All articles tagged with #fashion and luxury
The 2024 Watches and Wonders fair in Geneva showcased a wide array of new timepieces from major brands like Rolex and Patek Philippe as well as lesser-known brands such as Krayon, SpaceOne, and Vanguart, offering a diverse range of options for watch enthusiasts. Bloomberg Pursuits editor Chris Rovzar provides a firsthand account of the event, highlighting the excitement and variety of the new watches on display.
Two Californians have filed a class-action lawsuit against Hermès, alleging that the luxury brand's practice of only offering Birkin handbags to customers with a purchase history violates antitrust and business practice laws. The plaintiffs claim that this practice artificially inflates the cost of acquiring a Birkin bag and limits consumer choice. The lawsuit highlights the exclusivity and high demand for Birkin bags, which can cost between $8,000 and $450,000, and the challenges customers face in purchasing them, including the need for a purchase history with the brand and luck in being offered the bag.
Hermès is facing a lawsuit in California alleging that it unlawfully restricts the sale of its iconic Birkin handbags to customers with a "sufficient purchase history," violating antitrust laws by tying the sale of one item to the purchase of another. The lawsuit claims that sales associates push customers to buy other items to gain the opportunity to purchase a Birkin, and seeks class-action status for thousands of US consumers who bought Hermès goods or were asked to buy them in order to purchase a Birkin.
Omega has officially released the much-anticipated white-dialed Speedmaster, as seen on Daniel Craig last year. The watch features a glossy lacquer white dial, black hands and markers, and a blackened logo, with "Speedmaster" and the tip of the chronograph hand in red. It is a permanent addition to the collection and will be available at $8,100 on a bracelet, with options for leather or rubber straps. The release has garnered excitement among enthusiasts, offering a refreshing new option in the iconic Speedmaster lineup.
Elton John's leopard-print Rolex Daytona from his private collection set a new world auction record, selling for $8 million at Christie's Collection of Sir Elton John Goodbye Peachtree Road sale. The extravagant timepiece, featuring a leopard-print dial, 18-karat gold case, and adorned with sapphires and diamonds, surpassed its high-sales estimate by $116,000. Other items from the collection, including a Banksy artwork, platform boots, sunglasses, and a Bentley Continental, also fetched impressive sums, with two Cartier watches achieving record sales. The auction continues with a Day Sale and online bidding.
Hublot has released its first commercially available central tourbillon watch, the Hublot MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Sapphire. Based on the brand's Only Watch entry, this limited edition timepiece features a transparent flower-shaped case with clear sapphire petals. The watch showcases maximum transparency, allowing light to pass directly through it. It is powered by the in-house Cal. HUB9015 manual-wind movement and comes with a special electronic winding stylus. The limited edition of 50 examples is priced at $316,000 USD, making it one of Hublot's most expensive models.
A comprehensive guide ranks major luxury watch brands from worst to best, showcasing their unique histories, designs, and craftsmanship. The list includes Jaeger-LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin, Baume & Mercier, A. Lange & Söhne, Audemars Piguet, Cartier, Omega, Breitling, IWC Schaffhausen, and Zenith. Each brand is known for its distinct features, such as Jaeger-LeCoultre's Reverso series and A. Lange & Söhne's intricate engravings. From aviation-inspired designs to partnerships with luxury car brands, these watchmakers offer a range of styles and functions, solidifying their positions as top luxury watch brands.
Audemars Piguet has partnered with fashion designer Matthew Williams and his streetwear label 1017 Alyx 9SM to release five new timepieces, including two self-winding Royal Oaks and two Royal Oak Offshores. The collaboration showcases Williams' utilitarian streetwear aesthetic, with clean and minimal dials and unique design elements. One of the timepieces will be auctioned to benefit NGOs Kids in Motion and Right to Play. The partnership highlights AP's commitment to engaging with the streetwear culture and maintaining a foothold in the pop-culture hemisphere.
Audemars Piguet celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Royal Oak Offshore with the release of five new 37mm watches. The collection includes a ceramic "Music Edition" with a multi-color "equalizer" pattern dial, as well as self-winding chronographs in pink gold, steel with a salmon dial and diamond bezel, yellow gold with tsavorites and sapphires, and pink gold with a rainbow of gemstones. These releases showcase AP's expertise in gem-setting and cater to a wider audience, although prices are available upon request.
A microscopic handbag, smaller than a grain of salt, sold for over $63,000 at an online auction. Created using 2-photon polymerization printing methods, the fluorescent yellow-green tote resembles a popular Louis Vuitton design and features a built-in digital display. The bag, produced in 2023, was described as the ultimate symbol of bag miniaturization and a pure brand signifier. Bidding started at $15,000 and concluded at $63,750.
Michael Jordan was spotted wearing an Everose-gold Rolex Daytona before the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 race in Nashville. The watch appears to be the Ref. 126505-0003, featuring a 40mm Oyster case made from 18-karat Everose gold, a Bright Black and Sundust dial set with diamond hour markers, and a matching Oyster bracelet. Jordan's NASCAR team didn't perform well in the race, but he could take solace in owning one of the finest watches on display at the race track.
TAG Heuer has released three new skeletonized Monaco watches to celebrate the 80th Monaco Grand Prix. The watches are available in blue sandblasted dial, black sandblasted dial with sandblasted titanium case and red accents, and black sandblasted dial with black DLC sandblasted titanium and turquoise accents. The watches come equipped with Caliber HEUER 02 Automatic, which provides 80 hours of power reserve and 100 meters of water-resistance. The pricing stands at CHF 10,500 for both the blue and black dial titanium or CHF 11,000 for the Black DLC Titanium model.
Tiffany & Co. celebrated the opening of its renovated Fifth Avenue Landmark store with a star-studded event attended by A-list celebrities, billionaires, and LVMH executives. The event featured a tunnel on the sidewalk of 57th Street, a Petrossian caviar bar, and Givenchy uniforms for the staff. Tiffany ambassadors, including Anya Taylor-Joy and Hailey Bieber, wore designs from the new Bird on a Rock high jewelry collection. Katy Perry gave a surprise performance, singing "I Kissed a Girl" at the request of Bernard Arnault and his family.
Ryan Gosling stars in TAG Heuer's latest advertising campaign for the 60th anniversary of the Carrera watch. Directed by David Leitch, the commercial features Gosling as an actor who falls in love with a watch being used as a prop on set and tries to steal it. The ad is a departure from standard campaigns and was created to showcase TAG Heuer's vision for the future. Gosling wears the latest version of the Carrera Chronograph and the ad features an Art Deco hotel facade named after Jack Heuer's wife.
Cartier has updated its Tank Americaine watch to make it thinner, slimmer, and curvier. The new Tank Americaine comes in three sizes and two metals, pink gold and steel. The most noticeable difference compared to the previous Americaine is the thickness: the new large model measures 8.6mm thick, down 1mm from the previous generation. The vertically brushed dial accentuates the shape of the watch and reminds of some pretty sweet limited editions Cartier's produced in the past few years. The Cartier Tank Americaine will be available from September 2023.