ROX Man AW17

DIAMONDS & THRILLS

ROX MAGAZINE

AW17 | £4.50

THE VALLÉE DE JOUX. FOR MILLENNIA A HARSH, UNYIELDING ENVIRONMENT; AND SINCE 1875 THE HOME OF AUDEMARS PIGUET, IN THE VILLAGE OF LE BRASSUS. THE EARLY WATCHMAKERS WERE SHAPED HERE, IN AWE OF THE FORCE OF NATURE YET DRIVEN TO MASTER ITS MYSTERIES THROUGH THE COMPLEX MECHANICS OF THEIR CRAFT. STILL TODAY THIS PIONEERING SPIRIT INSPIRES US TO

MAN | AUTUMN/WINTER 2017

TO BREAK THE RULES, YOU MUST FIRST MASTER THEM.

CONSTANTLY CHALLENGE THE CONVENTIONS OF

ROYAL OAK CHRONOGRAPH IN STAINLESS STEEL

DIAMONDS & THRILLS

+44 (0) 207 409 0782 | AUDEMARSPIGUET.COM

FINE WATCHMAKING.

DARE TO BE DANDY PUTTING A 21ST CENTURY TWIST ON CLASSIC CHAP CULTURE

FOLLOW HIS LEAD | UNVEILING ZENITH JEAN-CLAUDE BIVER: AN INTERVIEW WITH A LEGEND LUXURY WATCH EDIT | HOW TO BE A MODERN MAN

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Raise your limits.

720S

Super Series Big Bang Unico Magic Sapphire.

Scratch-resistant sapphire case.

In-house chronograph UNICO movement.

Limited edition of 500 pieces.

McLaren Glasgow Bothwell Road, Hamilton ML3 0AY 01698 303777 glasgow.mclaren.com

McLaren Glasgow

McLaren Glasgow

Global Retailer of the Year

European Retailer of the Year

2016

2016

cars.mclaren.com

Official fuel consumption figures in UK mpg (l/100km) for the McLaren Super Series 4.0L (3,994cc) petrol, 7-speed Seamless Shift Dual Clutch Gearbox (SSG): urban 17.1 (16.5), extra urban 38.2 (7.4), combined 26.4 (10.7). Official combined CO2 emissions: 249g/km. The efficiency figures quoted are derived from official NEDC test results, are provided for comparability purposes only, and might not reflect actual driving experience. Park’s of Hamilton (Townhead Garage) Limited is an Appointed Representative of Park’s of Hamilton (Holdings) Limited, FRN 308476 of 14 Bothwell Road, Hamilton, ML3 0AY, which is authorised hublot.com and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Park’s of Hamilton (Holdings) Limited permitted business is Insurance Mediation and to act as a Credit Broker. We can introduce you to a limited number of finance providers to assist with your purchase, who may remunerate us for introducing you to them. Retail customers only.

hublot.com

RACING IN STYLE. WORLD SPONSOR AND OFFICIAL TIMEKEEPER SINCE 1988.

MILLE MIGLIA 2017 RACE EDITION (168571-3002)

M I LLE M I GLI A

DEFY I EL PRIMERO 21

www.zenith-watches.com

DSTB INSTRUMENT COLLECTION

Swiss Craftsmanship

www.arnoldandson.com

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BR 03-92 DIVER · www.bellross.com

When the conditions are unpredictable you need a watch that isn’t.

900 feet below sea level is no place to find out that your watch won’t function at 900 below sea level.

That’s why every Bremont watch is ruthlessly engineered to be fit for purpose. However extreme that purpose might be.

Anywhere you can go, a Bremont can go too. And usually further.

Your Bremont is probably tougher than you are.

The new Supermarine Type 301 has been hand-built and tested on British shores, at our headquarters in Henley-on-Thames.

Sure, it has its limits, but you’re unlikely to ever find them.

British Engineering.

Tested Beyond Endurance.

B LACK B ADGE. BOLDER. B RAVER. DARKER.

ROLLS- ROYC E MOTOR C A RS EDINB URGH P ROUD TO SERVE THE N ORTH EAST OF ENGLA ND, SCOTLAND A ND NORTHERN IRELAND 1 CORSTORPHIN E ROA D, EDIN BURGH EH12 6 DD

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WWW.ROLLS- ROYC EEDIN BURGH. C O. UK

01 31 4 42 100 0

OFFICIAL FERRARI DEALER

Graypaul Edinburgh As an Official Ferrari Dealer for over 13 years, Graypaul Edinburgh is part of a select network that ensures Ferrari ownership remains a truly unique and rewarding experience.

Our service department offers an enclosed truck collection and redelivery service and very competitive menu pricing on a wide selection of models.

Graypaul Edinburgh Fort Kinnaird, Edinburgh, EH15 3HR Telephone: 0131 475 5000 www.edinburgh.ferraridealers.com

Ferrari.com

ROX MAGAZINE

EDITOR'S LETTER

WELCOME...

A

s in, “Welcome to a fantastic new issue of ROX magazine, packed as usual with luxurious wonderfulness!” But also, “Welcome to autumn, be gone summer!” Because if you’re anything like me, while it’s nice to wear shorts and not worry about a coat when you pop out for milk, don’t you secretly miss trousers? Paired with a contrasting jacket and a dash of natty scarf perhaps? Its dangly end tossed nonchalantly over the shoulder if you’re feeling frisky?

For the modern enlightened man, it’s OK to enjoy accessorising; you no longer have to over-compensate for that new Dunhill cravat by purchasing a new circular saw (once was a time when you’d have made a fortune running a hardware store on the Argyll Arcade). And it’s this new age of mild dandyism that we’re taking to heart with the issue of ROX Man you hold in your hands, from our sumptuous fashion feature shot in the beautiful environs of Prestonfield House, to our encounter with a true maestro of tattoo

artistry (a tattoo being every sartorial hipster’s new cravat), plus my attempt at counselling any readers, both modern and male, who might suffer from razor burn and lacklustre martinis.

Having contributed since issue 1, and been an admirer of ROX’s peerless approach to luxury retail years before that, it has been a genuine privilege and honour to guest-edit this magazine. I really hope that comes across, but more importantly, I hope you enjoy the read.

With Zenith and Chopard now joining ROX’s roster of luxury watch brands, the man about town – whether that town is Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Newcastle or Leeds – has never been better served when it comes to a decent new timepiece. Hopefully, with Chris Chilton’s pages on Ferrari and Range Rover, Corney & Barrow’s sage wine advice, combined with all our AW17 style advice, these pages will fill in all the other gaps and get you well on track to filling your boots (well-heeled, freshly polished) as a regular Beau Brummell of the 21st century.

Toodle pip!

Alex Doak

EDITOR’S PICKS

Hublot Watch 65726 | £30,400

TOM FORD

Zenith Watch 68721 | £9,900

TOM FORD

Audemars Piguet Watch 67330 | £32,300

www.rox.co.uk

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CONTENTS

ROX MAGAZINE

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TREND REPORT

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DARING TO BE DANDY

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LUXURY WATCH EDIT

p. 48

CONTENTS We walk in the shoes of some of our favourite leading men.

A 21st century twist on classic chap culture.

The definitive directory of what you should be wearing on your wrist right now.

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FOOD & DRINK

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MALE GROOMING

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MOTORING

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GADGET MAN

We offer a taste of luxury this AW17.

Rather than sifting through the minefield of products we’ve picked the best for you to try now!

From the new Range Rover Velar to Ferrari's 70th anniversary, we have it covered.

p. 38

You don’t have to be technical wizard to enjoy a good gadget.

p. 123

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MODERN MAN

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GUESTLIST

ROX MAN’s guide to getting it right.

We take a look back at our favourite celebrations from the past season…

www.rox.co.uk

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the LAMBORGHINI Huracรกn LP 610-4. at lamborghini edinBurgh.

LAMBORGHINI HURACร N LP 610-4

LAMBORGHINI EDINBURGH Fort Kinnaird Edinburgh EH15 3HR Tel 0131 475 5500

Lamborghini Huricรกn LP 610-4 fuel consumption (1/100 km) city 17.8; extra-urban 9.4; combined 12.5*. CO2 emissions 290 g/km *In accordance to directive 80/126/CE

lamborghini.com

WISHLIST

ROX MAGAZINE

AW17 WISHLIST We’ve compiled a list of the season’s must have fashion, watches, and accessories. Don’t worry we’ve got this and you’ll want them all!

EMBRACE YOUR PEACOCK The peacock has long been a symbol of dandy style. Unashamedly beautiful the bird is a champion of what being a modern man is all about. These Alexander McQueen socks are the perfect way to let your inner peacock run free without being over the top.

Think of Gucci and the famous gold G most likely springs to mind. However, this season the brand is taking a step in a spiritual direction including ghosts in its new collection. Inspired by a collaboration between artist Trouble Andrew and Alessandro Michele the concept was to incorporate both art and design. The ghost represents the mix of two cultures – a juxtaposition of the past and the present.

66627 | £235

UNVEILING A MASTERPIECE Brand new to ROX the Zenith El Primero Grande opens the beating heart of the legendary El Primero movement. This stunning timepiece, made up of 332 components and 32 jewels, is one of Zenith’s most complex chronomasters to date. Proud to wear complexity on its sleeve it is a design that shines a spotlight on the mastery that goes into creating something so delicate. If there was ever evidence that time is precious, this is it.

68775 | £9,100

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Steeped in history, Mulberry is a brand with a rich and deep heritage. Quintessentially British it has drawn inspiration from the styles synonymous with English rural pursuits, such as shooting and hunting, to create a truly individual style since 1971. This brown wallet is a champion of classic style.

There is no doubt that the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore leaves a lasting impression. The Royal Oak Offshore collection has proudly defied convention since it was first unveiled in 1993, giving a more powerful take on the iconic Royal Oak. A marvel of craftsmanship, this platinum timepiece is made of 365 parts and 59 jewels – it truly is a sight to behold. Complete with handstitched large square scale blue alligator strap and 950 platinum pin buckle it makes a stylish addition to any collection.

67063 | £58,800

ROX MAGAZINE

WISHLIST

Your wedding band is one of the most important pieces of jewellery you’ll ever own. Finding the right ring that symbolises your love for your other half as whilst capturing your style and personality can be daunting. However, this ROX palladium flat court wedding ring is a design to stand the test of time. The 6mm piece brings a slight contemporary edge to the traditional wedding band whilst retaining a classic feel.

64949 | £750

MAKING HISTORY We’re obsessed with this Graham Chronotfighter Vintage GMT timepiece.

From the intricate details on the dial to the beautifully sewn green calf leather strap it’s a show stopping design for a man who likes to leave an impression.

68800 | £4,950

There is no denying that a blazer is the foundation of any wardrobe. The perfect combination of both smart and casual, a good blazer has the ability to take a style from day through to evening with ease. This classic navy piece is a timeless investment bringing a touch of luxury to your style. Pair with a poloneck and jeans for everyday wear.

Hublot has long been a brand to march to the beat of its own drum and the Big Bang Meca 10 King Gold is proof of just that.

This timepiece cuts an incredible figure on the wrist, complete with 18k King Gold Case, skeleton dial with luminescent appliques and a black rubber-lined strap. Assembled by hand using cutting edge techniques, the limited edition timepiece is one for the history books.

67892 | £33,900

Time waits for no man, something the Chopard Superfast sports collection appreciates. With that in mind it is understandable why the Chopard Classic Racing Superfast watch is the ultimate sports timepiece. Enclosed in a striking stainless steel case with a black dial, it is a remarkable piece whilst the white power reserve indicator brings sleek contrast to the piece. Contemporary in design and complete with a luxury finish the chronograph creates an assertive impression not easily forgotten.

67627 | £7,580

STEP INTO STYLE Both smart and comfortable these Paul Smith loafers are a must have for any modern Dandy. Notice the notch on the heel? This is known as a ‘gentleman’s corner’ and was originally introduced in the Victorian era to prevent trouser cuffs from catching.

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WISHLIST

ROX MAGAZINE

Take a trip down memory lane with the ROX Burning Embers candle. Nostalgic woody fragrances evoke memories of nights under the stars by the camp fire.

Cinnamon is known for its sweet, hot, warming fragrance leading this woody aroma to last with a spicy undertone.

The mysterious, sweet and smoky fragrance will have you planning your next adventure before you know it.

63430 | £35

The perfect partner for classic tailoring.

Made using patinated Venezia hide and embossed with a manuscript like pattern this briefcase is essential for a man about town. Inspired by the influence of the moon on the depigmentation of leather it’s a must have this season.

A TIMELY TRIBUTE This Baume & Mercier Clifton Club Shelby Cobra is a timely tribute to the iconic Shelby Cobra. Created to mark three years of collaboration with Shelby Cobra this limited edition piece, made of 1964 pieces, honours the first official race of the Daytona Coupe.

Striking features include the Daytona blue coloured dial with silver sub dials.

67321 | £3,600

Forget scruffy hair and an unkempt beard, the modern dandy prides himself on looking and dressing the part. With that in mind this D R Harris ebony shaving set is a must for gents invested in personal hygiene. Including a brush made of sustainable badger hair (14,000 bristles to be precise) it is the ultimate grooming kit.

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Watches are beautifully sentimental things and the charm of a truly special watch is that it makes a mark on family history. A new addition to the Tudor family this Black Bay S&G is the epitome of style. Classic in its design this timepiece features a black dial with 41mm steel case with polished and satin finish. It’s easy to see its potential to become a cherished family heirloom.

67934 | £3,580

Professional precision is at the heart of the Bell & Ross Garde Cotes. Known for drawing inspiration from aviation and military history the brand continually strives to create watches that are innovative yet practical. This timepiece, with its satin-polished 41mm steel case, is ideal for those who pride themselves on perfect timing. Based on the four basic Bell & Ross principles of legibility, functionality, precision and reliability it is a watch that holds itself to high standards.

67927 | £2,200

ROX MAGAZINE

WISHLIST

SAY I DO They say a rose by any other name is as sweet – the same goes for wedding rings. A twist on a classic, this ROX palladium and rose gold band is stylish with a classic charm. The matte finish of this design also adds to the modern feel along with the rose gold concave inlay. A style for those keen to stay on trend without losing a traditional touch.

56432 | £795 David Bowie was a man of many guises.

He was androgynous, he was Avantgarde, he was the Thin White Duke and he was Ziggy. David Bowie continually pushed the boundaries of the fashion world, leaving a lasting legacy that has heavily influenced the autumn winter trends of the season. This Raymond Weil Freelancer Bowie Limited Edition watch is paired with subtle tributes to the star man, limited to just 3,000 pieces worldwide.

67933 | £1,395

Dandyism is all about embracing vintage style. From overcoats to tailoring it celebrates elegant style and that theme continues into the bedroom with this pyjama set. There is no better time to sport silk than after a long day in the office. Trimmed with white piping the Zimmerli set also boasts a relaxed cuff ensuring a comfortable sleep at all times.

Timeless style is something we all aspire to. And it’s not outwith your reach thanks to the Gucci Timeless Ghost watch. Fun and contemporary in style, this timepiece is unashamedly fashion forward. Not a design for the fainthearted, it’s a showstopper perfect for everyday wear.

68005 | £650

A MODERN TWIST Dressing to impress? Don’t forget, no smart ensemble is truly complete without a set of cufflinks. These ROX DNA cufflinks take gents accessorising to the next level, with geometric shapes joining to create a truly modern look. Think of the design as a 21st century facelift for the humble cufflink.

65852 | £100 The Bremont Supermarine Type 300 Diver is the ultimate in both design and practicality. Its namesake derives from the 1930’s aircraft company Supermarine whose first ever Spitfire prototype – the Type 300 – led to one of Britain’s most iconic aircraft. This gents automatic chronometer features a 40mm stainless steel case with ceramic uni-directional rotating bezel and sunburst blue dial for a stylish finish.

67838 | £3,395

www.rox.co.uk

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STEEL, 42 MM SELF-WINDING www.baume-et-mercier.com

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M O M E N T S

ROX MAGAZINE

TREND REPORT

FROM THE

FROW

Forget about a pristine look – come springtime, it’ll be time to embrace your nonchalant streak, reckons The Jackal magazine's deputy editor, Aleks Cvetkovic.

W

hat could one say about London Fashion Week Men’s SS18 back in June? Normally Fashion Week zips by in a whirl of by-thehour catwalk shows, torrents of champagne and incessant bouts of vacuous giggling, but this one was rather demure.

There were fewer heritage brands exhibiting than normal but that’s not to say there weren’t some real stand-outs, first and foremost among which has to be Kent & Curwen. Newly revitalised care of some investment from David Beckham, who’s become something of a poster boy for the brand, K&C seems to be moving from strength to strength. This season’s presentation-cumcatwalk in Covent Garden built on the success of January’s show and the collection was full of character.

A variety of voluminous raincoats with old English aristocratic design cues (raglan sleeves, half-belts and angular, oversized revere collars), sat over rugby shirts, knits and a range of earthy striped collegiate blazers. The collection more than lives up to its billing as a modern, reimagining of the uniforms of Oxbridge sports teams from yesteryear, but is far from old fashioned. Even the un-buttoned starched shirt collars on show came across as a tongue-in-cheek play on sartorial tradition. Despite the boating blazers, the collection felt unashamedly relaxed and care free; throw-on sporty looks for those who enjoy dressing preppy style down.

Dressed down tailoring is clearly something

of a trend for SS18. Richard James presented a similarly easy collection inspired by the the work of Ellsworthy Kelly and America’s 1950s arty East Coast ‘Atlantic’ aesthetic. It made a chic impression with its candy coloured palette and sophisticated use of texture. Sage green, dusty pink and turquoise mix with taupe and cream to create a collection that feels like a breath of fresh air.

The St James’s show always brings a great energy to Jermyn Street, and the Saturday morning didn’t disappoint. Dozens of looks glided down the catwalk, all styled from this season’s collections by GQ fashion editor, Grace Gilfeather. The show deserves a special mention because its the only event during Fashion Week that attempts to engage the public at large, or offer something consumer facing. Again, pops of block colour and dressed-down separates were running themes. Nothing too complicated, nothing too stiff.

All of which contributes to the impression that British menswear is coming over all louche.

Even traditionally formal brands are throwing off the shackles of old-fashioned suiting in favour of menswear that’s less polished.

It seems it’s time to start thinking like a playboy. After all, it was Gianni Agnelli who said ‘throw your clothes on like you don’t care how you look, and you’ll be the best looking man in the room’. To a greater or lesser extent, this season British fashion seems to have embraced the same ideal.

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ROX MAGAZINE

FOLLOW HIS LEAD We all have that one person. That one guy who, regardless of what others might think, is the epitome of all that is suave in our eyes. Whether it’s the way that he dresses to how he carries himself with a sense of effortless cool no matter the situation, there is no denying that we all have a style icon that we aspire to. In our Follow His Lead feature we walk in the shoes of some of our favourite leading men, all chosen not on the basis of his impeccable dress sense but also his ability to make being a modern gentleman look like something we could all pull off.

DAVID BECKHAM

67938 | £3,610

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OK, so this might seem like an obvious choice but the reality is Beckham has long been the poster-boy for 21st century chic.

He’s rocked a sarong, a hairband and married the poshest of the Spice Girls which when you look on paper doesn’t scream cool for cats, however, there is no escaping the fact that he is exactly that. Over the years the nation has grown to love the now 42-year-old for more than just his talents on the football pitch.

His style evolution has gripped Britain and the wider world for the last 10 years, with Beckham leading the way with some of the most popular trends – well if we overlook the bandanas and matching Victoria’s outfits occasionally…

However, as easy as it was or indeed still is to mock Becks for his forward thinking sense of style there is no escaping that it made an impact. Throughout his fashion evolution he has managed to reinvent himself time and time again, continually securing himself as one of Britain’s leading gents when it comes to dressing to impress.

Such is his prowess on the fashion front Beckham has event backed traditional sporting menswear brand Kent & Curwen, proudly taking an active interest in the direction of the brand. He might not be designing the collections himself but he is fiercely involved in the feel of the brand – ensuring its strong tailored look is peppered with off duty pieces to create a 21st century feel for the classic look. Forget eccentric this is all about keeping things simple yet sharp. Think Crombie coats, lamb wool cricket jumpers, stripped blazers and navy petticoats to name just a few staples of the look.

Then of course we have Beckham’s partnership with Tudor – most recently the Born to Dare campaign. Tudor has recognised his influence on popular culture transcends the pitch. He is a model, an actor and counts hundreds of millions of fans around the world, however, also recognises his commitment to classic style. Beckham wears the Black Bay Chrono, a COSC certified chronograph, with columnwheel manufacture calibre, drawing upon Tudor’s diving and motorsports heritage, and the Black Bay S&G, a vintageinspired steel and gold diver’s watch.

TAKE THE MASERATI WAY

Levante. The Maserati of SUVs. Starting at £56,250 OTR The road you choose to travel might not be a road at all. A quick trip might turn into the adventure of a lifetime, because there’s no reason to stay on the beaten track when you can create a path of your own. The Maserati Levante was designed with world-class engineering prowess and features Q4 intelligent all-wheel-drive and sophisticated air-suspension systems, which allow you to enjoy a fully capable SUV with outstanding Maserati driving dynamics.

PARK’S MASERATI 143/159 Almada Street, Hamilton ML3 0ET Phone: 01698 303 828 | www.parks.uk.com/maserati

Official fuel consumption figures for the All New Maserati Levante Diesel in mpg (l/100km): Urban 34.4 (8.2), Extra Urban 42.8 (6.6), Combined 39.2 (7.2). CO2 emissions 189g/km. Fuel consumption and CO2 figures are based on standard EU tests for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. Model shown is a Maserati Levante Diesel MY17 at £68,935 On The Road including optional Luxury Pack at £6,130, 21 inch Anteo alloy wheels at £2,780, Driver Assistance Pack at £1,500, panoramic sunroof at £1,235, Rear laminated privacy glass at £360 and bi-xenon front headlamps at £680.

Park’s of Hamilton (Townhead Garage) Limited is an Appointed Representative of Park’s of Hamilton (Holdings) Limited, FRN 308476 of 14 Bothwell Road, Hamilton, ML3 0AY, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Park’s of Hamilton (Holdings) Limited permitted business is Insurance Mediation and to act as a Credit Broker. We can introduce you to a limited number of finance providers to assist with your purchase, who may remunerate us for introducing you to them. Retail customers only.

11010 Parks Levante OTR ad 200x260.indd 1

02/08/2017 14:50

ROX MAGAZINE

TREND REPORT

LAPO ELKANN Unashamedly unique Lapo Elkann is a living embodiment of the new age dandy.

A modern man in every sense of the word, he isn’t afraid to march to the beat of his own drum, continually making strides in the world of fashion. Think of Lapo Elkann and the first thing that springs to mind is more than likely is an outlandish suit. Never one to appear off duty, don’t expect to see the former CEO of Fiat lounging around looking anything less than the dapper man.

Proud to wear his unconventional style on his sleeve, Elkann has a dress sense that stands out from the crowd. From bright red ensembles to statement sunglasses his suave style is packed with swag and sass acting as a stark reminder that your clothes offer an insight to your own personality and charm.

A champion of glamour Elkann is the perfect example of how personal style can be more than simply being part of a monotonous routine – it is a creative endeavour. The king of the double breasted jacket and coloured suits the entrepreneur and fashion icon represents standing against the status quo.

OK, so you might not have the same cash-flow, he is one Italy’s wealthiest men after all, but the opportunities he represents are endless.

A prime example of this is Elkann’s latest collaboration with Hublot in The Classic Fusion Chronograph Italia Independent Collection. A true celebration of his style the collection is made up of pieces with aluminium coated carbon-fibre cases with beautifully designed straps. Brought together by Elkann’s Italia Independent brand as well as Hublot and respected Italian fabric house the House of Rubinacci, a favourite of the man himself, it really is an example of why the luxury watch brand is heralded for its commitment to the art of fusion.

Boasting timepieces designed with the Prince of Wales check, houndstooth and much more all sourced from the respected fabric house the limited edition and exclusive collection is a must have for modern gents keen to wear their style on their sleeve.

67885 | £12,500

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ROX MAGAZINE

JASON ATHERTON Jason Atherton is a man with a taste for style.

At first you’d be forgiven for wondering how the world of high fashion and culinary arts join forces.

However, haute horlogerie and haute cuisine have more in common than meets the eye.

Each share a determination for not only perfection but refinement. Style and fashion may continually evolve but the one thing that remains steadfast is its love of refinement, something that respected Michelin star chef Atherton knows only too well from his culinary world.

Just as a truly mouthwatering dish calls for an unbelievable love of details, so too does the world of fashion. To put it simply both make it their mission to excite the senses for the sake of pleasure.

And that’s something that Atherton has made himself known for, both inside and outside of the kitchen.

His love of luxury extends beyond his cooking and is a well-known face on Saville Row. Not afraid to spend over and above for an expertly tailored suit his reason behind his love of luxe is simple. He is all about the experience.

Known for continually being impeccably dressed without seeming stuffy, he proudly aligns himself with brands he believes share his values.

From George Cleverely shoes to Richard Anderson suits, Atherton is a man who knows what he wants and where he can get it.

It is that commitment to unwavering quality that led Atherton to work with Arnold & Sons in a partnership that share a dedication to tradition whilst never losing sight of the importance to continually grow and evolve.

Atherton is known to wear the iconic Time Pyramid from the Instrument Collection in a nod to the link between the past and present, between heritage and creativuity.

The Time Pyramid encapsulates the historical DNA of the brand while remaining singular and utterly unique. It is in this aspect that it embodies haute cuisine as conceived and exercised by Jason.

64930 | £35,600

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ROX MAGAZINE

FEATURE

www.flannels.com

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PORTRAIT

"THE FUTURE OF WATCHMAKING ART" Outspoken maven of the Swiss watch industry, Jean-Claude Biver is in the throes of transforming Zenith, which is exciting news – especially if Hublot is anything to go by. Words by Alex Doak.

E

very industry has its characters. The automotive world had Gianni Agnelli; computing, Steve Jobs; in fashion, that über-fashionista Donatella Versace.

The watch world? It has JeanClaude Biver. Watch boss across LVMH Group’s portfolio of top Swiss brands, but best known for nurturing the flimsy notion of a mechanical watch when even Switzerland itself had given up the ghost.

tonne yield only to friends, and never with a pricetag. “If I don't sell it,” explains Biver, “then I will decide who gets it,” adding with typical gusto, “I will be the master of my cheese until the last piece!”

But unlike Blur’s bass player Alex James, whose rock’n’rollness is so ridiculously undermined by the same pastime, there is actually good sense behind Biver’s decision to establish his dairy in 2004.

WATCHMAKING IS BORN IN THE FARMHOUSES OF THE JURA. Irrepressible, outspoken, yet refreshingly straightforward – the man has never been more relevant, despite proximity to his 70th year.

As if to underscore his place in the anachronism of watchmaking – increasingly an anachronism thanks to the efforts of aforementioned Mr Jobs and his iWatch – Mr Biver has one particularly oddball hobby: making cheese.

He has a farm, cows, the lot, and his Emmental is sublime, with a floral note derived directly from his petal-strewn pastures. But you’ll never know, because he offers every year’s five-

“It is the watchmaking art!” he exclaims.

“Watchmaking is born in the farmhouses of the Jura. They were all making cheese in the summer, then come the winter they were polishing wheels and pinions. So when I make my cheese, I connect to the origin of the watchmaking art.”

Its this nod to the “watchmaking art” and the origins of Swiss watchmaking that have defined Biver’s career, making him the erstwhile spokesman of an industry that now owes so much to his efforts and beliefs in the Eighties, when Far Eastern quartz had laid waste to the industry. It was 1981 when he and Jacques Piguet purchased

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FEATURE

ROX MAGAZINE

The LVMH Group’s watch overlord and Zenith’s new chairman, Jean-Claude Biver, stood in the attic where the El Primero chronograph’s tools were famously hidden from being melted down, during the dark days of the Seventies’ ‘Quartz Crisis’. The El Primero is now back as Zenith’s core icon (see feature, page 43).

the name “Blancpain” – all that was left of a firm that once supplied watches to American frogmen.

Attracted by its claim to be Switzerland's oldest watchmaker, they rebuilt the brand on the now famous slogan, "Since 1735 there has never been a quartz Blancpain watch. And there never will be."

After a similarly phenomenal turnaround at Omega, Biver joined Hublot in 2004.

Despite being one of Switzerland’s younger brands, Biver was too clever to engineer a false heritage – instead, he embraced the collision of traditional watchmaking with the future, “fusing” high-tech materials like ceramic and titanium with mechanics, distinguishing Hublot as the ultimate contemporary watchmaker and attracting LVMH as its new owner.

So, with Hublot and, most recently, TAG Heuer’s phoenix-like reinventions under his belt, it’s time for Mr Biver to attend to one last brand, before retirement (or so he says). It’s top dog at LVMH, and the latest prestige watch brand to join the ROX roster: Zenith. One of Switzerland’s finest, making the most legendary chronograph movement in current production, the El Primero, and arguably the first to pioneer the ‘manufacture’ method, bringing every watchmaking discipline beneath one roof at its factory in the Jura

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Mountains. He’s already appointed a CEO, Julien Tornare, but not before Biver’s Midas touch has begun to weave its magic…

With all of your watch-brand turnarounds, there has always been a clear, concise new focus. Hublot was the fusion of materials, what is it for Zenith now?

Zenith is nothing else than, “the future of traditional watchmaking art.”

How different are the challenges posed by Zenith, in contrast to those of the other brands you've revived?

Many of Zenith’s characteristics remind me of those of Blancpain. It is a manufacture with exclusively its own movement, it has a very conservative and low-profile design, it has quite a low awareness, a small turnover and limited budgets. But on the other hand what appears to be weaknesses can easily be transformed into strengths.

How did you settle on Julien as the new CEO, and how does your relationship with him work now?

We have the best possible relationship and are already in a very friendly relationship where

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each of us is contributing with his ideas to the Will your cheese dairy beckon soon, full-time? development of the brand. Of course he is the I love to have my hands ‘in the oil’ and CEO and he is the leader of the brand and I the day I will not enjoy it anymore, I will know respect him as such. that time has come to retire!

The new, 100th-of-a-second Defy 21 has a kind of techy, retro-futuristic look. Is this indicative of a new brand-wide aesthetic?

It is the vision of the future of the tradition.

And most of our future products will have to represent the future of the tradition.

Will there ever be a “connected” Zenith smartwatch?

Yes, but only on the day we will be able to make a connected watch by hand with the fingers of the watchmaker master. Who knows, maybe in the year 2200 this might be possible?

What do you consider the three greatest achievements over the course of your amazing career?

Blancpain was my first big success and will always remain because you never forget the first.

Hublot is for sure the most spectacular success of my career and last but not least TAG Heuer will become the biggest success in terms of turnover.

You are famously enamoured by the chronograph – what do you love about this complication?

I started to love the chronograph when I discovered the work of Victorin Piguet when living in the Vallée de Joux. I love the complication because of the hands of the chronograph, which are giving life to the dial and to the watch. I have always particularly loved Zenith’s El Primero because it is the only chronograph movement which indicates to an accuracy of a tenth of a second [most are an eighth]. And on top of this it is a relatively small movement and an extra slim movement.

Personally, we can’t wait to see what’s in store. Good luck, Monsieur Biver! Though you probably won’t need it…

Hublot and Zenith are available online at www.rox.co.uk

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FEATURE

THE

ZENITH OF ALL

CHRONOGRAPHS Le Locle’s favourite son is experiencing a rampant revival, underpinned as ever by its legendary El Primero movement.

Words by Alex Doak.

I

n 1975, a genial man called Charles Vermot was in charge of Workshop 4 at Zenith. Here, for the past six years, every El Primero chronograph movement had completed its nine-month journey to final assembly, after no less than 2,500 operations at the expert hands of some 300 artisans. Charley, as his colleagues knew him, was about to celebrate 40 years of service – but it was a sad anniversary.

The order had come in from the United States headquarters of the Zenith Radio Corporation to cease all production of mechanical watches immediately. Space had to be made for the newfangled quartz technology, which meant scrapping the El Primero’s tooling at the price of molten metal. Not to mention scrapping one of the most revolutionary chronographs ever conceived – the first one to self-wind, no less.

Charley had other ideas, though.

Refusing to see a decade of his life tossed on the scrap heap, over the next few evenings he furtively relocated not only the pressing tools but also the cams and cutting tools to an attic. Each part was labelled and listed, and he meticulously copied out the entire production process into an accompanying file. And without knowing it,

secured his status as a future hero.

Come the mid-Eighties, as Vermot and so many watchmakers predicted, interest in fine mechanical watches was back on the upswing.

The Swiss consortium that now owned Zenith naturally turned to the mothballed El Primero, its crowning glory of 1969, which they could proudly advertise not only as the world’s first automatic chronograph but also the first to beat at the highly precise frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour, or 5 Hertz (most others are 28,800vph, or 4Hz).

But when it came to looking for that particular dustcover to triumphantly whisk off, no one could shed any light. Except, of course, for one recently retired watchmaker. He nodded knowingly, trudged back down the road to the factory and led the new management to a dusty attic…

It’s now been over 150 years since a 22-year-old Georges Favre-Jacot founded Zenith in Le Locle village. Despite his youth, he was a revolutionary – his was the only factory in the Swiss Jura mountains to be fitted with electric lighting and the only one to bring all of watchmaking’s key skills beneath one roof, rather

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than rely on the sprawling cottage industry of component makers dotted throughout the surrounding valleys.

Yet still, after 300 patents, 600 movement variations and 2,333 prizes in the field of chronometry, the company finds itself firmly rooted in El Primero. Based around the core Chronomaster range, we now have a split-seconds rattrapante model, this year’s gorgeously pared-back and colourful Heritage 146, the sleekly metallic new Range Rover editions, and even a whirring, merry-go-round tourbillon variation.

The fairground comparison isn’t a bad one, in fact. For, despite the relief felt at traditional watchmaking’s resurgence and the El Primero’s Second Coming, things have still been a veritable roller-coaster ride, chez Zenith. Unlike the steady success of LVMH stablemate TAG Heuer, the more luxurious proposition of Zenith has been trickier to define. At its weirdest, the pre-crash boom years

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of the mid-Noughties saw flamboyant CEO Thierry Nataf launching a catalogue of ever-more-steroidal fighter jets for the wrist – watches that Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson might have dreamt up while tooling their white Testarossa round Miami Beach.

Its zenith, if you like, was reached with the butch and boosted ‘Defy’ range of 2006. Unfairly borrowing its name from a tastefully angular Seventies chronograph, everything is forgiven as the current-era Zenith enters it’s most enduringly purple patch with a nowfaithful relaunch of the Defy, kitted out with some startlingly innovative horological innovation. Innovation that, on consideration, is exactly what Zenith was all about in the first place.

As the previous pages attest, it’s all down to Jean-Claude Biver of course – the watch boss at luxurygoods behemoth LVMH, who has a legendary reputation for turning beleaguered brands on a sixpence.

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A modern-day Georges Favre-Jacot, Biver is a revolutionary who could be partly credited for reviving interest in mechanical watches in the Eighties when everyone was wearing quartz. His crowning achievement was establishing Hublot as one of the biggest players (the Big Bang was all his idea) and having tended to TAG, his final tenure at Zenith finally sees full democratisation of the LVMH Group’s extensive watchmaking capabilities.

First up for Zenith v3.0, in a reassertion of El Primero’s importance at the core of the brand, the stopwatch function of 2017’s ‘Defy El Primero 21’ (groovy Seventies styling now intact) is in fact powered by a totally separate, high-frequency geartrain ticking at the breakneck speed of 360,000 vibrations per hour (or 50Hz). The tech

YET STILL, AFTER 300 PATENTS, 600 MOVEMENT VARIATIONS AND 2,333 PRIZES IN THE FIELD OF CHRONOMETRY, THE COMPANY FINDS ITSELF FIRMLY ROOTED IN EL PRIMERO is derived from a short-lived ‘haute horologerie’ experiment at TAG in 2011, and feels far more at home here. In a dazzling exaggeration of El Primero’s high-frequency capability, the central sweep-seconds hand whizzes round the dial once a second and keeps time to a hundredth of a second, rather than a tenth.

Almost as a sidenote, both of the Defy El Primero 21’s ticking hair’s-breadth balance springs are made from pure carbon nanotube.

Antimagnetic, durable, precisely manufactured, and downright cool to boot.

As a first move, it’s tantamount to leapfrogging your pawns with a knight. But with Biver on board at Zenith, you can be sure this is no bluff. The legend of El Primero is secured for future generations and we can be even more grateful for Charles Vermot’s brave forethought back in 1975.

Zenith is available online and in our ROX Argyll Arcade boutique. www.rox.co.uk

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ASTON MARTIN EDINBURGH

CONTACT US TO PLACE YOUR ORDER www.astonmartinedinburgh.co.uk 0131 442 2800

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph Watch £58,300 (65215), Tartan Suit £665 from Stewart Christie & Co

DARE TO BE DANDY A 21st century twist on classic chap culture.

PHOTOGRAPHY: BRIAN SWEENEY MODEL: TOM BRODIE-BROWNE STYLIST: LYNNE MCCROSSAN GROOMER: JAK MORGAN

Hublot Classic Fusion Berluti Scritto Gold Watch £30,400 (67868), Velvet Smoking Jacket and Dinner Trousers £150 from Stewart Christie & Co

Hublot Classic Fusion Italia Independent Watch ÂŁ13,300 (67890), Cable Knit Jumper from Cross Cashmere, Tartan Trousers from DC Dalgliesh

Hublot Classic Fusion Italia Independent Watch ÂŁ13,300 (67890), Cable Knit Jumper from Cross Cashmere, Tartan Trousers from DC Dalgliesh

Hublot Big Bang Meca-10 Power Reserve Watch £28,700 (67335), Cable Knit Jumper from Cross Cashmere

Hublot Spirit of Big Bang King Gold Watch £31,300 (67362), Grey Herringbone Suit £565 from Stewart Christie & Co

“

Clothes make the man -Mark Twain

”

Hublot Spirit of Big Bang King Gold Watch £31,300 (67362), Grey Herringbone Suit £565 from Stewart Christie & Co

Zenith El Primero Defy Ceramic Watch £9.900 (68721), Grey Herringbone Suit £565 from Stewart Christie & Co

Zenith El Primero Chronomaster Watch £5,500 (68722), Over Coat £450 from Stewart Christie & Co, Brown Sheperds Plaid £295 from DC Dalgliesh

Chopard L.U.C Lunar One Watch ÂŁ46,550 (68137), Tartan Suit from DC Dalgliesh, Knitted T-shirt from Cross Cashmere

Zenith Pilot Bronze Extra Specia Watch ÂŁ5,900 (68724), Tartan Suit from DC Dalgliesh, Knitted T-shirt from Cross Cashmere

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph Watch £22,400 (67340), Shetland Herringbone Jacket, Wool Waistcoat and Scarf from Stewart Christie & Co, Knitted T-shirt from Cross Cashmere, Sheperds Plaid from DC Dalgliesh

Bremont Jaguar MKII Automatic Watch £5,195 (67821), Wool Waistcoat and Scarf from Sewart Christie & Co, Wrap Cardigan from Cross Cashmere

LUXURY WATCH EDIT

ROX MAGAZINE

LUXURY WATCH EDIT The definitive directory of what you should be wearing on your wrist right now. Words by Alex Doak.

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ZENITH

HUBLOT

ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE CHRONOGRAPH

PILOT TYPE 20 EXTRA SPECIAL CHRONOGRAPH BRONZE

CLASSIC FUSION BERLUTI SCRITTO KING GOLD

If the twenty-something Royal Oak Offshore’s original look was ‘swarthy Riviera gadabout’, then this latest iteration of luxury watchmaking’s seminal statement sports watch is surely ‘rakish Riviera lounge lizard’. Less about padding your teak deck at the marina, more about sidling up to the hottest table at Casino Monte Carlo.

If, however, the roulette wheel isn’t being kind, don’t even dream of throwing down your watch – the sleek sophistication of the black ceramic case, machined to hair’sbreadth tolerances, combined with the exquisitely engineered mechanics inside make this a keeper. 67350 | £27,000

See that “Pilot” on the dial? Amazingly, after a rummage through the archives, Zenith only recently discovered it held the exclusive rights to have that word printed on their dials. And for good reason – even Louis Blériot himself wore one of their watches during his pioneering cross-Channel flight in 1909. But these no-nonsense aviator watches also acquit themselves nobly “in the field”, with a big crown making it easy to adjust with gloves on. And now, duly kitted out with Zenith’s famous El Primero chronograph, things get even more interesting with a case forged from bronze. 68724 | £5,900

The Parisian shoemaker Berluti may date back to 1895, but it’s the current, fourthgeneration custodian Olga Berluti whose is to be credited for the brand’s signature style: Venezia leather, tanned by hand to give a unique, wooden-looking patina to every shoe. It’s a skill that chimed with Hublot, giving us this 250-piece special edition of its dress chronograph, fitted with Scritto calf leather straps, and each complete with a shoeshine kit. The leather dial is especially clever – you can’t usually seal organic material in a watch case, so a “neutralisation” method was developed specially, removing its moisture but keeping the sheen. 67868 | £30,400

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BELL & ROSS BR V2-94 GARDE-CÔTES At Switzerland’s annual extravaganza of all things horological – a massive trade fair known as ‘Baselworld’ – there are as many pervading trends as any London or Paris Fashion Week. But by far the most popular colourway for 2017 was slate grey with racy Seventies-esque orange pops. Only now has the embargo lifted for the outright best example and ROX couldn’t be prouder to stock it; a suitably rugged and water resistant professional chronograph inspired by those everyday heroes, the coastguard. The colours aren’t even slavish to a trend – orange is essential to visibility in a greywashed environment. Even the pulsometer is derived directly from the needs of those attending first to stricken casualties. 67929 | £3,600

CHOPARD

ARNOLD & SON

BREMONT

SUPERFAST POWER CONTROL PORSCHE 919 HF EDITION

DBG SKELETON

NORTON V4 RR

After three straight wins at the legendary Le Mans 24-hours endurance race, it came as a huge surprise when Porsche announced in July that it would be making a wholesale switch to Formula E next year, along with VW Group stablemate Audi and F1 dominator Mercedes. For now though, you can still revel in the petrol fumes with this tribute to Porsche’s prototype hybrid race car, the 919. Coated in stealth-black scratchproof diamond-like carbon, its steel case protects a movement crafted at Chopard’s top-flight L.U.C. facility, ticking at twice the usual speed to deliver higher-than-ever precision. 68801 | £12,440

Even back when intricate mechanics were a given, the craft of skeletonisation has been popular for centuries, paring the metal structure back to its bare minimum to afford an unimpeded view of the watch’s ticking and whirring innards. In the case of DBG Skeleton, it reveals exquisite detail hitherto restricted to the admiration of other watchmakers, from blued screws to ‘Côtes de Genève’ stripes and satin finish.

The artistry extends to its perfect symmetry, with two separate time displays each driven by its own geartrain. Historically referred to as a “captain’s watch”, the principle is ideally suited to the brand's Instrument line as each display is unaffected by the energy drain of the other. 68802 | £33,900

One of Britain's most iconic motorcycle manufacturers has made a serious return to the Isle of Man TT, where it won the team award for technical excellence 110 years after winning the very first event.

Being founded by two flyboy brothers with petrol in their veins as well as Avgas, Henley-based watchmaker Bremont has a deep connection with Norton that dates back to 2009 when they introduced a limited edition Norton chronograph.

That relationship steps up a gear in 2017 with Bremont becoming Team Norton’s principal sponsor and making a new chronograph to complement the gleaming road-going derivative of the SG6 race bike, the V4 RR. 67828 | £5,495 www.rox.co.uk

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AIRFIXATION Let your inner adventurer run wild and take your collection to new heights with inspiration from our horological inspired air fix kit.

from left to right: Bremont Airco Mach 1 Automatic Watch £2,895 (67852), Zenith Pilot Bronze Extra Special Watch £5,900 (68724), Bremont ALT1-P Pilot Automatic Watch £3,895 (67804), Tudor Heritage Black Bay Bronze Watch £2,860 (68630), Graham Chronofighter Tan Vintage Watch £3,450 (66312)

TONE IT UP Making a stylish statement doesn't have to be over the top. Adding a hint of blue is a step away from traditional watch styles, perfect for a 21st century gent.

from left to right: Hublot Classic Fusion Blue Titanium Watch £8,500 (67349), Bremont ALT1-P Pilot Automatic Watch £3,895 (67807), Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph Watch £21,600 (63000), Zenith El Primero Chronomaster Watch £5,500 (68722), Bell & Ross Aviation Watch £3,990 (67905)

DRESS YOUR DRESSER Time might wait for no man but classic style always will. Embrace old school dandyism with a truly timeless piece.

from left to right: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph Watch £58,300 (65215), Hublot Classic Fusion Berluti Scritto Gold Watch £30,400 (67868), Arnold & Son UTTE Strap Watch £60,900 (64233), Bell & Ross Vintage Watch £2,200 (63608), Chopard L.U.C Lunar One Watch £46,550 (68137), ROX Luxe Leather Wallet (68857)

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TICKING

EVERY BOX Every single detail of an Audemars Piguet watch is practically perfect – crafted in-house to the finest degree, informed by almost 150 years of cutting-edge horology. Alex Doak takes the tour at Le Brassus HQ

O

n a tour of a typical Swiss watch factory, you can be sure of a beaming welcome from a crisply labcoated technician on entering each and every workshop – eager to introduce you to his team of similarly cheery colleagues, beavering away at workbenches flooded with natural light from the Jura mountains, or tapping away at the keyboards of whirring CNC machines.

But venture into the Royal Oak dial-milling room at Audemars Piguet and it’s a different matter altogether – a surreal experience more suited to Dr Who than fine horology. Here, there is little natural light, and even fewer technicians. Instead, a sinister battery of elaborately engineered, 82

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Steampunk contraptions – about the same size as a Dalek, in fact – all jerk away autonomously, accompanied by a muffled drilling noise. Where the rotating raygun would be is mounted a rotating, waffle-patterned disc, like a small manhole cover. What could they possibly be doing?

The answer is actually rather charming – and certainly less threatening than Davros et al. Since 1972, when AP’s mighty Oak sprung up and rewrote the rulebook for luxury sports watches (not to mention the question of an octagonal watch being an OK thing), these exact-same machines were conceived to realise another defining detail: the tapestry or “tapisserie” textured dial.

The machines work on the

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pantograph principle, where a metal finger “feels” the 3D pattern of the oversized manhole and through a series of step-down linkages, translates its movement to a “burin” cutting tool, yielding a miniaturised version of the pattern on a brass disc. Each piece of brass is then painted, layer after painstaking layer, to yield a dial of unusual depth and sheen.

In this day and age of CNC engraving, the fact that AP still uses the same analogue machines as 45 years ago is part of the magic that traditional Swiss watchmaking holds. But more importantly, it’s an obsessive attention to detail that you shortcut to the detriment of everything.

Once you know it’s there, it can’t be the same otherwise. Just pop into your local ROX and ask to see a Royal Oak up close; you’ll see what we mean.

There’s nowhere quite like that dialmilling room anywhere in the Vallée de Joux.

This serene plateau nestled high above Geneva is acknowledged as the cradle of top-end watchmaking, and Audemars Piguet’s factory has been here in the village of Le Brassus since its very inception in 1875. It’s still in good company – up or down the road you’ll find Jaeger-LeCoultre, Blancpain, Breguet and Bulgari. Immediately next door, however, it’s a meadow of cows, whose cowbells provide a clanking soundtrack that hasn’t changed in centuries. If it wasn’t for the handful of sleekly modern ateliers dotted about town, into which AP has recently expanded, Le Brassus really could feature on a chocolate box.

It is of course these new ateliers where the aforementioned, more traditional welcome awaits, having duly donned visitors’ labcoats paired with bright-blue shower-caps for our shoes. But despite the similarity to your “typical” watch factory – floors you could eat your dinner off, glass partitions, surprisingly young tweezerwielding watchmakers plugged into white earbuds – the particular level of hand-craftsmanship, fine finish, technical innovation and materialsscience experimentation is something else, here at Audemars Piguet.

While all of this high execution is manifest throughout the Royal Oak and its even-beefier Royal Oak Offshore iteration, neophytes are directed to AP’s history prior to 1972. Before that fateful year, the manufacture had always been more closely associated with the history

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A TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE AND MUSICAL CAREER OF ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL ARTISTS OF ALL TIME

of the “grande complication”. Still the only watch brand in the hands of its founding family, unlike any other maison, the Le Brassus factory is also the only one to have been creating grande complication timepieces since 1882, when it released a gorgeous pocket watch boasting a perpetual calendar, moonphase, split-seconds chronograph and chiming minute repeater.

That four-year-old watch continues to take one of AP’s four elite watchmakers the best part of a whole year. And that’s not including the 820 hours it takes another single artisan to polish its constellation of levers, bridges and pinions to a flawless sheen. But walking into the High Complications atelier reveals yet another surprise.

Rather than the wizened, Geppetto-like characters we’re expecting, hunched

LE BRASSUS FACTORY IS ALSO THE ONLY ONE TO HAVE BEEN CREATING GRANDE COMPLICATION TIMEPIECES SINCE 1882 Ironically, we were all reminded of AP’s complicated past in 2013 with a grande-complication version of the Royal Oak Offshore, which combined all the brand’s top-flight horological capabilities from 1882 onwards with the steroidal bulk of its modern posterboy for the very first time. Needless to say, while component manufacture has become more automated in recent history, the methods of actually assembling its 648 parts remain as painstakingly handson as in the 19th century.

before us is a quartet of tattooed and pierced, thirtysomething heavy-metal enthusiasts. It takes a “certain sort” to focus so intensely on this sort of task, it seems. Goodness knows what they’d be up to without watchmaking.

Needless to say, however, with headphones duly removed, all four of the heavyset gentlemen turn to welcome us with beaming smiles.

Audemars Piguet is available online and in our ROX Argyll Arcade boutique. www.rox.co.uk

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THE ESSENCE OF

CREATIVITY What do you get when you combine a passion for art and horology? Maxine McCreadie spoke to Maxime Buci of Sang Bleu to talk about his Big Bang collaboration with Hublot.

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ublot has never been a brand to shy away from forward thinking ideas.

Proud to continually push the boundaries it appreciates that art and horology are intrinsically linked and is dedicated to create timepieces that are both intriguing and eye-catching.

With that in mind earlier this year Hublot announced it was joining forces with Maxime Buchi of Sang Bleu to create awe-inspiring timepieces to stand out against the crowd.

The construction of each piece in the Big Bang collection is reminiscent of the symbolism in the geometric shapes so dear to Sang Bleu, taking inspiration from Leonardo de Vinci’s Vitruvian Man. Inspired by the symmetric effects that have guided humanity since the dawn of time and

LUXURY WATCH EDIT

did,” he revealed.

“But then retrospectively I’m also very glad that I didn’t. I think a lot of people who got into design in the generation just before me really struggle to adapt to the evolution the field.

“I am relatively old for someone who embraced digital tools the way I did, but I did, very early on. Maybe my interest for science prepared the ground for what I'm doing now.”

Despite originally being inspired by graffiti style design and tattooing, Maxime soon began to find himself being championed by fashion houses such as Chloe taking him down yet another design route.

He added: “Moving from graffiti to designing for fashion houses seemed like a natural progression to me. It’s branding as an end rather than a

IT CAME FROM A DESIRE TO REPRESENT A CONTEMPORARY, WHAT I CALL "TRANSVERSAL" PERCEPTION OF CULTURE played a part in creating the greatest architectural projects in the world, Maxime is known for his quest to echo this perfection in his design work.

Speaking of his passion for design, Maxime told ROX Man: “I don’t remember when my passion for design began, I think it was always there. I think it’s natural, kids like to draw, imagine, express and are attracted to simple shapes but their environment progressively changes this. I found something in visual expression something that was supported by my family and later helped me to integrate into society.”

However, Maxime’s path to fame as a designer wasn’t as straight forward as some might expect with the artist choosing to originally study psychology at first than take up a creative job.

“I feel like I should have tried a creative career much sooner than I

means. Ironically that is what tattooing is too, but from a more literal point of view. The term "branding" coming from the marking of cattle.”

Fast forward to 2006 and such was Maxime’s desire to share his passion for design with the world that he set up Sang Bleu with the help of wife Hope – a contemporary multi-disciplinary media platform and creative agency responsible for creating Sang Bleu magazine, fine art, literature, tattooing and much more.

As well as its notable partnership with Hublot, Sang Bleu is also respected for its work with celebrities such as Kanye West and FKA Twigs as well as leading fashion brands Balenciaga and Rick Owens.

Sharing his inspiration behind the design power house, Maxime said: “It came from a desire to represent a contemporary, what I call "transversal"

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perception of culture – a culture where people don't identify strictly with one but a kind of set of cultural expressions, often fluctuating, with a more stable core. This is as opposed to a traditional "vertical" perception where individuals identify rigidly to a specific culture and its occasional correlates.”

And so when Hublot approached Maxime to get involved in creating a bespoke timepiece that encapsulated the essence of creativity and style, he jumped at the chance to be able to take his vision to the next level with support from the luxury brand.

The designer heralded the process of designing the Big Bang, a true celebration of the art of fusion, as ‘exceptional’ crediting Hublot for making his creative vision a reality.

“It was exceptional. By far the most pleasant experience of working with a client other than myself,” he revealed.

“The key of it being that they trusted me and let me do what I do. They put in all their knowhow and support to help me adjust my ideas to what was possible but never questioned my ideas, only tried to make them work or very thoroughly showed my why they couldn’t. I wish it was always like this!

“The collaboration was simply a process of revealing underlying structures then selecting them for their aesthetic qualities. Like I do on a body or a garment.”

Looking to the future Maxime, who has been a watch enthusiast since his 20s, revealed that there are plans to work on a new design for 2018 as well as a range of other exciting projects.

As for the future of Sang Bleu he added: “Looking ahead the plan is to mostly develop the media/editorial side, the creative/art direction and the products such as our clothing lines and jewellery. But, really, there are too many projects to mention!

“We are now in a very interesting transition and many things that we’ve been doing in the background, we've had great success so far, using our clothing lines of TTTism as an example, so I have decided to take a step back and set them up also as standalone brands incorporated in a larger network of businesses.

“We are in the middle of structuring this and obviously, it is a gigantic and stressful endeavour.

We are also exploring strategic partnerships and financing which is something new and exciting too. But by end of next year, you can expect to hear a lot from us!"

Hublot is available online and in our ROX Argyll Arcade, ROX Edinburgh and ROX Newcastle boutiques. www.rox.co.uk

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THOUSAND-MILE

STAR

Next year sees Chopard celebrating 30 years with Italy’s Mille Miglia rally – the longest-ever car/watch partnership and arguably the most meaningful. Alex Doak should know after all, as a watch expert who’s driven all thousand miles, from Brescia to Rome and back.

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here is nothing quite like the Mille Miglia. After the first day’s raucous, exhaustfumed congregation of priceless overheating metal, the evening fast approaches, and the streets of Brescia begin to echo even more meaningfully with the unmuffled roar of four, six and eight-cylinder engines. They are being individually summoned to the historic start ramp on viale Venezi, waved off to who-knows-what over the next three days and thousand miles.

It’s here that the Brescia Automobile Club staged the start of its spectacular road race nearly every year from 1927 up until 1957, when a terrible accident killed 10 spectators, bringing an end to proceedings. The modern revival was reinstated in 1977, on the fiftieth anniversary of the Mille

LUXURY WATCH EDIT

it’s quickly apparent that not only is the modern Mille Miglia far from slow, it is also far from rheumy-eyed. All the way to Day 1’s destination of Ferrara, through tiny picturesque villages and the achingly pretty city of Verona, the crowds never let up, never cease to be excited by a blip of throttle, always with a smile on their faces. Despite so much of Tuscany and Lombardy being utterly poverty-stricken, the villagers turn out in their droves to cheer on the wealthy petrolheads in their priceless chariots, with generous Italian bravado. It’s difficult to imagine the provincial nimbys of Britain being so keen on something like the Mille Miglia clogging up their streets for hours at a time, given license to speed, to over-rev, to overtake, all the while the Carabinieri waving you through red lights with gusto.

NOT ONLY IS THE MODERN MILLE MIGLIA FAR FROM SLOW, IT IS ALSO FAR FROM RHEUMY-EYED Miglia Cup and is still reserved only for models of cars that were accepted into the original race. Although the number of cars admitted now is almost four times the number that participated in ’77, fewer than half of the applications received each year can be accepted. This allows the organisers to select a crowd-pleasing cavalcade of Alfas, Bentleys, Bugattis, Porsches, Maseratis, Mercs, Ferraris, Astons, Jags and Lancias that is almost unique, portraying 30 years of the evolution of the motor car.

It may be a ‘regularity rally’ rather than a race these days, but these irreplaceable museum pieces are driven hard. Careering out of Brescia’s city limits at the wheel of a snarling Continental GTC V8 – one of hundreds of ‘accompanying cars’, hot on the heels of Bentley’s official vintage entrants –

Chopard has been synonymous with this extraoridinary event since 1988, making it the single longest watch-brand automotive association – longer than Breitling and Bentley, Oris and Williams, even Rolex’s sponsorship of the 24 Hours of Daytona. It has much to do with Chopard’s copresident Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, whose petrol-blooded passion for classic cars is such that his garage near Geneva boasts around 30 automotive masterpieces, all of which he drives in rotation for his daily commute. The ‘around 30’ statistic is deliberate, he freely admits, otherwise he’d have a constant job explaining himself to his wife.

The Mille Miglia sponsorship came just three years after twentysomething Karl-Friedrich and his sister Caroline jumped into Chopard’s

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respective drivers’ seats in 1985 – one watches, one jewellery – and he has competed himself almost every year since, living and breathing the brand partnership. He either drives alongside his wife or their friend, the racing legend Jacky Ickx, usually aboard Scheufele’s gorgeous silver Porsche 550 A Spyder. And every year, each of their fellow competitors receives a special-edition Chopard chronograph in their race pack.

The publically available Mille Miglia watch has now grown into a collection in its own right – retro styled in accordance with the pre’57 car criteria, but imbued with a vintage raciness that’s gone on to influence plenty of other horological “carllaborations”. This year’s Mille Miglia offering alone includes updates of the Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph, inspired by the older cars of 1927–1940 and driven by Valjoux 7750 movements; the GTS (Grand

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Turismo Sport) with its modern lines, tyretrack rubber strap and proprietary Fleurier Ebauches movements; plus a 90th-anniversary flagship limited edition chronograph, celebrating the first year the Brescia Automobile Club started running the race, resplendent in rose gold and driven by Chopard L.U.C.’s haute horlogerie mechanics.

As you can see from the timeline, Chopard Mille Miglia has weaved an unusually rich heritage of its own in just three short decades – impressive for something as glacial as watchmaking.

The question is, however, will the old cars still be running in another three decades? If their owners do become too nervous, at least this Italian institution has a partner of such integrity that its watches at least will continue to provide a lasting, restless legacy.

Chopard is available in our ROX Argyll Arcade boutique.

97MPH The average speed stirling moss drove for ten solid hours in 1955 – motor sport journalist Denis ‘Jenks’ Jenkinson co-piloting – setting the definitive Mille Miglia record in a Mercedes Benz 300 SLR. Almost as impressive, to us here at ROX Man at least, is Jenks’s energy reserves, managing to bash out and file his 10,000-word report that same night. ‘With Moss in the Mille Miglia’ is considered a classic piece of motor journalism, which you can read on Motor Sport Magazine’s online archive – edge-of-your-seat stuff, plunging you right into the action.

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LUXURY WATCH EDIT

MILLE MIGLIA TIMELINE

RACE AGAINST TIME 1988

Mille Miglia

1998

Mille Miglia 1998

2007

Mille Miglia Gran Turismo XL Chronograph

2000

Mille Miglia 2000

2014

Mille Miglia 2014

1990

Mille Miglia Stopwatch

2005

Mille Miglia GMT Chronometer

2015

Mille Miglia GTS Power Control Race Edition

1994

Mille Miglia 1994

2006

Mille Miglia Gran Turismo XL

2017

Mille Miglia Classic XL 90th Anniversary www.rox.co.uk

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JAGUAR XF

SIPS FUEL. DEVOURS CORNERS.

JAGUAR XF AVAILABLE FROM £32,490 One drive in the Jaguar XF and you’ll understand it has a true appetite for performance. Thanks to its Lightweight Aluminium Architecture and new Ingenium petrol and diesel engines, the XF is ready to pounce when you are.

However, its impressive power and agile handling also come with great responsibility with CO2 emissions as low as 104g/km and fuel economy of up to 70.6mpg.

Enhanced efficiency. Dynamic drive. Get a true taste for performance, only in the Jaguar XF. Park’s 100 Heathfield Road, Ayr KA8 9BN 01292 653000

61 Harbour Road, Inverness IV1 1UF 01463 716716

parks.uk.com/jaguar

Official fuel consumption for the Jaguar XF Range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 24.1-58.9 (11.7-4.8); Extra Urban 44.878.5 (6.3-3.6); Combined 34.0-70.6 (8.3-4.0). CO 2 Emissions 198-104 g/km. Official EU Test Figures.

For comparison purposes only. Real world figures may differ Park’s (AYR) Limited and Park’s of Hamilton (Townhead Garage) Ltd are Appointed Representatives of Park’s of Hamilton (Holdings) Limited, FRN 308476 of 14 Bothwell Road, Hamilton, ML3 0AY, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Park’s of Hamilton (Holdings) Limited permitted business is Insurance Mediation and to act as a Credit Broker. We can introduce you to a limited number of finance providers to assist with your purchase, who may remunerate us for introducing you to them.

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OUTSIDE EDGE

Bremont Jaguar MKII Watch 67821 | £5,195

Raymond Weil Tango Watch 68041 | £1,050

OUTSIDE EDGE

THE PANDA DIAL Slick and stylish the charm of this design lies in its simplicity. Panda dials have held a hypnotic hold over watch-lovers since the 1970s with their high contrast definition making them sought after collector pieces.

Styling by Cruise

Baume & Mercier Clifton Club Shelby Cobra 67319 | £3,600

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph Watch 67315 | £20,500

Zenith El Primero Watch 68696 | £5,500

Raymond Weil Freelancer Watch 65526 | £2,495

Arnold & Son Utte Watch 64931 | £53,400

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THE NEW RANGE ROVER VELAR

NO HEADLINE REQUIRED

One look at the New Range Rover Velar says it all. The exterior silhouette and continuous waistline are the perfect blend of elegance, simplicity, sophistication and glamour. Even the attention to detail has been given careful attention to detail. These few words can’t really do this stunning vehicle justice. Perhaps it’s wiser just to take another good long look.

Now available for test drive, contact us to find out more.

Park’s 100 Heathfield Road, Ayr KA8 9BN 01292 653200

61 Harbour Road, Inverness IV1 1UF 01463 716716

parks.uk.com/land-rover

Official Fuel Consumption Figures for the Range Rover Velar range in mpg (I/100km): Urban 22.2-45.6 (12.7-6.2); Extra Urban 37.7-57.7 (7.5-4.9); Combined 30.1-52.5 (9.4-5.4). CO2 Emissions 214-142 g/km. Drive responsibly on and off-road.

Park’s (AYR) Limited is an Appointed Representative of Park’s of Hamilton (Holdings) Limited, FRN 308476 of 14 Bothwell Road, Hamilton, ML3 0AY, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Park’s of Hamilton (Holdings) Limited permitted business is Insurance Mediation and to act as a Credit Broker. We can introduce you to a limited number of finance providers to assist with your purchase, who may remunerate us for introducing you to them. Retail customers only.

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OUTSIDE EDGE

Bell & Ross Garde-Cotes Watch 67929 | £3,600

Chopard Mille Miglia Watch 67631 | £3,710

OUTSIDE EDGE

RETRO DIALS Take a step back in time with retro dials.

Classic designs enjoy a moment in the spotlight this season with a firm focus on taking style back to basics.

Styling by Cruise

Hublot Classic Fusion Watch 67349 | £8,500

Zenith Pilot Chronometro Watch 68803 | £6,400

Bremont ALT1-C Classic Watch 60402 | £4,895

Tudor Heritage Black Bay Watch 67938 | £3,610

Raymond Weil Freelancer Watch 68056 | £2,395

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For those not satisfied with bronze, silver or gold.

The new Cayenne Platinum Edition.

Go beyond the podium. With specification including 20-inch RS Spyder Design wheels, For those not satisfied with bronze, silver or gold.

Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS), BOSE Surround Sound System, online navigation, The new Cayenne Platinum Edition.

Connect Plus, sports seats with centres in Alcantara and much more besides. ®

®

Go beyond the podium.

With specification including 20-inchthe RS road.

Spyder Design wheels, A car designed to win hearts – and engineered to conquer ® Surround Sound System, online navigation, Porsche Dynamic LightEdition Systemfrom (PDLS), BOSE(RRP The Cayenne Platinum £55,665 incl. VAT).

Connect Plus, sports seats with centres in Alcantara® and much more besides.

Discover more at A car designed to porsche.co.uk/platinum win hearts – and engineered to conquer the road.

The Cayenne Platinum Edition from £55,665 (RRP incl. VAT).

Discover more at porsche.co.uk/platinum

Porsche Centre Edinburgh Fort Kinnaird Edinburgh EH15 3HR 0131 475 5000 Porsche Centre Edinburgh info@porscheedinburgh.co.uk Fort Kinnaird www.porscheedinburgh.co.uk Edinburgh EH15 3HR 0131 475 5000 info@porscheedinburgh.co.uk Official fuel economy figures for the Cayenne Diesel Platinum Edition in mpg (l/100km): urban 36.2 www.porscheedinburgh.co.uk - 37.2 (7.8 – 7.6), extra urban 45.5 – 47.1 (6.2 – 6.0), combined 41.5 – 42.8 (6.8 – 6.6). CO2 emissions: 179 – 173 g/km. The mpg and CO2 figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated tests, are provided for comparability purposes and may not reflect your actual driving experience.

Official fuel economy figures for the Cayenne Diesel Platinum Edition in mpg (l/100km): urban 36.2 - 37.2 (7.8 – 7.6), extra urban 45.5 – 47.1 (6.2 – 6.0), combined 41.5 – 42.8 (6.8 – 6.6). CO2 emissions: 179 – 173 g/km. The mpg and CO2 figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated tests, are provided for comparability purposes and may not reflect your actual driving experience.

3928-11038 PAdv Cayenne Plat Edt_340x265mm_Edinburgh.indd 1

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3928-11038 PAdv Cayenne Plat Edt_340x265mm_Edinburgh.indd 1

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Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph Watch 67332 | £47,800

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OUTSIDE EDGE

Hublot Spirit of Big Bang King Gold Watch 67362 | £31,300

OUTSIDE EDGE

PINK GOLD Arnold & Son DBG Equation Watch 64933 | £35,100

Styling by Cruise

Turn up the heat with a little help from rose gold watches. Unashamedly opulent it is a metal of distinction for a man who is proud to wear his forward thinking style on his sleeve.

Audemars Piguet Millenary Selfwinding Watch 62897 | £34,000

Raymond Weil Freelancer Watch 67974 | £1,895

Hugo Boss Signature Watch 68506 | £450

Hublot Classic Fusion Watch 67094 | £25,500

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FOOD & DRINK

BEST OF THE SEASON Once again Michelin starred chef Martin Wishart helps us cook up a storm with a simple yet delectable fine dining recipe you can show off with this winter.

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robably the most popular of British game birds, pheasants are at their best in November to January. Traditional cooking methods include roasting or cutting them into joints for braising.

To develop the birds’ flavour and tenderize the flesh, they need to be hung in the correct conditions for about a week.

A young pheasant hen has the best taste and is good to roast. Older birds are better cooked in the casserole pot. This dish however utilizes the meat in a different way. The flesh is chilled and blended in a food processor and then mixed with cream and eggs to form a mousse. Its then shaped into sausages and steamed.

BOUDIN OF PHEASANT WITH GLAZED APPLE AND CHESTNUTS (SERVES 4) FOR THE PHEASANT 200g skinless pheasant breast meat 2 egg whites 140 ml cold double cream 1 tbsp brandy 12 turns of ground white pepper Pinch of salt Place the meat in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the egg white and blend until fully incorporated. Transfer to a large bowl and place in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.

Fold in the cold cream until a smooth dropping consistency is reached. Add the brandy and season with salt and pepper. Return the mix to the fridge for 1 hour to allow the pheasant mousse to firm up Pipe 10 - 15 cm of the mix onto a piece of cling film (30 cm square) and roll into a sausage

shape, and tie a knot at both ends Arrange the boudin in a hot steamer and cook for 6 - 8 minutes so they become firm.

Remove and allow them to rest for 5 minutes.

FOR THE CHESTNUT AND APPLE 2 Braeburn apples 150g cooked sweet chestnuts (marrons glacé) 75g unsalted butter 200ml fresh chicken stock 100ml rich Madeira Salt Peel the apples and cut into 1 cm thick wedges, removing the core. Set aside.

Gently warm a sauté pan with ½ of the butter, when it starts to foam add the chestnuts to the pan and sauté them for 1 minute. Add the Madeira and reduced to a glaze. Then pour over the chicken stock and cook on a high heat until it has reduced by ¾ volume.

Add the remaining butter and the apples and cook for 2 minutes or until the liquid has become a thick glaze. Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt TO SERVE Re-heat the pheasant boudins in the steamer until warm. Gently remove them from the clingfilm and place them on a large serving dish.

Spoon the apple and chestnut mix over the boudins and drizzle with the juices that are left in the pan.

Visit Restaurant Martin Wishart in Leith, The Honours in Edinburgh and Glasgow and Martin Wishart at Cameron House www.rox.co.uk

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SOMEWHERE IN THE WORLD IT’S WINE O’CLOCK Ian Matthews of Corney and Barrow Wine Merchants, shares his years of wisdom to help you get to grips with mastering the perfect wine choice

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reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one – so said George R. R. Martin. We have to agree. In an age of high-speed digital wizardry, the chance to disconnect with a good book and a glass of wine is more than ever, one of life’s little luxuries.

Wine and books have many common traits, yet the similarities between these worthy distractions have generally been overlooked.

Each boast loyal followings, extolling the virtues of their latest finds, savouring their experiences and revering the authors and vineyards that brought them to life. Both are bought for enjoyment and escape, though let’s not forget their potential to be collected and shared. Move

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follow across social media, using the hashtag #NovelPairings.

Accompanying bibulous-ographies ensure you know the thinking behind the recommendations of what to drink with your latest tome and a subscription service means it can be the gift that keeps on giving, if you can bear to part with it.

As books are selected for the pairing treatment, big questions are pondered. Would Bridget Jones drink Chardonnay now? How tipsy was Ulysses? Is Jay Gatsby a Champagne man?

It’s like the ultimate book group where fellow members just happen to be experts in the fields of wine and literature, so you can feel imminently smug.

While there is almost no drinking mentioned in Muriel Spark’s ‘The Prime of Miss Jean

WINE AND BOOKS HAVE MANY COMMON TRAITS, YET THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THESE WORTHY DISTRACTIONS HAVE GENERALLY BEEN OVERLOOKED over cheese and wine and welcome to wine paired with the written word.

Author and Sunday Times drinks critic Damian Barr, has joined forces with one of the oldest independent wine merchants in the UK double royal warrant holder, Corney & Barrow, to unite the delights of the grape and the page.

Together they’ve produced ‘A Book and a Bottle’ www.abookandabottle.com, which Damian humorously refers to as a public information service for those who love stories and sipping.

Where else can you catch up on your reading and add to your wine knowledge at the same time?

Since summer 2016, monthly deliberations, between merchant and author have been available to listen to via podcast, read as a blog post and

Brodie’, it was recently matched with Lustau Fino Jarana Sherry. Bourgogne Chardonnay by Domaine Francois Carillon was also considered but dismissed as being too bright and accessible and a Bordeaux from St Emilion was ruled out for being delicious, but not nearly modest enough. You’ll have to listen to the podcast to hear the details but it was eventually agreed that the Fino sherry best represented the formidable Miss Brodie, being both ferociously dry and incredibly multi-layered. With both tipple and main character something of an acquired taste, Fino was clearly the ‘crème de la crème’.

Another classic to come under the spotlight is Ian Fleming’s epic ‘From Russia with Love’.

While the film of the same name has inspired

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generations to associate the ultimate gentlemen with martinis, revisiting the book will be a revelation for many. This novel is packed with thrills and luckily for this project, booze, making it all the harder to decide on a perfect match.

Could it be the Blancs de Blancs, English sparkling wine made by the Goring family on the Wiston Estate? Its pedigree and heritage would certainly match and it was deemed fabulous enough to launch Britannia, so definitely star potential. Or perhaps the Chianti Classico Terre di Penzano Vignamaggio, sophisticated like Mr Bond, yet still with an edge of excitement. In fact the novel pairing which united the room was Corney and Barrow’s very own Company Reserve Claret 2012 – conservative but not constrained, a Savile Row suit with a scarlet lining (according to Damian) and undoubtedly what you’d find served at the MI6 Christmas party – assuming you were invited.

Modern greats like Jessie Burton’s, much awaited second novel, ‘The Muse’ and Amor Towles ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ can also be found on the book and bottle menu, but there

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the spoilers end. Ultimately the reader has final choice, with each liquid contender having credible merits - you might have to try several glasses, before you find your own perfect match.

Think of it as a short cut to appearing well read.

Professionally agreed pairings are regularly thrown open to public debate to test consensus - after all wine is a pleasure, which encourages sharing, even if books tend to be a more solitary pursuit. For those who would like to attend future live events, Damian will be joined by authors and representatives of Corney & Barrow at the Cheltenham Literary Festival this October and at an exclusive event to be held in Omera, (a venue set up by Ben Lovett of Mumford & Sons) in November. Rumour has it that Ian Rankin will be taking to the stage to discuss his new book – thinking caps on for a crime writing libation to match.

Contact Ian Matthews at Corney and Barrow in Ayr on 01292 267000 to find out more about wine collecting.

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CORNEY & BARROW RECOMMENDS...

Fino Jarana Emilio Lustau £13.50

Bourgogne Chardonnay Domaine Francois Carillon 2014 £19.25

Chianti Classico Terre di Prenzano Vignamaggio 2015 £14.95

Corney & Barrow Company Reserve Claret Maison Sichel 2014 £12.95

Pale, fine and very dry - a classic Fino, made by renowned sherry producer Emilio Lustau. Made from grapes surrounding the southern Spanish town of Jerez, Fino is the palest and driest of all sherries. Made to drink young as an aperitif or as an accompaniment to tapas dishes, it has a refreshing, salty tang and shows notes of toasted almonds.

This has lovely balance, vanilla biscuit richness, freshness, together with an attractive air of vitality and determined focus, through to a persistent finish – excellent value.

The Vignamaggio family estate makes traditional, Tuscan wines at the very top level. The grapes for their 'Terre di Prenzano' are grown in the very best part of the higher quality Classico area.

With dried herbs, spice and moreish sour cherry flavours, this wine is concentrated, yet restrained.

Richness, structure and a dash of hedonism are what we are looking for here. No ageing required – this is made to be succulent and approachable from the off. If Claret is an upstanding gentleman of a wine, the Company Reserve has something of a twinkle in its eye.

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A TASTE OF

LUXURY To mark the opening of The Ivy on the Square in Edinburgh Maxine McCreadie spoke with general manager Eric Garnier to find out more about the iconic brand.

Tell us a little bit about your experience in the industry and with The Ivy Collection.

After graduating from catering school in Angers, France, I went straight into a management role in the French brasserie, St Quentin in Knightsbridge, before Sir Terence Conran hired me to open and run Quaglino’s, St James. I went on to work at the awardwinning Bank Restaurant and Bar in London and Birmingham, before opening Racine in

Knightsbridge. I then acted as a consultant for a number of years before opening my own seafood restaurant in Biarritz. My wife, who is Scottish, and I had returned to live in Edinburgh, which is when I heard about the role at The Ivy on the Square. I went to meet with the directors, whose vision and ideals really appealed to me.

I was looking for a new and exciting project to work on and The Ivy on the Square ticked all the boxes.

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Why have you chosen Edinburgh as your newest location?

Edinburgh is a wonderful, cosmopolitan city that has an exciting restaurant scene. St Andrew Square is a great location in the heart of the city, it’s the place to be, it’s where the New Town started 250 years ago and is now a modern area with a great sense of history.

What are your thoughts on the Edinburgh restaurant scene? How will The Ivy on the Square stand out from this?

The restaurant scene in Edinburgh is thriving. There is a strong independent network of restaurateurs that makes the city unique and Edinburgh’s diners know what they want. To make sure The Ivy on the Square stands out from the crowd, we put the emphasis on great

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venison, scallops andlobster as well.

Scotland will very much be reflected on the menu and all of the dishes will be stand-out.

The Ivy Collection is renowned for its bar service, what can we expect from the latest addition to the collection?

A wonderful wine list and cocktail menu, of course. Our bar manager will create a selection of special cocktails using Scottish spirits such as whisky and gin. We will also have a specially curated whisky trolley, which has been selected by the Edinburgh-based whisky consultant Blair Bowman.

What makes the service at The Ivy Collection so special?

Our staff are handpicked and trained in London. Our reputation is based on good service and we pay

EDINBURGH IS A WONDERFUL, COSMOPOLITAN CITY THAT HAS AN EXCITING RESTAURANT SCENE. food and fantastic service in beautiful a great deal of attention to what our customers want. If someone is in for a surroundings at a fair price. quick brunch, the service should reflect What can people expect from The that, but if, for example, you want to sit for a couple of hours over lunch and Ivy on the Square?

All-day dining in stylish a bottle of wine, the service should surroundings with great service from reflect that too. Paying attention to the our friendly, knowledgeable staff. small details makes a big difference.

The focus is on modern British food, although there will be more of an How important is it to make The emphasis on Scottish ingredients here. Ivy on the Square accessible to It is an ideal place for all ages, whether everyone?

Very important. We want all of you want to pop in for a quick brunch, a long, leisurely lunch or a romantic our customers to feel relaxed and comfortable, whether you are here for dinner. breakfast, afternoon tea or a threeTalk us through the menu – are course dinner. there any stand-out dishes we should look out for?

Modern British food is at the heart of the menu, but at The Ivy on For more information visit the Square we will feature dishes like www.theivyedinburgh.com www.rox.co.uk

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WILD. FORAGED. DISTILLED Each smooth, crystal clear bottle of The Botanist Gin begins life on the Isle of Islay in often rugged and testing terrain. Wild, natural and pure – homeland is at the heart of this now iconic gin.

T

he Botanist Gin is a progressive exploration of the botanical heritage of the Isle of Islay. This first and only Islay Dry Gin is a rare expression of the heart and soul of its remote Scottish island home. Hand-foraged local botanicals delicately augment nine berries, barks, seeds and peels during an achingly slow distillation. The team behind this complex process are skilled artisans and botanical scientists who have painstakingly perfected their professions to ensure only the highest quality is achieved for each and every batch. The Distillery’s Production Director Allan Logan shares with us the influence and the endeavour it takes to create The Botanist Gin.

As the name suggests, at the heart of this gin are its botanicals – how many different botanicals create The Botanist?

There are nine ‘core’ botanicals (orange peel, angelica root, cassia bark, cinnamon bark, liquorice root, lemon peel, juniper berries, orris root and coriander seeds. There are 22 ‘island’ botanicals; apple mint, chamomile, creeping thistle, downy birch, elder, gorse, lemon balm, hawthorn, bog myrtle, sweet cicely, water mint.

Meadowsweet. Spearmint, lady’s bedstraw, red clover, mugwort, white clover, heather, juniper, wood sage, tansy and wild thyme.

Can you share with us the journey these botanicals go on before they make it to you?

The core botanicals are sourced by our friends at Langley Distillery. The 22 island botanicals are hand-foraged by our very own James Donaldson who is still working with our original foraging team of Dr. Richard and Mavis Gulliver. James has taken to turning up in our office with buckets and boxes of sweet smelling herbs. Today it was the turn of heather and lots of lovely aromatic bog myrtle.

The Botanist is Wild. Foraged. Distilled. – let’s start with its wild homeland, what influence has the Isle of Islay had in the creation of The Botanist?

The Botanist was originally created by our master distiller Jim McEwan who is an Ileach, a man born and brought up on Islay. Jim has now retired from Bruichladdich but it would be difficult to overemphasise the importance of his native island to the way he thinks. It was natural What is your role in the process of making for him to conceive of a gin inspired by the land The Botanist Gin? he loves.

I am Head of Production at Bruichladdich

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Production Director Allan Logan

Distillery. Along with my colleague Adam Hannett the Head Distiller, we are the only two people who make the Botanist Gin and know what the recipe is - it is a very closely guarded secret. All distillations take place overnight and during a weekend. I have taken part in every single Botanist Distillation since the first one in 2010.

What is it about the slow distilling process that is so important in creating The Botanist?

The Botanist is made in a Lomond Still affectionately known as ‘Ugly Betty’. The still has been heavily modified to create maximum ‘reflux’ of the vapours as they pass up through the body and neck. Six overlapping copper plates were introduced into the body to maximise contact with the metal, then a section containing 75 small bore copper pipes was installed further up. Above that is a water jacket 112

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to cool the head of the still and semicondense the spirit. All this ensures that only the lightest vapours carry on over the top and down the lyne arm on through the casket containing the Islay botanicals. The heavier elements all fall back into the body of the still.

There is even a final reflux pipe to return any spirit that condenses in the casket.

Tasting notes describe The Botanist as “filling the senses with meteorites of smell sensations as they explode from the glass.” That’s quite an impact – what scents can we expect?

Think sweet, delicate menthol, apple mint, spring woodlands, juniper, coriander and aniseed undertones, lemon and orange peel, a bouquet of flowers from Machir Bay on Islay, honey from thistle, coconut from gorse, water mint and summer meadows…

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What makes The Botanist stand out from the crowd?

It really helps to have beautiful liquid bearing a great name in a stunning bespoke bottle! However, that will only take a gin brand so far in what is a very crowded field, so there needs to be genuine integrity to the back story. The Botanist was conceived and brought to market years before the gin craze gained traction. It was always inspired by and associated with the great innovative chefs of the world, people who looked to the wild and foraged flavours for new ideas. It has always been associated with being creative rather than being prescriptive. As a result, we never suggest ‘signature serves’ but instead invite people to go out into their locality, foraging for complimentary flavours drawn from wherever they may be in the world.

WITH EACH SIP YOU CAN APPRECIATE EVERY ONE OF THE 22 BOTANICALS METICULOUSLY SELECTED With so many ways to enjoy it, how do you enjoy the fruits of your labour? – A classic gin & tonic, or a more complex serve?

Personally, I love Botanist and tonic but almost never with citrus – always with a seasonal foraged twist. That is usually a flower from the hedgerow or a herb from the garden but I am not against foraging for something interesting in a supermarket! I will occasionally indulge in a Martini – there are some great foraged vermouths out there and I have friends who even make their own. I am also lucky enough to live on the shore of Loch Indaal – and my favourite Martini garnish is a seaweed called dabberlocks. Truly delicious with a pleasing salty crunch to finish.

Small batch made, and with home at its heart, The Botanist immerses you in a sensory journey taking you from the rugged coastlines of Islay to the chicest restaurants and bars all over the world. Enjoy a serve of The Botanist on your next visit to one of our ROX Flagship Boutiques.

Visit : thebotanist.com and @TheBotanistGin www.rox.co.uk

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GROOMING

FINE AND DANDY Taking on the role of dandy has long been about more than being a snappy dresser.

EYE CONCENTRATE

Y

es there is no escaping the fact that sharp tailoring and outlandish accessories are a staple of the look, however, grooming also plays an integral role.

A modern man about town appreciates the importance of showing off his stylish persona in more ways than one, often expressing his individuality through his twirling moustache or luscious beard.

It may have existed for several centuries but dandyism is alive and well with forward thinking gents strutting their stuff like peacocks – their immaculate grooming acting as their feathers.

A modern dandy understands that grooming extends to more than trusty soap and hot water and isn’t afraid to invest in quality grooming products such as a signature scent or a shaving kit – there is no such thing as over the top when it comes to personal hygiene.

With that in mind we’ve pulled together a selection of some of the best male grooming products on the market to help you unleash your inner gentleman.

La Mer - £150

Dandyism might date back to the 1700s when the original dandy Beau Brummell, the chap celebrated for starting the movement, hit the scene but the last thing you want is to look like that’s when you last got a decent sleep. Cover up bags, blemishes and circles with this eye concentrate and thank us later.

HAIR THICKENING SHAMPOO

Bumble and Bumble - £19

If you want to look the part it’s important to show your luscious locks the care and attention they deserve. Not simply a case of looking clean, a modern dandy’s hair must be thick and luxurious to be the envy of everyone around you. Silk powder, aloe vera and wheat protein join forces to create a truly incredible formula to ensure volume as well as dealing with unruly strands and split ends – it’s win, win.

BLACK ORCHID EAU DE TOILETTE

Tom Ford - £64

Finding a signature scent can sometimes be easier said than done. Instantly recognisable as yours it’s vital that your weapon of choice reflects your style and personality whilst smelling good, naturally. This offering from Tom Ford boasts notes of Orchid, Patchouli, Bergamot and Black Plum along with earthy scents – a manly yet modern scent.

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CELEBRATING A MONUMENTAL MILESTONE As Ferrari marks its 70th anniversary we take a look at how Hublot honoured the special occasion.

Words by Chris Chilton.

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F

errari fans the world over are celebrating the marque’s 70th anniversary this year. But Ferrari fans with a passion for watches know that 2017 is the year of another important anniversary. Because this year marks five years since Hublot teamed up with Ferrari to bring us a very special take on the Swiss watchmaker’s Big Bang.

The partnership has endured and in Ferrari’s 70th year the pair has come up with two very special pieces. From Hublot there’s the Techframe Ferrari 70 years Tourbillion Chronograph, and from Ferrari, the rather more succinctly named 812 Superfast.

THE 812 REACHES 62MPH IN UNDER 3SEC, AND GOES ON TO 124MPH IN LESS THAN EIGHT.

67898 | £131,000

MOTORING

borrows the four-wheel steering system from the limited-edition (and now hugely valuable) F12 TDF to deliver unflappable high-speed stability, and manages to achieve the same levels of downforce as that very special car largely through the use of an active rear under-bumper diffuser mounted between the two pairs of tailpipes.

But the most fascinating tech comes as a pair: Ferrari Peak Performance, and Ferrari Power Oversteer. For the past few years Ferrari has worked hard to deliver cars that enable even relatively novice drivers explore the on-limit handling of its cars in total safety, and this equipment takes that a step further.

Made possible by a switch to electric power steering, they tow technologies don’t quite steer for you, but vary the steering assistance to give you nudges that suggest a suitable steering input. Listen, feel and respond, and you too can pull off that classic tyres-on-fire Top Gear powerslide.

The reality, of course, is that few owners will actually ever drive their cars hard enough to experience the technology at work. But all will appreciate the craftsmanship and the absorbing styling that comes from the studio of Ferrari’s design boss, Flavio Manzoni.

That same team was also responsible for the look of the Hublot Techframe, designing an entirely new single-button chronograph around Hublot’s new HUB6311 manual-wind movement.

The structure is a spaceframe design, just like the 812’s body, available in Hublot’s smart scratchresistant King Gold, Titanium or PEEK carbon composite, and priced from £105,000. That’s rather less than the £257,331 Ferrari is asking for the 812, but with watch production limited to only 210 units, and the car’s likely to run into the thousands, the Techframe outpoints even the Ferrari when it comes to exclusivity.

Ferrari calling a 211mph twoseater ‘Superfast’ night sound about as imaginative as Land Rover creating a Discovery ‘Good-in-Mud’. But in fact the Superfast name dates back to the 1960s and another V12 that produced a thundering 400bhp when the average British car got by on a tenth as many horses.

Essentially an evolution of the previous F12 Berlinetta, the 812 stays with pure naturally-aspirated V12 power when all around it cars are succumbing to turbocharging and electrical assistance that rob engine response and sound quality.

Stretched from 6.3 to 6.5 litres, the 812’s V12 makes 800hp and 530lb ft of torque. The very few cars that make similarly huge levels power tend to distribute it across four wheels to ensure it isn’t squandered with wheelspin. But despite sending its power to the rears alone, the 812 reaches 62mph in under 3sec, and goes on to 124mph in less than eight.

It’s easy to become fixated on otherworldly numbers like those, but Hublot is available online and in our there’s plenty more in the 812’s spec to ROX Argyll Arcade, ROX Newcastle get gearheads salivating. For a start it and ROX Aberdeen boutiques.

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MOTORING ROX MAGAZINE MOTORING ROX MAGAZINE

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MOTORING

AN INNOVATIVE COLLABORATION The return of an icon – Chris Chilton checks out the new Range Rover Velar and its partnership with Zenith’s El Primero collection.

T

he space race wasn’t the only battle against time taking place as the 1960s prepared to give way to the 1970s. Back on Earth watch-making companies were locked in a competition to create a timepiece that would break new ground: a fully automatic chronograph.

And in January 1969, six months before Armstrong set foot on the moon, Zenith made the first presentation of a fully working prototype to the world.

But across the Channel, in Britain, at around the same time, another team of engineers was working on a project every bit as innovative.

The project was a luxury off-road vehicle that would become the Range Rover, a car with the go-anywhere ability of a Land Rover, but the creature comforts of an expensive saloon.

Keen to keep the project secret until the official unveil in 1970, the engineers at what was then British Leyland came up with the fictional brand ‘Velar’, derived from the Latin word for ‘to hide’, and picked out the name on the leading edge of the bonnet of their test cars to throw nosy car spotters off the scent.

And now, almost fifty years later, the Velar name is back, appropriately on a car that is again the most roadfocused the company has ever built.

But while the name might hark back to the past, the design certainly does not. The Velar’s elegant, smooth surfaces point us to a new styling direction for future Land Rover products, and the strikingly low, almost coupé-like roofline emphasises this car’s on-road bias.

It’s the cabin though, that really makes jaws drop. A pair of touchscreens housed in the centre console provides access to most of the car’s functions, leaving the interior clutter free, while other surfaces are covered in rich leather for a traditional Range Rover luxury feel.

Not by coincidence, that’s the same fine Scottish leather that clothes the rubber strap of Zenith’s new Chronomaster El Primero Range Rover Velar Special Edition.

The Velar looks every inch the halo car of the Range Rover lineup. Yet it starts at £44,830, which means it’s merely the second rung on the Range Rover ladder.

Slotting into a lucrative niche

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MOTORING

between the Evoque and Range Rover Sport, the Velar is aimed squarely at Porsche’s Macan, but is sure to grab attention from top-end models of sister company Jaguar’s F-Pace, whose aluminium platform it shares.

All Velars come equipped with four-wheel drive, but in a first for a Range Rover, the Velar operates in rear-wheel drive for much of the time to give the handling characteristics of a sports saloon. Should conditions demand it, the front wheels are swiftly brought into play.

There’s the familiar Terrain Response driving mode controller to aid off-road traction, but there are no manual differential locks or low range gears. The emphasis is on carving

THE VELAR’S ELEGANT, SMOOTH SURFACES POINT US TO A NEW STYLING DIRECTION FOR FUTURE LAND ROVER PRODUCTS roads rather than ruts, a bold move for a company whose image is so bound up in off-road ability, but a move that results in a more relevant car for most drivers.

Staying relevant in the UK arguably means opting for a frugal diesel engine. But the range is vast and hedonists can satisfy their thirst for power with a 380hp supercharged V6 capable of taking the Velar from zero to 60mph in 5.3sec.

That’s going some, but measuring it is nothing the Velar’s wrist-mounted cousin from Zenith can’t handle.

Even the brains Land Rover can’t outsmart the most precise mechanical movement in the watch world.

Zenith is available online and in our ROX Argyll Arcade boutique

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BMW Business Partnership

DISCOVER DRIVING IN A NEW SPACE.

The Ultimate Driving Machine

THE BMW i3.

THE BMW i3 WITH RANGE EXTENDER MONTHLY RENTALS FROM £293 (Plus £1,758 initial rental)*

Up to 206 miles range | 12g/km CO2† | 9% BIK Call us today or visit www.douglasparkbmw.co.uk

Hamilton Bothwell Road ML3 0AY 01698 303700

Glasgow Kyle Street G4 0HP 0141 333 0088

Stirling New Kerse Road FK7 7RZ 01786 474477

Official fuel economy figures for the BMW i3 with Range Extender: 470.8 mpg (0.6 ltr/100 km), CO2 emissions 12 g/km (13 g/km with 20" wheels), total average energy consumption per 62 miles/100 km (weighted combined cycle) 11.3 kWh (11.9 kWh with 20" wheels). Range without use of Range Extender: 150 miles (144 miles with 20" wheels) (weighted combined cycle). Customer orientated total range (using Range Extender): up to 206 miles. Figures are obtained in a standardised test †

cycle after the battery had been fully charged. They are intended for comparisons between vehicles and may not be representative of what a user achieves under usual driving

conditions. The BMW i3 with Range Extender is an electric vehicle that requires mains electricity for charging.

Park’s of Hamilton (Holdings) Limited is a credit broker.

Business users only. *Prices exclude VAT at 20%. Prices shown are for a 36 month Contract Hire agreement, with a contract mileage of 24,000 miles and an excess mileage charge of 8.12 pence per mile. Applies to new vehicles ordered between 1 July and 30 September 2017 and registered by 31 December 2017 (subject to availability). At the end of your agreement you must return the vehicle and vehicle condition, excess mileage and other charges may be payable. Available subject to status to UK residents aged 18 or over.

Guarantees and indemnities may be required. The amount of VAT you can reclaim depends on your business VAT status. Terms and conditions apply. Offer may be varied, withdrawn or extended at any time. Hire provided by BMW Group Corporate Finance. BMW Group Corporate Finance is a trading style of Alphabet (GB) Limited, Alphabet House, Summit Avenue, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 0FB. We commonly introduce customers to BMW Group Corporate Finance. This introduction does not amount to independent financial advice. BMW (UK) Ltd, Summit ONE, Summit Avenue, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 0FB. Registered in England and Wales 1378137. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for credit broking activities. Douglas Park Limited is an Appointed Representative of Park’s of Hamilton (Holdings) Limited, FRN 308476 of 14 Bothwell Road, Hamilton, ML3 0AY, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Park’s of Hamilton (Holdings) Limited permitted business is Insurance Mediation and to act as a Credit Broker. We can introduce you to a limited number of finance providers to assist with your purchase, who may remunerate us for introducing you to them.

ROX MAGAZINE

GADGET MAN

GADGET MAN You don’t have to be technical wizard to enjoy a good gadget. We bring you a selection of the best gizmos on the market. As our old friend Inspector Gadget would say: “Wowsers.”

HUBLOT TECHFRAME FERRARI This HR Giger-esque cyborg of a watch is the second of 2017’s watchmaking exploits undertaken by Hublot and Ferrari. This latest bit of epic horological experimentation has been conceived and designed by Ferrari themselves, under the leadership of Head of Design Flavio Manzoni. For the Techframe, the starting point for Manzoni’s team was the Hublot movement – the “engine” of the watch – around which they freely designed a high performance chassis. 67901 | £114,000

ZENITH CHRONOMASTER EL PRIMERO Now Swiss-watch-industry legend Jean-Claude Biver has taken the helm of Zenith we can expect things to be shaken up. The equally legendary El Primero movement was always going to be the centre of attention – still ticking at 5Hz rather than the usual 4Hz, still bragging its rights to ‘world’s first self-winding chronograph’ status, and still barely tweaked since its 1969 debut. With typical fervour, Biver has gone one step further than the existing ‘Open’ variants, unveiling its entire 326-strong constellation of ticking components for all to see. 68804 | £9,600

OCCULUS RIFT VR HEADSET Get your head in the game like never before – literally – with virtual reality headsets. No longer something we use to see in sci-fi movies as kids, we’re finally stepping into the world of augmented reality.

We’re obsessing over the Oculus Rift. Bought by Facebook for $2 billion, is ground breaking in the world of VR. Natural gestures and movements make games feel more interactive, whilst the range of games offer hours of action. And with plans to launch new wireless headset, Pacific, the brand shows no sign of slowing down. Prices start at £399. Visit www.oculus.com

CHOPARD L.U.C. TIME TRAVELER ONE Louis-Ulysse Chopard would certainly approve. The top-flight haute horlogerie atelier founded in the founder’s initials just over 20 years ago has progressively, but never forcibly expanded on its capabilities. You tell from this worldtimer watch where so many mess around. A discreet central hand indicates the date, while a surrounding railway track circle serves to read off the hours and minutes of the local time-zone. Moving a further step outwards, a large 24-hour graduated ring operates in coordination with the ‘city disc’ symbolising the Earth’s 24 main time-zones. 68102 | £18,530

DJI SPARK DRONE Whether you’re a budding photographer or a sucker for any toy that flies the DJI Spark is a must buy. Small but mighty, the drone takes off from the palm of your hand and thanks to new advanced gesture features can be manoeuvred by hand. Forget selfie sticks, send the Spark up for a snap with the flick of a hand. Spark houses a camera with a ½.3 inch CMOS sensor that captures 12 megapixel photos and shoots stabilised HD 1080P videos. Prices start at £519. Visit: www.dji.com www.rox.co.uk

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CLASSIC TWEED TAILORING FOR THE MODERN DAY LADY & GENTLEMAN

WALKER SLATER.COM 1 6 - 2 0 & 4 6 V I CT O R IA ST R E ET , E D I N B U R G H - 1 1 4 B R U N SW I C K ST R E ET , G LA S G OW

ETIQUETTE

Illustrations by Ross Craig

ROX MAGAZINE

HOW TO...

BE A MODERN MAN Should you let her order at a restaurant? Is brown in town OK these days? Should you be ashamed you can’t bleed a radiator without consulting YouTube? Modern life is trickier than ever for men, with the timeworn codes of masculinity acquiescing to equality (a good thing) and enlightenment (a scary thing). But don’t start playing the emasculation card just yet – here’s our second installment of ROX MAN’s new guide to getting it right where your father probably never did anyway. Words by Alex Doak.

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FEATURE

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THE ONLY WAY TO SHAVE We’ll start with the trickiest. Not because you’ve never managed to figure out the whole shaving thing, but because the opposite. Try convincing a man he’s been getting his daily ritual wrong, and you may as well imply he’s been living one long lie. For a start, the worst thing you can do is shave first-thing in the morning, as your skin is dry and taut, and your pores haven’t yet “woken”. (If you’re hungover, self-harm is also a risk.) Just as it’s best to shower at the end of the day (who wants bed sheets covered in the day’s filth after all?), shave in the evening immediately after your shower – the steam and warm water will open your pores and soften the hair. Use facial wash, then apply your usual shaving cream or gel. ALWAYS shave in the direction of the hair (never against the nap, as so many TV ads show, otherwise in-growth and rash will entail), while holding the skin taut with the other hand. Short, overlapping strokes, with minimal force. Rinse with cool water, pat dry with a clean towel (PAT, don’t rub) then apply post-shave balm followed by moisturiser. Nighty night!

WEARING THE RIGHT WATCH British men (the Europeans were always ahead) are finally waking up to the fact a wristwatch – as the only permissible jewellery beyond cufflinks and a wedding ring – is as susceptible to the vagaries of “appropriate attire” as it is a fashion accessory. So, ditch that placky smartwatch, come into ROX and nurture a watch

ETIQUETTE

wardrobe that’ll tick (sorry) all the boxes. For example, it needs to be on point during office hours: time and date only (chronographs are for sports, remember?), a round case (it softens a boxy cuff), leather straps that chime with your brogues, and as expensive as you can afford. At one of the spectrum, think Baume & Mercier Clifton; at the other, Chopard L.U.C. But rules are there to be broken. Just as collars are loosening and separates now prevail (see point 3) the notion of a “tailored watch” can become more playful.

So something like Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak or Hublot’s Fusion Classic can now be worn with a rolled-up Turnbull & Asser sleeve, as well as a Ralph Lauren Polo shirt.

HOW TO DRESS “SMART CASUAL” What does ‘smart casual’ even mean? No one really knows. It was probably invented by a corporate sadist to make men feel even more apprehensive while packing for office away-days.

Or a woman, who wanted us to feel their pain when packing for office away-days. Either way, it's tempting to give up on these days entirely, and we wouldn’t blame you – it’s a damned minefield. But help is here, chaps! In smartcasual situations, just remember that it’s always better to be over- rather than under-dressed. And where you start is a soft, lightweight blazer, more fitted than you might be 100 per cent comfortable wearing and always, always navy. From there on wards, you can build your ‘look’ – a look that can be wheeled out anywhere, from Best Western

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conference room, to Monte Carlo boardwalk. The next big decision is business shirt or t-shirt? The answer is neither: go for a charcoal roll-neck.

The lack of tie causes the shirt thing to flop, and

WHAT DOES ‘SMART CASUAL’ EVEN MEAN? NO ONE REALLY KNOWS a t-shirt looks scruffy when that over-efficient Best Western radiator you’re squeezed against by Big Dave from HR forces your jacket off. Next?

Straight-leg fitted jeans in indigo, or fitted, flatfronted chinos, twinned with brown loafers or

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brogues. If the former, and you’re braving the ‘mankle’, remember to lose the socks and turn up your trouser hem by two rolls.

MIXING THE PERFECT MARTINI Like cooking a steak (see ROX Man SS17), making the perfect martini is simplicity itself – but so many get it wrong. Ultimately, you won’t go far wrong if you think ‘COLD’. Which is why Alessandro – grandmaster of the martini and head barman at Duke’s Hotel in London – dispenses with Tom-Cruise-in-Cocktail type juggling acts, and instead simply opens a freezer, extracts a glass and a frosted bottle of decent London gin (Beefeater’s the most versatile), swirls round a bit of vermouth, chucks it out and fills the glass with the gin. If you’ve forgotten to freeze the gin and glass, however, ignore James Bond and STIR with ice. Top with citrus peel or brine-soaked olive, and it’s ready. Chin chin!

CHRONOFIGHTER VINTAGE Automatic Day-Date Chronograph Start/Stop Trigger 44 mm Steel Case Hand-sewn Calf Leather Strap

ROX MAGAZINE

MISS GEN PHOTOGRAPHY

FEATURE

PERFECT PROPOSAL (…with a watch)

As chance would have it, ROX Man’s guest editor, Alex Doak is fresh from his own Perfect Proposal (though he says so himself) and while a traditionalist at heart, he decided to pop the question not with a ring but a watch. The fact his now-wife also happens to be a watch journalist might have had something to do with it, but still – could this be a viable new alternative? Read Alex’s account and make up your own mind.

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“If you ever propose,” she said, startlingly early in our relationship, “it had better not be a bloody four-claw solitaire from Tiffany.”

Er, right you are, darling.

Admittedly, back then, Laura was still editing venerable trade title, Retail Jeweller, singlehandedly championing Britain’s innovative new wave of designers and retailers. (Which is how I was introduced to ROX, come to think of it.) She also happens to be a strident feminist, which meant that the encroaching, and let’s face it, irresistible possibility of heteronormative nuptials sat awkwardly with her independent ideals.

SHE CLEARLY NEEDED SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE ‘COCKTAIL’ IN HER WATCH WARDROBE Not that I was ever a man who hankered after a Fifties lifestyle of pipe, slippers and dinner in the oven.

If I was going to propose, it would have to be with someone as special as Laura (aw) and it would have to be something as thoughtful and unconventional as her own romantic gestures. To my great relief, I pulled it off – to the extent that, and I quote, “it was so romantic, you can get away with not being romantic for the rest of our married life!”

(Before you get excited, gents, this is a privilege I’m rapidly learning is most certainly not the case. You keep ROX on speeddial, hear?)

As it transpired, Laura’s career moved on from RJ to doing the same

PERFECT PROPOSAL

as me, writing about watches as a freelancer. Which soon meant that a wristwatch, rather than a ring, fourclaw solitaire or no, became a viable invitation to marry. I just needed to pick one, as well as an appropriately special venue, then work out how to ask her parents (not father – feminism, remember?) for her hand in marriage without her earwigging.

The first was easy, as Laura already owned a Bremont Solo for knocking about in, plus a pastel Nomos for breezier days. She clearly needed something a little more ‘cocktail’ in her watch wardrobe – also a handy excuse to lob in a bit of diamond action, as at least one concession to tradition. Laura has always lusted over Zenith, so bingo!

An Elite Moonphase it was, bezel set with diamonds, dial and alligator strap both in sumptuous midnight blue, exquisitely crafted mechanics ticking through a clear caseback. I was already in the running for boyfriend of the year, and I hadn’t even got off the sofa…

Next, the venue. I won’t linger on this too long, as my contacts in the luxury industry might have been levered somewhat in securing a private tour of Coco Chanel’s private apartments. But if you take anything from this, it’s two things. First, consider her lifetime passions (Chanel and Paris, in Laura’s case). Second, if in any doubt: Paris. Every time.

Lastly, the hand-in-marriage parents thing. As luck would have it, we were out for Laura’s father’s birthday the evening before we hopped on the Eurostar. So I just waited for her to visit the loo. But even then, it was only a wee, so once I’d blurted out my intentions, she was already back at the table. Linda and Ian had to WhatsApp their blessing the next morning.

Who said romance was dead, eh!

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Exquisite with four seats. Exquisite with seven.

Bentayga Diesel.

Only one luxury SUV offers a choice of four, five or seven seats in the same body style. And is equally enticing, whichever you pick.

Discover more at Glasgow.BentleyMotors.com or call +44 (0)1698 303 850.

Bentayga Diesel fuel consumption – EU Drive Cycle in mpg (l/100 km): Urban 30.1 (9.4); Extra Urban 39.2 (7.2); Combined 35.3 (8.0). CO2 Emissions 210 g/km.

BENTLEY GLASGOW

The name ‘Bentley’ and the ‘B’ in wings device are registered trademarks. © 2017 Bentley Motors Limited. Model shown: Bentayga Diesel.

Park’s of Hamilton (Townhead Garage) Limited is an Appointed Representative of Park’s of Hamilton (Holdings) Limited, FRN 308476 of 14 Bothwell Road, Hamilton, ML3 0AY, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Park’s of Hamilton (Holdings) Limited permitted business is Insurance Mediation and to act as a Credit Broker. We can introduce you to a limited number of finance providers to assist with your purchase, who may remunerate us for introducing you to them. Retail customers only.

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Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Quartz Watch 63270 | £17,300

Chopard Happy Sport Watch 67622 | £11,280

Hublot Classic Fusion Diamond Watch 66407 | £7,900

PERFECT PROPOSAL

Tudor Clair De Rose Diamond Watch 67941 | £1,960

But which watch to pop the question..?

Relax, gents, ROX is on hand to help! Visit one of our boutiques, we’ll ask you all the right questions, and you’ll soon settle upon something she’ll love and (theoretically) say “yes!” to.

However, it’s always a good idea to conduct a bit of secretive research in advance. What sort of styles and functions does she prefer and where do you think the gaps are on that dresser top? Is she likely to care about quartz versus mechanical movements? That consideration might already be rendered moot by your budget, but even if you’re prepared to go large and inflict your passion for

traditional watchmaking, stop to think whether you’re overlooking a style of watch for the sake of snobbery. Also, it seems frivolous, but what sort of shoes does she wear? Shoes are one thing to a man, but to a woman – just like a watch – they can be empowering, a status symbol, let alone make or break an ensemble. Finally, if you’re in any lingering doubt as to how your unconventional approach to ‘the question’ might be received, do what our editor Alex did, and err on the side of caution: make sure the watch is at least set with diamonds!

For the traditionalists...

Don't think your other half would appreciate you popping the question with a watch? Don't panic, here's our pick of our favourite diamond engagement rings.

ROX Love Diamond Ring 1.22cts 66232 | £11,800 available from £2,495

ROX Honour Diamond Ring 0.71cts 61807 | £6,300 available from £1,995

ROX Adore Diamond Ring 1.05cts 61902 | £10,500 available from £1,995

ROX Crisscut Diamond Ring 1.38ct 68025 | £11,300 available from £4,800

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ONE CENTURY IN A BOTTLE Each decanter takes 4 generations of cellar masters over 100 years to craft.

A blend of up to 1200 eaux-de-vie continuously selected and blended by Louis XIII Cellar Masters.

Please Enjoy Responsibly

www.LOUISXIII-cognac.com

ROX MAGAZINE

TREATS FOR HIM

TREATS FOR HIM You may not need convincing to spend that cash on a flash must have, but just in case, here’s a selection of treats to tempt you.

Dolce & Gabbana Silk-Twill Tie

Raymond Weil Tango Watch 68040 | £895

ROX Classic Oval Cufflinks 63858 | £95

Hugo Boss The Professional Watch 68508 | £299

Emporio Armani Watch 68467 | £259

ROX Luxe Scented Candle 64228 | £35

Francesco Maglia Lord Chestnut Umbrella

Gucci Ghost Ring 66624 | £175

Baume & Mercier Classima Watch 67504 | £820

Mulberry Belgrave Leather Briefcase

SevenFriday S-Series Watch 68033 | £1,200

Tom Ford Silk Pocket Square

Penhaligon Bayolea Beard & Shave Oil

Vivienne Westwood Watch 68612 | £250

ROX Classic Cufflinks 63860 | £85

Gucci Le Marche Des Merveilles Watch 67799 | £560

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GIFTS FOR HER

GIFTS FOR HER We love the ladies, and they're good us, so if you need some gift inspiration look no further than our selection of treats for her. Happy wife, happy life!

ROX Silver Rose Torque Bangle 66651 | £55

Emporio Armani Watch 68463 | £249

ROX Luxe Scented Candle 62238 | £35

Dolce & Gabbana Floral-print Scarf

Kate Moss Kate by Kate Moss Book

ROX Diamond Bracelet 0.07cts 65804 | £250

Vivienne Westwood Bow II Watch 68610 | £255

ROX Boho Gold Vermeil Earrings 68569 | £105

ROX Diamond Stacking Ring 0.08ct 67849 | £450

Moschino Metallic Cosmetics Case

Michael Kors Darci Watch 68449 | £249

ROX Diamond Necklace 0.03cts 68355 | £165

Hugo Boss Jillian Watch 68495 | £179

ROX Diamond Eearrings 0.08cts 68726 | £245

Gucci Metallic Leather Gloves

ROX Synchro Silver Ring 66837 | £55

www.rox.co.uk

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GUESTLIST Here at ROX we’re lucky to be part of the hottest events around, we take a look back at some of our favourite celebrations from the past season…

HOW TO SHOP

ROX MAGAZINE

HOW TO SHOP Every piece you see in this magazine is coded to make it easy for you to shop - just search the five digit number at rox.co.uk. Alternatively you can shop instore - all the details you need are below.

GLASGOW

EDINBURGH

ABERDEEN

Immerse yourself in a truly decadent shopping experience at Glasgow's historic Argyll Arcade. Also at Braehead Shopping Centre.

Located within the iconic Assembly Rooms on George Street, Edinburgh’s luxury shopping destination.

Since opening in Union Square in autumn 2009, ROX has quickly established a reputation as Aberdeen’s most stylish jeweller.

Argyll Arcade / 0141 221 0550

Assembly Rooms / 0131 541 2209

Union Square / 01224 587 275

LEEDS

NEWCASTLE

SHOP ONLINE ANYTIME

Relax in the heart of the City Centre at Trinity Leeds, the newest and most stylish shopping destination in Leeds.

Situated at Monument Mall, our Laurent-Perrier Champagne Bar upstairs is Newcastle’s little known hidden gem.

Where closing time never comes – at rox.co.uk our doors are always open.

Shop weekly for new arrivals.

Trinity Leeds / 0113 887 9213

Monument Mall / 0191 300 9470

rox.co.uk

The materials in this publication may not be reproduced in any format without permission. Please email requests for permission to pr@rox.co.uk.

Unsolicited manuscripts will not be accepted. Editorial material and opinions expressed in the ROX Magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of ROX (UK) Ltd. ROX (UK) Ltd do not accept the responsibility for the advertising content.

Jewellery shown may not be actual size and/or set to scale. Carat weights shown are approximate and

140

www.rox.co.uk

may vary in-store. When buying online, please check our website for full terms and conditions. The contents of this magazine were correct at the time of going to print (September 2017). ROX and the brand owners featured reserve the right to change prices and specifications without notice.

For more information about ROX, or to request a brochure, please call our Customer Services team on Freephone 0800 0124 363. © Copyright ROX (UK) LTD 2017

ROX WOMAN Find more luxury style inspiration in ROX WOMAN

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F

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Raise your limits.

720S

Super Series Big Bang Unico Magic Sapphire.

Scratch-resistant sapphire case.

In-house chronograph UNICO movement.

Limited edition of 500 pieces.

McLaren Glasgow Bothwell Road, Hamilton ML3 0AY 01698 303777 glasgow.mclaren.com

McLaren Glasgow

McLaren Glasgow

Global Retailer of the Year

European Retailer of the Year

2016

2016

cars.mclaren.com

Official fuel consumption figures in UK mpg (l/100km) for the McLaren Super Series 4.0L (3,994cc) petrol, 7-speed Seamless Shift Dual Clutch Gearbox (SSG): urban 17.1 (16.5), extra urban 38.2 (7.4), combined 26.4 (10.7). Official combined CO2 emissions: 249g/km. The efficiency figures quoted are derived from official NEDC test results, are provided for comparability purposes only, and might not reflect actual driving experience. Park’s of Hamilton (Townhead Garage) Limited is an Appointed Representative of Park’s of Hamilton (Holdings) Limited, FRN 308476 of 14 Bothwell Road, Hamilton, ML3 0AY, which is authorised hublot.com and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Park’s of Hamilton (Holdings) Limited permitted business is Insurance Mediation and to act as a Credit Broker. We can introduce you to a limited number of finance providers to assist with your purchase, who may remunerate us for introducing you to them. Retail customers only.

DIAMONDS & THRILLS

ROX MAGAZINE

AW17 | £4.50

THE VALLÉE DE JOUX. FOR MILLENNIA A HARSH, UNYIELDING ENVIRONMENT; AND SINCE 1875 THE HOME OF AUDEMARS PIGUET, IN THE VILLAGE OF LE BRASSUS. THE EARLY WATCHMAKERS WERE SHAPED HERE, IN AWE OF THE FORCE OF NATURE YET DRIVEN TO MASTER ITS MYSTERIES THROUGH THE COMPLEX MECHANICS OF THEIR CRAFT. STILL TODAY THIS PIONEERING SPIRIT INSPIRES US TO

MAN | AUTUMN/WINTER 2017

TO BREAK THE RULES, YOU MUST FIRST MASTER THEM.

CONSTANTLY CHALLENGE THE CONVENTIONS OF

ROYAL OAK CHRONOGRAPH IN STAINLESS STEEL

DIAMONDS & THRILLS

+44 (0) 207 409 0782 | AUDEMARSPIGUET.COM

FINE WATCHMAKING.

DARE TO BE DANDY PUTTING A 21ST CENTURY TWIST ON CLASSIC CHAP CULTURE

FOLLOW HIS LEAD | UNVEILING ZENITH JEAN-CLAUDE BIVER: AN INTERVIEW WITH A LEGEND LUXURY WATCH EDIT | HOW TO BE A MODERN MAN