Image Courtesy: Davidoff

What We Like: Davidoff’s limited edition Prestige lighter.

Why We Like It: Where do we start? How about the fact that the lighter’s Lacquer Black body lends it an extremely classy appeal?

Not to mention that the lighter is studded with 182 diamonds totaling 1.82 carats—surely a treat to the eyes that appreciate some bling.

But you know what floats our boat the most? It is the exclusivity factor! With only 25 pieces of the model on sale, this limited edition accessory may be well worth its price in jewels.

Is Rs 10,72,500 too steep? You decide!

For those who fancy a slightly somber version, the lighter is also available in a Lacquer White/Diamond body.

Asia's luxury glassware maker Lucaris, known for its crystal wine ware has launched in India its limited edition Lucaris Crystal Charm Collection. The collection which has Swarovski crystal charms too.

At a party hosted by Indigo the collection was unveiled among Mumbai's social circuit including names like Narendra Kumar, Avantika Khilanchand Raju, Prerna Goel, Laila and Ricky Lamba, Monisha and Ravi Jaisingh, Malini and Rahul Akerkar, Kora and Puru Raj Kumar.

Narendra Kumar and Prerna Goel

Jaideep Mehrotra and Rahul Akerkar

The Lucaris limited edition Crystal Charm collection will be available exclusively online only for a limited period.

Italian luxury mattress brand Magniflex's has brought its Duoform XS firm mattress to India. Backed by an array of comfort factors and support features, the core of the mattress is made up of an inner layer of Memoform magnifoam and eliosoft. While Memoform aids in the comfort, contouring and cushioning of the natural curvature of the back that relaxes the body and improves blood circulation, the eliosoft has excellent breathability and gives density to improve the mattress' rigidity and deformability.

The Duoform XS also comes with the 'Love Sleep Cover' which is embroidered by artisans with gorgeous heart patterns. It adds a space age dimension to the mattress make up because it uses thermo-regulating outlast fabric, created after research by NASA. It can self-regulate body temperature by absorbing excess heat and releasing it when the outside temperature lowers.

Available at Magniflex store, Koramangala, Bangalore and dealers across the country; price: Rs 49,000.

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What We Like: Contemporary and period silverware.

Why We Like It: Online auction house Saffronart has put out a collection of contemporary and period silverware in a new for-sale exhibition at its gallery in Delhi. The exhibition includes a range of Indian and international items, ranging from intricately engraved period vases and objets d'art, to minimalist and straight-lined contemporary pieces. 

The exhibition comprises approximately 20 pieces made by contemporary designers, in addition to approximately 10 hallmarked period silverware objects, highlighting the important role silver has always played in India.

The pieces will be on view at The Oberoi Hotel, Delhi, from September 24 - October 5, 2012.  Select pieces will be available for sale at Saffronart.

If you already own the iPhone 5, you're no different from the thousand others who own one too. If you want your technology, your style, exclusivity and luxury, London's Gold & Co has the world's gilded iPhone 5 that you could get your hands on.

In 24 carats of pure gold and rose gold, the collector's piece will be launched on September 27 at the Collector's Palace in Dubai Mall. Keeping it super exclusive, every phone will be numbered, custom made, and will come with a certificate of authenticity. 

The rate at everyone's going about jazzing up the new iPhone 5 has us thinking the next iPhone will have to take a little longer to launch, before everyone's done doing their bit to this 4-inch machine.

Via Gold & Co

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Only three days since the new iPhone 5 hit the market, and blinged out, fancy studded cases for the gadget are making their way through. Coming from the The Natural Sapphire Company, this one is a sapphire studded 18 carat white gold case and costs much more than the phone itself. The case will relieve you of $100,000 (approx Rs 54 lakh).

Using 18k white gold as the base, there are 2830 blue Ceylon sapphires of 169.8 carats in all set in it. Then the designers have used 38 rubies of 2.28 carats for the Apple logo and one very pretty green marquise-cut sapphire for the Apple's leaf. We're not sure we like the red rubies for the apple, instead of the usual white studs we've seen so far. What do you think?

Image via iPhone cases

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Image Via The California Headphone Company

The California Headphone Company has recently launched two sets of headphones in an endeavour to bring high quality sound to music lovers across the globe. Attempting to stay true to the quintessential California sound, these headphones cater specifically to the genres of country, rock and alternative music.

The Laredo and Silverado headphones launched by The California Headphone Company are the inspiring end products of a long, fourteen month process aimed at attaining auditory perfection. A unique point to be noted is that these headphones give listeners an aural experience akin to that of listening to their favourite music, live. The headphones feature 40mm titanium drivers, as well as a frequency response of 20 - 20,000 Hz designed specially to highlight the acoustic sounds of vocals and the guitar. The 280 degree rotating hinges also ensure that these headphones allow for a more comforting listening experience. 

Inspired by the aviation headsets worn during World War II, these headphones feature a similar metal and leather finish lending to a stylish avatar of a pair of well engineered headphones.

Image Via The California Headphone Company

Image Via Assouline

Cadillac is celebrating its hundred and tenth anniversary in association with Assouline books – a premier publishing house for luxury books since 1994. This book will feature two hundred photographs encompassing the history of this iconic, stylish automobile company. The Cadillac has been an integral part of popular culture as well, ensuring that this book caters to the diverse interests of people and not limiting itself to just car lovers across the globe.

This collectible, chronicles the evolution of the Cadillac from its establishment in 1902 to the brand new ATS expected in 2013. The far reaching impact of this car in the worlds of fashion, art and film is also illustrated in this book by its emphasis on each of these genres. The impact could be conspicuously noticed in the arena of fashion through Prada, with its Cadillac design–inspired shoe, in art through Andy Warhol’s pieces of art which emphasized the Cadillac motif, as well as in the domain of films through the hit song “Pink Cadillac” by Bruce Springsteen. 

Assouline Publishing, a company which has one thousand luxury books to its credit, will publish a limited edition of five hundred copies of this book in a black slipcase along with a metal plaque. For luxury book lovers, this limited edition retelling of a remarkable history is a must have for your book shelf.

Image courtesy: Amitabh Bachchan/Tumblr

After that lavish, headline-grabbing party thrown by Nita and Mukesh Ambani at Antilla, for the launch of their book India Fantastique, Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla had another one in London.

This time they got Amitabh Bachchan - who posted these images - and Dame Judi Dench to unveil their book at a party hosted by Sotheby's.  And from the smile spread across Mr Jani's face, we're guessing the London edition of the launch party was a good one.

The Boys (as they're fondly known, according to a PR mail) are celebrating 25 years in the fashion business, with the publishing of the India Fantastique book, showcase of the designers' creative streak and a (just concluded) Sotheby's exhibition of their work.

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The Big Chair Project

Fifteen restaurant, Jamie Oliver’s social endeavor set up to mentor and train aspiring young chefs celebrates its tenth anniversary with The Big Chair Project, a unique and exciting collaboration of artists, designers and fashion icons. The furniture brand Republic of Fritz Hansen, has donated to these artists, iconic ANTÔ chairs to emblazon with their own food inspired design. These spectacular designs will then be auctioned and the proceeds raised, along with those of Fifteen restaurant, will be given to Jamie Oliver’s 'Better Food Foundation'.

The who’s who in the art and design world will be undertaking this project along with Oliver. Alexander McQueen designer Sarah Burton, Tracey Emin, Christopher Bailey and Paul Smith are only some of the known faces who will be working on this project. Six of the twenty chairs can be won by a lottery system and tickets for the same can be purchased at www.thebigchairproject.org. Other chairs can be bid for at an auction event in October which will be undertaken through a mix of live and online bidding. A Tracey Emin ANTÔ chair will also be unveiled at the event as the exclusive centerpiece of the auction.    

Talking about his feelings about the project, Oliver said, “It’s incredibly exciting to think that Fifteen restaurant and the Foundation have been helping to inspire, educate and empower young people for 10 years now. I'm truly humbled to have such a brilliantly talented group of people from the fashion and art worlds to help on this fantastic project to raise money and help us mark the occasion”.

Brewing the perfect cup of coffee is precision work. Adjusting for aroma, intensity, flavour and even creaminess, are all essential steps in making that great cup of java. Of course, with new innovations, brands like Miele, Siemens and Fisher Paykel have all built machines that can produce near-perfect cups of espressos, cappuccinos and even macchiatos, all at home. They allow us to play the barista and experiment in our kitchens until we create our own brews.

Here's a look at some of the best built-in coffee machines for the home that are available in India right now.

Fisher Paykel: With brushed steel handles and a matching chrome trim, the Fisher Paykel Coffee Maker comes with five coffee strength levels and cup sizes. Additional features include temperature control, 15-bar pressure at the touch of a button and a self-cleaning function. The for the Fisher Paykel Coffee Maker machine allows caffeine fans to make an entire range of coffees, including the Americano, Hammerhead, Cafe au Lait, Latte, Cafe Breva and even a Macchiato.

Price: Rs 1.65 lakh

Miele: Designed to fit into a modern kitchen, the Miele coffee bean machine (model CVA 5060) comes with touch controls and an easy-to-follow text display that guides a user in making a cup of coffee. The machine grinds with fresh beans for each cup made; and can store nine customisable user profiles - that means a family can add their names against their favourite type of coffee. The machine is best equipped to make a cup of espresso, coffee, cappuccino, latte macchiato, hot milk, milk froth or hot water.

Price: Rs 2,59,990

Siemens at Nolte Kitchens: The stainless steel coffee machine (model TK76K573) from Siemens comes with an innovative sensoFlow heating system that reduces heating-up time and gives the fastest first cup. The machine, which can be integrated into Nolte's hi-tech kitchens, also has height-adjustable coffee and milk nozzle and comes with a one touch function for a cup of latte macchiato, cappuccino and milk coffee. This coffee machine also has a personalised 'My Coffee' function.

Price: Rs 1,40,000

A four-layered bed called Triton, entirely made up of organic components, that helps people maintain their health is priced at $34,000 (approx Rs 18 lakh).

The product is available at Coco-Mat, a Greek bedding boutique at 49 Mercer St in SoHo in New York.

The costly model includes a base, a bed mattress, a mattress and a topper.

And if people are not sure that they want one, a snooze in the store's napping suite is ready to speed your decision along.

The 100 per cent natural beds contain no metal. Stuffed with rubber that is organically extracted from the base of a rubber tree, seaweed, horsehair, coconut husks, silk, wool, cotton, cactus fibre and down goose, Coco-Mat's sleep products are made to fit the human body while the spine rests in the same position, as when one stands, the New York Daily News reported.

The Triton Comfort 

Currently over 300 luxury hotels around the world use Coco-Mat beds.

"The entire philosophy of the company is to spread the pleasure of Greek culture everywhere," Sparta-born company founder Paul Efmorfidis said.

Efmorfidis revealed that he got the idea for the beds in his 20s while taking a nap on top of seaweed on a Spartan beach.

Each component of the bed helps a person's health.

Seaweed does not trigger asthma, allergies, and thyroid hormones; horsehair eases rheumatism; cactus regulates humidity, and coconut fibre helps ventilation and maintains elasticity for over 20 years.

Image via Coco-Mat

Source: ANI

One of the world's largest pewter makers, Royal Selangor, which was established in 1885, has set sail in India. With the opening of two stores in Mumbai - in Juhu and Lower Parel - the company offers a wide range of tableware, wine accessories, home ware and children's gifts. It has also moved to personal accessories such as cufflinks, flashdrives, chess pieces and picture frames too.

Furthermore, there are special collections by international designers Erik Magnussen from Denmark and Freeman Lau from Hong Kong. Luxury firm LVMH commissioned Royal Selangor to make champagne accessories for it's brands Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Dom Perignon and Krug.

Royal Selangor has done it's fair bit on the sports arena too. It is known to have created trophies for 16th Commonwealth Games that were held in Malaysia, Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 and the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Malaysia, Singapore and China.

And now this more-than-a-century old brand has launched in India too.

In Bottega Veneta's signature Nero Intrecciato style, this linen dog bed might just be the thing to get your pet to get a good snooze.

Made of linen and leather, the pillow can be removed to clean. The bed also comes with a braided leather cord trim. The dimensions are 21.3 x 6.3 inches.

Via Bottega Veneta

David Hart is known for his unconventional and exquisitely priced loudspeakers. A pleasure not only to the ears of an audiophile but also to those who just enjoy music, the Hart Audio D&W Aural Pleasure Loudspeakers are a limited edition series from the brand that knows no compromise when it comes to audio quality.

Technically speaking, the speakers owe their clear and crisp sound to the absence of cabinet colouration. Cabinet colouration is a certain level of noise common to almost all speakers, as a result of the sound of resonating panels that constitute the speakers. Design-wise, the speakers draw inspiration from the ancient traditions of bell-founding, and are made by a firm in Basingstoke. Hand-finished, these speakers offer the finest sound possible, be it bass, mid-range or treble.

Limited to 99 pairs in phosphorus bronze, five pairs in sterling silver and only one pair in solid 18 carat gold, the Hart Audio D&W Aural Pleasure Loudspeakers are priced at $62,000, $313,000 and $4.7 million, respectively.

Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer has been associated with Formula 1 racing for some time now, and has launched several race-inspired chronographs. Now the luxury brand has launched a new collection of smartphones called Racer.

There are four different cellphones in the Racer collection that go by the names of Sport Classic (it comes with an anodised aluminium plate), Prestige Gold (with 2.5 grams of rose gold), Racing Carbon (with strong carbon fibre) and Night Racer (with Titanium).

But the Racing Carbon Orange model is the icon in the Tag Heuer Racer range. The face of the Racing Carbon model is in full black PVD coated stainless steel and black F1-grade rubber, with a frame highlighted with an orange racing stripe. The rear cover, made of carbon fibre, is composed of polished black PVD sides and orange sidebars. The sporty styling is based on the energetic lines and orange chassis of two GT sports cars.

The Software

All the Racer smartphones are touch screen, use Android software with a 1.0 GHz processor, a 3.5-inch high-resolution display, a 5-megapixel autofocus camera and a VGA facing camera. The cool bit is that the phone's clock resembles Tag Heuer's timepieces, including the Monaco V4 Titanium and the Carrera Mikrograph.

Via Tag Heuer

French chandelier designer Regis Mathieu has big plans for his luxury lighting brand Mathieu Lustrerie, in India. Currently, the brand works out of its farm gallery in Chhatarpur, Delhi, but hopes to up its presence in the country soon.

The French lighting brand, is already a household name in Europe, and favourite at fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Cartier, Hermes and Christian Dior. And the brand's masterpiece chandeliers can also be seen at the Philadelphia Academy of Music, the Opera Garnier in Paris and Monaco and the iconic Hall of Mirrors at the grand Château de Versailles.

Today, Mathieu Lustrerie, which was established by Regis' father Henri in Gargas, France, in 1948, not only creates high-end lights, but also restores and replicates antique chandeliers.
 
Inside Mathieu Lustrerie's World
 
Influenced by the art of the century-old masters, Mathieu Lustrerie infuses their art and techniques into its own contemporary designs.

All Mathieu Lustrerie creations have a serial number, a stamp embossed and each artist's contribution to each piece is tracked. All pieces are put together by the team and although the raw materials are procured, it is moulded, hand-chiselled and polished making each piece unique.

We already told you that British auction house Sotheby's will host an exhibition of designerwear and interiors by Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla to coincide with the launch of their book India Fantastique.

Mumbai Mirror got a sneak preview of Jani and Khosla's soon-to-be launched book India Fantastique, which charts 25 years of their fashion journey. The unveiling will be held at Antilla while the first copies are on their way to the stores. While the first volume focuses on the duo's signature designs with close ups of the intricate detailing, the second focuses on their foray into interior design. The cover photograph has been shot by the supremely talented London-based Ram Shergill and features model Felicity Gilbert in one of the duo's creations.

Click here to see the cover photo.

Image courtesy: Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla & BCCL