Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2023 i Robb Report Singapore

ZEN. EVEN SAYING the word aloud, one gets a sense of its sweet, satisfying lucidity. Although its meaning has been most eloquently – and definitively – expressed by the Japanese, Zen, in thought and practice all about the attainment of clarity and peace, is a universally desired luxury. So, where and how do we seek Zen and its myriad manifestations? In this issue dedicated to contemplation and contentment, we head to its source: Japan. For a start, we delve into two areas of traditional craft – horology and whisky making – that demand rigorous training and time to master. Although watchmaking and whisky distilling have their origins in Switzerland and Scotland, respectively, the Japanese masters featured within these pages have adopted and elevated the crafts with their unique takes; honed,…

Objectified Diminutive in size but a powerhouse in stature, the Fendi Baguette bag celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. The tiny shoulder bag, inspired by the way women carried its namesake loaf under their arms, was designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi, the granddaughter of the brand's founders. Since its introduction, the Baguette has taken a life of its own, marked by a multitude of variations spanning handcrafted decorations to customisable limited editions. For its silver jubilee, Fendi enlisted Tiffany & Co to handcraft a one-ofakind Baguette entirely in sterling silver. This work of art stems from Fendi's ‘hand in hand’ initiative that collaborates with diverse ateliers and workshops to interpret the Baguette. Made with Tiffany Makers, artisans at the Tiffany & Co hollowware workshop on Rhode Island, the stunning silver…

IN APRIL 2021, oddly beautiful images of vineyards in France, the rows illuminated by fire pots, bounced around the internet. From Chablis to the Jura and beyond, the mercury unseasonably plunged, frost moved in and widespread damage to vines threatened the vintage before it had even begun. Those fire pots were an attempt to heat the air surrounding the vines and prevent ice from forming and hardening. As a Texan wine producer told me, the problem is not so much global warming as it is global weirding. She couldn't have been more right. In October 2022, my first book, Crushed: How a Changing Climate Is Altering the Way We Drink, was published. It explores how climate change – that global weirding – is impacting not just wines and spirits but…

THE ZEN ISSUE In the increasingly competitive realm of independent watchmaking, the lion's share of the glory has gone to people with European names. In auction houses and at points of sale around the globe, collectors jockey for position to buy original pieces from Britain's Roger W Smith and George Daniels, Switzerland's François-Paul Journe and Rexhep Rexhepi, and Finland's Kari Voutilainen, to name a few. But in Japan, where the development of the quartz movement sent the entire Swiss watch industry into a tailspin in the 1970s, a burgeoning class of watchmakers has spent the past few years producing exceptional pieces infused with the essence of traditional Japanese craftsmanship – and has gained significant acclaim among those in the know. These artisans hail from distinctly different backgrounds. Some worked in…

Cover Story “I AM NOT feeling really well, I need a doctor immediately. Ring the nearest golf course.” Though cheekily uttered by legendary American comedian Groucho Marx, the wisecrack was as much a joke as it was an affirmation of the healing powers of golf. And, if Marx were still alive today, we imagine that Laguna National Golf Resort Club would have been on his assistant's speed dial. Since it opened 20 years ago, the awardwinning club has been a must-visit destination for golf enthusiasts and professionals alike. At the Platinum Clubs of the World 2023 Awards, Laguna National was named among the world's top 100 golf and country clubs. And when the DP World Tour returned to Singapore for the first time since 2014 for the recently concluded Singapore…

PRESS THE IGNITION on the Zero Motorcycles DSR/X and you're greeted with the disconcerting sound of silence, along with a total lack of vibration – the classic “Is this thing on?” electric vehicle (EV) trope. But give the throttle a twist and it's immediately clear that this 100hp, US$24,495 all-electric adventure model is a quiet missile, raring to go from the jump. If you find yourself missing the rumbly soundtrack of a combustion engine, just listen to your thudding heart instead. Zero has fit the all-terrain twowheeler with its largest-capacity battery yet, a 17.3kWh cell that allows for up to 185km to be covered over mixed surfaces, or 137km at a steady 113km/h. An optional Power Tank battery pack boosts capacity to nearly 21kWh, which keeps the range competitive with…

Despite a few thousand hours of flight time, including in classic fighter jets such as the L-39, aviator Evan Dick wasn't prepared for the raw power of the supersonic F-104 Starfighter. “Its powertoweight ratio is just ridiculous,” he says. “I could tell, with the afterburners, it was going to be the most challenging aircraft I'd ever flown. It was like a missile with a man on it.” Whereas the L-39 requires reaction time in the seconds, it's mere milliseconds in the Starfighter. Of flying with Rick Svetkoff of Starfighters International, Dick recalls trying to level off at 2,000 feet, calling it “just impossible to stay ahead of the jet – when I made a split-second glance at the controls, I was suddenly 500 feet higher.” Then there were the G…

Dream Machines | TECHNOLOGY LISTENING TO GREAT music on a superior sound system is one of life's sublime pleasures, and once you've been bitten by the audio bug, it's impossible to go back to soundbars and earbuds. At its best, a carefully assembled system can paint a spellbinding sonic landscape. While home theatres employ surround sound for maximum effect, most serious music listeners prefer a stereophonic set-up with left and right speakers to replicate the experience of hearing real performers in a real venue. Approaches to speaker, electronics and turntable design are almost as varied as the products themselves, and both subjective impressions and objective measurements play a part in evaluating these components. Just as important is achieving synergy between every link in the aural chain, including cables, audio furniture…

The Goods | TIME IF THE WATCHMAKING business is war, then the Cartier Tank must surely be among the victors – and many times over, too. It is certainly by no accident that the military-inspired watch collection is so stylistically robust that it has withstood the ebb and flow of fashion trends since 1917 to remain unrivalled as a Cartier icon. Designed by brand founder Louis Cartier during World War I, the first model (Tank Normale) was based on the top view of an actual military tank. This prototype was presented as a peacetime gift to General John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe. It wasn't until 1919 when the Tank was properly produced and all six models manufactured promptly sold out. The immediate popularity of the…

At the start of 2020, Chris Larsen, who made his fortune as co-founder of e-Loan and Ripple, among other technology start-ups, considered himself an advocate for the planet. “I always thought I was doing a good job on sustainability,” he tells Robb Report. Climate change was high on his list of priorities when elections rolled around, and after he started an online lending company, “I thought, ‘Think of all the paper applications I have eliminated’!” But then the climate in Northern California, where he lives with his children, now aged 12 and 15, started becoming unbearable. In August 2020, there were so many fires in his area that it was unsafe to breathe the ash-filled air. “It was the height of COVID, it was August, and for two months the…

FOR GUESTS OF Patina Maldives, the experience starts as they arrive at Velana International Airport in Male. Friendly porters quickly help them onto the resort speedboat, and a mere 45 minutes later – coupled with dolphin sightings for those in luck – they find themselves on Patina, one of the four parts that make up the Fari Islands archipelago. At this point, all it takes to slip into vacation mode is a warm greeting from the hotel's essentialists: “Welcome to paradise.” The Maldives has, since the late 1970s, represented a tropical island idyll with its clear aquamarine waters, swaying palms and white sandy beaches. This gave rise to the idea of barefoot luxury – being cast away on an island with endless days of communing with nature, especially the gloriously…

OBJECTIFIED For decades, the iconic Eames lounge chair and ottoman have been a symbol of luxurious respite for unhurried evenings. The brainchild of design couple Charles and Ray Eames, the chair's distinctive reclining profile and inviting footrest, shaped to resemble a baseman's mitt, were crafted in quality leather and wood to elevate them into statement furniture pieces that have endured since the 1950s. In the hands of Callum, a design and engineering outfit specialising in bespoke accoutrements, the Eames lounge chair and ottoman are lavished with modern upgrades. The Callum Lounge Chair takes the furniture's iconic silhouette and reinforces the frame of its seat, back and ottoman with tough but lightweight carbon fibre. The Formula One-inspired chassis is then encased in a moulded plywood shell and sheathed in smoked eucalyptus…

The superyacht gets super smart with Azimut's Grande 26M. A follow-up to the Grande 27M from 2018, the Grande 26M is not only greener than many yachts – its carbon fibre-extensive superstructure is paired with an innovative propulsion system that reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 20 to 30 per cent – it is utterly gorgeous to boot. The compact 26m superyacht comes with a huge flybridge and cockpit, and five cabins, including the full-beam owner's suite on the main deck that is separated from the guest and crew flows. Azimuth's designer Alberto Mancini's intelligent spatial design is best exemplified by the Deck2Deck terrace. Formed using a transom extension system, the terrace is an expandable area formed by raising the teak-clad garage door. When fully deployed, the cockpit area…

IN JAPANESE INTERIORS, author Mihoko Iida traces the Japanese reverence for minimalism back to the teachings of Zen Buddhism, which began to take root during the 12th century. Indeed, Japanese minimalist sensibilities tend to take on a more substantial, enduring quality, transcending mere aesthetics. The emphasis on clean and simple lines, monochromatic and neutral palettes, natural materials, and pared-back functionality evoke a quietude that goes hand in hand with the sanctity of the home; often with a sense of place at the fore, in harmony with the surrounding environment. These two modern Japanese dwellings in contrasting locations demonstrate how, when executed right, less is truly a catalyst for more. Farmhouse Living Amid a sloping valley of rice terraces on the island of Kyushu, you'll find Kai Yufuin – a hot…

Dream Machines | WHEELS HISTORY IS A powerful commodity for an automaker, but also a dangerous one. The line between reverential and pastiche is fuzzy, and the list of retro-themed products that fell on the wrong side of it is long and ignominious. Who can recall Volkswagen's front-wheel drive New Beetle without wincing? The risks for a supercar maker are greater still, and never more so than when dealing with a car as utterly famous as Lamborghini's Countach. The original was a sensation when it debuted in 1974, Marcello Gandini's wedge-shaped design impressing every bit as much as the performance of the hand-built V12 engine mounted behind the passenger compartment, a combination that has inspired every mid-engined Lamborghini since. Yet none got to share its name – until now. The…

EVER SINCE GEORGE JETSON climbed into his personal, portable flying car 60 years ago, the world has dreamt of doing the same. And according to Peter Ternström, co-founder of Stockholmbased Jetson, piloting one of its personal electric aerial vehicles is about as easy as it looked in the cartoons. Getting the hang of the brand's new Jetson One, with deliveries starting in late 2023, requires all of five minutes. “It's super intuitive,” he says. “We developed a fly-by-wire system that helps the pilot with functions like auto hover, stable flight and landing.” A veteran of the luxury-car industry, Ternström partnered with aerospace engineer Tomasz Patan to launch Jetson in 2017. Instead of developing a more involved electric air-taxi like Joby Aviation's S4, they opted to “make flight available to everyone”,…

FOR A WATCH as groundbreaking as the Fifty Fathoms, the decision to commemorate its 70th anniversary this year – not once, but three times – is appropriately reverential, if not necessary. Given the ubiquity of luxury dive watches today, it is only right that Blancpain pays adequate homage to the watch that literally set the bar for all other dive watches that came in its wake. Introduced in 1953, Fifty Fathoms was hailed as the world's first modern dive watch. Originally commissioned by French naval frogmen, the first Fifty Fathoms model featured innovations such as a unidirectional rotating bezel to measure remaining time left for oxygen supply, antimagnetic protection, as well as a screw-on caseback and a double O-ring screw-down crown to ensure optimum water resistance. (The original model's depth…

The Goods | JEWELLERY REVISITING THE ARCHIVES is a perennial exercise at Chanel, where strong – and seemingly eternal – design codes such as tweed jackets and quilted handbags are reinvented for generation after generation. But recently, its rearview mirror was turned toward a less well-worn piece of history: Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel's first foray into high jewellery in 1932. Celestial pieces, including a collar necklace of shooting stars traversing the neck in a trail of diamonds, a diamond ring encircled by a swirl of satellite stones and a yellowdiamond sunburst brooch, are just a few of the highlights; all mimic Chanel's original array of jewels, which made their debut 91 years ago. The French house was solicited by the London Diamond Corporation to create the jewellery, dubbed Bijoux de Diamants,…

WHEN REMO RUFFINI took the reins of Moncler in 2003, the company was an established name in the arena of highperformance outerwear. It famously equipped the successful Italian expedition to summit K2 – the world's second-highest mountain – in 1957, and outfitted the French downhill team during the 1968 Grenoble Winter Olympic Games. Still, Ruffini had his work cut out for him. At that time, Moncler was on the brink of bankruptcy and its reputation had been gradually on the wane; outperformed by rising luxury conglomerates on the one hand, and dedicated outdoor sportswear companies on the other. Ruffini's first order of business was thus to narrow efforts towards expanding the brand's presence in the luxury sphere, advocating a shift from relying on retailers to developing a global network of…

 N°1 De Chanel Rich Revitalising Cream The rejuvenating powers of the red camellia take centre stage in the latest addition to Chanel's first clean anti-ageing beauty line for women. Apply to the face and decollete daily and nightly to reduce wrinkles and shield against external aggressors.  Dior Capture Totale Le Sérum Dior's new Capture Totale Le Sérum for women is a revolutionary product of floral science and extensive stem cell research. Its potent anti-ageing properties are derived from the iris and longoza flowers, carefully cultivated in Dior's gardens in Madagascar and Tuscany.  Maison Margiela Replica On a Date The unisex On A Date fragrance is Maison Margiela's latest unveiling of its iconic Replica line. Intoxicating notes of ripe grapes, wild roses and pink pepper go the distance in recreating a…

On a warm July evening, an intimate group of elegantly attired guests roamed the gilded halls of the Palace of Versailles, sipping champagne while being serenaded by violins. The unforgettable party included a candlelit dinner prepared by Michelin-star chef Emmanuel Renaut, a display of rare diamond jewels and a fireworks display that illuminated the sky above the palace while an orchestra played in the famed gardens below. If not for the fact that many of the guests jetted in courtesy of their host, Van Cleef & Arpels, one could be forgiven for thinking they'd timetravelled back to the 17th century, when the merchant Jean-Baptiste Tavernier presented the Sun King, Louis XIV, with jaw-dropping jewels from his trip to India in the very same rooms. This fairy tale was a quintessentially…

DESPITE THE FACT that Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Explorer first launched in 2016, the grandiose vessel only made its maiden voyage to Asia-Pacific last December, following the easing of global travel restrictions. Having undergone a refurbishment in 2019, it is one of the largest ships in Regent's fleet. The all-balcony, all-suite Seven Seas Explorer carries around 732 guests and 567 crew across its 10 decks. This translates to one of the highest spacetoguest and staff-to-guest ratios at sea, ensuring you're amply fussed over like royalty. Its stateofthe-art furnishings, evinced in over 4,262sqm of posh marble and an exquisite US$7 million art collection – including works by Marc Chagall and Pablo Picasso – set the tone for Regent's unabashed proclamation of it being The Most Luxurious Ship Ever Built.…

It is said that the rabbit, the fourth of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, symbolises elegance and beauty. It is apt, then, that Breguet's Classique 9075 2023 Chinese New Year Edition watch for ladies, which commemorates the Lunar New Year of the Rabbit, also exhibits the same qualities. Encased in white gold and framed by brilliant-cut diamonds on the bezel and lugs, the watch's main attraction is its ornamental enamel dial. Hand decorated with cloud and flower motifs that resemble Chinese paper cut art and, of course, cute little bunnies circling the dial, this eight-piece limited edition is playful and precious in equal measure. It is believed, too, that the rabbit is a symbol of luck. Driven by a state-of-the-art automatic movement, this special edition Classique 9075 could just…

Dream Machines | WHEELS THANKS TO THE one-two wallop of an extended pandemic-induced shopping spree and the hobbled supply chain, it's been hard to get a car for a while now – luxury brands very much included. And while top-tier marques are subject to the same inventory woes as any other sector, with a dearth of everything from wiring harnesses to microchips choking manufacturing flow to a trickle, the most elite automakers face a longer-term problem: how to keep VIP customers happy amid an explosion of global wealth, with the number of potential buyers growing exponentially even as production numbers barely budge. It has become such an issue that some marques can't even take orders, with models at production capacity for years to come. Artificial scarcity has always been a…

Dream Machines | WINGS TONY SCOTT'S 1986 film Top Gun kindled many an adolescent's fighter-jet obsession, which no doubt came rushing back thanks to last year's sequel starring a youthfully 60-year-old Tom Cruise still turning and burning. Thankfully, select flight schools can indulge the fantasy with everything from a US$30,000 full-afterburner ride in an F-104 Starfighter, capable of more than Mach 2, to a Federal Aviation Administration-type rating for a host of decommissioned warbirds. Learning how to captain one of these apex predators involves a highly specialised coterie of flight instructors and hardware – but first, naturally, a private pilot's licence. Rick Svetkoff's Starfighters International may not be able to teach Cessna 172 pilots how to fully operate the F-104 in a short window, but the pilot will come away…

Dream Machines | WATER COMPARED TO THEIR popularity in the car world, restomods – restored classics modified with the latest technology and trim – have arrived late to yachting. “Ten years ago, most boaters didn't even recognise the term, but we've seen it gain legs,” says Bill Morong, owner of Yachting Solutions, a boatyard in Rockport, Maine, which has completed more than a dozen of such transformations. The restoration of older boats typically involves salvaging as many original parts as possible, including engines, for historical accuracy. It's this authenticity that factors into the judging at shows and buoys standing within the small-but-fastidious classic-boat circles. But things are changing. “Those boats are quaint but not very practical,” says Morong. “Few people want 1930s gas engines or wire-and-sprocket steering systems; they like…

IN THE TWO years since Frédéric Arnault took the helm at TAG Heuer, the 28-year-old has worked hard to ensure that the watch company lives up to its ‘avant-garde since 1860’ credo. With an intriguing blend of youth and derring-do – a rarity in the centuriesold watch business – Arnault has pushed for developments in the smartwatch category, welcomed the use of crypto payments, and delved headlong into material experimentation, all while ensuring that TAG Heuer's hardearned reputation as a technically driven luxury sports watch brand remains undiminished. In Singapore for LVMH Watch Week 2023 in February to present TAG Heuer's new creations that span a vintage-style commemorative Carrera to new Connected Watch models, Arnault discusses his balancing act of looking forward while staying mindful of the past. The past…

Churchill 12-Piece Winder Safe, Wolf Those committed to bespoke tailoring will appreciate the look and feel of Wolf's Churchill 12-piece winder safe (US$104,995), which includes seven interior drawers. The crocodile-embossed bordeaux Italian-leather exterior is inlaid with red-stitch detailing that will blend seamlessly with any wardrobe treasure. More importantly, the 1.5m-tall safe is constructed from an armoured-steel frame with a fire-sealed door that features nine bidirectional steel bolts and is secured with a combination keypad lock. Gemstone Safe, Casoro Casoro's Gemstone safe collection (from US$7,159) comes in five sizes – with 12 glossy exterior finish options, including Tiffany blue, 20 hardwoods and nine microsuede lining colours. Inside you can add watch winders, drawers and more. Overwhelmed? The company also offers plenty of preconfigured styles. We're partial to the Antonio in titanium and birch…

All you need to know about the latest drops, collaborations and happenings in luxury fashion this month. Feels Like Home Valentino's new store concept, The New Maison, promises to put customers first via an elevated sense of refinement across its boutiques worldwide – think ceramic tiles complemented by Botticino and Sahara Noir marble flooring. Expect also to find stunning artworks within, such as abstract, handmade ceramics by Massimiliano Pipolo, and chandeliers in sculpted plaster by Alexandre Logé. The posh new aesthetic is completed by B&B Italia's iconic Camaleonda sofas in new, bespoke tones, along with graphic rugs by Milanese carpet-maker Golran. Rebel Aloud Following their wildly successful collaboration in 2021, Stella McCartney and Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara join forces once again on a gender-neutral capsule collection. Bridging art, fashion, and…

ODIN HILLS HANAZONO, NISEKO Odin Properties has launched the second phase of its exclusive cluster of luxury residences in Hanazono, at the eastern end of Niseko. There are two ways to own a villa here. You could buy a plot of land and then work with your own architects and interior designers to create a fully customised home following Odin Hills’ design guidelines. Or you could choose from one of four villas designed by Pritzker-prize winning architect Shigeru Ban. These have a customisable floor plan, multifunctional interiors, an onsen-style family bath, and a finely curated selection of materials, features and amenities. Sizes range from 295sqm to 615sqm, with three to six bedrooms and the ability to accommodate small or large families. Your villa will be managed by the Odin Hills…

The Resource | SAVOUR GLASSWARE COMPANIES OFTEN offer a single whisky glass in their collection but the Lucaris Gràn Collection literally breaks the mould. Each of the collection's four glasses has been meticulously shaped to bring out the best characteristics of different styles of whisky – something that a single glass cannot achieve on its own. Lucaris is a premium crystal glassware label born from a collaboration between Ocean Glass of Thailand, Toyo-Sasaki Glass of Japan and Martin Ballendat of Germany. The Lucaris crystal is lightweight and lead-free, and distinguished by a pristine transparency befitting its premium status. For the Lucaris Gràn Collection, the label sought help from Matthew Fergusson-Stewart, managing director of Spun Spirits, who is known among whisky aficionados as the award-winning, former regional brand ambassador for Glenfiddich.…

IF WE'VE LEARNT anything from these past three years, it's the importance of genuine experiences being an antidote to the hyperconnected pace of modern lifestyles. This need to hit reset, to reflect and to immerse ourselves in achieving oneness with the world has become all the more important in an era of continuous news loops and clutter. The good news is that what we seek – a Zen state of mind, body and soul – can be found not too far from home. On the Island of the Gods, one arrives at Desa Potato Head, located in fashionable Seminyak. The soul of this creative village is the 58-suite artisan property called Potato Head Suites, which allowed me to refresh, recharge and, dare I say, experience a rebirth during my sojourn…