Parmigiani Fleurier honors Brazil with a new timepiece

The Pershing Samba Madeira is the latest creation from Parmigiani Fleurier, it celebrates Brazil, with its vibrant colours and lively Samba rhythm.

The dial of the luxury timepiece features Brazil’s signature yellow and green shades as well as a stylized image of a guitar, with a tourbillon carriage in place of the soundhole.

The instrument even has six strings, as thin as human hair, fastened in place by hand. With a power reserve of 192 hours, the watch also has a hand-wound 30-second chronometer.

The titanium case of this luxury timepiece complements the bezel and indices in 18-carat rose gold. Behind the guitar, one reads “Ordem e Progresso,” Brazil’s national motto.

French luxury brand Hermès designed the strap for the “Samba Madeira,” in alligator leather accented by an adjustable folding clasp with a titanium finish.

The Vertu Constellation: a $6600 Android phone

Once upon a time, the Vertu phone was the epitome of smartphone luxury, thanks to its 24/7 concierge hotline, which essentially made it an American Express black card that could make phone calls.

As such, just like the BlackBerry for businessmen, it quickly became the must-have gadget for socialites and sports stars alike. It might not have had the best camera or the richest display but where most handsets featured plastics, Vertu’s featured stainless steel, titanium, silver, gold and even carbon fibre.

But just like with BlackBerry, something called the iPhone came along and changed everything. Here was a phone that was desirable because it looked good and offered easy access to the internet and then to a multitude of apps, not because it was gold-plated, and Vertu, like its then-parent company, Nokia had to go back to the drawing board.

Today the company exists as an independent business and its latest handsets, like those that went before, put build quality above internal specifications, but Symbian has made way for Android, and the concierge service has got an update with a host of exclusive tailored and curated content and offers to invite-only and secret events from a number from a number of Vertu partners.

And the latest Vertu handset, the Constellation, is no exception. It can’t compete with other flagship Android devices like the Samsung Galaxy SIV in terms of performance — it boasts a 1.7Ghz dual-core processor and 32GB of internal storage– but the phone’s chassis is made not from plastics but from titanium which is stronger, lighter and more expensive than steel.

Then there’s the 4.3-inch 720p display which on its own isn’t exceptional, but what does make it much better is the fact that is covered by a sheet of sapphire glass. Even its case, available in a range of not so subtle colors is cut from the finest quality calfskin. The Constellation retails for €4,900 or $6630.

Jean Paul Gaultier reveals iPhone accessories

Jean Paul Gaultier has unveiled a range of five different mobile phone and tablet accessories, working with French company Bigben connected, which already creates accessories for Kenzo and Swarovski.

All the pieces are inspired by three of the JPG brand’s key motifs: the Breton mariniere striped sweater, sailor tattoos, and the “boîte de conserve” tin can.

Priced between €19.90 and €49.90 the cases are set to hit French fashion and mobile phone stores this month, as well as Parisian concept store Colette.

At $500, you may want to nurse this martini slowly

A martini made with premium cognac, Grand Marnier, champagne and a twist of lemon is being sold for $500 in the US — but don’t worry, you get to keep the glass.

To celebrate the completion of a $1 million-renovation of their Lobby Lounge and Bar, the Ritz-Carlton St. Louis in Missouri has created a $500 martini they’ve dubbed the Grand XIII.

The luxury cocktail takes its name from the Louis XIII de Remy Martin cognac which makes up the base of the drink — a bottle of that costs more than $2,000 itself.

The beverage is served in a Waterford crystal glass that the customer can keep.

The bar at the Lobby Lounge — which offers a selection of 200 different martinis — includes flavors such as the Strawberry Fields Forever martini made with Stoli Strawberry vodka and the Gooey Butter Cake martini, a liquid version of the savory treat that native St. Louisans grow up on.

And while $500 may sound like a lot to drop on a cocktail, the martini is a steal compared to the Guinness World Record holder created by an Australian mixologist earlier this year.

The ‘Winston’ was made with 60 ml of Croizet’s 1858 Cuvee Leonie cognac, also the Guinness World Records holder as the most expensive cognac sold at auction. The drink sold for £8,583 ($12,970).

Lacoste to outfit Team France in Sochi and Rio

Lacoste has signed a deal as the official Olympic outfitter for the French teams until December 2016.

“Without style, playing and winning are not enough,” the brand’s founder (tennis champion, Olympic bronze medalist and seven-time grand slam winner) René Lacoste once said. Now the French Olympic athletes are set to get a new injection of sports-luxe style thanks to a new agreement with Lacoste.

The deal will see the cream of France’s athletes sporting the famous crocodile logo at the Youth Olympic Games, the Mediterranean Games, the World Games and the European Youth Olympic Festival.

Nonetheless the major highlights will be the Olympic and Paralympic Games of Sochi in winter 2014 and the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, set to take place in 2016. The new kit deal replaces an existing agreement with German sportswear giant Adidas.

“Inspired by the brand’s codes and sports values, the official apparel for Sochi 2014 embodies French chic and elegance,” explained Lacoste as it unveiled the firs images of the kit Tuesday. The athletes will each sport a special ceremonial outfit, an official outfit and two relaxed looks for the Olympic Village.

The tennis player founded his namesake brand in 1933, helping to revolutionize sports apparel with his lightweight and breathable piqué shirts.

Balmain creates new nail color collection

After branching out into hair care, French luxury house Balmain has added to its beauty line-up with a new set of nail colors out in Europe.

The Balmain Paris ‘Nail Couture’ product line features “the four essential nail polishes every woman should have,” according to the brand.

The red, black and nude tones (with an additional clear topcoat), were inspired by the haute couture runways of Paris and were designed to reflect the spirit of the main Balmain ready-to-wear collections.

The individual Nail Couture Nail Polish colors retail at €16.95 and you can also pick up a gift pack with all the shades for €67.80.

For now you’ll only be able to get your hands on them from select locations, including Harvey Nichols and Beauty Mart in the United Kingdom, and the collection is currently rolling out at Balmain hair care stockists in France, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Hermès Is Releasing a $11K Bicycle

The Hermès Horizons team (which usually develops luxurious interiors for cars and private jets) has created two new luxury bikes for the French fashion and accessories brand: ‘Le Flâneur d’Hermès’ (a relaxed ride for the city) and ‘Le Flâneur sportif d’Hermès’ (a sportier racing bike model).

Both bikes come in a choice of charcoal, red and white colors with bull leather saddles and grips, hydraulic brakes and superlight carbon fiber frames created by French bike company Time.

“We really want to work with people who have a very deep expertise, and wherever possible, we try to find them in France,” François Doré, head of the project, told WWD. “We set out to make a real bike, not a decorative object. It had to be simple, efficient, easy to use, pleasant and elegant,” he added.

The Hermès bikes will hit the brand’s stores in November, with the Flâneur model retailing at €8,100.

World’s most expensive wine goes on sale

A 12-liter bottle of 2009 Chateau Margaux is being touted as one of the best vintages in the winery’s history to justify its $195,000 price tag and make it the most expensive bottle of wine to be retailed.

After a little number crunching, based on the assumption that a standard bottle of wine yields five five-ounce (150 ml) glasses of wine, that works out to be a jaw-dropping US$2,437 a glass.

This marks the first time that the French winery has bottled Balthazars (12-liter bottles). Only six have been produced, three of which will be offered for sale through luxury wine merchant Le Clos, whose flagship outlet is located at the Dubai International Airport, Terminal 3. Their virtual store is open 24/7.

The Balthazar is housed in an oak case which has been raised on steel legs and the bottle itself engraved in gold by a master craftsman.

Winemakers describe the wine as having “finesse, balance and freshness” with a flavorful finish of “astonishing” length which can be aged for a century.

In addition to claiming the landmark vintage, the owner will be flown first class to France to visit the estate in Bordeaux. They will also get a private tour of its cellars and vineyard before sitting down to dinner with chateau winemaker and managing director Paul Pontallier.