from Men's Gear
Sunday, September 15, 2024
SwitchBot’s Wallet Finder Card Is Incredibly Light and Slim
from Men's Gear
Grinista’s Coffee Grinder Boasts A Built-In Scale System
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Saturday, September 14, 2024
Curate Your Gear Collection With PD EDC’s VAULT 2.0
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ACER Predator Project DualPlay: Game However Your Like
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Chinese Manufacturer AVATR Collaborates With Dior’s Kim Jones to Unveil AVATR 012
Founded in Chongqing, China in 2018 and backed by Changan Automobile and giant Chinese battery maker, CATL, AVATR Technology was built on the ethos of exploring future-oriented humanised mobility and creating an intelligent user experience. AVATR — inspired by “avatar” — aims to enable every user to create another self in an intelligent parallel world, becoming “your most emotionally intelligent companion”. Enter the AVATR 012 — a one-of-a-kind luxury automotive experience that sees the best of European fashion merge with China’s Electric Vehicle (EV) technology.
Unveiling the AVATR 012
Co-developed with Kim Jones, creative director of Dior Men and artistic director of Fendi Women’s, the AVATR 012 is a limited-edition masterpiece that represents a new era of luxury in the automotive industry. Succeeding the AVATR 011 — a collaboration with 1017 ALYX 9SM co-founder, Matthew M. Williams — the AVATR 012 also comes in limited edition models that merge high-fashion aesthetics with advanced automotive engineering. The exclusivity of this new luxury car exemplifies AVATR’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of luxury in the electric vehicle market.
AVATR’s Design Philosophy
The AVATR 012 is the physical embodiment of AVATR’s ethos to be a user-centric premium brand, where every detail is meticulously crafted to provide the ultimate futuristic luxury experience. The AVATR 012’s four-seat configuration combines long-standing craftsmanship with a futuristic design, offering a spacious and comfortable cabin enhanced by graphene heating technology for optimal health benefits. The use of sustainable Nappa vegetable-tanned leather with fine stitching throughout the interior adds to the vehicle’s luxurious feel.
Innovative technology is seamlessly integrated as the interior’s starry sky ceiling — featuring 64-colour patterns and ambient lighting — creates a romantic and customisable atmosphere while the nano water ion generator ensures a fresh and clean environment. The 21-inch forged wheels — designed with a unique hollow structure — offer both lightweight performance and a futuristic aesthetic, reflecting the vehicle’s blend of movement. The high-gloss polished finish references the liquid silver exterior colour and completes the car’s aesthetic elegance.
Kim Jones’s Inspiration
AVATR 012’s aesthetic design was heavily inspired by Kim Jones’ home. First, the car’s liquid silver exterior reflects the bold architecture of Kim Jones’ residence, showcasing a bright metallic lustre with a silky, flowing texture that exudes dynamism. Next, the interior’s colours were also inspired by Kim Jones’ architectural influences and personal design language. The luxury vehicle’s sophisticated blend of ivory-white and brown tones echoes the designer’s own living space and signature fashion pieces.
Kim Jones commented on the collaboration saying, “This is my first time working on a car — a project that challenged me to translate the luxury I’m accustomed to into automotive design. The AVATR 012 is inspired by my home, an extension of my personality, and a reflection of the lifestyle I live. This car is not just a mode of transport; it is a personal statement”.
The limited edition AVATR 012 sits at the intersection of art, fashion, and technology. The AVATR 012 is not just a car; it is the culmination of the user’s aspirations and is the harmonious blend of flowing lines, sophisticated materials, and cutting-edge technology that together create a timeless work of art.
For more on the latest in luxury automotive reads, click here.
The post Chinese Manufacturer AVATR Collaborates With Dior’s Kim Jones to Unveil AVATR 012 appeared first on LUXUO.
from LUXUO
Friday, September 13, 2024
Billionaires Who Trade and Invest in 2024
The ultra-wealthy will continue to shape the global financial landscape in 2024 through their business empires and strategic trading and investments. According to Forbes, which has been tracking billionaires and their fortunes for decades, the wealth of the world’s wealthiest people reached USD 14.2 trillion in April 2024. This represents a 14 percent increase compared to USD 12.2 trillion last year. Here’s a closer look at how billionaires trade and invest and how their strategies set trends in the financial world.
The Titans of Trading and Investing
Many of the world’s top billionaires in 2024 have amassed their fortunes by actively participating in the stock market, private equity, and even speculative investments like cryptocurrency. Figures such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Bernard Arnault own some of the world’s most valuable companies and maintain diversified portfolios that keep them on the cutting edge of global finance.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk continues to dominate the financial world in 2024 with a net worth of over $251 billion. While most of Musk’s wealth comes from his stakes in Tesla and SpaceX, he has ventured into other areas, such as social media platform X.
Musk’s trading and investment activities are hard to track as they are as unpredictable as his business ventures. He is known to make headlines with his bold, contrarian moves in the market. He has ventured into artificial intelligence, space exploration, and renewable energy sources and is on track to be the first trillionaire by 2027.
Jeff Bezos
Jeff Bezos — the founder of Amazon — has amassed a fortune of over USD 190 billion, placing him alongside Musk and Arnault at the top of the most wealthy list. Even though Bezos stepped down as CEO of Amazon in 2021, his influence in the financial world has only grown.
Bezos is a master of strategic diversification, as he expands his investments beyond e-commerce into various industries like space exploration, media, and real estate. His real estate portfolio is worth over half a billion and includes luxury properties in New York, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.
One of Bezos’s most remarkable ventures is Blue Origin, his private aerospace manufacturer. He is also heavily invested in the media industry, and the 2013 acquisition of The Washington Post was a strategic move to grow his influence in the sector.
Bernard Arnault
Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of LVMH, remains one of the wealthiest men in the world, with his wealth surpassing USD 180 billion. While much of his wealth stems from luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior, Arnault has continued growing his empire across multiple sectors by expanding his portfolio into other investment areas.
Arnault has a calculated approach to wealth management and actively invests in art, property, and tech.
Billionaire Strategies: Diversification and Long-Term Vision
A common trend among billionaires in 2024 is their use of diversification to safeguard their wealth. Warren Buffett, known as the “Oracle of Omaha,” emphasises long-term value investing through his company, Berkshire Hathaway.
Buffett’s philosophy of buying and holding high-quality stocks over the long term has paid off, with his net worth standing at USD 144.5 billion. His strategy contrasts sharply with more volatile traders like Musk, but both approaches demonstrate the importance of adapting to personal financial goals.
Diversification is also evident in the portfolios of Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google’s co-founders. These billionaires invest heavily in technology, AI, and renewable energy. They mitigate risk by spreading their wealth across various industries and regions.
How To Utilise Professional Tools To Invest Like Billionaires
Billionaires rely heavily on advanced analytics and cutting-edge tools to inform their investment decisions. They manage their wealth through a combination of personal insight and expert advisement that help them navigate complex markets. They can employ teams of analysts, leverage sophisticated technology, and take risks to get high rewards.
For most ordinary investors, this level of access might seem out of reach. However, thanks to modern trading platforms like OANDA, trading with large sums of money without worrying about financial losses is possible.
OANDA Prop Trader users have access to virtual funds that range from USD 10,000 to USD 500,000. Prop trading was traditionally reserved for large financial institutions, but firms like OANDA have democratized access and made it available to individual traders.
OANDA’s Prop Trader Challenge is structured to test traders’ ability to manage risk and generate profit. Passing this challenge unlocks access to real-time trading tools and potentially huge profit-sharing opportunities of up to 90 percent. This means that, just like billionaires who surround themselves with market experts, you, too, can gain the upper hand with data-driven insights, high-level tools, and institutional-grade market access.
Billionaires Leading the Future of Investing
In 2024, billionaires are not only amassing wealth through their businesses but are also setting the pace in global financial markets with bold, diversified investment strategies. As billionaires continue to push the boundaries of traditional and speculative investments, they remain a source of inspiration — and, at times, mystery — for aspiring investors. Their ability to leverage both advanced technology and long-term strategy offers invaluable lessons on the power of adaptation and diversification in today’s volatile financial world.
For more on the latest in business and billionaire reads, click here.
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RIMOWA Introduces Its First Aluminium Handbag
(RIMOWA)
Considering that RIMOWA has been around for more than a century now, it’s inevitable that the brand has evolved. What started out as a brand famed for pioneering aluminium and polycarbonate for use in suitcases—effectively changing the way people travel—is now a luxury lifestyle brand that still puts materiality, innovation and craftsmanship at the forefront. To mark the debut of the Original Bag, RIMOWA unveiled a new campaign starring Liu Wen, Central Cee, IB Kamara, and Larissa Hofmann to highlight the bag’s broad appeal.
RIMOWA’s biggest shift was in 2020 when it launched its first series of lifestyle bags and accessories parked under the Never Still line. The soft, canvas constructions are trimmed with nylon and leather for hardy, urban-driven solutions that extend the brand’s ethos of functional tools for a lifetime of movement beyond the travel space. Around the same time, a collaboration with Dior introduced the Personal case, which is essentially an Original suitcase shrunken into a crossbody bag or clutch, that now remains part of RIMOWA’s core offerings and has birthed a Sling Clutch iteration. And just last year, the RIMOWA Signature line was launched with sustainable regenerated nylon as its base material.
Read More: Rimowa x Tiffany & Co. Collaboration Announced for September
(RIMOWA)
(RIMOWA)
Now, four years since its evolution into lifestyle bags and accessories, RIMOWA returns to its game-changing lightweight aluminium innovation for its first unisex handbag, the Original Bag.
Read More: The RIMOWA Original Suitcase Flaunts Its Most Expressive Colour Yet — Emerald
Right off the bat, the design of the RIMOWA Original Bag is distinctively RIMOWA—the grooved design emblematic of the brand, the seamless colour-matched aesthetic, and the rounded reinforced corners. Like the Personal, you could consider it as a mini-sized Original suitcase but constructed and designed with updated functionality to adapt for its handbag use. It’s crafted in aluminium with a leather handle that’s further reinforced with an aluminium frame so that it’s both comfortable and sturdy to hold on to as a top-handle bag. A branded webbing strap is included for added versatility so that it can be used as a shoulder bag or a crossbody bag.
(RIMOWA)
(RIMOWA)
Because the Original suitcases’ locking mechanism wouldn’t make complete sense to be adapted for a handbag (imagine having to fiddle with two clamps every few minutes), RIMOWA devised a new button mechanism that facilitates easy opening and closing of the Original Bag. And if you’re familiar with the Original suitcases’ handles that snap down flat with that rather satisfying clack, the same mechanism would be a potential annoyance for something that you’d reach for far often than a suitcase. The top handle on the RIMOWA Original Bag stays upright so you’re able to grab it and go with ease, but it can also lay flat for a more sleek silhouette when not carried as a handbag. All very clearly thoughtfully crafted.
Read More: In This Lifetime with RIMOWA
(RIMOWA)
The interior of the Original Bag is fully lined with Italian-made leather with a roomy compartment. Considered touches include a zipped pocket as well as slots for cards; there’s ample space for all that you’d need on the daily to go about your way.
(RIMOWA)
(RIMOWA)
This is a new chapter for RIMOWA and the Original Bag is most certainly just the beginning. You could say that this new design is a longtime coming but as they say, good things come to those who wait. And, boy, isn’t this a good one.
Read More: Rimowa and Louis Vuitton revolutionise the future of travel essentials
The RIMOWA Original Bag in Silver and Black is now available at RIMOWA stores as well as online.
This article was first seen on Esquire.Sg.
For more on the latest in fashion and style reads, click here.
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Thursday, September 12, 2024
Parker’s Heritage Collection 18th Edition: A Cognac Infusion
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Elevating Your Lifestyle with Online Mystery Boxes: A Luxurious Adventure
Have you ever dreamed of adding a touch of luxury to your life without breaking the bank? Here is a fun way to do just that: online mystery boxes. These digital treasure chests are revolutionizing how we experience high-end products and exclusive items. Let me take you on a journey through the world of luxury online mystery boxes.
Imagine opening a beautifully packaged box filled with carefully curated, premium items personalized to your tastes. It’s like having a personal shopper who knows exactly what you want, with the added excitement of surprise.
Here’s why online mystery boxes are becoming a go-to for luxury enthusiasts:
Exclusivity: Many boxes feature limited edition items you can’t find elsewhere.
Value: Often, the contents are worth more than what you pay for the box.
Variety: From fashion to tech gadgets, there’s a box for every interest.
Excitement: The element of surprise adds a rush to your shopping experience.
Customisation: Many services offer personalized boxes based on your preferences.
I’ve tried several mystery box services, and I can’t get enough of the anticipation. It’s like celebrating your birthday every time a package arrives. Plus, it’s a great way to discover new brands and products you might have overlooked.
If you’re ready to dip your toes into this luxurious world, I recommend starting with a reputable website like Cases.gg. Do your research, read reviews, and choose a company that aligns with your style and budget.
Remember, the key to enjoying online mystery boxes is to approach them with an open mind. You might not love every item, but that’s part of the adventure. Who knows? You might discover your new favorite designer or gadget.
Ready to elevate your lifestyle? Give online mystery boxes a try. It’s a fun, exciting way to treat yourself to a taste of luxury without the hefty price tag.
Trust me, once you start, you’ll be hooked on the thrill of unboxing these luxurious surprises.
For more on the latest in tech gadgets and lifestyle reads, click here.
The post Elevating Your Lifestyle with Online Mystery Boxes: A Luxurious Adventure appeared first on LUXUO.
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When Horological Imitation is Criminal
When Bill Clinton’s strategist James Caville was asked what mattered most to the forthcoming election campaign, he coined a phrase that would enter the political lexicon: “It’s the economy, stupid”. So anyone who might ask why people buy counterfeit watches might similarly reply: “It’s the price, stupid”.
The fact that demand is high – some 40 million fakes are circulated every year, according to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, and that is around 25 percent more than the Swiss industry produces – might well point to this fact. Indeed, watches are among the most counterfeited products, representing around 30 percent of all counterfeit goods. Why else would anyone buy a fake, if it was not for the fact that the ‘real thing’ was – relatively speaking, and for all sorts of reasons – so expensive?
If only the world of counterfeit watches was so simple. Xuemei Ban, professor of marketing at Northumbria University, UK, who has made a study of the psychology of buying counterfeits, points to some rather unexpected findings of her research. “Of course people would be much less willing to buy a counterfeit watch for the design alone, if it wasn’t a matter of [buying into a status] brand,” she says. But, she adds, the big picture is far more complicated than consideration of fakes has, to date, really given credit for.
Looking the Part
Take fun, for example, Yes, fun. Counterfeit watches have entertainment value akin to fast ‘disposable’ fashion, also known for ‘ripping off’ more expensive designer styles. “In terms of its function a counterfeit may not be as good as the original, yet it still serves a purpose [in that it still tells the time] and lasts long enough to make economic sense,” she says. “It’s like buying a fake Manchester United shirt. For the few times you’re going to wear it, the fake works”.
What is yet more counter-intuitive, her studies suggest, is that counterfeit watches are bought by even those consumers who can afford to buy the real thing. It is, for them, a different way to interact with the brand: they might wear their genuine watch in some circumstances and the fake in others. And, since they invariably look the part, nobody questions whether what they’re wearing is real or fake anyway.
“Wearing a counterfeit gives them a certain satisfaction,” Ban explains. “It’s not just that there’s little risk of [a fall in social standing] for them to wear a counterfeit. It’s that in doing so it cuts against social norms, and there’s enjoyment in that for them. There’s a sense of naughtiness to it all. It appeals to their dark side”. It is, she says, a hard thing for the high-end watch manufacturers to get their heads around: “that there’s a willingness to buy counterfeit watches even among their target audience. They need to admit that to themselves,” she insists. “Denying [the nature of] demand isn’t going to help them tackle the problem. Telling people ‘stop buying counterfeits’ won’t work”.
Willing Accomplices
This is just one of the stranger twists in human psychology behind the ceaseless growth in the market for counterfeit watches. According to Professor Andre Le Roux, of the University of Poitiers’s Institute of Business Administration, who has co-authored several papers on consumer behaviour relating to counterfeits, appealing to the possible financial impact on legitimate watch manufacturers’ bottom lines just is not convincing, not least because – while it certainly happens – it is not clear how many people buy a fake believing it to be the real thing.
Certainly a finer appreciation for the damage to brand reputation – and for many of the big players of the watch industry, the cost of building and maintaining a brand outweighs that of actually making products – is typically one only CEOs and marketing directors properly appreciate.
“Many consumers are ready to buy some form of counterfeit, depending on the product [and its potential harms to themselves] – a t-shirt like a Lacoste polo, say, but not a chemical [or cosmetics or sunglasses],” explains Le Roux. “And most people who buy counterfeits are accomplices of the counterfeiters – they’re ready to buy a counterfeit and, based on the suspiciously ‘good deal’ they’re offered, it’s pretty obvious to them what they’re buying”.
Not a Victimless Crime
The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry speaks of counterfeiting’s negative impact on employment and revenue – to the tune of EUR 1.9bn annually – across the legitimate industry, through Le Roux is sceptical of the idea that, if only it was not for the counterfeit option, consumers would necessarily buy the genuine article. “Yes, people may, in the abstract, feel bad for the company [making the genuine product]. They may know it’s bad for the economy or might cost jobs. But, frankly, they don’t care,” he says.
Besides, in an age that has more than a tinge of anti-capitalist fervour about it, protecting profits or intellectual property or even reputation is hardly a winning argument, even if all three brand properties are in fact damaged by counterfeiting. Rather, his research shows that, for a minority of consumers, there is even a militant incentive to buying a counterfeit: “It’s a way to express an opposition to the brand [as symbolic of corporate power], a form of retaliation against a brand perceived as ripping the consumer off,” he says. “These consumers want you to know they’re wearing a counterfeit watch. That’s the point. Really, if they’re going to tackle counterfeiting, companies need a much deeper appreciation of the way consumers think”.
Might then, an appeal to a broader morality work in dissuading the purchase of counterfeit watches? Over recent years, the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry has placed more emphasis on the criminal aspect of counterfeiting – less the fakery itself, so much as the trade being a front for the kind of crimes that, one might imagine, are likely to be taken more seriously by the public. A recent Europol report, for example, concluded that 80 percent of criminal networks the counterfeiting of various products as a means for laundering money; that – and this might read more as a scare tactic – the online purchase of counterfeits is often a front for the stealing of credit card details.
Increased Sophistication
Yet Le Roux’s studies suggest that most consumers of counterfeiters are not conscious of the potential legal penalties facing themselves – in most countries buying a counterfeit watch is, technically, illegal – let alone the wider ramifications for society. And Ban agrees: “We [and others] have done a number of projects about whether ethics affects purchase decisions regarding counterfeits and pretty much all the literature aligns: moral considerations don’t have a significant role”.
Maybe these consumers are just insufficiently informed. “Not enough people are aware of [these negative aspects of watch counterfeiting],” concedes Carole Aubert, head of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry’s legal division, “and we need to do a lot more work on [correcting] that. On the one hand there is growing awareness among authorities and consumers that it’s not a victimless crime. On the other hand [is the challenge that] counterfeiting is that much more sophisticated now, both in terms of product and distribution”.
Certainly, the watch counterfeiting market has gone through a sea-change in recent years. As Aubert puts it, the Internet – and latterly social media – has meant that there are “no barriers [to purchase]. It’s not a question of going to marketplaces in tourist destinations anymore.” As Xuemei Ban adds, sales of counterfeit watches have long skewed towards less well-regulated markets where counterfeits have been more readily available; now it is tipping towards those nations – wealthier nations, it is worth noting – where, historically, picking up a counterfeit has not been so easy. Ironically, it is in those countries where counterfeits look to be proving more desirable too.
Rise of the Super-Fake
But then there is also the rise of the so-called “super-fake”. Counterfeit watches are increasingly made using the latest CNC and 3D printing technology on advanced factory lines – mostly in East Asia – and sometimes by those involved in the manufacture of parts for the legitimate watch industry.
Certainly, in “de-localising” production so extensively, Le Roux argues, some watch manufacturers might be held liable for the development of counterfeiting – “because in many cases now the sub-contractor is the counterfeiter. There’s ‘ghost production’ going on alongside the legitimate production”. Even if said sub-contractors may not make the whole watch, co-ordinate
orders for components from enough of them and you have the makings of a decent watch and, perhaps just as importantly, a convincing counterfeit. Pre-owned watch dealer Watchfinder & Co. noted in a report last year that five years ago, 80 percent of counterfeit watches sent into its stores were easily identified as fake, with 20 percent needing closer inspection. Now those figures have been reversed.
Fabrice Gueroux, author of ‘Real & Fake Watches’ and an independent authenticator for many heavyweight collectors, is not surprised. In part, this is, he laments, down to a decline in the quality of some Swiss-made watches – such that, he says, the standard of their counterfeits is sometimes superior. But it is also because, as with any other industry, increased competition among makers of counterfeits – once, he says, dominated by just five mega-facilities in China – has pushed quality up.
Why Pay More?
“You can sometimes close your eyes and hold a counterfeit in your hands and there’s something that doesn’t feel right about it, but [the challenge is that] you need deep knowledge of the genuine watch for that and, of course, that’s what most people don’t have,” he explains. “With enough time even the best fake shows itself, and the very best ones have put in the extra time on the paintwork, the fonts, the bracelet. But even I’m surprised by just how good a counterfeit can now be”.
The effect of this is two-fold. Gueroux explains that, as more of these super-fakes enter the open market and then get passed around the booming secondary market, it only takes one unscrupulous seller pricing their fake cleverly in order to deceive – as a great deal but not such a bargain as to suggest anything dubious – for subsequent owners to assume the piece is genuine from then on. Consequently, it is likely the future will see more people buying a fake without knowing it is a fake. Even the seller will not know.
And Le Roux adds that the improving quality of counterfeits only underscores this whole issue as being one of consumer psychology: if quality was a key reason for buying the real thing, as the gap between the fake and the genuine article narrows – not at the microscopic level perhaps, nor that of the most advanced research and development, but for all that the average consumer, or their peers, can tell – the incentive to pay more also diminishes, at least for all but the true horolophiles.
Arms Race
Perhaps the only means for watch brands to beat counterfeiters – “to create a firewall against it,” Le Roux suggests – is for manufacturers to make their products even more advanced in terms of craft and technology, “but of course always being able to offer some unique product advantage is not at all easy.” And then there is the ongoing parallel arms race of anti-counterfeiting measures the likes of engravings, serial numbers and holograms, all, eventually, convincingly copied too. “You see [the manufacturers] spending a lot of money on anti-counterfeiting tech but it’s all BS,” reckons an uncompromising Gueroux. “The fact is they can’t keep up [with counterfeiters’ capabilities]”.
Besides, those true horolophiles are a minority among even those consumers interested in a ‘good’ watch. “If buying a counterfeit can be interpreted as a kind of wisdom – you are buying the image of a brand without the cost of their product – then, obviously, [given counterfeit’s advance in quality too] why would consumers then pay many times more for the ‘real thing’?” Le Roux asks, rhetorically.
That question, he stresses, is going to be especially resonant in those developing markets that want the consumer trappings of developed markets now – “to show that they’re in the trend of development” – without the incomes to buy them. Around 30 to 40 percent of such consumers search for counterfeits, according to one study. And often that is not even about trying to buy into a status brand on the cheap: in many markets, counterfeits serve a basic need at a price that is cheaper than even mass-market, entry-level watch brands sell at. “The counterfeit watch market isn’t just about wanting to wear a Rolex,” Ban stresses.
Final Battleground
But, perhaps in time, the brand on a watch dial will come to have less resonance. Take the growing prevalence of the ‘homage’ or replica watch – one which capitalises on the distinctive look of a certain model, but often remains brand-free, and is typically openly marketed as a version ‘inspired by’ the well- known original; one which also demonstrates just how quickly the counterfeit industry is now able to respond to the new fashionability of a watch model, even one from a micro-brand not well known among watch fans.
This echoes a similar shift in the furniture market. Excellent replicas of classic furniture designs are undisguisedly sold as “Eames-style” or “Bertoia-style”, despite – arguably – a cost to the holder of the official license to manufacture the designs. They are bought too with zero moral qualms.
Aubert argues that, legally, the situation is different: it varies from country to country, but furniture is typically protected by copyright, and copyright eventually expires. A watch design, in contrast, is not considered an ‘artistic work’ – though maybe it
should be – and so is not copyrightable. But the comparison is perhaps indicative of where the watch world may be heading in decades to come, especially as sales of counterfeits show no sign of decline: towards acceptance, however reluctant, of a parallel market that provides a cheaper alternative for those who want it. Those who want the genuine article – maybe simply because it is the genuine article – will buy it and take satisfaction accordingly.
This also speaks to what may be the last battleground on which the real and counterfeit can face off. Further academic studies suggest even if fake and genuine items are virtually indistinguishable, for some consumers the counterfeit choice nonetheless remains a primer for self-doubt, and increasingly so in a culture that is said to value authenticity. It is a concern particularly prevalent among younger consumers and, “since they’re key to the future of our clients”, says Aubert, is something the Federation is leaning into. Not for nothing did the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie base its anti-counterfeiting campaign of a few years ago around the statement “Fake Watches are for Fake People”.
Tarnishing Everyone
What Le Roux calls “social image” – how buying a counterfeit changes the assessment of a consumer in the eyes of their peers – remains a factor. More intriguing perhaps is what it says to the consumer about themselves. According to research by Moty Amar, professor of marketing at Ono Academic School in Israel, the buying of counterfeits can still have an element of what is called “moral disgust” to it. This negatively affects both the use of the counterfeit watch – owners struggle to escape feeling somewhat ambivalent about it – but, more problematically for watch manufactures, impressions of the genuine article too: it makes the real thing feel like a counterfeit itself.
Therein, arguably, lies the real problem with counterfeit watches. It is less to do with deceived consumers, lost sales, or the undoubted annoyance of the fakers free-riding the value created in brands over many years – and let us not overlook the fact that watch manufacturers are not above producing their own close versions of other companies’ more iconic designs either. Rather, it is more to do with the way counterfeits tarnish the whole enterprise of watchmaking, at least for those brands powerful enough to warrant copying in the first place.
And that, Gueroux points out, brings us back to square one, which is the conundrum for all high-end brands, almost by definition: that they have created a desirability that not everyone can access legitimately. And, in the case of watches it seems, that some do not even want to access legitimately. It’s a sorry conclusion, he admits, but people are people. And, as such, counterfeiting “is a battle the manufacturers can’t win”.
This article first appeared on WOW’s Summer 2024 issue.
For more on the latest in watch reads, click here.
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Wednesday, September 11, 2024
LIVALL PikaBoost 2: A Sleek Yet Potent E-Bike Conversion Kit
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Sony Officially Reveals PlayStation 5 Pro And Holiday Launch
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Sanlorenzo Navigates Success: Financial Gains and Green Goals in H1 2024
Massimo Perotti, Sanlorenzo’s Executive Chairman and CEO presented financial results for the first half of 2024 at the annual press conference held during the Cannes Yachting Festival.
The company posted robust financial results for the period:
Net Revenues: EUR 415.1 million from new yacht sales, a 6.9 percent increase from last year
EBITDA: Reached EUR 74.2 million, growing by 9.7 percent
Net Profit: Climbed to EUR 43.6 million, up 11.6 percent
Perotti outlined how Sanlorenzo has boosted its investments significantly. Net organic investments hit EUR 20.5 million in H1 2024, a 56 percent rise from the previous year. Nearly 90 percent of the funds are aimed at expanding production capabilities and innovating new yacht models.
It’s a strategic foresight meant to ensure Sanlorenzo remains at the forefront of yacht design and manufacturing.
Sailing Towards Sustainability
Recreational boating currently contributes about 0.22 percent of maritime greenhouse gas emissions, but Sanlorenzo is set on charting its own course towards sustainability, ambitiously aiming to deliver the first carbon-neutral-powered yacht by 2030.
Its “Road to 2030” strategic plan places sustainability and innovation at the core of the company’s growth mission. The company has made strides to meet this plan’s targets by entering into strategic agreements with global leaders in energy and propulsion production. Names include Volvo Penta, Siemens Energy, and Rolls-Royce Solution GmbH – Global Marine (MTU).
Other milestone moments for Sanlorenzo sustainability this year included delivering the first unit of the 50Steel, the world’s first superyacht equipped with a green methanol Reformer FuelCell system – developed in collaboration with Siemens Energy – and launching the first chase boat powered by zero-emissions hydrogen.
The BGH-HSV (Hydrogen Support Vessel) is supporting team American Magic and the French Orient Express Racing Team in the 37th America’s Cup.
Hydrogen as a propulsion system remains quite the novelty within the yachting industry.
Strategic Expansions: Acquiring Nautor Swan
The company also made ripples when it acquired Nautor Swan, the group known for its luxury sailing yachts and high-end motoryachts, in August of this year, with the aim of creating a “unique global yachting hub,” that combines the best of motor- and sail yachting.
Nautor is active in the design, construction, sale and refit of luxury sailing yachts under the Swan, Maxi Swan, and ClubSwan brands, as well as motoryachts under the Shadow and Arrow brands, and is setting Sanlorenzo up to better serve an ultra-exclusive niche.
Sanlorenzo’s Shows Strong Cannes line-up
Aside from the update, Sanlorenzo is at Cannes to unveil two new models in world premieres, the SL86A and SP92, alongside some of the most representative yachts from Sanlorenzo’s various lines, including SP110, SL96A and SL120A.
The SL86A reimagines asymmetry in yacht design, boasting a full-beam master suite on the main deck and an expanded saloon. Its innovative port-side deck configuration maximises interior space without compromising elegance.
Meanwhile, the SP92 pushes the boundaries of performance and style. This Smart Performance vessel combines cutting-edge technology with Sanlorenzo’s signature minimalist aesthetic, featuring a customizable 45sqm beach area.
Meanwhile, Sanlorenzo’s sister brand Bluegame will showcase the BGM75 multihull along with four other models. The new multihull features an ultra-efficient hull from Philippe Briand, a world-renowned expert in performance hulls. The catamaran also offers a reduced length-to-width ratio, which features a lower deck layout with four cabins and a full-beam owner’s cabin. It will appear alongside the brand’s flagship models, BG74, BGX63, BG54, and BG42.
sanlorenzoyacht.com
simpsonmarine.com
This article was first seen on YachtStyle.co
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from LUXUO
Redodo Launches New 12V 100Ah Group 24 Bluetooth Battery for Real-Time Monitoring
With the increasing popularity of RV travel and off-grid living, having a high-quality battery to store and distribute that energy is more important than ever. Imagine this, after several hours or even a dozen hours of driving, you finally arrive at a beautiful camping place. Just when you get ready to enjoy the breathtaking scenery, your RV battery dies, and you have to end this exciting journey early.
But now, you can address such worries perfectly with the latest Redodo 12V 100Ah Group 24 Smart Bluetooth Battery. The lithium battery is equipped with advanced Bluetooth technology, a lightweight design, and unmatched performance, allowing you to monitor battery capacity in real-time, and putting an end to your power anxiety during adventures.
For outdoor enthusiasts, the Redodo 12V 100Ah Group 24 Smart Bluetooth Battery is emerging as a revolutionary power solution in RVs, boats, and solar systems. Let’s dive into why this battery is the perfect choice for modern adventurers and energy enthusiasts alike.
Why Choose Redodo Group 24 Bluetooth Lithium Battery?
Smart Bluetooth 5.0 for Real-time Monitoring
The Redodo 12V 100Ah Group 24 Battery features Smart Bluetooth 5.0 technology, allowing you to monitor battery status in real time from your smartphone. Through the Redodo app, you can access crucial information such as SOC (state of charge), capacity, cycle count, voltage, and current, which alerts you to the remaining capacity, ensuring your battery always has power and keeps optimal performance. This functionality is invaluable for outdoor enthusiasts, RV travelers, boat owners, and anyone relying on a consistent power supply, as it helps them avoid unexpected power outages and maintain optimal battery performance. The app also offers remote control of discharge and power-off functions for maximum convenience.
BCI Group 24 Compatibility
The Redodo 12V 100Ah Bluetooth Battery meets BCI Group 24 standards. Its versatile design also allows it to fit into Group 27 and Group 31 battery packs, making it an ideal replacement for traditional lead-acid batteries in a wide range of applications. Whether you’re upgrading your RV, boat, or off-grid system, this battery ensures a perfect fit every time.
Lightweight & High Energy
At just 21.8 lbs, the Redodo 12V 100Ah Group 24 Bluetooth Battery is a game-changer for users who need both efficiency and convenience. Being 65 percent lighter than traditional 12V 100Ah AGM batteries, it significantly reduces the weight load on their vehicles and setups. This lighter design means you can easily install and transport the battery without hassle, focusing on your adventures rather than worrying about heavy, cumbersome equipment. Despite its light weight, it still delivers a high-energy output, ensuring that you have reliable power for all your needs, from camping trips to off-grid living.
Top EV-grade Battery Cells
Built with top-quality EV-grade LiFePO4 cells, the Redodo Group 24 Bluetooth Battery delivers exceptional performance and extended lifespan. With over 4000 cycles at 100% depth of discharge (DOD), this battery offers a decade of reliable use. Compared to traditional lead-acid batteries, which only last 2-3 years and have a 50 percent DOD or less, the LiFePO4 battery provides a much better value for your investment.
BMS with Low-temp Protection
Safety is at the forefront of Redodo’s design philosophy, and the Group 24 Bluetooth Battery is no exception. Equipped with a robust Battery Management System (BMS), this battery offers comprehensive protection against overcharge, over-discharge, short circuits, overcurrent, and overheating. Additionally, the low-temp cutoff feature automatically stops charging below 32°F, ensuring the battery’s safety and prolonging its cycle life.
Scalable Power Solutions
For RV owners who frequently embark on extended trips and homeowners who rely on off-grid systems, the Redodo Group 24 Bluetooth Battery offers scalable power solutions and unmatched flexibility. It can be easily expanded by connecting in parallel and series configurations (4P/4S/4P4S), offering a maximum energy capacity of 20.48kWh. This scalability makes it perfect for larger setups and home systems, powering an entire off-grid home or needing extra power for extended camping trips.
Versatile Applications
The Redodo 12V 100Ah Group 24 Bluetooth Battery is designed to excel in a variety of applications. It is perfect for RVs, camping, off-grid setups, trolling motors, and home solar energy storage. Whether you’re exploring the great outdoors or seeking a dependable energy solution for your home, this battery provides the power and reliability you need. It ensures you are always prepared and never held back by power limitations, and explore the great outdoors with confidence.
Redodo: Outdoor LiFePO4 Lithium Battery Brand
Redodo is an advanced brand specialising in LiFePO4 lithium batteries for outdoor adventures, aiming to provide efficient and cost-effective outdoor energy solutions while ensuring a great user experience. Driven by a passion for innovation, Redodo always adopts advanced electronics technology, rigorous manufacturing process, and reliable safety features to power your adventures.
The Redodo batteries meet the highest standards of quality and safety in the lithium battery industry, undergo rigorous testing, and meet a wide range of certifications, including UL1973, FCC, CE, RoHS, and UN38.3. Additionally, Redodo has also been recognized by the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC), ensuring the batteries are safe and reliable for marine.
For those who love outdoor adventures—whether it’s camping in remote areas, sailing across open waters, or living off the grid—Redodo batteries offer unmatched reliability and performance. These batteries are designed to withstand various outdoor conditions and provide stable power, ensuring that you can confidently rely on their energy supply.
Conclusion: Upgrade Your Outdoors Power Now
When it comes to outdoor adventures, having a reliable source of power is essential. From providing energy for lighting and appliances in your RV, powering your boat on the lake, to keeping your home solar power running smoothly, the Redodo 12V 100Ah Group 24 Bluetooth Lithium Battery can make all the difference in your outdoor experience. Combining the advanced Bluetooth technology, lightweight design, and robust BMS performance, this battery provides you with stable and reliable power, no matter where your journey takes you.
Don’t let power limitations hold you back from exploring the great outdoors. Visit their website redodopower.com and upgrade to Redodo 12V 100Ah Group 24 Bluetooth Battery today!
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from LUXUO
Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Apple ‘Glowtime’ Event: New Hardware Coming Our Way
from Men's Gear
The Traditional Turkish Ingredient Driving Luxury Fragrances
Rose oil and rose extract are widely used ingredients in the beauty industry and are known for having excellent healing properties and the timeless scent it brings to floral perfumes. Most of the world’s rose oil originates from the regions of Bulgaria, Turkey and Morocco, with Turkish rose being the most versatile and making up to 65% of the world’s rose oil production as per The Global Times.
The Turkish rose harvesting tradition dates back to over 150 years ago with the Turkish Southern province of Isparta, as the centre of the gathering ritual — also known as “the land of roses”. The cultivation of Rosa Damascena — commonly known as the Damask Rose — is deeply rooted in Turkish history and culture, having been established as a trademark of the region. The harvesting process is a major source of income for families in the region and is widely used as a symbol of love, beauty and passion in Turkish literature.
Read more: Maison 21G Launches Three New Mediterranean-Inspired Blends
The Damask Rose was brought to Isparta from Greece, becoming an essential crop due to the region’s ideal climate and soil conditions. The region’s mountainous terrain and moderate climate create perfect conditions for growing highly fragrant roses, used to power some of the world’s finest fragrances and beauty products. Aside from the distinct full-bodied scent it adds to fragrances, Turkish rose oil is widely known to boast a variety of benefits — from therapeutic aromatherapy for cognitive ailments to the anti-ageing, antimicrobial and healing benefits. Due to these factors, Isparta has cemented itself as a major player in the international rose trade, with growing global demand. LUXUO explores the traditional harvesting rituals and global impact of the Turkish Rose, an enduring ingredient in the beauty industry.
The Harvesting Process
The harvesting process of the Turkish rose is a highly tedious and risky feat due to the fragility of the product and time restraints. Harvesting hours commence in the early morning hours at around 4 a.m. and conclude shortly after at around 10 a.m. This is due to the florals bringing their peak freshness and fragrance within this period when temperatures are cool and air is humid. The timing of the harvest is highly critical as these essential oils are most concentrated in the petals in the early mornings from May to June. The timely fashion of the harvest — while limited — ensures the freshness, efficacy and quality of the product. Rose petals are highly delicate and fragile, if damaged have potential implications on the result of rose oil in quality, concentration and yield. Hence, while tedious and time-consuming, all rose harvesting is done manually, with each flower hand-picked which requires skill and speed to assure both quality and quantity.
The annual harvest is regarded to be a cultural event for locals, with a joint effort by the community with each family member contributing to ensure the skills are passed down to future generations. Rose harvesting is more than just an economic activity, it is a cultural practice that reinforces community bonds and preserves local traditions. Elders in the community pass down the techniques and rituals associated with rose harvesting to coming generations, ensuring the continuation and purity of the century-old tradition. Additionally, the season is celebrated with annual festivals in Isparta, which include parades, traditional music, dancing, and exhibitions. The Isparta Rose Festival is an important event that attracts both locals and tourists, celebrating the region’s cultural heritage and allowing economic growth in the region brought by an influx of tourism.
Read more: 8 Independent Brands Shaping the Beauty Industry
Turkish Rose in Fragrances
Turkish Rose oil is a highly beneficial ingredient when infused into beauty products and can be seen most frequently in fragrances. The most common use of Turkish roses in mass markets is in scenting perfumes with distinct well-rounded floral notes. It has become indispensable in the world of perfumery due to the ability to lend a fragrance a deeply layered note that is described to possess the scent of florals combined with honey, spice and fruit. When sniffed, the olfactory senses are met with a scent that is powerful and full-bodied yet maintains a slight air of lightness, with a high concentration of citronella. The scent of rose oil is also known for its calming and stress-relief effects, often used in aromatherapy to alleviate stress, anxiety, and depression. The aroma can promote feelings of relaxation and emotional well-being, making it a popular choice in spa treatments, wellness products and perfumes.
Read more: Where Food Meets Fragrance: 7 Gourmand Perfumes of 2024
Turkish rose notes are usually found in spicier scents that are usually categorised as a gourmand or a classic fruity-floral fragrance. The scent of Turkish rose is used to add a sense of luxury, romance and comfort. Given that a rose is often thought of as “the flower of love”, the rich scent highlights an element of deepness and passion when paired with woody notes and elements of femininity when paired with fruity notes. The versatile ingredient can be found in some of the beauty industry’s most popular perfumes, these are some examples of fragrances containing Turkish Rose:
Global Impacts and Potential Impeding Factors
Alongside Bulgaria and Morocco, Turkey is one of the three leading global suppliers and holds a sizeable portion of the international rose trade. The is a highly sought after ingredient in the perfume industry for its rich and complex scent profile. It contributes to the luxury status and multi-dimensional characteristics of many perfumes, often being a key ingredient in high-end brands like Maison Francis Kurkdjian and Parfums de Marly. This demand has led to premium pricing, benefiting hardworking Turkish rose farmers and contributing to the economic well-being of regions where it is cultivated and nurtured.
Key markets including China, the United States and Japan are driving a surge in the demand for Turkish rose in fragrances and other beauty products due to a booming interest in the medicinal and aromatherapy benefits. Turkish rose also has long history of cultivation and use in perfumery, dating back centuries, contributing to the reputation of efficient and abundant harvests. This historical and cultural connection adds value and allure to perfumes that feature it, enhancing their marketing appeal. Hence, Turkish rose specifically, is poised to have large growth potential due to Turkey’s proficiency in farming and harvesting, the impeccable quality of the product and cultural significance.
On the other hand, despite growing demand, environmental and socio-economic factors might impede the market share of the Turkish rose in the international rose trade. In this day and age, as climates become more extreme, Turkish rose harvests are extremely likely to suffer environmental implications that will lessen yearly yield. This is because Turkish roses require specific climatic conditions to thrive — climate changes pose a significant threat to their cultivation, potentially leading to reduced yields or the need for costly adaptations in farming practices.
Additionally, economic downturns and ever-changing consumer preferences can lead to fluctuations in demand for luxury perfumes, directly affecting the demand for Turkish rose. The industry’s dependence on global markets makes it extremely vulnerable to such changes not within control. Despite the cultural significance of the harvesting season, consumers have become significantly more cautious when it comes to traceability and ethical issues. Hence, any negative perceptions or news regarding labour practices or environmental impact on Turkish rose production could harm its marketability and global demand — this may include the use of child labour and wage disparities.
Read more: Why K-Beauty is Here to Stay in the Coming Years
In conclusion, the Turkish rose industry is poised for growth and attractive prospects due to cultural significance, high quality, distinct scent profile and economic impact on local communities. Turkish rose also boasts enduring qualities, as rose oil and extracts are key components used in beauty products for the timeless scent. However, there are potential factors at risk of impeding or negatively affecting the success of Turkish rose suppliers. To maintain its market position and ensure long-term success, the industry must focus on sustainable cultivation, ethical work conditions and adapting to both environmental changes and shifting consumer preferences. With the right strategies, the Turkish rose can continue to flourish as a cornerstone of luxury perfumery.
For more on the latest in beauty reads, click here.
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