ISSUE 1 | 2012
SINGAPORE SUCCESS STORY AND INDONESIA’S NEW RETAIL, DINING & ENTERTAINMENT PLAYGROUND PEOPLE & BUSINESS
WHAT IS LUXURY?
TRAVEL
Yuichiro Kadowaki - JCB Sheldon Adelson - SANDS Dato Jimmy Choo - JIMMY CHOO
Perry Oosting - VERTU Paul Harris - ROLLS-ROYCE Fawaz Gruosi - GRISOGONO
Retreat Into Nature - BORNEO Space Travel - LYNX Hotel Metropole - Monte-Carlo
CONTENTS
46
RAY-BAN 75 THIS YEAR
12
The First Samurai
30
A Mesmerising Riviera
16
Sheldon Adelson
34
Billion Dollar Homes
38
Out On The Tiles
46
Ray-Ban 75 This Year
48
Royal Sale
20
24
A daring venture in Indonesia: a new payment card system to rival the American giants. It is JCB and it is a success story from Japan.
He was known as Mr. Las Vegas. Now he is Mr. Macao (and soon to be Mr. of several other destinations). We meet the sparkling man whose dream became reality with The Venetian in Las Vegas and now he is investing his billions in the Cotai Sands Central Strip in Macao.
Express Returns
Alan Watts covers thousands of kilometres with his job. He is responsible for new hotels and resorts for IHG across the Asia/Pacific region. But not only does he build hotels; he makes a strong argument for people to invest in them.
These Choos Are Made For Walking
Jimmy Choo is probably the most famous cobbler of the moment. He has an international reputation for making just the right (and very glamorous) shoe for women all over the world; his creations are always gracing the red carpet walk. Grace Lai meets Jimmy Choo and finds the man behind the heels. 04
MillionaireAsia Indonesia
Gulu Lalvani has made it in India, London and Hong Kong. Now he has turned his sights on Thailand and he tells MillionaireAsia why he thinks Phuket is a maritime jewel.
MillionaireAsia looks at the luxury property market and finds out why super prime property will never be a bad investment
In our ‘collectibles’ section this month, a look at a new phenomenon that is spreading across the globe: the seeking out and purchasing of Iznik pottery. A rare piece can be worth hundreds of thousands.
One of the world’s most successful brands ever. And you do not build a brand with a second rate product. Ray-Ban is celebrating three quarters of a century at the top of the sunglasses market.
It is a fact that ‘royal provenance’ increases the value of an item in an auction sale. This will weigh heavily on the minds of bidders at the upcoming Christie’s auction where the lots once belonged to a Princess Royal of Britain.
In the heart of the bustling city of Jakarta, Keraton at The Plaza offers travellers an opulent and luxurious oasis in the midst of Jakarta’s most famed attractions. Meaning “palace” in Javanese and inspired by commissioning relics from the royal palaces of yesteryear and reinterpreted with contemporary design, exception surpasses expectation at Keraton at The Plaza .
LIFE IS A COLLECTION OF EXPERIENCES LET US BE YOUR GUIDE theluxurycollection.com/keraton
©2011–2012 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Preferred Guest, SPG, The Luxury Collection and their logos are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates.
Millionaire MillionaireAsia Indonesia
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CONTENTS
72
One Stop Luxury In Istanbul
56
The Design
60
How I Make It Work
A British classic (even James Bond thought so), the sleek and powerful Aston Martin is not just a car, it is a design masterpiece. The man behind it all is Marek Reichmann
The marketing of wine can be a risky business. Simon Berry, of Britain’s oldest wine merchants, reveals his secrets: change, innovation and thinking on your feet.
64
Legend Of The White Horse
72
One Stop Luxury In Istanbul
84
Collection Princesse Grace de Monaco
The legendary Cheval Blanc is one of the world’s finest Bordeaux. Now you can taste it in style - at the newly designed Chateau in France where it is grown.
In colourful Istanbul, there is a fashion house that is much more than just that. You can find just about any luxury item you need - either to wear or for your home.
Montblanc has unveiled a sensational new collection dedicated to the style of Princess Grace - not only writing instruments but jewellery and watches too.
86
Retreat Into Nature
90
A Rising Crescendo
94
Check In To The Ultimate Luxury Destination
Gaya Island Resort is a place where you can enjoy a totally natural environment while living in delightful luxury.
Marina Bay Sands is now a salient feature of the Singapore skyline. Inside, its appeal seems to have a global reach.
Resorts World Sentosa is unique in Singapore. It is a genuine and diverse holiday resort in a place known as the City State holiday.
98
A Villa In Bali
Property in Bali is one of the ‘investments of the moment’ not to mention a talking point of people from everywhere who are buying and building there. We take you indoors to one of the newest and most beautiful villas there.
106 When In: Melbourne
Crown Metropol - with its proximity to the CBD, the Casino and the hip quarters of Melbourne is an attractive option if you are looking for a hotel.
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EDITOR’S NOTE
W
e here at Origo Media are delighted and excited to be able to relaunch MillionaireAsia, the Indonesian edition. It is a magazine that is unique in the marketplace – bringing to you, all the things that go to make up the lifestyle of Indonesia and Asia’s successful people. We want it to be diverse, colourful, interesting and, occasionally, controversial. It will cover all aspects of modern life – not only the serious side but the leisure side as well. We will be especially pleased to bring you news of travel destinations, hotels and recommended restaurants, as well as some tips on ‘retail therapy.’ We look forward to bringing you any number of great features about travel, cars, yachts and planes. We will show you the very latest in the world of design – whether it be furniture or fountain pens. We will bring you the latest in luxury brands from all over the world. There will also be advice from the experts on private banking, investment and wealth management. We will look at real estate at the luxury end of the market, not only in Indonesia but in all the parts of the world where Indonesians sometimes invest. We will also give you news from the salerooms: the treasures that are put up for sale at Sotheby’s, Christie’s and all the world’s other great auction houses. This will include fine art, furniture, jewellery, wine, Asian art, timepieces and the quirky (such as the recent James Bond memorabilia collection) as well as luxury homes. We know how important watches are to people these days, so keep your eye out for the very latest in high-end timepieces from the world’s most prestigious horological houses. We will also look at some new ideas about collectibles. Such, as in this first issue, the emerging fashion for seeking out fine examples of Iznik pottery. Not only is interest increasing everywhere; it is a very fine investment for future generations of your family. We will also introduce you to the people who have made their business lives successful; what drives them, what is their advice for achieving success and how they live their lives in the light of their unique place in society. In this issue particularly, we want you to meet Sheldon Adelson, the man who made The Venetian and the Sands empire happen. And also Yuichiro Kadowaki, the President Director of JCB International Indonesia, now emerging as one of the most important payment instruments in Indonesia. Alan Watts has a most interesting job at IHG: he will help you with the perfect hotel to add to your investment portfolio! So, welcome again to the first edition of MillionaireAsia (Indonesia) relaunched. I hope you enjoy the new layout, the new philosophy and the new energy. It will appear four times a year. But apart from producing a first-rate magazine, we will also be hosting a series of events you will be sure to find engaging and interesting. We will keep you posted with plenty of time in advance. Naturally, we will also enjoy hearing from you about issues you think we should include in the magazine and any queries you may have about any of the articles or perhaps you have stumbled on a secret holiday destination you think other people should know about. The email address can be found on these pages. We know you will enjoy the new-look MillionaireAsia (Indonesia) as much as we enjoyed put it all together. Happy reading.
Graham Pearce Editor in Chief 32
MillionaireAsia Indonesia
ISSUE 1 | 2012
SINGAPORE SUCCESS STORY AND INDONESIA’S NEW RETAIL, DINING & ENTERTAINMENT PLAYGROUND PEOPLE & BUSINESS
WHAT IS LUXURY?
TRAVEL
Yuichiro Kadowaki - JCB Sheldon Adelson - SANDS Dato Jimmy Choo - JIMMY CHOO
Perry Oosting - VERTU Paul Harris - ROLLS-ROYCE Fawaz Gruosi - GRISOGONO
Retreat Into Nature - BORNEO Space Travel - LYNX Hotel Metropole - Monte-Carlo
A lovely shot of Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands complex at dusk. But nothing dark for this iconic and architecturally mar vellous resort: the sun is shining full on an amazing success stor y.
The Balinese believe every home has a soul.
They are its heart.
ASIA’S BEST SPA RESORT - 2012 DestinAsian Readers’ Choice Awards ASIA’S BEST RESORT - 2011 Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards WORLD’S #1 SPA HOTEL - 2010 Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards ASIA’S LEADING LUXURY VILLA (AYANA VILLA) - 2010 World Travel Awards
www.ayanaresort.com
MAGAZINE INFO EDITOR IN CHIEF Graham Pearce gp@millionaireasia-indonesia.com
DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Meeliani Handoko meeliani@millionaireasia-indonesia.com
ADVERTISING Rossy Kusumawati
ISSUE 27 | VOLUmE 8 | 2012 | SINGAPORE
advertising@millionaireasia-indonesia.com
SPONSORSHIP
IT’S ABOUT LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST
Dwi Safitri Apriyanti
IT’S ABOUT LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST
promotions@millionaireasia-indonesia.com
ACCOUNTING
Scaling nEW HEigHtS
Lusy Susilowati
Adventurer Khoo Swee Chiow has climbed almost every mountain, forded every stream, but he says, there are still greater heights to scale.
accounts@millionaireasia-indonesia.com
CIRCULATION
ISSUE 27 | VOLUmE 8 | 2012
King of the game SHELDON ADELSON REVEALS HIS LATEST ASIAN RESORT EMPIRE, EXPANSION PLANS AND MORE
M. Nur Hasani
More Wealth goes to asia WHAT THE WORLD WEALTH REPORT 2012 TELLS US
members@millionaireasia-indonesia.com
traversing the Skies JOHN TRAVOLTA DIVULGES ON HIS PASSION FOR FLYING AND ALL THINGS AVIATION
ISSUE 16 | VOLUmE 5 | 2012 | mALAySIA
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS
IT’S ABOUT LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST
Grace Lai, Nicky Burridge, Gwendoline Sim, Catherine Shaw, Ryan Borroff, Selena Wong, Javier Espinosa, Goh Chay Teng
ISSUE 1 | 2012
CREATIVE
IT’S ABOUT LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST
King of the game
Origomedia
MillionaireAsia speaks to Sheldon Adelson on the opening of the new Sheraton Macao Cotai Central and plans for even further expansion.
ART DIRECTOR Abraham Ardiles Siahaan
ISSUE 16 | VOLUmE 5 | 2012
traversing the Skies
SINGAPORE SUCCESS STORY AND INDONESIA’S NEW RETAIL, DINING & ENTERTAINMENT PLAYGROUND
PUBLISHER
JOHN TRAVOLTA DIVULGES ON HIS PASSION FOR FLYING AND ALL THINGS AVIATION
more Wealth goes to asia WHAT THE WORLD WEALTH REPORT 2012 TELLS US
Concrete Steps in Sustainability
PEOPLE & BUSINESS
WHAT IS LUXURY?
TRAVEL
Yuichiro Kadowaki - JCB Sheldon Adelson - SANDS Dato Jimmy Choo - JIMMY CHOO
Perry Oosting - VERTU Paul Harris - ROLLS-ROYCE Fawaz Gruosi - GRISOGONO
Retreat Into Nature - BORNEO Space Travel - LYNX Hotel Metropole - Monte-Carlo
SAM TAN TALkS AbOUT bUILDING GREEN AND GREEN DEVELOPMENT
MillionaireAsia is a fresh concept publication dedicated to the celebration of the millionaire lifestyle. MillionaireAsia currently publishes 6 distinct editions: Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Hongkong/Macau and Vietnam with a combined circulation of 60,000 copies per issue and a readership of 240,000 of many of the richest people in Asia. MillionaireAsia is currently trademark registered in 22 countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Phillipines, Vietnam, Hongkong, Macau, Taiwan, China, Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, India, UAE, South Africa, Russia, UK, USA, Argentina and Chile.
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PT Artha Cipta Pratama Jl. Setiabudi III / 2A Setiabudi, Jakarta Selatan 12910 Indonesia p +62 21 5292 1638 / 7031 6882 f +62 21 5292 1637 e info@millionaireasia-indonesia.com www.millionaireasia-indonesia.com
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. TITLE AND TRADEMARK REGISTERED, NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED IN ANY FORM WITHOUT THE WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE PUBLISHER THE VIEWS AND OPINIONS ExPRESSED OR IMPLIED IN MILLIONAIREASIA ARE THOSE OF THE CONTRIBUTORS AND ADVERTISERS AND NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THOSE OF THE PUBLISHERS
PEOPLE & BUSINESS
THE FIRST SAMURAI JCB was once called the “Samurai Card” by the Japanese banking establishment when it went against badging with Visa or MasterCard and decided to go international on its own.
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PEOPLE & BUSINESS
T
hat was in 1981 and that brave, pioneering, ambitious and challenging move has proved to be a sound and solid business decision. Business has increased globally, not least keeping in mind those Samurai warriors of old history, with the retention of the values of ethical practice, loyalty and some valuable lateral thinking.
He has been with JCB since he graduated from university in Kyoto in 1993. In 2001, he was appointed Manager, Systems & Operations in London. In 2003 he became the company’s chief representative in Madrid before returning to Tokyo for four years. In 2011, he was named President Director of PT. JCB International Indonesia.
Over these last 30 years, JCB has built up an acceptance network in over 190 countries and territories through partnerships with more than 350 of the world’s most distinguished financial institutions. And, out in the marketplace, the number of JCB merchants worldwide this year reached 22.3 million.
“As the speed and scope of card payments increase, JCB constantly monitors the changes and challenges that we face in keeping our customers up to date with the international community with secure solutions,” says Kadowaki.
Ever since it began in 1961, JCB has led the payment industry in Japan by offering the latest creative products and services as a pioneer in credit card payment solutions. Now it is the only international payment brand originating in Japan and the vision continues: to be a leader in global payments by using innovation to adapt to the rapidly changing global payments landscape. Currently JCB International has subsidiaries and offices in 24 locations in 16 countries and territories and continues to work with new local partners to further expand and strengthen its worldwide network. Meantime, the aim is to meet customer satisfaction by providing unique value through high quality payment products, a reliable infrastructure, value-added extra facilities and world-class service.
INDONESIA JCB entered the Indonesian market in 1983 in partnership with BCA (Bank Central Asia) to expand the acceptance of JCB Cards, especially in Jakarta and Bali, where many Japanese people carrying JCB Cards visit most often. Thanks to a wide merchant coverage with BCA, JCB Cards are today accepted at some 70% of commercial outlets around the country. In 1999, BII (Bank Internasional Indonesia) also became a partner and that has helped the acceptance network to expand even further. In Jakarta, the professional face of JCB is Yuichiro (Yuchi) Kadowaki.
“JCB believes that investing in new technology is the key to developing products and programs that will ultimately serve our customers in the most efficient way possible.”
SECURITY “Payment security is always the highest priority at JCB and we understand that reliability means everything to our brand name,” says Kadowaki. “At JCB, we are doing our utmost to uphold the health of the industry by developing security products and engaging in security standardization activities.” “This is being achieved not least from expertise gained over 50 years and, in the highly competitive global market, JCB has become a truly reliable international brand.” “The global payments marketplace is also changing faster and more drastically than ever before,” he says. “Consumer demand has shifted from a simple payment method to diverse products with increased payment utility in a totally secure environment.”
VALUE ADDED SERVICES “Apart from a highly professional and secure service, JCB is making every effort to provide its cardmembers with a more pleasant and comfortable travel experience,” says Yuchi Kadowaki. “Since our inception, JCB has adopted a customer-centred focus. Each and every JCB service program is guided by our fundamental policy to identify and meet the customer’s needs.” “So, in 1990, we introduced JCB Plazas, an exclusive service desk for JCB cardmembers around the world. In 2010, JCB fully upgraded this service network, expanding to 61 locations in 52 cities worldwide, adding nine brand-new JCB Plaza Lounges.”
MillionaireAsia Indonesia
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PEOPLE & BUSINESS
“These lounges (many now multilingual) provide cardmembers with a comfortable place to relax – with amenities such as computers with free internet access, Wi-Fi (in most areas) massage chairs and free beverages, all in addition to the standard JCB Plaza services including travel and entertainment reservations and emergency assistance.” “These lounges are similar to the ones in the airport but they are located in the city centres of popular tourist destinations,” explains Kadowaki. “This includes locations like Orchard Road in Singapore and you can access these lounges free of charge, simply by presenting your JCB Card.” “Another thing that sets us apart from other payment brands is that, apart from our Lounges, we also provide our cardmembers with discounts and a variety of special offers at boutiques, restaurants and leisure facilities in over 20 countries worldwide.”
THE NEXT “In the last decade, we have concentrated our business in East Asia (chiefly China, South Korea and Taiwan) and now we have some 10 million cardholders there,” says Yuchi Kadowaki. “However, we now position Indonesia as one of the most important markets in the region, especially considering its large population and the expected growth of the economy.” “The market here is still dominated by the American brands but, fortunately, Indonesian consumers already support Japanese products, especially automobiles, motorcycles, television and other electronic products,” he says. 14
MillionaireAsia Indonesia
“I feel sure the JCB Card will be supported by Indonesian consumers whose needs are more and more diversified as the country’s economy grows. So, as the first step in this endeavor, we launched the first Platinum Credit Card through BII this June.” “As a payment card brand whose strength is high quality service, we are first targeting consumers in the upper scale segment. If you compare VISA to TOYOTA, JCB wants to become the MERCEDES of the payment card marketplace.” “We are currently in discussion with other banks for partnership agreements and I anticipate these will start issuing JCB Cards next year,” adds Kadowaki. “These partnerships are sure to bring new awareness of the JCB brand to the Indonesian consumer but, of course, are planning aggressive promotional activities as well.” “With all this we are still mindful of the Bank Indonesia Regulation, effective next year, some say will slow down the growth of banks’ card business. But I view this is an opportunity for JCB to support the card business. Banks will obviously have to put more effort to retain their best customers. Therefore, I think that a brand new choice will become a useful tool for customer attraction and retention. And that brand is JCB.”
PEOPLE & BUSINESS
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PEOPLE & BUSINESS
“...a billion dollars does not buy what it used to...” One of the many plucky off-the-cuff quotes from Sheldon G. (for Gary) Adelson at the opening of the new Sheraton Macao Cotai Central and already speaking about expansion plans. By Graham Pearce
M
r. Adelson was in sparkling form, obviously pleased with the opening of the hotel and the progress of ‘Cotai Sands Central,’ his Asian resort empire.
After being in a wheelchair for a couple of years, he is now walking again, albeit with difficulty. One suspects he could still be in a deal of pain. But this did not affect his bearing during all the ceremonies, lunches, dinners, meetings and press conferences in Macao. Contrary to the image hinted at by his rather static photographs in the press, he is lively, funny, friendly and sharp. He quotes statistics, prices and percentages without the slightest hesitation. Well, one might expect this from a man who has made billions from his business – not least of it from gambling. To give him his full title, he is Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, which he founded in the American gambling capital. Forbes Magazine lists him as the 12th richest American with a personal wealth estimated to be $20.5 billion. Now 79, he began life as the son of a Boston taxi driver. During a business career lasting 60 years and counting, he has become developer, entrepreneur and (most often with his wife Miriam, who is a physician specializing in drug abuse treatment) philanthropist. Among other worthy causes, the Adelsons have donated over $25 million to the The Adelson Educational Campus in Las Vegas to build a high school. He has funded the Boston based Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Medical Research Foundation for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation, with another $7.5 million
donated to collaborating researchers at 10 universities. He is also a substantive donor to America’s Republican Party.
COMDEX Sheldon Adelson’s original business success was not in resorts but with the computer trade show COMDEX, which he and some partners developed for the computer industry in 1979. It became the number-one computer trade show until the turn of the century. In 1995, they sold the company to the SoftBank Corporation of Japan for $862 million, Adelson’s share being more than $500 million.
SANDS Las Vegas Sands has become the leading developer of ‘integrated resorts’ that feature premium accommodation, worldclass gaming and entertainment, convention and exhibition facilities, celebrity chef restaurants, and lots of shopping. Another of his quotes obtains to the use of the rather coy name ‘integrated resort’ (often politico-speak for casino). “We have had to seriously look at ways of entertaining tourists away from the casino,” he says. “In Las Vegas, these days only 14% of people are coming to gamble. In Macao, less than 30%, so there must be lots of other things for them to do. People are moving away from ‘sun, sea and sand’ holidays so we have to provide lots more entertainment, especially for the grown-ups.” Still ‘integrated resort’ remains a humdrum marketing term and not a term for the travelling public and people going to conventions.
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PEOPLE & BUSINESS “We regard trade shows and conventions, in fact all MICE business as so important in Macao,” explains Adelson. “And we would not be here expanding if we did not think there is a bright future here. Before the recession, Las Vegas’s best year saw 39 million people visit,” he recounts. “That still only accounts for 13% of the American population. Here we are looking at a target of 200 million visitors a year. Remember we sit on the southern tip of a country that has more than a billion people.” And he takes a polite swipe at the Central Government: “I employ 30,000 people and I still need a visa to come to Macao. But I never interfere with governments (domestic or foreign); they can do what they like. We have to work around it all.” Adelson and his partners bought the Sands Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas in 1988. This was once the preferred hangout of Frank Sinatra and all the Rat Pack. A year later, they built the Sands Expo and Convention Centre to make a home for new exhibition industry. On honeymoon in Venice with Miriam (his second wife) In 1991, Adelson was hit with the idea of a mega-resort-hotel inspired by this city back in Las Vegas. So he demolished the Sands and built ($1.5 billion later) The Venetian, casino and hotel now expanded to 4,049 suites, 18 restaurants and a shopping mall with canals and gondolas.
Miriam & Sheldon Adelson
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MACAO In Macao, he is credited with the vision to create a tract of unused swampland between Taipa and Coloane into a something as famous as the Las Vegas ‘Strip’ – but bigger and better. “I want it to be Asia’s Las Vegas and then some,” he says. The complex (with its name shortened to ‘Cotai’) has cost $4.4 billion so far. (Comparatively cheap when his recently opened Marina Bay Sands in Singapore cost $6 billion). So, in 2004, Sands Macao became the first Las Vegas-style casino and resort in the People’s Republic of China when it opened in May 2004. This was followed in 2007 by the $2.4 billion Venetian Macao Resort Hotel. Forbes Magazine again describes Adelson as the largest foreign investor in China. Plans are to invest a total of $12 billion and build 20,000 hotel rooms on the Cotai Strip. But it has been reported this was not all plain sailing. Adelson himself probably saved the company, pulling it back from the brink of bankruptcy in 2008. But Adelson is a hands-on manager, overseeing minute details of the company’s foray into Macau, which is still the only location in China where gaming is legal. Macau was visited by 13 million tourists in the first half of 2012, with the majority coming from mainland China, making it the world’s hottest gaming market, generating four times the revenue of Las Vegas.
PEOPLE & BUSINESS
‘The Venetian’ interiors (the sky is fake)
ENTERTAINMENT
WISH LIST
Sheldon Adelson cheekily brings up the name Bugsy Siegel, the notorious underworld figure who bought the famous Flamingo Hotel in 1946 and set a path to make Las Vegas a gambling and entertainment must for people from every part of the United States.
With no sign of sapping energy, despite his physical frailty, Sheldon Adelson has certainly not finished with business. He plans to carry on at an age when many other men might retire to see more of his three daughters, two sons and four grandchildren.
Even Bugsy saw the need for non-gambling activity. He ‘persuaded’ Frank Sinatra and some friends to come and perform. Now so many people go to Las Vegas for its star power alone. Celine Dion, Siegfried and Roy and several others now have years-long performing dates. Many others have a season of a few days or even just one concert. Bugsy is no more; nor is Sinatra and most of the other people from that era.
“I have a wish list for Sands China,” he enthuses. “We want to open in Taiwan but that would probably have to be on one of the little islands. We want to open in Japan and Korea and Vietnam. And we have already signed to open in Europe – the first one in Madrid.”
“In any case, that kind of thing is becoming extremely expensive,” says Adelson’s savvy CEO in Las Vegas, Michael Leven. “We have no plans for big American acts to come here (although Beyoncé has already been for a one-off) but there are plans for big entertainment events and we are looking at bringing several Chinese stars in as well.” The Group owns Sands Macao, The Venetian, The Plaza Macao and Sands Cotai Central. The Venetian boasts one of the largest convention and exhibition halls in Asia and it also houses the 15,000-seat CotaiArena entertainment centre and the Venetian Theatre.
“Here in Macao, things are only just beginning,” he smiles. “We have already signed another deal with Starwood for a 4000-key St. Regis to be built just up the street from the Sheraton.” “Then there will be The Parisian.” And here he becomes even more enthusiastic: “It will be a Sands-Four Seasons collaboration with 3,300 rooms and will sit within a half-scale model of the Eiffel Tower. This will cost more or less three or four billion dollars.” Which prompted his most notable quote. But a billion (or 12 or more) dollars, in his mind, might not go so far these days but it has gone a long way from creating something so massive from a deserted swamp.
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INVESTMENT: HOTELS
Vase from Azim cini
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INVESTMENT : HOTELS
EXPRESS RETURNS According to the InterContinental Hotel Group, a hotel is a very good investment to add to your business portfolio.
I
HG franchises, leases, manages or owns over 4,500 hotels and more than 666,000 guest rooms in 100 countries. It has some 1,000 more hotels in its development pipeline.
Alan Watts is IHG’s Vice President of Operations for South East Asia, a region that currently boasts 40 trading hotels (13,800 rooms) and very robust plans for expansion with several of his major brands. IHG has InterContinental, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Crowne Plaza and Indigo. The company also has the Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites, EVEN Hotels and HUALUXE Hotels & Resorts. Watts was in Jakarta with news of these expansion plans and to explain to potential investors, the sound reasoning behind giving your property to IHG management. And it was not just a flying visit. IHG recognises Indonesia as a key growth market, especially for the midscale brands: Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express. This said, IHG has already begun construction of an InterContinental in Bali and an Indigo in Jakarta. “Indonesia has quietly developed as one of Asia’s best developed and emerging markets, with its fast-growing tourism industry, booming middle class and increasing wealth: a huge potential for rapid growth,” says Watts. In 2011, Indonesia’s GDP crossed USD 1 trillion, joining ranks with China and India. Growth in Indonesian also hit a 15-year high of 6.5 percent in the same year and is projected to come in at 6.4 by year’s end.
INVESTMENT Why invest with IHG? “Firstly, we have a conservative approach,” says Alan Watts. “We know the market, we have the experience, and we produce proven results and strong returns. And one of the reasons we have just established a new office in Bangkok is because of our faith in the growth of this region, especially Indonesia.”
“Many people ask about investing in non-full-service hotels. Of course, it would be grand if everyone could own an InterContinental. But with these lesser brands, the arithmetic is simple: land coasts will be the same, of course but the build and fit-out is much cheaper and the ROI is much quicker,” he says. “Another important aspect of the IHG operation is marketing. If you invest in a new hotel with us, you automatically have our worldwide network for marketing your property – and we cannot emphasise enough the loyalty rewards program we have, which boasts 67 million customers.” “It also may seem like a small point but it is a fact of life that a exponentially-growing part of the market now works on line and this includes their travel arrangements. So, we spent some $10 million dollars a year on Google to make sure we are primely placed in word search.”
FAMILY TRAVEL A company called Turner Media Solutions joined with IHG to quantify the family travel market. The results show domestic trips account for 48% of family travel in Indonesia: average 1.50 trips per person, USD 381 per person per trip, total segment value: USD 723 million. This has been fuelled by an expanding middle class of over 50 million, partnered with political stability and the need to link the resource-rich islands across Indonesia. All this points to the need for an expanded midscale range of available hotels. For IHG, this means Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express. (Alan Watts was keen to point out that the Holiday Inn brand has come a long way from its first family hotel in Memphis in 1952 – more or less motel standard. Their hotels and resorts now boast most of the amenities of full-service properties but with simpler décor and less emphasis on food and beverage. A city property, for example, may not have a swimming pool.)
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INVESTMENT
A TEST OF WEALTH AND FAITH In these economically subdued times, the Sun still shines over Asia, according to the 2012 Julius Baer Wealth Report.
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012 could well have been said to be an “annus horibilis” for the global macro economy. Yet, despite the trying challenges, Asia has remained resilient, in part due to strong fiscal fundamentals, improved economic policy making, and greater diversification of trade links. Domestic demand, supported by robust job growth, continues to be a key pillar to Asia’s growth dynamics. In light of the deterioration in global growth, a re-examination of the original forecasts has concluded that the downside risk to Asia’s growth in high net worth individuals (HNWI) is small. For Julius Baer, the leading Swiss private banking group, they are optimistic and confident of Asia’s growth and wealth creation prospects, and have forecasted an increase in the region’s HNWI population to 2.82 million by 2015, with a collective wealth equal to USD 15.8 trillion by that year, according to the 2012 Julius Baer Wealth Report. Relying on its strong presence in Asia, Julius Baer has provided a robust, multi-dimensional appraisal of the wealth dynamics in Asia. From examining the drivers of wealth creation in ten of the most significant economies, it goes on to take an in-depth look at
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the three key economies creating wealth in Asia, namely, China, India, and Indonesia. In addition, the report also looks at what it costs to live in luxury under the current economic conditions.
The Great Orient More than ever, Asia’s importance to the global economy will continue to grow, especially given that China and India have been predicted to generate half of the overall worldwide growth, following on from 2011. Within Asia, Indonesia is forecasted to have the highest growth in its HNWI population, at a compounded annual growth rate of 25%. For China, upside projections will see its 1.46 million HNWIs reaching a stock wealth of USD 9.3 trillion. In Asia, three countries have stood out for being at the frontiers of growth, mainly China, India, and Indonesia. China is taking a long-term view in terms of its macroeconomic policy framework, with an aim to rebalance growth away from the previous reliance on fixed asset investment and exports. To deliver this change, China will have to move up the value chain in terms of production, and bridge the income gap between the
INVESTMENT
“More than ever, Asia’s importance to the global economy will continue to grow, especially given that China and India have been predicted to generate half of the overall worldwide growth, following on from 2011.“
coastal provinces and central and western China. In India, it has been found that one factor driving its growth is not so much urbanisation per se, but the pockets of economic activity in traditionally rural communities that are being connected via new infrastructure. In Indonesia, an already diversified and vibrant economy has seen it being well ahead of other major economies in the region, and with recent important improvements being made to the business operating environment, it has been laying the foundations for future growth. With a low correlation to Europe, contagion impacts from the Eurozone crisis to domestic demand in Indonesia should be limited. “We talk to leading business leaders in Asia about the key issues influencing their lifestyles, businesses and investments on a daily basis. The Julius Baer Wealth Report is a unique view of wealth, both top down from our research, and bottom up, from our conversations with those who are at the forefront of the growth of wealth in their countries,” said Boris Collardi, CEO of Bank Julius Baer.
Living the good life Meanwhile, the good life is becoming more expensive in 2012. This year, the Julius Baer Lifestyle Index rose by 8.8% in April 2012, showing that the cost of living in luxury in Asia persists to substantially outpace conventional Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures, which stood approximately 6% for the same time period. This gap is expected to narrow in the long-term, as global markets become more competitive due to globalisation. First launched in 2011, the Julius Baer Lifestyle Index captures consumption costs in Asia Pacific and the inherent inflation. Based on a basket of 20 luxury goods and services that represent the discretionary purchases of HNWIs in the region, the index covers high-end vendors across four main cities, namely, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, and Mumbai. The strong reading of 8.8% underscores that businesses and service providers to Asia’s HNWI are able to command price increases given strong demand and pricing power. Durable items like luxury watches were able to maintain their demand, despite price increases, relative to the service providers, while properties and luxury vehicles are the main drivers for the Index. MillionaireAsia Indonesia
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PEOPLE & BUSINESS
these Choos are made For walking His killer heels are de rigueur on the red carpet. We know his name and we know the brand. In this exclusive interview, Grace Lai speaks to dream shoemaker Dato Jimmy Choo on who Jimmy Choo really is. By Grace Lai
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PEOPLE & BUSINESS
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erhaps it was meant to be. The hands of destiny that led to the registrar putting his name down as Choo instead of Chow, for Jimmy Chow might not have sounded as ‘right’. Known around the world as “the humble shoemaker who now dresses (shoes) the stars of Hollywood and royalty”, Dato Jimmy Choo had neither elves nor godmothers in his workshop back when he first started in London in the early 80’s. “Life was really really tough in the beginning. Nobody wanted to buy my shoes. My handmade shoes were priced at only 50 pounds at that time, Manolo (Blahnik) cost 150 pounds! I had to survive with only a small meal each day,” Dato Jimmy recalls.
Renting a space in a factory in Liverpool, the young man worked his trade from dawn to dusk alongside struggling designers and various artists in the cold, bleak building. “Every day was a struggle. London in those days was cold; there was no heating and not much food or money to spare. We could only work hard and hope that someone will see and want our products,” Dato Jimmy reminisces. A strong believer in having a good attitude despite the circumstances, the resolute shoemaker hawked his handmade shoes at weekend markets relentlessly. “I still remember the markets at Liverpool Street. I would set up my shoes on a carton box and hope for someone, anyone, to pick them up,” Dato Jimmy smiles.
Humble beginnings
A bed of roses it certainly wasn’t. Six months passed with no money for rent. Dato Jimmy sat himself down for a serious session of brainstorming. “My parents gave up all their savings just to make sure I realise my dreams. I couldn’t just continue to sit every day, waiting for a chance. I had to do something different. You see, it is not enough to just work hard. You have to work smart,” Dato Jimmy expounds. Observing the Saturday markets closely, the industrious young man noted how cheap sandals were flying off the rack, so to speak. “There was a lot of transaction going on! So it wasn’t that shoes were not sell-able. Mine weren’t! Thus I had to adapt and re-look at my designs and products. As long as you choose not to give up, you will always win. Don’t blame God for not giving you opportunities. Look for them yourself!” the wise man offers.
“People look at where I am today and say that I am very lucky. They see me at red carpet Hollywood events, meeting the royalty, travelling around the world and think that everything is easy but it wasn’t,” the genial Dato smiles. Penang-born Dato Jimmy Choo learned the trade of making shoes at the feet of his father, also a shoemaker. Crafting his first pair of ‘Choos’ at the age of eleven, Dato Jimmy always knew that it was his destiny to make shoes. “There is nothing more perfect than a well-made, comfortable yet stylish pair of shoes. It is the ultimate touch to a perfect ensemble,” Dato Jimmy quips. Leaving the country for London in 1980, Dato Jimmy arrived on the British Isle with hopes, dreams and what little he saved from his years of shoe-making in Penang to study footwear at Cordwainers College. Now part of the London College of Fashion, one of five colleges that form the University of The Arts, London, Dato Jimmy has fond, if not modest, memories of his early years in the foreign land.
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PEOPLE & BUSINESS
A meteoric rise With change in mind, Dato Jimmy began work on his new strategy. Instead of making individual, niche designs and hoping that someone would pick them up, Dato Jimmy started crafting his shoes with runway models in mind. “The idea started after I began showing my shoes everywhere I could and two ladies came up to me asking that I make shoes for runway designers,” Dato Jimmy ruminates. “I still remember who it was for - Elizabeth Smith. It was the 1986 London Fashion show and there was a sudden focus on shoes. Fashion shows were no longer just about the clothes and accessories, people wanted to look at shoes and I was asked to make them,” Dato Jimmy recalls with not a little pride. Hand-making eight pairs of shoes everyday which earned him 6 pounds a day, Dato Jimmy did this for an entire year. “I even saved enough to enjoy dim sum and a pao every weekend!” the mischievous artist chuckles. However, making shoes for designers, however notable they are, was not what this dreammaker had in mind. With lady luck on his side, the diligent young man had a chance meeting with a man, revealed only as Bernard, who gave the soon-to-be star the opportunity of his lifetime. “He told me, ‘I’m not about to give you a penny. I’m about to make you famous.’” Dato Jimmy shares. This was the ‘dresser’ for the legendary Vogue magazine and in no time, Dato Jimmy was roped in and given a spread of 8 pages in the illustrious magazine. “It was August 1988. Imagine my joy when Vogue called to say they wanted to feature my shoes and give me 8 pages for that! I said yes immediately. But I also learned something very important - I insisted on the shoes carrying my name.” And the rest, as they say, is history.
Selling the brand Since establishing his couture label in 1986, Dato Jimmy’s made-to-order designs have included an extensive range of hand beaded, hand stitched and personalised shoes ranging from slippers and sandals to mules and boots. Building upon his strong presence in Britain and his growing international reputation, Dato Jimmy launched his ready-to-wear line with the late Tom Yeardye in 1996. Entrusting Equinox Luxury Holdings Ltd and ‘It girl’ Tamara Mellon specifically, to carry on his hallmark of comfort and elegance to the luxury goods market, Dato Jimmy sold his share of the ready-to-wear business in November 2001. “I wanted to concentrate on making customised shoes. I had a large circle of contacts and I wanted to focus on this - to design and give my clients exactly what they want. I also decided it was time to travel more, see the world and spend more time with my family,” Dato Jimmy reveals on the decision for the sale. In 2011, Jimmy Choo the brand, changed hands again for an A-list price tag of £500 million. Labelux, the luxury goods group backed by Germany’s billionaire Reimann family bought the company for nearly three times the sum paid by its private equity owners four years ago, after outbidding competition from TPG Capital, Investcorp and US retailer Jones Group. The brand was acquired by Tower Brook Capital Partners for £185 million in 2007 where under its ownership, expanded overseas and broadened beyond heels to include luxury trainers, handbags, jewellery and perfume. The number of stores worldwide carrying this humble shoemaker’s name doubled around the world to 120. Sales in 2010 hit £150 million as the brand rode the boom in demand for luxury items in Asia. The 2011 deal marks the fourth time Jimmy Choo, whose shoes cost up to £1,000 a pair now, has been sold in fifteen years. To date, the Jimmy Choo business has net sales of £150 million in 2010 and is growing at more than 10 percent in all categories and geographic regions.
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Present dreams and hopes Today, Dato Jimmy Choo’s presence is forefront in two main areas, namely his couture house on charming little Connaught Street off Hyde Park, where he still actively works with his team in the design and production of bespoke handmade shoes bearing the Jimmy Choo Couture label and his firm support for education, as Ambassador for Footwear Education at the London College of Fashion. “I want to see young designers follow in my footsteps. I want them to dream art and design,” Dato Jimmy says. Asked on his advice for budding shoe-makers, Dato Jimmy has this to say, “It is important to be skilled in order to become a good designer. A designer should not just be someone who is good at sketching but also be well-versed and knowledgeable in every aspect of the making of any creation.”
“MY PARENTS GAVE UP ALL THEIR SAVINGS JUST TO MAKE SURE I REALISE MY DREAMS. I COULDN’T JUST CONTINUE TO SIT EVERY DAY, WAITING FOR A CHANCE. I HAD TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. YOU SEE, IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO JUST WORK HARD. YOU HAVE TO WORK SMART,”
Recognised far and wide across the globe, Dato Jimmy now devotes a lot of his time teaching and giving talks on the subject close to his heart. Lauded for his notable efforts in grooming the young in the field of arts, Dato Jimmy recently won the “World Most Outstanding Chinese Designer Award” in December 2011 as well as the “You Bring Charm To The World” by Phoenix TV in Beijing, China for being one of the most influential Chinese personalities in the field of Arts and Culture earlier in March. “This is my dream - to see our young follow in my footsteps and do even greater than I did.”
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DESIGN
THE JEWEL OF KL The renowned French jewellery house Van Cleef & Arpels have just re-opened their boutique in Kuala Lumpur with interior architecture by the British designer Anouska Hempel.
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legance, femininity, refinement are the catchwords that make it more like an intimate private apartment than a store. Pink and grey walls, champagne colored curtains and pink-grey arm chairs and sofas; these subtle shades breathe life into the space while a luxurious feeling comes from the materials of soft suede, fine leather, rich silk and luscious velvet. A private VIP room allows for discreet viewing of the Maison’s jewellery and timepieces.
Heritage The story of Van Cleef & Arpels began with a wedding. In 1895, Estelle Arpels – the daughter of a dealer in precious stones – married Alfred Van Cleef, the son of a lapidary and diamond-broker. The couple opened its first boutique in 1906 at 22 Place Vendôme, just up from the Paris Ritz and since then has achieved a reputation as one of the world’s most exquisite jewellers and has remained faithful to a highly distinctive style characterized by creativity, excellence, refinement and enchantment. w w w.vancleefandarpels.com
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PEOPLE & BUSINESS
A MESMERISING RIVIERA From India, to London, Hong Kong, and finally Phuket, Mr. Gulu Lalvani, developer of Royal Phuket Marina, tells MillionaireAsia why he chose this maritime jewel. By Gwendoline Sim
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e had travelled far and wide, but the one place that finally captured his heart was Phuket.
“It was like paradise on earth,” said Mr. Gulu Lalvani, when he first saw Phuket. The former founder and chairman of Binatone, currently the world’s second largest manufacturer of digital cordless phones, he is now the developer behind Royal Phuket Marina. The award winning, state-of-the-art marina is the ‘paradise’ island’s premier lifestyle destination. Devoted to sailing, sports and leisure, the marina boasts of luxury residences and shopping facilities set amidst landscaped parks and gardens.
On high seas With private wealth in Asia close to reading “an extraordinary 13 trillion dollars by 2015”, according to Julius Baer’s first Wealth Report, Mr. Lalvani’s reasoning for building such an establishment on this unparalleled island is not exactly uncalled for. Knight Frank’s 2012 The Wealth Report reveals that investors now are increasingly choosing to invest in passion investments such as art, wine and sport. This sharp rise in demand has led to global conglomerates and luxury houses shifting their focus completely to previously overlooked ‘interests’.
The gem called Phuket “I’ve loved boats all my life. I’ve lived in London 80% of the time since 1956, and 20% of the time in Hong Kong, and my hobby since 1970 has been visiting three new destinations every year, on holiday, in any part of the world,” he said.
“These places had to have four things in common, all with the letter ‘S’: sun, sea, sand, and good sailing conditions.” From Hawaii, to Australia, New Zealand, Europe, among others, no other place until Phuket snared Mr. Lalvani’s heart. Holidaying there in 1991 with his family, on a friend’s recommendation, he said raptly, “When we went out on a boat to the Phuket islands, it was so mindboggling that I was comparing it in my mind, to all the other places I’ve been to, but I could not compare it to anything else.” “My wife asked me, what about your hobby? I said, now that I’ve seen this, and I’ve seen most of the world, this is Paradise, I’m prepared to give up my hobby of going to three new destinations every year for this,” he remarked wryly. In 2010, Phuket was voted the ‘Best Asian Maritime Capital’ at the Asia Boating Award. It was regarded as the maritime hub, eclipsing rivals like Hong Kong, Singapore, and Italy. Based on 2010 statistics from the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Phuket office, most tourist arrivals in Phuket are by sea. These seafaring tourists introduce an estimated USD 306 million (around THB 10 billion) every year, with the numbers set to rise. “Phuket has some very natural beauty. It is surrounded by 32 beautiful islands, within half an hour by boat, you can see 30 islands, all white sandy beaches, beautiful corals and so on. Many blockbuster Hollywood movie have been filmed here, including James Bond movies,” said Mr. Lalvani.
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PEOPLE & BUSINESS
In full sail The popularity of yachting has risen among the wealthy, especially in Asia, with Chinese buyers making up a majority of the clientele base. In 2010, yacht dealers saw the sales of super yachts, boats measuring 70 feet or longer, totaling up to more than $100 million. “I’ve also seen Phuket’s cachet as a destination skyrocket in recent years – it is rapidly becoming a major magnet for celebrities, jetsetters, and global yacht enthusiasts,” said Mr. Lalvani. “It is the maritime jewel of Asia – so convenient to get to from anywhere in the world,” he added. “The beautiful surrounds, the breathtaking land and seascapes, and the year-round tropical weather make it ideal for yachting. It is neither overpopulated nor over-commercialised, like many European yachting destinations.” Seeing an opportunity in Phuket, which no one else had yet pursued, Royal Phuket Marina was the result of Mr. Lalvani’s ambition to place Phuket on the map as an international yachting and lifestyle destination. Combining luxury real estate and yachting, Phuket today is considered to be the hub of Asia’s new luxury boating Riviera. “I knew that Phuket had two problems, that if they were tackled, they could grow yachting immensely. I went to meet Thailand’s then Prime Minister, Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra, and proposed to him, to bring down the import duty, in line with Langkawi’s, and I promised him I would build a world-class marina if he was able to do that,” said Mr. Lalvani.
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“With these two problems solved, affluent tourists from Europe, America and the world will come, and this will be good for the economy, employment, and everything else,” he added. “Due to Phuket becoming known as the best yachting destination, people now want to have homes there,” he said. With villas three times the size of Sentosa Cove, and a berth that allows boats deeper than 10metres in, the marina has proven to be a resounding success, and has had a 100% occupancy rate since December 2011. “Investors and competitors alike have shown keen interest in the scale of our ambition,” said Mr. Lalvani. With Phuket being voted the best yachting destination twice in a row, he intends to take this further and make it the best in the world. “A week before this interview, the Prime Minister of Thailan held a cabinet meeting in Phuket, the first time this was ever done,” he said. The government has been making plans to sanction $3 billion to improve the infrastructure in Phuket, preparing it for tourism. “Phuket is currently at a takeoff point, 80% of our buyers are Europeans, with only 20% from Asia. Asians are getting the taste of boating, recently Europe’s largest boat company, the Ferretti Group, was bought over by a Chinese company. It is the largest luxury yacht group globally,” he added. “The world is changing. The prime destination now is Phuket.”
PROPERTY
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PROPERTY
BILLION DOLLAR HOME$ A good Investment Why super prime property will never be a bad acquisition.
By Nicky Burridge
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he market for ultra high-end properties is booming as super-wealthy individuals seek to insulate themselves from the current economic problems by putting their money into top end homes. Meanwhile, the creation of a rising number of multi-millionaires and billionaires in recent years has led to increasing competition for a scarce number of prime properties in the world’s major international cities. Inevitably, the phenomenon is putting upward pressure on the price of top-end homes, despite the fact that housing markets in many countries are suffering. International property advisers Savills says this strong demand from the ultra-wealthy has created a new global super class of real estate, and it recently launched a billionaires’ property index to track developments at the very top end of the market in 10 key international cities. The group found that homes typically bought by billionaires in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, London, Paris, New York, Sydney, Moscow and Mumbai, were significantly outperforming the rest of the property market. The price of super-prime properties in these cities soared by an average of 10% during the first six months of 2011, while their value has increased by 65% in the past five years, despite the global financial turmoil seen during this period. The rise is nearly double the 6% increase in prices for homes typically bought by senior executives in major cities during the same period.
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PROPERTY
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PROPERTY
The extreme scarcity of prime houses on The Peak, Hong Kong is perhaps an exaggerated caricature of the fundamental problem affecting all world class cities; there are simply just not enough of the most desirable properties to go round.
Yolande Barnes, of Savills residential research department, says: “This increase reflects the speed at which new billionaires have been created – particularly in the ‘new world’ – and have invested in global real estate.” It will come as little surprise to many investors that Hong Kong leads the pack as the most expensive place in the world in which to buy a super-prime home. The city is in a league of its own in terms of prices, with superluxury homes selling for an average of £6,700 (HK$82,000) per square foot, more than double the £3,090 (HK$38,000) per square foot commanded by homes in London, and 29% more expensive than Tokyo. The high prices are being driven by “overwhelming demand.” Barnes says: “The extreme scarcity of prime houses on The Peak is perhaps an exaggerated caricature of the fundamental problem affecting all world class cities; there are simply just not enough of the most desirable properties to go round.” This dynamic helped drive up the price of top-end homes by 83% in the five years to the end of 2010. But the same factors that limit supply and push up prices have a significant downside too. At an average of just over 5,000 square foot the homes of the super rich are smaller in Hong Kong than any of the other global cities looked at, with the exception of Moscow, where city centre apartments are usually complemented with a 21,500 square foot country mansion for the weekend. However, concerns that a bubble is building up in the Hong Kong market are unfounded, according to Barnes. She says: “It is a common feature of world
class cities that they are ‘unaffordable’ by local standards. More important to billionaires is the rarity of a product and most of the cities under study are short of space so prime property (the scarcest) carries a rarity premium.” She adds that there are also signs of a ‘wall of money’ waiting to get out of China, which should further boost demand in Hong Kong. But while the cost of luxury homes in Hong Kong has boomed during the past five years, Tokyo, the second most expensive of the global cities, has fared less well. Prices of top-end homes have increased by just 11% in the five years to the end of 2010, and actually fell by 2% in the first six months of 2011. The Japanese market has a curious dynamic, in that it is the land and not the property that holds the value, with properties depreciating almost as soon as they are built. There is also less demand in the city from international billionaires. Unsurprisingly, the price growth of ultra high value homes during the past five years has been strongest in emerging ‘new world’ economies, mirroring the creation of new billionaires during the same period. Singapore, which now has the highest concentration of millionaire households in the world, leads the field with growth of 144%, followed by Mumbai at 138% and Moscow at 110%. But Shanghai bucks the trend, with top end properties posting price growth of just 32% since 2005. Barnes explains: “Underperformance at the very top end of the market is undoubtedly linked to China’s closed market, where billionaire demand is solely domestic, unlike the rest of our cities which are also fuelled by international buyers.” The strong property price growth seen in new world cities in recent years, has caused old world ones, such as London, Paris and New York, to begin to look like good value, while currency weakness has also made investing in these cities more attractive. Although prime homes in these centres are unlikely to match the gains seen in new world ones, they do offer the relative price stability associated with more mature markets. “These established western markets have seen steady growth but not the same volatility as cities in the new world, making them attractive ‘safe havens’ for billionaires’ wealth,” Barnes says. In fact, around 40% of high-end properties in London are now bought by international buyers. Paris is also beginning to rival the UK’s capital as a store for international wealth. But will ultra high-end property continue to represent a good investment going forward? Barnes thinks so. “It is likely that the world class billionaire homes market will continue to out-perform other markets for as long as the boom in global commodities and other markets continues and helps create new billionaires,” she says. “Continuing political upheaval, war and civil unrest in various other parts of the world, will ensure that there is continued demand from the international elite for safe havens in world class cities.”
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COLECTIBLES : İZNIK
Out On The Tiles After many decades being overshadowed by mass-produced copies, traditional İznik pottery has re-emerged as a unique art form and its fine examples extremely collectible.
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he fabulous Turkish pottery known as İznik had its beginnings in the town of the same name, near Bursa, in western Anatolia. Nicaea in ancient times and site of the declaration of the Nicene Creed. It reached its height of sophistication, artistry and beauty between the 15th and 17th centuries.
In the 16th century, the arabesques and the Chinese elements (from the Yuan and Ming dynasties) gave way to more flowing patterns. New colours were introduced, notably red and emerald green. The industry undoubtedly flourished when the Sultan and the court (who already held Chinese blue-and-white porcelain in great esteem) continued their patronage.
In the 15th century, high quality pottery with a fritware body (a mixture mainly of silica and glass), coated with a slip (liquid clay) and then painted with cobalt blue became a major handicraft industry. The intricate designs combined influences from China (cloud shapes, mythical beasts, birds, flowers) and from the Ottomans (arabesques, calligraphy and geometry).
The combination of these two styles is referred to as RumiHatayi. Rumi denotes the Ottoman arabesque patterns and Hatayi the Chinese-inspired floral patterns. Many of the meticulously painted arabesque motifs of this early period are believed to have been influenced by Ottoman metal and leather objects.
After the conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the Ottoman sultans started a huge construction program. Sultan Süleyman, his wife Hürrem (Roxelana) and his Grand Vizier Rustem Pasha, used very large quantities of İznik tiles for their monumental buildings. The Sultanahmet (or Blue) Mosque alone contains 20,000 tiles. The Rüstem Pasha Mosque is even more densely tiled and this work was used extensively in the royal residence, Topkapı Palace. The 16 century was the golden age of İznik and, too, of the Ottoman Empire. Under royal patronage, the workshops making enamelled ceramics made İznik very prosperous. Later, production technique improved considerably when Sultan Selim I sent craftsmen from captured Tabriz (Persia) there. th
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The Persians brought the ‘saz’ style – saz being a long, serrated leaf, which they deftly wound around stylized flowers, notably tulips, carnations, roses and hyacinths. The cobalt ore was probably obtained from central Iran. The turquoise was from copper oxide, the purple from manganese oxide. The distinctive bright red (from Armenian bole tree bark) was introduced around 1560. From around 1675, there was an unfortunate deterioration in quality and, although production continued during the 17th century, the designs were poor, as the city’s role as primary ceramics producer was overtaken by the city of Kütahya. This decline also co-incided with the waning of influence of the Ottomans.
COLECTIBLES : İZNIK
Vase from Azim cini
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COLECTIBLES : İZNIK
KÜTAHYA
BUYING
Kütahya is further from Istanbul (about 200km) and was probably only a small pottery producing centre in the 16th century. Nevertheless, it is likely that some of the pottery that is currently labelled as İznik was manufactured in Kütahya, which became a serious rival to İznik as a ceramic producing centre.
Once you have seen one or two good pieces, you will be able to spot a good example from commercial rubbish.
Today, you can visit the Brigade Museum (Tugay Müzesi), which has stone works, china works, paintings, works of local artists and the priceless ‘İznik’ collection donated by Rifat Çini, the owner of the Azim Çini factory, the oldest ceramic factory in the town. The Kütahya Ceramic Festival is held every year in July.
TODAY Until the last century, some confusion reigned in collectinghungry Europe as they were uncertain where the pottery was made. İznik was often known as Persian Ware, Rhodian Ware, Damascus Ware, Abraham of Kütahya Ware and Golden Horn Ware.
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Of course, if you are after museum quality pieces, Sotheby’s or Christie’s are the places to look. You can make the trip to İznik (and/or Kütahya) to the horse’s mouth, as it were. Then, there are also several antique centres in Istanbul where you can have fun browsing and seeking out a gem. The most reputable will provide you with a certificate of authentification. The Çukurcuma neighbourhood is one to try. Another great source is the İznik Foundation, which opened in Istanbul in 1993. Here, modern craftsmen are using the original techniques to produce historically faithful plates, vases and tiles, some of them sensational. You will find it at Oksuz Cocuk Sokak 7.
It was not until the 1930s that art historians fully realised that the different styles of pottery were probably all produced in İznik.
İznik Classics has some beautiful original pieces; they have two outlets – one in Arasta in the Grand Bazaar (Serifaga Sk. No. 188, the other at Utangaç Sokak 17. We personally like the pieces at a little corner store in the Grand Bazaar – called İznikArt by Ismail Yigit and Turkish Islamic Art, depending on which door of the boutique you enter (Orta Kazaslar Caddesi No. 64).
Thankfully, many centuries-old pieces remain intact and are sold in antique stores in Turkey with some of the better pieces selling at international auction for many thousands of dollars.
Not far from the Grand Bazaar is Khaftan Art & Antique (on Nakilbent Sokak), where they also have Ottoman textiles, silver and other artwork.
MillionaireAsia Indonesia
COLECTIBLES : İZNIK
Dish (1565-75) at Chrisite’s. Top Est. £60,000
Golden Horn jug at Sotheby’s. Top est. £350,000
If you are in England, first take a look at the collection in the Victoria & Albert and then you might try the Fired Earth stores. In Paris, they have another fine collection at the Louvre. And, nowadays, everything involves the Internet – there are several sites there with information about İznik ware and many offering pieces of various quality for sale.
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COLECTIBLES : İZNIK
If you are in Istanbul looking for that Iznik bargain treasure, here are three fine hotels that each offers its different style of luxury.
PERA PALACE Hotel
Istanbul’s most famous hotel was built in 1892 for wealthy passengers arriving on the Orient Express and has been home to the famous ever since. It sits only a block away from the long pedestrian street of Istiklal and is surrounded by boutiques, cafes, restaurants and bars. You can request a Greta Garbo, Hemingway or the Agatha Christie suite (it is said she wrote Murder on the Orient Express in room 411 in 1934). Or there are the grand Inönü and Bayar suites and the two royal suites named after England’s King Edward VIII and Austria’s Emperor Franz Josef. There is also a large spa, hammam, conference facilities, gym and indoor swimming pool and five restaurants and bars: Agatha (fine food), the romantic Orient Bar (now with a large outdoor terrace), the historic Kubbeli Salon (for afternoon tea) and Patisserie de Pera, Istanbul’s first pastry shop. w w w.jumeirah.com
SWISSOTEL The Bosphorous This high-rise hotel sits in 30 hectares of beautiful gardens, once part of the Dolmabahçe Palace estate. The view is fantastic with a panorama of all Istanbul and the Asian shore across the Bosphorus. There are 600 rooms and suites, not least the two lavish Presidential Suites on the 16th and 18th floors. You have a choice of 10 restaurants and bars, including Gaja for its fine French food and marvellous roof garden. The Amrita Spa has a hammam, gym and indoor/outdoor pool. In the gardens, they have tennis courts and a huge swimming pool. It is a leisurely walk to Dolmabahçe Palace (last residence of the Sultan), the ferry terminal to the Asian Side and the Prince’s Islands – and to the luxe area of Nişantaşı. w w w.swissotel.com
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The Sofa This hotel is part of the hip Design Hotel Group and is famous for its art – art everywhere: in the lobbies, in your room, even in the elevator. It is also the ‘fashion’ hotel. A former TV studio, it now has 82 guest rooms, including 17 Executive Suites. Café Sofa is open all day and serves great Western and Turkish food. Downstairs, the impressive Sanitas Spa has a pool and Turkish bath. Upstairs is Frankie, one of Istanbul’s most fashionable restaurants. There is a lounge, restaurant and deck. There is fine dining, bar food and tapas and, of course, a sensational wine list. The boutique hotel sits smack dab in the middle of Nişantaşı, Istanbul’s most popular upscale fashion, shopping, entertainment and gourmet neighbourhood. w w w.thesofahotel.com
What is Luxury ?
I like to have everything running smoothly. Not being stressed is a huge luxury
Gordon Hui
Managing Director of Sunseeker Asia
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unseeker is arguably the preferred yachting brand of the super rich, a regular fixture in James Bond films, famed for their film star appeal, sleek design and luxurious interiors. Gordon Hui was born in Hong Kong, then moved to the UK to study architecture. As a customer of Sunseeker himself, he was approached to represent the brand in Asia, and launched Sunseeker Asia in 2003.
What is the most extravagant boat that Sunseeker has ever produced? The Sunseeker 40-metre yacht. It’s ultra spacious and has accommodation for up to 12 guests. There are optionals like automated balconies for the forward master suite and the main deck. We’ve also worked with designers on customising interiors.
How have customer demands changed over the last decade? They haven’t really. Of course there is more technical stuff available now. Luxuries like stabilisers we had ten years ago anyway, though we didn’t have balconies back then.
How does the Asian market differ from elsewhere in their boat preferences? The Asian market prioritises good entertaining and dining areas – they prefer round tables whereas the Western market prefers rectangles. And they like brighter lighting. Karaoke machines are popular and satellite TV for financial news. They also request good stabilisers for sea sickness.
What is your own idea of luxury? I don’t actually know! Lying in bed watching TV. Or out on the boat sunbathing.
What do you consider your everyday luxuries? Nothing material. It’s more about having the luxury of a consistent routine, no surprises. I like to have everything running smoothly. Not being stressed is a huge luxury.
What is the most luxurious holiday you’ve ever been on? Chartering boats in Europe. My favourite places are the South of France, Sardinia, Corsica and the Greek islands.
How does Asia’s idea of luxury differ from other cities? Lots of Asians look for material things and forget about other more emotional stuff.
What is the most money you have spent on one item? My home in Repulse Bay.
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What is Luxury ?
perry oosting President of Vertu
The luxury of time is something precious and in a sense money cannot buy time
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What is Luxury ?
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esigns for the first Vertu phone began in 1998 but it wasn’t until 2002 that the first model was unveiled to the public in Paris. The brand has since gone on to sell over 300,000 phones with prices starting at around HK$50,000 and rising to more than HK$100,000 for the most exclusive models. As MillionaireAsia went to press, private equity firm EQT VI had finalised the acquisition of the brand from Nokia. Perry held positions at Gucci, Prada and Bulgari before becoming CEO of Vertu.
What is your personal idea of luxury? To me luxury is all about intrinsic value. It’s not about the price but the value of what has gone into the experience. In many respects time is the ultimate luxury.
Why do customers feel the need for luxury in something so functional as a phone? A phone is really the ultimate accessory. It is by your side at all hours of the day. Those who take pride in their belongings and have an appreciation for craftsmanship and design enjoy the experience of owning a Vertu phone. Beyond that, the most significant differentiator which truly makes Vertu stand out is that our concierge service is an integral part of the customer’s handset.
Are luxury goods becoming more commonplace? definitely changing, while the notion of accessibility is also shifting in this modern age which is geared predominantly by technological advancements. E-commerce is the driving force behind this major shift. Bricks and mortar stores are no longer the only medium of selling luxury items. Customers are aware that their luxury brands of choice are selling their products online thus making the consumption of luxury easier and more available no matter where the customer is based.
What do you consider to be your everyday luxuries? My A Lange & Söhne watch, my handmade Church’s Shoes which are the embodiment of luxurious footwear, my Mont Blanc Meisterstück Le Grand Platinum Pen. Also my Zegna suits. I have a solid-blue super-600 wool three-button suit. In a suit you’re always ‘dressed.’ I seldom wear a tie. I wear only Gucci shirts because they are a slim fit. It keeps things simple. It’s probably influenced a bit by Tom Ford, who only wears white shirts.
What is your favourite luxury hotel? The L’Andana Hotel in Tuscany. Whenever I need to stay in a hotel in Italy, this is my hotel of choice. It’s small, intimate and very private. One of my joys in life is discovering treasured places to eat and L’Andana never disappoints. The Trattoria Tuscana, set in the grounds of the hotel is overseen by worldfamous chef Alain Ducasse and serves up the most delicious traditional Mediterranean dishes using fresh, local produce.
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BRAND NEWS
RAY-BAN 75 THIS YEAR
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It is rare that a brand can become synonymous with its product. For many around the world Ray-Ban means sunglasses – and has for three quarters of a century.
Brand News
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n the 1920s when aviation was advancing exponentially, pilots for the first time experienced problems (headaches and nausea) with high altitude glare from the sun.
In 1929, US Army asked Ray-Ban (with Bausch & Lomb opticals) for a new type of protective eyewear and the anti-glare green lens was the result. So groovy were these “Aviator” glasses, they were put on sale to the public in 1936 and a commercial brand was born. Obviously aimed at outdoorsy types, the ‘Shooters’ came in 1938, then the ‘Outdoorsman’ for hunting, shooting and fishing enthusiasts. They were vastly improved during WWII for military use and there was that classic shot of General Douglas MacArthur in his Aviators wading ashore on a beach in the Philippines. Then came Hollywood. Bogey and Bacall never went anywhere in California without theirs. In 1952, they launched the ‘Wayfarer’ – simple design and easy to wear. In 1957 came Caravan, different because of its square lenses and the first model for women called ‘Smart Set.’ Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Kim Novak wore Wayfarers in public and in movies. President John Kennedy wore them sailing and President Soekarno just wore them. In the 1960s, Ray-Ban became world leader by concentrating on product quality and durability, now with a range of 50 models. And who will forget Audrey Hepburn sporting hers in Breakfast at Tiffany’s? In the 1970s cam the golfing range (Vagabond and Stateside) and the light-sensitive lens that changed colour with glare conditions.
In the 1980s, Hollywood was again enamoured with Ray-Ban – these were the years of The Blues Brothers, Risky Business and Top Gun. They also launched the Wings Collection. A decade later came Men in Black and Bruce Willis in Moonlighting. 2003 was the year of the super-successful Optical Collection and the first range for children. In 2007 it was back to the future with the launch of a new Wayfarer series but with better lenses, spring arms and better construction materials. ‘Never Hide’ is the 21st century catch-phrase of the new RayBan marketing campaign which carries the message: “Ray-Ban sunglasses place you at the centre of attention, beyond trends, transcending time and strongly customizing whoever wears them.” They are back and they are here to stay. Just ask Liv Tyler, Rihanna, Elle Macpherson, Anne Hathaway, Lily Allen, Alexa Chung, Ronnie Wood and Agyness Deyn. w w w.rayban.com
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In The Saleroom
48Princess MillionaireAsia Indonesia HRH Mary, Countess of Harewood
In The Saleroom
A ROYAL SALE After the hugely successful auction of the late Princess Margaret, the auction house Christie’s will hold a sale of works of art from another branch of the British royal family.
Fabergé nephrite cigar cutter with the monogram of the Princess’s grandfather King Edward VII, circa 1900 (estimate: £20,000-30,000)
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hey call it Harewood: Collecting in the Royal Tradition and the two auctions are from outside the core collections at Harewood House and feature many works with the royal provenance of H.R.H. The Princess Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood (1897-1965, only daughter of King George V and Queen Mary) and of her son George, the 7th Earl of Harewood (and cousin of Queen Elizabeth II), who died in 2011. The first sale will comprise Chinese works of art, Fabergé objets de vertu and superb examples of the work of Matthew Boulton, the celebrated English maker of 18th century ormolu objets de luxe.
ORIENTAL WORKS OF ART Princess Mary married the 6th Earl in 1922 when she was 24. In 1930 they moved to Harewood and her letters from this time show she had already become a keen collector of Chinese works of art. Two of the jade items include a superb 19th century white jade jue which is rare both in terms of its form and also the very white jade in which it is carved (estimate £40,000-60,000) and also a Mughalstyle white jade ‘chrysanthemum’ bowl (estimate: £30,000-50,000).
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In The Saleroom
H.R.H. The Princess Mary’s ostrich feather fan (estimate: £300-500)
A striking Chinese flambé-glazed vase mounted by Vulliamy (estimated at £40,000 -60,000)
Harewood House
Fabergé frame with miniature of H.M. King George V (estimate: £40,000-60,000)
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Blue-John ‘King’s’ vase by Matthew Boulton (estimate £200,000-300,000)
In The Saleroom
White Jade Jue (estimate £40,000-60,000)
George, the late Lord Harewood with his cousin Queen Elizabeth II
FABERGÉ
THE ATTIC SALE
In the early 20th century many European royal families shared an enthusiasm for the luxury objects created by the jeweller Fabergé in St Petersburg, often exchanging them as presents to mark significant occasions. It is thought that Princess Mary’s collection of these treasures were gifts from her parents and her grandmother Queen Alexandra.
The ‘Attic Sale’ (sort of royal-speak for garage sale) will provide a unique glimpse into the day-to-day life of the Harewood household, through an array of pieces that have been in storage and largely unseen in public, with estimates from just £300.
The sale includes two superb jewelled picture frames, each with an image of her father King George V; the first, from 1899-1904, contains a photograph of him (estimate: £40,000-60,000); the other, from 1903-1904, a charming miniature (estimate: £30,00050,000). There is also a nephrite cigar cutter with the monogram of the Princess’s grandfather King Edward VII, circa 1900 (estimate: £20,000-30,000).
WORKS OF ART & FURNITURE The influences of the royal family’s collecting patterns, particularly those of Queen Mary, are demonstrated in this sale by the magnificent and rare George III ormolu-mounted Blue-John ‘King’s’ vase (estimate: £200,000-300,000) by the celebrated
The sale will include a pair of Edwardian glass decanters, together with twelve glasses, each etched with the Prince of Wales cipher when George V was PoW. Estimate: £1,500-2,000. There is also a pair of George III parcel-gilt and white-painted open armchairs attributed to John Linnell. Estimate: £6,0009,000. Perhaps most charming is Princess Mary’s ostrich feather fan; the mother-of-pearl handle applied with a gold crowned monogram ‘M’ (Estimate: £300-500). The two auctions are expected to realise a combined total in excess of £2 million. CHRISTIE’S LONDON, FROM 5 DECEMBER 2012 HAREWOOD: COLLECTING IN THE ROYAL TRADITION w w w.christies.com
18th century English craftsman Matthew Boulton. This was bought by Princess Mary’s husband, the sixth Earl of Harewood, at Christie’s in 1947. The sale also features a striking Chinese flambé-glazed vase mounted by Vulliamy estimated at £40,000-60,000.
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In The Saleroom
A DIAMOND FIT FOR A QUEEN Christie’s to auction the legendary Archduke Joseph Diamond.
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ndoubtedly one of the rarest and most famous diamonds in the world, this magnificent gem combines an impressive size of 76.02 carats, perfect colour and internally flawless clarity,” says Christie’s. “Its origin is traced to the ancient Golconda mines near Hyderabad in India, the source of the world’s most coveted historical diamonds and is the star lot of the autumn jewellery auction season.” “The Archduke Joseph Diamond is the finest and largest perfect Golconda diamond ever to appear at auction. It is comparable in its noble lineage and superb quality to the legendary Koh-i-Noor that forms part of the crown jewels of Great Britain (also from Golconda).” While the auction estimate is available only upon request, the Archduke Joseph Diamond is expected to achieve well in excess of US$15 million.
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Archduke Joseph August of Austria
PROVENANCE Although it is not known exactly when the diamond entered the House of Habsburg, it has been officially recorded as the property of the Archduke Joseph August of Austria, Palatine of Hungary (1872-1962). It is believed that the Archduke passed on the diamond to his son, the Archduke Joseph Francis (1895-1957), as records show that he deposited it in the vault of the Hungarian General Credit Bank on 1 June 1933. The diamond was sold three years later to an anonymous buyer who left it in a safe during World War II, fortunately escaping the attention of the Nazis. After decades of mystery, the diamond re-appeared in1961 at auction in London and was finally re-offered for sale in November 1993 at Christie’s Geneva. Auction : Christie’s Geneva, Magnificent Jewels Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues, Geneva 13 November 2012 w w w.christies.com
In The Saleroom
The Archduke Joseph Diamond
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What is Luxury ?
PAUL HARRIS Regional Director, Asia Pacific for Rolls-Royce
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What is Luxury ?
“We delight in bringing new, exclusive designs to our customers in Asia”
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reated by car dealer Charles Rolls and engineer Henry Royce, Rolls-Royce broke the mould for craftsmanship back in 1904. Paul Harris has 25 years of experience at the BMW Group (which took over the brand in 1998) and leads the business from his offices in Singapore.
What is the most extravagant request that Rolls-Royce has ever received? We get very unique paint requests and even though we say that there are 44,000 types of paints at Rolls-Royce, in reality it is a lot more. Mr. Michael Fux, a customer in America, requested a pearlescent paint colour inspired by a flower he had spotted in California. The resulting shade was named Fux Deep Purple and is now kept at Goodwood for his exclusive use.
How have customer demands changed over the last decade? Customers are more adventurous and open to try bespoke commissioning. Bespoke is not just limited to the aesthetics of the car. We also allow customers to commission items to complement their lifestyles, such as a Rolls-Royce bespoke picnic set or champagne glassware.
What is your personal idea of luxury? Luxury is the ability to have things the way you like them to be, for example a property that reflects your character. It is the ultimate expression of individuality.
What makes Rolls-Royce different from other luxury car brands? Rolls-Royce is the pinnacle of the automotive industry. We pride ourselves on our tradition, our fine craftsmanship and engineering. Every Rolls-Royce is handbuilt in Goodwood and 80% of the cars sold since the company started 108 years ago are still running today. Rolls-Royce Bespoke is also the pinnacle of any offered personalisation programs in the automotive field. Our customers do not just choose from a list of options in a catalogue but they start on a blank sheet of paper and determine what they would like to have on their cars.
What do you consider your everyday luxuries? I think that in this time and day, people tend to take technology for granted. It is a luxury to be constantly connected to the rest of the world. I can receive emails no matter which country I am in and when I’m travelling, I can always give a call back home to speak to my family or see them via video conferencing.
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DESIGN
The
Design
Behind the scenes with Aston Martin’s head of design Marek Reichmann By Ryan Borroff
If I wasn’t designing c ar s I would be an actor or a musician... s ome kind of per forming ar t 58
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DESIGN
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ur customers have exquisite taste, says Marek Reichman, director of design at Aston Martin. “I spoke to a gentleman yesterday who collects sculpture. He wants to buy a One-77 to sit in his living room purely as a piece of art. He won’t ever drive it. That is the customer I am designing for. Someone who appreciates art.” Marek Reichman is an aesthete. As design director of Aston Martin, constructors of the world’s most beautiful cars, surely this is a prerequisite. But he is also fascinated by how things are made and it lies at the heart of how he approaches car design. This is evident through his designs – cars with an aesthetic informed by their technological function; a marriage of desire and performance. Reichman favours Ozwald Boateng suits – though he never wears a tie – and he wears John Lobb Winner Sport driving shoes, which he helped design. In his spare time – what little he has of it – he plays saxophone to relax and races vintage racing cars. It’s a long way from the working class upbringing he had in Britain’s industrial north. Born in Sheffield, a city famed for its steel industry, Reichman was born the youngest of two brothers into an all-male household obsessed with cars: “My father was a blacksmith and he also raised us as my mum had died. So it was a household full of boys. My dad worked in a forge creating precision components by hand. I realised that I wanted to make and create things and I loved watching the process of how he made things.
“As my father and brother were so into cars, we were always surrounded by them as kids. I have been fascinated by them for as long as I can remember. My dad’s best friend was a mechanic so we were always in his garage. I was fascinated with taking things apart and working out how they were made and that led me into design. I also always wanted to be a designer but it wasn’t until I began studying design that I realised you could actually have a job designing cars. That’s when I worked out I could put my two great passions together.” Making that career happen was trickier. It required tenacity and determination, characteristics that have contributed to his success as a car designer. However, Reichman does not attribute his progress solely to bloody-mindedness; some of it was down to good fortune. “The industrial north of England was in decline at the time,” explains Reichman. “Sheffield wasn’t a place that inspired many great designers or which had a great design history. But I was lucky. I had a mentor in my design and technology teacher... and my older brother was also a big influence on me. He studied design and later I met his friends, all art students that were studying design and I was sold. Then the challenge was finding how to find a way forward.” Reichman went on to study industrial design at Teesside Polytechnic and then vehicle design at London’s Royal College of Art. Since then, Reichman has contributed to designs including the Rolls-Royce Phantom and the current Range Rover. As design director at Aston Martin he has led the creation of the
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DESIGN
The DBS was the first time that James Bond got into one of my cars so that is ver y special to me too. All I focus on now is that I have to surpass all of that past work with what’s coming
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One-77, the DBS, the Rapide, the Virage, V12 Zagato and now the next generation DBS, a car that has been previewed by the Project AM310 concept, revealed at this year’s Villa d’Este Concours d’Elegance in Italy, and which may yet wear the Vanquish name. When asked which car he considers his favourite Reichman hesitates – he’s reluctant to give away future plans – but says: “My best work at Aston Martin is still to come. To me the One77 means so much because of what it is, while the Rapide is so elegant and was the first Aston Martin I designed. The DBS was the first time that James Bond got into one of my cars so that is very special to me too. All I focus on now is that I have to surpass all of that past work with what’s coming.” This desire to constantly improve on a body of design work that many of his peers already consider excellent is an example of how Reichman stays at the top of his game. But Aston Martin’s
DESIGN
heritage weighs heavily. Reichman is driven not just to create beautiful sports cars but also cars which will become future design icons. “I’m motivated to create something that will change perception or that will be recognised as a great piece of design when people look back retrospectively in five, ten, twenty years’ time. The One-77 was an unbelievable project because I know what it meant to the marque Aston Martin. Now it will always be part of our heritage and always trying to create iconic design is what inspires me.” Oh yes, the extraordinary One-77, the £1.2-million hypercar and the most advanced Aston Martin ever made. A car that pushed the limits of the company’s capabilities and which is now informing the design of Aston Martin products to come. “For the One-77 we asked how would we marry our heritage with the future,” says Reichman. “We asked how far can we push Aston Martin design. How far can we go with what an Aston Martin could look and feel like; in terms of its craftsmanship, in terms of the materials used in its construction. Before we sketched anything, we had to work out what it meant.”
Crafting beautiful cars constructed from the latest materials using cutting edge technology; a blend of past and future, of heritage with modernity defines Aston Martin. It’s a future that demands constant evolution and the well judged wisdom of its design director. “Aston Martin is a bespoke company. We’re not like other car companies. We build our cars by hand. We want to use and shape materials and utilise technology to create living art.”
MAGICAL MOTORING MOMENTS “There are two stages in the design process which still blow my mind,” says Reichman. “When a 2D sketch first acquires 3D form is an exciting time. You get to watch something take a physical form in the real world that previously only existed in the mind. We still work very heavily using clay models and the clay modelers are artists. They focus on creating exquisite and highly crafted objects and they create beautiful highlights. The other is when a design first becomes a working prototype. This is when it becomes a real car. It moves and makes sound, it has all of its internal parts and people can touch and smell it. It becomes a real living thing. This is the first time we see its heart and soul.”
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FROM THE CELLAR
How I make it work Simon Berry, the Chairman of Britain’s oldest wine merchants explains how constant change and innovation has brought international success. By Catherine Shaw
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ransforming a family business into a successful modern enterprise is challenging enough without the weight of 310 years of distinguished history added to the equation. For many, it would have been tempting to keep doing what had always proved successful; that is, serving a privileged slice of society fine wines in suitably historic premises on St James’s Street in London, a shop Berry Bros & Rudd (BBR) still occupies today. But its current chairman, Simon Berry, says that by the early 1990s it was clear that BBR’s traditional profile represented as much an obstacle as an advantage in the wine business because so many people assumed they were old -fashioned. “We had a shop front that if it could talk would have said ‘go away’,” he admits. “It was intimidating and if you were not wearing a pin stripe suit or couldn’t pronounce things you thought you would be sent away. But that wasn’t what we were about. It was a dilemma because we couldn’t change the shop – that wouldn’t be allowed because of conservation restrictions – but behind that we had fantastic staff precisely to help those who didn’t know anything about wine. You need to know your wine when shopping at a supermarket but buying from us is all about getting expert help.” Salvation came in the unlikely form of winning a bid to open a wine shop at London’s Heathrow airport. “I saw this as a chance to reinvent ourselves,” explains Berry. “We have always had a philosophy that the wine merchant should be the closest link between those who make wines and the people who drink them so we realised it wasn’t important what we looked like at Heathrow but who we had working there.” 60
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FROM THE CELLAR
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FROM THE CELLAR
We had a shop front that if it could talk would have said go away. It was intimidating and if you were not wearing a pinstripe suit or couldn’t pronounce things you thought you would be sent away.
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FROM THE CELLAR
“It is very simple actually,” he adds. “The heritage side comes from time and you can’t escape it. The trick is to understand what is at the centre of all that. The first thing you learn is that you only last if you keep changing. But it is important to know what you are at your core.” But awards and accolades (the website is the second-most visited wine site in the world) are no reason to sit back and relax or to move away completely from what you are at the core, observes Berry. “We have to continue to change and take into account that every culture has a different take on what we do – so we try to be as simple as possible and make sure that the people who want to have access to it, do. Some people take it all very seriously but there is nothing worse than a wine bore. It is about fun – after all it is only fermented grape juice.” Other recent business endeavours include collaboration with Dunhill’s flagship shop in HK’s Princes’ Building in Central which Berry describes as “a very good piece of shop design combining modern and tradition, so a perfect match,” and managing the Financial Times’ wine club. The latter has significantly raised BBR’s profile, especially in other parts of the world, notes Berry. “We didn’t realise quite what an impact our advertising through them would be – it has had much more of a result than we expected.”
The airport concession taught a valuable lesson, says Berry. “We thought we would sell to English businessmen travelling abroad but it was the opposite – most had never seen the shop in St James’s Street and we quickly discovered that the world was full of people fascinated by wine. Afterwards we went on to open in Hong Kong, Dublin and then a bit later in Tokyo. Our website also came out of this experience.” The company’s online presence proved an inspired move drawing even more new customers thanks to early investment in an easy-to-use interface with something for everyone from basic information, podcasts and recipe matching to highly specialised reports. “We got into websites very early, around 1994” says Berry. “We didn’t have a business plan, a budget or forecasts... but found it was the answer for people who were terrified about coming into the shop. In cyberspace no one sees you blush. And so that is what it did for us.” Berry says the website also gave them a unique insight into how people bought online. “We also found out that people only bought after the 7th time of coming to the website so we decided to give them 8 reasons to come back. We’ve drawn people in from different angles providing everyone from a novice to expert with a reason to keep coming back. We’ve gone from an intimidating Georgian shopfront to a website with security but anonymity. If you can be intelligent about how you do it you can reinvent yourself.”
Despite these very modern developments, heritage remains the essence of BBR’s business. “Our team is completely focused,” says Berry. “We encourage different ideas but we are very clear about the ones we do and don’t do. For every one we do choose we reject about 10. Some we choose are not always money generating but we understand it is about supporting the rest of the business. This is the advantage of a family business; instead of thinking about profits next month you’re thinking about your children. It really is about a culture of passion.”
Wine to buy for: Investment: 2008 Cos d’Estournel, St. Estèphe, Bordeaux. “With Cos D’Estournel one arguably finds equal quality to a first growth for the price of a second growth wine.” DINNER PARTY: 2008 Grosvenor Blanc de Blancs, Ridgeview Estate. “The Sussex Downs in England continue to provide a rich seam of inspiration for the patriotic fizz drinker.” HOME: Berrys’ Extra Ordinary Claret. “Our Extra Ordinary Claret is sourced from one of Bordeaux’s legendary figures, Jean-Michel Cazes, proprietor of the great Ch. Lynch Bages.”
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FROM THE CELLAR
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FROM THE CELLAR
LEGEND OF THE WHITE HORSE One of the biggest stories to come out of Bordeaux in many years is the opening of the new winery and cellars of the renowned Chateau Cheval Blanc (‘castle of the white horse’)
By Selena Wong
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FROM THE CELLAR
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t is already called the ‘winery under the hill’ and was designed by renowned architect Christian de Portzamparc – and it drew sighs of pleasure as well as a few gasps when it was unveiled – this is a building not seen before in a very traditional wine growing area. The new cellars took ten years in planning and construction. The rumour is that they cost more than twelve million euros (how much more depends on whom you talk to). This is a grand show of confidence, a serious investment in the future. No wonder Cheval Blanc is the talk of the town! It should then be no surprise that an innovative duo, Bernard Arnault, chief of Louis Vuitton Möet Hennessey, and Baron Albert Frère are the owners of Chateau Cheval Blanc and this is their vision of creating a ‘wine workshop’ that combines respect for tradition with modern high technology. The opening was carefully planned to coincide with Vinexpo 2011, still the world’s biggest international wine and spirit exhibition, a magnet for wine professionals, journalists and buyers from all around the world. One interesting point: this year’s official figures show China as the country that sent the largest number of visitors, followed by the US and then UK. Chateau Cheval Blanc is the greatest wine of Saint Émilion in Bordeaux. In 1945, it was classified as Premier Grand Cru Classé ‘A’ (a first great classified growth), and it has kept this status ever since. In fact, it has become a legend.
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FROM THE CELLAR Bernard Arnault and Baron Albert Frère
The new cellars took ten years in planning and construction. The rumour is that they cost more than twelve million euros (how much more depends on whom you talk to). This is a grand show of confidence, a serious investment in the future. No wonder Cheval Blanc is the talk of the town!
Pierre Lurton, the General Manager, is a man with extensive experience in winemaking in Bordeaux. He leads a team that consistently makes wines that have an aromatic complexity, characterized by elegance and finesse. Grape varieties on the estate are typical for St Émilion: Cabernet Franc (55%) and Merlot (45%). A tour of the new cellars revealed a very clever use of concrete, stainless steel, wood and natural light, not to mention the installation of the latest equipment for vinification. The designs are very pleasing to the eye but are also highly practical. In his welcome speech, M. Lurton emphasized that their philosophy is to “Keep it simple. It is people, not technology, who makes great wine.” Highlight of opening day was lunch in the cellars of the new winery, within the hub of pristine curved concrete vats. Guests were fêted with Dom Perignon 2002, Petit Cheval 2000, Chateau Cheval Blanc 1990, and Chateau D’Yquem 1986 (which, by the way, is also made by Lurton and his team). All were great wines selected for this celebration. The 1990 was a very good year for Saint Emilion, well-balanced, drinking really well. The ‘white horse’ has returned to the course and is leading the race.
Chateau Cheval Blanc. 33330 Saint-Emilion, France Tel. 33 (0)5 57 55 55 55 www.chateau-chevalblanc.com contact@chateau-chevalblanc.com Public visits and tastings can be arranged by appointment. MillionaireAsia Indonesia
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INVESTMENT
Archduke Joseph August of Austria
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Pre-owned jet models, including the Gulfstream V and Bombardier’s Challenger 604, can be a clever buy in today’s market. By Javier Espinosa
INVESTMENT much more global and so longer range airplanes are in bigger demand “, he says, meaning those aircraft in the secondary market with less range capacity have grown in number and their price has dropped as a result of the rise in supply. The so-called new rich are ditching their current aircraft in favour of the very latest models which has also pushed the supply of older models. “ New wealth is created fast. There are a lot of billionaires that come out of China every two or three weeks. When you become super rich you want the best and whether you need a plane to go from London to Los Angeles is not really important. You just have to get the top class available.”
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t is becoming cheaper and cheaper to buy second-hand business jets particularly for those Asian millionaires who have cash in hand. In recent years a glut of used aircraft has built up, coinciding with the economic meltdown. The average asking price of a used Challenger 604 has dropped from $16.9 million in 2009 to $9.6 million as of June this year, according to research carried out by OrientSKYs, a jet broker based in Bangkok. This represents a drop of close to 60%. Many models have seen a drop between 40% to 50% compared to the highs of 2008, market watchers say. During the boom years waiting lists for new jets were massive and some potential buyers had to wait up to three years to get their hands on one. As a consequence demand for second-hand jets soared because buyers didn’t want to wait that long in the queue. Demand was also pushed by a cheap dollar and the emergence of new wealth in Russia thanks to soaring oil prices before the crisis More recently, though, waiting list for new planes are shorter following the collapse of the global financial markets in the second part of 2008 and as result there are more people selling aircraft than buying them on a global scale. “The availability of new aircraft is limited and there are long wait times for the class of aircraft [that Asian buyers] desire, so the immediate solution is to buy a near new pre-owned jet.’ Explains Marc Yahr of L & L International Ltd, a Miami-based aircraft broker that sells planes to Asian buyers. The drop in prices has proven beneficial for some. “This is definitely a buyers’ market and models represent very good value for money, “ says Trevor Merszei, chief operating officer at OrientSKYs. The trading environment in the second-hand market for jets has shifted significantly since the outset of the financial crisis. One of the reason why prices for used aircraft have fallen so dramatically, explains Steve Varsano, a veteran business jet broker in London, is the need for high-net worth individuals to travel longer distances. “The world has changed and people now fly from Mongolia to Nigeria to Beijing. The world has gotten
Some of the models that present really good deals for buyers include the Gulfstream V and Bombardier’s Challenger 604. According to Steve Varsano, the last Gulfstream V sold before the slump in 2008 sold for about $46 million. It is now trading at about $27 million. “It’s a fantastic plane,” he says. The 10-year old model he has on sale has a capacity of 14 seats and flies 6.000 nautical miles. Similarly, the Challenger 604, says Trevor at OrientSKYs, is “a great aircraft. It is easy to maintain, cheaper to operate than other models. And it has a large cabin. “This model holds between 9 to 19 people with a maximum cruise speed of 541 miles per hour. It flies 4.000 nautical miles. There is a caveat, however. These good bargains are for those with money in their pockets. “It is difficult to get financing for used aircraft, particularly in Asia and the financing terms are not that great, “ says Trevor. “These prices are good if you have cash in hand. “ And buyers should be carefull when they choose a plane not to go with just whichever is the cheapest but with whatever suits their needs. “It is very dangerous to take a one size fit all approach to acquiring a private jet. Every person has their own specific travel needs and budgets, “ he says. Still, Trevor argues, Asian buyers can shop around for value opportunities that also meet their needs once they become acquainted with the models available and seek the right advice. But with prices of second-hand planes so low, could this really be the bottom of the market and if so, are we set for a recovery? Some think so. Last year a report released by UBS Investment Research saw improvements in the key indicators of the business jet market, forecasting an early recovery in the sector. Some of the positive signs highlighted in the report included: a spike in flight activity, lower used-aircraft inventories and surveys of operators. Trevor of OrientSKYs also expects the second-hand market will turn the corner: “ If I had a crystal ball, it would be a lot easier to tell you. But we are banking on the fact that they aren’t going to come down much lower”. Not everyone is so optimistic. The most recent business jet monthly report by JPMorgan Equity Research predicted a drop in its global gross domestic product forecast for the second semester of 2012 by 0.5 percentage points, to 2.1 percent. The report added: “If it persists, the disappointing economic data should pressure new business jet demand, further postponing a recovery in a market in which 2011 deliveries were still about 40 percent below the 2008 peak.”
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UP IN THE AIR
Flight of the Dragon
Unlike the other plain planes, this mid-sized Legacy 650 featured a red and yellow dragon interlooping with each other on the side of the executive carrier. The stylistic character, which means dragon in Mandarin, on the vertical stabliser, gave hints as to whom the jet belongs to – the one and only, Jackie Chan. The world-renowned movie star is Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer’s latest brand ambassador and a proud member of the family of Legacy 650 users. “Embraer’s Legacy 650 is a perfect aircraft because of its combination of a large comfortable cabin, langrange advanced avionics, operating efficiency and outstanding reliability,” he said in an interview with Embraer’s own corporate newsletter. The announcement of Jackie Chan as Embraer’s brand ambassador, as well as news of China’s Minsheng Financial Leasing Co., Ltd ordering 13 Legacy 650 jets, drew considerable attention, as the aviation industry rushes to court the burgeoning Chinese market.
As Sleek as a Panther Those with wanderlust need no longer stay grounded as innovative aircraft manufacturers Pipistrel aims to revolutionalise the aircraft industry with their streamlined and economic airplanes. Designed by applying the most modern design and construction techniques, on top of 25 years of knowledge and experience in aircraft construction, the four-seater Panthera was built to be light and streamlined, yet safe and efficient. With a fully integrated modular cockpit that provides all terrain, traffic and weather alerts where possible, the aircraft is easy to fly. Its smaller size takes advantage of small, shortrunway airfields, which could bring travellers closer to far-flung destinations.
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UP IN THE AIR
Soaring across the Great Wall From zero Gulfstream aircrafts in use in Hong Kong and China in 2000, to more than 80 today, Gulfstream has grown from strength to strength in the Chinese market. The aircraft manufacturers have also received orders from new customers in the Greater China region. Nanshan Jet, an air charter and management service company, recently took delivery of a large-cabin, long-range G450, and has ordered two more Gulfstream aircrafts – a large-cabin, ultra-long-range G550, and a largecabin, long-range G450. Two more air charter services, AllPoints Jet, and Asia Jet have also signed an order for a G450 and G550, and a G200, respectively. Recently, Gulfstream also announced the opening of their first Beijing Sales Office, and a Service Centre in Beijing.
Flying in Style Optimised for efficiency and productivity, Dassault’s Falcon 2000S recently received the prestigious 2011 Good Design Award for its specially designed interior crafted in conjunction with BMW Group Designworks USA. Chosen over thousands of product designs from over 38 countries, the Falcon 2000S won over judges with its
blend of beauty, function and design, which resulted in one of the most comfortable and aesthetically pleasing cabins available in a business aircraft, said John Rosanvallon, President and CEO of Dassault Falcon. Upwash and downwash ambient lights illuminate the interior, while contrast between materials emphasise the spaciousness of the full-size cabin, which also provides plenty of arm and leg room for passengers.
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LUxURY
ONE - STOP
LUXURY iN iSTANbUL As more Indonesians travel to Turkey (not least because you do not need a visa), they are discovering the secrets of colourful Istanbul, especially shopping that is unique to the city.
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t the top of the list is Armaggan – with more than 4000 products under one roof, it specializes in ‘the unique,’ not only for shopping, but also for preserving Turkey’s cultural (and culinary) heritage.
Armaggan masterfully combines original contemporary design with traditional techniques in the production of their hand-made jewellery, objets d’art, naturally dyed textiles, scarves, carpets, leather goods and home textiles. Each item is crafted in the house workshops and studios in limited edition so they are timeless pieces designed to be handed down from generation to generation.
JEWELLERY Armaggan’s contemporary designs combine exquisite hand craftsmanship with brilliant and mine-cut diamonds, the highest quality precious and semi-precious stones and pearls by their own team of designers and artisans. All Armaggan jewellery features their trademark shade of 18 karat gold.
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LUXURY
NATURAL DYE TEXTILES The Natural Textile Dyestuffs Collection is created in cooperation with the Natural Dyes Research and Development Laboratory (DATU), which is supported by the Turkish Cultural Foundation. Traditional textiles are woven on old hand looms and fabrics from the Ottoman Court are twilled by hand on original Jakar looms before being dyed with natural colours. Naturally, the products are in small number so they become a unique collectible as soon as they are finished. You can have the original lengths or see them fashioned into kaftans, scarves and handkerchiefs.
OBJETS D’ART These are limited edition pieces crafted from gold, silver, porcelain, ceramic, glass and fine woods. They also use natural marble from Turkey’s finest marble-producing regions, including Diyarbakır, Manyas and Bilecik and the craftsmen use techniques dating back centuries.
LEATHER The Leather Collection features a diverse selection of high quality products ranging from personal accessories to distinctive accents for the home. All are made of hand-selected hides that are vegetable tanned using locally harvested natural oak, mimosa and sumac bark.
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LUXURY
HOME TEXTILES The Home Textile Collection features natural fabrics and raw silks woven on traditional handlooms. The authentic regional Anatolian textures, colors and motifs employed in these fabrics serve as the inspiration for this collection’s unique lines.
STORES Armaggan has two stores: one on Abdi İpekçi Caddesi in Istanbul’s upscale shopping area of Nişantaşı (a seven storey emporium); the other on Nuruosmaniye Caddesi in Nuruosmaniye, a stone’s throw from the Grand Bazaar. At the latter, make sure you check out the third floor Art and Design Gallery for works by aspiring young artists and the fourth floor Culinary Arts Centre (YESAM), where they conduct research on Turkey’s culinary heritage. Then, after you check out the fourstorey vertical green garden, try Nar, a restaurant and bar serving food from recipes handed down through the centuries. www.armaggan.com
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What is Luxury ?
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talian-born Fawaz Gruosi opened the first de Grisogono boutique in Geneva back in 1993. Three years later he bought black diamonds back from oblivion into the height of fashion with an entire jewellery collection using the rare stone. This alone sealed the success of the brand, which he had started without any commercial strategy. Today, the brand owns 16 boutiques and is a huge hit among the world’s A-listers. Millionaireasia recently caught up with Fawaz Gruosi in Hong Kong to get his take on luxury
What is the most extravagant watch that de Grisogono has ever produced? I strive for creativity and perfection in all my products. But I suppose the Meccanico dG can be considered extravagant. [The world’s first mechanical watch with a dual analogue and mechanical digital display costs around HK$2.3m].
How have customer demands changed over the last decade? There are definitely more brands out there so they have more to choose from. Customers also have easier access to the luxury world.
How does the Asian market differ from elsewhere? I am not an expert on this but my feeling is that the Asian market is under transformation right now and people are becoming more sophisticated. I always recall being very impressed by the Hong Kong people – they are very stylish, sometimes even more so than here in Europe. I imagine that people in mainland China are looking into what the Hong Kong people are wearing and buying.
Fawaz Gruosi
Founder and owner of de Grisogono
What about their taste in watches specifically? On my last trip to Hong Kong, I noticed more women wearing bigger and complicated watches, and men choosing much more stylish watches. Asian women have a smaller frame but this doesn’t mean that their style needs to be small as well. It can be proportionally larger. I see some changes here but let’s wait and see how this evolves.
How does Hong Kong’s idea of luxury differ from other cities? I think due to the size of Hong Kong, luxury is related to space, just like in Japan.
Is there a luxury that money can’t buy? Love and good health.
What is the most luxurious holiday you’ve ever been on? Just taking a holiday for me is rare and a luxury in itself!
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LUXURY OF TIME
Breguet Breguet has introduced a new version of the Marie-Antoinette Dentelle watch. In tribute to the French queen’s love of fashion, particularly lace, Breguet’s jewellers have refined a lace-inspired decoration, white gold set with 70 brilliant-cut diamonds. They continue onto the mother-of-pearl dial, curving around the hours and minutes. A sphere paved with 98 brilliant cut diamonds reveals a magnificent oval ruby of almost 1.2 carats.
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JEWELLERY
Imperiale Sophistication Chopard has created a new line of jewellery to complement the elegant Imperiale watch, redesigned in 2010. The new collection rejuvenates the imperial myth by adding a decidedly modern touch. The motif which adorns the dials of the watches was inspired by the traditional embroidery that was a part of imperial gowns and cushions and has now been transferred to pendants, sleeper earrings, rings and slender bracelets.
The white or rose gold curves of the jewellery, which can be polished or set with diamonds, are highlighted by amethyst, pink quartz or chalcedony. Chopard says these designs are ‘at times ethereal and delicate or precious and voluptuous, fragile and forceful’ – while remaining utterly feminine, they also carry an air that is one of unmistakable majesty.
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LUXURY OF TIME
Chopard A true classic from the House of Chopard, the Imperiale watch collection is adding new variations. This year they have introduction a steel chronograph, its majestic lines enriched with yellow gold. The contemporary elegance echos the grandeur of the Roman Empire, with Roman numerals punctuating the dial and marking off the hours.
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LUXURY OF TIME Watches & Jewellery
Backes & Strauss From their Regent Collection, Backes & Strauss has released the very stylish Beau Brummell watch. Beau Brummell was an English dandy, greatly admired for his trendsetting clothes and, in fact, the arbiter of fashion and also a great friend of the Prince Regent, later King George IV. The Beau Brummell features 347 Ideal-Cut diamonds weighing 5.15 carats which are hand-set into an elegant titanium case. A limited edition of just 50 pieces.
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LUxURY OF TIME
Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda 1950 The Tonda 1950 reinterprets the very essence of the Parmigiani style but with a more fine and slender profile. It retains the brand’s iconic signature - round and ergonomic with the four lugs In rose or white gold, the Tonda 1950 is the new, extra-flat classic model featuring the key markers of time - hours, minutes and seconds.
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Parmigiani Fleurier Kalparisma Steel
Parmigiani Fleurier -
Following the success of the Kalparisma collection unveiled in 2009, Parmigiani Fleurier has released the new steel Kalparisma. With stylish simplicity, it retains a combination of sophisticated watch mechanisms and high-quality finishing. The numerals have been redesigned to match the piece’s elegant sobriety, set on the ivory or graphite guilloché “sunray” dial. The case is available with a 46-diamond setting or in a range of Hermès leathers, with or without setting.
Parmigiani Fleurier boasts a prestigious collection of both hand-wound and automatic movements, but the Tonda collection, with its timeless round shape was chosen to showcase this new Annual Calendar development. This comes in either silver or charcoal and features a delicate grained decoration in the centre and a black or silvered opaline ring. The case is available in rose gold or white gold and the timepiece is finished with an Hermès alligator strap.
Tonda Annual Calendar
LUXURY OF TIME
Patek Philippe The Patek Philippe Diamond Ribbon moonphase complication comes alive in a perfectly proportioned timepiece, available in an elegant round rose or white gold case. The mother-ofpearl dial is decorated with 273 graduated size diamonds that spiral around the bezel and the caseband. The new manually wound movement features a highly precise moon-phase display.
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac Vacheron Constantin presents The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac – a series of timepieces based on the 12-year cycle, each year represented by an animal. It begins with the Year of the Snake model. Sculpted in paper according to the principles of ‘Jianzhi,’ the ancient Chinese art of paper cutting, the zodiac animals are worked by engraving and ‘grand feu’ layered enamelling. The Snake model is crafted in beautiful pink gold or platinum and issued in two 12-piece limited series exclusively available through the brand’s ownname Boutiques. The raised leaf motif seem to float above the dial and with the snake engraving, the scales alone taking 30 hours of work.
A final layer of enamel is then applied before a final firing operation that vitrifies the dial and lends a shiny glazed effect that gives added definition to the floral motif. The snake is delicately applied to the centre of the dial, poised as if ready to spring through the sapphire crystal. The Calibre 2460 G4 displays include hands-free time through four windows, respectively revealing the hour, the minutes, the day and the date. Self winding with a life of about 40 hours. The strap is hand-stitched alligator with a saddle finish.
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JEWELLERY
Generations after her tragic death, Grace Kelly, Her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco, is still considered the archetype of beauty, elegance and style. In tribute to the woman and to the Princess Grace Foundation for emerging artists, Montblanc has produced a new collection of fine jewellery, timepieces and writing instruments. Not only inspired by her simple elegance, all the pieces pay tribute to her favourite flower. Princess Grace loved roses and had a pink one named in her honour when she became Princess of Monaco in 1956. After her death, her husband Prince Rainier created a memorial rose garden to her memory in Monte Carlo. The Montblanc fine jewellery collection includes a necklace of cascading pink sapphires and diamonds; long earrings ending with drop cut pink sapphires and a bracelet to match. A final set in limited availability is a more understated necklace with a matching pair of earrings and ring in diamonds and pink sapphires.
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MONTBLANC ‘COLLECTiON PRiNCESSE GRACE DE MONACO’ A Tribute to the 20th Century Style Icon
The Limited Edition 8 timepiece is, as the name suggests, limited to only eight pieces.
The Montblanc “Collection Princesse Grace de Monaco” Writing Instruments - Limited Edition 29
The 76 baguette-cut diamonds on the bezel and on the horns are matched with a drop cut pink sapphire. The case is crafted from 18K red gold and bears the princess’s monogram. A cascade of 177 brilliant-cut diamonds flows across the flange and the mother of pearl dial.
Celebrating 1929, the year Grace Kelly was born in Philadelphia, this fountain pen is richly decorated with precious stones and solid gold fittings in a champagne tone, decorated with white diamonds. The clip is set with a drop-cut pink sapphire. The cap and barrel, varnished with a rose-coloured lacquer.
The white alligator strap has a buckle set with 76 brilliant-cut diamonds and there is also a single diamond in the crown.
“Collection Princesse Grace de Monaco” Writing Instruments - Limited Edition 3 As a tribute to Princess Grace’s three children, this rare edition fountain pen is crafted from champagne-coloured solid gold, accentuated with diamonds and rubies on the cap and barrel. The cap top and clip sparkle with a drop-cut diamond and a circle of rhomboid-shape rubies, inspired by Monaco’s coat of arms.
The Montblanc “Collection Princesse Grace de Monaco” Writing Instruments - Special Edition A deep purple precious resin dramatically contrasts with the champagne-toned gold fittings with a drop-cut pink topaz on the clip. Both the gold-plated cap and barrel rings are intricately engraved with a rhombus pattern, inspired by Monaco’s coat of arms. (Available as fountain pen, rollerball and ballpoint).
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Retreat into Nature Interweaving luxury with nature, Gaya Island Resort is a diamond set between a sapphire ocean and emerald greenery – a place where guests can experience creature comforts in the midst of nature’s wonders. By Goh Chay Teng
Travel : Borneo
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here is a place, an island, where nature has outdone itself. In the clear waters surrounding this island, colourful corals stand out – an ecosystem for the myriad of extraordinary marine creatures. On the coastline, exposed sandstone outcrops form majestic cliffs, soulful caves, complex honeycombs and deep crevasses along the shore. Further inland, enchanting mangrove forests beckon to the spellbound wanderer. It is in this natural sanctuary that Gaya Island Resort calls home – nestled in the hillside of an ancient rainforest with the stunning outline of Mount Kinabalu on the horizon. Located within the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, off the coast of Kota Kinabalu in Borneo, and accessible only by boat, the resort promises visitors a distinctive and authentic Bornean experience and a sense of intimacy with nature.
View from the top In homage to its surroundings, Gaya Island Resort was designed to blend in harmoniously with its natural environment. Using local materials in respect for traditional Sabah elements, all 120-luxury villas and one two-bedroom suite exude a contemporary elegance and yet, are still one with the land.
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Perched on the rolling hillside, the two-bedroom suite spreads out across 188 square metres and occupies two levels, offering guests magnificent views. From a daybed on a large outdoor verandah, guests are able to take in the ocean air while admiring unparalleled views of Mount Kinabalu – the highest peak in Malaysia. Featuring a relaxing lounge area, private dining room, and a pantry that opens out on to an outdoor deck, the ground floor is dedicated to relaxation. The second level, a haven of ultimate contemporary luxury, boasts two bedrooms with separate en suites, walk-in wardrobes and vanity areas. Taking advantage of its scenic locale, Gaya Island Resort features four different types of stand-alone villas – Kinabalu, Canopy, Bayu and Gaya – situated on different parts of the resort offering guests the best sights. Kinabalu Villas promise unrestricted views of the South China Sea, where the silhouette of Mount Kinabalu can be seen on a clear day, while Canopy Villas offer blissful peace in the zen-like setting amidst the canopy of the lush rainforest. Bayu Villas are a stone’s throw away from the resort’s pristine sandy beach, and the Gaya Villas delight with views from a vantage point of the hillside.
Travel : Borneo
Reconnect with nature Located at the heart of nature where the elements of sea, mountain and forest are brought together, the Gaya Island Resort encourages guests to reconnect to the PURE world – the resort’s vivifying activities programme that introduces the region’s environment through meaningful experiences. Nature enthusiasts are welcomed to hike on the quiet and forested trails with the resort’s Resident Naturalist who will be able to introduce the ancient ecosystems found in the island’s rainforest. Hikers may even chance upon the island’s natural inhabitants – the rare Proboscis and Macaque monkeys, pangolins and bearded pigs – on their walks. For those more inclined to the sea, private yachts can be chartered for island hopping while snorkeling and diving allows for close encounters of the marine kind. A Resident Marine Biologist is also on hand to provide guests with professional and expert insights to the abundant marine life. In addition to these , culture vultures may also partake in the rich and vibrant heritage of the indigenous tribes through story telling sessions, culinary, handicraft and dance classes.
Body and soul Having sated the body with the many adventurous activities available, guests can rejuvenate and opt for a little R&R at the resort’s signature spa. Hidden inside the lush mangroves, Spa Village Gaya Island is a tranquil hideaway surrounded by
distinctive island flora and fauna. Uniquely designed within the mangrove setting, the spa village offers six treatment rooms with outdoor decks, a walk-in theatre and a yoga retreat space. Using only the finest fresh local ingredients from the warm clear waters of Gaya and its rich lowland forests to the high altitude blossoms of Mount Kinabalu, the spa provides treatments, therapies and healing practices specific to Borneo culture. With specialised rice scrubs and masques of the Kadazandusun and the age-old wellness practices of the Bajau Sea Nomads, the spa is uniquely rooted in ancient tradition while seeking at the same time to restore balance to the body and soul.
Earthkeeping As Earth gives its beauty for our enjoyment, so should we give back by protecting that beauty. At the Gaya Island Resort, sustainability and preservation of the island’s natural wonders is promoted through a conservation fee that is applied to each guest for every night of stay by Sabah Parks, an organisation set up as the caretaker of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park conservation triangle. In a place where time is measured by the rise and fall of tides and where the different elements of nature come together in perfect harmony, Gaya Island Resort is an oasis for city-weary travellers, nature lovers, and adventurous spirits.
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Getaway
Marina Bay Sands
A Rising Crescendo The hype over Marina Bay Sands reaches a fever pitch, as it continues to enrapture the global audience.
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hree years on, the star is still shining high over Marina Bay Sands®, Asia’s stellar destination for business, leisure and entertainment. A visually arresting superstructure that has remodelled Singapore’s city skyline, the integrated resort has continued to win numerous accolades since its opening in April 2010. Adding another star to its lapel, it has recently made its debut in a large-scale blockbuster, “My Lucky Star”, a ChineseUS romantic comedy starring internationally acclaimed movie stars, Zhang Ziyi and Wang Lee Hom. Shot in metropolitan cities such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Macau, the film took the stars to Singapore where a notable number of scenes were filmed at well-known attractions within Marina Bay Sands, such as Sands SkyPark®, the Observation Deck, the hotel lobby, and the Porte Cocheres at Tower 1 and Tower 3.
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Given the sheer monumental size of this superstructure, Marina Bay Sands has become a hot spot for international superstars, having previously hosted the likes of Hollywood, Bollywood and prominent Asian personalities. To date, Marina Bay Sands has received over 280 production discussions, and has been featured in several regional and international television programmes and commercials, from Taiwanese drama, “In Time with You”, and the Softbank commercial with the popular Japanese pop group SMAP, to National Geographic’s “Megastructures”. The latest series that aired on television was Bio Channel’s Marina Bay Sands 24/7, an eight-episode series which gave viewers an unprecedented and exclusive look into the “Heart of House”, the underground labyrinth where over 9,000 staff move unnoticed to guests.
Getaway
Star shine, star bright Come November and December 2012, watch the stars in action and celebrate Christmas in style when you indulge in festive shopping at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. From 15 November 2012, take a shine to the Jersey Boys, as it premiers in Singapore. Currently playing in major international cities such as New York, Las Vegas, London, Auckland, Brisbane, and across the United States of America, the musical will be showing in Singapore for a 14-week season. Sales of tickets commenced on 14 August 2012.
Paiza Lounge, Marina Bay Sands
Concurrently, Marina Bay Sands also hosted National Geographic on its brand new series, Mega Foods, a spin-off from the network’s popular Megafactories series. Focusing on “bigfood production”, Mega Foods will showcase an entire episode on Marina Bay Sands as its takes viewers through its vast kitchen empire.
Reach for the stars A star on the world stage as well as in Singapore’s hospitality industry, Marina Bay Sands has to date, clinched 98 industry recognitions since its opening in 2010. A star-studded organisation, it has already received 46 noteworthy awards seven months into 2012, surpassing the total of 42 awards received in 2011.
This multi-award winning musical tells the true real-life story of how four povertyline children, the Four Seasons, from the wrong side of the tracks, turned out to be one of the greatest successes in pop music history. Before they were thirty, the Four Seasons, featuring Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito, and Nick Massi, all wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds, and sold 175 million records globally. Since opening to critical and popular acclaim on Broadway on 6 November 2005, Jersey Boys has broken the theatre’s box office record 30 times, and has been seen by over 13 million people across the globe. In December, Marina Bay Sands is spreading the festive cheer by having up to 70% discounts at over 130 stores. With more than 300 stores, every minimum spend of SGD 250 gives you a chance to your dream wardrobe with double chances for Sands Rewards LifeStyle and American Express Card members. Set in stone, Marina Bay Sands’ star remains shining brightly in the sky, ever seeking new horizons.
These accolades saw Marina Bay Sands compete with the best in sustainability, architecture and design, arts, retail, dining and entertainment, spanning local, regional and international categories. Among the many accolades bestowed, a few stood out, such as the highly distinguished Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) Most Supportive Employer Award 2012, the Distinguished Patron of the Arts award, the Best International Hotel 2012 Pinnacle Award, and the RLI International Shopping Center for 2012. An all-star destination, Marina Bay Sands has also been dishing up culinary gems, with their celebrity chef restaurants, the finest in the food and beverage industry, setting a shining example with the assorted culinary decorations received. Highlights were having Waku Ghin ranked 39th in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2012, and its bartender, Mr. Akihiro Eguchi, winning the Diageo Reserve World Class, Singapore Winner position, while CUT rose above its peers to win the Best Celebrity Chef Restaurant (Western) at the G Restaurant Awards 2012. “As the company grows, we need to continue to innovate and adopt new and exciting ways to train and develop our team members,” said George Tanasijevich, President & Chief Executive Officer of Marina Bay Sands.
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DESIGN
THE BENTLEY SIGNATURE SUITE AT ST. REGIS HOTEL NEW YORK Bentley Motors and the St. Regis Hotel New York recently announced the debut of a one-of-a-kind hotel suite at the iconic Manhattan landmark.
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he suite, designed by St. Regis Hotels & Resorts and Bentley Motors, provides guests with the luxury, craftsmanship and style associated with both brands. The Bentley Suite joins The Dior Suite and The Tiffany Suite as part of the exclusive collection of Designer Suites at the hotel.
The Bentley Suite features an entryway foyer, one bedroom, one and a half bathrooms, an expansive dining room and living room complete with floor-to-ceiling windows. The suite, which debuted in September, is available starting at US$9,500 ++ per night and includes complimentary access to the 2013 St. Regis Bentley Mulsanne within a 10-block radius of the hotel. On entering the expansive 1,700 square foot suite through a set of double doors, guests are greeted by the defining characteristics of the luxury automobile brand: a blend of cream and neutral tones, set against the rich wood finishes of the handcrafted furnishings found throughout the suite. The black leather tile floor pairs perfectly with a linen coloured, diamondquilted Bentley leather wall. A metallic silver mirror, inspired by one of Bentley’s wheel designs, sits above an accent table evocative of the dashboard of a Bentley and reflects a sculpture of the renowned Mulsanne Bonnet mascot, the Flying B. The dining room features an expansive media wall including a large TV as well as four Breitling clocks, Bentley’s long-term
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partner, marking the time in New York, Riyadh, London and Moscow. The dining table uses Bentley’s smoked fiddle-back eucalyptus veneer offset with metal engine-spin place settings. Bold, black trim is set against cream walls with artwork that displays the heritage of the Bentley brand: images taken from historic moments from the brand’s founding to the present day. A crystal chandelier adorns the ceiling, echoing Bentley’s headlight styling, while a sumptuous leather rug and dark stained white oak floors bring to life the understated elegance of the brand. In the living room a tufted Bentley leather sofa and wing chairs provide comfort and relaxation, and a crystal chandelier decorates the centre of the room. Luxurious menswear-inspired herringbone drapery with seatbelt detailing runs from floor to ceiling, framing windows that provide breath taking views overlooking Fifth Avenue and Central Park. The bedroom features a custom sleigh bed with one of the classic Bentley burled wood veneers. This year, St. Regis announced a global partnership with Bentley, offering guests and residents exclusive experiences including driving programmes, special events and brand initiatives around the world. The St. Regis brand has selected Bentley as the house fleet for its hotels and resorts.
DESIGN
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Getaway
Marina Life Park
Check In
To The Ultimate Leisure Destination
Adventure Cove Waterpark
Not many places on the planet can match up to Resorts World Sentosa Singapore’s wide diversity of offerings for the quintessential dream holiday. From celebrity chef restaurants to decadent spa treatments and luxurious hotel experiences, Resorts World Sentosa Singapore is a resort destination like no other.
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or the epicure, choose from over 30 global cuisines at more than 60 restaurants including award-winning ones like Osia, Feng Shui Inn and Joël Robuchon Restaurant. For the discerning, pamper yourself at the world-class destination spa, ESPA, and live like a king in one of the six luxurious hotels.
Frenzy for the family Families can enjoy the seven zones of entertaining and exhilarating rides – such as the world’s first Transformers The Ride and the world’s tallest duelling roller coasters of Battlestar Galactica – at Universal Studios Singapore. To tour the expansive premise in style, the VIP tour pass will allow you to be personally escorted through the theme park with priority access to all rides and shows. 94
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And with the newly opened Marine Life Park, Resorts World Sentosa Singapore, as a destination for world-class attractions, has been elevated by several notches. As the world’s largest oceanarium, Marine Life Park features two outstanding attractions – S.E.A. Aquarium and Adventure Cove Waterpark. Step into S.E.A. Aquarium and immerse yourself in a magical marine world seen through the planet’s largest ocean window to the ocean. With more than 800 species of marine animals, the aquarium is home to the majestic manta rays, enormous Goliath Grouper, Napoleon Wrasse, and other gentle giants of the sea. Here, visitors can come face-to-face with over 200 sharks and peek at a moray eel in a rocky crevice. From the deep blue sea to endless splashes of fun, Adventure Cove Waterpark is an aquatic adventure park for the adrenaline
Getaway
Beach Villas
TreeTop Lofts exterior
Hammam Interior at ESPA
Rock Sauna at ESPA
junkie. Zip down thrilling waterslides including Southeast Asia’s first hydro-magnetic coaster or snorkel over a colourful coral reef with over 20,000 fish or wade amongst hundreds of rays as you touch their velvety wings. To complete the experience at the Marine Life Park, Ocean Restaurant is Singapore’s first aquarium dining experience. Intimate yet welcoming with expansive viewing panels, feast your eyes on the aquarium’s magical marine life while feasting on an international spread of gastronomic delights. The restaurant also features customisable menu options with sustainable seafood as part of our commitment to support a healthy marine ecosystem.
Good night, sleep tight The ultimate holiday destination is not complete without a good night’s sleep. Iconic, stylish and sensorial, the collection of luxurious hotels in Resorts World Sentosa Singapore offers Asian hospitality at its best for both leisure and business visitors. With over 1,500 rooms, pick from butler-service villas to award-winning family friendly rooms or the urban sanctuary signature styled accommodation.
immerse themselves in the absolute experience, with a host of indulgent offerings ranging from personal butlers and private transport buggies, to deluxe spa experiences.
Retreat to indulge Speaking of indulgence, ESPA at Resorts World Sentosa Singapore is the city’s largest luxury spa and ESPA’s flagship spa in Asia. Covering 10,000sqm, ESPA houses 24 multi-functional treatment rooms with stunning views, as well as the Beach Villas Private Spa Suites and Garden Spa Suites. There are separate private male and female gardens, with its own vitality pools, air and water massage jets and icy plunge pools that offer various water experiences, while separate access to the tropical garden leads to the Japanese-inspired Onsen-style pools. Other facilities at ESPA include a state-of-the-art gym, sleep zone, social relaxation lounges, Zen studio, Finishing Studio (for manicures and pedicures), Tangerine (a café that offers Modern European cuisine infused with organic ingredients), and Singapore’s first authentic Hammam.
For a deluxe close-to-nature hotel experience, the TreeTop Lofts are two unique suites – Angsana and Tembusu – nestled within the existing jungle of Sentosa and perched a cool 12 metres above ground. Carefully positioned amidst the lush greenery, the lofts immerse guests in a one-of-a-kind nature experience, but not without the bespoke five-star comforts that include luxurious amenities and personalised butler service.
Decked in a dramatic silver-domed ceiling, marble floors and mosaic walls, ESPA offers authentic Turkish Hammam rituals that will leave you wanting more. Derived from the Arabic word meaning ‘heat’, Hammam treatments are the ageold ritual of cleansing and purification in traditional heated bathhouses of Morocco and Turkey that has gained popularity amongst spa enthusiasts. Using the traditional Kese mitt and black olive soap, a full body foam massage and nourishing mud body mask, these treatments will energise and refresh your body and mind.
Located at the western tip of Resorts World Sentosa Singapore, the Beach Villas are a selection of exquisite tropical sanctuaries lavishly designed with bespoke furnishings. Here, guests can
At Resorts World Sentosa Singapore, there is bound to be something for everyone. But don’t just take our word for it, check in to the ultimate leisure destination and check it out for yourself. MillionaireAsia Indonesia
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Travel : BALI
On The Beach Holidaymakers to Bali now have a classy option oceanside, with the opening of the new Mozaic Beach Club.
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Travel : BALI
James Ephraim & Chris Salans
MOZAIC Chocolate Truffles
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t is on Batubelig Beach, not far from Seminyak, and is the brainchild of Chris Salans, chef/owner of the award-winning Mozaic garden restaurant in Ubud.
The Beach Club is separated into a chill-out deck with a swimming pool, lounging chairs and cabanas. A long bar serves cocktails and a tapas-style lunch that goes through the sunset hour. Upstairs is fine dining in an elegantly designed twotier room that is open to the ocean breeze in clement weather.
WHOLE BONELESS QUAIL Char-grilled with spiced salt
The menu is French but with a generous nod to the techniques, flavours and ingredients of Bali. The Bangkok-based Lotus Arts de Vivre company has opened its first Bali boutique here, with a new collection of unique pieces that marry natural materials with gold, silver and precious stones. They were also responsible for design of the private dining room, off the main restaurant area on the upper level. w w w.mozaic-beachclub.com
In charge of the food here, English chef James Ephraim, who has worked in Australia and other parts of Oceania as well as in Spain, before arriving in Bali where he worked with Salans at Mozaic in Ubud for four years.
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PROPERTY
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DESIGN
A VILLA IN BALI Sleek, simple, elegant and comfortable. This new villa in Bali leads the charge of luxury homes now dotting the island’s landscape. It is designed with cool indoor and outdoor living, super-comfortable lounging, several dining options, spacious bedrooms and bathrooms. Oh, and it also has stables for the children’s ponies.
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antai Berawa Residence is the new home of an Australian businesswoman who also happens to love horses. When she found the land, right on Berawa Beach, she turned to Ross Peat who heads a company called Seriously Designed. “She had a clear idea of what she wanted,” says Peat. “But she was also very generous in letting us find what worked best for her lifestyle and for the land. (For example, we had to excavate three metres so the finished house would not overshadow a nearby temple.”)
unique ambience, climate and culture. The challenge is to find the right piece of land and then create your dream. “Here, the owner wanted something big; a family home that would also be perfect of entertaining on a fairly grand scale and also serve as a work-space: there is a wonderfully equipped home office on the roof,” Peat explains. “We had plenty of scope as the land covers 5,000sqm so we made the building 2,000sqm, leaving space for lush landscaping and green areas.”
Bali is now the home, or second home, to many expats and many people from other parts of Indonesia who want to be part of this exotic island’s
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DESIGN
THE VILLA You enter through a grand portico whose columns, like many others in the house, are clad in travertine marble. On each side of the huge front door are koi pools and six-metre-high glass windows that had to be brought from Japan. “We wanted a structure where the view to the ocean was maximised,” recalls Peat. “So, you will find details like the indoor columns that hide the (state-of-the-art) kitchen but offer you a view across the lawn to the beach. In fact, if you look at the house piece by piece, you will see that everything is aligned perfectly for this.”
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Upstairs, the villa has bedrooms for the family, all with ensuite bathrooms, and a family room. Below is the master guest suite as well as a gym, spa, rumpus room and powder room. At the other side are two more guest bedrooms, a catering kitchen and staff quarters. There is a three-car garage and, at the side, stables for four horses. At the front is a 26m horizon pool – this above a children’s wading pool and a built-in trampoline.
DESIGN
GREEN Nobody can afford to ignore the environment these days – no matter where or what you build. “All the finishes here are natural,” says Ross Peat. “You will see stone, wood and marble. All the floors are made from reclaimed and recycled timber. The exterior is clad in Java stone.” “We have also been very conscious of energy-efficiency. We recycle all the water and it is used for the garden and for the bathrooms. All the lighting is low energy; the hot water is heated by solar panels. And one interesting feature: the front lawn sits atop several tanks so a sensor will be activated if there is something like a freak king tide so the flood will be absorbed and redirected to where it cannot do any harm.”
SERIOUSLY Ross Peat’s company Seriously Designed is based in Bali and they have a wonderfully diverse portfolio in architecture, interiors and lighting. “We have just completed two shopping centres here in Bali. I am working on another private luxury villa in Jimbaran and we have also done the design for offices and hotels,” says Peat. “No time for a breather in this business: after I finish the villa in Jimbaran, my next project is a multi-residence ski chalet in Japan.” Ross Peat
w w w.seriouslydesigned.com
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Travel
When In: Monaco If there is a single entity that represents the belle ĂŠpoque grandeur of 19th century Monaco (the favourite conservation project of the late Princess Grace), it is the beautiful Hotel MĂŠtropole Monte-Carlo.
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MillionaireAsia Indonesia Terrace of the Carre d’Or Suite, Metropole Hotel, Monte-Carlo
Travel : MONACO
Metropole Entrance Court
T
he ‘five-star palace’ Hotel Métropole Monte-Carlo is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, who named it their ‘best hotel in Europe’ and later their ‘best hotel in the world.’
The Hotel, just a few steps from Monte-Carlo’s legendary Grand Casino (and apparently the bank from the famous song has never been broken), has had a complete refurbishment and re-opened in 2004. The privately owned Métropole first welcomed guests in 1886 and quickly became synonymous with the stately glamour of MonteCarlo. Today, the dukes and duchesses have been replaced by a younger, hipper crowd. Exterior and interior design is by Jacques Garcia who retained a classic style but modernized many areas. He wanted the look of a sumptuous Mediterranean villa as you drive past the cypresses to the grand portico. You enter the atrium with its unique glass dome and walk through to the beautiful lounge where reception lies off one side, the bar and restaurant on the other. MillionaireAsia Indonesia
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Travel : MONACO The 141 bedrooms are in classic style; new bathrooms are oversized in marble. There are a number of suites, topped by the lavish ‘Suite Carré d’or’ with its huge private terrace overlooking the Casino and out to the Mediterranean. (You can walk from here to just about anywhere in the principality, including the glamorous Métropole shopping mall next door). There is a gym and spa and a heated seawater pool with its attractive bar and informal restaurant. More formal dining comes from the hotel’s unique position in holding three Michelin stars – two for Restaurant Joël Robuchon and one for Robuchon’s first venture into Japanese cuisine at
The hotel attracts an elegant clientele - “young”, sophisticated, cosmopolitan and demanding, who are seeking a ‘palace’ in tune with the times. It is also a great hit with the locals and (I’m told in strict confidence) the Lounge is the favourite of the new Princess Charlene when she wants to meet friends after a spot of shopping. w w w.metropole.com
Lobby
Deluxe room
Metropole Entrance
Bathroom
Joel Robuchon Restaurant
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Yoshi. In the French restaurant you can also enjoy watching presiding chef Christophe Cussac at a shared table by the open kitchen. The food at both is light, fresh and superb.
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TRAVEL CONCIERGE
A WORLD OF UNIQUE EXPERIENCES
A
t MillionaireAsia Indonesia we deliver more than just a great magazine. We are constantly on the look out for ideas and opportunities to enhance our members experience.
MillionaireAsia Indonesia has joined forces with Luxury Lifestyle Travel Consultant John B. Sutherland, to provide our members with the a comprehensive range of unique luxury travel experiences and services. As demand grows from our members for more experience based travel itineraries we have seen an increase in enquiries for a wide range of products relating to general luxury travel, sport, music events with VIP access, culinary & wine, private yachts as well as unique incentive programs. Our Millionaire Asia Indonesia Travel Concierge service puts together tailor made ‘Lifetime Experiences’ for you, your family or your customers and clients. We can help you whether you want to fly off to the UK with VIP tickets to an English Premier League match, sample some great wines in Tuscany before heading off to an Andrea Bocelli concert with VIP hospitality, be possibly the first Indonesian in space by booking a seat on ‘Lynx’, have a private shopping experience at one of the major fashion brand stores in Paris or a private helicopter trip round the Eiffel Tower, mix with the stars at a Hollywood function, or just want to sample the VIP Corporate experience at the 2014 World Cup. To start planning your next travel experience contact our MillionaireAsia Indonesia Travel Concierge on
travel.concierge@millionaireasia-indonesia.com
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Travel : MELBOURNE
When In: MELBOURNE Crown Metropol is an S-shaped building, 100 metres long, on the southern bank of the Yarra River. It boasts sweeping views from its rooms and particularly from the outdoor terrace on Level 28 (also a hotspot for private parties and events).
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Here, unexpected touches include trompe l’oeil pieces of art and custom-made furniture you would never expect to find in a normal hotel room. In Metropol’s private guest lounge (simply called 28) the colour palette subtly changes from pink to blue to yellow. Notice especially the ceiling-high bookshelf that only has blue-spined books, actually a work of art created by David Sequiera.
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ne level below is the hotel’s Isika day spa and the heated infinity pool and sundeck, sheltered behind double-storey windows.
Each of the hotel’s 658 rooms, studios, lofts and residential spa rooms (nicely featuring Australian artworks) also has a view, whether it be to the skyscrapers of the city or out to the water of Port Phillip Bay. The lofts, incidentally, have additional living and dining areas. They do not call it the presidential suite – they call it The Apartment. This is already a favourite with visiting celebrities because it looks and feels like a private residence.
Fine dining is at Mr. Hive ‘kitchen & bar,’ where young English chef John Lawson is already wowing them with his modern take on traditional British food. The hotel’s design challenges tradition, adding a sense of fun with unorthodox elements, dark, dramatic shapes and earthy, grounded silhouettes inspired by nature. Crown Metropol has the feeling that something exciting and unexpected is about to happen. Metropol’s location is perfect: a short stroll across the River to the city centre and Crown Casino is across the street. w w w.crownmetropol.com.au
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LUXURY
A Very Special Place
Forward Great Grandpa Goring built and opened this hotel in 1910. He was a man of considerable vision an innovator, and from what I can tell a great hotelier and host. I sometimes wonder if his vision included what The Goring has become today, and what he might have made of some of the stories and occurrences of the last 100 years. One thing is certain; that strong but invisible threads connect today’s Goring with that of 1910. The family is one of those threads, as are today’s staff, many of whom were hired and trained by department heads who were themselves taken on by Great Grandpa himself. Even more importantly, we are lucky to have guests whose great, and even great great grandparents stayed here in the hotel’s first decade, and who would have made their reservations by writing a letter to O.R. Goring. This book does not attempt to set out a full history of The Goring but I hope that you will be amused by the small selection of tales in it. While you are reading, we are busy with the task of creating the stories for the next 100 years, and there is always the chance that you will be one of them. Jeremy Goring
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LUXURY
I
n 2010, The Goring celebrated its 100th year. Just behind Buckingham Palace, this hotel was the first in the world to offer its guests central heating and a bathroom for every bedroom, when Otto Goring opened its doors in1910. It is also the only hotel in London still owned and run by the family that built it, with the 4th generation Jeremy Goring keeping up the tradition begun by his great-grandfather in 1910. The Hotel is quintessentially English and provides guests with unparalleled and exceptionally attentive service. In response to popular demand for information and stories about the hotel and its history, a book was commissioned and released in1997. A Very Special Place was written by Robin RhoderickJones with delightful illustrations by Tim Jaques. Ahead of the 100th year celebrations the book was updated with the latest version appearing in 2009. The book is full of wonderful tales of the colourful characters that have worked and stayed at the hotel during the first 100 years. Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of staying at the hotel, who enjoys the pleasures of luxury travel, or who has worked in the industry will find it an interesting and entertaining read. In the coming editions of MillionaireAsia we will be featuring some of the tales and illustrations from the book.
The Cardinal Archbishop From time to time the bizarre takes over from the merely capricious. A cardinal archbishop, vast in girth and uncertain of temper – the very personification of the Church Militant Here on Earth – was brought to dine by two younger priests. All was astonishingly reverential, the acolytes genuflecting so often and so deeply that the waiters were uncertain as to whether they should follow suit. The cardinal, in the short intervals available to him when not engaged in eating with an all-consuming concentration, and drinking an excellent claret without restraint, spent the evening dismantling, petal by petal, the flowers in the center of his table. When at last the party left, amidst more bending of the knee in which the head-waiter felt obliged to join, the commis clearing the table found a full set of false teeth among the floral debris. The following morning there was a frantic telephone enquiry to say that the cardinal was having trouble with his breakfast: ‘Had, by any merciful chance, His Eminence left……?’ A priest was round in five minutes to retrieve the missing dentures which, having been scrubbed clean by a porter determined to maintain the Goring’s reputation for unrivalled service, was now residing on the concierge’s desk, gleaming for all to see.
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BUCKET LIST
“To boldly go
where no man
has gone before...”
The immortal words for the mission of Captain James Kirk, master of the starship Enterprise. Well, no longer TV science fiction - this is now a reality as space tourism has come to Indonesia.
‘L
ynx’ is XCOR Aerospace’s entry into the commercial reusable launch vehicle (RLV) market. This two-seater, piloted space transport vehicle will take an adventurer on a half-hour sub-orbital space flight.
Starting from a standing stop on a traditional airport runway, the craft takes off horizontally, then under rocket power, accelerates to Mach 2.5 as it climbs to 60 kilometres high in just under four minutes. It is then a 25-minute gentle glide back to earth. “I’m extremely pleased and proud to announce that we are sole representatives of the ‘Lynx’ program in Indonesia and Singapore. Of the eight billion people on the planet Earth, only 500 or so have gone to where the Lynx will take you,” says John B Sutherland, exclusive ‘Lynx’ representative for Singapore and Indonesia. This approach is unique compared to most other RLVs in development, such as conventional vertical rocket launches and air-launched winged rocket vehicles “dropped” at altitude from a jet powered mother ship.
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The Lynx aircraft-like capabilities allow up to four flights per day, rapid call-up, fast turnaround between flights, low-cost operations and maintenance, and a focus on safety and reliability. The first flights are scheduled to take off next year from the Mojave Desert in California and in 2014 they will also be available from the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao. Bookings are now open and the cost of the five-day program is $95,000 and a deposit of $50,000 is required at time of booking. If you want to join the first 100 to go to outer space and be part of the ‘Founder Club’ the full amount of $95,000 needs to be paid in full. Fans of’ Star Trek,’ keep dreaming. Today to sub-orbit Tomorrow it will be outer space and, who knows, after that teletransportation. If only so you can utter those other immortal words: “Beam me up, Scotty!” w w w.johnbsutherland.com
BUCKET LIST
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TRAVEL
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TRAVEL : ABU DHABI
Stopover :
Abu Dhabi The last thing you expect at the end of a two hour drive into the desert of The Empty Quarter is something this large, dramatic – and beautiful. It is called the Qasr al Sarab and it means the ‘palace of mirages.’
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t is not a very interesting drive from Abu Dhabi but the road is good. It takes you past a few farms, some oil facilities – and then desert.
You are, in fact, venturing into Arabia’s famous Rub Al Kahli, The Empty Quarter that straddles Saudi Arabia, Oman and Abu Dhabi. There is little else but sand – and here it has wonderful light terra cotta pink colour, thanks to the iron deposits. The entrance gives you little hint of the scale of Qasr Al Sarab; it is only when you wander around, you find that the resort is 1.5 kilometres from end to end and that does not count the royal compound across the dunes a ways. Even the most ho-hum traveller cannot fail to be impressed by all this. It is something new in the travel world and something very impressive. The dun-coloured exterior is much more a desert fortress than a palace. The interior is a muted combination of old Arabic and modern comfort, already the recipient of a Best Design Award. In the rooms, the handcrafted furnishings, carpets and embroidered fabrics evoke a mood of quiet luxury (we are trying to avoid the ‘Arabian Nights’ cliché here…that has to be reserved for the new royal palace in Abu Dhabi!). You look down from your large lounging terrace and you are somehow surprised the pink sands come all the way to the walls.
Despite your first impression that you are in the middle of nowhere, you are actually somewhere important. The resort has been built at the very oasis where the Abu Dhabi ruling family was born. They spent winters here and then moved to Al Ain for the blistering summer. They were Bedouin but history here dates back to settlements 7,000 years ago. The discovery of oil in the 1960s changed Abu Dhabi forever, not least enabling them to build places like this. Qasr is the first-of-its-kind resort to deliver hospitality and an ambience reflective of genuine Emirati culture and they have sensibly taken on the Thai Anantara group to manage the project. In all, the five-star resort has 154 rooms, 42 villas and 10 royal villas resembling desert palaces with spacious living and dining areas, private pools and outdoor terraces. It is a total getaway with a luxury health spa and hammam, conference centre, huge outdoor pool, children’s playground and (just behind the helipad) a couple of tennis courts. Apart from the hotel experience, you can take to the desert with a range of soft adventures: falconry, camel riding and some dune bashing in the Liwa Desert. They have also built an ‘experience compound’ where you can learn about daily Bedouin life as it used to be – including meeting some camels and getting up close to Arabian Oryx, Sand Gazelle and Arabian Hare. MillionaireAsia Indonesia
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TRAVEL : ABU DHABI
Being isolated, they have to take food seriously and it is mostly fine-dining French along with some interesting Middle Eastern fare. So, whether it’s a Bedouin tent experience or a relaxing afternoon on the day beds at the ‘chill out’ lounge rooftop – we assure you, it will be good. All day dining is at Al Waha with its international and Middle Eastern buffets. Chill out in the lounge at Suhail or enjoy a cocktail on the terrace overlooking the desert before you enjoy the fine-dining cuisine here. Or you can have Mediterranean fare at Ghadeer, the poolside restaurant. One thing that will impress you is the service. All the staff are foreigners but obviously highly trained and a genuine pleasure
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to be around. (And they all speak English as well as one or three other languages). You can choose to be active around this resort and its adjacent 9000sqkm national park or you can choose to simply relax. While you do, contemplate the sheer grandeur of the fortress. Solid; sense of place, luxurious – definitely no mirage, this. You will also realize that Qasr al Sarab shares star billing with the magnificent desert itself. Expect a James Bond movie to be located here shortly… w w w.qasralsarab.anantara.com
Sydney Real Estate terrace homes
Fabulous Brand New Terrace Homes in Randwick, Australia Australian real estate has long been seen as a strong performing and reliable asset class, and something that should be included in any rounded investment portfolio. Sydney developer Ventus recently released 13 brand new contemporary terrace classics geared for exclusive luxury living, showcasing designer appointments and a savvy layout. The homes are built over three spacious levels.
The homes are close to vibrant dining areas, nightlife, and close to the Randwick campus of the UNSW. Randwick is located just 6 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district.
The homes offer multiple entertaining areas creating flexibility and plenty of room to sprawl. Broad bi-folds seamlessly extend living space outside to all-weather patios/hardwood decks and grassed gardens tailored for minimum maintenance and maxim enjoyment.
+ Elegant Travertine and American Oak timber flooring + Four/five generously proportioned bedrooms + Ensuite master retreat flows to private balcony + Three designer baths and two powder rooms + Gourmet Miele kitchen finished with stone benches + Ducted air conditioning, and full internal laundry + Double security garage with internal access
For further details and to arrange an inspection contact:
Eight of the thirteen units have already sold and the remaining units are priced from AUD$1,500,000.
PT. Permata Nasional Australasia Indah
Jl. Setiabudi 3 no. 2A Setiabudi, Jakarta Selatan - 12910
P : 021 5292 1638, F : 021 5292 1637 E : property@investoz.biz M : 0816 1841 681, 021 928 71338
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ON THE GREEN
TEE TIME IN THAILAND Golf enthusiasts will love Kirimaya. It is a high-end nature retreat just two hours from Bangkok; the first boutique luxury resort in Khao Yai, the UNESCO World Heritage nestled at the edge of beautiful Khao Yai National Park.
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ON THE GREEN
T
he sensational golf course at Kirimaya has been designed by Jack Nicklaus. It is a world-class 18-hole, par 72 championship course, set right in the middle of the area’s natural beauty.
While you take a rest from the golfing, here are some great suggestions for things to do: •
Take a Night Safari through Khao Yai National Park to see the wild animals; if you are lucky some elephant.
•
Enjoy bird watching: this park supports hundreds of species.
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Explore Phimai Historical Park, which has the largest collection of Khmer buildings in Thailand, taking in the Ban Prasart Archaeological site, dating back 3000 years. Another is to Phanom Rung Historical Park, 1000 years old and now fully restored to its original glory.
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Visit the Dan Kwian Pottery Village to see (and buy) its unique style of bowls, dishes and pots.
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The rainy season in June/July brings the whole region into bloom and extraordinary butterflies abound. It rains for up to three hours every day when Khao Yai is called the “forest in the mist.”
Go Elephant Trekking, setting out just 10 minutes from Kirimaya from the wonderful Jungle House.
•
Kirimaya has 52 rooms with private balcony and four terrace suites with private pool. There are also four tented villas with spa pool.
Visit a winery. Khao Yai is the wine centre of Thailand – now producing some very decent vintages and many vineyards have good restaurants.
•
Go to the Pakchong Night market where you can enjoy authentic Thai food, even down to a snack of fried grasshoppers.
It has clubhouse and locker rooms, a pro shop, restaurant along with conference and recreational facilities – so, ideal for groups and families as well as individual players. To get that extra practice in, there is also a driving range. The area around Khao Yai rises to 1350 metres above sea level so it is cooler than Bangkok, especially during the winter months between November and February. It is a lush area, particularly good for flowering trees and shrubs, particularly wild orchids and winter is also the best time to spot wild elephants.
There are three restaurants: T-Grill, Acala and The Mist Bar. It has full conference facilities for 120.
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What is Luxury ?
RUDY PAOLI
Managing Director of Global Reserve Diageo
Luxury consumers are increasingly interested in the background of their purchases
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What is Luxury ?
D
iageo was created in 1997, though many of its brands have a much longer history. Rudy Paoli heads up Diageo Reserve, the brand’s luxury division, which looks after the likes of Johnnie Walker Blue, Tanqueray gin and Ciroc vodka.
What is the definition of luxury in the world of spirits? Luxury spirits are about authenticity, craftsmanship and provenance, which transcend generations, fashion and eras. They surpass others in the same category in terms of the experience they provide, in quality and in taste.
What is the most expensive product in the Diageo portfolio? John Walker & Sons, Scotch Whisky Distillers By Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen, created a limited edition of 60 crystal decanters of Diamond Jubilee Blended Scotch Whisky. These editions are being offered for individual sale at £100,000 (HK$1.2m) each. Profits from the sales will be donated to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), to enable traditional craftsmanship to flourish.
Have your customer demands changed in recent years? Luxury consumers are increasingly interested in the background of their purchases. A deeper experience and greater knowledge enhances their interaction with brands and builds long-term loyalty.
How does Asia’s idea of luxury differ from the western world’s? The Asian idea of a luxury spirit is one that says something about them, it relates to the person and their status. Luxury consumers also tend to be younger than their global counterparts and so a key motivation is for personal indulgence and to reward themselves for success. Western purchases are made on a more emotional level with a higher value on the creative and aesthetic value of an object.
Does luxury in alcohol surpass the drink itself? Yes. There must be an experience attached. From the moment that you are served there is an interaction that occurs between customer and bartender, a give and take of knowledge being imparted where theatre and ritual are created. Diageo Reserve WORLD CLASS invests in the finest bartenders around the world. To date, we have trained 15,000 of the best, educating them in the understanding of fine spirits and inspiring them to push the boundaries of mixology.
What is the most money you have spent on one item and what was it? Not the most expensive, but the most treasured gift I have bought was a bottle of The John Walker - a gift for my father’s birthday.
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WINE CLUB
MILLIONAIREASIA INDONESIA WINE CLUB Carefully selected wines delivered straight to your door. MillionaireAsia has joined with leading Indonesian wine company, The Peak Connoisseurs, to bring our members a selected mixed half case of wine every edition. The wines are selected from around the world and chosen based on their quality, price and availability. In this edition the selection is: Wolf Blass President’s Selection 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Yering Station 2008 Shiraz Viognier Canada’s Best Vineyard 2009 Ice Wine Reserve De La Comtesse 2006 Pauillac Kim Crawford SP Marlborough SpitFire 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Farnese Primitivo Di Manduria Sessantanni 2008 DOP
For pricing, orders and delivery visit: www.millionaireasia-indonesia.com
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WINE CLUB
Wolf Blass President’s Selection Cabernet Sauvignon
Yering Station Shiraz Viognier
Tasting Notes
Tasting Notes
An intense, deep crimson Cabernet Sauvignon crafted from selected fruit from our finest South Australian vineyards for its fruit intensity, soft, rich mid-palate, length of flavour and fine tannin structure. Lifted blackcurrant flavours are accented with hints of eucalypt, mint and coffee-bean oak followed by fleshy, mouth filling tannins.
Spicy cool climate Shiraz is fermented with whole bunches of a small portion of the white Viognier grape to produce this elegant style. Attractive floral notes of white flowers and peach blossom are enhanced by French oak and Rhone-like pepper and spice on the palate.
Country Grape Year
: Australia : Cabernet Sauvignon : 2008
Canada’s Best Vineyard
Country Grape Year Rating Point
: : : :
Australia Shiraz Viognier 2006 96 James Haliday
Reserve De La Comtesse
Ice Wine
Pauillac
Tasting Notes
Tasting Notes
A beautiful golden yellow colour with streams of tiny bubbles rising to the top of the glass. Pronounced aromas of ripe yellow stone fruit (apricot, nectarine, peach), fresh pineapple, honey, and a touch of cinnamon. A luxurious and creamy texture with enough acidity and effervescence to cut through the sweetness. A very long length.
The 2006 Reserve de Comtesse, is a blend of 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Petit Verdot. This beautiful, velvety, seductive effort offers sweet black cherry and black currant fruit intermixed with notions of forest floor and roasted herbs. Luscious, fruity, savory, and long, it will provide enjoyment over the next 10-15 years.
Country Year
Country Grape Year
: Canada : 2009
: France : Red Bordeaux Blend : 2006
Kim Crawford SP Marlborough SpitFire
Farnese Primitivo Di Manduria Sessantanni
Sauvignon Blanc
DOP
Tasting Notes
Tasting Notes
A wonderful array of aromas - nettles, passion fruit, stone fruit and cut grass. An intensely rich wine with a multitude of flavours. It is held together with firm acidity, beautiful fruit sweetness and lashings of tropical fruit flavors. The wine has good length and is very persistent in the mouth.
The original 60 is a red wine from grapes 100% original, with an alcohol content of no less than 14.5%, aged for 6 months in barrique. The color is a red garnet, the nose is complex, crisp hints of red berry fruit, but also tobacco, barely perceptible hints of spices. The palate is full- bodied and elegant, here the tannins are soft and delicate. It ends with a long finish, it caresses the palate with hints of cocoa and coffee.
Country Grape Year Rating Point
: : : :
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc 2008 91 Wine Spectator
Country Grape Year
: Italy : Primitivo : 2008
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LAST CALL
ASIA’S MOST
EXPENSIVE
COCKTAIL We like an ‘-est’ story so here is the latest: the costli‘est’ cocktail in Asia – at a cool S$32,000.
The Jewel of Pangaea
Ethan Leslie Leong
Pangaea Main Room
C
alled The Jewel of Pangaea, it has been customcreated by Singapore’s award-winning mixologist Ethan Leslie Leong of what they are calling ‘the world’s most luxurious nightclub’ in partnership with Mouawad, whom they are calling ‘the world’s most exclusive jeweller.’ Actually Mouawad already holds three world records: for the most expensive single pear-shaped diamond (US$12.76m), creating the most expensive piece of lingerie (US$11m) and the most valuable handbag in the world (US$3.8m).
Says Pangaea Club’s mixologist Leong: “Most of the expensive cocktails around the world simply throw a diamond into a martini. But I wanted to use the most premium products available.” The ingredients include a Richard Hennessy cognac specially infused with gold-flakes by Leong, a smoke-infused raw sugar cube with Jerry Bitters – all in a silver and crystal champagne flute. The cocktail is then topped off with 1985 Vintage Krug champagne. The diamond is suspended into it on a silver chain. “On the rocks,” indeed! w w w.pangaea.sg
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LAST CALL
EVERY MOMENT REWARDED
At Marina Bay Sands®, savor our signature
As a member, your every indulgence will
celebrity chefs. Stroll through our modern
spectacular leisure, entertainment and
restaurants
featuring
world-renowned
shopping oasis. Spend an idyllic day lounging by the world’s highest infinity pool at Sands SkyPark®. Relax in one of
our perfectly appointed suites. And enjoy
all of this as you earn 3% toward future purchases throughout our resort, with
Asia’s most rewarding loyalty program, Sands Rewards Club.
MARINA BAY SANDS 10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956 | +65 6688 8892 | everymomentrewarded.com
ensure you live rewardingly at the most business destination in the world. Your Sands
Rewards Club points earned throughout
Marina Bay Sands will quickly add up, giving you a host of amazing privileges. And
each promotion to the next card tier delivers an even richer experience. The unparalleled
recognition and benefits we offer are just our way of rewarding our guests.
Book your Marina Bay Sands experience today, with Luxe, Stay & Dine, Rise & Shine and Romance packages available now at +65 6688 8892
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
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