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A Historical Villa in Florence is Looking For New Owners
Hunting for a quaint home situated in Florence’s hills in Italy? Then look no further.
Villa Poggio Imperiale, Florence. Image: Lionard.com
This historic villa is located on the lovely hills that provide peace and quiet in Florence’s exclusive Poggio Imperiale neighbourhood, close to the Medici Villa and only 4 miles from Florence’s International School.
This 600 sqm majestic mansion, which dates to the 15th century, was formerly a sizable convent. The villa was later internally divided into multiple pieces as the residential purpose replaced the religious one throughout the years. The building’s renovation has made it possible to keep the majority of its original characteristics, including some lovely vaulted ceilings, stone fireplaces, and murals that were kept and restored where appropriate and were motivated by the Buontalenti-designed exterior fountain.
There are three levels to this charming estate. Three huge light-filled rooms make up the large living area on the ground floor. The laundry room and additional bathroom are located at one end. The stairs, the kitchen with a pantry, and the dining room with a door leading to the garden are all located on the other side of the structure.
One can descend the stairs and enter the villa’s former cellars, which have been transformed into a private gym with a guest bedroom and en-suite toilet. The basement rooms have some distinctive vaults in exposed brickwork that help us identify the rooms’ former usage as cellars and stores.
Halfway up the staircase from the ground floor, you enter the bedroom with a separate bathroom. As one continues, one will eventually reach the first floor, which is distinguished by more opulent and magnificent chambers. The corridor opens to a living area with a fireplace on one side and a bedroom with a private bathroom and walk-in closet on the other. From there, one can proceed down a hallway to the master bedroom, which has a spacious en-suite bathroom and a separate walk-in closet. We can also ascend a staircase from the living room to the attic, which has the final bedroom with a bathroom and walk-in closet.
A wonderful designer swimming pool and a perfectly maintained private garden measuring 2,500 sqm are included in this beautiful house. You can cool yourself in the pool or unwind next to it in the sunbathing area. The fountain that Bernardo Buontalenti built in the 1580s in the enchanted garden still stands, surrounded by two marble busts and modelled after Roman nymphaeums.
An elevator and a parking area with four places round out this elegant estate. This opulent house is ideal for fully enjoying absolute seclusion and tranquillity while allowing yourself to be carried away by the grandeur of Florentine history because of its prime location just a few kilometres from the city’s most important historical landmarks. With its bucolic landscapes and hilly elevation, this villa in Florence sums up the best in living the life of a retired pop star. The home provides all the amenities to keep fit, reap nature’s bounty, and enjoy life.
For more property reads, click here.
The post A Historical Villa in Florence is Looking For New Owners appeared first on LUXUO.
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Catch: An 87-Foot Sportsfisher Revamped By The Original Shipyard
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Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II “Lefty”
As we await the debut of new Rolex watches, we look back on one novelty we have not covered extensively: the Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II “Lefty”. Colloquially called everything from the aforementioned Lefty to Southpaw, the nicknames all revolve around every variation of left-handed that you can think of, for obvious reasons. Typically, watchmakers put crowns on the left side of the case, or at the 3 o’clock position, to be more precise; this is meant as recognition that most people are right-handed and will handle the crown with their right hands.
When the crown gets moved to the 9 o’clock position, it is then known (confusingly) as a left-hander, because it is meant for left-handed people, who will wear their watches on their right hands. When this new variant of the Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II reference 126720VTN debuted, it was maddening because Rolex did not give it a special name — how in the world were we to address it and immediately identify it?
Of course, popular Rolex models all receive nicknames, sparing us the ordeal of getting the reference number right every single time. We call it the Lefty, and it not only features a crown in that 9 o’clock position, but the date too. Other new introductions here, as noted in our Watches and Wonders Geneva 2022 highlights story, include the green and black combination for the Cerachrom bezel (the characteristics of the bezel insert remain the same) and the green GMT hand. To our knowledge, Rolex has never used a green GMT hand so this will be of special note for collectors. Of those green elements, both look identical — it is the same green as used in the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner variant.
Beneath the black dial (no change in specifications here from existing variants), there is more to discover. As has been noted too many times to cite, Rolex has introduced a new calibre here: the automatic calibre 3285. This is mainly in recognition of the fact that the keyless works and the date train have to move, given the characteristics of the Lefty; we imagine that the motion works (that is what moves the hour, GMT, minute and second hands) might have some minor changes as well, or at least how the motion works engages the date train.
The above is a lot for Rolex to introduce in a movement that is basically just a variation on an existing engine. The GMT-Master II works the same way all GMT-Master II watches work. However, along with the altered user-experience and unique aesthetics, the calibre changes here will definitely make this a classic in the years to come. We already cast our vote for the Lefty as the most unexpected Rolex novelty of 2022. Most years, some of what is new from the Geneva giant of watchmaking can be predicted with a degree of certainty — not the Lefty. We wonder if more left-handers will follow…
MOVEMENT Automatic calibre 3285 with GMT and date; 70-
hour power reserve, approximately
CASE 40mm in Oystersteel; water-resistant to 100m
STRAP Oyster bracelet in Oystersteel
PRICE $15,650
For more watch reads, click here.
The post Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II “Lefty” appeared first on LUXUO.
from LUXUO
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