Tempus Magazine | Issue 79 | April-May 2022 by Vantage Media

TIMELESS INSPIRATION

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Moving with the times

was to hold the traditional expo side of the fair alongside public exhibitions, showcases and open houses throughout Geneva itself, but the Covid-19 pandemic necessitated the launch year become a fully digital salon: the first of its kind. For an event created to shake up the staid traditions of SIHH and go head-to-head with the ailing Baselworld, this forced jump to the virtual may have been a blessing in disguise, situating Watches & Wonders as a new way of looking at watch shows – and reflecting the changing demands of customers worldwide. Exploring the world of watches more fully, Tempus visited Geneva-based watchmaking school Initium to piece together our own novelty during a day’s course (42), while I spoke to Piaget’s new CEO Benjamin Comar about the extraordinary craftsmanship of jewellery watches – and his quest to create the thinnest watch on the market (60). Elsewhere, actor Patrick Dempsey combines his passion for watches and racing as he takes to the ice track with Porsche and TAG Heuer (14). We also delve into tech transformations (54), explore the magic of Marrakech (64) and celebrate the extraordinary milestone of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee (48). Enjoy the issue,

hen Tempus launched 10 years ago, it was with the ambition to share the most exciting moments in haute horology with its readership of watch connoisseurs and collectors. Much has changed in that time: not only has Tempus expanded to embrace the wider world of luxury and the responsible, positive movements therein but the watch industry, too, has evolved beyond imagination to offer bolder, more diverse timepieces while keeping pace with digitalisation. Yet, we’re still proud to celebrate our editorial roots and bring you stories from the cutting edge of watchmaking as the industry undergoes a remarkable shake up. Take, for example, this year’s Watches & Wonders. This year’s hybrid – or “phygital” (one of my favourite words of 2021) – trade fair combined high tech virtual showcases and galleries with a spectacular in-person event at Geneva’s Palexpo exhibition centre. With nearly 22,000 visitors to the physical show alone, it was the largest watchmaking summit ever held in the Swiss city, with 38 watch brands launching new novelties – see our favourite releases on page 36. Created by the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, Watches & Wonders was first launched in 2020 to replace the previous SIHH (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie). The idea

Michelle Johnson Editor

WE’RE PROUD TO CELEBRATE OUR EDITORIAL ROOTS AND BRING YOU STORIES FROM THE CUTTING EDGE OF WATCHMAKING

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update from the world of luxury lifestyle

Contributors

Editorial team Editor Michelle Johnson michelle@tempusmagazine.co.uk

Judy Cogan Travel journalist Judy guides us on a ‘blow the budget’ trip to sophisticated Marrakech (64)

Creative Director Ross Forbes ross@tempusmagazine.co.uk Digital Editor Gabriel Power gabriel@tempusmagazine.co.uk Wealth Editor Lysanne Currie Motoring Editor Rory FH Smith

Andrew Green Photographer and dog-lover Andrew cheers on man’s best friend at this year’s Crufts (78)

Chief Sub-Editor Dominique Dinse COMMERCIAL Business Development Director Remi James remi@tempusmagazine.co.uk +44 (0) 203 519 1005

Adam Hay-Nicholls Actor Patrick Dempsey takes motoring expert Adam on a lap of Porsche’s ice track on page 14

Sales & Content Executive Freddy Clode freddy@tempusmagazine.co.uk Sales Enquiries info@tempusmagazine.co.uk +44 (0) 203 519 1005 VANTAGE MEDIA

Teresa Levonian Cole Teresa takes a trip to Geneva for a watchmaking course like no other (42)

Chairman Floyd Woodrow Managing Director Peter Malmstrom COVER IMAGE: Dorothy Wilding, HM Queen Elizabeth II, 1952. Image courtesy: the Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2022. Visit www.rct.uk Article on page: 48

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CONTENTS

10 The luxe list Our pick of the most exciting launches and must-have gifts of the season 14 Making tracks Actor Patrick Dempsey gets behind the wheel at Porsche’s ice track 20 Pearls of Heaven Why Fiji’s rare pearls are the jewel in the island’s crown 22 Wilder lands Britain’s most exciting rewilding projects are inspiring the travel industry 26 The sky’s the limit Explorer Henry Cookson introduces the sustainable future of air tourism 30 Above & beyond France’s highest resort is a transformative skiing experience 36 A novel approach Watches & Wonders returns in phygital form – and we gather our favourite novelties of the season 42 Time well spent We join Initium for a watchmaking course in Geneva’s horological heart 46 Words to live by Fashion mogul Anya Hindmarch shares her life lessons 48 Going platinum How to celebrate the Queen’s milestone Platinum Jubilee this June 52 Servant of the people Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is rewriting the rules of leadership 54 The tech transformation Our 2022 Wealth Report focuses on the emergence of NFTs, Metaverse, Web3 and more 60 Ode to joy Piaget CEO Benjamin Comar talks jewellery watches and ultrathin horology 64 Moroccan magic Blow the budget with our guide to the über-fashionable city of Marrakech 70 Change your mind Life coach Harsha Perera shares his approach to meaningful self care 72 An outstanding pedigree Tempus visits Crufts to discover the enduring appeal of the world’s greatest dog show 78 More than the sum of its parts Design studio Tollgard introduces the interior brands to watch 82 A classé of its own The famed Château Malartic-Lagravière is on a mission to reinvent Bordeaux 86 Glass half full The Decanter World Wine Awards offers up the white, rosé and red wines perfect for summer 88 A taste of time travel Gordon Ramsay’s new Restaurant 1890 is a delicious tribute to master chef Georges Auguste Escoffier 91 RE:VIEW Hazen Audel takes to the Amazon in his ambition new series, plus the best shows, exhibits and events 96 Save the date The finest events of the season 100 Show your true colours Menswear expert Rikesh Chauhan finds a splash of sartorial sunshine

ISSUE 79

48 Going platinum

9 Everett Collection Inc / Alamy Stock Photo QUEEN ELIZABETH II, from "A Queen is Crowned", coronation on June 2, 1953, Contributor:

The LUXE LIST Our essential guide to the most exciting new launches and finest seasonal gifts

Westley Richards Selous Safari Jacket Famously worn by Ernest Hemingway – author, adventurer and proud owner of a Westley Richards double rifle – the safari jacket is regarded as one of the quintessential pieces to take while on safari. The Selous is a lightweight take on the heritage safari jacket and crafted from an Italian linen blend fabric, for its cool comfort and easy packability. Priced at £695, this will be sure to keep you looking cool and classic on any expedition. westleyrichards.com

Buckingham Palace English Sparkling Wine The Royal Collection Trust has released a special edition Buckingham Palace English Sparkling Wine to mark the occasion of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The vintage wine is a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier all grown in vineyards in Kent and West Sussex, and pairs perfectly with mature cheddar and seafood – including crab, langoustines and classic fish and chips. With the label taking inspiration from the Queen’s 1953 coronation, all profits from sales benefit The Royal Collection Trust, which funds the conservation of the Collection – including the Crown Jewels. A right royal toast. Celebrate the Platinum Jubilee on page 48

Breguet Marine Hora Mundi Breguet’s Marine Hora Mundi (left) is a sleek and sporty timepiece serving as the newest introduction to the maison’s Marine collection, known for combining technical and aesthetic prowess. The new Hora Mundi model, which took three years to develop, continues this tradition. It features a memory mechanism that allows the user to pre-set two time zones and switch from one to the other with one simple click, while maintaining the synchronised date, day/night and city displays. Instant time travel!

rct.uk

Boss & Co Side-by-Side Shotgun 1812 London’s oldest gunmaker, Boss & Co, has been reimagining a number of its classic designs with its unique 1812 Edition collection. Its newest model is an ingenious reinvention of the double-barrelled break-action shotgun, also known as the ‘side-by-side’, which features an innovative ambidextrous side-lever action bringing, as the gunmaker puts it, “functionality and ease-of-use in the field” – perfect aim, indeed. » bossguns.com

breguet.com

Mansory x Golden Concept Apple Watch case Golden Concept, makers of spectacular Apple iPhone cases, has joined forces with luxury car modification brand Mansory to create an exclusive range of cases designed for the Apple Watch. The cases are comprised of titanium and carbon fibre – two of the planet’s most durable materials and ones frequently found in Mansory’s designs – and weighs just 22 grams. The cases come in four colours: sunset orange (left), coral white, lime bliss and sporty mint, with each model limited to just 250 pieces. goldenconcept.com; mansory.com

Le Meurice Paris afternoon tea Paris’ original palace hotel, Le Meurice – located opposite the Tuilieries Gardens in the French capital – has become famous for its spectacular afternoon teas, hosted in the delightfully cosy on-site Restaurant Le Dalí (right). Here, guests can sample the sumptuous works of award-winning pastry chef Cédric Grolet, along with cakes, finger sandwiches and a selection of stunning teas and champagnes. With options designed for friends, couples and families alike, all we can say is bon appétit. dorchestercollection.com

Vodka Zelensky Founded by Ukrainian fashion designer Anastaiia Rosinina, who fled Kyiv in March, and Swiss entrepreneur Dr. Tobias Reichmuth, new spirit brand Vodka Zelensky (right) has launched with the aim of raising money for NGOs in Ukraine that are helping civilians in the war-torn nation. Designed to fill the gap left by import sanctions against Russia, and named after Ukraine’s charismatic president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the premium vodka is available in Switzerland, Germany and the UK, and is donating £5 per bottle, in addition to 100% of profits, until at least 2026. vodkazelensky.co.uk

Bucherer Yellow Diamond Joy Rings Bucherer’s newest release consists of a set of pieces adorned with yellow diamonds – a striking and unique look for the coming summer months. Tobias Lanz, chief diamond buyer at Bucherer, has said that the new gems adhere to his “Four Cs” of diamonds: cut, clarity, colour and carat, meaning that the “proportions need to be cut so that as much of the colour as possible remains in the stone”. bucherer.com

Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos Hybris Mechanica 590 Jaeger-LeCoultre has been making exquisite watches inspired by the surrounding Jura Mountains since 1833, comprised of a mixture of intricate mechanisms and dashing aesthetics. But their show-stopper at this year’s Watches & Wonders in Geneva was the Atmos Hybris Mechanica (right), a spectacular table clock featuring a three-dimensional display which also charts the position of the Earth, Sun and Moon. Indeed, the mechanical prowess is extraordinary, with the mechanism of the Atmos exhibiting such accuracy that it creates only one day of error over 5,770 years. Read more from Watches & Wonders on page 36 jaeger-lecoultre.com

Polestar O2 The second concept car from all-electric supercar brand Polestar takes its sustainability and technology ambitions to the next level with the new Polestar O2. The hard-top convertible builds on the previous Polestar Precept model with a bespoke aluminium platform, recycled polyester thermoplastic mono-materials, and an autonomous cinematic drone. CEO Thomas Ingenlath describes the new model as “the hero car for our brand”, adding he plans to launch three new cars over the next three years. An ambitious race worth rooting for. polestar.com

Hollywood actor and racing fanatic Patrick Dempsey chats to Tempus about his on-track highlights and dream film projects, as he takes on Porsche’s ice driving challenge with TAG Heuer Words: Adam Hay-Nicholls

atrick Dempsey has swapped hospital scrubs and Hollywood film sets for sub-zero racing gear and the Finnish wilderness. Tempus is deep in the Arctic Circle with the actor best known as ‘Dr McDreamy’ from Grey’s Anatomy; we’ve come to Levi, 700-miles north of Helsinki, where Porsche has built a driving facility atop a large frozen lake, with intricate handling tracks groomed onto the 1.3m-thick ice. Dempsey skilfully slides into view across the snow-covered badlands, his black Porsche 911 Turbo S creating a blizzard in its wake. The 56-year-old has been racing for the past 18 years, during which time he has competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times, finishing second in the GTE Am class on his most recent attempt in 2015. He and his team – Dempsey Racing – also won the Six Hours of Fuji, in Japan, the same year. The majority of his on-track success has come at the wheel of a Porsche, while his personal car collection, which is mostly stored at his home in the snowy US state of Maine (which may explain his natural talent on the ice), could rival that of noted Porsche fan Jerry Seinfeld. His cars include the marque’s 1963 911 (one of the very earliest examples), a 356, the 911T, an R safari car, and an ‘outlaw car’ he’s working on with an ’82 chassis and a 3.6-ltr engine. At the brand-new end of the scale, he has a 992 Targa and all-electric Taycan. Anything he’s missing? “I’d like a 906 or a 907,” he offers, citing two of the marque’s rarest and most prized sports racers from the 1960s. The other brand he’s loyal to is watchmaker TAG Heuer – and so it’s no wonder he was thrilled at the announcement of a partnership between the Swiss watch company and German automobile-maker, announced last year. “I’ve been rooting for this for years,” says Dempsey, who’s long held a professional relationship with both brands. “It’s a personal connection and a perfect alignment”.

TAG Heuer and Porsche reps we spoke to talk of this long-term partnership in terms of decades to come – it’s a formalisation of an unofficial association that goes right back to 1971, when Steve McQueen also swapped La La Land for Circuit de la Sarthe. Unlike Dempsey, the iconic actor never actually raced at Le Mans – he intended to partner with F1 driver Jackie Stewart, but couldn’t get insured – yet he did make the movie Le Mans, in which he drove a grey 911S, raced a Gulf-livered 917K, and wore a TAG Heuer Monaco. The most feted Hollywood racer was Paul Newman, who won his class and came second overall at Le Mans in 1979 in a Porsche 935. Like Dempsey, Ol’ Blue Eyes went on to establish his own racing teams. Are McQueen and Newman his heroes? “They’re everybody’s heroes,” Dempsey says. “They were so cool, and they represented a particular era which doesn’t exist today. You can take inspiration, but you need to be your own person.” Are there any other drivers in Tinseltown that he rates? “Michael Fassbender’s on a programme with Porsche and I’ve been working with him. He’s got a series on YouTube, Road to Le Mans, and he’ll be competing at the 24 Hours this summer – and, let me tell you, getting the insurance if you’re doing a film is not easy. I introduced him to Porsche because they’re incredibly good at developing drivers. “Michael’s quick,” Dempsey adds of his fellow actor. “He was on the podium at his last race. He’s got enough natural ability – and he speaks German, which helps. He’s got good chemistry with the team. If we can keep him going, he will be very successful. I know he’s doing a film with [David] Fincher right now, and then we’ll start getting him back in the car, because seat time is crucial.” »

MOTORING

Time to drive: Patrick Dempsey wears the limited edition TAG Heuer Carrera x Porsche

BEHIND THE WHEEL Dempsey didn’t take up racing until he was 38, just before he landed his role in Grey’s Anatomy in 2005, but his fascination with cars can be traced back to childhood. “Matchbox cars, stuff like that. And my dad loved racing. We always watched the Monaco Grand Prix and the Indy 500. Unfortunately, he passed away before I could start racing. “I’d love to know what he would think of this. He didn’t think much of the acting. He preferred speed and racing. And my mother hated the show; she hated anything medical. She loved to come to the racetrack,” he says. “I can’t believe the opportunities that I’ve had, I get very emotional about it.” It started with a three-day course at a racing school which Patrick’s wife of 23 years, Jillian, bought him as a present. Then he met race car constructor Don Panoz at a charity event in Atlanta and, with his help, started on the path to becoming a semi-pro endurance driver. Fame didn’t hurt his progress. “Everything was on the same ascendancy,” he says. “I started racing around the time the show broke. I was able to parlay the visibility of the show into sponsorship. I mean, I made the mistake of buying a team and really understood how to waste some money, but I don’t regret it at all.” Citing Le Mans 2015 as his greatest experience,

he speaks of the “transcendence” he feels at the wheel of a racing car “where everything just fits. It’s like when you’re [here] on the ice and you get the power down and you feel it in the seat of your pants, there’s nothing better. You have the right rhythm, and your mind just stops thinking and you’re present. It’s so cleansing, mentally. It’s very zen, the sense of being on the limit but in control.” But his aspect changed after the Six Hours of Fuji. “Winning in Japan was huge. And then something shifted. I was shooting a film in London at the time [Bridget Jones’ Baby], and something snapped… like, I’m done at this level. It’s time to go home. It was taking a toll on my family. It’s been tricky”. He says he plans to race again but has resolved not to do so until his twin boys have graduated high school. “I’ll keep my foot in the door. I truly love the camaraderie. I feel most alive when I’m on the track. When I’m not there, there’s a numbness to life.” Grey’s Anatomy came to an end for Dr Derek ‘McDreamy’ Shepherd the same year Dempsey took his Le Mans podium – although he returned for a cameo in 2020. Ironically, the character had been killed in a Porsche Cayenne. “With the schedule, it became too much. I thought, I need to get out of here. There was no growth for me. With a show like that, you’re at the mercy of what the show wants to do. I wanted to be more in control of things, and there’s nothing like the control you get behind the wheel.” » Ice experience: Patrick Dempsey (above) drives the Porsche Cayman GT4 (opposite) on the ice. Top, the TAG Heuer Carrera x Porsche 17

CINEMATIC APPEAL Dempsey describes John Frankenheimer’s 1966 film Grand Prix as the best racing movie he’s seen – before adding that he would’ve liked to have been in Ford v Ferrari. “I was so jealous of [Matt Damon and Christian Bale]. It was very hard,” he says. In fact, Dempsey used to live next door to Damon’s character – legendary race car builder Carroll Shelby, who died ten years ago. “He’d invite me up and cook chilli or blueberry pie. He hated Le Mans – hated it! It was awful for him. And we’d talk about the racing programme I was doing. It was really special to have that time with him.” As for tales from the track that have yet to be told, Dempsey has a few suggestions. “I’d love to see the Wolfgang von Trips story told. I think there’s something in that,” he says, speaking of the driver who was leading the 1961 F1 championship until being thrown from his Ferrari and killed, along with 15 spectators, during the Monza Grand prix. “’55 would be a good year to do,” he adds of the year when a huge crash at Le Mans 24 Hours caused the death of 83 spectators as well as French driver Pierre Levegh. The incident led to Mercedes-Benz withdrawing from motorsport for 30 years. Finally, he says: “Denise McCluggage; female racer [and American motoring journalist], really an exceptional woman. I would like to tell that story.” Patrick’s not just here in Finland to have fun in the 911 Turbo S, yellow Cayman GT4s and give us a course in ice driving. He’s here to launch the new TAG-Heuer Carrera x Porsche limitededition; a sporty black chronograph with yellow details that looks particularly on point when wrestling a wheel bearing the Stuttgart crest. Its textile-textured black calfskin strap with yellow stitching is inspired by the seat upholstery of Porsche’s high-performance models. Limited to 1,500 numbered units, it is priced at £5,850. “TAG-Heuer is very similar to Porsche in that it’s an iconic brand that keeps evolving, but it hasn’t lost its heritage,” reflects Dempsey. “The DNA is very much alive and present in this watch – just like the 911, they haven’t gone too far off ”. Unsurprisingly, the thespian petrolhead owns more than a few timepieces. “My [TAG-Heuer] Monaco means the most to me, because that’s the one I had on when I was on the podium [at Le Mans]. That’ll always be special when I look at it. And this Porsche one,” he says, lifting the chronograph, “will remind me of this ice experience, where we are now. Each watch I own is a moment in time that is captured.” tagheuer.com; porsche.com

MOTORING

Cool collaboration: Actor and racing driver Patrick Dempsey behind the wheel of the Porsche 911 Turbo S (this page)

WHEN YOU’RE ON THE ICE AND YOU GET THE POWER DOWN AND YOU FEEL IT IN THE SEAT OF YOUR PANTS – THERE’S NOTHING BETTER

PARTNER FEATURE

PEARLS OF H E AV E N Sustainably farmed and culturally prized, the colourful pearls of Fiji are a treasure in the island nation’s pristine waters

IMAGES: THE JEAN-MICHEL COUSTEAU RESORT; CHRISTOPH HOPPE/TOURISM FIJI

he idyllic island nation of Fiji, located in the warm waters of the South Pacific, is renowned for its pristine diving, friendly culture, and beatific island resorts. But, deep in the ocean, there is another local treasure that is making waves on the world stage: black pearls. Fiji is home to the rare Pinctada margaritiferatypica mollusk, a black-lipped oyster that, like its Tahitian cousin, produces exceptional coloured pearls. Native to the warm waters around the islands, the Fiji oyster is known in high jewellery circles for its vibrant colours – these extraordinary pearls are unrivalled for their vibrant shades of black, blue and aubergine to green, gold and bronze hues. Visionary Fijian pearl farmer Justin Hunter grew up in Savusavu, where his love for the ocean took him to the US to complete a marine science degree. He later joined the family business rearing edible oysters in Washington State and Hawaii, until a conference in 1998 opened his eyes to the possibility of building a new aquaculture industry back home in Fiji: pearl farming. Hunter immediately returned to Savusavu and set about establishing his eponymous business – J Hunter Pearls – with a desire to cultivate these rarest of native pearls. Hunter’s 10 years of experience allowed him to take note of the obstacles his fellow pearl farmers had faced

before him; Hunter created new pearl farming techniques that focused on sustainability and conservation, as well as establishing lasting relationships with local villages to create working partnerships that benefit Fiji’s indigenous populations and protect Savusavu Bay’s pristine marine environment. J Hunter is today known for its spectacular iridescent pearls, which are sought after by jewellers and connoisseurs around the world. The scarcity of the Fiji Pearl oyster means that less than 25,000 pearls can be harvested each year, but the small quantity makes the natural quality even more impressive. “The broad range of bodycolours exhibited in [a] relatively small sample set was remarkable,” reported Gem News International in 2009, and that high praise has not wavered since. J Hunter Pearls have been used in the creations of top international jewellers such as Philippe Bouasse, Gellner and JEM, Paris, as well as their own jewellery lines, of course. Crucially, Hunter is also involved in developing Fiji’s pearl industry as whole, working to support emerging pearl farmers across the islands. This is coupled with his desire to protect and conserve the country’s stunning natural resources – a goal shared by many of Fiji’s native and adopted locals, including marine conservationist Jean-Michel Cousteau.

French oceanographic explorer, environmentalist and educator Cousteau is the eldest son of the legendary ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, and has been diving since he was seven-years-old. He established the fivestar Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort alongside Savusavu Bay in 1995, to offer guests a luxurious eco-friendly island experience that focuses on personalised Fijian service, relaxation, sumptuous cuisine, authentic culture, and exploring the unbeatable local environment. There, guests can enjoy the L’Aventure Cousteau Diving Centre as well as numerous on and off-site excursions, and spend time with the resort’s two resident marine biologists, who share secrets of the ocean's incredible resources and coral reefs. The resort also offers trips to the J Hunter Pearl farm – with a chance to go snorkelling to get closer to the rare oysters or swim over the protected giant clam site, where some of the most impressive and endangered bivalve mollusks are cared for. Whether you're looking for a romantic gift or a fascinating glimpse into sealife, the rare Fiji pearls are a sight to behold. Find out more about J Hunter Pearls at fijipearls. com and the Jean-Michel Cousteau resort at fijiresort.com. Start planning your trip with Tourism Fiji, at fiji.travel

Derwent Fells in the Lake District, UK 22

Wilder lands Rewilding initiatives are restoring vast areas of landscape across the UK while also providing the setting for stylish rural retreats immersing you in these bucolic surroundings Words: Lauren Jade Hill

hether it’s verdant pockets of our cities or the undulating hillside and valleys of our most isolated rural regions, the global health crisis of the last two years has brought about a significant surge in appreciation for the UK’s wildest areas – with more attention than ever before brought to rewilding. This new excitement for nature shines a brighter light on the sites that have undertaken ambitious rewilding projects over the years, while inviting luxury travellers to stay in stylish retreats amid the British wilderness. Receiving particular attention, Wilderness Reserve spans 8,000-acres of the Suffolk countryside. This green expanse of land now covers two separate estates — Chapel Barn Estate and Sibton Park Estate — has long been benefitting from the rewilding initiatives of its owner, Foxton founder Jon Hunt, and his family. Over the past 25 years, reclaimed land has been transformed under the expertise of renowned landscape architect Kim Wilkie into wildlife-rich pastures home to new lakes, rivers, marshland, moors, forests and fields of wildflowers. As many as 1.5 million trees have been planted throughout this time, and the reserve is committed to planting 100,000 trees every year for the next decade. These efforts are

part of Wild Arcadia – a renaturing initiative attracting new and returning wildlife species to the landscape. “Arcadia is an ancient idea of a world where human beings see themselves as part of nature, living harmoniously with plants and animals,” says Wilkie. “They tend their flocks, play music, eat well and farm in balance with the soil, water and wildlife. Wild Arcadia just places more emphasis on the way that natural farming repairs the damage of industrial agriculture and regenerates biodiversity and a healthy environment.” Owing to these long-running efforts, the number of bird species found on the estates has increased from 57 to 135 in 20 years. There are now more than 33 species of mammals to spot here, along with 220 plant species and an increasing population of butterflies, moths and dragonflies. Otters recently returned to the area through the gradual return of their natural habitat. “As a family we’re extremely passionate about wildlife,” says Harry Hunt. “When we created Wilderness Reserve eight years ago, it was a byproduct of what we were already doing for the land. Now it’s really taken off, it allows us to do even more for the land. We’ve got an ecology team, like a steering committee of experts who help us plan the future of the land, advise »

us on how to help the wildlife, where to plant hedges, and everything else that enhances the environment. That’s how it all started. And the direction we’ve now gone in with tourism enables us to create more wilderness.” The reserve accommodates guests in a growing collection of restored country houses and cottages, which are dotted across the two sprawling estates, ranging between one- to 18-bed in size. An in-house design team has individually decorated each stylish property with luxurious interiors making the most of the original architecture, and all the amenities you could need, including in some properties a private spa. Hosts provide hotel-like services – from delivering hampers of local produce to arranging outdoor pursuits, and transporting you across the estate in Land Rovers and vintage Morris Minors. Complimentary activities including use of Pashley cycles, row boats and tennis courts are enhance by a long list of bookable experiences ranging from axe throwing, laser clay shooting and archery, to paddle-boarding, use of Mokes and electric scooters, bushcraft sessions, bonfire experiences and campfire cooking. Despite these myriad leisure activities, guided estate nature walks and the ecologists’ dawn chorus experience are there to provide insight into this site’s primary purpose. Other significant rewilding projects draw luxury travellers to the Scottish Highlands. Alladale Wilderness Reserve encompasses an extraordinary 23,000 acres of mountains, forest, rivers and lochs just an hour north of Inverness. The land’s owner, Paul Lister, took on this estate in 2003 with the vision of creating a wilderness reserve, restoring this patch of the Scottish Highlands’ ecosystem, and has subsequently led the planting of almost one million trees, as well as the restoration of damaged peatlands, the reintroduction of the red squirrel and recovery of the Scottish Wildcat, among other wildlife projects. Visitors to Alladale Wilderness Reserve are accommodated in four lodges including the

Back to nature: Wilderness Reserve in Suffolk (opposite); Alladale Wilderness Reserve in the Scottish Highlands (inset below ©Mike Unwin)

grand Victorian manor Alladale Lodge, sleeping up to 14 guests, the eight-person Eagle’s Crag hideaway, four-person Ghillie’s Rest and remote Deanich Lodge. As well as combining luxury hospitality with exploration of the rugged landscape — with activities like horse riding, hikes and dolphin watching on the docket — each guest’s stay contributes directly to the work of the reserve’s charity partner, The European Nature Trust, which supports wildlife and conservation projects across Europe. More inspiration is to be found through Wildland, a organisation dedicated to the rehabilitation of three vast Scottish estates: Wildland North Coast, Wildland Cairngorm and Wildland West & Ness. To date, Wildland has planted more than four million trees across the Scottish Highlands and nurtured the landscape to allow for regeneration and the prosperity of wildlife. Generating proceeds that go back into these conservation efforts, the organisation also hosts guests in a number of inviting properties. Drawing on the restorative power of nature, Wildland provides a nature-immersed stay at Lundies House art hotel on the coast and Killiehuntly Farmhouse in Cairngorm National Park, with self-catering cottages then including the forest-based Glenfeshie Cottages, design lover’s Kyle House, homage to Bloomsbury, Strathmore Lodge, and the cosy Killiehuntly Cottages. Experiences at each site include nature walks and wild swimming, 4x4 tours and salmon and trout fishing. Each of these three leading wilderness endeavours highlights just how conservation of the UK countryside can be paired with luxurious nature retreats from which funds go straight back into further enhancing each wildlife area – protecting our natural beauty for generation to come. wildernessreserve.com; alladale.com; wildland.scot 24

CONSERVATION

WILDLAND HAS PLANTED MORE THAN FOUR MILLION TREES ACROSS THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS AND NURTURED THE LANDSCAPE TO ALLOW FOR REGENERATION AND THE PROSPERITY OF WILDLIFE

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT As Cookson Adventures sits on the cusp of reintroducing airships as a means of luxury air travel, we ask founder Henry Cookson about his plans for the new HAV Airlander 10 – and find out how it could help revolutionise the future of flight Words: Gabriel Power

TRAVEL

t’s not 1968 anymore. The Jet Age, while not technically over, no longer ignites our collective imagination in the manner it once did; we have entered an age in which jet travel has become mundane, owing to the industry’s ubiquity and penchant for frugality. While technology used in the cockpit has reached dizzying heights of sophistication in recent decades, that same timeline has seen lay-flyers treated to barely more than minor superficial improvements to aircraft and rather unromantic – though still vitally important – curtailments to their environmental impact. And so, peering into the future of aviation, and a reality no longer beholden to the grip of budget airlines, we dare to dream big. But while many of

us are likely beguiled by the allure of extremes – increasingly eye-watering top speeds, impossibly rapid acceleration and ultra-aerodynamic fuselages – Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) and Cookson Adventures have flipped the script entirely with a project so audacious that it will undoubtedly alter the course of luxury travel. First launched in 2012 for non-commercial purposes, HAV’s Airlander 10 is an environmentally friendly evocation of the age of the Zeppelin; a gargantuan, 300ft-long helium airship with a support network of engines, propellers and small auxiliary wings, still capable of reaching speeds of 92mph and remaining airborne for five days straight. But, after a fruitless stint with the US Army that

ended in 2013, this dazzlingly retro-futuristic design was left in a state of limbo until it was repurchased by HAV and converted into a commercial aircraft – and luxury travel expert Henry Cookson spotted the opportunity of a lifetime. Cookson, a former polar explorer, is the founder of London-based luxury travel agency Cookson Adventures, which recently announced a collaboration with HAV that will see the Airlander 10 reborn as a luxury passenger craft, with the agency branding it an “explorer yacht of the skies”. But how does Cookson intend to use the airship, and how will it shape the future of commercial aviation? We sit down with Henry to get the bird’s eye view of this bold new adventure. »

Henry, how did you become interested in the Airlander 10 project? At Cookson Adventures, we’re always looking to push the boundaries on what’s possible in luxury private travel. From the start of this project, the incredible potential of this revolutionary new travel experience was clear for us to see. Airlander’s cutting-edge green technology aligns perfectly with our continued commitment to promote sustainable travel. We came onboard early as a partner to help contribute our expertise to its development. What new opportunities does this open up for travellers? These hybrid aircrafts have the potential to transform the way we travel in the future. The opportunities Airlander 10 will give us to showcase our creativity in designing new luxury experiences is endless. Airlander’s ability to cruise and land anywhere – be it an urban runway, desert or icecap – will give guests the freedom to explore remote locations without a set agenda, and allow them to be immersed into both familiar and unfamiliar destinations in a manner never seen before. The journey will be an experience in itself, which guests will be able to enjoy in supreme comfort. The slow pace of travel, the low cruising altitude and large panoramic windows will afford incredible views over landscapes that just can’t be appreciated from a traditional fixed wing aircraft or helicopter

What is the significance – and practical applications – of the airship-like design? Airlander 10 is a flexible and efficient platform that can be configured to allow for a broad range of applications, which are not just tourism focused. For example, Airlander’s cabin can be configured to provide seating for up to 100 passengers, offering a low emissions air mobility option. Airlander will more efficiently connect regions on shorthaul routes, without the need for the substantial infrastructure of traditional transport and with 90% less emissions than current air transport. Airlander can also be configured to enable flexible logistics, operating on unprepared surfaces giving access to inaccessible locations. Airlander will bridge the gap between fast, expensive air freight and slow surface transport. How sustainable is it? Airlander will be at the forefront of an exciting new era of low-carbon air travel. By leveraging the buoyancy of helium, Airlander’s cutting-edge technology requires significantly less fuel to operate than comparable conventional aircraft. In a hybrid-electric configuration (with two electric motors and two combustion engines) Airlander 10 will deliver a 90% reduction in emissions. An all-electric version will be available by 2030 with zero emissions. The aircraft will also be much quieter than conventional aircraft and can further reduce noise pollution by switching

off two out of the four engines during the cruise part of the flight. How much does it draw on traditional airship design? Could it be described as “retro-futurist”? Yes, Airlander is a hybrid aircraft, meaning it combines a number of proven technologies. It utilises a gas-filled hull to generate buoyancy like the airships of the past, but uses helium instead of hydrogen. Unlike airships, Airlander operates ‘heavier-than-air’ which makes ground handling much simpler and safer. The aircraft will come down and land like a conventional aeroplane. In terms of the interior, Airlander will draw on some elements of traditional airship design. The airships of the past were known as being incredibly elegant and were described as ‘hotels in the sky’. Airlander’s design has been carefully thought-out to be able to deliver a high-end guest experience, similar to having chartered a superyacht. Its design is sleek and contemporary. There will be a focus on clean lines. The stylish bar and luxurious dining set ups will make the most of the spectacular views. There will also be private viewing platforms, so guests can clearly observe natural landmarks and local wildlife. What sort of range does the aircraft have? In a luxury tourism configuration Airlander 10 will have a range of 2,000 nautical miles. The aircraft

TRAVEL

Lighter than air: The Airlander over islands (opposite); inside the luxury HAV Airlander (left); and adventurer Henry Cookson (below)

will be Type Certified and capable of flying in a wide range of weather conditions and can take off and land from virtually any flat surface. What would your ideal destination be with the Airlander? Airlander will offer a new way to explore the interior of continents I’ve visited many times before, such as Antarctica and Africa. The journey will be part of the enjoyment and you will gain a completely different aerial perspective on wildlife and landscapes. I think Oman would be an extraordinary destination to explore differently with Airlander. Being able to soar above the white sandy beaches and the undulating dunes of the Arabian Peninsula would be spectacular. Airlander will be able to accommodate a range of expedition assets on board, so the journey from coast to desert can be seamlessly interspersed with exclusive experiences, ranging from diving in marine-rich waters to high-adrenaline dune buggy rides, before guests finally arrive in a remote desert location at an elegant luxury tented camp.

HYBRID AIRCRAFT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO TRANSFORM THE WAY WE TRAVEL IN THE FUTURE

cooksonadventures.com 29

ABOVE

BEYOND

Tempus heads to the famed ski resort of Val-d’Isère – and the highest-altitude hotel in France – for four phenomenal days in the snow Words: Gabriel Power

Clockwise from right: the new Refuge de Solaise hotel; mountain adventures on the peaks of Val-d’Isère; skiing activities in the clouds; spa facilities at Hôtel les Barmes de l’Ours

“C

ome on, going in a straight line isn’t skiing.” As this phrase leaves my guide Fabrice’s mouth, echoing off the walls of the canyon-like Col de l’Iseran, I sheepishly look down at my legs to discover that it had, as I had feared, been directed at me. Peering back up from the comfort of my rather unambitiously parallel skis, I can just about see Fabrice through the dense fog, a handful of metres in front of me. There he is, with the elegance of a slalom champion, throwing himself into endless consecutive turns, practically leaping from left to right and back again as he carves pristine curves in the powder. He looks back and exaggerates his technique, nodding in encouragement as I clumsily execute a similar turn, but in a manner not dissimilar to a cat freshly launched onto an ice rink. Heading deeper into the cloud layer, we find ourselves in an almost total whiteout by the time we reach the bottom of the Cascade Express chairlift, ready to take us across 1,741m of cable up onto the Pasaillas Glacier – this is the very top

of the Val-d’Isère ski area. The weather back in the resort had been mildly cloudy but with enough natural light for a decent day’s skiing and so, as a confident-butby-no-means-expert skier, the idea of heading even further into this oblivion of whiteness is a little nerve-wracking. I have a vision of having to snowplough my way back down through the fog as I break all the basic rules of ski technique. But reality, so often, leaves us blindsided. Around two minutes before we reach the top – 3,200m above sea level – we rise from the cloud layer to reveal one of the most stunning sights I have ever laid eyes upon. The sun suddenly bursts into view, punctuating an otherwise immaculately blue sky, and blanketing the peaks surrounding the glacier – they look like islands rising from a sea of cloud. This feels less like Europe’s ceiling and more like its roof. There are no cliff faces to hide the sun nor distant peaks to dwarf those on which we stand. We are now atop the continent, halfway between the snow and the stars. »

THERE ARE NO CLIFF FACES TO HIDE THE SUN NOR DISTANT PEAKS TO DWARF

THOSE ON WHICH WE STAND. WE ARE NOW ATOP THE CONTINENT, HALFWAY BETWEEN THE SNOW AND THE STARS

Hidden in the clouds: The village of Val-d’Isère is located high in the French Alps

MOUNTAIN REFUGE Val-d’Isère is European skiing at its purest. This is a resort where high altitude, raucous apres-ski, luxury hotels and miles and miles of some of the continent’s finest pistes come together to create something truly unique – a space that welcomes all, from professional ski champions to first timers, yet makes every individual feel as if they are experiencing something tailor-made for them. And, as a lover of skiing and mountains, I could not have felt more at home upon arrival at the brand new Le Refuge de Solaise, our home for the next two nights. At 2,551m above sea level, this is the highest hotel in France – and the highest in Europe to feature a spa – and access to this remarkable hideaway is possible only via the Solaise gondola, which closes at 5pm. In the dimming orange light of early evening, as the last skiing stragglers drain off the mountainside, we soar up and over them in the opposite direction. In a moment that feels truly surreal, we step out of our cabin and onto the lofty piste in our regular shoes, the cables slowing to a halt behind us as we trundle across the snow to the hotel. We are now mountainside at over 2,500m, entirely cut off from the resort below. While this prospect is a little daunting and almost intimidating, the sight of the wonderfully welcoming Le Refuge, perched on a ridge overlooking the valley in front of us, quickly puts paid to the notion that we will be anything but comfortable up in these frigid climes. Bathed in warm light both inside and out, and bedecked with chalet-style pinewood and animal skin rugs and throws, Le Refuge is perhaps the dictionary definition of cosy; particularly on nights when winds pick up and the temperatures plummets to -10˚C. Considering the brutal conditions, we have to ask why there’s a 110-guest hotel up here. Opening in late 2019 as the brainchild of local restaurateur Jean-Claude Borel, at least part of the building was constructed using the former cable car station at Solaise, closed following the unveiling of the Telecabine de Solaise which now carries guests up here. The result is the ultimate ski-in-ski-out destination, where guests can indulge in first class dining and spa facilities and have the quietest night’s sleep of their lives, before waking up and being the first skiers on the entire mountain. And, following a rental ski fitting with Oxygene, that’s exactly what we did. And it was glorious.

THE HEIGHT OF LUXURY After a subsequent night of gorging on some of the classic Italian fare at Le Refuge’s Gigi restaurant – and a day of attempting to burn off the calories on the slopes – we venture down into the village courtesy of the cable car (which stays open until 11pm on Fridays). We dine at L’Altiplano, an experiential Peruvian restaurant housed in the five-star K2 Chogori hotel, offering extensive tasting menus with unique twists on South American classics such as ceviche, washed down with superb sommelier-picked white wines sourced, predictably, from Savoie itself. Sure, the French will gladly embrace foreign cuisine, but fine wine? That baton has yet to be passed. Snow hounds seeking something a little more conventional – though no less luxurious – than Le Refuge should check in for a stay at Hôtel les Barmes de l’Ours (literally “The Bear Cave Hotel”), situated at the base of the Face de Bellevarde, the formidable, towering black run that dominates the Val-d’Isère skyline. This hotel, which has become a mainstay of the village after opening in the early 2000s, features themed floors (Scandinavian, American lodge, Alpine chalet and contemporary), a superb spa offering treatments of all kinds, and three restaurants including the Michelin-starred La Table de l’Ours. From here, guests who wish to forgo more punishing skiing can also partake in afternoon activities including yoga, fitness walks and fatbiking. Perched at the furthest lurching reaches of the Tarentaise Valley, Val-d’Isère remains difficult to comfortably label. Whereas other Alpine resorts have fully embraced their fleshed-out niches – think the fur-coat glitz of St Moritz or the quaint homeliness of La Rosiere – this lofty corner of France, so isolated from the rest of the country and, indeed, even its surrounding resorts, is a microsociety of its own. It is all the kaleidoscopic elements of skiing layered on top of one another; on our second night, as we ascend in a cable car up to our luxurious hideout at Le Refuge, we glide just metres above the heads of teenagers and 20-somethings dancing on tables to Carly Rae Jepsen at the famed Cocorico bar in the centre of town while, just beyond them, families were bedding down for an early night in the myriad cosy hotels nearby. Every snapshot stored in my memory is a painting, one in which every guest was allowed free rein to be themselves – and each one of them having the time of their lives while doing so. valdisere.com

WATCHES

A novel approach As Watches & Wonders returns to Geneva for its first physical showcase, we celebrate the most remarkable novelties of 2022 Words: Gabriel Power

fter two years confined to the realm of video conferences and Zoom meetings as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Watches & Wonders – the largest horology trade show in the business – has returned to the shores of Lake Geneva as an in-person event. Combining live showcases with virtual conferences, the FIHH’s hybrid fair has been a triumphant return for the beleaguered watch fair community. And, with a number of the world’s most prestigious watchmakers looking to re-enter the live action scene by making a statement (or two), 2022 has seen the launch of an unprecedented wealth of showstopping novelties complete with unique dials, magical materials and curious complications that have seen the convention reduced to hushed, reverent tones. Here, we gather some of the most exciting, unique releases of Watches & Wonders for another year…

PARMIGIANI FLEURIER | TONDA PF GMT RATTRAPANTE Parmigiani Fleurier’s Tonda PF collection, which first launched in September 2021, has a new face for 2022: the Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante (left). This remarkable, minimalist design belies the complexity within; this is a rattrapante, also known as a double chronograph, which remains a fiendishly fiddly mechanism to create and is thus seen rather infrequently compared to more basic designs. And Parmigiani has used this mechanism to create the perfect watch for the discerning traveller. The complication features two arrowheaded hour hands – one in rhodium-plated gold and the other in rose gold – and pressing the pusher at 8 o’clock causes the upper rhodiumplated gold hand dedicated to local time to jump one hour forward, thereby revealing the rose gold hand that displays the time in the wearer’s place of residence. »

watchesandwonders.com parmigiani.com

A. LANGE & SÖHNE | ODYSSEUS TITANIUM The sporty, sleek Odysseus Titanium (right) is a major statement from A. Lange & Söhne; it is the brand’s first foray into titanium modelling and features a unique ice blue face never before used by the Maison. Limited to just 250 pieces, this design’s case has a diameter of 40.5mm and a height of 11.1mm, and features a self-winding manufacture caliber L155.1 Datomatic, and its titanium case, when exposed to oxygen, produces a very thin transparent oxide coating that protects the material against external factors and makes it corrosion-resistant. This is cutting-edge stuff from the German watchmaker. alange-soehne.com

CARTIER | MASSE MYSTERIEUSE One of the most strikingly aesthetic offerings at this year’s event was the Masse Mystérieuse (left) from Cartier, which brings together two of the Maison’s watchmaking hallmarks: the mysterious movement and the skeleton. After eight years and five test models, this watch’s fascinating Caliber 9801 MC is fully miniaturised into a semi-circle and visible due to the skeleton design, with all components that power the Masse Mysterieuse integrated in the rotor. This model is available in a limited edition of 30 pieces and has its entrance in platinum case with a diameter of 43.5mm and a height of 12.64mm. cartier.com

PATEK PHILIPPE | ANNUAL CALENDAR TRAVEL TIME Patek Philippe popped over from their HQ in nearby Plan-les-Ouates to showcase their newest creation, the Annual Calendar Travel Time (left), which sees the brand combine its patented Annual Calendar (that requires a manual correction only once a year) and the Travel Time system for, much like the Parmigiani Rattrapante, the display of a second time zone. The new self-winding movement, which contains eight patents, is housed in a new Calatrava-type case with “Clous de Paris” guilloche hobnail pattern around its entire flank, emblematic of the Patek Philippe style. » patek.com

VACHERON CONSTANTIN HISTORIQUES 222

LES

Vacheron Constantin’s Les Historiques 222 is the latest in a collection of integrated-bracelet sports watches introduced by the brand in the 1970s, returning to W&W as a cult favourite, originally unveiled in 1977 for the 222nd anniversary of the Maison. The new iteration of the watch (right) is in 18K 3N gold with a 37 mm diameter, recreating the hexagonal-link integrated bracelet of the 1970s models, while also introducing some subtle changes and updates including the movement. The original model used the ultra-thin caliber 1121 (Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber 920), which this new 222 uses Vacheron’s own caliber 2455/2. vacheronconstantin.com

PANERAI | LUMINOR GOLDTECH CALENDARIO PERPETUO The perpetual calendar, such as the one featured in Panerai’s stunning new Luminor Goldtech Calendario Perpetuo (left), is among the most difficult high complications to master, due to its ability to automatically adjust the day and date of each month while correcting for leap years This limited-edition model, available in only 33 pieces and whose purchasers will be invited to experience its creation firsthand in Florence, was envisaged by the Laboratorio di Idee in the Italian city, before assembly in the Panerai manufacture in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. panerai.com

ROGER DUBUIS | KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE MONOTOURBILLON ‘Hyper horology’ specialists Roger Dubuis combine pink gold and colourful Murano glass – which appears to levitate around the central monotourbillon – to create the legendary round table of Arthurian legend in their latest breathtaking novelty. The Knights of the Round Table Monotourbillon (right) features 12 knights individually cast in 6mm pink gold, and each designed and decorated through micro-sculpture techniques to show a distinct personality, as they fight gravity upon the remarkable dial. The eighth edition monotourbillon is a technical feat at the centre of the dial, with an expanded balance wheel to increase stability and accuracy, while the double surfaced flanged is also carved from a single block of Murano glass – resulting in an extraordinary eight layers of décor around the dial – and the whole thing encased in a 45mm pink gold case with notched bezel. rogerdubuis.com

T IME WELL SPENT As Watches & Wonders returns to Geneva, we join Initium for a watchmaking course in the horological heart of Switzerland Words: Teresa Levonian Cole

WATCHES

additionally allow you to design and assemble your own watch, which, for an inclusive course price beginning at CHF 1,990, you can then take home. Horologist Fabiano Pericles (who numbers Patek Philippe, Rolex and Vacheron Constantin as clients) was my mentor for the day, spiriting me through 6,000 years of horological history through to the invention of the (whisper the name) quartz movement in 1969. Beginning with the Gnomon of Chaldea (a sundial) and with passing reference to the 1stcentury BC Antikythera Clock – the first mechanical device to track astronomical phenomena – we soon reached the weight clocks that appeared on public buildings during the Middle Ages. Things picked up in the mid-17th century, with the appearance of the minute hand for the first time, and the invention of the balance spring, which would revolutionise watchmaking. By 1810, the legendary Abraham-Louis Breguet (referred to, incidentally, in the works of Stendhal, Balzac and Pushkin) had made the first ever wristwatch, destined for the Queen of Naples. Diagrams illustrating the parts of a mechanical watch, on both its movement and dial sides, then appeared on a screen – a riot of barrel, ratchet, interlocking wheels and springs. I was introduced to such technical terms as lever, click, escape wheel, and causeway. A giant, simplified 3D model was produced to show how everything, as though by some divine logic, was connected. Fascinating – but still far from obvious. That aha! moment when, with a fleeting flash of understanding, I saw the interplay of superimposed wheels – the furthest from the barrel operating the smallest unit of time – was one of sheer delight. But, with Fabiano to guide me, I needn’t have worried. The next step was to dismantle and reassemble a movement. I had chosen an automatic one: ETA 2892, 25.60mm (11.5 ‘lines’) in diameter. Smaller than the manual movement and with the added complication of an automatic mechanism – an oscillating weight that swings round when your arm is moved, thereby winding the mainspring automatically – it is also more fiddly to work on. As the intellectual challenge yielded to the physical ones of vision »

ith my chin the mandatory fist-height above the work bench, forearms resting on the table, glasses and magnifiers perched on my nose, and bright light focused on the object of my attention, I still struggled to see the screw in my grip – never mind the infinitesimally tiny slot into which I was supposed to insert a tool. Not for the first time, I wondered at the skill of those 18th-century cabinotiers who – without the aids of modern science – worked on the upper floors of buildings with nothing but natural daylight to assist them. It speaks volumes for the science of optics at the time. I had enrolled on a one-day, one-on-one watchmaking course at Initium, located in a 17th-century building in the Old City of Geneva, a stone’s throw from where the French theologian Jean Calvin lived from 1543 until his death in 1564. It is a delicious historical irony that luxury watchmaking should have flourished in Geneva, thanks largely to this austere Protestant reformer’s interdiction on luxury goods. As jewellers, goldsmiths and enamellers sought an acceptable outlet for their skills in 16th-century Geneva, they found it in watchmaking – because timepieces, having both a practical and moral function, were exempt from Calvin’s ban. A visit to the Patek Philippe museum is proof of how adept these skilled craftsmen became at stretching the rules, from endowing timepieces with everything from jewels to miniature images of their semi-naked patrons in mythological guise, to creating warbling avian automata clad in feathers plucked from an unfortunate hummingbird. But it was the exhibit of Patek Philippe’s own Calibre 89, with its 1,728 components and 33 ‘complications’, that piqued my curiosity about what lay behind a beautiful dial. To help unravel the mystery, Initium currently offers three courses, lasting from three to eight hours in duration, that provide an introduction to the history and theory of watchmaking and culminate in your dismantling and reassembling a basic mechanical movement: either an ETA 6497 calibre manual movement, 36.6mm in diameter, or an ETA 2892 automatic movement. The two longer courses 43

FOR ANY LOVER OF HOROLOGY, THERE CAN BE NO MORE ORIGINAL GIFT THAN A FULL DAY’S INSIGHT INTO THIS ART

and steadiness of hand, I barely dared breathe for fear of inhaling a microscopic screw, as I tried to grasp it with tweezers and peel off the onion layers of the watch. How on earth, I asked myself, did those farmers in the Jura, with their calloused hands and pitchforks, ever manage to collaborate with horologists to produce such refined watch parts during the fallow months of winter 300 years ago? It must be one of the most counter-intuitive moonlighting activities in history – yet today, Jura remains a centre of watchmaking. As for my efforts, it is safe to say I am no natural. But Fabiano was the soul of patience. “Let’s go for lunch,” he said, as a spring went flying and I began to curse under my breath – and off we trotted to Brasserie Lipp. Three courses and two glasses of wine later (“It can steady the hand,” Fabiano assured me), I was refreshed and ready for the part I had been looking forward to: designing and assembling my own watch. Initium offers four sizes of case to choose from – 33mm and 42mm (automatic), and 42mm and 48mm (manual winding) – each size available in various tones. In addition, each case accommodates a range of possible dials, hands, and flanges – not to mention dozens of straps in a rainbow of colours, different leathers and rubbers, which permits thousands of possible permutations to torment the indecisive. I could have spent a whole day procrastinating over components. In the end, I chose the least ornate from among half a dozen skeleton mechanisms (hence, no dial or date function), and added lightly silvered hands and flange to the gold-coloured movement to create a semi-skeleton watch. The movement, of course, was not one I had tinkered with, but a new one that Fabiano regulated on a Chronocomparator, to ensure the balance spring had the correct tension (a task that involves setting the balance wheel to the right frequency, so the watch keeps correct time). After he fitted the flange, it fell to me to add the hands – first the hour, then the minute hand, both of which had to point exactly to 12, before being indexed with a hand fitting press. Fabiano then fixed the delicate second hand, enlarging its hole with a cutting broach to fit the pin, and fixing it with a hand-fitting tool before adjusting all three hands to ensure they were perfectly parallel. While Fabiano mounted the movement in the case, aligned and locked it in place with casing clamps, and fitted the bezel and gaskets, I was tasked with cleaning the sapphire glass using miniature bellows, a microfibre cloth and alcohol, and checking there was no trace of dust in the movement. The glass was then fixed to the case, the working stem was removed, and I set about making a new one, snipping millimetre by millimetre, then filing down the last 0.5mm, until the desired length ( for my movement) of precisely 14.6mm was achieved. A new crown was glued on, the stem screwed in, rear glass secured using a friction ball,

Elegance and expertise: Initium’s one-on-one courses are designed to introduce guests into the world of Swiss watchmaking (above and inset); nearby hotel La Réserve offers scenic views, fine dining and excursions around Geneva (right)

and voilà! My completed watch was ready for the waterproof test machine, which places the watch under pressure to ensure the crown, gaskets and case back are all proof against leakage. It passed the test: waterproof to 30 metres. My watch was now complete, bar further indecision over the colour and type of strap. The concentration was exhausting, and we celebrated completion, finally, with a glass of chilled Swiss wine. Of course, this experience will not invest you with the skill of Gerald Genta overnight. But for any lover of horology, there can be no more original gift than a full day’s insight into this art. Pair that with a stay at the luxurious haven that is La Réserve, and you have the makings of a perfect weekend – and your new watch as a lasting memento. initium.swiss; lareserve-geneve.com

WATCHES

Words to live by Award-winning designer Anya Hindmarch CBE started her fashion empire as a teenager in 1987, after being inspired by a second-hand Gucci bag. Today, at 54, she has 15 luxury stores worldwide and counts the Duchess of Cambridge as a loyal customer. Celebrating her debut book If in Doubt, Wash Your Hair, Hindmarch shares her most precious life advice – starting with shampoo

good scrub with shampoo never fails to make me feel calmer and more confident. This started as a slightly flippant joke, but I think most women understand that if you feel good about yourself you actually stand up straighter and look people in the eye. I think doubt weaves its way through most people’s daily lives, whether you’re a president or the Queen. But often, doubt is an incredibly good thing. It keeps you safe when trying new things. It’s your checkpoint. I think we all need to learn to reframe how we look at doubt. I really thought writing my first book would be like writing eight essays. But, in fact, it’s quite hard to be publicly vulnerable. It goes against the grain, but I was inspired to write it by the younger generation. They’re very good at being open about how they feel and, frankly, that’s very impressive. I thought it was important that my generation does the same, but perhaps with some added layers on the experience we’ve had. I talk about the ‘transition generation’ in the book: women who work as hard as their dads but still do all the work at home. There’s a lot of pressure on women to do everything. I am not an amazing homemaker who produces lovely home cooked meals – I struggle to get any kind of meal on the table with five children. I can be planning the next board meeting and managing a diary for five different schools at the same time. There’s a lot of stuff going on in my head, which my mother didn’t have in the same way, and it can be overwhelming. I realised I have to cut myself a bit of slack. It was a lightbulb moment. In the boardroom you are encouraged to slightly offset your emotions but, actually, I realised that I’m driving a business, driving a team and driving products – without emotion, I would be terrible at all of that. Emotion is so much part of what I do. If you are running a team

or a family, it’s imperative that everyone’s feeling happy and things going well. This ties into being kind. For me, it’s hard to imagine that kindness is not the norm for some people. Kindness is about respect. It’s woven into any success story, be it managing relationships, a family or an entire workplace. Without kindness, you don’t breed respect and loyalty. And so, if you’re not kind to people they won’t be kind to you. Equally having a sense of humour brings people together and makes work more engaging. And I think self-deprecation is very important; it creates a platform that means shyer people don’t feel afraid to share ideas with other people. In my book I include the analogy that life is a fast flowing, often turbulent river. You just need stepping stones. We can feel guilty about putting ourselves first because there are so many other things that need to be looked after, but stepping stones are really key to managing your own energy levels, and staying positive and upbeat. Put a day in the diary for some free ‘me time’. There are so many fun things you can do – even if it’s taking a break to read a book. This is actually a responsibility, not a luxury. One piece of advice I live by is, ‘Be yourself: everyone else is taken’. Everyone strives to be super cool, rich and beautiful, but I think the people who are genuinely the coolest are those who are just really happy with their lot. They have an aura of confidence. They love their family, their home, their friends and radiate a kind of inner peace and happiness. They’re not searching for the next big thing. That’s pretty cool in my book. ‘If in Doubt Wash Your Hair’ by Anya Hindmarch (Bloomsbury) is available now As told to Judy Cogan 46

Life advice: Fashion mogul Anya Hindmarch (right) shares her advice for success

IMAGE: MARLOES HAARMANS

COLUMN

As the Queen becomes the first monarch to celebrate 70 years on the British throne, we collate the best events for a right royal celebration

ince her coronation in June 1953, just over a year after she became Queen, Elizabeth II has been a record-busting monarch in every sense of the word. Not only has the Queen served for a milestone 70 years – longer than any other British monarch, including Queen Victoria – she has also seen the world change during her reign in ways that must have been unimaginable to the 25-year-old royal who first took the throne. With a determination to embrace new advancements and a consistent devotion to duty, she has been an unwavering presence in a fast-changing modern world, from the heights of Beatlemania to the trials of national lockdowns. Among the many seismic shifts in technological and social changes over the decades is the advent of the digital age. The Queen became the first monarch to televise her coronation (a technical feat of its time) and has since embraced the internet through royal social media to taking Zoom calls during the pandemic. Equally, aviation and globalisation have seen Elizabeth become the most widely travelled head of state in the world – prompted, no doubt, by her dedication to visit the Commonwealth nations that she has held so dear throughout her lifetime. The Queen has also seen the UK’s shifting role on the world stage, from the decolonisation of the former British Empire to the UK’s entry – and exit – of the European Union. Now, as the Queen celebrates her milestone Platinum Jubilee with central festivities on 2-5 June, we bring you the most exciting ways to spend the weekend.

LIFESTYLE

Platinum Party 2 JUNE | TROOPING THE COLOUR The annual parade will be bigger and bolder than ever this year, with more than 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians ready to set London alight with pomp and pageantry. The parade moves from Buckingham Palace, down The Mall to Horse Guard’s Parade, and finishes with the tradition RAF fly-past. 3 JUNE | SERVICE OF THANKSGIVING The Royal Family will gather at London’s St Paul’s Cathedral for a service of thanksgiving to mark the Queen’s decades of service. Despite being closed to the public, a similar service for the monarch’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012 saw thousands of well-wishers line the streets. 4 JUNE | PLATINUM PARTY AT THE PALACE A live concert staged by the BBC will broadcast from Buckingham Palace (above), with some of the world’s biggest names in entertainment on hand to celebrate the Queen’s 70-year reign. Guests will include military personnel, charity organisations and volunteers. Fans can expect a mix of contemporary pop, classical music and classic rock ‘n’ roll. 5 JUNE | THE PLATINUM JUBILEE PAGEANT Artists, musicians, dancers, military personnel and key workers unite for the Platinum Jubilee Pageant that combines street arts, theatre, and visual technology. Highlights include marching bands with representatives from across the Commonwealth, the ‘River of Hope’ procession of 200 silk flags decorated by school children and a carnival-style street dance, before a mystery grand finale. » 49

A Royal Day Out

Spectacular Stays

SUPERBLOOM AT THE TOWER The Tower of London celebrates the Jubilee from 1 June until September 2022 with Superbloom (below left). The spectacular immersive flower display will take over the Tower’s medieval, with more than 20million seeds planted to create an explosion of colours, interspersed with sculptural elements and soundscapes that pay tribute to the natural world. hrp.org.uk

THE GORING One the royals’ favourite hotels, The Goring (left), is offering a host of treats to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee. The most exceptional is the two-night Jubilee Goring Stay, which includes a new cocktail – The Jubilee Fizz – with canapés in the Goring Cocktail Bar, a three-course meal in the Michelin-starred Dining Room, a Bollinger Afternoon Tea for two (left and below) – the perfect royal toast. thegoring.com

THE QUEEN’S PRIVATE ESTATES Step inside Elizabeth II’s private retreats over the June Bank Holiday weekend, as the royal residences of Sandringham (Norfolk) and Balmoral (Scotland) will be open to the public for free concert screening, live band music and lighting of the Jubilee Beacons. sandringhamestate.co.uk; balmoralcastle.com THE EPSOM DERBY The Cazoo Derby at Epsom Downs is one of the most exciting horseracing events of the season. Hosted on 3-4 June, the Queen herself will be in attendance to watch the nail-biting racing action amid the carnival spirit of the event. thejockeyclub.co.uk IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM, DUXFORD For the first time ever, IWM Duxford will celebrate the role of the royal family during wartime, with unearthed footage and poignant memorabilia from the archives. Explore amazing aircraft through the ages and trace the Queen’s wartime military service in this exhibit, open until 8 January 2023. iwm.org.uk

CORINTHIA The Corinthia’s Royal Experience package offers a sensational overnight stay in the hotel’s Royal Penthouse with butler service. Starting with collection by Rolls-Royce Phantom, guests will enjoy a private afternoon tea, cocktails while observing the Trooping the Colour fly-by, Chef Tom Kerridge’s Great British Menu dining experience and spa treatments. corinthia.com SHANGRI-LA THE SHARD From its wellness in the clouds packages to food themed around the Queen’s travels around the world, Shangri-La The Shard is the ultimate destination to experience a bird’s eye view of London’s Jubilee weekend. And, with many suites – and the hotel’s Ting lounge – overlooking the Tower of London’s Superbloom installation, the best views in London will get an upgrade for June. shangri-la.com CLARIDGE’S Another royal favourite, Claridge’s has played host to many of the Windsor’s private parties – including the Queen’s 60th birthday party in 1986. This year, the art deco hotel has opened its archives to share moments from the Queen’s coronation, including rare footage, menus and memorabilia. Don’t miss out on the Windsor Rose cocktail, created 70 years ago for the coronation, at the venue’s restaurants and bars. langhamhotels.com

Fit for a Queen...

stablished in 1993, the non-profit organisation Royal Collection Trust was created to curate and protect the Royal Collection – looking after royal residences, jewels, art and more for the enjoyment of the public for generations to come. From art exhibits at The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, to hosting expert talks about the history of the monarchy, Royal Collection Trust is a font of knowledge for history buffs. This year, to mark the Platinum Jubilee, the organisation has curated special exhibitions across the country that provide an intimate insight into the Queen as she celebrates her 70th year on the throne. Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and Edinburgh’s Holyroodhouse will all host special displays inspired by the Queen’s coronation and jubilees past from June to October – with rare portraits, iconic outfits and Crown Jewels all on public display, some for the first time ever. Platinum Jubilee: The Queen’s Accession sees The State Rooms at London’s Buckingham Palace transformed into 1953, the year of the Coronation. Displays include a selection of remarkable portraits of the Queen taken by Dorothy Wilding – these formed Elizabeth’s portrait for stamps and embassies until 1971 – as well as The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, which was given to Elizabeth by her grandmother, Queen Mary, on the occasion of her marriage to Prince Philip. Windsor Castle, meanwhile, will host its own coronation exhibition titled Platinum Jubilee: The Queen’s Coronation, which will feature the Coronation Dress and Robe of Estate worn by the monarch on the day of her accession. The magnificent dress was designed by Sir Norman Hartnell, and the white duchesse satin gown features floral emblems of the UK and Commonwealth in its details. Finally, and not to be outdone, the Palace of Holyroodhouse will host a celebration of Jubilees past in its Platinum Jubilee Display, featuring outfits worn by Elizabeth during her Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Highlights include the pink dress, coat and stole ensemble worn by the Queen during her 1977 Silver Jubilee, designed by royal couturier Sir Hardy Amies (with a matching hat designed by Simone Mirman), which was faithfully copied for Netflix series The Crown. Book tickets now at rct.uk

Sovereign style: Queen Elizabeth II on her Coronation Day, 1953, by Cecil Beaton (previous page); Dorothy Wilding, HM Queen Elizabeth II, 1952 (right). Both courtesy Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2022

Servant of the people Rewriting the rules of crisis leadership, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy has emerged as a confident and courageous politician for our times

IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK

n 24 February 2022, Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine. Three days before, marking the end of a long prelude to the attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia’s recognition of two breakaway states in eastern Ukraine. The Russian leader launched a “special military operation”, but denied plans to occupy territory – all while supporting what he described as the “demilitarisation and denazification” of Ukraine. Within minutes of Putin’s announcement, Ukrainian cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odessa, and the Donbas all reported explosions, while Russian troops landed in Mariupol and Odessa. In the first day, Russian forces took control of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant and surrounding areas, and captured Snake Island following a naval bombardment. The defiant final message of a Ukrainian border guard to a Russian warship quickly went viral, became a hard-hitting symbol of Ukrainian resistance. Nearly two months later, Ukraine is still fighting in its villages and cities, as international powers continue to enforce heavy sanctions against Russia – the EU announced a fifth round of sanctions on 8 April. Nearly 10 million people, the vast majority being women and children, have fled their homes, with 4.3 million seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch has joined other organisations in documenting alleged laws-ofwar violations by Russian military forces against Ukrainian citizens. Through this crisis, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s sixth president, has come to the fore as a charismatic and compelling leader for our times. Zelenskyy, a former actor and comedian, was known for his hit TV series Servant of the People (2015-2019) about a history teacher

who becomes president. In 2018, Zelenskyy created a political party of the same name and announced his candidacy, positioning himself – much like his character – as an anti-corruption figure. In what may have come as a shock to outsiders, he defeated incumbent president Petro Poroshenko in a landslide victory, winning 73.23% of the vote. Part of Zelenskyy’s presidential campaign was to end the country’s ongoing conflict with Russia – particularly the war in Donbas – but, instead, he has become the figurehead of the country during a full-scale invasion. His strategy and calm courage has won him international acclaim, especially thanks to his use of social media and multiple platforms to keep dialogue open with his citizens. Before the invasion, Zelenskyy’s focus was on reducing panic stemming from Russia’s rapid militarisation on Ukraine’s borders, but on 24 February Zelenskyy acted swiftly: declaring martial law, severing diplomatic relations with Russia, confirming that civilian targets were being shelled alongside military ones, and mobilising Ukrainian forces – including men aged 18-60. Zelenskyy himself remained in the capital of Kyiv during the assaults, swapping his tailored suits for fatigues and arms, and famously telling officials from the US and Turkey – who offered to evacuate the president to a safer location – “I need ammunition, not a ride”. Russia’s military action has been met with widespread protest, not least from Russian citizens. In the first week alone, more than 6,500 people in 53 Russian cities were detained by police for protesting the invasion. Zelenskyy himself appealed to the people of Russia in a speech released on the messaging app Telegram. Speaking in Russian, he said: “I know

that they will not show this appeal of mine on Russian television. But the citizens of Russia must see it. They must know the truth. And the truth is that this needs to stop before it is too late. And if the Russian leadership does not want to sit down at the table with us for the sake of peace, then perhaps, they will sit down at the table with you. “Do Russians want war? I would very much like to answer this question. But the answer depends only on you, the citizens of the Russian Federation.” A masterclass on crisis communications, Zelenskyy’s approach has focused on sharing his messages quickly, clearly, and as widely as possible. Whether by video message or Twitter, he has emphasised his core messages – the courage of Ukrainians, calling upon Putin to end the war, and how the world can support Ukraine. Zelenskyy has also made video addresses to governments across the world, including a powerful address to the UK House of Commons on 9 March that keenly invoked the wartime speeches of Sir Winston Churchill. “Ukraine was not looking for this war,” he told MPs. “Ukrainians have not been looking to become big, but they have become big over the 13 days of this war. We are saving people despite having to fight one of the biggest armies in the world with its helicopters and rockets.” He added: “We will fight until the end, at sea and in the air. We will continue fighting for our land, whatever the cost. We will fight in the forests, in the fields, on the shores and in the streets...” While the history of this conflict has yet to be written, it is clear that the world is already learning important lessons from the new, direct style of leadership and fortitude of Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

NEWS

THE TECH T R A N S F O R M A T I O N Over the past 20 years, digital disruptors have shaken up the 200-year-old wealth management industry. In this year’s Wealth Report, we head to the web to drill down into the Metaverse, NFTs and other digital transformations Words: Lysanne Currie

THE METAVERSE

he Metaverse might be best described as a cluster of virtual worlds in which our digital avatars can play video games, buy clothes, go to interactive gigs, go on dates – or even go to work. The name may have been coined some 30 years ago by the author Neal Stephenson in his sci-fi novel Snow Crash, to describe an all-immersive AI world – but his vision isn’t far off the reality. And it’s a world that potentially holds opportunities galore for businesses; a place to create, advertise and sell digital assets. “I absolutely think firms should have somebody looking into this,” says Ian West, head of technology, media and telecoms at KPMG. “Otherwise, it could creep up and be like, ‘If only I’d thought about this two years ago’.” And he’s not the only one with ‘FOMO’ when it comes to the Metaverse. Founder Mark Zuckerberg has already jumped on the bandwagon, appropriately renaming Facebook ‘Meta’, and ploughing $10bn

(£7.4bn) into the Metaverse this year alone, “to unlock a massively bigger creator economy”, as Zuckerberg says. While JP Morgan became the first Metaverse bank, Disney wants to create a theme park Metaverse, and McDonald’s has filed a trademark for a virtual restaurant in the Metaverse that delivers to customers’ real-life homes. Elsewhere, the Balenciaga fashion house recently showcasing its Fall 2021 collection via video game Afterworld: The Age of Tomorrow. It’s good business sense: Stateside, women account for 41 percent of all gamers; while Marc Jacobs, Valentino, Vuitton and Burberry are just a few of the brands that have partnered with video games. In November 2021, Nike filed trademarks for selling digital clothes and shoes with its swoosh logo to be worn in virtual-only worlds, by digital avatars. This a world, after all, where someone recently shelled out £19,000 on a virtual hoodie.

WEALTH

NON-FUNGIBLE TOKENS

on-fungible tokens (or NFTs) are units of data, stored on a blockchain, that can be sold and traded. Unlike cryptocurrencies, they can’t be traded for equivalent amounts (in the way you could swap a ‘fungible’ tenner for two fivers). A NFT, instead, has ‘non-fungible’, one-of-kind properties. These unique digital tokens might be thought of as ‘certificates of ownership’, for example, when buying a unique crypto painting or a digital collectable, the NFT buyer’s token, which stores data about its provenance, proves they own the “original” work. Among recent headline-grabbers, the musician Grimes sold her digital art for more than $6m, the Bored Ape Yacht Club collection featured 10,000 individuals NFTs (below), while an animated gif of the Nyan Cat meme (a rainbow-propelled flying pop-tart cat, above) sold for more than $500,000 (£365,000). Twitter founder Jack Dorsey offered an NFT of the very first tweet – bids of up to $2.5m were made. Understandably, NFTs are now sold by Christie’s and Sotheby’s. A guarantee

of authenticity and ownerships add value. There’s a lot of buzz around NFTs at the moment. According to the BBC, the total value of trade for NFTs was estimated to be worth $40.9bn in 2021, according to calculations by the blockchain data firm Chainalysis. As Marc Hauser, head of F10 Switzerland, a fintech incubator, says: “NFTs may well be a riddle to some in wealth management (and beyond), but they are certainly no joke and are very likely to stay relevant in the years to come.” However, in addition to concerns over their environmental impact, NFTs have recently become a target for cyberscammers, selling fake tokens, trading on ignorance of how crypto actually works. Not everyone’s a believer in this latest craze. David Gerard, author of Attack of the 50-foot Blockchain, has called NFTsellers “crypto-grifters”. While former Christie’s auctioneer Charles Allsopp told the BBC that “the idea of buying something which isn’t there is just strange… I think people who invest in it are slight mugs, but I hope they don’t lose their money.” »

WEALTH TECH

n its 2020 annual report, the Boston Consulting Group wrote, “Digitisation has put more of the world within reach, increasing economic productivity and allowing individuals to participate in an ever-more-global economy. All of this has been good for wealth”. And, as Marc Hauser added this year: “Many millennials and gen-Zs are already trading on newly-emerging platforms and not going to the bank their parents relied on.” Yes, the future of wealth management is digital, and the pandemic just accelerated the curve. Recent ‘WealthTech’ trends include advances in cloud technology, big data, machine learning and artificial intelligence – in the shape of digital or robo-advisors (aka Automated Wealth Managers), such as VestmarkONE

Robo Solution, which provide algorithm-driven financial planning services, with barely any human supervision or none whatsoever. In addition, robo-retirement platforms use algorithms to help clients create a retirement portfolios, while ‘Quant advisors’ use AI to manage come up with investment strategies. Elsewhere, companies will increasingly use RegTech (or Regulatory Technology) to carry out everything from due diligence to data mining and management, while Quantum computing, though still in its infancy, is predicted to tackle any number of challenges faced by WealthTech and FinTech. Robot bank clerks and supervillain-style super-computers – whatever next? Watch this space… »

WEALTH

THE FUTURE OF WEALTH MANAGEMENT IS DIGITAL, AND THE PANDEMIC JUST ACCELERATED THE CURVE

WEALTH

WELCOME TO WEB3

rom the Godfather III to Jaws 3D, it’s a truism that ‘threequels’ aren’t generally very popular. But, when applied to the World Wide Web, could Web3 be about to buck the trend? And are investors correct that Web3 is “the future of the internet”? You’ve almost certainly heard of Web 1.0 and Web 2.0. The first iteration covered, roughly, the early 1990s to the early Noughties – the days of big chunky desktops when social media was but a glint in the Internet’s eye. The second, funkier iteration – the internet’s wayward teenage years – charted a rockier, yet altogether more connected course through our present-day badlands, with an explosion of user-created content. Ironically, of course, it would take behemoths like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to monetise all that homegrown content, and grow rich off the back of it. Now enter Web3: a catch-all term for an exciting new vision powered by blockchain technology and Artificial Intelligence; a new sort of marketplace, revolving around cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum, Bitcoin and NFTs. And, crucially, ‘decentralisation’: this new movement distinguishes itself from “Big Tech”, those who have monopoly over the Internet. According to investor and Web3 fan Packy McCormick, it’s “the internet owned by the builders and users, orchestrated with tokens.” Web3 will allow creators and users a way to monetise their content, unlike, say Facebook, which has gotten rich by selling our user data off to third parties. Web3’s name was coined in 2014 by Ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood, who outlined a “decentralised online ecosystem based on blockchain”. But it wasn’t until 2021 that his concept really began to catch fire among cryptocurrency enthusiasts, venture capitalists and large technology companies. Advocates insist Web3 will utterly transform the internet, ushering in a new digital economy which bypasses the stuffy old middlemen and

breaks down old power hierarchies – funnily enough, something that motivated those early internet pioneers too. (Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.) Although some consider it still largely theoretical, Web3 is already with us in some ways: the crowdsourced wireless network Helium is powered by cryptocurrencies, while the video game Axie Infinity rewards players with digital money that can be traded for the real thing. Certain ‘old-school’ platforms pointed the way too: Amazon showed how a customer can buy anything with a single click and get it delivered within hours. Web3 then, seems set to be a game changer for businesses. As Nick Harrington of No Borders Labs says, in an era where data privacy and its misuse are serious flashpoint issues, blockchain could “secure and validate not only online identities, [but] every element of your business and supply chain too”. Trust and transparency are key to this brave new world. So, what should businesses do to embrace it? Most importantly, by initially getting their heads around what it actually is. As SaaS Partners CEO Patrick Parker puts it for Entrepreneur, “Educate yourself: How much do you truly understand about the fundamentals driving Web3? Set up Google Alerts and track “Web3” as a keyword.” Educate yourself too about blockchain and cryptocurrencies. And take it one step at a time. “One of the easiest ways to get started right now is by setting up your wallet and purchasing a Web3. The other benefit here is that instead of renting your domain name from GoDaddy or Google as most of us do today, you will actually own your Web3 domain.” As blockchain solution site Trufflesuite says, “By leveraging Web3 technologies, companies have the ability to enact new, potentially lucrative business models… the new web presents an opportunity to pivot from traditional revenue streams in search of more optimal solutions.”

ODE TO JOY Piaget CEO Benjamin Comar on the driving emotion elevating the world of jewellery watches Words: Michelle Johnson

t this time of year, as watch fairs and showcases return once more to fill our calendars, the world of watches can seem like a who’s-who of horology as brands compete to release the most elaborate innovations and complications in their 2022 novelties. And then there’s Piaget. For nearly 150 years, the Swiss watch brand has focused on fine watchmaking and jewellery, with each collection characterised by a visual savoir-faire that combines accuracy of movements (and ultra-thin technology) with out-of-this-world jewel-setting. It’s safe to say that this Swiss brand has always pushed the boundaries of bling, making bright and brilliant gems the order of the day – and emphasising just how elaborate jewellery and crafted watches can be. This fusion of elegance and extravagance – “extraleganza”, according to CEO Benjamin Comar – is a defining feature of the brand’s contemporary approach. Comar’s career has spanned big name high jewellery brands including Cartier, Chanel and Repossi, making him uniquely qualified to take the fine watch brand to new heights when he took the reins in June 2021. His predecessor, Chabi Nouri, had been the company’s first female CEO, and her achievements included launching the ultra-thin Altiplano Ultimate Concept in 2018 and refocusing the company’s storytelling on craftsmanship – two elements Comar is keen to continue as he celebrates the power of jewellery watches. This year’s Watches & Wonders saw the brand release three sensational novelties: the Altiplano Ultimate Concept (right), an ultrathin 2mm in breadth; the Limelight Gala Precious, set with extraordinary diamonds and deep green tsavorites, and Limelight Gala High Jewellery, with its riotous fanfare of diamonds exploding from the bezel. Most importantly of all, to Comar, is that Piaget’s fans – from craftspeople to collectors – experience the most important part of the brand’s DNA: joy. »

Benjamin, what drew you to Piaget in 2021? Piaget is a magical brand. For almost 150 years it has been synonymous with prestige, always trying to create the best possible products – whether that’s elegant jewellery or the thinnest watches – and this combination of creativity and prestige, performance and craftsmanship is incredible. We’re a very different maison than any other, with a unique identity based on our three values of sophistication, shared joy and ‘extraleganza’. How does your experience in the jewellery world enhance your role at Piaget? I’ve worked across different sizes and positioning of companies – including director of jewellery at Chanel and CEO of Repossi – so I think I understand what jewellery is about. Importantly, I’ve learnt that you must respect your customer as well as understand your brand. Then, of course, teamwork is always important – you can’t do great things by yourself. Are there specific areas of the brand you plan to explore over the next few years? [Former CEO] Chabi has done a great job developing Piaget’s jewellery and watches. We are selling a full universe of products for ladies and men. And that’s what we have to share with our customers, so they understand the Piaget way of life – it’s savoir-faire and savoir-vivre together. I think a lot of customers can understand that and will grow with us in our brand. Our job here is to enhance the DNA of the brand for the future, so it’s a great adventure to be in such a big area of products and regions – we have the chance to be in the US (we will be opening a great store on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills in March), as well as already being in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

You work with incredible craftspeople in the watch and jewellery fields in-house – could you tell us more? In Piaget, we have know-how from watch movements to gemmology, bracelets to gold-smithing – all the technicalities of watch and jewellery making under one roof. It’s a very good expression of the brand – we can build all of the product with a level of creativity and technical problem-solving that allows us to develop fantastic new products. It allows a wealth of collaboration between our creative team and jewellery designers. I think that’s rare in the luxury industry, to place as much importance on craftsmanship as creativity, and therefore serve the creative purpose. And I think that’s what people recognise in Piaget, and that’s why those products are transmittable for generation.

You launched the Altiplano Ultimate Concept at Watches & Wonders this year. How do you plan to develop this ultra-thin collection? We are very happy to have one of the thinnest watches on the market, and its high performance and unique quality represents the culture of the brand. Ultra-thin watches are not a new segment for us – we’ve been creating them for 148 years – but I can really see the fighting spirit of our team in how we all want to continue to push the boundaries and improve even further. This is a long-term goal – after all, to create a thin watch is very complicated – but we’ll continue to develop spectacular watches that are also incredibly reliable. That’s why I love Piaget watches. They need to work 24/7 and are guaranteed for a minimum of eight years – our watches last forever, and we think just as long-term.

Are there any key trends or areas of focus that you’re seeing that excite you? First of all, Piaget’s first jewellery watches with hard stones, launched back in the 1960s, were very creative and different from what anyone else was doing, and I like that. I think jewellery watches – watches worn as jewellery pieces – are becoming more and more important. The customer’s knowledge of watches has increased a lot, and so there’s been a lot of development in elegant jewellery watches – and, on the other side, the development of the casual-chic look, which we can see in the strength of our Polo collection.

As digital innovations such as VR and NFTs rise in prominence, how important is it to embrace new technologies? We have to live with our times, and the truth is that digital has entered the minds of everyone across the sector. We have to understand and accept that and find ways to do our own digital projects that don’t lose the prestige factor. And we do have projects in the works that I can’t talk about – yet!

Are there any areas of the Piaget collection that you are excited to develop further? Recently, I think the Polo range has been a key statement for us – the Skeleton Polo is doing super well and is a very nice watch in a casual chic style. I also like what’s happening within our jewellery collections – especially our Possession line. It’s very joyful, very playful, and will be even stronger in the future.

piaget.com

WATCHES

THE PIAGET WAY OF LIFE IS SAVOIR-FAIRE AND SAVOIR-VIVRE TOGETHER – Benjamin Comar

Savoir-vivre: Piaget CEO Benjamin Comar (inset) introduces 2022's Altiplano Ultimate Concept (opposite) and Limelight Gala High Jewellery (this page) 63

Moroccan magic Marrakech has become the ultimate glamourous escape for high society. We discover how to enjoy the most decadent delights this North African haven has to offer in this ‘blow the budget’ guide Words: Judy Cogan

hat do we really know about this intoxicating and fabled Moroccan city, with labyrinthine souks and ancient rose-red walls? Marrakech has attracted a glittering artsy crowd who sip mint tea beneath canopies of fragrant

bougainvillaea and relax poolside in fine white cotton since Yves Saint Laurent and Mick Jagger visited in the 1970s. It is home to grand palace hotels, decadently secretive riads and a slew of Michelin-starred restaurants that sit not far from snake charmers

and roaming donkeys. You can buy handwoven Moroccan rugs or a Dior bag against a backdrop of the snow-topped Atlas Mountains. The enduring magic of this North African city is as captivating as ever – and all within a threehour flight from London...

WHERE TO GO

Beldi Country Club For the perfect reset, secure a day-pass at Beldi Country Club. Described by Tatler as “part Alice in Wonderland, part bohemian fantasy”; it’s both wild and tranquil. Relax by a picturesque pool, stroll among rose bushes or make clay pots in the pottery yard. There’s also a gorgeous spa, an array of hyper-chic boutiques and a private cinema for hire. beldicountryclub.com

Musée Yves Saint Laurent Opened in 2017, Musée Yves Saint Laurent (pictured) is home to more than 3,500 of the designer’s most exquisite creations from his 50-year career. The first thing you’ll see is a huge gold YSL logo at the entrance courtyard. Afterwards stroll down the renamed Rue Yves Saint Laurent to discover the beautiful Jardin Majorelle. museeyslmarrakech.com

Maison de la Photographie Founded by Patrick Menac’h and Hamid Mergani, the Maison de la Photographie houses more than 10,000 photographs of Moroccan life and architecture, taken from the late 19th-century onwards. It’s a quiet spot in the madness of the medina to browse old images of the Atlas mountains. maisondelaphotographie.ma

Sensational Spas When it comes to spas Marrakech will leave you spoilt for choice. The Mandarin Oriental spa offers cathedral-like brickwork interiors, male and female hammams, six spa suites, a jade-coloured pool, yoga studio and fitness centre; while the spa at hotel Amanjena is home to two incredibly opulent hammams. » mandarinoriental.com; aman.com

WHERE TO EAT Dar Yacout If you only step out of your hotel once make sure it’s for dinner at Dar Yacout, an enchanting candle-lit Moroccan restaurant set in a former medieval home in the north of the Medina. For the last 20 years it has served a delicious fivecourse gastronomic Moroccan diffa ( feast) for a set price. Take aperitifs are taken on the rooftop with panoramic views of the Koutoubia Mosque. daryacout.com Le Trou au Mur Le Trou au Mur is a new addition to the Marrakech dining scene and part of the ninesuite five-star riad Le Farnatchi with a menu that draws on grandma’s cookbook. Dishes include ‘tagine of the day’, a traditional offal medley and tride (shredded pancakes with lentils, chicken and saffron) as well as Berber shepherd’s pie. The cocktails are excellent. letrouaumur.com Al Fassia One of the few Moroccan restaurants that draws a local crowd, which tells you something about the quality of the food at Al Fassia. Run entirely by women, the menu offers traditional cuisine from Fez served in an elegant cushion-heavy dining room. The traditional tagine is the thing to order. Al Fassia now has a London outpost. alfassia.com Azar Not ready to go to call it a night? Try Azar, a gilded club serving up fancy drinks fused with date jam, cinnamon and sumac and dance music downstairs. azarmarrakech.com

MARRAKECH IS HOME TO GRAND PALACE HOTELS, DECADENTLY SECRETIVE RIADS AND A SLEW OF MICHELIN-STARRED RESTAURANTS THAT SIT NOT FAR FROM SNAKE CHARMERS AND ROAMING DONKEYS

Food for the soul: Authentic but fine dining fare at Le Trou au Mur (below); Avant-garde design by Artsi Ifrah at Artc (right); traditional textile crafts (top right)

TRAVEL

WHERE TO SHOP Shkoon Book an appointment with Mario at Shkoon. His showroom in Sidi Ghanem is piled with vintage and new Mrirt rugs woven in the traditional way using vertical looms by female artisans in Khenifra, in the Atlas Mountains. The rugs are 100 percent wool. shkoonshop.com Mustapha Blaoui The well-stocked and elegant one stop shop for all things traditionally Moroccan has to be Mustapha Blaoui. This grand emporium is chock-full with throws, pots and cushions all concealed behind an unassuming wooden door with no sign. Half the fun is finding it. 33 Rue Marjoelle The city’s first concept store, 33 Rue Marjoelle sells well-edited pieces by Morocco’s up-andcoming designers across the spectrum of textiles, clothing and homeware. 33ruemajorelle.com Maison Artc For a striking occasion outfit head to Maison Artc, an exclusive fashion house by local avantgarde designer Artsi Ifrah. maisonartc.com Bacha Coffee Make a pit-stop at the super-fancy neighbourhood spot Bacha Coffee with its chinoiserie wallpaper, giant potted palms and 200 varieties of single-origin coffee. The dainty Parisian patisserie comes courtesy of the former pastry chef at La Mamounia. bachacoffee.com 67

WHERE TO STAY El Fenn When Vanessa Branson (sister of Virgin founder Sir Richard) founded El Fenn, now Marrakech’s most stylish bolthole, in 2004 she did so on the belief that luxury can also be relaxed and authentic. Expect deep baths, handmade beds, luxury linen and delicious, simple food. A twoyear refurbishment in 2011 added a rooftop pool, a spa, yoga lawn, ground floor bar and private dining room and upped the room count to 31 and across 12 interconnected riads and 2,700sqm of dialled-down opulence. A gorgeous shop sells in-house products as well as all the best work by young, local designers who use ageold artisanal techniques. el-fenn.com La Mamounia Hotel This out-of-this-world opulent palace hotel celebrates its 100th birthday in 2023 and hasn’t put a foot wrong in a century. Former VIP guests include Charlie Chaplin and Sir Winston Churchill – who adopted the hotel as his winter home and hailed it “the most lovely spot in the whole world”. And hit Netflix show Inventing Anna filmed in its 17 acres of tranquil gardens and luxurious private riads. It sits in a prime spot in the Hivernage neighbourhood and offers 135 rooms and 71 suites, five bars, four restaurants, an underground spa, hairdressers, the mini designer shopping mall as well as two pools (indoor and outdoor). But make sure you seek out the more intimate nooks, such as the secret ice-cream parlour and old Italian bar. mamounia.com The Royal Mansour Everyone inside this luxurious Moroccan palace is made to feel like royalty. Designed by King Mohammed VI and open since 2010 it was conceived as a “mini medina”, with 53 private ochre-hued riads set within five hectares of fragrant Moorish gardens and decorated in marble, silk carpets and dazzling chandeliers by Baccarat. Each of the riads have 24/7 butler service, but the property also has a network of hidden tunnels and elevators, so staff respond to guest requests with magical discretion. French three-starred chef Yannick Alléno is the culinary mastermind behind the hotel’s restaurants and the spa has a new wellness concept (2021) offering a 360 degree, holistic experience combining Moroccan rituals with innovative tech. Try the rejuvenating green caviar facial or a Chi Nei Tsang treatment to relieve tension. royalmansour.com

Dream destinations: sublime five-star hotels like Amanjena (main) and Royal Mansour (right) make use of traditional Morrocan architecture 68

Holiday healing Acupuncturist and traditional Chinese medicine doctor John Sanchez tells us why The Royal Mansour is the perfect place to relax with an acupressure massages or reflexology.

“

t is such a uniquely beautiful and tranquil place to work. It is a given fact that humans heal faster while on vacations, away from the stress of their normal lives. In my treatments I may use different modalities of traditional Chinese medicine such as Acupuncture and reflexology and combine them with different modern techniques like cold laser therapy. What I have in mind is to unblock the energy and bring the body to optimal balance. But I also do an Acufacial where I use needles for anti-aging purposes. “Cosmetic acupuncture is growing in popularity among celebrities and the jet set due its natural lifting effects and the production of elastin and collagen in the skin. Where better to better yourself on vacation than one of the finest hotels in the world.”

Change your mind As St James’s Hotel & Club partners with life coach Harsha Perera to launch its Self-Care Stays, we find out how clarity of self is the first step to letting go of our stresses

ife coach and author Harsha Perera believes in the power of clarity. There is no doubt that recent years have shown us just how important our mental resilience and selfunderstanding are, as we continue to forge ahead through a global pandemic and changing economic and political landscapes, and so it’s no surprise that London’s St James’s Hotel & Club has partnered with Perera to offer powerful wellness stays to its guests. Designed to tackle burnout and boost one’s mental health, the hotel’s new Self-Care Stays programme centres upon a 1:1 coaching session with Perera. “My aim is to enable more clarity and more self-understanding,” he says. “By looking beneath the surface of things – at deeper motivations, hidden beliefs, habits, external constraints – a path forward will emerge. I always say that to take effective action, you must first get to the heart of the matter, and that involves taking a deeper look at what is going on in your life – both within and without. This is the process of discovery that becomes the natural enabler of change.” Perera, originally from Sri Lanka, studied economics at Cambridge before pursuing a career in private equity. It was this environment that inspired him to explore his own wellbeing and begin his path into coaching. He says that we each experience different barriers to fulfilling our potential, but that self-knowledge is a powerful tool. “Our lives are full of different blockages born out of physical circumstance, which constrain us to different degrees,” he says. “There also exist invisible barriers that we create for ourselves… that exist in our minds yet feel every bit as real as physical barriers. These mental blockages can

deeply influence what you believe you should and shouldn’t do – or can and cannot do – in life. What makes invisible barriers tricky is that they tend to hide in the shadows in the form of beliefs and habits that we aren’t fully aware of, but that drive so much of how we live. The good news is that, once you catch sight of them, you immediately give yourself the chance to break free.” Perera’s clients range from artists and priests to bankers and business founders, and he notes that there is no difference in his approach. “I don’t think of my clients as being ‘personal’ or ‘business’, but rather as individuals with different questions and difficulties in different contexts,” he says. “We are united in our common humanity – we all have complex minds and modern life creates common difficulties for us all. Yet, our unique paths mean that the specifics of our personal blockages are completely unique to us. The mind is a mysterious thing that interacts with the environment in strange and contradictory ways. Two people may relate to the same situation very differently. So, there is no one-size-fits-all answer, and that is why the clarity of self-understanding is so important.” While Perera is on hand to feed the mind, the SelfCare Stays also nourish the body – with a wellness breakfast specially designed by the hotel’s Michelin Starred chef William Drabble. Perera, who described himself as “not an early riser” says he would make exception to try Drabble’s vegan option. “St James’s Hotel & Club’s Self-Care Package is a nice opportunity for people to take a little break from the grind and give themselves the space for some introspection in a relaxed setting, away from everyday demands — a mini, urban retreat, of

sorts,” he continues. “Self-care is a really interesting area. In a sense, the reason we need ‘self-care’ these days is because we are so careless about how we treat ourselves. But it must be approached very carefully – we are so obsessed with achievement and productivity that even self-care can become a means of putting pressure on ourselves. To serve as a ‘recharging’, so that you can do even more achieving. This is a trap we must avoid.” Perera’s book Machine Ego expands on this point further; he says our life experiences in the modern day lead us to prioritise productivity over fulfilment, at great cost to ourselves. “One of the key points I make in Machine Ego is how modern times emphasise easily measurable – but ultimately fake – indicators of value. This happens in so many areas of life. We value diplomas above passion and skill, grades above true learning, status and achievements above personal fulfilment… I see this as stemming from an excessive desire to seek measurable control and certainty from life,” he says. “Our social conditioning is so strong that we are led to always doubt ourselves, looking for all manner of external indicators by which we can be sure of our self-worth. It pushes us constantly to look for demonstrable measurements outside of us, rather than within. We can tie ourselves up with existential self-doubt, seeking but never finding. “Breaking free begins with recognising this tendency within yourself; liberation comes from realising that you don’t need to prove anything to anyone, including yourself,” he says. “It is about letting go.” stjameshotelandclub.com; executivecoachinglondon.com

WELLNESS

Mind over matter: Life coach Harsha Perera (opposite) has partnered with St James’s Hotel & Club for its new Self-Care Stays (this page)

More than the sum of its parts

Following Tollgård’s contemporary showcase at London Design Week, we look at the design duo’s pick of brands exciting the world of interior design

DESIGN

ontemporary design duo Staffan and Monique Tollgård first founded their interior design studio 15 years ago and have been at the forefront of inspiring and beautifully crafted homes and spaces ever since. Born in Sweden and South Africa respectively, the husband-and-wife team share a love of brands who not only embody

beautiful craftsmanship and design, but also celebrate storytelling and culture within their unique works. Tolgård’s international showrooms – including three in London’s Chelsea and Belgravia – feature some of the duo’s favourite global brands and individual pieces that are creatively designed to bring an unrivalled level of beauty into our homes.

From legacy Italian artists to emerging South African sculptors, artisans and studios creating furniture, lighting and home accessories, these are the ones to watch. Fresh from Tolgård’s showcase at London Design Week, Tempus takes a look at some of our favourite contemporary pieces that are exciting these top designers. »

MAN OF PARTS With travel as its muse, Man of Parts offers an exciting capsule collection of seating, tables, lighting and accessories designed to improve the time one spends at home. Founded by Munichnative Stephan Weishaupt, who’s philosophy centres on the idea that we need only a few items, but each one should be beautifully made and there to enhance the way we live. From the floating Via Del Corso armchairs (previous and right) to the sweeping fisherman’s arc of the Takayama floor lamp (below), this is outstanding minimal design with flare.

OKHA Tollgård is the UK’s only distributor of Cape Town-based Okha, and the studio describes this impressive brand as embodying South Africa’s “artisanal history and unrivalled beauty” to create stunning furniture built to last. Adam Court founded the brand, collaborating with South African artists to blur the line between art and interior design. Court favours organic materials like brass, leather, copper, timber, marble and stone – as seen in the brand’s new Tectra 2 Coffee Tables (above), and sumptuous Repose sofa (left), which sits on polished brass plinths.» 75

CECCOTTI COLLEZIONI Celebrating 60 years of craftsmanship, Italian brand Ceccotti Collezioni is a firm favourite of Tollgård. Known for its bespoke ‘products of the author’ one-off pieces, Ceccotti Collezioni also produces playful collections perfect for any space, and that fully show the brand’s impeccable craftsmanship and statement style. Ceccotti also works with artists and designers for special pieces – such as the newly launched T-Bone chair designed by Jaime Hayon (left and below).

DESIGN MOLTENI & C Established in 1934 by Angelo Molteni, this global brand began as a simple furniture store in Giussano, Monzo. Today’s timeless designs maintain that passion for quality Italian craftsmanship, while the brand’s Heritage Collection – in collaboration with the Gio Ponti Archives – is giving new life to Molteni’s historic classics. A stand out release is the D.848.1 console desk (right) – reborn in 2021 after 70 years – and one whose wing-like curves and rounded front became a hallmark of many Ponti products.

GIORGETTI This Brianza-based Italian design brand began life in 1898 as a carpentry workshop, outfitting the homes of local Italian nobility. It has grown to become one of the world’s most instantly recognisable studios thanks to its unique style. The brand’s ollection of sofas, beds, tables and seating still use traditional woodworking practises, with quality in every stroke. A perfect examples of Giorgetti’s contemporary yet comfortable ethos is this Hug armchair (right) – made from solid walnut canaletto wood and available in a variety of upholstery options. tollgard.com

LIFESTYLE

An outstanding pedigree Tempus goes behind the scenes at the return of Crufts – Europe’s most significant dog show – to find out why the celebration of man’s best friend is bigger and bolder than ever

Photography: Andrew Green

executive. “[It] is a real celebration of the many activities we can take part in with our dogs, from showing to agility, heelwork to music and obedience to flyball. Not only that, but it is the world’s biggest platform for breeders, vets, dog welfare organisations and dog lovers to demonstrate the many ways in which dogs can enrich our lives and promote the benefits of dog ownership, of all shapes and sizes and backgrounds, whether they are a pedigree, crossbreed, young or old.” Established by Victoria-era showman Charles Cruft in 1891, and joining The Kennel Club in 1948, the show has a long history of celebrating working dogs. It’s four best in show categories still highlight the heritage of working dogs – categories include Gundog, Terrier, Hound, Utility and Toy – while rescue dogs and ‘hero dogs’ are also given special fields in which to shine. The first agility competition, now synonymous with the event, was first held in 1980. »

ny animal owner will tell you that a pet will be your most loyal companion. In recent years, especially, we have become more in love with man’s best friend than ever before – with a whopping 3.2m households choosing to get a ‘pandemic pet’ during the lockdown periods of 2020-2021. It’s no surprise, then, that Crufts is attracting more canine competitors than ever before – over 20,000 – alongside its hundreds of thousands of annual human visitors; not to mention online and TV viewers. Hosted each year at the Birmingham NEC, Crufts is organised by The Kennel Club, whose goal is to protect and promote the wellbeing of dogs. And, after two years of being closed to the public due to Covid-19, this March the show returned – bigger than ever, with three new breeds making their competitive debut. “Crufts has grown into a world-class event,” says Bill Lambert, The Kennel Club’s health, welfare and breeder services

“The love we have for our dogs is universal and The Kennel Club works hard to organise a toptier international event which is as interesting and enjoyable to the everyday dog lover as an experienced overseas exhibitor – adding new and fun elements to the programme each year while also keeping up the traditional and muchloved parts of the show,” says Lambert. Between competition schedules, the show’s guests have a wealth of trade stalls, shops, and eateries to explore – whether they are looking to find out more about specific breeds of dog, nutritional care, or just stock up on accessories for pet and owner – but the real heart of the show is its competing pups. “Each breed goes through various stages at Crufts before having the chance to step into the ring for Best in Show,” explains Lambert. “First, they will compete within their breed to win Best of Breed – these take place in rings all around the show. At the end of the judging day, those awarded Best of Breed will then go on to compete within their group, of which there are seven: Gundog, Hound, Pastoral, Terrier, Toy, Utility and Working. “Once all groups have been judged, all seven group winners compete in the Best in Show ring, where the judge will choose a Best in Show winner as well as a Reserve Best in Show. Ultimately, judges want to see the very best example of that breed – healthy, showing the ideal characteristics, and happy in the ring – this is what makes a true canine champion.” And it is fierce competition, given the 222 dog breeds recognised by The Kennel Club. The 2022 Best in Show prize went to Flat-Coated Retriever, Baxer. “Patrick Oware, owner of Baxer, generously donated his prize winnings to the Ukraine appeal, which was launched at Crufts and spearheaded by The Kennel Club Charitable Trust – and which has so far raised nearly £230,000 to help pets and owners impacted by the conflict,” says Lambert. He was also impressed by the winners of the Terrier group, who made their own history. “The winner of the Terrier group – Donnie (Turith Adonis), an Irish Terrier, was handled by John Averis, who comes from a family of Best in Show winners – his mother, Judy Averis won in 1998 with Welsh Terrier, Ch Saredon Forever Young, and her dad, Les Atkinson handled the 1963 Best in Show winner, Rogerholm Recruit, a Lakeland Terrier.”

Elsewhere, heads were turned by three new breeds introduced this year: the Hungarian Pumi, the Harrier, and the Smooth Faced Pyrenean Sheepdog. “The Pyrenean Sheepdog (Smooth Faced) competed for the Best in Show title this year for the first time ever, after being recognised as the 222nd breed by The Kennel Club last year,” says Lambert. “The Harrier is an ancient, mediumsized, British scenthound breed, which was recognised by The Kennel Club in 2020 after the breed had all but disappeared in the UK in the 1920s. This year, the breed was vying for Best in Show for the first time since 1898. “The Hungarian Pumi is a newcomer to the UK, recognised by The Kennel Club in 2015 and first seen at Crufts in 2016 in various import breed classes and activities, such as agility. This year, however, the Hungarian Pumi had their own breed classes for the first time.” With the popularity of pedigree pooches in no risk of decline, The Kennel Club’s recognised breeds helps to emphasise and protect the welfare of dogs – ensuring breeding practices remain ethical, animals are healthy, and welfare data is transparent – and to help buyers make informed decision about what dog might best suit their lifestyle. “Registration with The Kennel Club does provide puppy buyers with easy-to-access data on a raft of information regarding both the specific puppy and the breed,” explains Lambert. “One of The Kennel Club’s priorities is to direct puppy buyers to responsible breeders. Members of the The Kennel Club Assured Breeder scheme are inspected by trained assessors to ensure they are adopting good breeding practices, such as carrying out relevant breed-specific health testing to ensure that puppies are as healthy as possible. It is so important that potential puppy buyers carry out thorough research and ask breeders the right questions.” crufts.org.uk

JUDGES WANT TO SEE THE VERY BEST EXAMPLE OF A BREED – HEALTHY, SHOWING THE IDEAL CHARACTERISTICS AND HAPPY IN THE RING – THIS IS WHAT MAKES A TRUE CANINE CHAMPION

A classé of its own The famed Château Malartic-Lagravière is on a mission – not only to produce exceptional wines, but to change the way we see the beauty of Bordeaux. Séverine Bonnie tells us more Words: Michelle Johnson

n the outskirts of Bordeaux, among the French wine region’s bucolic sloping hills, the feted Château MalarticLagravière is on a mission to reinvigorate the region. Founded at the end of the 19th-century, the château has been run by the Bonnie family since 1997. In 2003, the family’s son, JeanJacques, arrived at the estate with his wife, marketing and communications guru Séverine Bonnie. His sister, Véronique Bonnie-Laplane, joined the family business as in 2008, with the siblings becoming official co-owners in 2019. While there have been challenges along the way, Séverine admits the beauty and prestige of Château Malartic-Lagravière has not been a difficult sell – instead, she has set about sharing the power of the family’s agroecological approach. “We wanted to continue the energy the Bonnies gave to the estate, focusing on the quality of produce at every stage, with the environmental turning point that is crucial for us nowadays,” she explains. “My job, in particular, was to communicate our philosophy, and raise global awareness of the brand and what we do.” Château Malartic-Lagravière is one of only six properties to receive the 1953 Graves classification for both red and white wines. Its 73 hectares of vines – some of which are over 70 years old – include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, as well as seven hectares for Sauvignon and Sémillon for white wine. In 2017, Séverine opened the doors of the estate for tailor-made wine tourism, where a lucky few can experience the spectacular terroir. “The quality of our terroir is due to a combination of several things,” she says. “It’s the unique combination of soils, vines, climate,

ecosystem and human intervention. “At Malartic, I can name the quaternary gravelly soils and sub-soils, the adequation between soil and grape varietals, theb age of our vines (which are up to 70 years old), the quite unique slope of the vineyard, the particular micro-climate and the ecosystem around and inside the plots. In addition to this, the trees, forests, hedges that we have planted since we arrived contribute to create a very natural and efficient ecosystem.” This ecosystem is maintained through the family’s gentle and eminently sustainable ethos. “We care for our vineyard with a global agroecology approach,” says Séverine. “That means minimal ploughing by horse-drawn plough and plant cover that encourages natural soil fertility. We recently welcomed at the estate our herd of ewes for an eco-pasture management of the soil – we take care of this place in a very long-term way. The soil is so unique; we have to protect it.” The premium wines coming out of the château include vintage Château MalarticLagravière Grand Cru Classé in red and white, and a range of second wines in Le Comte de Malartic – renamed from La Réserve de Malartic for the 2020 vintage. All enjoy a quaffable depth and delicious aromatic identity. “We have always produced wines that reflect the identity of the chateau, which is looking for excellence,’ explains Séverine. “But in recent years, I’ve noticed a turning point in our vintages. All the efforts we have made at the vineyard and its environment in the last 25 years have had a real impact in the depth, complexity and brightness of the wines. Like an additional touch of glamour, with precision and delicacy.” »

A family affair: The Bonnie family (bottom) presides over the famed Château Malartic-Lagravière in Bordeaux 82

INDULGE

A TOAST TO BORDEAUX While the Château’s success is never far from Séverine’s thoughts, she is also devoted to the region of Bordeaux as a whole. As a business leader, she is especially keen to support winemakers and women in business. “It is important for me to promote and contribute to the area of Bordeaux,” she says. “Being winemakers, we know that we are always stronger together. I’m also involved in the Femmes Chef d’Entreprise (an international organization for women CEOs) – I like the mutual aid and clever professional advice exchange between women.” Séverine is a founding member of local networking organisation Bordeaux Oxygene – known as BO2 – to celebrate and support the new faces of Bordeaux businesses. “The idea was to gather young wine professionals and friends to promote Bordeaux in a different way. At that time, Bordeaux needed to show a new face and to make it more accessible. We promoted everything from Grand Crus Classés to Grands Crus Classés to Bordeaux wines, from all areas of the region – but with the same approach and open-mindedness. It has been very well welcomed by the international media.” This openminded approach also extends to Château Malartic-Lagravière’s emphasis on wine for all seasons. While prevailing misconceptions often lead Brits to think of red wine as a winter drink, Séverine says Bordeaux can be the perfect summer tipple. So, can she recommend a perfect summer red? “Of course! It all depends on the vintage, serving temperature and food pairings,” she explains. “You could have a lot of pleasure with, for example, a bottle of 2016 La Reserve de Malartic, paired with a fresh chicken Caesar salad – I actually wrote a cookbook during the Covid-19 lockdowns [The Four Seasons of Malartic] where you can find plenty of ideas for

seasonal pairings.” If reaching a new audience of adventurous wine lovers is one of the Bonnie family’s major goals, Château Malartic-Lagravière’s sojourns into the world of film has been particularly inspired. With Hollywood stars including Charlize Theron and Scarlett Johansson as fans, the most recent vintage of Grand cru Classé featured in Kenneth Branagh’s 2022 adaption of Agatha Christie’s sleuth adventure Death on the Nile. Séverine notes the shared nautical theme of the film and Malartic’s emblem, as well as the fact that both Christie’s mustachioed hero Hercules Poirot (played by Branagh) and the Bonnie family share Belgian heritage. “I think that cinema and wine have a lot in common: a great movie can be compared to a Grand Cru. Producing a Grand Cru is a bit like directing a film: you’re telling the story of the land and the people who make it – it is an art at all times,” she says. “These partnerships are a good way for us to reach more people, and not just the traditional Bordeaux wine lovers. When Malartic’s white wine was featured in [Netflix hit] Emily in Paris we gained a younger female audience. It was refreshing.” With Bordeaux future and the conservation of the Château’s remarkable terroir both front and centre in the Bonnie’s plans, the future of this classic, but always contemporary, wine is set for a bright and cinematic road ahead. malartic-lagraviere.com

Second generation: Séverine Bonnie (right) with husband Jean-Jacques (centre) and sisterin-law Véronique Bonnie-Laplane (left)

Glass half full Raise a glass as we discover six extraordinary wines perfect for the summer season

s summer weather blooms on the horizon, and we prepare for luxurious trips along the coastlines of France and Italy, restaurants around Europe are readily chilling their rosé. But, while this summer wine has gained prestige and popularity in recent years to become synonymous with summer, there is much to be said for crisp whites and fruity reds during these precious months of al fresco dining, as well. This year the Decanter World Wine Awards, the world’s largest wine competition, will see more than 18,000 wines from 56 countries judged out of a top score of 100, to highlight fine quality at every price point with super premium and boutique/ iconic wines topping the lists. With judging underway and the results announced on 7 June, Tempus spoke to the experts to discover some of the most interesting white, rosé and – yes – red wines perfect for summer days. decanter.com

INDULGE

White Domaine Christian Moreau, Valmur, Chablis Grand Cru, Burgundy, France 2019 97 Best in Show Alluringly sour and stony on the nose, recalling cold dug clay and plant sap rather than fruits – exactly what we want great Chablis to do. On the palate, it is tart and fresh yet, as the wine finds the warmth of the tongue, full and sinewy too, with just a whisper of full-throttle fruit. Domaine Berthelemot Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, Burgundy, France 2019 95 Gold This Burgundy chardonnay features a very savoury nose of dense citrus fruit, alongside leesy notes and toasty oak. Powerful and dense in structure, with loads of fruit concentration and very long finish.

Rosé Chateau d’Esclans, Garrus, Côtes de Provence, Provence, France 2019 95 Gold Perfumed nose of blueberry, wild strawberries and minty raspberries, with toasty nuances. Bold yet refined on the palate with a persistent spicy finish. This is a quite charming rosé from the heart of Provence. Domaine Ray-Jane, Bandol, Provence, France 2020 97 Best in Show Structured and characterful, this pale pink wine doesn’t lack prettiness of either colour or scent: it shimmers peachily on both fronts. In the mouth, plenty of almond marrow takes up the relay: creamy, long and fine.

Red Zýmē, La Mattonara, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva, Veneto, Italy 2008 98 Platinum Aromas of stewed red and black fruit blend with smoky vanilla spice and a herbal touch. A powerful palate with raisin, figs and coriander seeds flavours, well-integrated oak and silky tannins. At £244 per bottle, this is astonishing and fresh, considering the vintage. Frescobaldi, Ripe al Convento di Castelgiocondo, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Tuscany, Italy 2015 96 Gold Dried strawberry, tomato, finocchiona and balsamic hints on the nose develop into a precise and concentrated palate of great intensity and structural clarity. A long and mineral wine that is perfect for pairing for a summer cheese and charcuterie style picnic.

A taste of time travel Gordon Ramsay’s new Restaurant 1890 at The Savoy is a masterful homage to a fine dining legend Words: Michelle Johnson

he year is 1890, and the recentlyopened Savoy Hotel is lauded as the first purpose-built deluxe hotel in the UK. Situated along London’s The Strand, it is a magnet for the rich and royal, established by theatre impresario Richard D’Oyly Carte with a view to dazzle the créme of society with luxurious suites, designer décor – and unbeatable cuisine. The maître-chef, Georges Auguste Escoffier, is synonymous with the hotel’s culinary and star-studded legacy – he was famous friends with some of the world’s greatest performers, including actress Sarah Bernhardt and opera star Nellie Melba ( for whom he invented the Peach Melba) – and, at The Savoy, the chef ’s supper rooms made it fashionable for aristocratic women to dine in public for the first time. Escoffier was a champion of French haute cuisine, famed for popularising and modernising the five ‘mother sauces’ – béchamel, espagnole, tomate, velouté, hollandaise and mayonnaise – as well as falling on his military background to formalise the brigade de cuisine – the kitchen hierarchy still used today. Fast forward 132 years, and Escoffier’s presence is once again felt in The Savoy, thanks to one of our most prominent chefs célèbres: Gordon Ramsay. Launched this year, the intimate Restaurant 1890 is an homage to the famed French chef, from its refined, gold-hued décor to its sensational ninecourse tasting menu. Ramsay’s second Savoy restaurant (the hotel

is also home to The River Restaurant by Gordon Ramsay) is helmed by executive chef James Sharp, previously of Ramsay’s Michelin-star restaurant Pétrus. With just 26 covers available across ten tables, this is more akin to a private dining event than a mere meal out. The experience begins at the small private bar area outside the dining room, where cocktails – named for Escoffier’s famous friends – await. We opt for a classic old fashioned over ice, a perfectly balanced, light and smoky aperitif, as well as an off-menu mocktail that comes presented even more beautifully. In the dining room, our table overlooks the Savoy Theatre – and the queues of theatregoers heading into an evening production of Dirty Dancing are the only sign that we are not in a bygone era. Sumptuous fabric and artwork are set off by art deco mirrors and finishing touches, as a trio of canapés – devilled crab, beetroot and horseradish, and smoked cheddar gougère – begins our tasting experience with flare. From there, a roast chicken consommé is accompanied by Parker house roll – rich with onion and rosemary and finished with a sticky glaze – followed by a medley of sugar snap pea and rich tomato royale that our waiter rightfully describes as “spring in a bowl”. A seasonable asparagus with an unmistakably morish garlic hollandaise comes next, before a Turbot Veronique with champagne and caviar beurre blanc. Both paired with a beguiling white merlot (expert head sommelier Emanuel Pesqueira’s recommendation), these are my favourite

dishes, thanks to the interplay of exquisitely fresh but simple core ingredients and powerfully complex sauces. The main dishes are completed by a meltin-the-mouth cut of Aberdeen Angus short rib with artichokes and sauce Bordelaise – there is barely the need for a knife with this heavenly tender portion of beef. Pesquiera offers an “adventurous” Cabernet Sauvignon, full of unexpected spice and raspberry notes, to pair. It is deep pink and delicious – a much lighter shade than I might have expected – and speaks to the sommelier’s impressive intuition for his guests’ individual tastes: a nearby table opts for a sherry-hued organic white wine as their pairing of choice. A trio of seasonal desserts finishes the tasting experience – aged comté cheese, a sharp raspberry sorbet, and blood orange parfait paired with dark chocolate and cardamom sauce – before, finally, coffee with a selection of petit fours of grapefruit and juniper pâte de fruit, and salted caramel chocolate. A worthy homage to the great Escoffier, Chef Sharp’s realisation of Restaurant 1890’s menu of complex flavours and peerless produce is wholly contemporary, succeeding in taking the lucky diner on a true culinary journey through London’s love affair with French haute cuisine. Add in the evocative setting and attentive team, and the result is time travel at its finest. gordonramsayrestaurants.com; thesavoylondon.com

INDULGE

RE:VIEW Explorer Hazen Audel takes on the Amazon in Primal Survivor

PLUS + • Royal Ascot’s record line up of Michelin star chefs • The Queen’s Gallery honours ancient Japanese culture • Contemporary art is in the frame at The London Art Fair • Save the Date: your luxury events calendar

TELEVISION | PRIMAL SURVIVOR

Escape the Amazon Explorer Hazen Audel takes on his toughest challenge ever in his new National Geographic series

ilderness explorer Hazen Audel (pictured) is no stranger to the wild, but his new TV series for National Geographic sees him take on the Amazon like never before. Primal Survivor: Escape the Amazon follows Audel’s incredible 500-mile journey on foot through South America, battling dense rainforest to barren savannah, mountains to swamps and much more. As Audel’s journey is put ever more at risk by nature’s threats – including torrential rains and flooding, as well as snakes and insects – he also shares remarkable sights and insights into the wild beauty of the area. Audel also learns ancient survival skills under the tutelage of the native Wai Wai people, and crosses mangrove swamps with the help of local Warau people, allowing viewers rare insight into indigenous practices and the issues local people face today. Here, Audel shares his most enduring memories of fulfilling this lifelong ambition. Hazen, what was your inspiration for creating Primal Survivor? It has been a lifelong dream ever since I first went into the rainforest aged 19, and I’m so proud. I am just so inspired by what I’m learning. If I don’t keep having these adventures and exploring, the world becomes terribly ‘milk toast’. I don’t have very many people that really share my take on the world, but I don’t want to live any other way. I know that a lot of kids will be watching this and will want to have their own adventures. Maybe that, in its own little way, is changing the world for the better. What were some of the toughest challenges you faced? It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do – and once you’re a few hundred miles in, all you can do is keep moving forward. I had to think about selfpreservation and pace myself, keeping check of every single wound – I had scrapes and bruises all over – because in that kind of environment, a simple cut could become deadly. But it was amazing to see my body evolve. My feet got tougher and wider to adapt to the environment. My arms started out scratched and swarmed by bugs, but after a few months I no longer reacted to the insects. That conditioning

was so interesting for me to see as I adapted to the challenges of constantly moving. What did you learn from your experience? I loved seeing how quickly I adapted to mental and emotional challenges. We, as humans, are so resilient. Spending time in the rainforest, you start to learn its language. At first, the sounds of birds and insects is overwhelming, but soon you can navigate by the sounds, you know the environment; it’s almost subconscious. By month three, you know a porcupine or wild pig is nearby because of the smell. It’s difficult to explain but, even though I came out of the expedition beaten up and limping, I felt the healthiest I’ve ever been. You become so in tune with your environment, that readjusting to ‘normal life’ was quite lonely. Tell us about working with indigenous people during filming? We visited six indigenous groups, and they really understood that we were trying to showcase this part of the world and the magic of the people that live here. The great thing is that I wasn’t alone: my camera crew was equally dedicated in sharing our collective experience. But we couldn’t have done it without the assistance of the native people along the way. We’re in awe of how they thrive in this kind of environment and wanted to show that to the world. They were so loving and caring, and it’s thanks to them that this amazing endeavour was possible. Is there anything that you’ll take away from your experience? I think the Western world has a pandemic of capitalism. We know where our money comes from, but not where our food comes from. I learnt in the rainforest that what’s important there is what you can hold and what you can hunt. You can’t eat money, so instead you have to understand the life cycle of the plants and animals that you eat; you have to keep the forest healthy so that it can provide. It’s a much more sustainable, conscientious and connected way of living. Primal Survivor: Escape the Amazon airs on National Geographic every Thursday at 9pm from 14 April

EVENT | ROYAL ASCOT

Fine dining at the world’s greatest racing event

oyal Ascot the UK’s most glamorous equestrian event, and this year includes a championship line-up of gastronomy’s most exciting chefs. Royal Ascot, which runs from 14-18 June, will see the return of annual events including the Royal Procession, Ladies’ Day and a wealth of top-class races, along with a host of Chefs in Residence who, together, feature more Michelin stars than ever before. Chef ambassador to the racecourse Raymond Blanc takes up residence at the Panoramic Restaurant in the Royal Enclosure for the seventh year, drawing inspiration from his twoMichelin star Oxfordshire restaurant-hotel Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons. Hide co-founder and executive chef Ollie Dabbous (pictured), will wow guests of the Royal Enclosure’s new Sandringham restaurant with an exclusive package. The Sandringham, modelled on an orangery and found in the Royal Enclosure Gardens, is a new English country garden escape. Dabbous offers flexible dining options including fine dining dishes such as salt cod, duck confit, and plant-based options all designed to delight the tastebuds. Nieves Barragán Mohacho makes her Ascot debut serving a tapas-style tasting menu inspired by her Michelin-starred restaurant Sabor. Her new Pavonian Restaurant and Pavonian Club in the Queen Anne Enclosure offers trackside viewing, and modern interiors for a wealth of instagrammable moments. Other chefs in residence include The Ledbury’s Brett Graham, who will be helming Holyroodhouse in the Royal Enclosure; Simon Rogan, returning to ON5 in the Queen Anne Enclosure; Tom Barnes, making his debut with new Grandstand restaurant The Old Press Room; James Tanner, whose al fresco dishes will be served from the Queen Anne Kitchen; and pâtissier Eric Lanlard, whose Platinum Jubilee Afternoon Tea can be enjoyed by guests in fine dining restaurants, private boxes and the 1768 Grill & Tea Rooms in the Queen Anne Enclosure. Ascot Racecourse, 14-18 June ascot.com

RE:VIEW

EXHIBIT | THE QUEEN’S GALLERY

Japan: Courts and Culture A new exhibition at The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, celebrates 350 years of “diplomatic, artistic and cultural exchange” between the British and Japanese ruling families – opening just in time for cherry blossom season. The Royal Collection will exhibit the significant collection of Japanese art and design for the first time in Japan: Courts and Culture, including rare porcelain pieces, embroidered screens and diplomatic gifts – the most significant of which being several incredible complete sets of samurai armour and weaponry (left). One set, dating from 1537, was gifted to Prince Alfred (son of Queen Victoria) by Emperor Meiji in 1869; the emperor is thought to have gifted another armour in the collection to the future King George V in 1881. The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, opens 8 April rct.uk

ART | THE LONDON ART FAIR

Henry Moore and David Hockney star at the London Art Fair The 34th annual London Art Fair returns to the capital with exhibitions from more than 100 international galleries along with contemporary Art Projects, Photo50 forum, and panel talks with prominent artists and curators. Featuring work by renowned artists such as Henry Moore, David Hockney, Bridget Riley and Paula Rego, the fair also champions emerging artists, with galleries including Thomas Spencer Fine Art, Gilden’s Fine Art Gallery, Waterhouse & Dodd, and Jealous Gallery (showcasing a new edition from David Shrigley) among the participating art houses. This year’s regional museum partner is Cambridge’s New Hall Art Collection, which will present the largest collection of art by women in Europe – titled MythMaking and Self-Fashioning. Taking place across London, 20-24 April 2022 londonartfair.co.uk

the

SAVE DATE Your luxury events calendar for April to May 2022

17-23 Apr

LES VOILES DE ST BARTH An idyllic location for some of the world’s competitive ocean racing and après sailing. Les Voiles de St Barth Richard Mille combines diverse coastal courses, regattas, evening concerts and more. lesvoilesdestbarthrichardmille.com

23 Apr - 27 Nov

VENICE BIENNALE ARTE The 59th Venice Biennale offers an optimistic exhibition for troubling times, as Cecilia Alemani curates an international showcase of 213 artists from 58 countries. This year’s theme is titled The Milk of Dreams. labiennale.org

17-28 May

18 - 22 May

CANNES FILM FESTIVAL Tom Cruise headlines the 75th Cannes Film Festival with the long-awaited sequel to his 1986 blockbuster Top Gun. The actor will pick up a lifetime achievement award at the star-studded event. festival-cannes.com

FRIEZE NEW YORK New York’s leading art fair is back at The Shed, Manhattan, for a showcase of pioneering artists and historical figures. 65 galleries take part, while The Frame returns to support young galleries. frieze.com

While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, changes to event calendars may occur. Please check with individual event organisers for more information.

16 May - 5 Jun

THE FRENCH OPEN Also known as Roland-Garros, France’s major tennis tournament returns to see the sport’s top men and women – from Rafael Nadal to the UK’s Emma Radacanu – battle for domination. rolandgarros.com

27-29 May

MONACO GRAND PRIX Taking place over 78 laps of the 3.337km Circuit de Monaco, Formula One’s most glamourous race will see Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and more go head to head in this thrilling Grand Prix. f1.com

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COLUMN

Show your true colours Our style expert Rikesh Chauhan encourages us to

t’s safe to say the last couple of years have been quite heavy for many reasons. For all the negativity surrounding us, however, it’s given me more and more reason to find solace, sometimes even escapism, in the small positives. There’s beauty in doing things you love to do, no matter how mundane they may seem. Waking up to a sunrise, taking your time over a good coffee or breakfast, a long run around the park, even delving back into Netflix favourites (The US Office for the seven-millionth time, anyone?). There are many little things to be appreciative of, not because we take them for granted per se, but rather because what happens tomorrow is anyone’s guess. One thing that I’ve grown to appreciate through lockdown is how important dressing up can be. To take it a step further, I think a lot about the importance of colour. There’s something about colourful ensembles, prints, fabrics and accessories that I’ve really gravitated towards as of late. And by colour, I don’t

Rowing Blazers OG Fun Shirt When it comes to colour, you needn’t look any further than Rowing Blazers for bold and informal options to brighten your outfit.

necessarily mean bold and bright but just a little more variety than the navys and greys to which I’m so accustomed. The ‘casualisation of tailoring’ is often expressed through colour, and you can see that, for example, just by walking into Drake’s, Ozwald Boateng, J.P. Hackett, Edward Sexton, Anderson & Sheppard… the list goes on. Colourful statement pieces have a way of making me smile, and I think this goes for a lot of other people, too. It provides an otherwise missing sense of excitement, energy and playfulness. And nothing embodies that more than the aptly-named OG Fun Shirt by one of my favourite (and most colourful) brands, Rowing Blazers. Each panel of the shirt features incredibly bold and colourful stripes in red, yellow, blue and green, making it extremely, well, fun. It also takes all the hassle out of styling it — all you need is a good pair of white jeans and you’re set. If you want a slightly more subtle alternative, Informale has just the thing. Their T005 caramel Irish linen trousers have the ability to really pop in the

sunshine, making them surprisingly more colourful than you’d expect on initial impressions. They’re my first port of call as soon as the temperature hits double digits, and you can’t go wrong when you pair them with a white- or tobacco-coloured linen shirt, or even casually with one of their TS03 vintage t-shirts. Finally, a brand I’ve recently discovered through a selection of mutual industry friends is Coconut Residence. Their Harlesden crew neck caught my eye because the Shetland sweater — modelled on the classic pullovers worn by many first-generation Caribbean and Indian settlers upon their arrival to Britain — comes in a selection of incredibly bold colours you wouldn’t usually associate with the wool. The iteration in pomelo yellow is a particular standout, and a perfect solution to brighten up your day. Whichever way you choose to implement colour into your day-to-day attire, do remember the words of Coco Chanel, who put it rather wonderfully when she said: “the best colour in the world is the one that looks good on you”.

Informale T005 Irish Linen Drawstring Trouser

Coconut Residence Harlesden Zero Waste Shetland Wool Sweater

Tailored casualwear at its best from Melbourne-based brand, Informale.

Modelled on the pullovers worn by Caribbean and Indian settlers, it’s a perfect solution to brighten up a dull day.

informale.com.au coconut-residence.com

rowingblazers.com

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embrace bolder and brighter choices in our wardrobe

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Time does not respect machines, or the desire to be quick. It exists to measure the margin of victory in a sport where precision is paramount. The Bremont WR-22 is the first official timepiece designed in collaboration with Williams Racing, drawing on a shared British heritage and dedication to engineering expertise.