masterpieces have been written and have won their place in our list of significant tomes. The process of such literary change

DISCOVER

will continue as long as we think, become inspired and write. It is the task of each generation to reassess the world or tradition in which they live, to discard what they cannot use and to bring into context, with the distant and immediate past, the most recent contributions to the great masterworks. We constantly need to recapture and re-emphasise and bring to bear upon our present problems the wisdom that lies in the works of our greatest and most masterful thinkers. Though we do not live in any time but the present, we are wise to want the voices of great and enduring thinkers of the past to be heard again and again because they help us live greater and more inspired lives now. Their books shed light on all of our basic problems and it is folly to do

without any enlightenment that becomes available. Reading and understanding great classics provides us with a standard by which we may judge all other writings. Without such masterpieces of literature through time, we are reduced to objects of propaganda and subordination. They strengthen our minds and represent great educational instruments for our youth and aged. This education may be considered liberal for it frees our minds from the constraints of mediocrity. For centuries, liberal education was offered primarily, if not only, to those with economic, social or political position and vocational education was provided for those more common. But today, greater numbers can educate themselves with the inspired classics throughout their lives. Every book we consume leads to another that amplifies, modifies or even contradicts those before it, which works towards strengthening our minds and developing the character of our souls. By educating ourselves on the great principles of truth, we free ourselves from the superstitious and pseudo-mysterious. Our quest for education began at the dawn of history and continues to the present day. The spirit of civilisation is the spirit of such educational inquiry. Its dominant elements have been the logos or the reasoned, ordered, and spoken word, knowledge and wisdom and gradually its many specialised ‘ologies’. Nothing has remained un-investigated or undiscussed in its pursuit, and no proposition has been left unexamined. The exchange of ideas has been held to be the path to the realisation of the potentialities of our race or species. The great books of antiquity and of today are the means of understanding our society and ourselves. They contain the great ideas that dominate us without knowing it. There is no comparable repository of our tradition than these great masterpieces. Leave these unread for a few generations and we will put an end to the spirit of inquiry and begin our decadence and fall.

Such great books have salvaged, preserved and transmitted traditions and perpetuated our progress. They hold before us the habitual vision of greatness and of virtue. These great classics have endured because great thinkers in every era have been lifted beyond themselves by the inspiration of their example, cause and soul. In their company the ordinary world is transfigured and seen through the eyes of wisdom and genius and some of their vision becomes our own. The aim of such learning is human transformation, refinement and excellence, for it is the education of free or liberated human beings. By becoming liberally educated, our minds can operate well in all fields and can be at home in the world of conceptual ideas and the realm of practical and perceptual affairs. Our liberal education is not merely indispensable; it is unavoidable, for nobody can decide whether or not they are going to be a human being. The only question open is whether he or she will be an ignorant, undeveloped one, or one who has sought to reach the highest point humans are capable of attaining. Our determination about the distribution of the fullest measure of this education will govern our loyalty to the best in our own past and our total service to the future of the world. May we all be inspired by the words of Giorgio Vasari concerning the great genius, Leonardo Da Vinci: “Heaven sometimes sends us beings who represent not humanity alone but divinity itself, so that taking them as our models and imitating them, our minds and the best of our intelligence may approach the highest celestial spheres. Experience shows that those who are led to study and follow the traces of these marvellous geniuses, even if nature gives them little or no help, may at least approach the supernatural works that participate in his divinity.” May we all continue with our inspired education through imbibing the classical writings of the great geniuses. 

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EXPLORE

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EXPLORE

Travel Africa And Don’t Miss This w w w. p r e s t i g e m a g . c o . z a

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It’s a world in one continent: magical, diverse and surreal in both beauty and vibrancy. Africa epitomises nostalgia and one-of-akind experiences. It’s where you will be utterly enchanted.

ut there are some experiences that just out rank others, such as hot-air ballooning over Luxor, Egypt. Luxor is a living, breathing outdoor museum – the world’s largest by far. Lining the banks of the languid river Nile are temples and tombs so ancient, so magnificent and startling

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that they defy description. No pictures can tell the full story of their size and intricacy. The grandiose temple of Luxor has an entire avenue of sphinxes, Medinet Habu has hieroglyphs so deep you can sink your fist into them, and the Valley of the Kings and Queens has artwork so detailed and intricate it is beyond comprehension.

Sunk into a rocky cliff face, the temple of Hatshepsut is a monument to Egypt’s greatest female pharaoh. The tumbled statues of Rameses at the Rameseum are so massive you will feel Lilliputian in comparison. And right in the middle of cultivated farmland are the two seated statues of the Colossi of Memnon. From ground level, the temples of Luxor are exquisite and grandiose, but from the lofty heights of a hot air balloon in the early morning, these ancient wonders are even more beautiful. Wafting gently above, almost touching the temple tops, the view is perfect and their magnificence can be savoured in the soft morning light. Visit www.sandsafaris.com. Ever wondered how it feels to be the first person to set foot on a tropical island? That’s precisely the feeling you’ll have when walking out of the water and onto Medjumbe Private Island, in the heart of Mozambique’s Quirimbas Archipelago. Here, giant conch shells lie strewn on the castor sugar beaches, among ripples of pure white sand. A tepid turquoise sea licks your toes and as far as you can see there is nothing but smooth Indian Ocean, with the occasional white-sailed dhow silently cruising in the distance. It is idyllic, tranquil, and the whole island is yours to explore. It’s like walking in Robinson Crusoe’s sandals. Strolling the island or lazing in a hammock are favourite pastimes here, where time seems to stand perfectly still. Days are governed by the tides and the sun and pure pleasure. Palm trees fringe the beach and rustle in the sea breeze and the weather is balmy all year round. Scuba diving, snorkelling and plenty of other watersports are possible in these calm waters. But the feeling of having an entire tropical island almost entirely to yourself is an unforgettable experience – and the norm on Medjumbe. Visit www.raniresorts.com.

King Lalibela claims the ideas for some of his unique churches came to him in dreams; other churches he swears were built by angels in a single night. However these impressive buildings were fashioned, the subterranean rock-hewn churches of Lalibela are impressive both architecturally and in that there really are no others like them in the world. All the churches – and there are a few dozen of them – are carved from a single block of solid rock below ground level. From inside the rock, rooms were hollowed out and altars built. Some of the rock churches are set in caves in the surrounding hillsides of Lalibela, others are so high up the mountainside that they are only accessible by ropes. Inside the churches, resident priests in elaborate layered robes pray and bless pilgrims by touching them with ornate crosses – each with its own design for the individual churches. It’s a fascinating aspect of a very ancient culture, one which boasts its own Amharic alphabet, a year of 13 months, a 12-hour clock and over 80 different local languages. Ethiopia is also where the Queen of Sheba lived, and the Arc of the Covenant resides. Plus it’s the home of coffee – strong and dark. Visit www.unusualdestinations.com. They rise from the earth like fanciful sand castles, and allude to an ancient way of life. You can easily imagine galloping horses in the distance, being waited on hand and foot, and living a life of definitive decadence. But Kasbahs were originally built in the old city walls to house the military away from the population. In later years they became palaces for rulers, and now many have been transformed into decadent accommodation for travellers who love to receive the royal treatment. Morocco is sprinkled with Kasbahs, some with desert views and others overlooking leafy palmeries

and oases. Inside they are beautifully adorned with vibrant carpets, cushions and exotic furnishings, and serve tantalizing local cuisine that’s spicy and authentic. The city of Ait Benhaddou is Morocco’s most famous Kasbah, and it’s built into a steep hillside. If you’ve watched Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator or Jesus of Nazareth, then you’ve seen Ait Benhaddou, as these movies were all filmed here. Walking its steep and winding streets is like stepping back in time to the evocative and atmospheric life of ancient Morocco. It’s a taste of Arabian Nights beyond the movie. Visit www.sandsafaris.com. The island of Djerba, off the east coast of Tunisia, appears to float on the Mediterranean. It’s just 25 kilometres long and roughly as wide; tiny and picturesque – and the coastline is idyllic, always warm and inviting. Elaborate hotels open right onto the beach, their interiors hiding a prized secret: traditional thalasso spas. These magical spas are more than indulgent and quite unlike spas as we know them. Reminiscent of the traditional, ornate Arabic hammams or wet rooms iconic of Arabian countries, and clad inside in creamy marble and mosaic, Tunisia’s thalassos epitomise tranquillity and relaxation – these are places of perfect calm. And the thalasso treatments take pampering to new levels. Full body treatments are the norm, performed by experienced, soothing hands and using exotically fragranced oils. Treatments can be for just an hour or

The tumbled statues of Rameses at the Rameseum are so massive you will feel Lilliputian in comparison.

continue for the entire day – whatever you wish. Steam and water flow freely here too, and the experience is surreal; heavenly. Contact traveltunisia@ icon.co.za. Early mornings in Victoria Falls Private Game Reserve offer a different experience. Of course, there’s more than enough wildlife to view in the traditional way, from the safety of an open vehicle, but being with lions at ground level really gets your blood pulsing. Walking with lions is a very up-close-and-personal experience. Yes, it’s exhilarating, intimidating and a complete adrenalin rush, because these are not tame lions. All the big cats here are rescued animals that live in massive enclosures in the park. In the mornings they’re taken deeper into the bush on ‘walks’, though a walk with lions is definitely no casual stroll. Depending on their mood, the lions may amble along or fire off into the bush hunting, as they did when we walked with them. A marabou stork became takeaway breakfast for the male lion in the group. Only a handful of guests at a time are permitted on the outing and the safety briefing is stringent. The group needs to walk together, as stragglers may be seen as prey. No loose hair or flapping skirts because they attract the lions’ attention, no bending or crouching to resemble prey either. It’s important information that ensures the safety of guests, because these lions – though familiar with humans – remain very wild at heart. Visit www.africanadrenalin.co.za. Wherever you travel and whatever your choice of experience – relaxed or riveting – respect is key to savouring the experience and taking home unforgettable memories. Respect for different cultures and religions, ancient places and unusual customs – and when it comes to lions, thorough respect for the king of the beasts. 

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Investment Outlook for 2011 and Beyond This Time It's Different

Throughout 2010, the global economy has shown signs that it is, in fact, getting back on its feet. However, it cannot walk unaided just yet. According to Sir John Templeton, renowned investor and philanthropist, the most dangerous words in investing are: “This time it's different.”

s my colleagues and I at Absa Wealth cast our gaze to what lies ahead, I can’t help but hear these sage words in the back of my mind as the global economy looks to the emerging economies to keep its ship afloat. Barclays Wealth Insights Volume 11, ‘The Changing Wealth of Nations’, confirmed that the global economic meltdown had a significant impact on investment decisions and behaviour. After the fraught climate

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in the first two quarters of 2010, the more positive turn of events is a welcome relief to all. A little over a year ago, market analysts noted that 2009 was an exceptional year in terms of the changing fortunes of the global economy and capital markets. They believed that 2009 had overcome the fears of a second ‘Great Depression’. A revival in risk appetite was noted in what they termed the environment of economic recovery. While the prospects for the global

economy are brightening at last, the fragile nature of recovery means that we have had to move away from what worked in the past. Investment pundits and financial advisors have learned several major lessons from market upheavals. Most of what they have learned revolves around the uncertain behaviour of investors. So what lies ahead for 2011? Despite the relatively positive outlook for the global economy, some serious challenges still lie ahead, namely a fragile economic recovery process;

INVEST

geopolitical threats; trade conflicts; and unprecedented budget deficits across the globe, which threaten long-term economic stability. Predictions for the pace of growth are unlikely to match that of the precrisis boom years, and will remain slow into 2011. The anticipated profile of growth will likely experience the odd quarter of weak or even negative growth – specifically in developed markets. The biggest challenge for investors in 2011 will not be ‘whether’ to invest but rather ‘where’ to invest. The difficulty of this decision is caused by the fact that the traditional developed market economies like the US, Europe and Japan are unlikely to grow substantially for quite some time. The problem investors face is that these developed countries make up over 85 percent of global stock markets. In short, this means that one can no longer simply invest blindly into the global stock market and realistically expect double-digit returns. The developing economies (including Asia, Brazil, Australia and Africa and which mostly managed to escape the global financial crisis unscathed) have emerged as the contenders for future economic growth. Taking just a little bit more risk, direct investment into emerging markets should do well, but investors need to be prepared to commit for the long-run. Developing markets offer a far more attractive return, but make sure that you pursue investments with high returns, lower risk and be prepared to stay the course. At Absa Wealth we always advise clients to wait out the storm to reap the rewards. Earlier this year, the Wealth Insights survey revealed that South African investors favour property, though in my experience most local investors are already over-exposed to the property market. Over the last decade, South African property has outperformed all other asset classes and investors have become accustomed to exceptional returns,

but it is unlikely that the future will provide similar good fortune. The domestic residential property market may well have run out of steam. We now have a marginal buying market with the cost of building new houses far exceeding the cost of purchasing an existing home. Hard-earned savings and investments seldom produce the returns people seek from their residential property investments. Commercial property, on the other hand, represents greater potential returns in the long-run. Investment challenges exist at any given moment. They are not new or unique to a post-recession world. What is more important for investors to understand is that investing poorly can produce the same results as not investing at all. Investors need sound advice, and need to keep themselves informed. Gone are the days of passive investment. One of the biggest mistakes wealthy investors make is that they take an amount of money, hand it over to an investment advisor or stock broker, walk away from that meeting and expect solid returns. These investors would actually do themselves more good by appoining a wealth manager whose focus is on the investor’s entire profile, including not only their circumstance but also their entire asset base and their personal attitudes to risk and investing. There is a growing trend among the ultra-wealthy to call upon wealth managers to manage, on their behalf, a range of investments, funds and asset managers who have each been entrusted with varying amounts of money. This allows the wealth manager to ensure that all of the investments are performing with an end-objective for the overall wealth in sight. But, like any successful business, an investment portfolio requires an end goal, a well thoughtout strategy and a strong management team to ensure that you get there. Another anticipated trend for 2011 is the rise of the wealthy

philanthropist. The economic downturn has had little to no effect on South Africa’s high net worth individuals’ (HNWIs) generosity. Indeed, more wealthy local investors are giving ‘under the radar’. With the ever-increasing divide between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’, the wealthy have taken on an activist role – wanting to give back to meet specific needs and ensure that their charity is not wasted. Warren Buffett and Bill Gates committed billions of their personal wealth to address specific social issues affecting individual communities. Buffett alone has committed 99 percent of his wealth to charity (some $40 billion plus), and is very specific as to how it should be spent. Oprah Winfrey has established similar initiatives in South Africa, and other local HNWIs are also adopting a more hands-on approach to their giving. Investment into socio-economic upliftment projects has seen a growing number of our wealthy almost demanding greater transparency and accountability with regards to the impact of their investment. They want to see tangible positive results, and at the same time, don’t necessarily want to use these investments as a publicity opportunity. They give because they believe it is the right and responsible thing to do.  Philip Bradford is Chief Investment Officer at Absa Wealth. Absa Wealth, a division of Absa Bank Ltd and an affiliate of Barclays Wealth, serves ultra high net worth and family office clients in South Africa, providing holistic international wealth solutions using best of breed products, wealth management, investment management, risk management and structured lending. With the backing of Absa Capital, Absa Group and Barclays Wealth, Absa Wealth offers clients a sophisticated, integrated wealth management proposition, centred on the individual, leveraging the depth and breadth of its global and local expertise.

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TEE

Perfected Mark Twain once described golf as â&#x20AC;&#x153;a good walk spoiledâ&#x20AC;?. But then, he had never felt the contentment of splitting the fairway with a corking long iron down the beachfront. Neither had he startled resting impala off a manicured green with an accurate pitch shot, nor faded a drive artfully through a dogleg on a blustery Cape lagoon. All this is possible in South Africa. A peep at three of our finest courses helps explain why our elite tracks belong among the best worldwide.

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urban Country Club (DCC) is the old gent of local golf courses – fatherly, established and intriguing in its history. Like some Narnian wonderland, the course is dense with sub-tropical greenery through which the immaculate holes are cut, ambling over an undulating base of sand dunes. Adjacent is the warm Indian Ocean, the arch of the Moses Mabhida Stadium running across the sky to the west. DCC was also the site of Gary Player’s inaugural SA Open victory in 1956 – a tournament it will host for a 17th time in December 2010. From terrifying chute-like tee shots to sanity-testing coastal winds, the course is a taxing one where key shots simply have to be made. Failing that, only the scenic views and welcoming white-gable clubhouse could rescue the afternoon. Perhaps most intriguing at Durban is the par-five third. Widely rated as one of the finest number threes on the planet, it plays like a bucolic rollercoaster. Perched up high at the tallest point on the course, the tee box looks down a daunting half-pipe valley, bordered by uninviting panels of ball-guzzling bush on each side. Down the centre stretches 468 metres of grassy carpet, garnished by a ravenous fairway bunker on the left of the tee shot’s landing strip. The percentage play is to gulp, pull out an iron and aim at the short green stuff in between all the scary stuff. Strolling into the dip is then a real pleasure. Sheltered in that bushy corridor, the city’s sounds fade out, replaced by birdsong and the buzz of insect life. Pin-straight iron play is required again as you climb to the elevated green. On the approach, beware of two more bunkers and the tall trees standing sentinel behind the green. A decent score will be thoroughly rewarding. In recent years a spry newcomer has trumped Durban (now 6th) for the honour of top South African course in the Golf Digest ratings. In 1995 the golf-adoring and media-shy businessman Johann Rupert brought

in Gary Player to design his Leopard Creek course on the southern border of Kruger National Park – about a 20-minute drive from Malelane towards absolutely nowhere. The result was a striking layout, contrasting the lush precision of the course with the browner surrounds of the untidy Lowveld bush. Importantly, the setup is luxurious but not ostentatious – some visitors even miss the estate’s humble signpost. Its vistas across the Crocodile River into big-five country, resident buck and strategic water hazards are all part of a synergy which, as one erstwhile guest puts it, “makes you feel special”. Just one fascinating hole at Leopard Creek is the downhill par-five 18th. Opening on a podium tee, the fairway slopes away gently towards a landing area supervised by white-sand bunkers left and right. A strong slice here may even end up in the stream that hugs the right flank of the hole. A gentle hitter then needs a responsible lay-up, earning a chance to pitch into the three-leafed, double-bunkered island green. For more burly strikers, a keystone decision arises: join the little chaps with a neat mid-iron, or boom one at the green? Understandably, the lure of a magical swing straight onto the dance floor is irresistible to many. However, the risks are real. At the 2007 Alfred Dunhill Championship hosted by Leopard Creek, Ernie Els arrived at the 18th with a two-stroke lead over Englishman John Bickerton. Strong enough for the riskier option, the ‘Big Easy’ went for it with his second, and not once, but twice found the moat. The gamble had failed. He carded a triple-bogey, handing Bickerton the win. He called the feeling “the most disappointed I’ve ever felt walking off a golf course.” But then, top courses are meant to make you feel things, so it seems Leopard Creek did its job. Finally, the princess royal of South African golf courses must be the

Western Cape’s Arabella Golf Club. Suffusing the gentle slopes beside the Bot River lagoon near Hermanus, and nestling aside the rugged Kogelberg mountain range, Arabella has a look all of its own. Playing surfaces are tailored as deftly as a general’s tux and tall trees stand regal throughout. Tricky, but still beautiful, is the almost ubiquitous fynbos. Unplayable when you find it, this quintessentially South African flora comes out in a platter of unimaginable colours, from lipstick pinks to polar whites. The balanced and aesthetically captivating course is relentlessly interesting and fun for players of any standard. A hole sui generis is Arabella’s par-five 8th. Almost indecipherable from the tee, the fairway quite elegantly drops off towards a wide and bunker-straddled landing area, inviting bold use of the driver. The second shot faces an easing slope to set up an approach to a green that is second to none for imagination. A river of sand-traps drifts across the mouth of the green from left to right, inhaling tentative punches, and reeds await overhits behind the green. As if for back-up, water then loops around in a U-shape, completing the impressive phalanx. As Arabella course designer, Peter Matkovich, explains, “The 8th is a link hole that comes at just the right moment in the round and plays differently every time. Its strategy is very important.” Indeed, with a coastal wind blowing and the fynbos in bloom, this hole is quite simply an epic. Perhaps even Twain himself would find his inner monologue debating tactical moves while strolling this one. 

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Malus

A Thousand Years in Every Sip Inspired by tradition, distinct from so many other spirits and available only on

very now and again in the world of premium spirits something so special comes along, either by happy accident or careful experimenting, that no mere bottle, no matter how elegant, can do it justice. Malus Domestica is a relatively common South African eating apple from which, together with other varieties, a cider of uncompromising quality is skilfully made. Unlike the fiery apple brandy Calvados, in which the manufacturing process begins with almost inedible, bitter cooking apples, unhurried tree-ripening maximises the subtle, harmonious flavours and helps impart the perfect sugar balance to the infant Malus. The apples chosen are pulped, the juice filtered and some yeast added to start the fermentation process, which takes between six weeks and three months. Founding partner and director of the Elgin Distilling Company, producers of Malus, Tim George grew up in the lush and drowsy apple orchards of Somerset and Kent. “Each

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barrel of the cider,” he says, “passes through our Cognac-style still twice. Contact with the copper helps preserve the aromatic complexity and the flavours. It’s not the most efficient method, admittedly, but there’s nothing to touch the result.” Maturation in second-fill oak barrels, the same process that the better whisky-makers use, smooths off the harsh edges. “The oak imparts a special flavour to the spirit that helps give it its character,” says George. “What you want is the moment where the apple and wood balance into a perfect complexity and ‘nose’. We think we’ve got it right. We’re pretty proud of it.” Just outside Elgin in the Western Cape, the De Rust estate is home to Elgin Distilling as well as to Paul Cluver Wines. “We built a Cognacstyle pot still right there, among the apples on the estate,” says George. No additives, flavourants, maturation accelerants or anything else is added to Malus. “It’s a consequence of the natural conditions in the Elgin environment.” He describes the taste

as such: “Malus has a fragrant apple nose, rich and rewarding on the palate and with a hint of nut. It roams around the mouth, and it isn’t overly spirituous or ‘hot’ when served neat.” Based in Worcester near Cape Town, South African master glassmaker, David Reade, was commissioned to create an elegant, cut-glass decanter for the inaugural release. His design, faithfully following the makers’ minimalist approach, symbolically reflects each drop of its precious cargo, and the only branding on each numbered and signed decanter is underneath the stopper, where it can’t be seen unless you’re looking for it. Only 1,000 decanters will be issued this year, and at about R2,500 per bottle, Malus – if you can get it, for it is only available on application, remember – is a product that will afford you a wonderful, subjective experience. Contact +27 21 844 0061, email enquiries@malus.co.za, or visit www.malus.co.za. 

application, Malus is the ultimate hand-crafted, limited-release spirit.

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Dassault

It’s What’s Inside that Counts

When you’ve spent several million on an aircraft, you want to make sure the interior meets your requirements precisely. From their Arkansas premises, Dassault Falcon does everything possible to ensure their customers enjoy the very best of the high life.

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eauty, they say, is in the eye of the beholder, though it is sometimes necessary to balance personal tastes with what is acceptable in the marketplace, depending, of course, on how you intend to use your plane. What your aircraft looks like inside affects your experience onboard as well as the resale value of your asset. But choosing a workable, luxurious design, cabin layout, seats, carpets, side panels, galley, IFE and avionics, lighting and exterior paint can be a daunting task for anyone, especially someone buying a plane for the first time. What you want to do with your aircraft – the purpose behind your purchase – should lie at the heart of all decision making. It is also important to involve everyone who is likely to use the aircraft, including passengers and pilots, as well as your family if you are using it for personal trips, in making choices. Dassault Falcon Jet’s Arkansasbased Little Rock facility has employed expert in-house staff to help in such cases. They will show samples of leathers, carpets, textiles, veneers, cabinetry and other furnishings, and will frequently offer 3D renditions of interior layouts either in mock-up or computer form. Little Rock fuses ultra-modern technology and traditional, highly skilled practices with a system it calls the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) process. Andrew Ponzoni, Dassault Falcon Jet’s senior manager communications, says, “We create a very accurate virtual model, and from that we know what we have to do in manufacturing. With a full digital model of the specification we can expect that when we build a cabinet and wiring, for example, the digital model will be compliant with the aircraft.” The aircraft is then distilled down into mere terabytes of digital data, which Dassault stores on sophisticated computers at its headquarters. This digitisation means that the airframer is more easily able to create interiors that exactly fit the aircraft shell, and

is better able to repair or modify them in future years. More than 80 percent of each new aircraft can be customised, from the in-flight entertainment to the wood, the fabrics and the floor plan. For the exterior it typically takes nine coats of paint to spray an aircraft. If there are lines on the fuselage, they will likely be hand painted and drawn to precision by way of special masking tape. It usually takes between four and five months to complete an aircraft, depending on the complexity of the design and materials used. Should a customer choose a wood like eucalyptus, there are no two sheets the same, which makes for a timeconsuming installation process. And Dassault is quite happy to work with whatever its customers

version to test for fit before we installed it,” says Ponzoni. There are several default options available to customers and while many are urged to take the standard option, which of course is more cost efficient, there is still a great deal of choice available within this. But, ultimately, if you are buying a jet, it is your aircraft and should be beautiful to you in as many respects as possible. The industrial process of creating interiors has to keep up with technology. Two years ago Dassault had to increase production while retaining the quality of its aircraft. The OEM’s first concern was to maintain high quality, so it increased its buildings, hangars and tools and implemented the PLM process. Now, PLM can be a difficult concept to

want. Although the standard layouts are better value for customers, Little Rock will design anything feasible on request. “We have had customers choose exotic fabrics like ostrich hide for the seats and a handmade silk carpet from China. In the case of the carpet we normally buy two, but in this instance it was so expensive that we cut a cheaper

grasp. Only basic processes and substructures are industrialised, and indeed Dassault only industrialises the substructure, the assembly of the cabinet, the bracketry – what is behind what the customer sees – and still maintains a highly skilled workforce for tasks such as varnishing, sanding, adjustments and exact fitting. One Dassault executive remarked, “One of our customers was horrified when he heard we were industrialising. He said, ‘Industrialise? Does that mean I won’t get my haute couture aircraft? Am I paying for a ‘ready to wear’ at the same price?’ No, this is not at all what we’re doing.”  Contact Dassault Falcon: • Tel: +33 147 11 4022 • Visit: www.dassaultfalcon.com

More than 80 percent of each new aircraft can be customised, from the in-flight entertainment to the wood, the fabrics and the floor plan.

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AMPLIFY

HauteFidelity A Hi-Fi System that Dazzles Rare are the brands producing luxury hi-fi equipment that understand the world of luxury beyond audio. For too many years, only loudspeaker manufacturers have appreciated that aesthetics, fit-and-finish and perceived value matter as much as sheer performance. Dan D’Agostino, after three decades heading Krell, is about to apply the standards of the great automobile, wristwatch, camera and pen manufacturers to consumer electronics.

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is name is the giveaway: Dan D’Agostino is Italian. True, he’s American through-andthrough, but his DNA is shared with the people who have created the most beautiful objets the world has seen, from the finest fashions to cars with lines that take your breath away. Thing is, D’Agostino doesn’t design suits or shoes or GT cars: he designs high-end audio amplifiers. And such devices are normally fashioned as metal boxes with little scope for pleasing the eye or the hand. Although constantly surrounded by the whiff of hot solder and usually found refining a circuit diagram, D’Agostino is not unfamiliar with the luxury articles against which his amplifiers must vie. He’s played with every supercar, having customised Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Porsches when their details didn’t please him. How many owners, shocked by a plastic door pull, will refashion it in machined metal? With fastidiousness more common among watchmakers, D’Agostino has approached his latest amplifier with a determination to suffer neither concessions nor compromises. His new Momentum amplifier caused pandemonium when it was unveiled to the public for the first time at Milan’s 2010 TOP Audio Show. An event filled with not just audiophiles,

AMPLIFY

but Italian audiophiles, it was a litmus test. D’Agostino knew that the amplifier would be a success if it passed the taste test of a nation where even the cleaning ladies at motorway diners practice the ethos of la bella figura. It takes a lot to stop Italians dead in their tracks – they’re used to gorgeous designs. When the first-ever public view of Dan D’Agostino’s Momentum power amplifier took place, the crowds went nuts. D’Agostino was vindicated, having parted from the company he’d cofounded in 1980, exactly one year earlier. Working furiously for 12 months, he returned with an outrageous new product that he hoped would have the same effect on the high-end amplifier market as did his KMA and KSA series Krells, some 30 years earlier. His renewed assault on the high-end would commence with a compact yet powerful mono-block power amplifier, the herald of a new contender in the luxury audio sector. It almost goes without saying that, first and foremost, D’Agostino would concern himself with the needs of its functionality to be above reproach. Fabulous styling or not, it had to pass muster in the sound arena. It would be scrutinised just like any other power amplifier. Did the music it amplified sound realistic, undistorted, authentic? Could it power tough, hungry speakers that would eat lesser amplifiers for breakfast? Was it dependable under all conditions? D’Agostino left nothing to chance, relying on three decades of expertise. Even before the first units have shipped to their eager recipients, the Dan D’Agostino Momentum has been extolled for unique selling points that will find immediate resonance with audio enthusiasts. D’Agostino used copper heat sinks instead of the more common, less expensive aluminium extrusions, because the thermal conductivity of copper is 91 percent greater than that of aluminium. For design purposes, it enabled him to employ smaller

conductors instead of the bulky fins that render most amplifiers too industrial-looking to earn pride of place in a well-appointed living room. He enhanced the heat conductivity by the use of ‘venturis’, a series of holes drilled through the copper blocks. At the top, the holes measure 0.75 inches, narrowing to 0.5 inches. Those who appreciate ‘geekspeak’ will crow about the Momentum featuring 28 output transistors as the active devices which amplify the signal, and which “run at a blistering 69MHz” for “incredible bandwidth”. Each transistor is mounted with two stainless steel fasteners for maximum thermal transfer to those copper heat sinks. A capacitor/resistor network connected to the base of each transistor ensures stability even at high frequencies and with lowimpedance speakers – which translates into an amplifier that should have no problems with any speakers currently available. Every Momentum will be handbuilt in the US. The vault-like casework, with no screws visible in its assembled form, is non-resonant and said to provide superior shielding from the distortions created by RFI/ EMI interference. The circuit boards feature through-hole construction, to resist heat and add reliability and longevity of a greater level than surface-mounting provides. All resistors are 1 percent metal-film types, and there are no capacitors in the signal path. The amp is DCcoupled throughout. While the above clearly addresses audiophilic concerns – power to spare, sound quality to die for – the unit is aimed, too, at people who cherish the finer things in life, regardless of type: wines, shoes, luggage or anything else that makes life a bit more pleasurable. When D’Agostino and Petra, his wife and partner in the venture, explain the concept behind the brand, they refer often to luxury icons, with the familiarity of those who understand quality and prestige beyond mere price-tags. D’Agostino cites watchmaker

Breguet, whose distinctive hour-andminute hands inspired the shape for the needle in the Momentum’s power meter. D’Agostino cooks with a Viking, stores food in a Sub-Zero. He ‘knows’ Goyard luggage, Cohiba cigars, Romanée-Conti wine. Petra, who has worked with luxury clients for a number of years, matter-of-factly states that “their mission is to establish a rapport with clients who are comfortable with ‘the best’.” What such individuals will

appreciate, whether audiophiles or not, are dimensions smaller than the monoliths that have identified highend amplifiers of the past: the Momentum measures only 4x12.5x18 inches (hwd). Although the main chassis is machined from a solid aluminium billet, the massive, machined-from-solid-copper heat conductors along the unit’s sides add to the weight of around 40-odd kilograms. The Momentum will sell for US $42,000 per pair, as required for stereo playback. Because each one is hand-built, one might anticipate a waiting list to match the patience needed while awaiting delivery of a fine wristwatch – if not quite so long as the time needed for wine to mature. For more information, visit www.dagostinoinc.com. 

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F E AT U R E

Living on a

Wave

Best Boat Charters Whether your taste in yachts is for traditional sail, a roaring motor yacht, or a sleek, sybaritic seagoing panther of a thing with a fawning crew of 80 that makes even the QE2 in her heyday look like a prison ship, it’s all out there. You just have to pick one and tell the captain where to take you.

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n a world of jaded appetites and instant gratification, there are those whose frantic, schedulecrammed lives are so hectic that they can’t even take the time to plan their own holiday. So they end up spending a fortnight squinting through their Nikons at a tailor-made, holiday-in-a-box – the sort of if-it’s-Tuesday-this-must-beBelgium scramble around whichever destination happens to be ‘in’ that year. Yachting, on the other hand, is a very personal thing. Top-end yachting holidays remain the preserve of the fortunate few. And

CHARTER

for these lucky chaps there are destinations to be discovered that will be all your own at any time of year. Enjoy your luxurious floating passport to hedonism and discovery and leave everything to your crew, who are in the business of making people happy. And you don’t have to go to the ends of the earth to find peaceful charter destinations either. The Exumas in the Bahamas is one example that springs to mind – easy to get to, you fly into Nassau and board your yacht there, then cruise down into the quiet Exumas and explore each of its 365 cays, atolls and coves at your leisure. For northern

hemisphere winter destinations, the Caribbean, particularly places like St Lucia and the Grenadines, which offer some of the best blue-water sailing in the world, is among the most popular. The same goes for the British Virgin Islands and the waters of nearby Belize. Summer destinations include the Western and Eastern Mediterranean, New England, the South Pacific or Northern Europe, particularly Norway. For South Africans, of course, the Indian Ocean is another possibility, though the selection of charter yachts there is more limited. Why not escape to the Bahamas, see and be seen in the South of France, or experience the culture of Greece – it’s your call, and therein lies much of the attraction. “Chartering a yacht,” says CEO Tim Nelson, who has run Seven Seas Charters out of Nokomis, Florida since 1987, “really comes down to personal taste and budget. If you don't have any idea how yacht charter pricing works, it would be a good starting point to visit the websites of a few charter brokers, where basic high- and low-season prices will be listed. Once you have a general budget – if budget is a constraint at all – all the information you’ll need is some dates, an indication of the type and size of boat you had in mind, and a rough idea of where you’d like to go. From there any broker will put together a selection of yachts for you to consider, based on what you’ve told them. And there are literally thousands of them, both power and sail.” Charter yacht crews can range from two to more than 80 on the largest motor yachts. All of them will be professional, fully trained, certificated and experienced. Depending on their position aboard, most will have gone through hundreds if not thousands of hours of training.

Positions on top-end charter yachts are hugely sought-after in the yachting world, and competition for them is fierce. Confronted with the volume of candidates, owners can afford to pick the best. While most sailing yachts available for charter are happy to allow competent guests to do some sailing, the fact is that you’ll struggle to find one that would go out without the owner’s own skipper aboard, no matter how experienced the guest. If you’re looking for a ‘bareboat’ charter (one where the client is skipper and provides his own crew), it is highly unlikely that most commercially available charter yachts would look at it, unless it was for a long-term charter, and here we’re talking months. Owners will not normally let them go out without a full, professional crew aboard that they know. So when choosing an operator, how do you weed out the Johnnycome-latelies with an eye for a buck? Ask them how long they’ve been in business, and if they are members of professional industry associations like the Mediterranean Yacht Brokers’ Association (MYBA), the Charter Yacht Brokers’ Association (CYBA) or, like Nelson’s operation in Florida, the Florida Yacht Brokers’ Association (FYBA). Many reliable charter outfits will be members of all three; sometimes more. The yacht you choose will likely be listed with several companies, just as houses often are with estate agents. There are seldom any exclusive listings, so when you book, you should get the same rate as anyone else will offer, as prices are set by owners and managers and not by brokers. And, once you’ve got all that admin out of the way, settle back and enjoy the big boat ride to Destination Anywhere. 

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SCOUT

Hidden Treasures

Ancient Secrets

South Africa’s doyen of Persian and Oriental rug dealers, Victor Lidchi, talks about his travels to ‘hidden markets’, the characters he met across the world when trading for beautiful, special, decorative and even collectors’ items, and some of the magnificent works of the rug art he has handled or seen during his lifetime in the trade of this dying craft.

restige Magazine (PM): Victor, there is this romantic idea of people like you sniffing around ancient markets deep in the mountains of Persia and across the central Asian Crescent, looking for special rugs to bring to your customers. Tell us about your buying trips to these exotic locations. Victor Lidchi (VL): I have travelled to Persia (Iran) countless times over some 50 years of dramatic cultural and political change. As well as to regions like Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and of course Turkey, from where my family originates. Over time I have established relationships with leading local dealers, exporters and agents who help me know what is in the market and where, and who is interested in selling the right items to me at the right price. And given the nomadic or rural nature of some of the tribes who create these special items, you might just not find them there when visiting! There is of course, also the ‘cottage industry’ from villages with central

markets like Hamadan and Shiraz, where the nomadic and village creations get marketed, and the fine, sophisticated rugs and carpets of famous urban centres like Tabriz, Isfahan and Mashad. They all have their own centuries-old romance and magic. PM: I suppose you must have met some very colourful characters through the years? VL: Yes, even some of the Arabian Nights-sort that you are suggesting! They are fascinating people with unique oriental charm – especially some of the famous names, one of whom is Vahan Keshishian, a legend in the trade in London in the1950s, and another, C John, supplier to the British royal family. Then there’s my dear friend, Akbar Heristchian, of the renowned and powerful exporting family, in Iran since the 1950s. Over several decades this kind, patient and generous gentleman has taken me to some of his most valued and guarded sources. We have bought millions together over the years. He is now the retired ex-President of the Iranian

Carpet Export Association. Some of the exceptional examples he helped me source have become museum pieces, and many are textbook collectors’ items today. PM: Is there a particular region or country you would recommend when purchasing rugs? VL: No. As with good wine and art, each region has its levels of merit and excellence from museum pieces

Left: An antique 19th Century Persian silk carpet with hunting scene. A regular pursuit of the upper classes, hunting scenes such as these were rather typical of the region and period. Top right: Oriental carpets in a village market. With the growth in tourism across the Crescent, pricing of good quality rugs in certain regions has been affected as uninformed visitors often over pay for inferior quality. The real gems lie deeper in the hinterland than where regular tourists travel.

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Arguably the most magnificent and valuable Oriental carpet, the Ardebil, a 16th century Persian, is now housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

at the top, down through rare items of great beauty, down to mediocre, purely ‘commercial’ bazaar items. My advice to any buyer, whether buying purely for beauty and decor, but especially when building a collection or buying for potential hard-asset growth, is that the secret lies in having a relationship with a dealer who shares his insight of what to chose and why. I’ll give you an example: I had a client in the 1960s and 70s, a novice at the time, who grew interested in tribal artefacts and rugs of Turkoman tribes – the region of Northern Iran and adjoining territories of Turkmenistan, and Northern Afghanistan. Over a period of 10 years we built up his collection, with him eventually becoming an acknowledged expert and his collection an important and wellrecognised international one. PM: What are the most magnificent rugs you have ever held or seen? VL: Oh, there have been so many! From items in private collections sold by my father in the 1930s to those belonging to merchants and which I saw in my many travels, and a good number I have sold over the past 50 years. But for me the most stunning masterpiece is the Ardebil Carpet, a magnificent 16th century Persian carpet housed in London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. Another is the Silk Hunting Carpet in the Vienna Museum for Decorative and Applied Arts. The Metropolitan Museum in New York also has a fantastic collection. As

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dealers, our family has handled some very special rugs, yet for me personally, none quite like the 2.7 x 1.6-metre pure silk Kum Kappu with inlaid gold thread we exhibited at our 1970's Gold Book Exhibition of rare rugs. No, I cannot disclose who the buyer was. We never do! This rug was made in the atelier of the legendary master Zare, in the Armenian quarter of Kum Kapu in Istanbul. The technical excellence, the glorious colours, the superb design and velvet-like texture... Ah, it was magnificent. It was then priced at around R40,000 – a high price at the time. Well, today it would cost many millions of Rands, if you could replace it. But there are numerous other important examples my family and I have sold over the decades, many featured in the so-called Blue Book, a book of exceptional Rugs in Private Collections. PM: As the industry has changed through the years and so many newcomers have entered the market, are there any secrets left? VL: Realise that, as with any art form, there are levels of dealers and dealings just as there are levels of excellence and value. So there are specialists at each level. And any hand-crafted rugs, even the humble ones, have some beauty and merit. But, perhaps the most important ‘secret’ is to understand that the hand crafting of Eastern rugs, especially those of superior merit, is a dying craft. I give it one more generation, two at the most, before it becomes an anachronism. Only small pockets of

families will continue to produce at astronomical prices, the rest will be machine made. I would equate the fate of this handicraft and art to what happened with Samurai swords in Japan and hand-woven tapestries in France. There are so few skilled craftsmen in these ancient arts, and the costs are so high. It thus makes good sense to buy the best you can afford, as your investment will surely become a store of wealth. The next secret when choosing is to think of Persian and Oriental rugs in the same way as one does good music and fine art: they should be a source of delight. Remember too, that a real connoisseur never compromises on quality. And finally, it is important to develop a relationship of trust with your dealer, who must understand your motivations, and what you seek to enhance your life. He or she will help you grow knowledgeable while simultaneously building a mostvalued collection.  Visit a Victor Lidchi showroom to see, touch and learn more. Or, attend an introductory talk, open to anyone, where beautiful examples from all value ranges are shown and explained, and questions answered. Victor will also offer advice on care and cleaning, and judging quality and value. Call +27 11 341 0367 (Victor Lidchi) for Dunkeld showrooms, and +27 11 675 5008 (Sharon Lidchi) for Clearwater Mall showrooms (Roodepoort area). Alternatively, email vl@victorlidchi.co.za or visit www.victorlidchi.co.za.

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FORDOUN SPA MIDLANDS

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Supporting the Growth of

Luxury Brands

in South Africa

The Southern Africa Luxury Association (SALA) was launched in September 2009 with the explicit purpose of encouraging interaction and collective thinking within the region's luxury and premium lifestyle industries. In the new year, SALA will function as a Section 21 non-profit association with Timothy George, of The Elgin Distilling Company, and Richard

n order to lay the foundations of a thriving and vibrant sector, SALA regularly hosts events in Johannesburg and Cape Town to stimulate debate, facilitate networking and foster collaboration between member brands and their High Net Worth clients. Silvana Bottega, SALA’s CEO, says, “We produce these events to help bring together the CEOs and marketing directors of the country’s most exclusive businesses with the hope of generating product and service improvements that will ultimately benefit the sector as a whole.” The Association sits alongside international contemporaries like the Comité Colbert in France, Alta Gamma in Italy and the Walpole Association in the UK, all of which have a similar philosophy. Despite its relative newcomer status and its inception during the economic crisis, SALA has already grown to over 70 member brands. Unlike its peer group however, it operates an ‘inclusive’ model that is tailored to a niche, emerging market scenario such as South Africa. While

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Schafer, of Cape Cobra Leathercraft, joining as board members. this happily incorporates überexclusive, high-end brands, it also provides access to a broader base of premium lifestyle brands currently active in the market. Determined to be more than just a platform for established brands to meet, SALA is also committed to raising awareness of younger, local luxury enterprises. Keith White made his name as a master jeweller creating pieces for Graff, David Morris and Asprey in London before re-establishing himself in South Africa by designing and manufacturing handmade investment pieces in Johannesburg. Bottega worked with White and his team to help shape the ‘Black & White Master Apprenticeship’ – a programme that takes a number of previously disadvantaged apprentices each year from rough talent through to polished brilliance, developing a new generation of South African masters in handcrafted jewellery design. “This year, I am excited to be working hand-in-hand with Jonathan Berning and Jennifer Fair of Ardmore to help the Ardmore Excellence Fund,”

says Bottega. “I have been a longtime supporter of their ceramic artworks, which already grace Christies' and Sotheby’s catalogues, and I greatly admire their approach to creating change by providing employment opportunities to those affected by HIV/Aids.” Alongside its existing agenda, the Association also aims to host an international luxury conference in 2011 and will be supporting a distinct ‘Salon’ area at Design Indaba in Cape Town, where there will be a focus on high-end design with a Veuve Clicquot bar. Says Bottega, “I firmly believe that the full potential of this sector has yet to be realised. A positive sideeffect of support for those operating in this space is the prospect of generating countless employment and training opportunities that could position South Africa as a centre of manufacturing excellence on the luxury map.” Prestige magazine is a media member of the Southern Africa Luxury Association. Visit www.sa-la.org for more information. 

Silvana Bottega – CEO, The Southern Africa Luxury Association

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