International Excellence

IX Favourite Luxury Shows
 
Baselworld
This luxury show is the world's most important event for the watch and jewellery industry and is held each spring in the city of Basel, Switzerland. It is a unique success story, with over 100,000 people from more than 100 different counties visiting the show. Products and brands are showcased at a sophisticated level in an exclusive atmosphere, with high quality personal contacts and business deals ensured.
baselworld.com
Masterpiece London

International eXcellence interviews Laurence Dickie, founder of Vivid Audio.
Where did you grow up?
Facing the countryside of Derbyshire UK on one side and the coal fields and slag heaps on the other. The Derwent valley, where I went to school, is the birthplace of industry and that had a powerful effect on my childhood.
 
How did you start in the industry?
I’d been building speakers and sound systems since school days but it really got serious when I was appointed by B&W to design active loudspeakers.
 

Champagne Piper-Heidsieck announced the launch of its new Piper-Heidsieck 2006 Vintage Brut, which was introduced during an exclusive tasting. Hosted by Piper-Heidsieck Head Winemaker Régis Camus, guests had the opportunity to taste the full Piper-Heidsieck range including their Cuvée Brut, Rare 2002, Rosé Sauvage, Cuvée Sublime, and the winner of this year’s IWC Sparkling Wine of the Year: Piper- Heidsieck Rare 1998. The tasting finished with the introduction of the new 2006 Vintage Brut, a balanced and elegant wine

 For almost 100 years, E. Marinella has been specialised in beautiful accessories for man and women. The classic brand, steeped in history and tradition, is still today renowned for its collection of handmade ties, which are the epitome of Italian elegance.   These exquisite ties can be made in what is known as the 5-fold, 7-fold or 9-fold pattern, which is a reassuring luxury the wearer can either disclose or keep as his bespoke secret.   All the ties are unique and handmade, and the silks used for each tie is different and cut to make just one tie.

 
Sir David Attenborough will launch a global crowdfunding campaign this week to save mountain gorillas.
The Indiegogo crowdfund, launched to coincide with the first ever UK Crowdfunding Day, aims to raise £110,000 by December 11 to support Fauna & Flora International’s work with mountain gorillas. 
This work fosters cooperation across national borders and empowers communities to monitor, protect and benefit from maintaining a healthy population of mountain gorillas.

Roasted Pepper, Red Onion and Rosemary Soup
Keep warm and healthy with this delicious and satisfying soup. Simple to make, lovely to look at and tasty to eat. Be nice to yourself this November and treat yourself to a bowl of this divine soup.
Serves 4
6 red peppers, de-seeded and cut into large pieces
3 red onions, peeled and quartered
3 tomatoes, halved
1tbls olive oil
1 sprig of rosemary plus 1tbls chopped needles
900 ml vegetable stock
4tsp crème fraiche
1 Preheat the oven to gas mark 6/200C/180fan

Volkswagen and the digital company Metaio have developed an augmented reality app that will instruct owners of the Volkswagen XL1 how to maintain, dismantle, repair and service their new car.
The app is called Marta and is the future of learning and instruction manuals. It combines the use of the tablet camera and the manual information to provide live instruction, in real time, as you fix your car.
Watch the video here:

Are you having a long distance relationship or just miss someone whenever they aren’t there? Then Kwamecorp have come up with a gadget that will literally keep you in touch.

Good news for electric car owners in New York City, you will soon be able to charge your vehicle on the go.
Called ‘Hevo Power’, it is a wireless charging station that will be installed into manholes around NYC—charging your car when you park over them.
It was reported that the charging station can be “bolted to the street or embedded in the pavement”—transmitting energy through a receiver that will be connected to the car’s battery.
There is even a smartphone app that will notify the driver of the charge amount and help drivers line their vehicles up on the charger.

 
The House of Commons debate yesterday evening on the state of natural capital in England and Wales has highlighted the urgent need for Government to bring natural capital into the mainstream and work with businesses to develop best practice in accounting for their use of natural capital.
Zac Goldsmith MP highlighted the UK’s leadership in this field but warned that the Government must do more to incorporate this thinking across all its departments.