The Gentlemans Journal Winter 2013

THE

GENTLEMAN’S JOURNAL WINTER 2013

FORMAL WEAR

JEWEL TONES AND TEXTURE

THE 30 ALL TIME GENTLEMEN ART FRAUD

CON-ARTISTRY THROUGH THE AGES

THE 2013 WATCH SUPPLEMENT CONRAD BLACK

THE STORY BEHIND THE PRESS BARON “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently” Henry Ford

STYLE ICON

GIANNI AGNELLI

“WELCOME TO OUR WORLD” The seven pilots of the Breitling Jet Team belong to the international elite of aviation professionals. In performing their aerobatic figures at almost 800 km/h, flying 2 meters from each other and with accelerations of up to 8Gs, errors are not an option. It is for these masters of audacity and daring exploits that Breitling develops its chronographs: sturdy, functional, ultra high-performance instruments all equipped with movements chronometer-certified by the COSC – the highest official benchmark in terms of reliability and precision. Welcome to the Breitling world.

For your nearest stockist in Great Britain and Ireland telephone 020 7518 7010

B REITLING.COM

NAVITIMER

W W W. G I E V E S A N D H A W K E S . C O M

Boodles Circus +44 (0)20 7437 5050 boodles.com

The Gentleman’s Journal

Editor’s Letter We are all entrepreneurs

I feel that the word entrepreneurship has been thrown around a lot recently, and maybe this shouldn’t be surprising; we are out of recession aren't we? It’s time for growth - and where does this start? With entrepreneurs, of course.

Putting this Winter issue together, it became clear just how diverse entrepreneurship can actually be. We the press, that is - tend to draw on the really big success stories, the 28 year-old tech billionaires, airline owners and retail magnates, but entrepreneurship goes so much further than that. In my view, there are far more entrepreneurs than we might realise. This issue is scattered with them, from hotelier Nick Jones to investment whizz Julie Meyer to renowned jewellery designer Theo Fennell, all of whom are in very different businesses but all share the common quality of entrepreneurship.

One of the more colourful individuals we looked at in this issue, who I think would certainly describe himself as an entrepreneur (rather than a jailbird) is Conrad Black, a man who has consistently divided opinion, made and lost millions, been to prison and much, much more. Whether you like the man or not, he certainly has to be admired not for breaking the law, but for having the sheer determination to get to where he did in a relatively short amount of time. When Black dies, he will be remembered - mainly for the wrong reasons, I concede - but remembered nevertheless. He did something that in some form or another had an impact on a large number of people’s lives, and in a way created a legacy. In this issue Digby Warde-Aldam gives his sympathetic view on the man (Pg 92).

The beautiful thing about entrepreneurship is having the ability to change something. Some are complete innovators, some just improve on existing products and services. For many of the top entrepreneurs in the World, it has never been a case of simply making money, but of complete dedication to creating a product or service that generally improves someone’s life. New brands seem to start every day, but the difference between the ones that stay and the ones that die comes down to their usefulness and how they influence us. This issue is full of such products in the 12 page

8

Winter 2013

gift guide, both old and new, but all great.

Get shopping (Pg 50).

This issue also celebrates our own entrepreneurial side with the exciting relaunch of The Gentleman's Journal.com as a retail platform as well as a media one.

Now you will be able to buy a number of products you read about directly from us, which will be delivered in our luxurious signature packaging. The aim is to bring the lifestyle off the page and to provide a seamless service combined with some of the most beautiful products. This all came about about six months ago when we realised that magazine publishing and retail were closer than they had ever been before. Many of our readers were asking us where they could buy the products we wrote about. There is no doubt that this direction has presented new challenges; we are more or less trying to combine two industries, and the result is still unknown - however, on the whole the more forward-thinking advertisers realise that this is the future and the reader response has been great. This step seems logical to us: why don't brands want to advertise to another brand’s customers?

Wouldn’t a customer who buys a Gieves & Hawkes suit, for example, be interested in a classic Patek Philippe watch? Take a look at thegentlemansjournal.com and let us know your thoughts.

Such ideas our risky, but who knows if you don't try? What’s more, if you don't go for it, you might find yourself in the uncomfortable position of being beaten to it by a young start-up willing to take the risk.

One sector in particular that seems to be getting a large amount of attention at the moment is technology. On page 128, we look at key factors to bear in mind when investing in tech, examining the industry as a whole, and assessing both the risk, reward and just how much money you would have made had you invested in Apple and Amazon in the old days. We ask if this investing craze is another dot.com bubble, or whether this time around conservative investors really should take notice and get involved.

Something successful and unsuccessful entrepreneurs alike will agree on is that timing is everything. No matter how much hard work and research you do, if you pick the wrong moment it can make the

ON THE COVER: Style Icon, Italian Industrialist and principal shareholder of Fiat Gianni Agnelli.

THE

GENTLEMAN’S JOURNAL WINTER 2013

FORMAL WEAR

JEWEL TONES AND TEXTURE

THE 30 ALL TIME GENTLEMEN ART FRAUD

CON-ARTISTRY THROUGH THE AGES

THE 2013 WATCH SUPPLEMENT CONRAD BLACK

THE STORY BEHIND THE PRESS BARON “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently” Henry Ford

STYLE ICON

GIANNI AGNELLI

difference between failure and success. On this note, the Winter issue has included a timing special, showcasing some of the most beautiful timepieces available, looking to the future of watch making, the importance of being on time and interviewing some of the industry’s key players about their product and the business as a whole (Pg 36)

There are so many reasons to choose the path of entrepreneurship - to be remembered, to change something, to create, to be one’s own boss, and to accumulate money, fame and accomplishment. The list is endless. It seems, though, that now is the time to try. Growth is slowly returning and sectors such as tech mean that we are evolving faster than ever before, which in turn creates opportunities for others. Startups now grow at a previously unimaginable pace, and if you do try and end up failing, remember the immortal words of Henry Ford, which grace our cover this month.

Ford was one of the most successful entrepreneurs of them all, a man who will be remembered, achieved fame, changed the shape of an entire industry, innovated, made fortunes and was very much his own boss: ‘Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently’. | HARRY JARMAN

The Gentleman’s Journal

theo fennell

$ #

SKI GOGGLE CUFFLINKS HAND ENAMELLED TO CHOICE

%

!

169 # " ! !

!!!

Winter 2013

9

The Gentleman’s Journal

Contents

Winter Issue

STYLE

018 020

STYLE ICON Gianni Agnelli The Formal Wear Edit Our essential guide to the best of this season’s formal wear, from midnight-blue tuxedos at Gieves and Hawkes to luxurious textures from Tom Ford – we’ve got your party season attire sorted.

044 050 051 056

25 Watches to Watch out for.

058 060 063 064 050

Interview: Sam Hines

The Gentleman’s Etiquette Keeping Time There’s No School Like Old School The destination for a vintage Rolex Festive Sparkle for Her

GROOMING

033

Winter Skin Saviors Keep your skin fresh with our selection of creams and moisturisers.

THE WATCH SPECIAL

036

041 10

Winter 2013

Time Travelling

The Future of Time

Interview: Karl-Friedrich Scheufele Jean-Marc Jacot of Parmigini Fleurier Timepieces for the Silver Screen The 2013 Gift Guide

The Gentleman’s Journal

LIFESTYLE

080

Taxi to Bond Street, Please?

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend – or so they say. The act of giving jewellery is still seen as the ultimate romantic gesture, and you would be hard pushed getting it wrong after reading this indispensable guide.

082 085 092 100

Leading Lady Olivia Inge

102 104 106 110 112

The 30 All Time Best Gentlemen Citizen Black The strange rise and stranger fall of a media mogul Julie Meyer American-born entrepreneur and investor Julie Meyer is one of the most powerful women in business. We gain a true insight into the woman behind “Entrepreneur Country”.

Art Fraud A history of Fakery Objects of Desire

124 126

The Gentleman’s Etiquette How Not to Kill Your Family Over Christmas

Slope off this Winter

A Guide to the British Virgin Islands

POWER

132

The Future of the Ferrari Soul Let the magic of Maranello transport you into the world of Ferrari. The iconic dark horse is going through some changes, as we discovered on the trip of a lifetime with the LaFerrari and the Ferrari FF.

137

Yachts The Galactica Star: While some luxury yachts merely stand out, others – such as The Galactica Star – do a whole lot more. With impeccable details, this is serious luxury without flash.

Interview Theo Fennell

Interview Nick Jones

SPORT

CULTURE

114 116 119

TRAVEL

Winter Champagne and Cocktails

140

The Cresta

142 145

Shooting Perfect Your Swing The Ultimate Shooting Jacket

Food Christmas Canapes Restaurant Review Boustin

Winter 2013

11

The Gentleman’s Journal

146

The Modern Carson

PROPERTY

148

Dorset’s Hidden Gems We discover the hidden gems of Dorset and take an exclusive look into some of Britain’s most beautiful, but lessrecognised, homes. Delve into the history of the likes of Encombe House, Charborough and Minterne.

154

Monaco A Sunny Investment or A Sunny Lifestyle

THE DIARY

156 160

12

Winter 2013

165 166 168 169 On The Market

Interiors A gentleman’s winter retreat

The Gentleman’s Journal Autumn Party Boodles Boxing Ball

J Crew Flagship Store Opening

Henry Wyndham A few of my favorite things

The Gentleman’s Journal

Contributors

FREDDY VAN ZEVENBERGEN

MARCUS WEARING

Freddy Van Zevenbergen, who has contributed the wonderful interiors feature to this issue, is a founding director of top interior design firm Lambart & Browne. Aged just 19, Freddy became one of Nicky Haslam's top designers, but with true entrepreneurial flair left in 2010 to found Lambart & Browne with fellow directors John Lees and Tom Browning. Their projects since include work on Robin Birley’s 5 Hertford Street, Houghton House in Norfolk and the St James’s Theatre. Freddy takes much of his inspiration from his passion for high-performance vehicles, and hopes to branch out into designing helicopter, jet, yacht and car interiors.

A celebrity chef and patron at The Berkeley, Knightsbridge, Marcus began his career at The Savoy aged just 18. Having worked and trained under Gordon Ramsey, this twice-Michelin-starred chef has gone from strength to strength ever since. A man after our own heart, he has a strong belief in the promotion of seasonal British food in his menus, and working with local suppliers. He continues to impress with contemporary Michelin-starred cuisine, serving modern European food with locally-sourced ingredients.

DIGBY WARDE-ALDAM

In addition to serving 14 years in the Royal Green Jackets and 6th Gurkha Rifles, Charles has undertaken three extraordinary expeditions: he's retraced the 500-mile route of the British Army's 1808 retreat through Spain, conquered the Taklamakan Desert in China, leading his team 1,000 miles across the infamous "Desert of Death" and retraced the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia, crossing 800 miles of hostile terrain through the Jordanian and Saudi deserts. For this issue, he has interviewed Cresta Run champion James Sunley about his hair-raising choice of sport.

Digby is a freelance writer who has been working for print publications since leaving school, and regularly contributes to magazines including The Spectator, Apollo and The Junket. He writes about art, corruption, himself and pretty much anything else people are willing to pay him for. He has penned several articles for this issue, including the Conrad Black feature on page 92. He lives in West London and enjoys tinned food.

CHARLES BLACKMORE

Winter 2013

13

The Gentleman’s Journal

THE GENTLEMAN’S JOURNAL

Harry Jarman Editor In Chief Tina Blackmore Head Finance

George Askew Sales & Business Development

Emma Corbett Associate Editor

Holly Macnaghten Junior Fashion Editor

Ines Suarez de Puga Creative Editor

Victoria Gardiner Junior Features Assistant

Amanda Berry Finance

Ted Maberly Account Executive

Milo Dickinson Art Editor

Digby Warde-Aldam Senior Sub-Editor

Martin Turner Special Features Editor

John Peveril Production Assistant

Tanya Rose Travel Editor

Catie Elliot Senior Features Assistant

Laura Little Inhouse Photographer

Seb Heseltine In-House Videographer

Georgina Wootton Additional Copy Editor

Matt Young Design Assistant

Alex Drabble Account Executive Contributing Editors Edward Hambro-Rabben Freddy van Zevenbergen Rob Sheffield Katie Readman Digby Warde-Aldam Philip Womack Matthew Bell Matt Roberts Charles Blackmore Tanya Rose Guy Pelly Francis Boulle For editorial enquiries please e-mail: editorial@thegentlemansjournal.co.uk For advertising enquiries please e-mail: advertising@thegentlemansjournal.co.uk Subscriptions are available by e-mailing: subscriptions@thegentlemansjournal.co.uk THE GENTLEMAN’S JOURNAL LIMITED 45 CLARGES STREET MAYFAIR LONDON W1J 7EP

The Gentleman's Journal Limited cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and The Gentleman's Journal Limited take no responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved.

All photos from Instagram @thegentsjournal

Winter 2013

15

This Christmas, watch more than three ships go sailing by.

+44 (0)207 099 0941

www.yachtmasters.com

Why not celebrate Christmas in an altogether different, very special way? The Caribbean, Bahamas or Indian Ocean? Yacht Masters is a small, privately owned, bespoke brokerage, offering a truly private and discreet service for the more discerning client. We’re renowned for our traditional face-to-face service born of old school, British values that reflect the nature of our premium offering. Among the wide range of yachts available for charter, we’ll find the one that best suits your needs and desires.

We’ll help you decide and happily arrange everything, to ensure that you have a Christmas and New Year to remember.

L O N D O N

|

M O N A C O

|

M O N T E N E G R O

The Gentleman’s Journal STYLE

gianni agnelli

Italy is synonymous with luxury, exquisite tailoring and expensive fabrics and Italians have long been celebrated for their effortless style and magnetic charisma. They have a word, ‘sprezzatura’, which translates into ‘making the difficult look easy’.

If there is one Italian man who epitomised this, even in his later years, it was industrialist, society playboy and style pioneer Gianni Agnelli, known to most as the genius behind Fiat. It’s fair to say that as the richest man in modern Italy, having controlled 4.4% of Italy’s GDP at the height of his career, he certainly made business look easy. But he’s also renowned for one other thing- his impeccable style, still imitated by men today the World over.

Naturally, with his bronzed Continental skin, slicked-back hair and slender frame, he had a head start over most gents and, as expected from a pure-bred Italian, he also got his way with words bang-on as well.

The glamorous crowd he mixed with were a testimony to his charm and panache; jetsetting across the world with Jackie Onassis on your arm to visit President Kennedy and dine with the likes of Henry Kissinger never hurt anyone’s image. Put simply, he lived for his aesthetic and oozed a casual grace that pulled people in like moths to a candle.

Whether he was stepping out of a club in his typically slapdash manner, shirt collar undone and mouth around a cigarette, or

18

Winter 2013

stepping out from a meeting in one of his many perfectly cut suits, he always did so in a pathologically cool, poised manner that made everyone’s heads turn. More so than most men considered “style icons”, Agnelli’s dress-sense was never without its unique quirks. Something would always be slightly off-mark, whether it was his tie set askew, hand-tailored shirt or miss-matched colours,

the point is that he made these idiosyncrasies work. Consequently, his sense of calculated nonchalance swiftly made him a legendary name in the star-studded world through which he meandered.

The key ingredient to his wardrobe was quality. After all, to look as good as he did- owning the finest handmade suits and always sporting high-end accessories- would take a steady stream of money flowing from your pocket. You have to be rich to dress like Agnelli; He wore only the best suits, handmade by Caraceni, complemented by Battistoni shirts.

Snapped up night after night by society and gossip columns across Italy and beyond, he was one of the most eligible bachelors in the world, spending his days and nights with beautiful women and surrounding himself with wealthy men, including his acolytes Gunter Sachs, Porfirio Rubirosa and Taki.

Agnelli’s spent his down-time lounging on private jets in the Adriatic, sipping on cocktails and driving the sleekest Italian cars.

He was a man watched by many, soaking up the attention under the sun of the Mediterranean or the Caribbean.

When it came to his style, Agnelli

STYLE The Gentleman’s Journal

relied on the best Italian suits, but he also had a few tricks that he’d pull out with true sprezzatura. While some of his quirks might, in theory, seem like recipes for disaster, Agnelli always made them look devastatingly chic- and before anyone knew it, they’d become trends. For example, Agnelli wore his watch, usually a Fratello, over the cuff of his handmade shirt. This was, he claimed, because he was a busy industrialist who simply couldn’t spare a moment to peel back his cuff when he wanted to know the time!

There’s nothing wrong with practical style. According to a close source, Fred Hughes was the first to copy it, but within a year it was the norm. But this was only the tip of the iceberg- he also possessed what must be history’s trendiest pair of feet. While most Italian men would match loafers with a bespoke suit, Agnelli, putting practicalities first again, wore his with either high-top hiking boots or brown loafers. For some, this would turn a top of the range suit into one they’d picked up on the cheap but for Agnelli, as I’m sure you’re beginning to realise, that just wasn’t the case.

Agnelli would arrange his tie so that the skinny end was longer than the fat end. If a normal person showed up looking like that, it would either be taken as an unfortunate accident or assumed that they’d dressed in the dark- yet it became a style touch that many tried to imitate.

There was more to this trick than initially met the eye; Agnelli was making a point in the turbulent political landscape of the 1970s, when he was a constant target for radical political groups. He wore his tie as he did, according to a source, as that is what Ed Koch in the States would do- a result in his utter inability to dress properly.

Whether his style quirks were latent, completely out there or just instinctive, Agnelli made dressing well look easy.

LEFT PAGE (left to right): At the 1998 World Cup quarter finals in France with friend Henry Kissinger, Gianni launches the fashion wristwatch THIS PAGE (top to bottom): Skiing in the Italian Allps, Jackie Kennedy and Gianni Agnelli on the Amalfi Coast when she was visiting in 1962, 46-year-old Agnelli in 1967 in front of the factory at its headquarters in Turin, with his son Edoardo.

‘ Everything can be taken away from us when we disappear. In our lifetime, everything is lent to us.

Everything.’ Gianni Agnelli Winter 2013

19

The Gentleman’s Journal

THE FORMAL WEAR EDIT Jewel tones & rich textures dominate in this season’s festive formal wear. Deep masculine hues of midnight blue and burgundy sit alongside suede-textured tuxedos in our choice of Autumn/Winter runway collections.

by Holly Macnaghten

20

Winter 2013

BERLUTI

Prices on Request www.berluti.com

The Gentleman’s Journal Shirt €465, Bow Tie €165, Trousers €950, Jacket €2,910, Shoes €990,Coat €14,400, Pocket Square €120, Waistcoat €290, All tomford.com

TOM FORD 22

Winter 2013

The Gentleman’s Journal Jacket € 2,910, Waistcoat €920, Shirt €465, Trousers €950, Bow Tie €165, Pocket Square €120, Cufflinks €5,960, Studs €5,470, Shoes €990, All from tomford.com

Winter 2013

23

The Gentleman’s Journal

24

Winter 2013

ROBERTO CAVALLI

The Gentleman’s Journal

Prices On Request www.robertocavalli.com

Winter 2013

25

The Gentleman’s Journal

26

Winter 2013

The Gentleman’s Journal LEFT: Jacket £595, Shirt £125, Bow tie £65, Trousers £175, Shoes £395, Socks £55. gievesandhawkes.com THIS PAGE: Suit £795, Shirt £125, Bow tie £65, Coat £695. gievesandhawkes.com

GIEVES & HAWKES

Winter 2013

27

The Gentleman’s Journal

CANALI Jacket & Waistcoat £730, Shirt £190, Tie £100, Handkerchief £60, Trousers £230, Shoes £430.

All from Canali, 126-127 New Bond St

28

Winter 2013

The Gentleman’s Journal

Winter 2013

29

The Gentleman’s Journal

Coat Price on Request, Tuxedo Suit €4,804, Bow Tie €155, Shirt €500, Shoes €920. All from brioni.com/gb

30

Winter 2013

BRIONI

The Gentleman’s Journal

HARDY AMIES

Suit £795, Shirt £155, Bow Tie £85 All from thecorner.com

Winter 2013

31

The Gentleman’s Journal

WINTER SKIN SAVIOURS (Left to Right) Biotherme Force Supreme £46 www.biotherm.co.uk, Anthony Logistics Facial Moisturiser £32, www.mankind.co.uk, Biotherme Aqua Power Day cream £27 www.biotherm.co.uk, HydroRepairing Aftershave £25 www.icoloniali.com, Biotherme Total Perfector £39 www.biotherm.co.uk.

32

Winter 2013

GROOMING

THE GENTLEMAN’S JOURNAL.COM LONDON

HORO O GY

THE GENTLEMAN’S JOURNAL GUIDE TO WATCHES

The Gentleman’s Journal WATCH SPECIAL

TIME TRAVELLING BY

EMMA CORBETT

Bremont ALT1-WT/ WH World Timer, £4,195, mrporter. com

“While some can show the planet’s 24 time zones at a glance, others are able to indicate whether it is day and night in different home zone, as well as show the date and facilitate quick changes from one zone’s display to another.”

36

Winter 2013

Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Traditionnelle World Time piece, ÂŁ35,280, vacheron-constantin.com

Winter 2013

37

Breitling Navitimer, ÂŁ5,720, thewatchgallery.com

38

Winter 2013

WATCH SPECIAL The Gentleman’s Journal

If you’re a high-flying businessmen jetting from one skyscraper-lined city to another faster than the sun rises and falls. Then you’ll be accustomed to the feeling of not knowing whether you’re coming or going. Scraping the curvature of the earth, soaring through the sky and crossing oceans to seal a business deal is commonplace to many, but jumping time zones can be enough to disorientate and unsettle even the most experienced globe-trotter.

It’s just as well that watch technology is racing to keep up with the rate of globalisation and to satisfy the demands of people travelling back and forth for business. Specialists now develop watches that go to great lengths technically to make sure you get to the right meeting on the right day and at the right time, even if you are thousands of miles from home. Why opt for a watch that just tells the time when you can choose from a whole range of contemporary designs that have the ability to be in multiple places at once whilst remaining dedicatedly strapped around your wrist?

While some can show the planet’s 24 time zones at a glance, others are able to indicate whether it is day or night in different places, showing the date and facilitating

quick changes from one zone’s display to another. It’s quite some feat if you think that it was only in 1945 that Rolex introduced the first watch with a date-adjust mechanism.

Nearly seventy years on, many people rely on the latest gadget to tell them the time, but what is sophisticated and classic about that? There’s not a touch-screen or an on/off button in sight on the watches we’ve picked out, just pure, elegant, refined style complete with bezels, dials and fine detailing.

Whether you’re networking with clients in New York, attending an exclusive launch event in Paris or presenting new business plans in China, these designs with the latest time capabilities will keep you constantly on track so you can focus purely on the hard business matters.

Mechanical curiosities are one thing, but accentuating the effortless style of a man in a crisp white shirt and a bespoke suit is another, which is why we’ve chosen only the most charismatic designs from the most elite brands. These are the latest time-zone watches you should have your eyes on.

Frédérique Constant FC-718MC4H4 Worldtimer, £3,090, thewatchgallery.com

Winter 2013

39

Swiss movement, English heart

Calibre JJ03 modification (Patent pending) of ETA 2893 self-winding movement / Personally assembled by Master Watchmaker, Johannes Jahnke and team at CW’s Swiss atelier / 2 x 24 hour time-zone display / 24 airport code identification and simultaneous world map indicator / 43mm, marine-grade, 316L polished steel case with sapphire crystal and transparent case-back / Ethically sourced, midnight blue, Louisiana alligator strap with Bader deployment

WATCH SPECIAL The Gentleman’s Journal

THE FUTURE OF TIME Smart watchmaking that is Looking to the future

By Charlotte Beale ABOVE: TAG Heuer Aquaracer, £3,695, thewatchgallery.com.

Let’s start with what the smart watch actually is. Until Apple turns up at the party with its offering (an insider’s best guess for the iWatch release is March 2014, by the way), I know many of us haven’t kept up to speed.

The smart watch is a satellite to a smart phone. When you get a message or mail, the watch gently vibrates and gives a preview, and if you want to read the whole thing, you pick up your phone. You can make calls from the smart watch, and use its in-built Siri-style robot to do various things: draft messages, ask for the weather and create voice memos. And then there are the apps; the smart watch is a good friend of the quantified self, as it suits well all the tracking and fitness apps. On standby, its screen forms a traditional wristwatch display – open to personalisation, of course.

So is it really that revolutionary?

It’s a logical extension of the smart Winter 2013

41

The Gentleman’s Journal WATCH SPECIAL THIS PAGE: Sony Smart Watch 2 SW2, £149.99, sonymobile.com RIGHT (top to bottom): Sony Smart Watch, £79, sonymobile. com, Samsung Galaxy Gear Jet Black, £242.99, amazon.co.uk

phone’s assimilation into our existence. The smart watch simply attaches our mobile to our body and shrinks its shell a bit.

And so “wearable tech” has arrived in a mass-produced, accessible format for the first time. Both Samsung and Sony are clear that style is a big part of wearable tech.

Samsung’s CEO affirms that their Galaxy Gear is as much an accessory as a piece of machinery; it ‘bridges the gap between the mobile device and fashion worlds’, says JK Shin, Samsung CEO. Any standard 24mm watch strap will fit the Sony SmartWatch, meaning you can go and get your own calfskin leather strap made. Discreet is how they want us to view these smartwatches; they should look like any luxury watch, but behave like no other.

All digital roads lead to mobile - or so prophets of the future agree. This is clearly in the smart watch’s favour. No more faff

42

Winter 2013

in reaching for the smart phone from the pocket, as JK Shin points out: ‘Samsung Galaxy Gear frees users from the need to constantly check their smart devices’. I believe Sony’s research department when they say that 40m smart watches will be sold by 2016. The smart phone may possibly even see its own demise in its one-time appendix.

The smart watch is simply the logical extension of the smart phone.

For the luxury goods market, this all begs one serious question: are Swiss watchmakers under threat from the electronics giants usurping their $60billion industry?

With classic Swiss neutrality, watchmaking CEOs appear (outwardly, at least) unfazed. A Deloitte survey revealed that two thirds of these executives said the smart watch poses no threat at all. This serenity depends on a conviction that the reasons

people invest 3000 Swiss Francs and upwards (to well over a million) in a mechanical timepiece can’t be met by the electronic equivalent. Longevity is negated by the very name of these smart watches; Sony is on its 3rd generation in as many years. Gabriel Vachette, the man behind lesrhabilleurs.com, a website devoted to Swiss timepieces, says ‘you can tell a story with a beautiful watch. People who buy a Galaxy Gear will get rid of it in a year or two’.

There’s also scepticism as to how an electronic gadget can embody the sentiment and beauty of a traditional watch: ‘How would you like it if your boyfriend brings you a smart watch instead of a nice pavé diamond watch?’ asks Johann Rupert, Chairman of luxury goods giant Richemont, which includes watch brands Cartier, Vacheron Constantin and Jaeger Le-Coultre.

Electronics just aren’t as precious.

WATCH SPECIAL The Gentleman’s Journal

Patek Philippe’s slogan ‘you never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation’ becomes comical if you substitute a smart watch for the Swiss watch; the father’s aged mobile device would be an embarrassment to the son, not a joy.

The Swiss brands seem vindicated by investors.

Richemont and Swatch Group shares are buoyant, and a good deal of analysts recommend buying Swatch, while none advise selling.

Not all Swiss watchmakers are staying neutral, however; some are bucking the trend of feigned disinterest in the smart watch and – shock! horror! – collaborating with digital.

Tag Heuer allied with US tech group Oracle to quickly produce a smart watch for the America Cup sailing contest. The gadget gave the sailors vital data, from the wind direction to the tilt of the boat. Tag Heuer were clear that collaboration had brought more effective results: ‘we worked on this for a year, which in terms of developing a watch is very fast’, their Head of Diversification told ATP.

Army Kapshitzer is founder of Hyetis and the driving force behind their $1200 Crossbow watch, styled the ‘first Swiss smartwatch.’ Partnered with a phone, it can provide GPS and a camera. He doesn’t buy his Swiss peers’ disdain for the smartwatch. “I don’t believe it: I think it’s a real market and the future of the watch industry,” Kapshitzer said. Swiss watchmakers “are still in a comfortable situation. We’re in a situation of resistance to innovation. It’s a big mistake.”

You can imagine the Helvetic dismissal that meets these crossover efforts, however: ‘A smart watch is programmed to become obsolete’, Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of Hublot told Reuters, ‘How could I mix Hublot with something made for obsolescence? It’s impossible’.

Johann Rupert of Richemont is more sanguine: ‘I’m not discounting it’, he says, qualifying this admission with the salient point that Swiss watches give men a rare chance for decorative expression that devices just can’t: ‘I don’t think it’s going to have a big impact on classical watches. For men, these are the only jewellery they can wear’.

Analysts at Citi, in an interesting twist, have suggested that high sales of the smart watch might actually help their mechanical competitors: ‘new wearable technology should positively introduce “arm candy” to a younger demographic, and can ultimately increase adoption of fashion watches’. I’m sceptical but who can guess the whims of youth?

Smartwatch.fm is an online emporium of information on these gadgets, and its impresario Michael Wolf has, to my mind, given the wisest forecast on the smart watch yet: ‘Many high-end smart watches will eventually build in smart technology while retaining the same high-end look and feel of traditional fashion watches. I just don’t think the Swiss watch industry will stand still, and most will either develop their own technology or partner with large technology platform companies to have a line with “smarts” to appeal to those want it’.

There’s room enough for degrees of crossover, with 1 billion timepieces sold annually. But whichever way the wind of the wristwatch consumer blows, it’s all conjecture without the biggest digital giant of all. Apple, it’s your move.

Winter 2013

43

The Gentleman’s Journal WATCH SPECIAL

25

WATCHES TO WATCH OUT FOR Pardon the pun, but don’t you think it’s time for a change of watch? From Breitling to Breguet, Cartier to Chopard, The Gentleman’s Journal has selected the 25 best new timepieces from the finest brands to help you decide how to keep ticking over in 2014...

BREMONT CODEBREAKER

It’s widely understood that the Second World War was shortened considerably by the work of the staff at Bletchley Park, who cracked the German Enigma code leaving the enemy’s secret messages hopelessly transparent.

Bremont have incorporated genuine materials from the legendary decryption centre into their new Codebreaker watch, meaning that while it may not actually be capable of solving the Enigma machine’s riddles, it can boast a rotor made out of one. Yes, it really has been that meticulously constructed, and also incorporates pine from one of the Bletchley huts and paper from the punch cards used to log data. Think Gregory Peck in The Guns of Navarone- designed in the classic 1940s style of a British officer’s watch, the codebreaker is understated but terminally suave.

Bremont Codebreaker - Enquiry line: +44 (0) 203 394 2680 www.bremont.com

44

Winter 2013

BELL & ROSS/THE WATCH GALLERY BR-03-51 GMT TWG

The BR-03-51’s angular and pleasingly utilitarian design belies the fact that it is already as rare as hens’ college diplomas.

The Watch Gallery, whose trademark shade of blue adorns its hour and GMT hands have limited its production run to 50, working in tandem with Bell & Ross to produce a futuristic piece with a PVD-coated stainless steel case. It’s a good-looking object, for sure, taking synthetic materials often considered ‘tacky’ into the domain of serious watchmaking, but the main attraction comes with the fact that it simultaneously displays two time zones. Another watch for the inveterate traveller, this is like a younger, thinner cousin to the Breitling for Bentley BO4.

BELL & ROSS/THE WATCH GALLERY BR-0551 GMT TWG - £3,500

PARMIGIANI KALPA STEEL ABYSS (LONDON UNDERGROUND)

WATCH SPECIAL The Gentleman’s Journal

You needn't be a trainspotter to salivate at this; in celebration of London's tube system, Parmigiani Fleurier have commissioned this gorgeous limited-edition piece, featuring a scale facsimile of Harry Beck's iconic 1931 'circuit board' map lovingly printed onto the face. Incredibly, the design obscures none of the dial's legibility- a rare case of time and public transport working together efficiently.

Available only in the Swiss haute-horologerie's London store, this is an anglophile update of a classic design, Parmigiani Fleurier Kalpa Steel Abyss (London Underground) - £11,500 Enquiry line: 020 7495 5172 www.parmigiani.ch

P .

5

0

0

0

CHRISTOPHER WARD C1000 TYPHOON

PANERAI P.5000 LUMINOR MARINA 8 DAYS

The P.5000 series is based on the 16-ligne Angelus calibre design that Panerai produced for Italian naval commandos in the 1940s and ‘50s, a model that could run for 8 days without requiring winding. The remarkable duration is achieved by by two spring barrels with tooth rings connected in series to store sufficient power. Robust but minimal, the Luminor Marina is nothing if not elegant, and is available in stainless steel and in a remarkably deep red gold.

If the name reminds you of airforce nomenclature, it’s no coincidence; inspired by the super-sleek silhouette of the RAF’s Eurofighter Typhoon, this new piece from British manufacturer Christopher Ward takes details and design features from this most futuristic of aircraft- such as the typography used in the cockpit and the twin circles of its afterburners- and incorporates them into the body of the watch. The ceramic case is a truly impressive achievement- it is lightweight, yet seven times tougher than steel- only a diamond could succeed in leaving a mark on it. The painstaking construction of each watch involves a virtually indestructible titanium case- Per Ardua ad Astra indeed.

Christopher Ward C1000 Typhoon - £1,500 Enquiry line: +44 1483 238840 www. christopherward.co.uk

BREITLING FOR BENTLEY BO4 GMT

One of the latest additions to the successful Breitling for Bentley range (now celebrating its tenth year), this is quite simply a triumph of both engineering and applicable logic.

With all the usual style articulated by both the hallowed Swiss watchmaker and the iconic British car manufacturer, the BO4 features a miraculously precise mechanism that allows the globe-trotting wearer to quickly adjust between timezones without losing a second of Breitling’s chronometer-tested precision.

Breitling for Bentley BO4 GMT Enquiry line: +44 20 7499 8596 www.breitlingforbentley. com/en/

Panerai P.5000 Luminor Marina 8 Days £16,900 www.panerai.com/eng/ Winter 2013

45

The Gentleman’s Journal

BAUME ET MERCIER CLIFTON 10055 SOLDAT

THE ORIS AQUIS DEPTH GAUGE

World-famous for their specialist diving watches, Oris have pulled a first here; using the Boyle Mariotte Law (nope, us neither), this model actually lets water in to its gauge in order to measure depth- which it does more accurately than any other similar watch before it. Its chunky stainless steel casing looks like it could stand up for itself in a fight, but given that it’s waterresistant to 500 metres it’s hardly surprising.

The top glass is made from a special sapphire crystal, and has to be 50% thicker than average to take the extreme pressures of the deep.

Can you describe a watch as ‘rugged’? In the interests of good taste, it’s probably a question best not dwelt on. If any timepiece was ever to fit the bill, though, it would surely be this Geneva gentilhomme. Its lopingly- rounded case contains a vast amount of informationfrom hours to numbered individual minutes to date window- it even has a ‘moon-phase indicator’, should you happen to find yourself buying Christmas presents for a werewolf.

Driven by a mechanical self-winding calibre, which you can spend hours watching through a transparent bit at the back. This is one for the alpha male, so Don Draperish-ly masculine, in fact, that it’s almost intimidating.

PIAGET ALTIPLANO DATE

Piaget has always been renowned for the extraordinary slimness of its watches, but this is something else; the Altiplano Date series is operated by the Calibre 1205P, an automatic movement that fills out at an astonishing 3mm, sealed in a case just 6.36 mm thick- to our knowledge, this is the thinnest date-window watch ever to go into production. It beggars belief to look at one of these supremely elegant pieces and try to picture the work that must have gone into designing and manufacturing each one of its 221 individual parts.

BAUME ET MERCIER CLIFTON 10055 SOLDAT - $4,590 http://www.baume-etmercier.com/en-us/home.html

G0A38131 – Piaget Altiplano Date in rose gold with brown alligator leather strap, Manufacture Piaget 1205P - £17,400 http://en.piaget.com

CARTIER CALIBRE DE CARTIER CHRONOGRAPH WATCH 1904-CH MC MOVEMENT

LINKS OF LONDON CHICANE WATCH

The image here does not do the Chicane Watch justice. Taking inspiration from the highoctane world of motor racing, the Chicane is sporty, eminently practical and far, far sexier than those things might suggest. It’s highly waterproof and thin blue and red lines on either side of the minute-stubs provide a minimal but pacey flourish. And- not to beat about the bush- it’s absolutely terrific value, too.

LINKS OF LONDON CHICANE WATCH - £350 – www.linksoflondon.com

46

Winter 2013

Originally launched in 2010, the extremely desirable Calibre de Cartier watch has now been bolstered by the addition of a new Manufacture chronograph movement, and the design has been altered accordingly.

Cartier have used innovative techniques to operate the functions of the 1904-CH MC, including a coupling system that minimises the energy consumption of the chronograph.

The 18-carat pink gold shell’s traditional Côtes de Genève decoration houses two counters and a graduated rail-track on a fluted bezel on the dial, topped by the outsized numeral XIIthis is, in short, the essence of what a proper watch should be.

CARTIER CALIBRE DE CARTIER CHRONOGRAPH WATCH 1904-CH MC MOVEMENT - £11,300 - www.cartier.co.uk

The Gentleman’s Journal

BURBERRY BRITAIN

FREDERIQUE CONSTANT FC980C4S9 SLIMLINE TOURBILLON

Inspired by ‘design, innovation and function’, according to chief creative Christopher Bailey, the Britain is an immediately distinctive watch. For one, its octagonal shape and myriad nuts and bolts defy the conventions of the traditional shell, combining to make up what is unquestionably the most steampunk item on this list. A Swiss-made self-winding mechanical movement completes what is already a defiantly different but handsome package.

BURBERRY BRITAIN MEN’S SPECIAL EDITION - £10,395 – uk.burberry.com

PATEK PHILIPPE MEN’S CALATRAVA REF.5227J

As thin as a piece of string on the Atkins Diet and chic as hell, it’s immediately evident that a phenomenal amount of craftsmanship has gone into this piece. Featuring a completely concealed hinge that only becomes visible once the case is opened. The elongated, polished gold flutes extend into the lugs with a feline litheness, and the hour markers taper in as if poised to assault the dial- if this all sounds a bit like the voiceover from one of those Marks & Spencer’s ads, don’t be put offwe’re very much seduced.

In spite of its 18-carat rose gold case and the luxuriant chocolate brown of the face and the strap, the first thing you notice about the Slimline Tourbillon is the flourish of primary colours glaring out from a subcircle below the dial like a miniature Joan Miro painting.

This is the silicium escapement wheel and anchor, a device dreamed up by engineers at Frederique Constant to ensure total accuracy of reading; silicium is a material far less susceptible to wear than normal metals used in watch movements, and the manufacturers are evidently extremely keen on it, also leaving the case back transparent so as better to watch the mechanisms in operation. It’s eye-catching, certainly, but about as far from vulgar as it gets.

FREDERIQUE CONSTANT FC-980C4S9 SLIMLINE TOURBILLON - - www.frederiqueconstant.com

PATEK PHILIPPE MEN’S CALATRAVA REF.5227J – PRICETO BE ANNOUNCED SOON - www.patek.com

BLANCPAIN CARROUSEL REPETITION MINUTES CHRONOGRAPH FLYBACK

The complexity of Blancpain’s Carrousel series (so-named due to its ingenious one-minute flying carroussel) is pretty breathtaking; through an extraordinarily complex system of gongs in the movement, the noise made by the minute repeater is unprecedentedly resonant and clear. The chronograph is another benchmark of Swiss craftsmanship- by pressing the pusher at 4 o’clock, the wearer can restart one time measurement while another is still in progress.

18-carat gold bridges and mainplate, a 45mm red gold case and time markers in grand feu enamel complete the package of the Carrousel Répétition Minutes Chronographe Flyback, a real Napoléon among watches.

BLANCPAIN CARROUSEL REPETITION MINUTES CHRONOGRAPH FLYBACK - www.blancpain.com/en

BREGUET CLASSIQUE TOURBILLON EXTRA-THIN AUTOMATIC 5377

Breguet’s founder invented the revolutionary Tourbillon movement (French for ‘whirlwind’) in 1801, and his company has been refining his brainchild ever since. This, the latest model, is impressive to say the least, and is the thinnest variant yet, the coin-like case enclosing an extra-thin self-winding, high-frequency update on the maker’s classic movement.

BREGUET CLASSIQUE TOURBILLON EXTRATHIN AUTOMATIC 5377 - www.breguet.com Winter 2013

47

The Gentleman’s Journal

OMEGA SPEEDMASTER “DARK SIDE OF THE MOON”

Clear Pink-bloody-Floyd from your mind; this is an imaginative spin-off of the legendary Moonwatch, as worn by Buzz Aldrin as he took his first steps onto lunar soil. Two subdials distinguishing seconds and date mark the DSOTM out from its illustrious forerunner, and the 18K white gold hour and minute hands are a very welcome addition. The main difference here, though, is the black ceramic case body, a lugubrious but commanding inversion of the original design’s shimmer.

OMEGA SPEEDMASTER “DARK SIDE OF THE MOON” -

HARRY WINSTON MIDNIGHT MONOCHROME AUTOMATIC

The black strap and white gold case of the Monochrome give off a distinct smack of David Bowie’s get-up circa 1976; a cigarette holder, some perfectly-cut black trousers and waistcoat, a blindingly white shirt and an impassive, glacial stare would be the appropriate dress-code for this one. The most obviously charismatic feature of this 42mm diameter automatic is the metallic slate that covers the dial; normally an architectural material, its deployment here gives the watch an austere grandeur of the sort typified by the great Modernist villas of Switzerland.

HARRY WINSTON MIDNIGHT MONOCHROME AUTOMATIC - - www. harrywinston.com

CHOPARD MILLE MIGLIA ZAGATO

This watch couldn’t speak louder to the Gentleman’s Journal’s heart if it tried; a collaboration between Chopard and the nearmythical Milan-based bodywork specialist Zagato, the concept for the watch came from the process behind designing highperformance super cars. Naturally, Chopard handle the mechanics of the watch, whilst Zagato is responsible for the “body” and “chassis” (well, you wouldn’t want it to be the other way round, would you?); the result is a 42.5 mm steel case with a DLC coating that houses a self-winding dual chronograph movement and dual time displays. The icing on the cake is Zagato’s trademark red stitiching, which lines the strap.

CHOPARD MILLE MIGLIA ZAGATO - -

BULGARI THE NEW OCTO STEEL

The octagon is a powerful symbol to many cultures, indicating balance, harmony and the concept of infinity, and Bulgari have exploited it impressively to frame the striking, lacquered dial of a robust but stately new timepiece. The Octo’s gorgeously clean lines lead all attention to the circle-square platform on which rests the dial.

BULGARI THE NEW OCTO STEEL - -

48

Winter 2013

JACQUET DROZ PERPETUAL CALENDAR ECLIPSE

Gimmicks, if executed well enough, can transcend the pejorative status of the term to become something permanent and precious. Pierre Jacquet-Droz, who founded the eponymous brand in the 18th Century, demonstrated this nicely with his sales pitch- building animated dolls to dazzle potential customers and to flaunt his engineering genius. His successors follow in his imaginative footsteps with the Perpetual Calendar Eclipse; when the hour hand hits six o’clock, a black or ivory-coloured onyx index swings across the face of the of a golden moon smiling out from the dial in a deft and improbably satisfying motion. The mechanics behind this are truly impressive- craftsmen worked tirelessly to pair the moon-phase complication displaying the cycles of the night sky on the Grand Feu enamel dial with the perpetual calendar.

JACQUES DROZ PERPETUAL CALENDAR ECLIPSE - - www.jaquet-droz.com

The Gentleman’s Journal

MONTBLANC NICOLAS RIEUSSEC CHRONOGRAPH RISING HOURS

Named in honour of the pioneering watchmaker to Louis XVIII, the first King of France after the fall of Napoleon, this is a deeply curvy proposition. Its 43mm stainless steel case encases what might reasonably be called a ‘groovy’ dial display, complete with two sub-dials showing date and a second time zone and a day/night display.

It’s a decidedly late-’60s affair, eschewing much of the high seriousness of much hautehorlogerie- you can tell the designers have enjoyed themselves. This doesn’t, though, mean it’s any less serious a watch than the others on this list- it’s as satisfying a piece as any on this list.

MONTBLANC NICOLAS RIEUSSEC CHRONOGRAPH RISING HOURS - £9,000 www.montblanc.com

RICHARD MILLE RM036 TOURBILLON G-SENSOR JEAN TODT LIMITED EDITION

This frankly astonishing object boldly goes where no limited-edition luxury watch has gone before. And no, we don’t mean Neasden. The grade-5 titanium and tonneau shape of the RM036 make it look like something from Blade Runner, and its multiple dials- including a mechanical G-sensorpropose a genuinely innovative approach to modern watch design. Richard Mille himself worked with road-safety expert Jean Todt to explore the possibility of a watch that could read the physical constraints to the body of the wearer when driving, and together they produced a practical, ultra-futuristic and utterly gobsmacking timepiece. Such technical magic and opulent materials don’t actually exist in the same universe as the word “cheap”, but given that this is a production run of only 15, the £340,000 price tag seems entirely justified- far-fetched though it might sound, the RM036 collides Art and Science into one insanely desirable package.

RICHARD MILLE RM036 TOURBILLON G-SENSOR JEAN TODT LIMITED EDITION £340,000 – www.richardmille.com

ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA

IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN- PILOT’S WATCH MARK VII EDITION ‘LE PETIT PRINCE’

Nominally a children’s book, the adventurer and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s novella Le Petit Prince is a seminal work of fiction, an exploration of humanity and conscience that only becomes more relevant the older the reader gets. To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the literary classic’s publication, IWC Schaffhausen have commissioned two limited edition watches, of which our vote goes to this beautiful stainless steel number. The Mark VII has an ingenious soft-iron inner case that serves as protection against magnetic field disturbances, crucial for flying at high altitude. The design is a riff on the cult IWC Mark 11, an iconic pilot’s watch that the company launched at around the time that Saint-Exupéry’s book was published, and the vertically-arranged numerals on its face give it an unconventional but pleasing readability.

IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN- PILOT’S WATCH MARK VII EDITION ‘LE PETIT PRINCE’ £4,600 - www.iwc.com/en

2013 marks fifty years since Rolex introduced the iconic Daytona, a milestone anniversary for the World’s most famous watch brand.

The Daytona- named after the famous Florida speedway- was specifically developed for motorists, though the chances of it being seen on the wrist of a Ford Fiesta driver are, shall we say, minima.l To celebrate, they’ve launched a special new version of this most coveted of wrist accessories. Keeping the sublime design and features of the original while updating it with a CERACHROM bezel and tachymetric scale, meaning that the watch can measure average speeds of up to 400 miles per hour. Bringing a ‘twist’ to a classic design will always raise eyebrows, but this subtly cutting-edge revision of a wristwatch worn by everyone from Paul Newman to Jay-Z is proof, if ever it were needed, that restraint is the key to taste.

ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA - £ - www.rolex.com

Winter 2013

49

THE GENTLEMAN’S ETIQUETTE

KEEPING TIME “A gentleman is never late”

I was recently given an impromptu lecture on gentlemen’s time-keeping etiquette – or lack thereof – by a distinguished, elderly German businessman. He couldn’t get his head of lustrous white hair around the last-minute cancellations made possible by portable technology: ‘I turn up at eleven in the morning and whoever it is I’m meeting isn’t there. So I wait, then I call, and they say, “oh, you didn’t see my email last night? I needed to reschedule” - no, I did not see your email at 11 in the night!’

When the focus of his opprobrium shifted to young people walking along, eyes glued to smart phone - that bête noire of the technophobe - I switched off.

An arch-culprit, I only narrowly resisted protesting, ‘but I have antennae for people in my way – I never actually bump into anyone while playing Words with Friends in King’s Cross station!’

Playing fast and loose with cancelling meetings was, for my German friend, just not on. But irritation is our only defence against the whimsical rescheduling made possible by tech. Or is it? Maybe the old-fashioned notion of a gentleman’s reputation is at stake. There’s an old French adage which might hurry some gents up; people count the faults of those who keep them waiting.

For most of my friends, I have a loose barometer of how prompt they are likely to be and adjust accordingly, with the resulting oxymoron that punctuality becomes relative.

As we enter the era of people increasingly selfregulating with technology - espousing, for example, the obsessive accuracy of the ‘quantified self ’ - so old-fashioned fines are introduced for tardiness. In my office, every minute one is late for a meeting, one has to cough up one of the Queen’s pounds, and every annual quarter, the accumulated pile is given to a charity of the least penalised person’s choice. Time is money, and if you fritter your company’s money, then it will demand some of yours. The American politician Horace Mann figured this out a couple of centuries ago: ‘unfaithfulness in time-keeping is dishonesty. You may as well borrow a person’s money as his time’.

Punctuality is not immune to derision, of course.

The virtue of the bored, snorted Evelyn Waugh, while his fellow author E.V. Lucas pointed out, perhaps more tactfully, ‘I have noticed that the people who are late are often so much jollier than the people who have to wait for them’.

Are men more generous in their expectations of punctuality from the finer sex? Naomi Campbell has

50

Winter 2013

infamously taken a leaf out of J.D. Salinger’s book all her life – ‘if a girl looks swell when she meets you, who gives a damn if she’s late? Nobody’ – apparently at no cost to her enduring, über-successful career. Then again, women can be generous back: ‘I’ll come and make love to you at five o’clock’, my friend told her boyfriend, ‘If I’m late, start without me’.

Whether we are morning people or evening people is pretty au courant as a topic of research. It is now widely accepted that preferences over rising and snoozing times are genetic, depending on individuals’ chronotypes. But what about that dull bit in between the beginning and end of the day – the afternoon? Sartre was not a fan: ‘three o’clock is always too late or too early for anything you want to do’, he moaned.

If you have political ambitions, history makes one thing clear: show up. As a ferociously busy, happily overexerted friend often says: the world is run by those who turn up. Nelson, Machiavelli and Benjamin Franklin, a fearsome triplet of leaders, all bear witness to this. While Machiavelli wrote that ‘tardiness robs us of opportunity and the dispatch of our forces’, Nelson and Franklin were more pragmatic: you simply keep ahead of the rest by being there before others. Nelson graciously claimed, ‘I owe all my success in life to having been always a quarter of an hour before my time’, while Franklin more obnoxiously wrote, ‘he that rises late must trot all day’.

One piece of advice personally sticks ahead of the rest, though. It is from the sage of Omaha, Warren Buffett: ‘The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say ‘no’ to almost everything’. We’ll assume he means no to investing time, as well as money. The next time you feel like staying in with a bottle of Malbec and blowing everyone off, you can simply say you’re following your sage’s counsel.

To your dear author, who (apparently unusually for this profession) is often on time, and can consequently corroborate Franklin P. Jones’s observation that ‘the trouble with being punctual is that there’s nobody there to appreciate it’, evading the art of guessing how late the other fellow is going to be by staying in seems a timely idea.

by Charlotte Beale

WATCH SPECIAL The Gentleman’s Journal

THERE IS NO SCHOOL LIKE THE OLD SCHOOL THE DESTINATION FOR A VINTAGE ROLEX ABOVE: Large Steel & Yellow Gold Round with Mixed Numerals and Arrowhead Indices, Subsidiary Second Dial and Automatic Movement £21,125.00 LEFT: The Vintage Watch Company in Burlington Arcade, London.

Although some might class Rolexes as sitting in and amongst the elite grouping of Swiss based luxury watchmakers — Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Girard-Perregaux, to name a few — it is in fact the case that the luxury brand was founded in Britain. The brand’s German-born founder, Hans Wilsdorf and brotherin-law, Alfred James Davis, trading as Wilsdorf & Davis, launched Rolex in London in 1905, relocating to Geneva only in 1919 when the brand had become established.

Rolex, a name now recognised and reputed for its excellence worldwide, was decided on simply for being easy to pronounce. It also, naturally, fits easily on the face of a watch. Today Rolex is the largest single luxury watch brand, ranking in 5th position on the BrandZ (Kantar) list of the Top 10 most valuable luxury global brands, getting in ahead of Chanel and Cartier.

The Vintage Watch Company Winter 2013

51

THE GENTLEMAN’S JOURNAL

in Mayfair holds the most spectacular archive collection of vintage Rolexes in the world dating back to 1915. For over twelve years, David Silver, founder and chairman at The Vintage Watch Company, has maintained a collection of the rarest, most desirable vintage Rolex wristwatches in his shop. ‘My father started the business 20 years ago in Bond Street. Originally, we sold vintage Rolex, Omega, and Longines, however it became clear early on that Rolex was the most intriguing and it would be unique to specialise in just the one brand.

We opened in the Burlington Arcade and still have our shop there today’.

David’s decision to specialise in selling vintage Rolex watches is simple and undeniably spot on: ‘Rolex is an iconic brand, unbeatable in its worldwide exposure. I’d bet you that if you asked 100 people on the street to name a luxury watch brand, Rolex would dominate their response’.

It’s intriguing to know what kind of people step through the doors of his shop in the Burlington Arcade to make that special purchase of one of his many treasured timepieces. After all, with their luxurious reputation, Rolex watches aren’t something just anyone can own: ‘What makes the Rolex brand so successful is it is worn by all types of people from different walks of life, including CEOs, actors, accountants, lawyers and even students — on the wealthier end of the spectrum of course!’ Unfortunately I couldn’t tease any names out of David, but going by the long line of prestigious stars that choose to sport the brand every day it’s not exactly difficult to picture the likes of Daniel Craig and Sir Richard Branson paying him a visit.

In an age in which new watch designs and technologies are being developed and released at the rate of knots, the endeavouring attraction to vintage watches is hardly surprising: ‘The customers that visit the shop are no longer content with buying a brand new design replicated all over the world and available on every high street, but rather seek something rare and unique, something they are unlikely to see on another person’s wrist’. Indeed, in the watch industry, rarity plays a key factor in grading the value of a model, with “likelihood of being seen” cropping up as one of the deciding

factors for David’s clients who are after something that’ll set them apart and distinguish them. It turns out that some Rolex models are so rare that David has laid eyes on them only fleetingly and never seen them again – this coming from a Rolex specialist who houses over 750 timepieces dating back to 1950 at any one time.

Stardom has clearly impacted the price of many Rolex designs, the most valuable watches in the shop being the Early Rolex Daytona Chronograph pieces — in particular the Exotic version, made famous by Oscar-winning American actor Paul Newman, who wore the watch on a daily basis. David adds: ‘You could say the Rolex brand has been immortalised by the likes of Steve McQueen’.

So, when faced with over 750 watch faces how does one choose the right design? ‘Our advice is always the same: buy something you love, ignore the rarity of one piece over another, buy something you will wear and enjoy, don’t just buy something because you are told it is rare and then leave it in the safe all year’ — solid advice coming from a man who has sold hundreds of watches in his time. Not being swayed by word of mouth as to an object’s rarity is a tall order when so many of the brand’s designs have become so iconic. There’s always that undercover desire to fit the same bill that Bond or other Rolex fans like Michael Caine and Ryan Gosling did.

Pressured to let out which model he thinks best sums up the Rolex brand, the enthusiast reels off not one but five models: The Daytona, The Submariner, The GMT Master and The Explorer, which are all, according to David, every bit the classic timepiece.

His personal favourite — the design he wears ‘all the time’ — is a Vintage Rolex Submariner, ‘which has changed colour due to exposure to heat and sunlight.

The dials turn form black to Brown and are known as Tropical dials, very understated, what epitomises vintage Rolexes is that each piece is unique in its own way due to the way it they fade over time. This is why you can’t beat a vintage model’. Like classic cars, authentic timepieces will always have one up on their technologically advanced modern counterparts.

‘We have customers who collect the incredibly rare Stella Dial Rolex Day Dates that were made in many different colours in the 1970s and 1980s. Each time they pay us a visit they come in search of a new

9ct Pink Gold Officers with White Enamel Dial and Luminous Figures, Mechanical Movement,Enamel Dial ÂŁ9,900

colour that they don’t already have!’

It’s the luxury equivalent of historical stamp collecting.

The fact is that Rolex isn’t by any means a brand stuck in history.

Quite the opposite: Rolex’s luxury tagline also comes with one that reads “innovation”. Rolex have led the market with some visionary modernisations, including the self-winding Rolex mechanism that it introduced in 1931, and the first water-proof wristwatch (the Oyster) back in 1926. The brand was also the first wristwatch to show two time zones at once (the Rolex GMT Master), automatic changing on the dial of the date (the Rolex Datejust) and the day and date (Rolex Day-Date).

All these were refinements that raised the brand to high and mighty success.

It’s also made history in other ways. The Submariner watch alone has been part of expeditions both at sea, such as the Moana expedition during which time the same watch withstood in excess of a thousand dives, and overland in the Antarctic, where it withstood temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius below zero. Thor Heyerdal, the Norwegian anthropologist, also wore a Rolex Submariner in his 1970 Ra II sea expedition.

Reminiscing over some of the ground-breaking moments witnessed by the brand, David reveals that if he’d had the chance to jump back to any point in the brand’s history he would revel in the opportunity to watch the

swimmer Mercedes Gleitze swim the Channel in 1926 wearing one of the first waterproof Rolexes on her wrist: ‘I would like to have been part of the welcoming committee in France when she emerged from the water with the watch still ticking! It was a moment that catapulted Rolex from a relatively small company into the global brand it is today’. A testimony to the importance of the brand’s advancement is that even today, every Rolex Oyster design uses the same mechanism that ticked away on that very day!

On average, pieces in David’s collection sell for anywhere between £30,000 and £130,000, making them truly collectable. Evidence of their status as an investment can be found in the sale of items from the collection of Continental Airlines CEO Gordon Bethune by Christie’s New York which generated $590,000 for a 1950 Rolex Oyster that showed obvious signs of wear and tear! You know where to head.

The Gentleman’s Journal David Silver is the Founder of The Vintage Watch Company, 24 Burlington Arcade. vintagewatchcompany. com BELOW (left to right): Silver Officers Watch With Full Arabic Numeral Dial, Red “12”, Mechanical Movement, Enamel Dial £6,900, Yellow Gold Extra Large Rectangular with Luminous Arabic Numeral Dial, Subsidiary Second Dial and Manual Movement £19,900

Winter 2013

55

The Gentleman’s Journal

Festive Sparkle For her This Christmas treat her to a timeless sprinkle of festive sparkle. We recommend going for an elegant silver design with a frosting of diamonds where possible. Keep it simple and sleek with these classic dress watches from the leading designers in the industry.

56

Winter 2013

The Gentleman’s Journal

1. The Rado HyperChrome Automatic rose gold, [insert price from Zoe Jones] rado.com 1. Hamilton Viewmatic Skeleton Lady, [insert price from Zoe Jones] hamiltonwatch.com 1. Patek Philippe Ladies’ Nautilus, [insert price] patek.com 1. Baume & Mercier, Hampton, £2,377.00 baume – et – mercier. co.uk 1. Rolex, Lady-Date Just, [insert price] rolex.com

Winter 2013

57

58

Winter 2013

WATCH SPECIAL The Gentleman’s Journal

SA M H I N E S Head of Watches, Christie’s Asia

How did you come to be a watch specialist at Christies?

I found my way into the watch department by chance. I was the administrator for the watch department in London and soon became fascinated by this world I knew nothing about.

It was a private club, with men spending fortunes on these tiny works of art. The more I learned, the more I discovered how little I knew of this area of expertise. After 15 years, I am still learning every day!

What should people be looking to buy, sell or hold on to in 2014?

I think the gap between good quality and bad quality is going to get even wider. Undervalued watches are vintage chronographs from the 1940s and 1950s. Prices continue to rise for Patek Philippe, Rolex, Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet. I would also say that minute repeating pocket watches are still very much undervalued. I would buy these designs and sell my vintage sports Rolex watches as the market for great sports examples is hotter than ever before. I would hold on to current production models for now as the market is looking very closely at vintage watches.

What do you look out for when you are valuing a timepiece?

The main things we look at are the brand – the DNA and who manufactured the watch. The condition, rarity, provenance and complications are also key factors.

Have you had any big personal moments of discovery in your career?

and a Vacheron Constantine that had been sitting in a bank vault untouched for 60 years.

They had it all. The estimate for the pair was $450,000 and the hammer price was $2.3m.

How do you feel about technology companies encroaching on the industry with the latest smart watches?

I haven’t tried to learn that much about them, but I know I am going to have to. In Hong Kong, I see the buses pass me by with new adverts and I just close my eyes. I will have to make a concerted effort to discover these new models and see how they will change the watch departments in the future.

5 T I PS FOR AU C T I ON Do your research, speak to a specialist, buy what you like, focus on condition and buy the most expensive watch your budget can afford.

TH I NGS TO LOO K O U T F OR: SELL - vintage Rolex sport watches.

HOLD ON TO - Current production timepieces.

BUY - Vintage chronographs and complicated pocket watches

Has there been a particular era when the watch industry has, in your view, been at its finest?

The end of the Second World War and the new prosperity in the US saw many magnificent watches being manufactured.

There’s also the modern era of independent brands, who focus on rarity, complications and hand-finishing. Kari Voutilainen, Peter Speake-Marin and Max Busser are all making some fabulous watches that have really shifted the focus in watch-making from massproduced timepieces to works of art.

What do you think the most iconic watch is?

The most iconic watch is the stainless steel Patek Philippe reference 1518. This watch, a perpetual calendar chronograph, is where all modern day wrist watches take their inspiration.

Yes, one of my biggest moments was discovering two pocket watches owned by the famous James Ward-Packard: a Patek Philippe Winter 2013

59

60

Winter 2013

WATCH SPECIAL

The Gentleman’s Journal

K ARL-F R I E DR I CH SCH E U F E LE Co-President of Chopard

What sets Chopard apart?

Chopard prides itself on being an independent and family owned brand; we master all of the different production processes of our watches and jewellery pieces in-house, from the very first step with methods such as the melting of the gold. We believe it is most important to respect tradition but to also welcome innovation and creativity. We work hard to achieve the best we can in everything we do, in line with our moto… ‘Passion for Excellence’.

How did you get into the watch industry?

I was literally born into the industry and while growing up, I spent a number of afternoons in the company playing with watch parts and doing some sketches for “new timepieces”.

Later on, after my international Baccalaureat, I followed an accelerated apprentice-ship in jewellery and definitively joined Chopard at age 25, going through all different departments before being able to take on some responsibilities…

mechanical movements. Our L.U.C collection, which I started in 1996, fully meets my taste and expectations.

What can we expect from Chopard in the next year?

We don’t communicate about future creations, as we like to offer an element of surprise connected to our novelties. Therefore, I invite you to visit BaselWorld (March 27th - April 3rd, 2014) and you will not be disappointed…

Who have you been most surprised to hear wears your watches?

The other day, we received a repair from the former German Chancellor (1974 – 1982) Mr. Helmut Schmidt and I heard that it is his favorite and only watch he wears since the 1980’s.

What watches do you own and what style of watch do you like?

Obviously, I own quite a few Chopard watches and no other brands… there are however some exceptions and one of them is a watch from Philippe Dufour - a very unique master watchmaker who works all by himself in the Swiss Jura. As for style, I prefer the more classical watches, with pure and elegant lines and of course combined with high quality Winter 2013

61

62

Winter 2013

WATCH SPECIAL The Gentleman’s Journal

J E AN - M ARC JACOT O F PAR M I G IAN I F LE UR I E R

By Harry Jarman.

One surprisingly bright October afternoon, I receive an invitation to meet Parmigiani CEO Jean-Marc Jacot at the famous Mosimann’s members club in Belgravia. Running slightly late, I arrive and am whisked through the church-turned-club to the Parmigiani Fleurier room, which I later discover is one of the many luxurybranded rooms at Mosimann’s. There is a press conference going on with James Cook, a UCL student who is men’s captain of the University of London Boat Club and winner of the first Parmigiani Spirit Award. The award is for university rowers worldwide who demonstrate the core values of rowing (teamwork, fairness, inclusivity and endurance) in their social, academic and sporting life and for those who inspire others. While I wait for Mr Jacot, I watch James talk to the press – it’s clear that he’s incredibly modest and understated.

After James has finished the press conference, I’m introduced to Jacot and begin chatting to him about the award and the brand’s various sporting and cultural associations and sponsorships. He tells me that Parmigiani is, surprisingly, very low-key with their endorsements, a characteristic that this year’s award-winner seems to share. Having expected some well-rehearsed PR spiel on how watchmaking shares similarity with a particular art or sport (etc. etc.), this surprising honesty is a welcome theme to our conversation.

Unlike the rest of the watch industry (or so they’d have you believe), Parmigiani Fleurier is a relatively modern brand, dating back only as far as 1996. Jacot is quick to point that many of the watch brands haven’t been making watches for as long as they claim, instead simply buying established brands with long histories and then putting together a marketing story that, shall we say, embellishes the truth ever so slightly. As he explains this, though, he also gives credit to other brands, mentioning Vacheron-Constantin, which he says is actually the oldest watch maker in the World and has no need to

invent a back-story. For Jacot and Parmigiani, age is not as important a factor as it may be to some other brands; for him and the brand, what counts are the watches they produce today. Jacot begins to explain that on average, Parmigiani make 95% of the watch in-house – again, this is refreshingly honest: I can think of many watch brands that would tell me 100%.

Before 1996, Parmigiani’s conviction came from Michel Parmigiani, who until then was a well-respected watch and clock restorer in Switzerland, a service that the brand still offers today. Since the early days, Parmigiani has most definitely earned its place in fine watch-making, creating several in-house calibres, including the two Parmigiani Fleurier eight-day mechanical and self-winding movements. Parmigiani don’t just have a reputation for producing their own beautiful watches, but parts and movements for other well established brands too - no names mentioned!

For Mr Jacot and the brand, it’s not the history that matters but the watch-making itself: ‘it’s about having integrity with the customer, being honest and producing the best possible’, Jacot says with pure passion. He goes on to talk about the myth that buying a watch is an investment. In his view, you should buy a watch for pleasure and pleasure alone: ‘Do you need an expensive watch?’ he asks: ‘No. So you have to buy because of a desire and pleasure’.

Today, in a market diluted with more and more brands every year, Parmigiani Fleurier seem to be keeping focused and continuing to do what they do best without being influenced by others. This in our view makes them unique, independent, refreshingly honest, and a brand to watch in the future. If I was asked for tips on watches to buy right now, Parmigiani would definitely be in my top three. The brand’s understated design, elegance and manufacturing prowess speak volumes.

Winter 2013

63

The Gentleman’s Journal

WATCH SPECIAL

T I M E PI E CE S F ROM TH E S I LVE R SCR E E N Time can be paused, forwarded and re-wound on the silver screen. Time is immortalised in films, particularly when it’s ticking away on the wrists of some of the world’s most celebrated actors playing some of the most iconic roles. Character, style and prominence are everything in cinema, which is why we’ve put together a run-down of watches from films that epitomise all of these three things. Whether they’ve slogged through the jungle, raced away from the bad guys or witnessed bullets hurtling towards them, these designs will forever be timelessly welded to film history.

TAG HEUER MONACO 1969, LE MANS Two words are all we need: Steve McQueen. Oh, go on, we like to elaborate! An absolute classic, the Tag Heuer Monaco 1969 was sported by the style icon himself.

Although you can only come across the original in very rare, lucky sightings, the modern version still gives most designs a run for their money with updated styling and a combination of a blue dial with white sub-dials. In 2009 a 40th-anniversary special edition was released that was more faithful to the original, with the crown on the left and some unusual indices – the limited run of 1000 sold out almost instantly

64

Winter 2013

WATCH SPECIAL The Gentleman’s Journal

ROLEX SUBMARINER, 1953 – JAMES BOND Probably the most recognisable watch in the world, due not only on the fact that it withstood temperatures of minus 45 degrees Celsius (you never know when you might need this!) and over one thousand dives during the great Moana sea expedition, but also due to its eternal place in cinematic history, wrapped around Sean Connery’s wrist in eleven of the classic early Bond films. The design has since been re-vamped with a ceramic bezel insert and chunkier strap lugs. If it’s good enough for 007 then it’s good enough for us!

CASIO CA53W TWINCEPT DATABANK BACK TO THE FUTURE Although you might not admit it, every Back to the Future fan (we know you are out there) will have at some point fantasised about owning a watch which doubled up — yes doubled up — as an 8 digit calculator with a 1/100 second stopwatch, auto calendar and alarm.

The latest smart watches haven’t got anything on the Databank; it will forever be a fetish for nostalgia alongside brick mobile phones and eternal geek chic. It’s so retro it almost looks modern.

Winter 2013

65

The Gentleman’s Journal

WATCH SPECIAL

ROLEX DEEPSEA SEA-DWELLER, ARGO Another Rolex to be immortalized, and it’s not to be the last either.

A heftier option than the Rolex Submariner – Bond hasn’t got anything on Affleck – the Deepsea Sea-Dweller appeared in Argo, the 2013 Academy Award winner for Best Picture film based on the heroic, hair-pulling rescue of six Americans during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. Its appearance plays testimony to its status as a truly iconic accessory because the design launched five years previously, proving that this watch delivers both style and transcendental presence.

BREITLING CHRONO AVENGER, BLOOD DIAMOND Both Breitling and Leonardo Di Caprio had to be on the list somewhere, and it just so turns out that they appear the same film. Indeed, while playing the celebrated role of Danny Archer in Blood Diamond, Di Caprio had the pleasure of sporting a Breitling Chrono Avenger watch. The timepiece has a black dial set in a solid titanium 44mm case with a brown calf leather strap. Other features include shockproofing and a water-resistance of 300 metres. This one doesn’t have any diamonds in it, but it’s certainly a classic if you’re after something simple but robust.

66

Winter 2013

WATCH SPECIAL The Gentleman’s Journal

ROLEX DATEJUST, AMERICAN PSYCHO Legend has it that various designers, not wanting their clothes to be associated with psychopath Patrick Bateman’s mass murders, put conditions in their contracts that didn’t allow their garments to be shown at certain times. Apparently Cerruti agreed to allow Bale to wear their clothes, but not when he was killing anyone. Fair enough. In the same vein, World-renowned luxury brand Rolex didn’t want the killer wearing one of their timepieces, meaning that Mary Harron had to cut the line “Don’t touch the Rolex” from the original script. The Datejust also appeared in The Informers, The Colour of Money and Lost in Translation, all testament to its versatility. It would also appear that the Rolex Datejust and Michael Caine were made for one another. Caine wore the model on a leather strap in many films, including Mike Hodges’s crime classic Get Carter and Deadfall, where his arm was permanently draped around beauty Giovanna Ralli. Even without these associations, the classic Rolex Datejust design is absolutely timeless .

Winter 2013

67

Herring Exmoor & Dartmoor available from

www.herring.co.uk

The Gentleman’s Journal

2013 gift guide

THE GENTLEMAN’S JOURNAL

Winter 2013

69

The Gentleman’s Journal

5

1

3

6 2 8

4 10

12 7 11

SYBARITE

1. Blue Bengal Stripe Cotton Pyjamas, £195, turnbullandasser.co.uk 2. Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Set, £99.99, taschen.com 3. Linen Shirt, £90, pinkhousemustique.com 4. Althorp Deluxe Cigar Humidor, 26.46, simplycigars.co.uk 5. Philippe Annual Calendar 18k rose gold Watch, £34,710, patek.com 6. Grapefruit and Rosemary Scented Candle, £40, florislondon.com 7. Velvet Jacket, £345, paulsmith.co.uk 8.

Cashmere Lined Leather Gloves, £60 dents.co.uk 9. Cashmere Jumper, £399, johnsmedley.com 10. 18ct Yellow Gold Engraved Signet Bracelet, £1,800, theofennell. com 11. Bay Rum Hair Lotion, £15.50, drharris.co.uk 12. Ski Goggle Cufflinks, £8,250, theofennell.com 13. Tarantella Agatha Rug, £5,086, lukeirwin.com

70

Winter 2013

13

9

9

GIFT GUIDE The Gentleman’s Journal

2

1

7 9 8

3

5

10

BR AINIAC 1. Operation Heartbreak by Duff Cooper, £12, persephonebooks.co.uk 2. Game Changers - The Evolution of Advertising, £49.99, taschen.com 3. Glasses, £295, cutlerandgross.com 4. Benjamin Franklin Bust Candle, £80, ciretrudon.com 5. Business Card Holder, £25, stockists@ tylerandtyler.co.uk 6. Paperweight £25, lutyensrubinstein.co.uk 7. 100 Questions, £20, theschooloflife.com 8. Desk Set, £675, pickett.co.uk 9. Wafer Notebook, £23.10, smythson.com 10.

Notebook, £40, sunspel.com

4

6 Winter 2013

71

The Gentleman’s Journal GIFT GUIDE

5

4

7

1

6

2

12

10

9 11 8

THE WIFE 3

72

Winter 2013

1. Rose Print Dress, £249, paulsmith.co.uk 2. Bluebell Bath Oil, £39, penhaligons.com 3. Lambskin Camel Gloves, £79, dents.co.uk 4. Jerusalem by Yottom Ottolenghi, £15, amazon.co.uk 5. The Relaxation Gift Box, £150, fortnumandmason.com 6. Cashmere Throw, £529, brora.co.uk 7. A Housekeeper, price on request, greycoatlumleys.co.uk 8. Deluxe Jewellery Box, £2,215, smythson.com 9. Diamond Bee Drop Earrings, £4,250, theofennell.com 10. First Class Ticket from London to Paris, £245, eurostar.com 11.Weir Duffle, £630, mackintosh.com 12. Green Fire Necklace, price on request, boodles.com

GIFT GUIDE The Gentleman’s Journal

8

11

6 5 2

3 4

9

7

1

TR AVE LLER

1. Waxed Canvas Trainers, £50, en.sperrytopsider.co.uk 2. Canada Goose Lodge Hoody, £280, ca.canadianicons.ca 3. Overnight Travel Kit, £17.95, drharris.co.uk 4. Aviators, £310, cutlerandgross. com 5. Canvas Wash Bag, £115, pickett.co.uk 6. Travel Watch Roll, £125, dainesandhathaway.com 7. Swim Shorts, £225, orlebarbrown. co.uk 8. Peter Beard Book, £49.99, taschen.com 9. Marlborough Glovebox A-Z, £89, noblemacmillan.com 10. Swim Shorts, £49, harryelliot.co.uk 11. 25-hour Bag, £299, oppermann-london.com 12. Printed T-shirt, £60, sunspel.com

12

10

Winter 2013

73

The Gentleman’s Journal

7

11

4

2

5

10

9 3

8

1

6

THE PROFESSIONAL 1. Anneka Moore Dinosaur Cufflinks, £150, info@spannerandwingnut. com 2. Attaché Case, £2,920, ettinger.co.uk 3. Two Tone Calf Leather Wallet, £185, richardjames.co.uk 4. Cellulon Magic Cube Keyboard, £140, gift-library.com 5. Monkton Coat, £767, mackintosh.com 6. Cufflink Box, £162, penhaligons.com 7. Shirt, £91, hartfordstore.fr 8. Oxford Shoes, £185, herringshoes.co.uk 9. Printed Tie, £125, loewe.com 10. London Watch, £199, smartturnout.co.uk 11. Black Herringbone Single Breasted Suit, £795, gievesandhawkes.com

74

Winter 2013

The Gentleman’s Journal

1

9

6

2 7

10

8 5

HUNTER SHOOTER FISHER 1. Game Book, £265, purdey.com 2. Game Bird 18ct Yellow Gold Cufflinks, £1,900, kiki.co.uk 3. Weekender Bag, £275, stockists@tylerandtyler.co.uk 4. Triple Bar Set, £185, dainesandhathaway.com 5. Indi Hat, £195, bates-hats.com 6. Balmoral Boots, £130, hunter-boot.com 7. Aran Jumper, £250, sunspel.com 8. Boxted Jacket, £150, musto.com 9.

Corduroy Trousers, £175, gievesandhawkes.com 10. Butt Marker, price on request, thesilverfund.com

3

4

Winter 2013

75

The Gentleman’s Journal

2

9 7

8

3

6 1

4 10

5

THE GOURMET 1. Caviar Serving Dish, £21,723, thesilverfund.com 2.

Drinks Cabinet, £15,000, purdey.com 3. Forges De Laguiole Steak Knives, £310, conranshop.co.uk 4. Olive Wood Chopping Board, £39, coxandcox.co.uk 5. West Country Hamper, £110, fortnumandmason.com 6. Edible Civet Coffee, £25, harveynichols.com 7. Potted Shrimps, £5.95, morecambebayshrimps.com 8. Grahams Vintage Port 1970, £150, bbr.com 9. SMA Retro Series Mini Hot Air Popcorn Maker, £34.95, selfridges.co.uk 10. Ginger Brown Crystal Decanter, £1,500, gift-library.com

76

Winter 2013

The Gentleman’s Journal

2

11 7

4

9

5

12 6

8 1

10

13

THE GIRLFRIE ND

3

1. Trianon Scented Candle, £60, ciretrudon.com 2. Carine Gilson Camisole, £450, net-a-porter.com 3. Classic Pyjamas, £200, poplin.co.uk 4. Acorn Necklace, £45, williamevans.com 5. Square Ring, £190, monicavinader.com 6. Jimmy Choo Heels, £395, net-a-porter.com 7. Lace Skull Box, £1,765, alexandermcqueen.com 8. Chanel Nail Varnish, £18, selfridges.com 9.

Perfume, £52.50, gucci.com 10. Sunglasses, £170, sundaysomewhere.com 11. Trevarno Mirror, £185, okadirect.com 12. Coyote Fur Scarf, £525, purdey.com 13. Gilt Skirt, £550, temperleylondon.com Winter 2013

77

The Gentleman’s Journal

GIFT GUIDE

5

3

6 11 4

7

2

1

8

9

12

10

THE TE E N GIRL 1. Purse, £82, bimbaylola.com 2. Leather Scrapbook, £145, noblemacmillan.com 3. How to Look the Best at Everything, £25.50, benefitcosmetics.co.uk 4. Leather Keyring, £38, kiki. co.uk 5. Cushions, £38, grahamandgreen.co.uk 6. Wildfox ‘I’m Allegic to Mornings’ Hooded Top, £115 selfridges.co.uk 7. Faux Fur Peter Pan Collar, £35, helenmoore.com 8. Pony Sneakers, £339, emmahope.com 9. Headphones, £48.50, dvf.com 10.

Jacket, £1,350, acnestudios.com 11. Cupcakes and Cashmere

by Emily Schuman, £9.09, amazon.co.uk 12. Earrings, £50, marcjacobs.com

78

Winter 2013

GIFT GUIDE The Gentleman’s Journal

5

6

11

9 2

10

4 3

1

7

THE TE E N BOY

8

1. Bear Grylls Dangerous Den Kit, £98, battleboxcompany. co.uk 2. iPad mini, satrting from £319, apple.com 3. Classic Headphones, £29.99, angleandcurve.com 4. Blondes I Met and Liked, £10.45, shop.archiegrand.com 5. Sunglassses, £160, finlayandco.com 6. Military Pocket Casual Shirt, £125, gievesandhawkes.com 7. Mini Jambox Speaker, £149.99, eustore. jawbone.com/gb 8. Dress Shirt, £65, beaufortandblake.com 9. Shaving Soap and Bowl, £35, florislondon.com 10. Drum Stick Pencils, £5, joythestore.com 11. Canada Goose Shearling Pilot Hat, £134, ssense.com 12. C-61 Trident Watch, £460, christopherward.co.uk Winter 2013

79

The Gentleman’s Journal

LIFESTYLE

TA X I TO BO N D S TR E E T, PLE A S E? RIGHT: Boodles Opal Peacock Ring, £43,000, www.boodles.com.

BELOW: Tiffany & Co 1837 Interlocking Circles Necklace, £6,835, www. tiffany.co.uk

80

Winter 2013

Whether it’s a grand gesture or something very personal, nothing universally encompasses all that sentiment, thought and love better than a beautiful piece of fine jewellery. Despite changing retail trends - the growth of mass-marketed jewellery or women’s changing role in society - this statement rings just as true today as it did fifty years ago. In fact, world-renowned jewellers Tiffany & Co says that the act of giving jewellery is not only still relevant, it remains the ‘ultimate romantic gesture’. With every woman recalling exactly where she was and what it represented when she received that first jewellery piece, it exudes sentimentality as a work of art to be treasured for a lifetime. Theo Fennell - founder of the eponymous London jewellers — agrees: ‘Every important step should be celebrated with a piece of jewellery that will last. This is the very point of jewellery’.

Nothing is as synonymous with significant jewellery as engagement, something that Ritz Fine Jewellery celebrates by offering clients something a bit extra. ‘Choosing an engagement ring is one of the most significant purchases in life. By offering dinner in the world-renowned Ritz Restaurant, we are able to extend a unique service which enhances [the experience] beyond expectations’.

It is not just important milestones that warrant the giving of jewellery. Christmas is the perfect time to give your partner something sartorially special- and there will probably be an element of surprise in there, too. James Amos, Director of British high-end retailer Boodles, tells it straight: ‘I think a little box under a tree on Christmas Day always gets women more excited than a big box’. This excitement stems from all the emotional connotations of a piece of jewellery. No other item is so steeped in tradition and symbolism. No other item says so much without words while being so personal at the same time. You get the gist. For such a small package it packs quite a punch.

Despite all these grand declarations about the power of fine jewellery, this article is supposed to be making the prospect of buying it less, not more, daunting. So, to get you over your sparkler-spending nerves, we have compiled a guide to selecting the perfect gift for that special person.

REMEMBER, THE JEWELLERS AR E T H E R E TO H E L P YO U The first stage of buying jewellery is getting through the door; sometimes this can be the most intimidating part of the whole process. Just remember, the staff are there to help you and once you're over the threshold, the whole experience can actually be very enjoyable. 'I can understand why men feel pressure about buying jewellery', explains Amos. 'It’s natural because the shops can feel foreboding, but I think the skill is to create an environment that helps [men] to relax'. They are the experts on jewellery — allow them to advise and inspire your choices. What’s more, if you like how the jeweller guides you, it can lead to a personal and advantageous friendship. David Marshall founder of the eponymous luxury British jeweller, stresses that 'if you know the person as a client you tend to get to know what they like so you can better suggest some things'.

PE RSONALISE IT The thought that goes into bespoke jewellery is always incredibly telling in the final product. You might be taking a risk, but the look when she opens it will be worth it.

Theo Fennell explains why bespoke jewellery is so special: ‘We try, with our designs, to revive the idea of bespoke jewellery with sentiment to bring back that very personal jewellery that becomes part of its owner. The prevalence of globally available and mass-marketed jewellery has robbed us of the art and appreciation of individual and beautifully made work. However, there is a huge swing back to the bespoke and the unique, which is a joy’.

BE ADVE NTUROUS Diamonds will always have a place in a woman’s heart: cue Shirley Bassey. Rare, beautiful and captivating — the word even comes from the Latin, adamare, meaning “to love passionately”. However, with all the choice in the fine jewellery market, there’s no excuse to play it safe and you can take risks with both contemporary and traditional jewellery. ‘Of course, women, on the whole, are much more adventurous when buying jewellery. There are men who know how to buy jewellery but many opt for the easy route of copying other people or a safe solution like diamond studs. We see a lot of disappointed women this way’, says Fennell. James Amos gives some more specific advice: ‘For the type of woman who has got everything, an opera length necklace is perfect because not everyone wears them’.

IT ’S A COMBI NATION OF INSTINCT AND RESEARCH A little preparation and foresight really do go a long way; this could mean anything from discretely finding out her ring size to asking her sister or best friend to help your decision. David Marshall thinks it is also worth trying to get hints: ‘You can ask things that would give you some leading ideas to come into the store, then see what reaction you get’. The main thing is to be perceptive: ‘It will also put you in a much stronger position in terms of [your] choice in the marketplace, negotiating and everything else’, Amos divulges. Basically, it pays to do your homework, and this is easier than ever now with the development of e-commerce. Use the websites to gain inspiration and explore your options.

With all that being said, instinct is equally as important, so don’t allow yourself to be swayed away from your gut feeling. Tiffany & Co states it matter-offactly: ‘A jewellery purchase is very personal. Trust your judgement’.

ABOVE (left to right): Graff Diamonds Diamond Butterfly Cuff, Price on Request, www.graffdiamonds. com, TIFFANY & CO. SCHLUMBERGER Bird on a Rock Clip, Price on Request, www.tiffany. co.uk, Ritz Fine

Jewellery, Tower green tourmaline ring £80,000 www. ritzfinejewellery. com, Cartier Caresse d’Orchidées par Cartier bracelet, £24,100, www.cartier. co.uk

‘B U Y I N G J E W E L L E RY F O R C H R I S T M A S , 9 9.9 % O F T H E T I M E T U R N S O U T T O B E A S U C C E S S ’.

These last words from James Amos say it all. You’ve thought it through, put in the effort, considered styles and done your research. You’re making a statement and whatever you choose will be truly appreciated. And if she doesn’t like it? Well, you can just take it back. It’s really no issue at all.

By Victoria Gardiner

ABOVE (left to right): Theo Fennell GEMFIELDS EMERALD BEE DROP EARRINGS, £81,000,www. theofennell.com, Boodles CIRCUS LONG YELLOW GOLD AND DIAMOND NECKLACE, £8,000,www.boodles.com,

Van Cleef & Arpels PERLEE BRACELET, YELLOW GOLD, DIAMONDS, £30,900, www. vancleefarpels.com, DAVID MARSHALL Phoenix ring, Price on Request, www. davidmarshalllondon.com

The Gentleman’s Journal LIFESTYLE

Witty, smart and stunningly beautiful our Leading Lady, the amber-haired Olivia Inge, has modelled for the likes of YSL, Givenchy and Vivienne Westwood (or Aunt Viv as she refers to her). Discovered at just 16 by model scouts at her school careers day she was soon walking the runway in front of the likes of Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall. We caught up with her to find out a little more about her life, loves and plans for the future...

By Holly McNaughton Olivia Inge @ Models 1 Photo: Elmar Krop @ Stickystuff Styling: Renske van der Ploeg @House of Orange Make-up/hair: Hester van Overbeeke @ERA Mngmt

82

Winter 2013

First off, can you tell us a bit about your first foray into the fashion world?

My first job was for Vivienne Westwood’s Red Label. The show was incredible.

It was held in the Ballroom at The Dorchester. I probably looked more like Bambi than a Brazilian Bombshell, but I’ve since perfected the walk and challenge anyone to a walk off!!

The experience will live with me forever. It was thrilling to be on centre stage in Aunt Viv’s gorgeous clothes. Compared to my previous stage efforts of playing Man 3 or Background Dancer in school plays, this was a welcome break.

The fashion industry and people within it are constantly shrouded in criticism, how did/d you deal with this and how has it affected you as person?

The thing with creative industries like fashion, is that they don’t conform.

They set the trends but that is not their incentive. Neither is money. The good ones don’t give a toss about money. It’s all about the art. But the critics don’t understand them so they paint them in a negative light. This, unfortunately, resonates more with the public than the positivity and the beauty that comes from this inspiring art.

The only time I’ve felt criticism has been over my weight. When the “size zero” debate was sparked, models were tarred with being responsible for it – I was verbally abused in the streets. It was retarded. Lily Cole bore the brunt of it, she had insane press over her weight, but she was never that skinny. She had a great body which she looked after. We, in the West, tend to isolate fluxes and make them into issues. The only thing we need worry about is being healthy. Fat is modern.

You had a small role in the James Hunt film, Rush – was acting something you had always wanted to break into?

It is a well trodden path from modelling into acting, and one that, as an idea, I flirted outrageously with. Working with Ron Howard was a hoot. I felt extremely proud of that film. Although my line was dropped I was still a part of a piece of cinematography that told a touching story that warmed the cockles of everyone I know who saw it. I would jump at the chance at being a part of something that good.

Winter 2013

83

The Gentleman’s Journal LIFESTYLE

You’ve recently started a degree in Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, what prompted you to do this at this stage in your career, and what do you plan to do with the degree once you complete it?

I thank my lucky stars modelling gave me the time to work out what it was I really wanted to do. I highly recommend a “gap decade”.

When it came to deciding my future career, I was no wiser at 16 than at 26. My father, a true gentleman in every sense of the word, told me to follow a path that I would enjoy. I whole heartedly implore every kid to do the same.

Once I have my degree, I intend to open a Temple of Health, preferably in a tipi in the middle of Regents Park. We will offer all kinds of medicine that pisses the pharmaceutical giants off - the kind that won’t rot your liver or give you horrible side effects. The kind that nature intended for our use, the kind that treats the individual person’s needs.

Of all the places you’ve travelled to which has been your favourite?

84

Winter 2013

Tokyo. I love Tokyo. It is organised chaos in its most fabulous form.

Describe your ideal day in London?

My ideal day would be a sunny one, spent with friends drinking lovely cider and eating delicious food in a park with a pond (Hampstead Heath) we can all jump in, with kids and dogs running around and my lover at my side. Then, when the sun sets we would go to a pub, try not to get thrown out and then all back to mine for a house party. BOOM!!!

What do you do to unwind?

I love to have a massage. It is the ultimate stress buster. I love Michelle Roques O’Neil’s treatments, she has the right amount of soft and strong strokes. I float out of the room.

What do you think makes a Gentleman?

The clue is in the title...a gentleman is exactly that - gentle. He is kind, courteous, opens doors for ladies whatever their size, shape, smell. He is witty, never arrogant. He never grasses. He is always well turned out. If the

conversation is flowing and good but the point wrong, he will withhold the correct answer - a gentleman doesn’t need to be a know it all.

He is smart and reliable. And he should wear a hat. Not enough gentlemen wear hats. To summarise, he is not unlike my boyfriend.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

I hope to be living in a tipi in the middle of London or failing that, in my beloved Somerset. Or failing that a beach near the equator. Ultimately, I hope to continue being happy.

And finally, tell us something we don’t know about you?

Something you don’t know about me? I can skip backwards.

30

LIFESTYLE The Gentleman’s Journal

THE

ALL TIME

BE ST GENTLEMEN

N I KI L AUDA The undeniable King of comebacks, and perhaps the only F1 driver to skip races for having already won 1st place! The epic biopic Rush, released in September, was as epic as the rumours of his iconic red cap’s price tag!

WINSTON CHURCHILL

IAN FLEMING

He defined our country; an unconventional gentleman, a brilliant wartime leader and a truly Great Briton. Thank you Winston - the V-sign will remain cool in perpetuity.

Educated at Eton and Sandhurst, he experienced wartime service in the Secret Intelligence Service and worked on Operation Goldeneye. The novels he wrote continue to inspire, and we only wish we could have shared a Vodka Martini with him.

Winter 2013

85

The Gentleman’s Journal LIFESTYLE

BE RNARD MONTGOME RY A man responsible for the fate of many. He was a Field Marshal during WWII, and took charge of the Desert War. He had a plethora of ribbons, and his service was unrivalled at the time.

PETER BEARD Beard photographed everything from African wildlife to Mick Jagger’s pouting mug, documenting his own life as he travelled from continent to continent whilst hanging out with the likes of Andy Warhol and Jackie Onassis.

86

DUKE OF BEAUFORT

MARK BIRLEY

A descendant of Edward III, he was the previous chairman of Marlborough Fine Art, which might explain his spot on the Rich List.

Or perhaps his beautiful estate at Badminton, earning him the title of President of the British Horse Society.

The creator of a luxury London hospitality empire. He made space for the rich and famous to enjoy their private lives... in private.

Winter 2013

LIFESTYLE The Gentleman’s Journal

D IRK BOGARDE Bogarde was one of the most recognisable and charismatic stars in the history of cinema, and also a terrific writer – we can strongly recommend his Complete Autobiography as a Christmas read. His wit and extraordinary good looks alone would qualify him for this list, even if he hadn’t starred in classics like Ill Met by Moonlight and The Servant.

M U R R AY W A L K E R Having done everything from motorcycleracing to commanding a Sherman tank during the War, Murray has lead an interesting life.

He’s most notable, however, for entertaining us all from the Formula 1 commentators’ box. He is the master of event speech.

THE 10TH DUKE OF BUCCLEUCH

DAV I D B E C K H A M

B R YA N F E R R Y

A man with as many talents as he’s had haircuts. Photographers crowd round him like moths to a flame, and we’re as excited as anyone about what’s next: child number 5 London?! Welcome home David!

Selling out shows, remodelling Roxy Music with a rock/jazz vibe and ageing better than anyone in the business. Bryan is on top, and celebrating hard.

DAV I D AT T E N B O R O U G H

SIR STERLING MOSS

He has lived a life marvelling at nature, which might explain why he’s so determinedly unique.

He appreciates what most of us are yet to even register - the future needs more men like him.

Is there anything more reassuring than that voice?

One of the racing greats. He retired two years ago, but we still anticipate his presence at Goodwood. He once famously compared oldfashioned F1 with sex and salt!

He was the largest private landowner in Europe before his death in 2007, and a keen promoter of countryside improvement. He was far removed from the politics of London, but served as MP for Edinburgh North for 13 years. His estate’s shoot remains one of the finest, almost as entertaining as he used to be.

GEORGE IV We’ve all seen The King’s Speech, but Tom Hooper’s film doesn’t come close to telling the story of Britain’s most dapper monarch.

George was never meant to be king, but his brother’s abdication after just a year on the throne forced him to step in and face some of the greatest challenges the country had ever seen. During the War, George played a quiet but nonetheless crucial role in boosting morale, visiting bomb sites and coming into contact with his subjects like no royal before him.

Winter 2013

87

The Gentleman’s Journal

LIFESTYLE

ROGER FEDERER A tennis legend. A polite and calm gentleman, who takes pride in his appearance. Federer is inspirational to many, us included.

MORGAN FRE E M AN Once a trainee fighter pilot, he will forever remain a Hollywood great. His authoritative voice and cool character cannot be matched.

PEREGRINE WORSTHORNE An honest journalist. No, you didn’t just hallucinate! Peregrine began his career at the Glasgow Herald, subsequently serving on the Times, Telegraph, Encounter and finally the New Statesman. He was thorough, forthright and intelligent. To quote the man himself: ‘a commitment to goodwill is what is missing today in all walks of life, public and private’.

STE PHE N FRY We can’t think of a singular way to describe the man who knows…just about all there is to know. So that’ll have to do! With Christmas coming up, improve the life of a relative with one of his books.

MICHAEL CAINE We happily refer to him as a “national treasure”, but in truth he’s so much more; The accent! the charm! The style! And, obviously, the films. He recently confessed that he plans to retire at 90 - there’s another golden decade to go.

88

Winter 2013

LIFESTYLE The Gentleman’s Journal

NELSON MANDELA There’s a reason why you can’t compile a list of the great and the good that excludes Nelson Mandela – imprisoned by the corrupt and racist authorities for nearly thirty years, you might expect him to have wanted revenge after his eventual release. But no, Mandela forgave and pulled his country together. If that’s not enough to make him one of the great gentlemen, we don’t know what is.

S I R WALTE R R ALE I GH A poet, adventurer and spy, Sir Walter landed himself in the Tower of London twice before finally being executed in 1618. Despite this, he was a gentleman to the last – he famously threw his cloak down over a puddle in order to stop Queen Elizabeth getting her feet wet.

Even his dying words to the executioner were marvellously stoical: ‘Let us dispatch- strike, man, strike!’

DAV I D N I V E N Fleeing Sandhurst for Hollywood, Niven found himself back as a lieutenant in WWII, before becoming one of the best-loved British actors of all time. He was the most stylish man of the era, and the master of the pencil-moustache.

M I C H A E L PA R K I N S O N

COLIN FIRTH

We say bring back Fridays with Parky. The host with the most, he ranks high in the elite broadcasters’ group, and since his departure from our screens, we can’t help but think there’s a big gap.

He gave us Mr Darcy in the lake, an iconic moment of British resilience and charm.

He continues to capture the nation’s heart at Christmas and is increasingly active in his support for charitable causes. As an actor and in person, he is a gentleman of many remarkable traits.

Winter 2013

89

The Gentleman’s Journal LIFESTYLE

ROGER MOORE Mr Bond’s first job was as a knitwear model, prior to being cast as Maverick. His work as Ian Fleming’s longest standing Bond of 12 years has quite rightly earned him the peoples’ vote. Having been much impressed by Audrey Hepburn, he now dedicates his time to supporting UNICEF.

90

Winter 2013

PRINCE WILLIAM

DAV I D F R O S T

It’s clear to see that he’s dedicated to serving the people. Spending so much more of his time travelling throughout the country visiting his soon-to-be subjects, William is a model modern monarch-in-waiting.

He gave us transparent journalism, asking daring questions with exciting consequences.

To reflect on his career for even the shortest of moments fills you with admiration. It’s devastating when someone you know becomes someone you knew, but it’s comforting to know that the feeling is shared by so many.

LIFESTYLE The Gentleman’s Journal

E D D I E R E D M AY N E The ideal Burberry poster boy, his looks are unique, classic and British. He’s now all over the screen, both in Les Mis and as Stephen Hawking in the upcoming biopic. The only question is: what’s next?

Winter 2013

91

92

Winter 2013

LIFESTYLE The Gentleman’s Journal

CITIZEN

BLACK THE STRANGE RISE AND STRANGER FALL OF A MEDIA MOGUL A media mogul, businessman, historian and knight of the realm, Conrad Black could never be accused of lacking ambition. His turbulent rise to power and celebrity makes for a fascinating storyas does his eventual fall. One year after his release from a Florida prison, we take a look back over this most colourful and divisive of figures.

‘You are a criminal! You’re a convicted criminal!’

The scene is a hotel room somewhere in Central London in October 2012. Jeremy Paxman is going in with all guns blazing against Conrad Black, former proprietor of The Telegraph Group, but it’s useless; every new assault augments the drama, redoubles its pugnacity- you can almost feel the spittle hitting your face as Newsnight’s attack dog foams and fumes away on the screen. Black holds firm, raising his voice but eloquently rebuffing Paxman’s patented weave of supercilious disdain and brusqueness. The normally unflappable presenter is becoming bogged down, and the enduring impression is of a man lobbing tennis balls at the walls of a fortress. For one whose name is so tightly welded to the prefix “disgraced media baron”, Black still defends his corner impressively.

At the time of the interview, Black- a decade previously chief executive of the World’s third-largest newspaper group- was in Britain for the first time in seven years. The reason for his return was ostensibly to promote his leviathan second autobiography, A Matter of Principle, but many commentators, notably investigative journalist Tom Bower, perceived the trip as a campaign of rehabilitation, an expedition aimed at re-ingratiating himself into the public life of the country in which he is both a citizen andfor the moment, at least- a life peer. Conrad Black needed a charm offensive- only five months earlier, he was seeing out the end of a prison sentence in Florida, where he had served three years for fraud and obstruction of justice.

Black was born in Montréal in 1944, to Betty and George Montegu Black Jr. George Black had recently been propositioned to work for E.P. Taylor, a local industrialist who would go on to found the Argus Group, once Canada’s largest conglomerate.

For the next fifteen years, Black senior’s rise seemed unstoppable, culminating in a role as president of the largest brewer in the country. Conrad, meanwhile, cannot claim such grand achievements during this period; as a schoolboy, he was withdrawn and rebellious, obsessed with statistics, Napoléon Bonaparte, political oratory and military history.

Richard Siklos speculated in his 1995 biography Shades of Black that this was down to ‘a sense of imprisonment’, and retrospective irony aside, his greatest juvenile achievement was the spectacular theft of a cache of end of year exam papers and their subsequent sale to his classmates. It was, as he joked years later, his ‘first true act of Capitalism’.

By all accounts, Black middled through his history degree at Carlton University in Ottawa too, preferring to establish contact with the sort of milieu he really wanted to be mixing with- that is, people who looked like stepping stones to power and influence. One of the figures Black met in his time in Ottawa was Peter White, an assistant to a

LEFT: Conrad Black relaxing at home

Winter 2013

93

The Gentleman’s Journal LIFESTYLE

minister who shared his ambitions. In 1966, White assisted Black in acquiring his first newspaper, a tiny community title called the Eastern Townships Advertiser, based outside Montréal.

Three years and a decent profit later, White and Black set their sights on another rag, this time the much-larger Sherbrooke Record. As it stood, the Record had debts of close to C$200,000 and was careering towards insolvency. They were joined in their acquisitive partnership by David Radler, a rough-and-ready Montréaler brought in to manage the swingeing cuts they unleashed once the paper was under their control. And what cuts they were: ‘Its staff of 48’, Siklos recorded, ‘was soon pared in half ’. The ruthless cost-cutting and a relentless drive for advertising revenue turned the paper’s fortunes around quickly in spite of the fact that, according to Siklos, the quality of its reporting had declined, leading to a drop in readership.

Soon afterwards, Black scored his first hit of mass exposure. Having met and

94

Winter 2013

befriended JJ Pickle, a US Congressman, he wangled a trip to South Vietnam to interview the country’s president, Nguyen Van Thieu.

The Vietnam War was then at its height, and after the feature appeared in the Record (which was, lest we forget, a local paper with a circulation of less than 8000) it was, to Black’s delight, syndicated across the World.

Black, White and Radler spent the 1970s rapaciously acquiring new titles across the span of Canada. Absurd though it may sound today, owning newspapersparticularly the local monopoly publications Black and his partners were buying- really did make good business sense. As Black explained to the BBC last year: ‘At that time, it had a big profit- and beyond that, it was The News, and therefore it was by definition interesting. It brought you into contact with news makers- you had a ringside seat on everything’.

In 1976, Betty Black died of cancer and George followed her to the morgue ten days later in a bizarre accident to which Conrad himself bore witness. The two had spent the

evening at the family mansion in Toronto, when George, reportedly distraught at the death of his wife, slipped whilst climbing the staircase and crashed through the banister.

While it has been implied that the death was a suicide, Conrad has always maintained that it was a horrific accident- his father, he told Richard Siklos, was no depressive.

George’s 22.4% interest in Ravelston Corp, the company through which the Argus Group was controlled by its directors, passed to Conrad and his brother Montegu.

Argus was a gargantuan of a conglomerate whose reach extended from supermarket chains to mining companies and industrial manufacturing. By the 1970s, the directors of Ravelston had become corrupt and complacent, content with scraping off the profits from Argus, a business giant that Black himself referred to as ‘a tired group of entries- indifferently managed companies in mature industries’. Change was afoot: it was at this time that Black began dating a divorcée named Shirley Walters, and the following November she gave birth to their

LIFESTYLE The Gentleman’s Journal

‘At that time, it had a big profit- and beyond that, it was The News, and therefore it was by definition interesting. It brought you into contact with news makers- you had a ringside seat on everything’.

first child, Jonathan. Any domesticity this ushered into Conrad Black’s life was to be short lived.

It was not, ironically, through newspapers that Black first made the headlines. After the death of Argus Corp’s chairman in 1978, he threw himself into a dramatic but stunningly successful struggle to gain control of the conglomerate; by creating a voter block that represented 70% of the shares, Black was now entitled to issue compulsory purchase notices to other stakeholders, thus ensuring domination of Ravelston, Argus and assets worth over C$4 billion. Despite the enormous controversy that surrounded his takeover (not least because he had borrowed some C$30 million to finance it), TV crews and reporters didn’t slouch to pick up on this unusually loquacious young capitalist. Dubbed the ‘Boy Wonder of Canadian business’, Black was now famous. He married Shirley soon after the Argus triumph and set about searching for his next business conquest.

By the 1980s, the Daily Telegraph

existed in a state of chaos. Although it was Britain’s biggest-selling “Quality”, its finances were in a parlous state; as future editor Charles Moore confirms, its septuagenarian proprietor Lord Hartwell ‘had stayed on too long. It was the market leader, but it was losing an enormous amount of money’. The figures beggar

belief now: despite selling well over a million copies per day, the Telegraph had lost £16 million in the first six months of 1985.

The means of production- huge, outdated presses requiring thousands of workershad not changed significantly in decades, and the print workers’ unions were holding Fleet Street to ransom with threats of strike action. No paper suffered more than the Telegraph, and due to its colossal debts Hartwell was unable to borrow the money to do anything about it.

Black was initially approached to put up a relatively small but crucially needed sum to fund the building of a new, modern printworks in East London. He realised how desperate Hartwell’s situation had become and offered to buy 14% of the paper on the condition that he should have right of refusal over further shares should it need more money. Astonishingly, Hartwell, assured that his problem was solved, agreedbut the losses only got worse. In December, with insolvency imminent, Black bought a majority share of the company and took control of the Telegraph group.

A Liberal in his youth, Black had swung drastically to the Right, becoming a zealous apostle of Neoconservatism.

Now increasingly discredited as a political doctrine, its tenets of cowboy Capitalism and sanctimonious but aggressive foreign policy sucked in many on the right wing in the era of Reagan and Thatcher, both of whom Black venerated unconditionally.

It was thus something of a surprise when he announced the men he had appointed to the editorship of his two new titles: the iconoclastic historian and war correspondent Max Hastings was to take charge of the daily paper, whilst Peregrine Worsthorne, an old-guard Tory who had bemoaned Black’s takeover in the Spectator was to head the Sunday Telegraph. Black himself was uncertain of the decision, but it rewarded him extraordinarily well: not only did it dispel the tweedy fug of the Telegraph’s loyalist Conservative image, but it earned him the trust of many who had him down as a devious control freak.

Black acted with remarkable restraint Winter 2013

95

The Gentleman’s Journal

at the Telegraph, with even his harsher critics acknowledging that he demonstrated good judgment. As veteran political writer Geoffrey Wheatcroft admitted in a Guardian article, ‘It’s worth saying that he wasn’t a bad owner… he never told his editors what to say, or censored his columnists’. Charles Moore, who replaced Max Hastings at the paper in 1995, concurs that ‘there was never any journalistic problem… he respected the role of the editor and backed his choices’.

Indeed, as Dominic Lawson, former editor of the Spectator, wrote, the Telegraph was often at odds with Black’s political sympathies. He presented no objection to Hastings’s decision to sack Carol Thatcher as a columnist, and though he objected to the Telegraph’s preferred Tory leadership candidate Iain Duncan-Smith in 2001, he let it slide. He had a firm belief in his product, and he upheld it admirably. As Moore attests: ‘he very much liked “Quality” papers- he was not entirely focused on the money they generated’.

He nonetheless succeeded in turning the paper’s fortunes around dramatically, increasing circulation and buying further titlesthe Spectator in 1988 and the Jerusalem Post in 1989. It genuinely looked like he might become a credible rival to Rupert Murdoch, and following the latter’s union-smashing move to Wapping, Black followed suit, decamping to a site not far from the new print works that had initially brought him into contact with the British press.

The shares of Hollinger, Black’s holding company, hit an apparently unstoppably upward trajectory, and he became a ubiquitous presence on London’s grander social circuit. At the behest of Andrew Knight, whom he had appointed as the Telegraph’s managing editor, he also developed a strange habit of writing letters to his own papers rather than interfere directly with their editorial content.

Meanwhile, Black had grown estranged from Shirley following their move to London in 1989 and within two years they were divorced. Shirley claimed that in his longing to become one of history’s “great men”, he had stooped to caricature, unable to voice a word unless he considered it sufficiently ‘quotable’. For his part, Black was deeply troubled by her departure and became less manic in his social activities. It was not to last, though. He began seeing Canadian journalist Barbara Amiel in 1991, describing her as ‘preternaturally sexy’, and in July 1992 they were married at Chelsea Registry Office.

Four years Black’s senior and with three husbands behind her, Amiel was born in Britain to a middle-class Jewish family and emigrated to Canada as a teen. Returning to London in the 1980s, she became notorious for her rabidly reactionary columns in the Times and made liberal jaws drop with a piece in Chatelaine Magazine entitled ‘Why Women Marry Up’. In many ways brilliant and unrelentingly ambitious, Amiel was a divisive figure, and it comes as no surprise to learn that many doubted the sincerity of her fourth marriage. The Blacks moved into a Kensington townhouse and knocked through to the next address to create a palace worthy of their “power couple” status. ‘My extravagance knows no bounds’, Amiel told Vogue in 2002, and nobody could accuse her of not putting Black’s money where her mouth was.

Together they spent on a truly galactic scale. They were, wrote Wheatcroft, ‘a couple who seemed to have stepped from the pages of Thackeray or Trollope; Becky Sharpe meets Melmotte, perhaps’.

When the pair was photographed arriving at a fancy dress party in 1999 kitted out as Cardinal Richelieu and Marie Antoinette, few missed the message they were giving out. The farcical image culminated in Black’s 2001 knighthood as he took on the faintly satirical title of “Baron Black of Crossharbour, PC OC KSG”.

The fall, then, was to be all the more punishing. Although the profits of the Telegraph group had taken a beating when Rupert Murdoch lowered the cover price of his titles in 1993, the first real

96

Winter 2013

Winter 2013

97

The Gentleman’s Journal LIFESTYLE

setback came when Hollinger International launched a new paper in 1998. Intended as a voice to ‘unite the right’ in Canada, the National Post burned money from the outset, losing C$100 million in its first two years.

Hollinger had serious debts, and its formidably complicated financial structure, which involved shifting cash and assets back and forth between Ravelston and the relevant parts of the corporate umbrella, was becoming ever more knotty. Black and Radler began selling off local newspapers to pay the balance, and the ever-larger sums of cash were siphoned from the Telegraph to keep Hollinger ticking over. As Bower writes, it was Black’s ‘moment to acknowledge that his bid to rival Rupert Murdoch as a global media player had failed’.

And then something strange happened: following the dot.com crash of 2000, shareholders began complaining about ‘excessive’ payments to Conrad Black and Tony Radler. In 2003, an investigation requested by Hollinger’s directors began and an analyst noticed something was indeed awry with the accounts. In one of many unusual instances, Black sold a stack of Hollinger’s local newspapers to an Alabaman company called CNH, and asked the latter to list $50 million of the $472 million it paid as a “non-compete” fee.

Broadly speaking, a “non-compete” fee is a guarantee not to set up any business that directly rivals those it is selling- it is also tax-free. While the rest of the money was sent to Hollinger’s HQ in New York, most of this fee ended up at Ravelston, the private company run by Black, Radler and the other directors out to profit personally. None of this had been mentioned to the shareholders, who were shocked at what investigator Richard Breeden called a ‘corporate kleptocracy’.

The wolves were out. Black panicked and negotiated to sell the Telegraph, only for the board of directors to sue in order to halt the deal. The judge who presided over the verdict dismissed Black as ‘evasive and unreliable’, leaving him no choice but to resign as Hollinger’s chief executive in November 2003.

Even as the investigation against him at Hollinger was wiping the murk off the accounts, Black’s attention was focused on a tour of bookshops across North America to promote his newly-published biography of Franklin D. Roosevelt. His nonchalance was untenable, though; the Blacks were pressured to sell off assets and were soon living in vastly reduced if still comfortable circumstances. Old friends began to shun them, and to Black’s understandable fury, many who had accepted his hospitality and

98

Winter 2013

leeched off his wealth over the years now carped at his impending Gotterdammerung.

In 2004, the US Securities and Exchange Commission filed a fraud lawsuit against Black, Radler and two other Hollinger executives, bringing eight charges against them. Black and his chauffeur were caught on CCTV removing enormous boxes of documents from the Hollinger office in Toronto, which he would later claim had already been submitted to the auditors. Four more charges were brought against him, as well as an additional count of obstruction of justice.

As Black saw it, he was a victim; he had built up his empire from unpromising beginnings, and saw no reason why he should be answerable to the ingratitude of the vindictive shareholders whom he had so drastically enriched. Even as Hollinger was carved up and sold off, he believed he was being singled out, and a handful of favourable articles in the Canadian and British press only bolstered his titanic sense of injustice.

Tony Radler, meanwhile, had opted to cut his losses and make a deal with the prosecution; In return for a dramatically reduced sentence, he pleaded guilty and owned up to being fully aware of criminal activities. When finally his trial began in Chicago in March 2007, files seized from accounts and personal computers regurgitated ever-more embarrassing details of his spending habits, but still Black remained steadfast in his rococo protestations of innocence.

He didn’t stand a chance. The trial dragged on for four months, and when the jury were called to reach a verdict, they deliberated for twelve days, repeatedly failing to come to a unanimous decision.

Eventually, a compromise was reached: Black was acquitted on nine charges but found guilty of three counts of mail fraud as well as one for obstructing the course of justice. In November 2007, he was sentenced to 78 months in jail, later reduced on appeal to 42 after a further two fraud charges were overturned.

LIFESTYLE The Gentleman’s Journal

Black’s time in prison was punctuated by weekly visits from Amiel and an extremely prolific writing output. He was often pictured smiling, and later claimed to have got along well with other inmates. After his release and attendant deportation from the USA in 2012, Black continues to refer to the two remaining charges as ‘spurious… a fig leaf to try and put a speck of plausibility on this failed prosecution’.

Rumours and clichés have always surrounded Conrad Black, and since the revelations emerged, one particular soundbite has stuck firm: ‘He’s a millionaire who wanted to live a billionaire’s lifestyle’, Andrew Neil told Newsnight, ‘they (Black and Amiel) were multi-millionaires who wanted to be multi-billionaires’, as John Lanchester put it in the London Review of Books, and ‘[he spent] on a billionaire lifestyle for himself and his columnist wife… when in fact [he] was only ever in the multimillionaire class’, according to Henry Porter in the Observer. Great journalists all, but it’s nonetheless understandable that

Black dismissed this to Sky News’s Adam Boulton, who- guess what?- also raised the accusation, as ‘a basic charge by the British media’.

In hindsight, this ‘basic charge’ puts Black into historical context; less than a year after he was sentenced, the markets clattered into anarchic freefall, detonating a subprime mortgage crisis in the USA and a global recession. It wasn’t just Black and Amiel living beyond their means- we were all at it.

While it’s difficult to feel any true sympathy for Conrad Black, the Credit Crunch revealed many characters whose gargantuan avarice and dick-swinging white-collar piracy puts his case into perspective. Next to the technically legal recklessness of, say, Fred Goodwin of RBS, Conrad Black looks like a model of financial probity. That he may feel there are double standards at play in the orthodoxy he had once so readily praised is, if slightly preposterous, not entirely unjustifiable.

By the time you read this article, Black will have launched into his latest venture:

from provincial newspaper owner to fulltime public capitalist to life peer to prisoner (and shower-stall cleaner), Black is now to become- wait for it- a chatshow host. The role somehow seems absolutely ideal for this most confusing and controversial of personalities, yet still his future hangs in balance; in July 2013, the Ontario Securities Commission announced that it was calling Black to yet another hearing in October.

Whether we see him as ‘a remarkable entrepreneur’ (Charles Moore) or the pompous and arrogant swindler of Bower’s narrative, of one thing we can be sure: Black has fulfilled his dream of becoming an historical figure- just possibly not in the manner he envisaged.

by Digby Warde-Aldam

Winter 2013

99

100

Winter 2013

LIFESTYLE The Gentleman’s Journal

J U LI E M E YE R Julie Meyer, originally from Sacramento California, founded the investment firm Ariadne Capital in 2000 and was an early backer of many new media outlets including Skype. Meyer’s financial foresight is about as close to clairvoyance as you’re likely to get, so with half a hope that genius might be contagious, we caught up with her at Ariadne’s Westminster HQ.

What were your interests at school?

I was always a straight-A student. I was trying to be the best at everything. But you have to understand what your strengths are as a person. I think that’s what life is about.

Do you think everybody has the potential to make a unique contribution or do you think it’s about talent?

Every one of the 7 billion people in the World has a unique contribution to make.

We can all see how much opportunity they have to make a difference in other peoples’ lives. I think it’s a shame when people don’t recognise how much they’ve been given.

What was your first success story? What first interested you in business?

I think I learned a lot about business by playing sports. That team spirit, teamwork, and team fitness is very much what I aspire to do give to the companies that I’m involved with. I’ve been told that lots of women entrepreneurs come from a team sports background.

You were on Dragons’ Den.

I saw an opportunity to invest in much more high-growth technology startups, but the BBC were more interested in, like, a new idea for a glass. That’s not what I invest in. I invest in things like Skype. It wasn’t exactly the right fit – but it was fun.

What was it about Skype that made you want to get involved?

When you’re looking around and saying ‘why am I doing this, no one else is doing this?’, sometimes you’re way out ahead. But I’ve kind of made a business of being early.

Where did you get the inspiration to write your book? Was it a gap in the market or was it to impart your wisdom to would-be entrepreneurs?

The World is changing but so many of the structures that still govern it today were set up at the end of the War, and I think this crisis is really going to break down banking, government, whatever. So I decided to say, ‘here’s where the puck is going, this is not what’s happening now, this is where the World is going’, and the sooner we get there, if we roll that future back to the present, more people can win.

Are there any correlating qualities you see in the companies you invest in?

I don’t discount people based on how they look or where they come from or whatever.

When I see people who are not focussed, not persistent, but absolutely obsessed, then I think, ‘wow – I’ve gotta be involved in that, right?’.

What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs?

I would say to them that it’s the most difficult thing you’ll ever do. What’s important is to know yourself. I was a late-bloomer, but I have a high level of ability to take on risk, and sometimes have to remind myself.

And finally, what do you do to unwind?

I go to “entrepreneur country” with my friends. I have friends who are entrepreneurs all over the World, who I’ve just clicked with.

I value the friendships and relationships I have. I’m still the little girl who is curious about what those people think.

By Holly McNaughton Winter 2013

101

The Gentleman’s Journal LIFESTYLE

ART FRAUD A history of fakery

In September in New York, court proceedings unveiled an extraordinary scam that defrauded wealthy art collectors out of up to $80 million. Independent art dealer Glafira Rosales pleaded guilty to selling counterfeit pictures as works from the hands of Abstract-Expressionist pioneers such as Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko. Rosales claimed these pictures came from an Eastern European collector who wished to remain anonymous. She sold them to several prominent galleries, who having apparently ignored all the warning signs, sold them on at a profit to their unsuspecting clients. The works were in fact painted by a Chinese artist living in Queens who had been employed by Rosales since he was discovered painting in the streets of Manhattan in the 1980s.

Art fraud of this kind is not a modern phenomenon. In 1496 Michelangelo doctored a marble figure of Sleeping Cupid, covering it with acidic earth to exploit a market that placed a greater value on antiquities than his own modern works. The rarest and most beautiful objects created by man have always been keenly sought-after and commanded enormous prices on the open market. By its very nature, a work of art is a one-off creation, meaning that the trade is a unique market that relies on

102

Winter 2013

ABOVE: Inspecting the Johannes Vermeer forgery by Van Meegeren.

`In even the most perfect reproduction, one thing is lacking: the here and now of the work of art - its unique existence in a particular place’ - Walter Benjamin

expertise and trust, but can often lack transparency. It is therefore ripe for exploitation by shrewd and greedy individuals.

The story of Han van Meegeren is a captivating example. Born in Holland in 1889, Van Meegeren developed an early passion for the great Dutch painters of the 17th Century. This was deeply at odds with his father’s will, who strictly forbade his son’s artistic development and often forced him to write the phrase `I know nothing, I am nothing, I am capable of nothing’. After forcibly breaking from his father’s control and moving to The Hague to become a painter, the artist witnessed some encouraging early success. However, the art world of the time was moving fast, and critics in thrall to the radical forces of Cubism and Surrealism soon dismissed his works as pastiches of a bygone era. One critic wrote that he was `a gifted technician who has made a sort of composite facsimile of the Renaissance school; he has every virtue except originality’.

These attacks enraged Van Meegeren who felt that his genius had been misjudged. He moved to the South of France where he decided to forge the works of the Dutch masters he so adored, in particular Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675). Although now feted as one of the greatest painters ever to have lived, Vermeer was an artist who had faded into obscurity after his death. By the 1930s his paintings had been rediscovered, but for such a prized artist very little was (and still is) known about his life and work.

Van Meegeren saw an opportunity; not just to copy Vermeer’s works but to create new compositions in the artist’s style and pass them off as undiscovered masterpieces. Assiduous in his preparations, he bought original 17th Century canvases and mixed his own paints from raw materials using old formulas to ensure that they were authentic. He even devised a scheme that involved using Bakelite to create realistic craquelure on the paint’s surface.

In 1937 he sold his first forgery, The Supper at Emmaus, to the Rembrandt Society via an old friend called Dr G Boon for 520,000 guilders (or about $4 million today). The Rembrandt Society consulted expert advisor Dr. Abraham Bredius, who despite initial doubts praised it highly as a genuine Vermeer.

Van Meegeren was ecstatic; he had fooled the very same establishment that had earlier ridiculed him.

Emboldened by this success he continued to paint and sell more and more newly-discovered “Vermeers”.

Van Meegeren’s story came to an extraordinary finale in May 1945, in the aftermath of the Allied

LIFESTYLE The Gentleman’s Journal

victory over the Nazis. In 1942 the artist had sold one of his least convincing Vermeer interpretations, Christ with the Adulteress, to the Nazi banker and art dealer Alois Miedl. Miedl sold it on to Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring for 1.65 million guilders (or about $7 million today), who hid the painting in an Austrian salt mine alongside an enormous stockpile of other looted artwork.

On 17 May 1945 Allied forces entered the salt mine, where Captain Harry Anderson discovered the previously unknown “Vermeer”. The painting was traced back to Van Meegeren, who was thus suddenly cast as a Nazi collaborator and plunderer of Dutch cultural property, and faced significant prison time over these accusations of treason. Confronted with this bleak future he exclaimed: `the painting in Göring’s hands is not, as you assume, a Vermeer of Delft, but a Van Meegeren! I painted the picture’. He was dismissed as a fantasist and a liar. He counteracted these claims by painting his last forgery, in the style of Vermeer, Young Christ in the Temple, in court, in front of an incredulous audience. As horrified museums around the world discovered the fraud, the Dutch public delighted in his story, particularly in duping war criminal Göring. According to a contemporary account, when Göring was informed that his “Vermeer” was actually a forgery, `[he] looked as if for the first time he had discovered there was evil in the world’.

Compared to Van Meegeren’s painstaking efforts, forging modern works is in principle far easier.

Abstract art, with its prioritisation of concept and

theory over technical accomplishment, has made the job of the forger a relatively simple task. The art world has thus built up checks, scientific analysis and laws to counteract the problem and most major modern artists have an official accreditation body that give judgement on a work before its sale. This nominally addresses the conflicts of interest and lack of available expertise that allowed the likes of Van Meegeren to slip through the net.

It does not, however, address the oft-repeated question of how an object can be so valuable and seemingly unique if it is possible to create a copy that very few can tell apart. To understand why, you must acknowledge that a work of art is not just an object, but an expression of the particular time and place of its creation and its creator’s will. If you were handed a scrap of paper with an indistinct signature on it, you might be inclined to throw it away. But if you were then told it was Napoleon’s or Muhammed Ali’s, it would suddenly assume a far greater importance. The context in which art is created and the inadequacy of fakes is just an extension of this. We are drawn to the process of creation and the way that beauty enhances civilization. It is a cause for celebration that originality, the essence of creation, is prized in society over copying and that so much effort and energy is spent certifying the true source of an object and its place in history. The eventual discovery of Rosales’s practices is a sign that, hopefully, cheats and frauds will always be caught out. It is only if we champion the true creative forces that came before us, that genius and originality in our time can flourish.

Milo Dickinson

THIS PAGE CLOCKWISE: Fake Mark Rothko, counterfeit Jackson Pollock painting, Gloria Rosales (centre) leaving Manhattan Federal Court with her lawyers.

Winter 2013

103

The Gentleman’s Journal LIFESTYLE

OBJECTS OF

DESIRE

4

1962 FERRARI 250 GTO DASHBOARD

5

FERRARI 275 GTB/4 BERLINETTA

6

J CRAFT TORPEDO

£395 pullman editions.com

£POA

F IVE OBJE C T S WE WI SH WE OWNE D RIGHT NOW

1 Duck Head Bottle Opener - £700 Duck Head Wine Stopper - £775 www.Asprey.com

2 £100,000+ ronaldphillips antiques.com

3

£22,000 cadogan contemporary.com

DUCK HEAD BARWARE ACCESSORIES

Asprey have always produced top-end homeware and jewellery, so if you're stuck for a gift for your mother, look no further. Their Duck Head barware accessories, including this bottle opener and wine stopper in sterling silver, would make fine additions to any dining room over the Christmas season.

€850,000+ j-craftboats .com

FINE EARLY 19TH CENTURY DESK

If you fancy yourself as a bit of a big boss, this one’s for you. Attributed to Gillow, this fine early 19th Century mahogany pedestal desk would be a welcome asset to any great office. This beautiful desk has lobed corners and is cross-branded in mahogany and lined with gold-tooled faded red leather.

BATHERS ON THE STAIRS, OIL ON CANVAS, 60” X 44”

Although Sargy Mann completely lost his eyesight after developing cataracts at 36, it didn’t keep him away from the palette.

His paintings are now more acclaimed than ever, with a celebrity following and cult status. They are regularly on show at the Cadogan Contemporary gallery. www.cadogancontemporary.com

1 104

Winter 2013

Trying to spice up your pad with a bit of artwork? Pullman Editions, the print arm of London’s Pullman Gallery, is the place to start. Pullman Editions designs, commissions and publishes original luxury vintage posters, like this 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Dashboard.

What car shouts “style!” louder than a Ferrari? This particular 1967 model is a USA Platinum Concours award winner, and is reputably one of the best examples of its kind in the World. Finished in Ferrari’s classic Rosso Red, this car would turn the head of even the most committed cyclist.

JD Classics have six showrooms all of which are filled with classic exotica. check out the collection on www.jdclassics.co.uk

A legendary name in the boating world, J Craft should need no introduction.

The Torpedo should be high on the list of any man who has a passion for the sea. J Craft’s excellence is unparalleled, and it shows in the distinctive style, fine craftsmanship and exquisite materials on display here. J Craft announced a partnership with Rolls Royce in 2013 we’re waiting on the edge of our seats to see the outcome.

LIFESTYLE The Gentleman’s Journal

2

3

5

6

4 Winter 2013

105

The Gentleman’s Journal LIFESTYLE

THEO FENNELL On Jewellery, Design and Business

106

Winter 2013

LIFESTYLE The Gentleman’s Journal

W

ell, obviously for weeks at a time I sold my body!', Theo Fennell jokes when we ask him the secret to staying in fashion. Modesty aside, Fennell's brand is a true anomaly- a genuinely World-renowned jewellery business patronised by everyone from Helen Mirren to David Beckham that still proudly operates around the principles of traditional craftsmanship and close co-operation. We joined him at his West London HQ to find out how he beat the odds in his own, inimitable style.

How did you first get into the business? What was your starting point?

My starting point really was I left art school having studied portrait paintingat which I was incredibly inept- and realised I had to get a job. I had that terrible realisation that everybody else was sort of working for a living and y'know, paying their rent and that one is a useless piece of shit in the great scheme of life.

Then a great aunt of mine sent me an advertisement for someone who was looking for a designer- an old, established silver company- and as I had no other offers of employment, I went along- and they offered me the job, to my absolute amazement. When I went down to the workshop I just fell in love with it.

And was that why you have your workshop on-site here?

Completely. It was obvious to me that you can't design jewellery unless you're intimately involved with the whole process. I find this whole new process of somebody designing things in Geneva and then sending things to the board and two years later some horrible little thing comes out and gets a big name stamped on it and ends up in an airport. That- to me- is just not jewellery.

Tell me about the very cool bespoke cufflinks that you're selling... Do you have a pair?

I normally wear buttons - I'm a bad advertisement! It just occurred to us, really, that there's not that much for guys to buy, and that it would be great to do some cufflinks that were genuinely bespoke and to get them really well-made. On the whole cufflinks aren’t well-made, guys put up with some pretty sloppy work. But I think men really want to get involved in the whole process, to see the workshop and know that their cufflinks have been made by a craftsman rather than banged out by a tool in Taiwan- which most cufflinks are. They can have their racing

“I THINK MEN REALLY WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN THE WHOLE PROCESS, TO SEE THE WORKSHOP AND KNOW THAT THEIR CUFFLINKS HAVE BEEN MADE BY A CRAFTSMAN RATHER THAN BANGED OUT BY A TOOL IN TAIWAN”

colours, on the horse, they can have the view from their yacht, they can have the view from their window. So we have binoculars, we have portholes, we have aeroplane windows. It can be the sights on a fighter plane, it can be the rear view mirror of their car- all hand-painted.

The process is three or four really great craftsmen conjoining to make one piece- it kind of goes with the idea of having a suit made, the idea of going to a tailor. There's a huge renaissance in that, and we wanted to offer something of that Savile Row ink.

Are men are getting bolder about wearing jewellery?

Men will come back from holidays with four or five things that got put on their wrist on the beach and wear them with some kind of pride- because they can give themselves an excuse- they feel justified because they're not being too silly, or too 'artistic', as it were. Guys are much more prepared to wear things now- it's all much more inventive than it was. And somebody who even five years ago wouldn't have thought of wearing jewellery does.

Do you identify more with fashion or with art?

Essentially I think proper jewellery should be considered closer to an art form than

Winter 2013

107

The Gentleman’s Journal LIFESTYLE

fashion, because fashion by its very nature is ephemeral, whereas this kind of thing should last forever.

And what's the best piece of business advice you've ever been given, and what advice would you give to someone starting their own business?

'Marry a rich woman'- I think that's probably the best piece of advice I didn't take! The important things in any business are common sense and tenacity. You've gotta keep at it. You've gotta be bright enough to succeed- it goes without saying.

Talent is important in a creative businessbut it's not 100%- it's maybe 20%.

What's the oddest request you've ever had?

I've genuinely had so many odd requests that it's almost impossible to list them.

Some of the things that we don't think of as being very odd would, for the

vast majority of jewellers, seem like the weirdest thing they've ever seen.

So you've never turned down a request‌ On humanitarian grounds, we might do.

And sometimes on good taste, if truth be known‌ Where do you see yourself and the business in five years?

I just like to think that in five years we'll be making ever better and more experimental stuff, and that the business will still be working from the inside out. From the heart, which is the studio in the workshop, pumping out really good, creative new things.

And your proudest personal achievement, last of all?

Throwing a cricket ball, in 1962, when I had a bad hand. I didn't tell anybody, but I was quite brave about it.

By Violet Hudson

108

Winter 2013

theo fennell Cufflinks should be a wonderful way to wear your heart on your sleeve. They can be as chic and understated or as theatrical and complicated as you like. They should be a statement of your personality and bring you joy each time you put them on. We design new cufflinks all the time and make them in our sensationally talented workshop here, above the flagship store, in the Fulham Road... do come and look around.

Opal and Diamond, Diamond Cufflinks

Rock Crystal lightbulb Cufflinks

White Diamond Salamander Cufflinks

Hand Enamelled Plane Cufflinks

Mammoth Bone Skull Cufflinks

Hand Enamelled Salmon Cufflinks

Crystal Carved Intaglio Moon Cufflinks

Hand Enamelled Number 10 Opening Door Cufflinks

Hand Enamelled Swivel Keyhole and Diamond Cufflinks

© theo fennell plc copyright

We also make bespoke pieces from scratch, our extrodinary craftsmen can make pretty much anything and you can oversee the process. These are proper pieces of men’s jewellery, made with huge skill, wit and orginiality to last for generations.

1. Select a Style

2. Find your inspiration

3. And we’ll do the rest

london . 169 fulham road . harrods . burlington arcade . selfridges . royal exchange t +44 (0)20 7591 5000

www.theofennell.com

THE GENTLEMAN’S ETIQUETTE

HOW NOT TO KILL YOUR FAMILY OVER CHRISTMAS

Think rationally — come on, channel your inner Dawkins here! — and reflect on what we get up to at this most expensive time of year; hands up turkeys’ arses, psychotically awful singing and the institutionalised duty to lie to children about an obese man in the chimney — it's less a religious festival, more a particularly disturbing outtake from Apocalypse Now. If it's suddenly starting to seem like some sort of barbaric pagan ritual, remember this and remember it well- that's precisely what it is.

Colonel Kurtz's anguished cries ('The Horror! The Horror!') still don't quite approximate the mental state with which even the most gregarious of individuals approach the prospect of spending any more than seven minutes with their extended family. Anyone who claims they've never come down with at least a touch of the Fred Wests over the, ahem, “Festive” season is to be treated with extreme suspicion — not only are they lying, but they're also displaying sure signs of criminal tendencies. But fear not! The Gentleman's Journal is at hand to guide you through the wine-dark days of Advent and beyond. Here, in five familiar and potentially tragic scenarios, we present our guide to keeping your cool when handling sharp and heavy objects around your (usually-) loved ones this Christmas...

SCENARIO

If your experience is anything like ours, the preparations for Christmas lunch alone are enough to make you feel empathy with the soldiers at Stalingrad.

Every family has two control freaks, who spend most of the year cheerfully (and not a little obsessively) avoiding one another. You think it's sad that you rarely see them in the same room until, on the morning of December 25th, you walk into the kitchen and find you've stumbled into a Mexican standoff. Relative A is politely explaining that, not to worry, he'll just pop on the oven gloves and get on with making his award-winning roast potatoes and World-beating turkey. Great! You say, before Relative B starts to insist that really it's no bother, she can handle everything — and don't even think of laying your hands on those sprouts. She means it, too. The strain is making their

110

Winter 2013

voices creak, and you can tell they've been conducting these fruitless — indeed, foodless — negotiations for some time.

And did I mention they are both holding carving knives?

Give it ten more minutes and the gossamer-thin veil of politeness will be ripped to shreds — you have to think fast. You play King Solomon and try to convince them to split the duties, but it's no good — this is all or nothing.

You realise with alarm that there is only one option left to you: you must work your way around them and start preparing lunch yourself. They will storm off together the best of friends, united by their new-found hatred for you.

A triumph! The food will be rubbish, obviously, but at least you won't find scraps of your uncle's intestinal tract in the bread sauce.

SCENARIO

Sometimes a relative (an uncle, always a bloody uncle) will give you or someone else in the family something so inappropriate and/or boring that it borders on the comical. You, of course, will always be tactful enough to excuse yourself before heading next door to laugh your lunch out through the nostrils. What happens, though, when you become that uncle? You can't, after all, rely on your snotty little nieces and nephews to maintain quite the same composure in the face of adversity. Children’s retail is a foreign country to you, and your own memories aren't much help either — isn't everybody always going on about how sophisticated kids are supposed to be these days? You are bound to fail in your endeavour to buy cool presents — that, I'm afraid, is a given. How, though, are you going to react to someone else's five year old bawling into your ear for the rest of the day? Don't do anything too rash like throw cash at them — the ungrateful little pests will bleed you dry. Instead, threaten to call in Gordon Brown to read them a bedtime story later — trust us, it'll shut 'em up good and proper.

THE GENTLEMAN’S ETIQUETTE

SCENARIO

Did you get a bonus this December? If so, how big was it? Should the respective answers be something to the tune of 'Hell Yeah!' and 'Maaaaaaaaaaaaassive', you can take it for granted that at least half your family will resent you for it. This presents something of a problem — do you shower them with snazzy presents and cash, or do you play nonchalant? You'll look like a show-off in the first case and a miserable bastard in the second. The only real hope is that you can perform some act of extraordinary heroism on Christmas morning, thereby vindicating yourself in the eyes of all and sundry. 'No-one deserved that bonus more than he did', they will coo, admiringly, as you save a cat from being run over or single-handedly put out the fire that threatened to burn down the church. Should no opportunity to prove your valour present itself, don't worry; just “arrange” for one to happen with your bonus!

Why so surprised? You did say it was 'Maaaaaaaaaassive', didn't you?

throbbing and you don't have much time. Think, man, think! As if by divine instruction, you start lying so fantastically that she laughs and says she can't remember where the loo is. You've saved yourself, and however weird you've just made yourself look, you can always claim you were drunk.

SCENARIO

Finally! It’s Christmas lunch. If you haven’t already alienated a sizeable percentage of your family whilst turning the potatoes to gloop and incinerating the turkey (see SCENARIO 1), this is supposed to be the nice bit of the ordeal. On no other day of the year do you have carte blanche to get shitfaced on top quality claret and weird alcoholic puddings at lunchtime. Having knocked back your first glass slightly too quickly, you might reasonably ask yourself why people don’t do this sort of thing more often. The question answers itself with remarkable speed; no sooner have you refilled your glass than your normally teetotal father bursts into a very loud rendition of... hang on, what’s he trying to sing? Oh dear God, please, please, please not Cher’s Believe! But it’s too late- he’s even doing the autotune noise. If you dared interrupt, you’d take him outside and throw a bucket of water in his face. But this is too much, even for us at the Gentleman’s Journal. No, there’s only one thing for it- abandon your dinner and run.

SCENARIO

You have now been at the family home for a full 48 hours, and those half-forgotten relatives are still turning up in force. You have repeated your answer to the inquiry 'what are you up to at the moment' approximately 7,469 times and you swear that if it comes once more, you'll do something unspeakable with the ornamental mallet your grandfather has mysteriously given you for Christmas... but then your favourite aunt rocks up, runs straight for you and — No! For the love of God, No! — pops the question.

You can feel yourself trembling with rage. You have to restrain yourself, but at the same time, one more repetition, you're sure, will send you spare. She's now looking at you rather strangely — you realise that your temples are

By Digby Warde-Aldam Illustrations by Bryn Parry www.brynparrystudios.com

Winter 2013

111

The Gentleman’s Journal

112

Winter 2013

LIFESTYLE The Gentleman’s Journal

N I CK JO N E S Nick Jones changed the image of the members’ club forever when he opened Soho House in 1995, and his club and restaurant empire now has outposts acoss the globe. Why, then, has he diversified into the world of grooming? We caught up with him to find out.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?

My kids. And creating spaces where people genuinely seem to want to eat, drink and hang out.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced?

How did you overcome it?

My first endeavour flopped miserably. I had to just pick myself up and jump back on the horse.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Undersell and over-deliver.

What advice would you give your younger self, if you were starting out in business now? And what advice do you give to young people who want to start their own businesses?

Talk to as many people as you can. Get as much relevant experience as you can. And work as hard as possible, it doesn’t come easy.

How have you managed to keep Soho House relevant and desirable during a recession?

Soho House has always set out to be a home from home, members are always welcomeregardless of their spend. We’re a community and I think that’s what’s kept us going.

How do you keep your ideas fresh? Where do you find inspiration?

I’m always exploring different cities to see what’s going on and surrounding myself with creative people. I recently started working on collaborations with people who inspire me; at the Electric and Soho Bar & Diner, we collaborated with Brendan Sodikoff, a fantastic chef from Chicago. It’s been a great learning experience and something that I’ll definitely do again.

What’s your favourite place in the world?

My home in Oxfordshire.

What do you take with you when you travel to remind you of home?

I’m a light traveller- iPad, phone, hand luggage!

How do you relax?

I’m most relaxed at home with family and friends.

Why is grooming important to you?

We fell into grooming accidentally down at Babington House in 1998 with our spa and beauty brand, Cowshed. I soon realised that be it a routine necessity or a treat, grooming genuinely makes men and women feel good about themselves, which for me is why it’s so important.

Why did you choose ‘barbershop grooming’ for Neville?

There has been a recent revival of the classic barbershop as men are increasingly investing more time in grooming. I love the old fashioned sentimentality of the traditional British barbershop and this is a routine I wanted to update and make available again.

What’s the story behind the packaging?

The main inspiration was taken from old liquor bottles wrapped in brown paper bags.

We wanted to capture this essence in Neville and create an authentic and timeless no-fuss British brand.

Tell us about Barber & Parlour, the new grooming space in Shoreditch House...

Barber & Parlour grew out of the need to offer the modern man a unique grooming experience, steeped in British barbershop tradition and heritage. Building Neville from an actual grooming experience helps to add authenticity to the brand too.

What’s your favourite Neville product?

I love Clean & Shave, it’s a 2-in-1 timesaver, which very efficiently acts as a facewash and shaving foam. The foam is clear, which is great if you’re in a rush, because you can see where you’re going with the razor.

How involved were you in the development and design of Neville?

Very involved- as I am with all my projects. We work very much as a team, but I had a clear idea in mind- and, I have to say, enjoyed being a guinea pig for this one!

Winter 2013

113

CHAMPAGNE

COCKTAILS

Champagne and celebrations go hand in hand, so we’ve chosen four of the best champagnes which must be on your menu this winter, simply serve chilled and watch the evening unfold. With the cold drawing in, it’s also time to bring some heat to the home, so we asked Alistair Frosty and Claude Compton, managers at London’s Amuse Bouche, one of West London’s most popular champagne and cocktail bars, to create four festive cocktails to kick off the party season…

114

Winter 2013

The Gentleman’s Journal

BLACKBERRY SMASH 30ml

Chivas Regal

Whisky 5 Blackberries Mint Leaves Torn ½ Red Plum Peeled & Diced 15ml Sugar Syrup 15ml Cointreau

Muddle together berries, pear and mint, and shake together with Cointreau, sugar syrup and Chivas Regal Whisky. Strain over tumbler with ice. Garnish with honeycomb & mint.

WHITE CHOC SCHOOLBOY 15 ml Grand Marnier Table spoon White Chock Powder 10 oz Milk

Heat & froth the White Choc powder, milk & Vanilla Vodka.

Garnish with parsnip sliver & black pepper.

DAMSON DARLING Shake Gun Dog Gin, Cassis & fresh lemon juice.

Strain over ice & fill with champagne. Garnish with damsons, lemon peel, lime peel and a sprig of mint

25 ml Gun Dog Gin 15 ml Crème de Cassis 15 ml Lemon Juice 15 ml Sugar Syrup 50 ml Champagne

SOUR APPLES & SWEET PEAR 50 ml Chase Vodka 25 ml Sour Apple Puree 25 ml Sweet Pear Puree 15 ml Ginger Syrup

Shake & strain all ingredients together. Strain into glass and garnish with grilled pear & cinnamon stick.

30ml Vanilla Vodka

CHAMPAGE Ruinart Ruinart.com Louis Roederer champagne-roederer.com Krug krug.com Dom Perignon domperignon.com Dom Perignon 2004 Champagne - £120

Winter 2013

115

PARMESAN AND THYME BRUSSELS SPROUTS 300g Brussels sprouts, stalk trimmed and outer leaves peeled 100g Panko breadcrumbs 50g Plain flour 2 Eggs, Beaten well 1 tbsp Picked thyme leaves 50g Grated parmesan Freshly milled black pepper Table salt for blanching Oil for deep frying

Bring a medium sized pan of salted water to the boil. Add the sprouts and cook for 1 minute. Remove, strain and place in iced water until cool (approximately 5 minutes). Drain well and pat dry.

Heat your fryer or frying oil to 180째C. Place the flour, breadcrumbs and beaten egg into three separate, medium sized bowls. Add the thyme, parmesan and pepper to the breadcrumbs and mix well. Place a few sprouts into the flour, remove any excess flour from each one then roll in the egg mix, coating well.

Remove any excess egg mix and roll the sprout into the crumb mix. Repeat the egg and breadcrumb coating and set the sprout aside. Repeat the process with all remaining sprouts. Fry in batches until golden brown.

116

Winter 2013

CULTURE The Gentleman’s Journal

LINCOLNSHIRE HASLET MAKES 1 TERRINE, 12 LARGE SLICES, 48 CANAPÉ PORTIONS 25g Butter 2 Onions, peeled and finely sliced 200g Boneless pork belly 200g Boneless pork shoulder 200g Pork liver 60g Sliced lardo 60g White breadcrumbs Leaves from 1/4 bunch of sage, finely chopped 1 tsp Grated allspice A little oil for frying Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat a medium-sized frying pan with the butter. When foaming, add the onions with a good pinch of salt. Cook over a moderate heat until the onions are soft and nicely browned.

Remove from the heat and set aside.

Mince together the pork belly, shoulder and liver on the coarsest setting on the mincer.

Preheat the oven to 120°C and leave the ends of the lardo slices hanging over the rim of the mould so you can later fold them back on top of the mix.

Mix together the meat, breadcrumbs, onion, sage, allspice and some salt and pepper. Fry a little of the mix to check for seasoning; adjust if necessary. Pack the mix into the lined terrine mould, then fold over the lardo ends. Wrap the entire mould with foil, then set it in a bain marie or roasting tin half filled with hot water.

Place in the oven and cook for about 1 hour, until the core temperature reaches 64°C; check this using a probe. Remove from the bain marie. Set something heavy on top that

will press the haslet evenly, then place in the fridge and chill overnight.

To serve cut the haslet into 1cm slices then each slice into four. Serve with cranberry jelly on slices of toast.

The terrine can be kept for 7 days (store it in the fridge).

HOT SMOKED SALMON, JUNIPER AND RYE SERVES12 160g Hot smoked salmon, gently flaked 50g Good quality mayonnaise 1 tbsp Chopped dill Juice and zest of ¼ of a lemon 2 Juniper berries, toasted and grated 1 tbsp Finely diced fennel Dill sprigs to garnish RYE CRISPS 50g Water ½ tsp Honey 25g Wholemeal flour 50g Rye flour A pinch of salt

Begin by making the rye crisps; mix all of the dry ingredients together. Dissolve the honey in the water then add to the dry mix.

Knead until it forms a ball then cover with clingfilm and rest for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Take 2 sheets of parchment paper, the same size as a baking tray. Dust the rye crisp mix with a little plain flour then roll thinly between the two sheets of parchment, to about 3mm thick. Place on the baking tray and place in the oven until cooked through – approximately 10 minutes. Slice into triangles while still warm, or break naturally if you prefer.

For the salmon mix, combine the mayonnaise, herbs, spices and lemon together. Fold through the salmon and check the seasoning, adjust if necessary. Spoon onto the rye crisps and garnish with a small sprig of dill.

Winter 2013

117

The Gentleman’s Journal CULTURE

DORSET CRAB, SPICED PEARS AND CHESTNUT TARTLETS MAKES 12 CRAB 160g Picked white crab meat 2 tbsp Good quality mayonnaise 1 tsp Lemon juice 1 tbsp Brown crab meat Salt and freshly ground black pepper SPICED PEARS 2 Ripe but firm pears 100g Caster sugar 100ml Water juice of 1 Lemon 1 Cinnamon stick 3 Cloves 2 Star anise 25g Cooked chestnuts 12 Small savoury tartlet cases

Begin by cooking the pears- note, you only need half a pear, so the rest can be used to have with cheese or into a crumble. Put the sugar, water, lemon juice and spices in a pan and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer.

Peel and quarter the pears and remove the core. Place in the simmering syrup, cover closely with a disc of greaseproof paper to keep the pears immersed in the syrup.

Simmer gently until tender. Remove from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, lift the pears into a bowl. Cool them and the syrup separately, then store the pears in the syrup.

For the crab, mix the brown crab meat with the mayonnaise and lemon juice, then fold through the white crab meat. Season to taste.

Finely dice half a pear and add to the crab mix. Finely chop all but 2 of the chestnuts and add to the crab mix also. Fill the tartlet cases with the mix then, using a microplane, shave the remaining chestnuts over the top.

DEVILISH ANGELS 12 12 12 12

Rashers streaky, smoked bacon Large, soft prunes Water chestnuts Cocktail sticks

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Place a water chestnut on top of each prune then wrap the bacon around. Secure with a toothpick and repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Place on a baking tray and bake until crispy, approximately 8 minutes.

118

Winter 2013

CULTURE The Gentleman’s Journal

BOULESTIN RESTAURANT REVIEW Can the restaurant become as legendary as the name?

There has been a flurry of restaurant openings in recent months, but one in particular has caught my eye. Not for its location, theme or food, but simply for its name.

Boulestin is the brainchild of veteran restaurant entrepreneur Joel Kissin, who is also responsible for some of the capital’s best-known establishments, including The Bluebird and Quaglino’s. With this latest venture, he has once again made a statement - the restaurant takes its name from the legendary Xavier Marcel Boulestin.

Marcel Boulestin was a jack of practically all trades, from writing to interior design and even did a spell in the military, but it was food where he really made his mark. An anglophile, Boulestin moved from Paris to London in 1906 and in 1923 achieved fame when he published his first cookbook. Then, in 1925, he opened a restaurant in Covent Garden which became an overnight success, and a favourite of the rich and famous of the day.

The new Boulestin is a tribute to the man himself, and one that I think he would have been proud of. Situated in the depths of clubland in what is known as the wrong end of St James’s Street, the location

itself is an homage to the past. From an understated yet inviting facade, you enter what can only be described as a grand and glamorous interior. The restaurant seemed fairly quiet on the Monday night that we visited, which is not surprising as due to its location it will rely on word of mouth and recommendations to fill its tables.

The food is classic French cooking at its best with dishes such as Canapés d’Anchois, Confit de Canard, Cassoulet and Veal Cutlet all staking a place on the menu. With this type of cuisine, it’s the execution that counts as you’re essentially being judged against variations of dishes sampled many a time before. While our starters of Soupe de Poissons and Severn & Wye Smoked Salmon were perfectly nice, it was the main and dessert where I saw what Boulestin was capable of. I chose the RibEye steak - as good a test of the standard of cooking as anything. The result was a perfectly cooked steak, both juicy and flavoursome - I would go so far to say it was one of the most superb bits of meat I have had in recent months. The desserts were equally well-executed, with classics such as Lemon Cheesecake, Tarte Légère aux Pommes and Sauternes Custard all present and correct on the menu.

The wine list is as you would expect in a French restaurant - long and confusing at times, but you can tell that some real thought has gone into the diverse selection. The service was good if a little over-attentive for my liking, though I suspect this was down to a quiet Monday night and an over-eagerness to please, which is by no means a bad thing.

There will be many cynics out there who will ask whether we really need another French restaurant, and with The Wolseley only a stone’s throw away on Piccadilly, Boulestin has some tough competition.

Kissin, though, is not the sort of man to leave things to chance, and with the kitchen headed by Andrew Woodford, formally of Colbert in Sloane Square (sister restaurant to The Wolseley) and both décor and food well-executed, I can in fact see a place for Boulestin. It’s small enough to remain intimate and discreet, making the perfect location for the business lunches and dinners for which the neighbouring Wilton’s has become so renowned. It also shouts elegance and glamour - all that is needed is some of the Wolseley’s regular celebrity clientèle and the new Boulestin will become as firm a part of London restaurant scene as the original did 78 years ago.

By Harry Jarman Winter 2013

119

The Gentleman’s Journal CULTURE

Winter Diary A couple of the glamorous things we've done in the last few months...

TRAFALGAR SQUARE CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING Every year since 1947, a Christmas tree has been given to the people of London from the people of Norway in gratitude for Britain’s support for them during World War II. For many Londoners the Christmas tree and carol singing in Trafalgar Square signal the countdown to Christmas. This year marks the 67th tree to cross the shores. Nothing better than a spot of tradition to get you and your family and friends into the Christmas spirit!

LONDON ICE SCULPTING FESTIVAL London Ice Sculpting Festival is the 6th annual timed competition between more than 10 international teams of sculptors carving from blocks of ice. Creating magnificent sculptures from glistening blocks of ice, the Festival brings together more than 10 international teams of sculptors from around the globe. In a nod to NASA’s on-going Mars mission they will carve to themes including the Wonders of the Universe and Infinity. There’s also the opportunity to grab a chisel and do a sculpting master-class. Who knows when this skill will come in handy in the future?

Entertainment will be on ice from Tuesday 10th December 2013.

MACMILLAN CELEBRITY CHRISTMAS STOCKING AUCTION Offering the ‘Dream Christmas Stockings’ of eight celebrities, the Celebrity Christmas Stocking Auction is filled with luxury prizes, celebrity glamour and fabulous entertainment.

Start your Christmas celebrations and bid on some fantastic ‘money can’t buy’ items as chosen by celebrities. The evening kicks off with a champagne reception, followed by entertainment and a lavish dinner. Be prepared to bid high! The auction takes place in St Pancras Renaissance Hotel on Tuesday 10th December 2013. macmillan.org.uk

THE NORTHERN LIGHTS The northern lights are one of nature’s great displays: a mysterious, multicoloured show in which the night sky is suddenly lit up with a wondrous glow that twists and swirls. It is one of the great, timeless thrills of travel that many viewers find a humbling and spiritually uplifting experience. The snowy wilds of Canada and Alaska are fine viewing spots, but for most of us it is more affordable to fly to Iceland or northern Finland, commonly known as Lapland. Here it is possible to see the lights from late September to early April, with October to November and February to March considered optimum periods. A threenight break using these flights costs from £1,099 per person. It is a once in a lifetime experience! discover-the-world.co.uk

120

Winter 2013

CRESTA RUN SWITZERLAND Winding its way from St Moritz down a narrow valley to what was the village of Cresta, this eponymous and World-famous attraction is a natural ice run, built from scratch every year with snow which is then iced, as it has been since the Run’s inception in the winter of 1884/85. The St Moritz Tobogganing Club, with its World-wide membership, remains one of the last truly amateur sports for thrill-seekers. Open from Thursday 19th December 2013. cresta-run.com

CULTURE The Gentleman’s Journal

BATH CHRISTMAS MARKET We’ve visited a fair number of Christmas markets in our time but Bath’s comes out on top, providing the perfect atmosphere with the stunning Bath Abbey as the backdrop. For 18 days, the quaint streets are transformed in the lead up to Christmas. More than 150 traditional wooden chalets adorn the streets; each one offering unique, handmade and unusual gifts, decorations and food items.

The market hits town between Thursday 28th November and Sunday 15th December 2013. bathchristmasmarket.co.uk

HYDE PARK WINTER WOND ERLAND Hyde Park becomes a destination for winter festivities as it gets kitted out with a foray of rides and attractions. Whether you are looking to take someone out for a special date or to entertain your family you’ll be sure to win. Enjoy mulled wine and an assortment of traditional treats from the German market, take in the 100,000 lights at night and enjoy an atmospheric evening stroll as you jump between the ice rink, the fairground rides, open fires and ice sculpture display. Takes place between Friday 22nd November and Sunday 5th January 2014.

LONDON SANTACON London Santacon 2013 gathers hundreds of people together dressed as Santa Claus or his reindeer to parade through the centre of the city before congregating at a secret bar location in the evening. The event started as a pub crawl and still progresses via pubs. It also includes a traditional carol singing stunt on the lions in Trafalgar Square just before sunset. Beard up and join the crowd on 14th December 2013.

BATH THERMAE SPA Take a weekend break to Bath and book yourself and partner in to spend a day relaxing in the natural thermal waters at the Bath Thermae Spa. You can relax in two spectacular baths and refresh yourself in a series of aromatic steam rooms. All of the baths are fed by the naturally warm, mineral-rich waters from the springs which have made the city famous. Even when the snow is on the ground you can take in the spectacular views of the city at night-time and get lost in the steam in the heated roof-top pool.

Book in advance by visiting thermaebathspa. com Winter 2013

121

The Gentleman’s Journal CULTURE

GERMANY’S CHRISTMAS MARKETS

LONDON CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL

Germany is home to some of the most popular Christmas markets in Europe, with Berlin alone playing host to around sixty every year. The market at Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche is traditionally one of the most popular, though it could soon be rivalled by the pretty Christmas market in front of Charlottenburg Castle, which has only been running a few years.

Most markets in Berlin are now open, and will run until the end of December. If you like cocoa, mulled wine and the obligatory grilled sausages, this trip is for you.

This winter The Chocolate Festival returns to the Southbank Centre for our 11th gastronomic celebration of all things chocolate. The annual Christmas celebration includes tastings and demonstrations with the highlights this year including the Valrhona Chocolate Afternoon Tea based on Joanne Harris’s international bestselling novel ‘Chocolat’. The festival will provide entertainment and treats for sweettoothed Londoners between Friday 13th December and Sunday 15th December 2013. festivalchocolate.co.uk

ICEHOTEL The famous ICEHOTEL is located in the small village Jukkasjärvi, 200 km above the Arctic Circle and offers what is quite possibly, the most unique sleeping experience of all. Cosy down in your thermal sleeping bag on a bed that is built from ice blocks, a wooden frame and a mattress, topped with reindeer skins.

Surrounded by work made of ice and snow by artists from all over the world, it’s an awesome experience. In the morning you will be awakened with a cup of hot lingonberry juice to help kick-start your day on the ice. It’s really very surreal! icehotel.com

HO’ HO’ HO’ HOT TUB CINEMA CHRISTMAS SPECIAL Push taking a winter dip to its limit and jump in a hot-tub with friends to enjoy a festive film with some bubbly! Why not? The Christmas sessions take place from 3rd – 9th December and will include comedy, classic, romance and a Christmas surprise- Father Christmas and The Polar Express. Tickets for this sell out faster than you can get in the water, so be sure to the grab them soon. But do bear in mind that it’s going to be bloody freezing before you go digging out the speedos.

122

Winter 2013

QUINTESSENTIAL BRITISH LEATHER GOODS SINCE 1934 www.ettinger.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)20 8877 1616

The Gentleman’s Journal TRAVEL

SLOPE OFF THIS WINTER. KIT ZBÜHE L , AUSTRIA This sizeable and attractive town is at the junction of broad, pretty valleys and flanked by partly wooded mountains. The largely car-free medieval centre is a delightful place to wander around after a day on the slopes. The skiable terrain is huge and the ongoing lift renovations have made it much easier to explore.

This season there’s a real focus on the more extreme aspects of skiing and snowboarding, with regular freeriding demos, film nights and week-long lesson programmes with local legend Matthias Haunholder. For more thrills, the 74th Hahnenkamm downhill races will take place between 24 and 26 January 2014. It’s the most exciting course on the world cup circuit, with competitors hitting speeds of 85mph.

124

Winter 2013

WHAT’S NEW IN THE TOP SKI RESORTS FOR THE 2013/14 SEASON.

When the snow began to fall at the beginning of November, dumping unprecedented amounts of the white stuff across the Alps, early indicators suggested that this was going to be another epic season. Last year, European resorts wallowed waist-deep in powder, and pistes in Canada and Japan reported a record-breaking covering- and It looks set to be more of the same this winter.

A slump caused by several years of poor conditions and the bite of the recession is happily now a thing of the past and, as tourist numbers pick up, the mountainside destinations have been heavily investing in infrastructure to cope with the demand and to vastly improve the terrain. We take a look at what’s new at five of the world’s top resorts.

Feature by Alex Dalzell, travel and lifestyle writer at Ten Group (and avid snowboarder). Ten is the world’s largest concierge provider, with professional lifestyle managers – including a team of ski specialists – on hand 24/7 to help you get the most out of life by taking on anything that you don’t have the time or inclination to do yourself.

Please call 0845 02 05270 or look at www.tenlifestyle. com for further details.

TRAVEL The Gentleman’s Journal

WH I S TLE R, CANADA A short and scenic drive from Vancouver, the village sits at the foot of two mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb, which are linked by the glass-floored Peak 2 Peak gondola. Snowfall on both terrains averages 400 inches per season, covering the high open bowls with an incredibly soft champagne powder.

An £11.5 million lift extension has been running throughout the summer and is now complete. There has also been huge investment in the snowmaking machines, meaning the mid-mountain conditions will equal the natural snowfall at the summit. Also, with the Sochi Winter Olympics around the corner the resort is celebrating its legacy with a ‘Ski with an Olympian’ programme, which allows visitorsto hire an Olympic athlete as a tour guide for the day.

MÉRIBEL, FRANCE Occupying the central valley of the world-renowned Trois Vallées network, Méribel is one of France’s most tastefully designed purposebuilt resorts. It’s as well known for its family friendly après-ski as it is for its excellent west-facing slopes, which get a consistent dose of snow and afternoon sun throughout the season.

There have been a number of improvements made for the 2013/14 season, including the widening of the main piste, Doron, which will make the final run of the day a lot less busy. Those wanting to improve their tricks will benefit from the new plastic steps, ramps and boxes in the Moon Park area. Also, the popular festival Ibiza Rocks the Snow will be taking over the resort’s late night venues for parties throughout the season.

ST MORITZ, SWITZERLAND

VA L D ’ I S È R E , F R A N C E

In the remote valley of En in Switzerland’s Engadin ski area, St Moritz is divided into two resorts- the fashionable main town, and St Moritz Bad beside a sprawling lake. When this freezes over it’s used for activities including horse and greyhound racing, polo, golf and even cricket. The diverse skiing terrain is part of a large interconnecting region which has 350 kilometres of runs and there’s one area entirely devoted to cross-country skiing, sledging and hiking.

This season the resort has opened the region’s steepest slope to the public. Usually open for professional tournaments only, anyone brave (or stupid) enough to attempt the 89 per cent gradient piste will now be able to. The resort is also introducing the world’s first ever yoga slope, with four guides on hand to help skiers limber up before a day on the mountain.

The fact that this French resort is the starting point for the first skiing World Cup events in Europe says a lot about its great early season snow cover, and there will be men’s and women’s races taking place throughout the winter. The resort’s wide, high-altitude slopes are accessible by eight major lifts which service every corner of the mountain range.

Of all the French resorts, Val d’Isère offers some of the most diverse après-ski options. Of course, there’s the renowned party scene and some of the finest restaurants in the Alps, but it’s the eccentric spectator events that give it the edge. This season the Polo Masters returns between 15 and 18 January and there’s a four-day yoga festival starting on 28 February.

Other highlights include the Classicaval music festival and the Frost Gun freestyle ski competition.

Winter 2013

125

The Gentleman’s Journal TRAVEL

A GUIDE TO THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS THIS PAGE: Birds eye view of Il Sopres Hole.

RIGHT (cloclwise): Girls relaxaing on a beach in Necker Island, a festival parade and sailing in the British Virgin Islands.

By Digby Warde-Aldam

126

Winter 2013

By comparison to other Caribbean holiday destinations, the British Virgin Islands are largely shunned by the masses, who choose to schlep out to Jamaica, Barbados and even communist Cuba.

We tend to think of them as just another offshore bolthole, like Gibraltar without the monkeys, Monaco without the rappers or the royalty, the Isle of Man without the... the... you get the picture, anyway. Obviously, this is stupid and presumptivecome on, they’re a bunch of stunningly beautiful and mostly uninhabited islands in what is, for most of the year, a climate that is frankly the stuff of fantasy. Richard Branson lives on one of them, for God’s sake... ‘it’s one of the most beautiful places in the World,’ he tells us about Necker, his own little plot of BVI beauty, ‘my wife Joan and I can truly live life to the full here... I’m delighted to be able to call this paradise my home’.

By now, it must be glaringly obvious that there’s more to the BVIs, as the locals call them, than palm trees and tax evasion.

The BVIs are a chain of 60 islands, of which only about 15 are inhabited. In this part of the World, it’s not uncommon for the constituent islands of such an archipelago to go by eyebrow-

raising names- as good a sign as any that the history can be described as ‘colourful’. The BVIs do not disappoint on this count- a quick scan across the map throws up Prickly Pear Island, Fallen Jerusalem and, rather wonderfully, Deadman’s Chest. The name of the chain itself (along with that of the neighbouring US Virgin Islands) originates from Columbus’s second American voyage, on which he ‘discovered’ it for the Spanish Crown, and in a particular moment of long-winded caprice, named them after St Ursula and her 11,000 virgins.

Columbus wasn’t, of course, the first man to set foot on the islands- the Arawak and Carib peoples had inhabited them for centuries before his arrival in 1493. As elsewhere, European colonists had no hang-ups about seizing them for themselves, and the BVIs’ four main land masses- Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada- became valuable strategic prizes for the pirates and navies of Spain, Holland and Britain.

The British wrested control of the islands from the Dutch in 1680, and as was so often the case in the Caribbean during the period, the BVIs became a slave economy, with plantation owners bringing in scores of abducted West Africans to

TRAVEL The Gentleman’s Journal

work in appalling conditions. Emancipation came in 1834 after years of slave revolts, but life on the BVIs remained harsh; the misery wrought by a collapse in the price of sugar- the islands’ principle export- and a series of devastating hurricanes ensured that the BVIs languished in abject poverty for well over a century. It was only in the 1960s, when the airport on Beef Island was built, that money began to roll in again, and the BVIs became a major centre for financial services. By the turn of the century, the islands had the highest per capita income in the Caribbean- and it’s hardly surprising; the chain now plays host to more offshore companies than anywhere else in the World.

It would be an understatement to call the BVIs of today ‘tranquil’- crime is virtually nonexistent, the land is unspoiled (to the point where the locals semi-grudgingly refer to it as ‘the land that time forgot’), and- this is the clincher- it’s only particularly clued-up tourists who ever think of visiting. This means no high-rise hotels, no ghastly ersatz pubs and no naff property developments. It’s all extremely refined- and reassuringly expensive.

The sailing, fishing and windsurfing are some of the best in the World, the beaches permanently look like something from one of those brochures where everything looks so perfect you can’t help but groan ‘PHOTOSHOP’, and there is a flourishing cultural scene- Virgin Islands Reggae is big here, and local artists including Aragorn Dick Read have exhibited internationally.

Tortola and Virgin Gorda are by far the busiest links in the chain, and the only two islands to have cash machines- take solace from the fact that you’re extremely unlikely to be forcibly relieved

“They’re a bunch of stunningly beautiful and mostly uninhabited islands in what is, for most of the year, a climate that is frankly the stuff of fantasy.” of the large wad of dollars (that’s US Dollars, conveniently) in your pocket when straying on to other parts of the archipelago. Annoyingly, there is no way of flying directly to the BVI from Europe, but connecting flights and helicopter services operate from Antigua, Puerto Rico and St Thomas, regularly flying into Terrence B.Lettsome Airport on Beef Island, just off Tortola. You will, at least, get an impressive wodge of passport stamps.

The relative isolation of the BVIs is much more a blessing than anything else- particularly given that the hotels and rentable villas are uniformly excellent. Christ almighty. Writing about paradise from a singularly crepuscular London terrace- the rain rattling down and the horror of the rush hour commute in store- is making your correspondent desperate to emigrate.

W H E R E T O S T AY & W HAT TO D O

NECKER ISLAND RESORT Probably the most famous place to stay in the BVIs, Richard Branson’s private island is normally only open to individuals, but at certain times every year- ‘Celebration Weeks’- it’s possible to book individual rooms. For A-list cachet, you could do a lot worse. Check the website for details. www.neckerisland.virgin.com

PE TE R ISL AND Taking up the entire 1,800 acres of its eponymous isle, the Peter Island hotel is about as luxe as it gets in these parts.

The conservationist concerns of its owners means that most of it lies untouched, though the marina and hotel facilities are absolutely first-rate. Peter Island offers many holiday packages worth investigating. www.peterisland.com

BIRAS CREEK ( V I R G I N G O R D A) Biras Creek has won strings of awards and was named the No.1 Hotel in the BVIs by the US News and World Services. Biras Creek has pretty much everything you might want, from an outstanding spa to a riding centre- this is without even mentioning that it is only accessible by helicopter. www.biras.com

Winter 2013

127

The Gentleman’s Journal BUSINESS

TECH INVESTMENT To invest or not to invest?

This year, technology seems to be dominating the business and finance news once again. The recent Twitter flotation has reignited investors’ thirst for these high risk, high yield stocks. To some it may sound ridiculous that a loss making company like Twitter can have a multi-billion pound Initial Public Offering; others see it as only a matter of time until the loss turns to profit. Another factor still haunting sceptics is the dot.com bubble of 2000, where many lost entire fortunes overnight.

This time around, though, many key investors are saying it’s different - that the hype around the latest IPOs is justified. Next year, a barrage of flotations is expected to be set off by the recent Twitter IPO in both the US and Britain, though the latter is still waiting for its first big IPO. Investors, t§hough, are still wary - while these companies have incredible influence due to their (on average) significant amount of users, the profit and loss sheets are certainly less encouraging.

What’s more, this is an industry rife with speculation. When Facebook announced its latest record results in October, it was meant to silence the doubters with unprecedented revenues and profits, only for the founder himself a few hours later to report that Facebook was falling out of favour with the younger generation. Straight away, as if Facebook was dying, the the stock dived as if to say that the end of year financials hadn’t made a difference. It’s fair to say the word “volatility” springs to mind.

Yet still the allure of tech shares remains strong. It still seems as though everyone is looking for the next Apple or Amazon – and to be honest, who can blame them? If you’d invested $1,000 dollars in Amazon back in 1997, in today’s money you’d have made yourself a tidy $151,000. Then you look at Apple, whose returns have been even more spectacular: an investment 10 years ago would be worth 47 times as much these days. In real terms, those who invested $5,000 in Apple stock in 2002 would now be sitting on a whopping $234,000. Thank you very much, don’t mind if I do.

The Technology sector is also know for its heavy competition and rapid cycle of obsolescence - companies can disappear as fast as they rise.

Computers that occupied entire rooms were at one time perfectly normal, just as mobile phones were once the size of heavy bricks. This, on the whole, means that successes do not usually last long. Take Microsoft, for example: it was one of the most

128

Winter 2013

successful companies of our time, yet now looks ready for the grave. Similarly, Apple was nearly dead in the 1990s; now look at it!

Unlike a number of industries, the tech sector is in a constant drive to overcome competitors with new products that are more efficient and effective. Tech also has a huge power in influencing how some of the most traditional industries work. Take publishing for example, which in a relatively short amount of time has been completely turned upside down by the introduction of such devices as the tablet and platforms like the App Store – today, anyone can be a publisher.

Next up, it looks like the turn of TV advertising, with 2014 tipped as the year when advertisers harness our information, delivering advertisements relevant to the household’s interests directly to our screens. If this seems a little farfetched, ask yourself where it came from. Facebook, of course, have been doing this for a number of years - and have you noticed that specific advert following you around the web? This is Google’s work. They monitor our browsing habits and deliver adverts tailored to our interests. While it may sound like an invasion of our privacy, it has actually made advertising a more effective business by reducing waste and increasing profits. What’s more, it’s got rid of that “babes of the month” ad on the side of the page. Oh,

The Gentleman’s Journal

wait...

Technology has the ability to do wonders, reduce costs, oust corrupt governments and generally make our lives easier. When it comes to investing in it, though, things are a little more complicated, so much so in fact that some well-known and admired investors have chosen to stay clear of it, regarding it as irrational and comparing it to gambling. Take Warren Buffett as an example: while he may be best friends with Bill Gates, he chooses to invest in his foundation rather than his company. Like gambling, however, if you win you want to go back. And if you see someone else winning, you want to get involved.

All investments have their risks, but Tech investments have to be up there with the riskiest.

Take 2012, for example, when 200 UK tech start-ups received an average seed funding of £2 million each; only 50 of them, however, received second-round funding.

The question is, how can we eliminate as much risk as possible when investing in technology? An individual from one of London’s most successful tech private equity firms, who wishes to remain nameless, told us that ‘tech is like any other investment - you have to think of safety in numbers, look for good management teams and look for ideas that have a high scalability factor. However, even then it still comes

down to lady luck’. Another angle comes from an investor who has had some success in the sector as well as some terrific failures, of which he is quick to remind me: ‘I always calculate the risk by looking at the business, what sector it’s in and what it’s doing or trying to do. Some of my most successful investments in tech have come from relatively simple ideas that just improve established industries’.

Everyone we spoke to had one thought in common: timing. Many argue that while it’s important in all industries, it’s especially crucial with tech.

Knowing when to get out is crucial, in terms of both growth and decline. Take Apple, one of the biggest names in tech: despite some serious lows that prompted an unlucky few to get out, other individuals invested at the perfect time.

Research is key with tech investment, especially if you’re picking your own stocks. You have to ask yourself a few questions: how exposed is the company to competition? Can the large user base translate into revenues? And if a company is profitable, what are the chances of it staying that way? In regards to profitability, take Apple again, which has fallen out of favour with investors due to increased competition from Samsung and a series of relatively lacklustre new product releases. Will Apple remain profitable in the long term? In a word, yes. Customers will keep spending with Apple mainly due to the dominance of the App Store and iTunes. As for Google, the future looks bright: with televisions themselves getting smarter and more connected to the Internet, it can expect to make some serious profits from YouTube next year as it evolves into a TV channel. Microsoft, on the other hand appears to have reached maturity, and the strong growth of the past seems unlikely in the near future.

More than ever, the tech industry is attracting huge investment, and it is now the largest single segment of the market, eclipsing all others including the financial and industrial sectors. Be it an oversubscribed Twitter IPO or one from a small startup that “could be the next Apple”, the trick, as with all these things, is to research, diversify with other stocks from safer sectors and never invest more than you can afford to lose. Unless, of course, you’re in a gambling mood.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Silicon Roundabout, Mark Zuckerberg

By Harry Jarman Winter 2013

129

The Gentleman’s Journal BUSINESS

TECHNOLOGY REVIEW A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE

Our past is almost entirely categorized by our ancestors’ technological achievements such as the Bronze, Iron, Atomic or Digital Ages, while our present revolves around information that can only be shaped, gathered and processed through technology. The future looks bright, says Edward Hambro...

BMW i3 - Electric Car Technology is a wonderful thing — it is not something that was given to us through nature but rather something we made ourselves. We are the only species capable of creating tools — yes, TGJ does know that various monkeys have some imaginative uses for sticks, but if it wasn’t for YouTube, nobody would know about it, would they?

Humans: 1 Monkeys: 0, we’re afraid. What, though, does the future have in store for us?

But getting one over on our distant relatives is not the only reason why technology captures our imagination.

Already our lives have changed beyond recognition thanks to a combination of the printing press, the computer and the LED screen. And as if that wasn’t enough, we can now see Miley Cyrus make an ass of herself on American national TV (twice!) wherever we are and then bitch about it afterwards on Twitter. It is mind-blowing.

On a more personal note, as an Arsenal fan your correspondent can abuse that sneaky, talentless, money-grabbing muppet Samir Ca$hri in print. Our only obstacle now is Windows software!

Technology may not always be a force for good (ie: the atomic bomb), and it can even be downright depressing (the high five simulator), but the fact that one person can create something, somewhere that will change the world forever is, in TGJ’s opinion, the greatest show on earth. So

130

Winter 2013

rather than focus in on Bob Geldof and his belief that we’ll have globally warmed the Universe to death by 2030, we want to look at where technology will take us next. Believe us - it’s looking bright!

One thing we can’t ignore is Virtual Reality. If you want a demonstration, go on to the Oculus Rift website. This is a working virtual reality kit which in the same vein as Google’s new spectacles. TGJ will admit that this is very much an “indoors” thing and will make you look pretty silly in any public place. The fact that it comes with a treadmill does not help out in the style department.

But if you play video games to the level (ha!) where you need virtual reality, perhaps a treadmill isn’t such a bad idea after all. It would certainly add some much needed zip to the lamentable, happy flappy, Wii Fitness bollocks that Nintendo thinks we all engage in. Now you can revisit your traumatic childhood PE lesson in cyberspace. This is, however, very cool in that it is the first proper VR that we have seen. The graphics leave a lot to be desired but it is the first step and there are already better models being developed. If you want something you can wear in public, though, then let virtual reality creep into your life with a £1500 pair of those aforementioned Google Glasses.

The price may not be such a bad thing: if weed-addled university students were able to afford it, then freak-outs from drug

abuse would skyrocket! The next technology that’s (sort of) here already but will have a massive impact in future is 3-D printing.

The excitement has gone off the boil a bit since it appeared on Will.U.Stop and Britney’s music video, and there’s been a lot of handwringing about psychopaths making their own weapons, but this aside, 3-D printing has retreated from the public eye a bit. However, Bastian Schaefer, an engineer at Airbus, has recently suggested that a 3-D printed airplane is part of the company’s vision for the future. I, for one, am very scared that the good people at Ryanair get hold of this and create an even crapper flight experience. Thankfully, though, the future of the application seems to be in the biological and medical side of things. Last year an 83 year-old Belgian woman got the first 3-D printed jawbone made from layer upon layer of titanium dust and a US start-up company called Modern Meadow is developing the ability to make leather and meat in a 3-D printer. Make ours medium rare!

The final and lesser-known technological marvel coming up is Graphene. Developed by Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov at the University of Manchester, this arrangement of carbon atoms is slowly changing most areas of our lives and the applications are pretty damn cool. In Australia, scientists have created the first holographic disc based on Grapheme.

Also in the world of computers, Carbon nanotubes are being touted to replace silicon computers which will lead to them being much faster and smaller. Think of an iPhone with the brain of Stephen Hawking. Indeed, if this combines with the leaps and bounds made in quantum computing then this really will change the World, and could produce genuine artificial intelligence. Other uses of Graphene include Carbon Nanotubes in power cables which will allow electricity to be carried for longer without needing a transformer. They can also be used in electric cars to make them faster, and in the flexible screen rumoured to be incorporated to the iPhone 6.

WHAT IS IT?

GRAPHINE

Graphene is a one atom thick layer of carbon.

It is structured in a honeycomb lattice, and when millions of layers of graphene are stacked on top of each other they form graphite. The the mineral that is found in the every-day pencil.

Future applications : > Bioengineering - bioelectric sensory devices. > Optical Electronics - touchscreens, LCD and OLEDs. > Ultrafiltration - biofuel nanoporous membranes. > Composite Materials - body armour, aircraft, aerospace engineering. > Photovoltaic Cells - electronic device charging windows + clothes. > Energy Storage - micro-supercapacitors, ion batteries.

3D Printing is becoming increasingly prevalent as more and more applications keep cropping up. The 3D-printed gun sparked a great deal of controversy, but recently the technology has generated better press - the 3D-printed jawbone for an 83 year old woman being the latest exploit of note. The main advantages of 3D printing technology are high speed, low cost and pinpoint accuracy.

Future applications : > Mechanical parts - engines, robotics engineering. > Consumer - clothes + jewellery. > Biomechanics - Bones, Organs, cell reconstruction. > Cosmetics - Eyewear, prosthetics, exoskeleton ‘plasters’. > Music - Instruments + Speakers.

Google Glass(es)

‘Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic’ – Arthur C

Clarke, Writer of 2001: A Space Odyssey

3D Printing

The Oculus Rift The Oculus Rift is an upcoming virtual reality head-mounted display, and is a revolutionary advancement for the gamer community.

The consumer-oriented ‘Oculus Rift’ is in development, which will be aimed at a general market. Optimised head tracking, positional tracking, 1080p resolution and wireless operation are just some of the features rumoured for the Rift. A strong step towards virtual reality has been taken by the Kickstarter-funded Oculus Rift - and sure enough, another larger leap will be taken now that it has received further funding of up to £16 million from developer company Oculus VR. Gamers unite, it’s only a matter of time now!

A world without handsets is nearly upon us!

Google Glass is a wearable computer with an optical head-mounted display. The tech displays information in a smartphone-like hands-free format that can communicate with the Internet via natural language voice commands. Google Glass has the ability to take photos and record 720p HD video. A touchpad is located on the side of Google Glass, allowing users to control the device by swiping through a timeline-like interface displayed on the screen. Yes, Google Glass will soon make our world of traditional handheld devices a distant memory, which is awesome - just so long as there won’t be any integration of weird hand gesture control technology that makes us look stupid...

‘Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life’ – Steve Jobs, Former CEO of Apple

The Gentleman’s Journal POWER

The Future of The Ferrari Soul Good news for Ferrari lovers! The dark horse is going to be introducing some significant changes over the next 5 years, and the excitement that surrounds the recent launch of the F70 LaFerrari is manifest. The brand has its new strategy in place; second hand value is going up.

There's going to be less production, but global expansion is set to continue even as exclusivity is rigorously maintained. Let me explain‌

132

Winter 2013

POWER The Gentleman’s Journal

'”Ferrari is like a woman, you desire her, you want to feel her, you will wait for her.”

- Mr. Montezemolo

Winter 2013

133

The Gentleman’s Journal POWER

In 1984, Ferrari brought out the iconic GTO, which opened our eyes to the huge potential of on-road sporting. Just a few years later, in 1987, we saw the birth of the F40 at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Ferrari have produced a number of extremely luxurious supercars in more recent times, namely the Enzo and 458, but nothing could have prepared us for what Ferrari had in store for 2013.

When asked, Ferrari’s chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo described the LaFerrari as ‘the most beautiful lady in the world’ — with a guarantee. Let me elaborate: upon meeting a beautiful woman, she can seem perfect at first glance; gorgeous, long legged and shiny of hair. However, when meeting the angelic pin-up you invited for dinner, you can’t help but feel a little disappointed on discovering that her personality doesn’t quite match up. With the LaFerrari, we have not only the most beautiful woman in the world, but one who will fulfil her promise during dinner, leaving you more than satisfied afterwards.

As it stands, all I can tell you is that Ferrari have brought us

134

Winter 2013

a boy-toy with a girl’s name. Curiosity got the better of me, so I jumped on a BA flight down to the bellowing echoes of V12s carving up the village of Maranello. From here I began to get a real sense of what this mythical place was really about.

Only 499 LaFerraris will be produced in this mortal world.

They have carefully combined traditional F1 quality with GT roadfocused consumer requirements. Ferrari have come a long way in recent years, and have some very exciting strategic plans in the works for the immediate future.

Let me ask you this: is buying any car a good investment? I suppose the thoughts running through your head are more likely to be financial than emotional. But what does it mean to own one of these goddesses? I started thinking about my perfect women, and walked onto the factory floor to meet my potential future in-laws. For those of you who are keen to add the personal touch, Ferrari have launched their new ‘Tailor-Made’ programme, which is broken down into three

POWER The Gentleman’s Journal

different options:

The sporty Scuderia offers inspiration, tradition and a strong focus on technical functionality; the Classica, a real sugar-daddy of a ride, offers the more classical material; finally, the Indedita — which translates into ‘unseen’ — uses materials from other industries. Ferrari’s top clients usually opt for this customised service, costing anything up to 25% to 50% of the car’s value. Before you get too excited, there’s a limit to what can be done by clients — and these beauties are going to be a rare sight indeed. But fear not! The Maranello track is available for clients to use for testing and to learn driving skills whilst you feel your way around the fabric of the car.

Next up were the assembly rooms, where we had the choice of the V6 or V8, which has recently been granted a cool €50m investment in order to keep up with the current demand for the Maserati. They were producing up to thirty engines a day, but have increased the rate to fifty as of August 2013. The V12 room, which I must admit got the

blood boiling, is producing at a more exclusive rate, with six F12s and two FFs per day.

Let’s not forget the classics — new is not always better. Ferrari work very closely with their clients, offering the ‘Classiche’ section.

Here, cars over twenty years old can be restored back to their natural state using the secret archives on all models ever made. On average, these cost a clean €250k based on forty to forty-five cars a year. In more encouraging news, though, the new engine or front bumper on your classic GTO won’t depreciate the Italian economy, but instead will maintain — or potentially even increase — the current value of your car.

Ferrari car sales have grown in revenue from €80m in 2008 to €200m in 2012, with nine hundred customers last year alone. But these isolated facts couldn’t help me pick my fantasy sports car. Ferrari stress that there are three key elements to the cars; the technical front I saw in the production line, the style, and most importantly, the emotional aspect of operating them. ‘Perhaps we can begin with the steering

Winter 2013

135

The Gentleman’s Journal

wheel,’ the mechanics say, ‘as this is the most inspiring aspect when interacting’.

Looking at the current F1 production line, Ferrari believe that the 458 has the best feel, while the California is (for the extremely lucky, admittedly) an everyday car, and the FF, Mr. Montezemolo’s personal choice, a family car, finishing with the current F12, which keeps with tradition. Each design is an achievement in creating a different product range; whilst each individual model speaks a different language, they all bear the unmistakeable features of the Ferrari family.

The racing shield and the prancing horse are, however, expanding beyond the rubbers to their fifty stores and e-commerce site, accessible in 160 countries worldwide. The USA is the largest of these markets and the birthplace of the Ferrari myth, followed closely by China (500 cars sold per annum), then Germany and Britain. The lifestyle brand itself has generated €400m since 2002 with the help of PR1MA, a new clothing line which sells 95 items a minute; the flamboyant strut of the prancing horse has made it one of the strongest — and strangest — brands in the World. They’ve even built a theme park, the largest ever not to count Mickey Mouse as a resident, all paid for by sponsors at no cost to Ferrari.

This strategic innovation reaches all the way from Maranello to the dealerships, where sales are controlled with reduced production and less cars, irrespective of rising demand. A couple of key reasons for keeping the exclusivity and restricting the sales is firstly to hold second-hand car value, and also to help educate new markets and train dealers, especially for markets like China.

LaFerrari and the brand itself are innovative — they have updated the Ferrari DNA for the future but have kept its core traditions and status. I’m very much looking forward to seeing LaFerrari on the road, especially with its new DRS, produced from the electric motor.

In fact, this is the first hybrid Ferrari in history entirely designed and manufactured in Maranello. Ferrari will never, they have assured me, produce a full electric car or off-road 4x4, and will remain staunchly in the GT market.

By George Askew

136

Winter 2013

“

With a main focus on relaxation and pleasure, the Galactic Star ensures that, whoever you are where ever you are in the world the moment you step on all your stresses melt away.

“

YACHTS Heesen Galactica Star p.50-51

Winter 2013

137

The Gentleman’s Journal POWER

LEFT: The Galactica Star.

BELOW: Galactica Star enteriors: cocktail bad, master bedroom and sitting room.

“The Galactica Star is capable of reducing her environmental impact by 30 per cent while still achieving a top speed of 28.8 knots.”

In the world of luxury highend super yachts where opulence, grandeur and excellence are the norm, it is pretty hard to stand out.

There is one vessel, however, that has done just that.

This yacht – which was sold to a private owner earlier this year – is the Galactica Star from Heesen.

Despite its obvious exterior beauty and impressive magnitude, there are a few things that really set it apart from its competitors. Firstly, it’s the impeccable attention to detail in the design. It’s luxury without being flashy. Every inch of this Heesen creation has been meticulously planned out ensuring maximum utilization, appeal and allure. With a main focus on relaxation and pleasure, the Galactica Star ensures that, whoever you are where ever you are in the world (note: The Galactica Star looks particularly fantastic off the coast of Antigua), the moment you step on all your stresses melt away.

The second feature that puts the yacht at the top of its class is the

138

Winter 2013

revolutionary and technologically advanced. The unique fast displacement aluminum hull means that the Galactica Star is capable of reducing her environmental impact by 30 per cent while still achieving a top speed of 28.8 knots. This makes it the world’s largest fast displacement yacht. In fact, the Galactica Star is so impressive that it has been presented with three prestigious awards at the XXIII Monaco Yacht Show.

So, besides the fuel efficiency, why else do we rate this luxury yacht.

Well, aboard you will find 6 cabins (accommodating 12 guests) including the VIP state room, duplex beach club and the master deck. Other amenities include a helicopter pad, garage, jacuzzi, swimming pool and sauna.

Built by Heesen in Netherlands with enterior design by Bannenberg & Rowell, this is a European venture whose technological innovation, revolutionary design, style and beauty has propelled it on to the international stage.

By Victoria Gardiner

POWER The Gentleman’s Journal

BELOW: Enterior of the Galactica Star: cocktail bar and deck lounge.

Winter 2013

139

The Gentleman’s Journal SPORT

The Cresta Run is an amateur sport which involves lying face down on a metal skeleton (in the sport's parlance) with one's nose three inches above a hard ice run. The Gentleman's Journal met James Sunley, the Treasurer of the St Moritz Tobogganing Club (or SMTC) and a record-holder himself, to learn more about this unique tradition.

“

What is it that makes the Cresta Run so iconic ?

There is quite simply no other sport like it anywhere else in the world, especially one with such a long history; it was one of the original winter sports, well before skiing, and the forerunner of the bob run. It is thrilling for many reasons, and St Moritz is a beautiful valley.

The Cresta is something of an institution for British gentlemen. Why is this, do you think?

It was first built by the British. The whole story of winter sports in the Alps was very much a British invention. They used to go to the Alps in the summer, often for health reasons because they had consumption, and the hoteliers would persuade them to come back in the winter promising there was more sunshine then. When they got there in

140

Winter 2013

It is like everything in life: if you want to do well you need to be slightly apprehensive.

“

THE CRE STA

the winter, the Brits wanted to entertain themselves beyond the theatrical shows they put on at night, and in the fullness of time they discovered a little gentle tobogganing was called for. It was really from this that the Cresta Run began. The first races were in 1885, and they continue to this day in the same gully.

Can you describe the course? Has it changed much over the last 128 years?

The run from the top is approximately three quarters of a mile and the total drop is 514 feet. There are two starting points, one a third of the way down called 'Junction', where the beginners start from. Once you are deemed good enough, there is 'Top', from where you reach speeds of up to 60 mph. There are ten corners, three above Junction and the balance below, with the most infamous being Shuttlecock Corner, where most of the falls occur. Anyone who comes out at Shuttlecock Corner is entitled to join the Shuttlecock Club. There is lots of straw there and other protection so it is safe place to fall.* How did you first become involved ?

I went on a family holiday over Christmas one year and did three rides; the following year I did ten and then I won a race the year after, by which point I was hooked and decided I wanted to try and become the fastest British rider.

In 1999 you became not only the fastest Briton, but the fastest person from Top: what do you remember of that run?

I guess I had the perfect course and everything went right; I do remember the toboggan seemed to accelerate when it went around Shuttlecock which implies it must have been a very smooth line.

Why do you think your time of 50.09 seconds

SPORT The Gentleman’s Journal

What goes through your mind when you are waiting to start your run?

It is like everything in life: if you want to do well you need to be slightly apprehensive. I am a bit more relaxed than I used to be; but I am never disrespectful to the Cresta. I do get very nervous, no doubt about it.

The waiting is much worse than the actual doing.

For interested Gentleman's Journal readers, how should a beginner get into the sport and when is the best time to go?

Beginners get wonderful training with all the equipment provided. The best way is to look at the Cresta website (www.cresta-run.com) - it tells you about beginning and joining the Supplementary List.

The best day to start is on a Monday as the Members' race is at the weekend and on Wednesdays. Ideally come with three or four mates and do it together.

You can sign up on the list and see which slots are available. It is CHF 600 for your first 5 runs, then you can pay for subsequent rides.

What happens after the run closes at lunch time, and how else might GJ readers spend their day and night in St Moritz ?

For the more energetic souls, the skiing above St Moritz is excellent and the slopes are fairly empty and south-facing. The walking is beautiful. There is the Preda-Bergun 5-mile downhill run on traditional

wooden toboggans. You can watch polo or horse racing on the lake. There is a stack of things to do, and the evenings tend to centre around the bars of the Steffani and Soldanella hotels, both of which have large screens showing replays of the day's runs and the inevitable falls.

There's a wonderful atmosphere and a enormous sense of relief at the end of the morning's runs. It is surprising how exhausting it is doing the Cresta Run, both mentally and physically, particularly when you're learning. Many people are simply happy to enjoy a good lunch in the Sunny Bar of the Kulm hotel, which is bedecked with all the history and memorabilia of the Cresta - it is the Run's spiritual home. It's here that the camaraderie goes on, and the whole spirit among the Club members is something very special indeed.

There is a unique bond - all Cresta riders of whatever age or ability have enormous mutual respect for each other.

“

It is surprising how exhausting it is doing the Cresta Run, both mentally and physically, particularly when you’re learning.

“

remains unbeaten to this day ?

Probably because the run is fractionally wider or slightly longer; it's built from scratch every year, and certainly to the untrained eye it looks the same. It isn't - and that is one of the challenges each season, working out the subtle nuances of the different entry to the different corners.

By Charles Blackmore

-Editor's Health Warning: go to YouTube and watch The Cresta Run – Biggest Crashes of 2009/10 Season!

Winter 2013

141

The Gentleman’s Journal SPORT

SHOOTING P E R F E C T I N G YOUR SWING

By Harry Jarman

There is nothing better than receiving that first invitation in the post. It provokes delight, excitement, and – if you’re not a regular shooter – sheer terror. Two questions hang particularly heavy over the invitee: ‘do I have the right kit?’ and ‘What am I going to do? I haven’t shot in a year!’. The first of these issues is quickly sorted by a visit to the gun shop or country clothing outfitters. The second, however, is more tricky. Shooting, like most sports, is a question of practice making perfect – the more you do it, the better you get. Due to the seasonality of the sport, though, there will always be that first day after the lay-off, when you feel compelled to make up excuses. Or will there? Now, it seems, there’s a different course of action.

The renowned team at Bisley Shooting Ground have come

up with the Pre- shoot Perfecter. This unique experience provides everything you need to perfect your skills, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced shot, covering key elements from mount analysis to high pheasant-shooting from the tallest clay tower in Europe. This sort of day is the perfect warm-up for any shoot. With over 120 traps across multiple towers and overseen by some of the finest instructors in the country, there really is no excuse not to be shooting straight by the end of the day. Not only are there traps for partridges and pheasants, but also for rising teal, bolting rabbits and driven grouse, the latter of which are reputed to be the most realistic in the country.

Bisley have teamed up with Capstar Chauffeurs, a unique premium driving service that employes ex-army personal, helping them make what is often a tough transition to civilian life. With a fleet of personalised Jaguars, you can ensure you arrive securely and in style.

The experience, including the Capstar chauffeur service to and from Bisley from central London is the ‘Ultimate Pre-shoot Perfector’. Prices (including Capstar) are from £345 p.p for a 4 x 250 bird drive.

To book call 01483797017 or email office@bisleyshooting.co.uk

THE GUN-BOS S & CO Many makers of fine English shotguns can trace their ancestry back a considerable number of years, but Boss & Co are unquestionably one of the longest-established, dating back to 1773 when William Boss began a gunsmithery apprenticeship in Birmingham. In the late 18th Century, William Boss moved to London to work for Joseph Manton, and his son Thomas Boss (1790-1857) followed in his footsteps to serve his apprenticeship under the master himself. Today the company continues to live by its motto of producing “one quality of gun - the best”.

To enquire contact Boss & Co T: +44 (0)20 7493 1127

THE KIT 1.William Evans Breeks, £210 williamevans.com 2 .William evans Triple Bar Set £180 williamevans.com 3 . Orvis, Tweed Vest £179orvis.co.uk

142

Winter 2013

1812 - 2012 Bicentenary Gun

manufacturers of best guns Fine selection of guns available All repair work undertaken

For all enquiries please contact Roy Lyu Boss & Co Gunmakers Ltd, Richmond, Surrey Tel: 020 7493 1127 Fax: 020 8605 3684

www.BoSSGunS.Com

SPORT The Gentleman’s Journal

T H E U LT I M AT E

SHOOTING JACKET

With the plethora of great sporting coats out there, it can be a minefield when it comes to choosing the right one, luckily for you, Gentlemen, Barbour has come up with the ultimate 3 in 1 sporting jacket for all of your rural needs.

Whether traversing the heather in the Scottish Highlands, or battling the adverse weather of the West

Coast, this jacket can do it all, and it’s not half stylish either! Designed by brand chairman Helen Barbour and Lord James Percy and made from a special two-layer waterproof GORE-TEX fabric, this award-winning jacket is windproof and breathable, and is very much the best of its kind in the versatility stakes.

7

1

2

4 5

3 6

8

1

The Zip-in Fleece Gilet can we worn with or without the jacket. No more worry of what to leave the house in as it can easily be zipped out whenever the occasion arises, making sure you’re always the right temperature.

4

The subtle Fleece Lined Handwarmer Pockets add a secret luxury to those cold days, just slip your hands inside between drives and forget all about numb fingers and thumbs.

2

Articulated Shoulders for unrestricted swing will allow for plenty of movement, which is good news for quick repositioning. The bad news? It means there are no more excuses for blaming your outerwear on missing those unexpected high birds. After all, only a bad workman blames his tools.

5

Innovative two layer Barbour-Tech outer fabric is the best yet in terms of waterproof protection

6

Large Bellow pockets allowing for quick and easy access to cartridges.

7

The Detachable Hood is ideal for the wettest of shooting days, yet can just as easily be removed when not in use.

8

Two way zip for easy access

3

Spandex Inner Cuffs and Drawstring hem for foul weather protection.

Winter 2013

145

The Gentleman’s Journal PROPERTY

THE MODERN DAY CARSON

We take a look at what is required of the modern day butler.

THE REQUIREMENTS Once upon a time, all that was required to become a butler was an unswerving loyalty and the ability to keep your alcohol problem to yourself. These days, a butler must be bright as a flash bomb and capable of solving extremely complex problems very quickly. The ability to speak a foreign language is a major bonus too, according to Greycoat Lumleys.

THE JOB Back in the days of Empire and stupid waistcoats, a butler’s main role was to look after their employer’s cellar and wardrobe. How things change – a modern butler is more likely to be found pressing an iPhone touchscreen than a pair of trousers. Duties can range from cooking and cleaning to supervising entire property portfolios. In all truth, the job title is a bit misleading: Greycoat Lumleys offer “Household Manager” as an alternative, but while it may be more accurate, it’s a bit less romantic, isn’t it?

To most of us, the word “butler” is very much an anachronism, a term that conjures up images of dusty Victoriana and balding old retainers in ill-fitting formal wear. While we might think of the profession as the preserve of generic period dramas in which everyone says “jolly good” a lot, it’s currently undergoing something of a renaissance; in Dubai and other emerging markets, according to the BBC, there’s an enormous demand for British-trained domestic staff. The city’s super-rich are apparently keen to buy into “aristocratic” traditions – either that or they’re spending too much time watching Downtonbloody-Abbey. The phenomenon isn’t limited to the exotic climes of the Gulf, though; here in Britain, agencies like Greycoat Lumleys Private Households and Estates have built up a reputation for providing staff for domestic positions abroad and, increasingly, at home as well. With over 20,000 people on its books worldwide, Greycoat Lumleys caters for pretty much any household role a client might desire, from kitchen-porters to governesses, but it’s their butler service that’s provoked the biggest rise in demand.

As managing director Debbie Salter explains: ‘Butler placements by the company have grown by about 20 per cent since 2010’. Obviously, this can’t be down to Julian Fellowes’s handiwork alone – you don’t, after all, hire full-time staff just for nostalgic effect. How, then, has Jeeves been resurrected? Here we present five reasons why the butler is back:

‘Butler placements by the company have grown by about 20 per cent since 2010’

THE PERKS Similarly, the butler’s traditional obligations – to be on call, in uniform at all times – have had their hardest edges rubbed off. Although flexibility is a key part of the job, a butler can generally expect weekends off and a very good holiday allowance. The pay’s not to be sniffed at, either, with salaries starting at around £30,000 and sometimes swelling to several times that sum.

THE DIGS The upstairs/downstairs dynamic and the frolicking, gossipy environment that Downton would have us believe came with it is very much a thing of the past. While butlers in larger houses tend to live in, it’s understood that they are entitled to privacy and deserve first-rate accommodation, meaning that it’s more common to live off-site, perhaps in an estate cottage should such a thing be available.

THE BOSS The connotations of snobbery and class divide have largely disappeared from the job, too. While it would be an exaggeration to state that the aristocracy have completely abandoned their once-vast household staffs, it’s certainly true that the client base for agencies like Greycoat Lumleys spans a far greater social spectrum than once it did. From city-based businessmen to hard-working families to ultra-highnet-worth individuals, work could come from (almost) any corner.

By Digby Warde-Aldam

146

Winter 2013

Greycoat Lumleys - Seıing the Standard in recru∕ment for private households worldwide.

A comprehensive service, unrivalled in our field.

We are here to help you find laÌing solutions to your private Ìa°ing requirements.

Household Managers | Butlers | Couples | HousekÕpers Nannies | Matern∕y Nurses | Tutors and Governesses Private Chefs | Personal AssiÌants | Chau°eurs Palace Managers | Valets | Lady’s Maids

Email: info@greycoatlumleys.co.uk Telephone: +44 (0)20 7233 9950 Online: www.greycoatlumleys.co.uk

The Gentleman’s Journal PROPERTY

DORSET’S HIDDEN GEMS

The “in-between” county's secrets revealed

As with so many things in British society, discussion of the ceremonial counties and their estates often comes laden down with stereotypes and snobbery; on the one hand, there are the grand and impossibly desirable stately homes of Gloucestershire and Yorkshire; on the other, there are places- sorry Essex- that are more likely to feature as the butt of terrible jokes rasped out in a members’ club lavatory than in Bystander. And then there are places like Dorset, the “in-between” counties that get lost in the cat’s cradle of associations. Too far East to qualify for the holiday-home connotations of the West Country but still a bugger of a commute from London, Dorset’s identity tends to get rather muffled by the deafening heritage pageantry of its neighbours - perhaps significantly, it is one of only a very few counties in Britain that does not have a cathedral.

This is far from being the whole story, though; if the county can be accused of a lack of regional braggadocio, this belies a fascinating history of aristocratic associations that takes in some of the most extraordinary stately homes in England.

If anything, the 2009 sale of Encombe House to airline tycoon James Gaggero for a reported £25 million only confirms this. The house, built by eccentric local MP John Pitt between 1734 and 1770 and supported by over 2,000 acres of elegantly landscaped parkland, it is considered to be one of the best shooting estates in Britain- it’s the kind of place a lesser publication might refer to as ‘the ultimate trophy property’. There is, of course, more to it than this; although it has been described by architectural historian David Lambert as an ‘idyllic sanctuary’, Encombe and its gardens were once an important symbol of a profound and almost tragic divide in British political opinion. When Pitt’s descendants sold the estate to Lord Eldon in 1806, it had been less than twenty years since the French Revolution shook Europe to its core, and British society was changing at an unprecedented speed.

Despite a rather rebellious youth and a rise from relatively humble origins in the North East of England, Lord Eldon had risen to the position of Lord Chancellor, and his staunchly conservative policies - he was opposed to even the slightest suggestion of reform - had made him one of the most unpopular men in the country. His consistently hostile reaction to change, many felt, was stifling the nation, tying many down to penury. Resentment swelled to a crescendo in 1831, when Eldon was 80 (and still,

148

Winter 2013

incredibly, going shooting whenever he could). A crowd of disgruntled reformists gathered in nearby Poole, many of them armed and carrying torches.

Riots had broken out across the land protesting against the suppression of the Reform Act, and the houses of Conservative politicians - including the Duke of Wellington - had been violently attacked; now it was the turn of Encombe. Fortunately, rumours of an insurrection got out, and a troop of local yeomanry made it into position to challenge the mob in the nick of time. Disaster - both for Lord Eldon and for English architecture in general - had been averted by a whisker. For a country that prides itself on keeping a ‘stiff upper lip’, it’s always peculiar to remember that Britain used to - and indeed, still can - be a pretty violent place. To attack a stately home is a symbolic act, and it’s no surprise that in England’s more troubled periods, they have often been among the first targets of an insurrection. Encombe was lucky, but when faced with a moment of crisis 200 years before, Charborough House, just to the north, had not fared so well.

In 1649, England was ravaged from years of Civil War, and nowhere had suffered more than Dorset.

Initially a Royalist stronghold, the Parliamentarian army had blazed its way through fortress after fortress until eventually the county was completely under

PROPERTY The Gentleman’s Journal

TO THE LEFT: Corfe Castle.

BELOW:Kingston Lacy Estate and below is the interiors of Kingston Lacy.

“Riots had broken out across the land protesting against the suppression of the Reform Act, and the houses of Conservative politicians - including the Duke of Wellington - had been violently attacked; now it was the turn of Encombe.”

its control. Although the war is often overlooked, it’s hard to overstate the importance this turbulent period had on the making of modern Britain; for the first time in the country’s history, the King had been deposed and his “Divine Right” to rule finally cast off - England was now a republic, and even though the monarchy would be restored, the way Britain was ruled had changed for good. The landowners of England faced utter turmoil, and all who had backed the losing side feared violent reprisals. One man unafraid of being singled out for punishment was Sir Walter Erle, who had sided with Parliament only to see his family home at Charborough torched by a Royalist mob. When victory was secured, Sir Walter set about getting his revenge; pillaging stones from the former Royalist stronghold of Corfe Castle, he set about constructing a magnificent new house on the embers of his patrimoine. This was much more than a mere reconstruction job; the architecture was a clear break with what had come before, and the symbolism was manifest. Sir Walter was both figuratively and literally demonstrating that a new order was being built from the rubble of Charles I’s disastrous reign.

There had been a great house on the site of Charborough since well before the time of the Norman Conquest (the land was recorded in the Domesday Book as having belonged to the defeated Winter 2013

149

The Gentleman’s Journal PROPERTY

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Minterne House interiors

Saxon king, Harold), and the estate has been the property of what is now the wonderfullynamed Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax dynasty since 1549, when an earlier Walter Erle married into the Wykes family. There is a long history of family members serving as members of parliament for the area that continues to this day, with Charborough’s present resident, Richard Drax winning the South Dorset seat in the 2010 election. By the time he built the house, Sir Walter Erle had already been serving in parliament for over thirty years, and had suffered the indignity being imprisoned for a year after refusing to pay a random tax levied by Charles I in 1625.

It is, then, small wonder that he and his family became such staunch enemies of the Stuart monarchy - a royal line which they would play an instrumental part in bringing down once and for all. In 1686, General Thomas Erle, Sir Walter’s grandson, called a group of friends to Charborough where together they plotted the overthrow of James II and his ‘tyrant race of Stuarts’. It was decided that the conspirators would invite William of Orange to invade and take the throne himself, an offer which William readily accepted, landing in Britain in 1688 and seizing power in a coup

150

Winter 2013

“Unusual building projects sprang up across the estate throughout the 18th and 19th Centuries, including a monumental arch built over the entrance to the estate, topped with an extremely peculiar sculpture of a fivelegged lion.”

that came to be known as the “Glorious Revolution”. Thomas’s involvement ensured the favour of the new Royals, and the Erle family’s importance was sealed.

Unusual building projects sprang up across the estate throughout the 18th and 19th Centuries, including a monumental arch built over the entrance to the estate, topped with an extremely peculiar sculpture of a five-legged lion. Perhaps unsurprisingly given its vastness, the estate is ringed by one of England’s longest walls, which was reputedly constructed from over 2 million bricks and has a length of some 27km. The real attraction, though, is the 100-foot tower that stands just to the South East of the house; it is a Gothic folly to put Barrie’s Houses of Parliament to shame, a bizarre but liberating middle finger to common sense.

A nearby estate that was also shaped by war and its consequences was Minterne Magna, the property of the Churchill family since the beginning of the 17th Century.

The Churchills had unwisely stayed loyal to Charles I’s cause in during the Civil War, and even after having been badly wounded in battle, Sir Winston (no, not that one) was forced to pay a punitive fee of

recompense. It was only in 1702 - long after the Restoration - that Winston’s son John was created Duke of Marlborough by Queen Anne, and the family rose to the prominence we might associate with it. Although from then on the Churchills were principally resident at Blenheim Palace, they held on to Minterne until 1768, when they sold the property to Robert Digby, complete with its contents including several extraordinary Flemish tapestries and an astonishing art collection. Just as the Civil War had so profoundly shaped the architecture and grounds of Charborough, so another conflict was to have a transformative effect on Minterne.

Robert Digby was a keen landscape gardner, but his real vocation lay with the Navy. Soon after the purchase of Minterne, he was sent to the American colonies to fight against the settlers in their struggle for independence. Although Digby’s conduct was nothing short of heroic - there is a town named in his honour in Nova Scotia - the campaign to suppress the American rebels went disastrously for the British, and by 1783 the game was up. Digby returned to Dorset, bringing with him many of the now-

NEW ORVIS FLAGSHIP STORE REGENT STREET, LONDON OPENING DECEMBER Men’s and women’s clothing and outerwear — including Barbour Extensive range of fly-fishing tackle For opening dates and times and an opening offer see orvis.co.uk/gentlemansjournal Orvis, 11b Regent Street, SW1Y 4LR

The Gentleman’s Journal

Minterne House

redundant (and reputably unemployable) sailors who had been under his command to work developing the land around Minterne.

The landscape gardens they created were - and indeed still are - utterly breathtaking.

The house itself fell victim to dry rot in the late 19th Century, and was completely rebuilt in 1905 by Leonard Stokes, a founding father of the Arts and Crafts movement who was at the time president of RIBA. The new house is a magnificent example of the style, but the Digbys didn’t get much time to settle in - for the duration of World War I, the house was given up to the navy for use as a hospital, and even after the Armistice, the family largely stayed away; the house’s sheer vastness and running costs rendered

152

Winter 2013

it practically uninhabitable. It was only in the 1950s that the Digbys returned, when Edward, the twelfth and current Baron, divided half of the house into flats, thus economising and generating enough revenue to make crucial renovations.

It goes without saying that the 20th Century was not kind to the traditional proprietors of houses like Encombe, Charborough and Minterne, and it’s remarkable enough that these three estates are still in private hands, and even more so that the latter two are still owned by the families who have inhabited them for centuries. Other grand Dorset houses, including the Charles Barry-designed Kingston Lacy near Wimborne Minster

and Highcliffe Castle, the former home of Charles Gordon Selfridge, founder of the eponymous shopping Valhalla, have respectively been given over to the National Trust or compulsorily purchased by the local council. Should the mansion tax proposed by the current Opposition be introduced, many others would surely follow suit - for better or for worse, this may usher in a repeat of the flight of the aristocracy that occurred under Labour during the 1960s and ‘70s.

As it stands today, though, the only one of these properties regularly open to the public is Minterne, where the current Baron Digby himself occasionally conducts guided tours.

To the detriment of public nosiness, Richard Drax and James Gaggero understandably

The Gentleman’s Journal

like to keep their homes strictly private - although Charborough does open its garden, if not interior, to the public several times per year. In a relatively recent article published in Country Life, a writer bemoaned the fact that James Thornhill’s magnificent Charborough mural was closed off from public view - a sentiment shared by many enthusiasts of the great 18th Century artist.

Perhaps the epitaph to this belongs to Dorset’s most famous son, the writer Thomas Hardy, who set his novels The Woodlander and Two on a Tower at Minterne and Charborough respectively, thinly veiled though they were with the

names ‘Great Hintock House’ and ‘Welland House’. Exceptionally fine though these three houses are, it is their historical significance and symbolism of power that truly makes them stand out - after all, what could be a more emblematic symbol of power than a stately home? To cackhandedly adapt a phrase from Hardy’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles: ‘Beauty lay not in the thing, but in what the thing symbolised’.

What the owners of Encombe, Charborough and Minterne would make of that, we can only guess.

By Digby Warde-Aldam

Winter 2013

153

The Gentleman’s Journal

PROPERTY

MONACO

a Sunny investment or a sunny lifestyle?

The Riviera has long been a weekend favourite for wealthy Britons. It’s not surprising when it can take just as long to get to Gloucestershire on a Friday evening as it can to Nice - and this is flying commercial.

And then there are the weather benefits: with an average of 300 days of sun a year, the Riviera is a far cry from the gloom of the UK. It’s no wonder, then, that so many of us choose to buy second homes here.

When it comes to property, however, the sun isn’t the only thing helping Brits decide.

Tax is another major incentive to move here. Owning property in France has, oddly, become even more attractive since François Hollande was elected last year. This is mainly down to a recently-relaxed capital gains tax policy on expat second home ownership. A little strange coming from a socialist government, you might think, but Hollande claims it is a measure to ensure that ‘the market is supplied’ – political code

154

Winter 2013

for courting foreign investment. Mortgage rates are at a record low and property prices have fallen slightly; even as wealthy French citizens flood to South Kensington in protest at Hollande’s “excessive” new taxes, it looks like the President of the Republic has created the perfect conditions for Brits in search of a Parisian pad or a Riviera retreat.

There’s a natural tendency to seek security in tough economic times, and for the French, London, Switzerland and – in particular - Monaco are proving popular destinations in which to sit out Hollande’s presidency. Similarly, for Britain’s wealthy, it’s Switzerland and Monaco that come out top for permanent residency - and not entirely for the reasons you might suspect.

While there are of course fiscal incentives, a wealthy British businessman resident in Monaco since 2008 described it to us as ‘a safe and stable economy offering a certain lifestyle that in my view is attractive’.

Choosing where to live is a serious issue for the super-rich. While the cost of living may not be at the top of the list, items such as capital gains and inheritance tax most certainly are. Monaco has always come at the top of this list of destinations for the wealthy to reside in or to buy as it is owning property that has the most advantageous fiscal status. We asked Irene Luke of Savills Monaco why the principality remains such an attractive destination for the super wealthy: ‘Monaco is a tax-friendly jurisdiction, levying no income tax, wealth tax or capital gains tax’, she told us, ‘succession duties are due only on Monaco-sited assets and only where assets are left to non-family members’. Wowwhats not to like?

Luke went on to explain the ins and outs of becoming a Monaco resident: ‘Becoming a resident of Monaco is a relatively simple process. The individual needs to have a clean criminal record, have

The Gentleman’s Journal

a place in Monaco in which to live (a rented apartment is fine and there is no need to buy, though often the individual will prefer to do so) and to be able to show he has sufficient means to reside in Monaco without working if he is not employed there: an attestation from a Monaco bank will suffice. The individual will be interviewed by the Monaco police and the process generally takes 2 to 3 months’.

In terms of investment, don’t hold your breath high growth in Monaco but do, like its economy, expect a steady and safe rise; it goes without saying that, in stark contrast to the UK papers, the phrase “property bubble” is an extremely rare sight in the Monaco Matin.

Whilst Monaco is a safe and steady investment, the cost of buying is extremely high, with regards to the fees in particular.

Buying into this safe and steady economy isn’t cheap, though, and the sales of old properties (apartments over 5 years of age) have increased by 101% since 2006 according to IMSEE and the average price per square metre in 2012 was 30,000€, making Monaco one of the most expensive places in the world to buy real estate. It also appears that demand has never been stronger, including in the rental market where ‘properties are changing hands almost immediately with little or no negotiation’ says Luke, who tells us that one of her clients rented without even viewing the apartment. With such strong demand, you have to wonder where these wealthy individuals will all go in a decade’s time. Monaco seems to be constantly building higher and higher, and whilst there has been talk of extending into the sea, this elaborate plan seems a long way off realisation.

Whilst Monaco is a safe and steady investment, the cost of buying is extremely high, with regards to the fees in particular.

The principality’s tax-free status is all that matters in their decision-making. For others, lifestyle also plays a large factor when it comes to moving to Monaco. And then there are those specialising in the UHNW services, for whom it’s just pure business. It’s a strange place, for sure; many would feel trapped and disconnected in its claustrophobic mass of concrete. For me, though, the question is this: would I rather live in the fresh air of the English countryside or in the sunbaked concrete microcosm that is Monaco?

For me it is most definitely the former.

Then again, if you live in Monaco, there’s always the prospect of buying a second – or would that be third? - home in France...

By Harry Jarman

PROPERTY

Winter 2013

155

The Gentleman’s Journal

PROPERTY

O N

T H E L

O

N

M A R K E T D

O

N

CONVERTED DAIRY This spacious converted dairy in North Kensington has been developed over many years and has a strong affiliation with Christopher Vane Percy, whose name is synonymous with interior design.

If you are looking for a spacious London property, you may have found it, with two floors of cool and luxuriant “loft-style” space. It also boasts a vast kitchen on the top floor as well as a living space with vaulted ceiling, huge skylight and glass doors leading to the terrace. Downstairs is host to three bedrooms and two bathrooms, while a third floor provides a separate apartment which could be absorbed into the main house or used as a space for the granny/teenager! Hewer Street is a lesser-known area in W10, but is still within walking distance of the pleasures of Notting Hill.

THE HEART OF CHELSEA Once the hub of London’s art scene, this building used to host The Chelsea Arts Club and Art School before it became a gallery.

Having been one of London’s most fashionable and reputable areas for many years, the King’s Road has long been a hangout for writers and artists from Oscar Wilde and Dante Gabriel Rossetti to The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. The great location is complemented by the spacious interior as well as green space outside and private parking. The first 3 houses all come with a courtyard garden and 3 bedrooms spread across three floors, while the fourth house also has a terrace on the second floor. The courtyard-level apartment includes a private terrace, the first floor apartment features a private balcony and the top floor duplex apartment has an outside terrace and en-suites in all three bedrooms. If you’re on the lookout for a new flat in the heart of Chelsea, this is for you.

Guide Price - £POA Agent – Beauchamp Estates Tel - +44 (0) 20 7499 7722

THE CITY PAD Holland Park has always been a desirable area to buy, and this property doesn’t buck the trend. This incredible lateral garden apartment spans almost 6,000 sq ft of the lower and raised ground floors of a grade II listed Italianate Villa and comes with a cinema, a spa and a gym – all of which are located under the large private garden. Although the flat is larger than most houses, it is primarily set over two floors which host an entrance hallway, double drawing room, kitchen, dining room, breakfast room, guest cloakroom, six bedrooms including a master bedroom suite, a utility room and a steam room. The flat has a large landscaped garden with a Sonos sound system installed as well as mood lighting for those summer garden parties.

Guide Price - £15m Agent – Carter Jonas Tel - +44 (0)207 371 1111

156

Winter 2013

Guide price £3.5m Agent – Crayson Tel- +44 (0)20 7221 1117

The Gentleman’s Journal

PROPERTY THE COUNTRY ESTATE Poston House is a beautiful Grade IIlisted country house that was originally a shooting box for Sir Edward Boughton, built by Sir William Chambers in around 1780. This estate comes with some great baggage and has superb potential for a shoot, with 220 acres of ground including woodland and suitable topography. The house also boasts a hall, drawing room, dining room, study, family kitchen, cellar and four bedroom suites. It also comes with Poston Lodge, which has three bedrooms, and the Garden Cottage which includes four double bedrooms and a staff flat. Also worth mentioning are the indoor pool, the pavilion, the tennis court and the paddocks. The estate is situated in beautiful west Herefordshire and enjoys views over the Golden Valley, the Back Mountains and the Forest of Dean. If you are searching for a country house with an elegant character, look no further.

THE FAMILY HOME This private and secluded 2 acre plot shelters an impressive modern detached house, which is approached by a long private driveway with electronic gates with CCTV. The design has taken advantage of the surrounding North Downs view as well as maximising interior space. The house consists of a large reception hall and double doors leading to a drawing room complete with a wood burning stove. Many such features emphasise the rural charm of this modern home. A dining room and a study and kitchen/breakfast room are also to be found downstairs. The property has 6 bedrooms as well as a master suite that has a dressing area and an en-suite bathroom. This house is situated just 6 miles from Horsham town centre and the mainline railway to London Victoria is a mere 55 minutes away. This could be the perfect start for a young family escaping the city.

Guide Price - £3.5m Agent – Carter Jonas Tel- +44 (0)207 371 1111

Guide Price - £2m Agent – Fine & Country Tel - +44 (0)20 3397 1199

THE COUNTRY HOUSE The Beautiful Drayton House in the Meon Valley, Hampshire, boasts exceptional views across the South Downs National Park, although the House is a view in itself.

The current owners have recently given it a transformation, redesigning the house and garden using traditional architectural detailing to leave a timeless quality to the building. This stunning house has 7 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, 5 reception rooms as well as a heated swimming pool and an all-weather tennis court and also comes with secondary accommodation.

The house and landscape are perfect for anyone who is looking for the complete opposite of city life.

Guide Price - £8.5m Agent - Knight Frank Tel - +44 (0)1962 850 333

O N

T H E

M A R K E T

C O U N T R Y

Winter 2013

157

The Gentleman’s Journal

158

Winter 2013

The Gentleman’s Journal

Winter 2013

159

A GENTLEMAN’S WINTER RETREAT

HIS STUDY BY

! # ! ! $ "! # ! !

" ! #

Automated moving artwork hung on chains, neatly concealing or revealing the tv with the swipe of

Tusk Chandelier

POA hudsonfurnitureinc.com

Cassidy Club Chair

One Fifth Trunk Bar

POA huttoncollections.com

RRP ÂŁ12,425 ralphlaurenhome.com

to capitalise upon the three focal points of the

the tv.

The Cartridge Light RRP ÂŁ3,000 soane.co.uk

The Director’s Chair RRP £4,950 bottegaveneta.com

Watch Mansion RRP ÂŁ18,500 davidlinley.com

Frozen Desk

Offering the cleanly concealed, pop-up iMac & watch case, and integrated charging mat within the

over the ends, this desk is a sophisticated balance of elegance & practicality.

POA lambartandbrowne.com

Funicular Sofa

Inspired by the seats on mountain trains, this sofa has a moving back allowing the piece to be used from either side whether facing the desk

POA lambartandbrowne.com

Twig Side Table

POA adamwilliamsdesign.co.uk

Champagne bucket POA arcahorn.com

THE GENTLEMAN’S JOURNAL SUBSCRIBE NOW!

ONLY £15! www.thegentlemansjournal.co.uk/subscribe

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PRINT MAG ONLINE & GET FREE ACCESS TO THE IPAD EDITION

NAME:

ADDRESS:

POSTCODE:

PHONE:

EMAIL:

I Wish To Pay By Direct Debit (£15 Every 4 Issues) CHEQUE ENCLOSED

CHARGE MY CARD EXPIRES:

CARD NO: CV2:

(Last 3 digits on signature strip) ISSUE NO (Switch only)

VALID FROM:

PLEASE RETURN TO: 45 Clarges Street Mayfair, London, W1J 7EP

NAME:

ADDRESS:

POSTCODE:

PHONE:

EMAIL:

I Wish To Pay By Direct Debit (£15 Every 4 Issues) CHEQUE ENCLOSED

CHARGE MY CARD EXPIRES:

CARD NO: CV2:

(Last 3 digits on signature strip) ISSUE NO (Switch only)

VALID FROM:

PLEASE RETURN TO: 45 Clarges Street Mayfair, London, W1J 7EP

THE GENTLEMAN’S JOURNAL.COM LONDON

The Gentleman’s Journal

DIRECTORY STOCKISTS 2

1

3

5

6 CUFFLINKS IN STERLING SILVER

CLASSIC JEWELLERY WITH A MODERN TWIST. DESIGNED AND HANDMADE IN LONDON.

8

WWW.MMzS.CO.UK

10

9

4

7

1. Christies Cufflinks - Multi Coloured Diamante Cufflinks currently available for just £17.99. All cufflinks supplied in handfinished display cases, along with a velvet travel pouch. Boutique style gift bags are available as an optional extra and when bought for a gift make the whole item look stunning. Hundreds of styles available at great prices www.christiescufflinks.co.uk 2.

Fairfax & Favour - A Luxury Fashion brand selling men & women’s clothing, shoes and boots www.fairfaxandfavor.com 3. Hugs & Co. footwear bring you the finest suede mens driving shoes made in Portugal with hand stitched toes and soft leather linings.

Pictured - Burgundy suede Tasseled Loafers £64.99. A range of fantastic colours and different styles are available from the online store www.hugsandco.com 4. FEDELI - Fedeli Cashmere takes the creativity and excellence of the Made in Italy brand, to the UK, showcasing it to a distinguished and discerning British audience www.fedelicashmere.com 5. Cravat Club - Ooze panache and inject style into your wardrobe with Cravat Club. 100% premium jacquard woven and printed silk cravats made exclusively in England. For the dapper dresser.www.cravat-club.com 6. HEMMING - A pair of 9ct Rose Gold Amethyst and Peridot cufflinks.

Crafted by British goldsmiths, Heming have a full selection online in gold and silver starting at £125.00 hemingjewels.com 7.

ScotlandShop.com - Tartan gifts & accessories inspired from the heart of Scotland at Customer Services UK Tel: 01890 860770 - UK Tel: +44-1890 860770 www.ScotlandShop.com 8. Matrix - an 18k gold ring with a skeletal view of order and form, lines and color, interpreting a ribcage of flawless 2.70CT white diamonds and 10CT black diamonds www.nadag.com 9. Trufitt & Hill - Ten essential oils for glide, moisturising, healing and conditioning. Use before shaving cream to help protect your skin and soften your beard. Essential for a comfortable shave www.truefittandhill.co.uk 10. Knightsbridge rocks London – midnight blue sapphire and blue diamond ear pendants £1800 www.knightsbridgerocks.com

164

Winter 2013

The Gentleman’s Journal

ART DIRECTORIES 1

3

1. CASTLE - One of the largest and most spectacular gallery spaces in London, Castle Fine Art’s magnificent new flagship gallery opened its doors in the heart of London’s Mayfair in April 2013. This elegant Georgian building houses a superb collection of modern and contemporary art work displayed across a stunning three-level gallery in the centre of London 2 2. Cadogan Contemporary - Cadogan Contemporary is a leading contemporary art gallery that last year celebrated its 30th Anniversary. Based in South Kensington, London, the gallery is inherently English in sensibility but has international appeal with clients and collections all around the world.

From quirky realism to pure abstraction, their paintings, drawing and sculpture seem eclectic but retain an enduring identity.

Exhibiting many established and critically acclaimed artists, each painting is chosen for its merit and ability to connect to people www.cadogancontemporary.com 3. Pullman Editions - Pullman Editions designs original limited-edition Art Deco posters featuring glamorous resorts along the Côte d’Azur, in the French and Swiss Alps, as well as classic cars on the road and track. £395 each www.pullmaneditions.com

Winter 2013

165

Diary

The

ISABELLA AND SIR RICHARD BRANSON AT THE BOODLES BOXING BALL

Count Anthony Bromovsky and Rebecca Hoffnung LEFT: Tatiana Hambro and Harriet Rowlington Tarka Russell

Dasy Lewis

Olivia Hamilton, Storm Clarke-Webster and Gina Mitchell Perdita Weeks and Marissa Calderon Victoria Thornley

Jason Basmajian

THE GENTLEMAN’S JOURNAL AUTUMN PARTY Where better than the iconic No 1 Savile Row to play host to the dapper gentlemen and glamorous girls who had gathered to celebrate our own Autumn issue launch party?

Hosted in collaboration with Gieves & Hawkes at their flagship store, it was the perfect venue for London’s finest gentlemen to mingle from bar to main hall amongst the smoking jackets and satin ties as waiters in Bates bowler hats served Chase Vodka cocktails and Nyetimber sparkling wine.

Our own Editor In Chief Harry Jarman gave a grateful speech, whilst Downton Abbey’s Daisy Lewis was seen chatting to Perdita Weeks. Even Bill Nighy couldn’t help but take a copy of the magazine as he strode past the young men and women spilling onto the street outside No 1 for a quick smoke. Vanity Fair’s Henry Porter and rower and model Victoria Thornley were also in attendance.

As all good things must come to an end, so our evening drew to a close – the first part of it that is – as merry guests reluctantly pilled out (gift bags in hand) and onto 5 Hertford Street where they partied into the early hours of the morning with the likes of Kate Moss and David Tang. A jolly good night indeed, even if we do say so ourselves!

Winter 2013

167

Guy Pelly Guy Ritche

BOODLES BOXING BALL

Isabella and Sam Branson

Marissa Montgomery and James Rueben

You don’t have to be a pugilist to wish you had been at this event- the fifth Boodles Boxing Ball at the Grosvenor House Hotel.

The star studded black tie event saw Freddie Andrewes, Arthur Landon and Jack Mann claim victory in the ring. Among the champagne-swigging guests were Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, whilst Pippa Middleton hung off the arm of Nico Jackson. Olivia Inge, our very own Leading Lady, modelled a stunning gown

by Beulah London alongside Noelle Reno.

With the excitement of the boxing over and done with, it was on to an Eighties pop-up hosted by Maggie's, where the boxers and guests let off steam and toasted the winners.

The Gentleman’s Journal Prince Harry

Nico Jackson, Pippa Middleton and Hugh Van Cutsem

Natasha Rufus Isaacs, Jack Brooksbank and Rupert Finch

Princess Beatrice and Dave Clarke

Olivia Inge and Jez Lawson

Ben Goldsmith and Jemima Jones

Dinos Chapman

Winter 2013

169

Merry McCartney and Friend

Oliver Cheshire

J CREW FLAGSHIP STORE OPENING It’s time to rejoice, Gentlemen, for the British high street is complete! That’s right- J Crew has finally made it over the pond and wound up on Regent Street. So, what better way to celebrate than with a good old state-style launch party?

No more bribing friends and relatives to pick you up a pair of jeans or that plaid shirt when they jet off for a mini-break in NYC. Fashion-folk and high-society regulars were amongst those who flooded through the doors to be greeted with jalapeño margaritas and lobster brioche rolls. Tommy Hilfiger mingled with Daisy Lowe and a bespectacled Jenna Lyons, whilst model Oliver Cheshire looked effortlessly cool in checked shirt and leather biker jacket. Among the other well known names we spotted Donna Air and James Middleton, and even Sir Philip Green put in an appearance.

Donna Air and James Middleton Seb and Heidi Bishop Sarah Ann Macklin

Jenna Lyons

Chloe Delevingne

Angela Scanlon, Patrick Grant and Daisy Lowe

A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS

The Gentleman’s Journal

HENRY WYNDHAM

What is your most treasured possession?

My gavel collection, some of which are 18th century. One in particular I used to sell Giacometti’s L’homme qui marche I for £65 million and Rubens’s The Massacre of the Innocents for £49.5 million, so they hold fond memories.

What picture, sculpture or photograph would you most love to have in your home, if money was no object?

My favourite picture without a doubt is The Descent from the Cross by Rogier van der Weyden which hangs in the Prado in Madrid.

The subject matter may be rather challenging for a living room, but it is deeply moving.

Where is your favourite place in the world?

It’s a toss up between the Sussex Downs and the Hebrides, but as I spend more time in the Sussex Downs I would choose that. One reason I love them both is that they are both right on the sea and the light is so special.

Who are your favourite artists, past or present?

Velázquez, Rembrandt, Turner, Rothko, Jasper Johns, Monet, Léger, Picasso, Mondrian and Auerbach.

Where, real or imagined, historical or mythological, would you most like to travel?

I would like to go down to the south of South America, Patagonia and the Tierra del Fuego.

I’d very much like to catch a large sea trout.

What gadget could you not live without?

By and large I really hate all forms of technology, but I could not live without my blackberry to communicate with the outside world.

What's the drink that gets you through the day?

I love tomato juice, but it’s got to be spicy and I am told it is very good for you.

What is your favourite restaurant, and what do you order there?

My favourite restaurant is The Chalet, a cheap and cheerful restaurant off Bond Street where I always have the same, which is prawn cocktail followed by spaghetti vongole.

Where do you go to escape?

Colonsay, in the Hebrides, is the most beautiful place on the planet with wonderful views, wonderful air and no stress from the outside world.

Is there a recurring theme in art that you love, or are the pieces very disparate?

I have a very eclectic taste, anything from medieval gold ground pictures up to artwork from the present day. I like paintings as well as furniture, silver and pottery.

Is there a gallery that you return to again and again for inspiration?

I love the Prado, but that is also influenced by my love for Madrid and everything in the city, including the food. I also like Spanish art very much, Zurbarán, Velázquez and Goya.

What do you always take with you when you travel?

I take an iPod because I am very keen on all music, except jazz. At the moment I am in a Handel phase.

Winter 2013

171

The Gentleman’s Journal

172

Winter 2013