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Wednesday, 8 June 2011

Jaeger Le-Coultre: New Timepiece

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Jaeger Le-Coultre has created a unique new watch quite unlike any other. The
Duometre a Quantieme Lunair uses a Dual-Wing for its movement, which means that the timekeeping elements of the watch's movement are kept separate from the more complex functions of the device.

Wearers will note that the timepiece's calibre is kept separate. One section is occupied by devices that tell the hour, minute, second and jumping seconds, date and moon phase. Meanwhile, another facet is used to indicate the power supply, though each can be controlled by using the same crown button.
The watch, finished with 18-carat white gold casing, is limited edition with just 200 released.
www.jaeger-lecoultre.com

Monday, 6 June 2011

Mon Numéro

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L’Artisan Parfumeur, featured in Quintessentially Perfume, will be launching their Mon Numéro collection in June. The eight fragrances are versions of the semi-bespoke Mon Numero scents of 2009, and were all developed by perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour. Each fragrance will be exclusive to a particular L’Artisan boutique, but the collection will also be available online.

The unique scents feature 8 different moods, numbers and destinations, and are described as follows:

Mon Numéro 1: “A prelude to the collection, imbued with a gentle poetry, Mon Numéro 1 fills the heart with a lightness of being. Like our emblematic fragrance Mûre et Musc, this bold, seductive, irresistibly indulgent blend of pear and mimosa conceals its hand behind an air of mischief. Mon Numéro 1, with its naughty, mischievous mood, is like your first perfume, fresh and delicate as a dress blowing in a spring breeze.”

Mon Numéro 3: “A number capturing the spirit of young adults: full of life, passion and character. The effervescence of youth is evoked by a resounding, intoxicating top note that recalls an alcoholic drink, but also the virile, sober, sensual side of vetiver, for a man (or indeed woman) of refined tastes. Mon Numéro 3, with its spirited mood, is a supremely elegant charmer.”

Mon Numéro 4: “A fog of memories, expressed through an unexpected contrast. A return to the past, where we rediscover the familiar perfume of barbers’ shops. Traditional lavender rubs against intoxicating leather.
Mon Numéro 4, with its classic, nonchalant mood, has that reassuring je ne sais quoi… like a well-tailored suit.”

Mon Numéro 6: “Inspired by our travels: evoking sensations of rebirth in which the first drops of rain give life back to the earth. Planet Earth – with all its sublime and powerful richness. An unusual, lucid harmony between green, fruity, watery, floral and woody notes. Mon Numéro 6 has a dreamy, leafy mood, imagine yourself barefoot on the ground in the midst of a monsoon.”

Mon Numéro 7: The journey continues with a visit deep inside an Indian temple. A necklace of tuberose and jasmine around your neck, a chai tea in your hand and a whiff of spices in the air. Mon Numéro 7, with its exuberant mood, is a fantasy in which colours, movements, textures and sacred odours swirl and merge, like a colourful sari.

Mon Numéro 8: “Paying homage to a great classic of French perfumery, this enveloping scent has sweet, maternal tones, in which sublime iris is elegantly reassuring. A voluptuous cloud of powder to wear without restraint. Supremely chic. Mon Numéro 8, with its luxurious mood, is like a cashmere stole draped over the bare shoulders of a lady one evening at the opera.”

Mon Numéro 9: “Awaken your senses with an energising burst of freshness, in a modern interpretation of the famous Cologne. A classic top note: zesty, green and slightly tangy, it will leave you feeling uplifted, before catching you unawares with a contrast sustained first by shiso leaf, then by resinous notes that bring a sharp sophistication. Mon Numéro 9, with its festive mood, is like a vision of summer, in flip-flops and a white t-shirt in bright sunlight, a refreshing cocktail in hand.”

Mon Numéro 10: “This last act will be explosive. After our travels, secret tributes and other sensual pleasures, this perfume is an explosion of warm, enveloping notes. Quite simply addictive. A heady, memorable ode to a highly sought-after note of oriental perfumes. Mon Numéro 10, with its eccentric, piercing mood, is like an evening gown that turns heads all on its own.”


The L’Artisan Parfumeur Mon Numéro fragrances will be available in 100 ml, priced at 115€ each from the European online shop.

Friday, 3 June 2011

Museum of Me

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The latest in snazzy Facebook apps takes the form of a virtual museum of your online activity. Compiling all of your Facebook information, Intel’s Museum of Me  fabricates an exhibition that features your frequent likes, uploaded photos, and (bizarrely enough) frequent words that you post on your page. Narcissistic, yes, but surprisingly visually impressive. Check it out here: museumofme.intel.com

Design Loft 24/7

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After her resounding success in 2008, architect Fernanda Marques has unveiled her latest design, the Loft 24/7, situated in Sao Paolo, Brazil. The spacious bungalow covers 180m² of a 250m² plot and fully embraces nature; it is entirely open to the outside world. Constructed from materials in their rough state – comprising rough stone walls and limestone floors - steel and glass combine to accentuate this unusual merging of the man-made and the natural.

A wooden deck projects the house beyond its internal boundaries, creating an established link between the interior and the exteror environments. Glazed walls and ceilings ensure a sense of spatial continuity, which is the one of Marques' recognisable design traits. In the air living-room, bookcases host an array of organice glass objects by US glass artist Jeff Zimmerman, one of the architect's favourite artists, marking his first exposition in Brazil.

Thursday, 2 June 2011

Hotel Missoni Belek

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The list of Missoni Hotels currently under-construction is gradually expanding. With the first opening in Edinburgh receiving much success, the high-profile brand has been creeping across the globe with several locations in mind. Hotel Missoni Kuwait was recently completed earlier this year, with Oman and Brazil closely following in its footsteps. The latest addition to the list is Antalya on the Turkish Riviera. Personally designed by Rosita Missoni, the newest of the hotels will closely match its predecessors in terms of interior, but the grand difference will be its celebrity-designed gold course. Swedish golf-champion, Annika Sorenstam, has been commissioned to design the 18-hole course, which will be just one of the hotel’s many attractions. The Hotel Missoni Belek, Antalya is set to open in 2013.

Mon Parfum Cheri

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Annick Goutal, featured in Quintessentially Perfume, will launch a new fragrance this coming September, with a preview at Harrods in early July. Mon Parfum Chéri, a new perfume for women is described as a “very feminine, elegant and mesmerizing fragrance, inspired by Hollywood glamorous actresses”.
Mon Parfum Chéri was created by perfumer Isabelle DoyenAnnik with notes include patchouli, sweet plum, iris, violet and heliotropin.
Annick Goutal Mon Parfum Chéri will be available in 50 and 100 ml Eau de Toilette and 100 ml Eau de Parfum.

Wednesday, 1 June 2011

Reflection Dimension: Shanghai's Museum of Glass

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Last week’s grand launch of Shanghai’s Museum of Glass marked Shanghai’s campaign to become a globally important cultural and creative centre by having opened 100 museums in just ten years.
The architectural structure and exterior were designed by Shanghai-based German firm Logon. Glashütte Lambets, also of Germany, provided enamelled glass for the museum’s façade, painstakingly inscribed with glass-industry terms in ten languages.
The museum concept and interior art direction were supervised by Coordination Asia, who also oversaw the coordination of all architects, artists and multimedia specialists, forming the bulk of the international team.

Sleek, black glass envelopes the interior and reflects hundreds of tiny LED lights to form a multi-dimensional glittering room while screens positioned throughout the space emphasize interaction and highlight the interdependence and influence of  the diversity of continents, materials and peoples involved in the art of glass.