Luxury

Steinway & Sons announced the unveiling of eight new pianos in partnership with the Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg’s iconic new concert hall. The limited edition models capture aspects of the ground-breaking design and structure that the landmark has become renowned for. Both Steinway and the Elbphilharmonie stand for excellence in music and outstanding cultural values. Following the opening of Steinway’s SPIRIO Lounge next to the Elbphilharmonie, a thematic and geographical bridge was built between the two cultural institutions, leading to the creation of these stunning grand pianos.

Great Scent From Lalique-Encre Noire À L’Extrême-Eau De Parfum For Men
Excellence demands a fragrance that meets and surpasses expectations. You must walk the walk, talk the talk, all whilst exuding a subtle appealing fragrance. The new Eau de Parfum for men from Lalique hits all the right notes. It neither overpowers nor fades too quickly over the day.
Lalique Encre Noir is aiming to reinvent masculine sensuality with its powerful cypress and vetiver accord. A woody new intensity with a unique and unforgettable sillage.

The new Luminor 8 Days Power Reserve Acciaio from Panerai is one to get for any watch collector, or if you only want one watch that you know you can rely on, then this will keep even the top watch snobs happy. The simple design with the black face, beige tinted hands and numerals balances beautifully with the 316L stainless case and the distinctive Panerai crown.
A long power reserve of eight days, with an indicator of power remaining on the dial or the back, enhances three new creations of the Panerai Manufacture in Neuchâtel.

The McLaren 570S Spider stands out like every McLaren for its intricate and elaborate design ethos. Or to put it another way, it just looks incredible both from afar and close up. The styling and detail that goes into the body work is innovative and daring employing the latest technology in modern materials and computer aided design software. The head of design at McLaren is Robert Melville who has a passion for cars and believes in pushing boundaries and testing new ideas as a matter of principle.

If you’re looking to launch a successful Kickstarter campaign the top Google search results will tell you that preparation and building pre-launch buzz is key, personal engagement and involvement with supporters is vital and, naturally, at the heart of it all there has to be a great idea. According to Kickstarter, 36% of campaigns are successful (meaning 64% fail) and of these only a small number exceed their goal.

You’re looking to buy your first ‘proper’ watch, a timepiece that can take you from work to work-out, casual evening in to serious dinner date out; a watch that can do it all. Your first mechanical watch should be the Essence Automatic Chronometer from Formex Swiss Watches; and here’s why …

When I first got my hands on the Ford Mustang 5.0L V8 GT Convertible 10SP Automatic in Triple Yellow I took it round the track at Millbrook to see how it performed in test conditions. It was impressive on the bowl track, comfortable, steady and very powerful. It was less impressive on the hill track, but it’s not built to tear up and down shoddy roads with inverse cambers and blind hill crescents. In real life conditions it is wonderful. The Mustang, as its name indicates, is bred for the wide open spaces and long roads, ideal for cruising in consummate style.

The Corum Admiral 45 Skeleton watch divides opinion, the quality of the movement is there for all to see but the design is more challenging for the more conservative watch collector. This piece has gumption, it is daring both in its architectural overtones, its use of materials and colours. If you are looking for something to break the status quo, Corum are taking the right risks, whilst backing it up with reputable quality and a solid brand history. This is a watch that will make people curious as to the timepiece on your arm!

A selection of fine whiskies from around the world to buy now. Most are not peaty whiskies (apart from the Lagavulin), but more akin to a fine cognac,  easy on the nose and palate, with a soft mellow flavour.
Ron Butlin , former Edinburgh Makar / Poet Laureate sums it up best with this beautiful poem.
Wring the Scottish rain clouds dry;
Take sleet, the driving snow, the hail;
Winter twilight; the summer's sun slowed down
to pearl-sheen dusk on hillsides, city-roofs,
on lochs at midnight.

The last year has been all about women and their underlying strength, which was reflected in the clothes, hair and make-up looks seen on the runways in Paris, London, Milan and New York. With animal prints, leather and cowboy fringes dominating the runways, the power woman is back this autumn - seen most evidently in the '80s silhouettes which had something of a revival (think bold shoulder lines and nipped in waists).