Connoisseur the Watch and Jewellery
ST MAARTEN ST MARTIN edition
Members Only Inside the most exclusive clubs
Audrey Hepburn one fair lady we’ll never forget
Plus:
WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE CAR 15 CIGARS RATED BEST OF TEE TIMES MODERN STYLE ICONS Launch issue
Revealed top 10 wealthiest couples in london
contents 10 editor’s note 12 modip euis eugiam irit lametum digna commo lorem nisl elessequat
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20 One love
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On the cover: alit dol praessim obor am in
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editor’s note
Sir
Lorem semper eam eu, autem novum incorrupte ei duo, an nec errem iisque tritani. Populo consequuntur pro ex, ad his eleifend definiebas. No possit nemore reformidans cum, ut vero veri prompta mea. Referrentur delicatissimi et sed, eam falli nonummy oportere no, oratio populo essent cu has. Esse regione quaestio mea cu, lobortis neglegentur eu ius, eam ei essent luptatum maluisset. Ne vis minim mundi adipisci, quo quodsi noluisse splendide ea, consulatu pertinacia appellantur est at. At illud imperdiet deterruisset mel, quot fugit saperet nec ad, vix dolorem salutandi patrioque no. His an lorem facilisi phaedrum. Te modus ludus causae sea. Graece eirmod vim cu, no est graece alterum delectus. Sit alia admodum facilisi at, mel te legere ancillae iracundia. Vix no tale consetetur, mea ne diam ipsum liberavisse, vix ad kasd elaboraret dissentias. Ne ignota pertinax adipiscing nam, an eum postulant periculis argumentum, tale vivendo at pri. Sensibus qualisque assentior mei eu. Vel ex inani eruditi appetere. Sed an vitae vivendo consectetuer. Nibh veniam postulant pro et. No mei ullum accusam, et eligendi quaestio ocurreret his. Laoreet oportere gloriatur ex vis. Id libris indoctum periculis per, vitae virtute ei usu, nec graeco phaedrum dissentias et. Nulla saepe melius eos cu, aperiri assentior ex vim, et sit quas illum doctus. Iriure adipisci indoctum no vix, euismod dolorem vix cu, eu mel atqui liberavisse. Et mea prompta tractatos, menandri iudicabit maiestatis an vix. Meis atqui quaeque mea ei, no nec nihil viderer urbanitas. Ei odio congue nominati sit, cum audiam dolorum facilisi cu, ne qui habemus fastidii deseruisse. Ex accusam epicurei volutpat nec, eu everti ornatus gloriatur eos, mandamus tractatos sadipscing id est. Et mel decore equidem interesset. Eu quem nibh est. Quo dicta forensibus philosophia id, at erant errem eripuit his, his graece dictas assentior eu.
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Sincerely,
The Connoisseur
september 2009
7
One Love nick moore
With the entire planet gripped in an unprecedented global recession, aston martin demonstrate their resilience, world class expertise and true british fighting spirit by launching the world’s most expensive car ever, the jawdropping One-77.
8 september 2009
one-77 motors
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Quite simply it had to be the ultimate expression of Aston Martin and as you can now see, we have achieved that goal in magnificent style.
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september 2009
9
A
s an admirer of Aston Martin’s past creations, I was intrigued to discover just how different this new masterpiece would be, what sets it apart from other luxury supercars and if any single car could legitimately command a price tag of £1.2 million? Aston Martin says this is no mere car, but ‘possibly the world’s most desirable automotive art form’. Chief Aston Designer Marek Reichman and his team have sculpted the One-77 so that it is still instantly recognisably as an Aston Martin, but with hints of a new design language. The short nose features the traditional Aston grille, while the vented bonnet and heavily sculpted sides help dissipate heat from the enormous V12. Aston’s sliver door handles and familiar rear lights are all there, while the rear haunches are voluptuous and the six-spoke wheels hide huge ceramic brakes. For Aston Martin’s Chief Executive, Dr Ulrich Bez, revealing the One-77 was a proud moment: “Right from the very beginning of the project the vision for One-77 was very simple: It had to combine high-technology with hand-built craftsmanship, and demonstrate the unique capabilities and passion of our designers, engineers and technical partners. “Quite simply it had to be the ultimate expression of Aston Martin and as you can now see, we have achieved that goal in magnificent style.” A maximum of just 77 of these bespoke creations will be produced, hence the name, each one underpinned by an all-new carbonfibre chassis that supports a 7.3-litre V12 and handcrafted aluminium bodywork.
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Aston promises all the cars will be totally bespoke; its discerning clientele will be involved in every stage of their car’s development. From interior trim and paint colours to having seats or additional boot space in the back, all can be individually exclusive to the lucky 77 owners. About the only thing fixed will be the mechanics of the car. Faster than any current Aston Martin, or any future project, the One-77 will truly be supercar-quick. Aston politely calls the performance ‘exhilarating’. The new V12 engine is designed to produce a whopping 700-plus horsepower, feeding the rear wheels through a new six-speed “robotised” sequential manual gearbox with paddle shifters. Wearing Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres developed specifically for the One-77, 0-60 mph is achieved in a blistering 3.5 seconds and top speed is a cool 200 mph. Of course, straight-line speed goes only so far in the world of hyper-powerful supercars. Handling dynamics are just as important and on that front, Aston has taken a decidedly Rolls Roycelike approach. As part of the delivery process, Aston engineers will set up the car’s suspension to the owner’s individual taste. While functionality and efficiency are paramount in the design and construction of the One-77, so too is aesthetic beauty. To this end every single component has been crafted from the finest materials with absolute attention to detail. From the mesmerising weave of the glossy carbon fibre tub and the abstract, sculptural beauty of the dry sump’s oil reservoir, to the precision of the billet machined aluminium suspension mounts, the One-77’s chassis is an automotive masterpiece.
Quite simply it had to be the ultimate expression of Aston Martin and as you can now see, we have achieved that goal in magnificent style.
”
10 september 2009
12 september 2009
the Silent Majority
women & cigars
nick moore
More and more once sacrosanct Gentleman’s Clubs are opening up to female members. The way forward or a death nail for the Members Clubs?
september 2009
13
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Anyone who hasn’t noticed the dramatic increase of women smoking cigars just hasn’t been paying attention.
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I
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14 september 2009
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16 september 2009
dedicated to the persuit of pleasure
West Africa A
A Taste of Luxury nick moore
Forget Thailand or the Maldives if you’re after luxurious pampering in tropical lush surroundings the place go is West Africa.
fter five years of construction business partners Farid Bensouda and Walter Netlou have created the stunning 60room Coco Ocean Resort and Spa in The Gambia, West Africa. Guests who choose to visit the Coco Ocean will have the opportunity to enjoy year round tropical sun with all the luxury, glamour and pleasure of being pampered to perfection so close to home. With flights twice a week during the busy winter period of November to April it would be possible to take a long weekend break, arriving Friday afternoon and leaving on Tuesday afternoon before being at your desk by Wednesday morning. Approaching the Coco Ocean you’re greeted by plantations of palms and papayas, followed by a driveway leading reception lined with huge clumps of bamboo. Once inside, Morocco meets the Gambia with detailing around the high ceilings featuring a geometric tile design that can be seen throughout the complex. The key to the development is undoubtedly the spa complex, a glamorous extension that hopes to seduce guests from further a field locations that are more established, such as in the Indian Ocean, the Middle East or Far East. The plus side of the Coco Ocean is that it is just under six hours flying time from the UK and is in the same time zone. One of the first things you notice about the Coco Ocean is its Moorish domes, which are sprinkled throughout the complex. Many even form part of the guest rooms, creating spectacular room features above the beds. As the light changes, these domes change from crisp white in the day to pinkish hues at sunset. Set in lush gardens, care has been taken to keep as many of the site’s original plants as possible and incorporate them in the new gardens and even the buildings themselves. In a spectacular feat of horticultural architecture massive palms have become september 2009
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part of many of the buildings, creating natural pillars along side concrete ones. The gardens wrap around the buildings and give relief to the bright white painted room exteriors, a calming green blanket of bananas, paw paw and coconut palms. Fruit-laden trees beg to be picked as you wander the grounds, as if it were a living supermarket fruit aisle. These gardens have been made deliberately expansive to allow guests to have space to breath. While it would have been possible to have twice the number of rooms on the site, creating a tasteful and relaxing setting was more impBensouda Besouda and Netlou did not want guests to emerge from a relaxing spa treatment only to face the hubbub of a busy hotel. Space, time and comfort are their priorities and the hotel complex offers a myriad of places to relax in peace and solitude - be it in a lush garden setting, by a pool, or on the beach. Luxurious seats can be found throughout the hotel complex and on the beach there is an area tented double-bedded areas built in a style known as a Bantaba. These little
beds of Moroccan influence provide a sand less experience with the benefit of a beach location. With customer care and comfort high on the agenda Bensouda and Netlou have not only ensured that the hotel itself is luxurious but have also put time and effort into getting the very best staff from far and wide. They have also run extensive staff training for their Gambian contingent. Pulling in materials as well as staff to furnish the hotel, containers of top quality marble were brought in from Italy, custom made furniture was imported from Indonesia and even state of the art catering machinery was brought in from the USA. In terms of food, a fusion of Middle and Far Eastern and African and European means there is plenty of healthy and delicious options to indulge in. All of the meat used comes from animals that have spent there lives grazing as nature intended just miles from the hotel. And the same can be said of the vegetables, which are grown in the hotel garden at the rear of the complex. Food miles travelled, about 200 yards!
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Anyone who hasn’t noticed the dramatic increase of women smoking cigars just hasn’t been paying attention.
”
18 september 2009
dedicated to the persuit of ple
september 200
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september 2009
21
One fair lady
W
e celebrate the timeless appeal of Audrey Hepburn, the former Kent school girl, who died in 1993 of cancer at the age of 63. Within the icon we find a caring, humble beauty and discover how one of the most recognisable faces of the 20th Century almost passed by unnoticed. It’s difficult to fully appreciate the impact she’s had on modern fashion and culture. Her influence is everywhere, even today. Keira Knightley, Victoria Beckham and countless more millions take their styling cues from her; after all, who do you think popularised nick oversized sunglasses, ballet pumps and the moore little black dress? The little black number worn by Audrey in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), was sold at Christies for £467,200 almost seven times its £70,000 estimate. That gives you an idea of just how valued the wearer still is. She was incredibly modest about her appearance: “My look is attainable. Women can look like Audrey Hepburn by flipping out their hair, buying large sunglasses and little sleeveless dresses.” Nonetheless, everyone else spoke incredibly highly of her, biographer Ian Woodward wrote: “Audrey Hepburn became more than a movie star. She became a legend, first on screen - and then on the arid plains of Africa.” It’s a miracle that the world ever got to know Audrey. Six weeks after her birth near Brussels in 1929, she stopped breathing as a result of whooping cough. Her mother, exBaroness Ella von Heemstra, was a Christian Scientist and didn’t believe in medical treatment. She panicked and spanked the behind of her blueing child until by chance the baby began to breathe again. In the pre-war period, Audrey enjoyed a peaceful childhood and was educated in our very own county of Kent, at a Miss Rigden’s boarding school for girls from 1935-38. But her English father, Joseph Victor Anthony Ruston, a fascist, left the family at the start of the war. Audrey later recalled that the separation of her parents was the most traumatic moment of her life. After the divorce, Ella moved her family to Arnhem in the Netherlands; a country she felt would be safe from Nazi invasion. But just days after their arrival, German troops appeared. During the occupation, Audrey went under the pseudonym Edda van Heemstra to hide her English roots. She was actually born Audrey Kathleen Ruston although her father later appended the family’s surname with that of his grandmother to make Audrey Kathleen Hepburn-Ruston. Throughout the German occupation Audrey honed her ballet skills on the stage, performing at secret events to help raise funds for the Dutch Resistance. The audiences never made a sound for fear of being discovered. Despite this, Audrey claimed they were the best audiences she ever performed in front of. She later recalled how she would carry secret messages for the Resistance in her shoes. ➢
She’s the classic Hollywood icon who perfectly balanced the invaluable attributes of charm, beauty and grace. But the actress, who has often been dubbed the most beautiful woman of all time, hardly lived a simple life.
22 september 2009
Audrey hepburn
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Veugiam in ullamco mmolor sim amet eugait, commy nostissi. Lendrero ea adionummy num. Feummy nosto odip praese dolore.
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september 2009
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The war took its toll on the sickly young ballerina who was malnourished and traumatised after witnessing the shootings of both her uncle and mother’s cousin, for being members of the Resistance. She was lucky to escape Arnhem with her life as Allied shelling during the failed Market Garden operation devastated the town. The future director of Wait Until Dark (1967) Terence Young, was a tank commander and would later joke that he had shelled his favourite star 23-years earlier. Audrey likened her experience of war to that of Anne Frank. They were the same age and both experienced childhood in occupied Holland. Anne’s father asked Audrey to play the lead role in a film adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank. She declined, saying it would bring back too many difficult memories. Eventually, when Allied forces liberated Holland, United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation trucks followed. Audrey said she made herself physically ill after eating an entire tin of condensed milk. The experience ➢ of aid and liberation led her to later work closely with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Audrey continued to dance and when she moved to London she was tutored by the famous Marie Rambert, founder of what became The Royal Ballet.
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A pivotal point in Audrey’s journey to fame was when Rambert advised her to turn her attention to acting as her 5’7” height and war torn physique didn’t fit the ideal ballerina profile. Without this suggestion, Audrey might never have hit the big screen. Her first leading Hollywood outing was alongside Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday (1953). In the romantic comedy, Audrey plays a Princess who runs away from her royal duties and is given a taste of normality by a dashing American journalist played by Peck. During filming, Audrey and the director William Wyler forged a lifelong friendship. He always held her in high regard: “In that league there’s only ever been ‘Greta’ Garbo, and the other Hepburn ‘Katherine’, and maybe ‘Ingrid’ Bergman. It’s a rare quality, but boy, do you know when you’ve found it.” Others agreed and for Roman Holiday, Audrey won a BAFTA, an Academy Award and a Golden Globe, all for best actress. Clearly the twenty-four year old had made an impact. To maximise this, Paramount Pictures went to town promoting the film, utilising Audrey’s stunning figure and huge, enticing eyes in the film’s artwork. The role almost juxtaposed her real life as she came out of obscurity and into the limelight. Elizabeth Taylor had been intended for the role and Audrey only got the part after a camera was left rolling at the screen-test. This footage showed a more relaxed Audrey who subsequently enthralled Wyler: “She had everything I was looking for; charm, innocence and talent. She also was very funny. She was absolutely enchanting, and we said, ‘That’s the girl.’” Sabrina (1954) was also a hit and Audrey was again nominated for a Best Actress award. She starred alongside two of the greats, Humphrey Bogart and William Holden, the latter with whom she had a brief affair. The film is also notable for introducing Hubert de Givenchy to Audrey. He adored her effortless beauty and personality; a strong relationship quickly formed. Audrey wore his dresses throughout her career, most memorably in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. ➢
We’re still captivated by the image of her staring knowingly into the lense, rolling her cigarette holder between her fingers.
24 september 2009
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objects of desire
Hora Mundi I
www.jean-mairetgillman.com
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We’re still captivated by the image of her staring knowingly into the lense, rolling her cigarette holder.
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During the 1950’s she played numerous successful leading parts in films such as War and Peace (1956) alongside Henry Fonda and Funny Face (1957) with Fred Astaire. She truly loved dancing with Astaire, despite the legend being almost sixty at the time. Audrey married Mel Ferer in 1954 and after two miscarriages, had her first child in 1960. She named him Sean. By the time Breakfast hit the big screen, Audrey was no longer just another actress. She had won handfuls of awards and had worked with the biggest names in Hollywood. The superstar assessed the situation and in her ever modest way commented: “I was asked to act when I couldn’t act. I was asked to sing ‘Funny Face’ when I couldn’t sing, and dance with Fred Astaire when I couldn’t dance - and do all kinds of things I wasn’t prepared for. Then I tried like mad to cope with it.” ➢ Her efforts paid off and in the Breakfast role of Holly Golightly, Audrey established herself as a true icon, both on screen and in the mindset of millions for decades to come. The shots of Holly Golightly are some of the most reproduced Hollywood stills of all time. Almost half a century after the release of the film, we’re still captivated by the iconic image of Audrey staring knowingly into the camera lens, while rolling her black cigarette holder between her fingers. Despite the fantastic level of fame brought by Breakfast, Audrey never understood her position as a superstar. Of her image, she once said: “I never think of myself as an icon. What is in other people’s minds is not in my mind. I just do my thing.” While everyone else deified her, she remained down to earth, saying: “Success is like reaching an important birthday and finding you’re exactly the same.” Perhaps a few of today’s primadonnas should reflect on these wise words.
26 september 2009
Throughout the 1960’s Audrey continued her cinematic success with more classics, most notably Charade (1963), My Fair Lady (1964) and Paris, When it Sizzles (1964). In 1968, she split from Ferrer and married the Italian psychiatrist Andrea Dotti in 1969. The following year, she took a break from work to have her second son, Luca. Audrey appeared in a few films throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s, but mainly concentrated on her family. Her final five years were dedicated to working with UNICEF, for which she was a goodwill ambassador, aided by her wide knowledge of languages; other than English, she spoke French, Italian, Dutch and Spanish. During the late 1980’s and early 1990’s Audrey visited Africa, South & Central America and Asia on UNICEF field trips. Perhaps it was on these visits when she felt at her most useful. In these war torn and hunger ravaged countries she was no longer Audrey Hepburn, but a person who brought simple pleasures which really mattered, such as water or food. Audrey was always baffled by why she was so highly revered in Hollywood and never really understood why she was put on a pedestal. Out in places like Sudan or Etheopia, she felt she really was making a difference to people’s lives. Her ethos towards caring for oneself and others was put beautifully simply: “Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, it’s at the end of your arm, as you get older, remember you have another hand: The first is to help yourself, the second is to help others.” Audrey died of cancer on 20th of January, 1993. She was in her home in the alpine village of Tolochenaz, Switzerland – her house was full of family. To summarise the appeal of such a woman is extremely difficult. So, I shall leave it to someone who knew her best. Audrey’s first son, Sean, offers a perfect vignette of her captivating beauty and how naïve she was to her. cm