Once upon a time the global space race was decided by the wealth of nations, but now billionaires have started taking over its future. The world’s wealthiest man, Jeff Bezos, has blasted into space in his own spaceship of his private space company, Blue Origin, on July 20, 2021. Bezos is the second billionaire in just over a week to travel to space, with Richard Branson being the first.
The rocket reached an astonishing height of around 107km, according to the Blue Origin telecast, which was higher by more than 17 kilometres of Branson’s Virgin Galactic ride, launched on July 11, 2021.
Although some have celebrated this occasion, many have vented their frustrations about these billionaires not investing in more important things that are currently happening in the world, for instance: climate change, environmental pollution, the pandemic, and many more.
Amongst the billionaire entrepreneurs leading this privately-funded race into space (also known as NewSpace) are South African-Canadian-American billionaire Elon Musk, American billionaire Jeff Bezos, and British billionaire Richard Branson.
How cool would it be for a Mercedes-Benz to come alive? Inspired by the mega hit movie Avatar, an unprecedented global partnership between two great brands have conceptualized the Mercedes-Benz VISION AVTR created to combine human, machine and nature. All that is required is for the user to place their hand on the control unit to bring this vehicle to life. This immersive experience is made better with a wide selection of functionalities. Both interior and exterior designs are futuristic yet holistic which were inspired by creatures in the Avatar movie.
Besides the fact that this Mercedes-Benz Vision Avatar cannot fly, it has all the out of the world futuristic features that will make the experience of owning a automobile unforgettable.
Mercedes-Benz VISION AVTR – inspired by “Avatar”: The name of the concept vehicle stands for ADVANCED VEHICLE TRANSFORMATION and embodies the vision of Mercedes-Benz designers, engineers and trend researchers for mobility in the distant future.Inspired by Mother Nature: Nature serves as the main source of inspiration for the interior of the VISION AVTR: The entire structure is designed from one line and takes on organic shapes.
When it comes to the brand name Rolls-Royce, it is definitely all about majestic and making one feels on top of the world. So when this king of wheels introduced its Rolls-Royce limited quantity Cullinan 1:8 scale model, it is an amazing work of art in it’s own right with extraordinary workmanship and unrivalled finishing. Each demanding up to 450 hours of precision of work is painstakingly hand crafted from over 1,000 individual components, painted and polished by using the same paint used on a Rolls-Royce Motor Car making it indistinguishable from its big brother. Furthermore this model is USB powered and encompasses full opening and closing features, doors, luggage and engine compartment as well as remote operated LED lighting. This small and mighty Rolls-Royce Cullinan comes in Tungsten or Artic White.
Gucci Timepieces, one of the most reliable and consistent fashion watch brands, has been designing, developing and manufacturing iconic Gucci watches since the early 1970s.
The 35mm edition brings together a yellow gold PVD case and a GG Supreme canvas strap, while the 38mm version is crafted in steel with the GG logo engraved on the bracelet.
The Grip watch is inspired by the world of skateboarding. It fits snugly around the wrist, much like how sneakers stick to the grip tape on a skateboard.
From the very beginning in 1905, Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf set out to make wristwatches that would carry the rich heritage that has bound Rolex and the world of sailing. Rolex naturally became associated with activities that shared its excellence, precision and team spirit. The brand formed its first alliance with the world of yachting in the late 1950s with the New York Yacht Club, founder of the America’s Cup and a creative influence on the sport of yachting and its rules.
The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master range was launched in 1992, with a first model designed specifically for intrepid navigators and professionnal race skippers. This year, Rolex is extending its Yacht-Master range with a new 42 mm model, the Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 42. Yacht-Master sailing watches are recognisable thanks to their distinctive bidirectional rotatable bezel with a raised 60-minute graduation. The Yacht-Master 42 is fitted with a Cerachrom insert in matt black ceramic that perfectly complements its black lacquer dial. Created from 18 ct white gold, this new watch heralds the arrival of this precious metal on a Yacht-Master model. The light reflections on the case sides and lugs highlight the profile of the Oyster case.
Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 42
Like all Rolex watches, the Yacht-Master 42 is covered by the Superlative Chronometer certification redefined by Rolex in 2015 and is guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 metres (330 feet). The Yacht-Master 42 is fitted with an Oysterflex bracelet, which singularly combines the robustness and reliability of a metal bracelet with the flexibility, comfort and aesthetics of an elastomer strap. For enhanced comfort, the inside of the Oysterflex bracelet is equipped with longitudinal cushions that stabilize the watch on the wrist.
Yachting is steeped in tradition, nurtures a spirit of fair play and thrives on a congenial atmosphere. And for six decades, Rolex has harnessed the passion for yachting and its popularity by establishing deep-rooted ties with influential yacht clubs across the globe.
Sant’Agata Bolognese, May 6, 2019 – A few years after the movie release of “The Italian Job”, it was revealed that the car used in the film was not the one destroyed during the on-screen accident. Since then, many made it a hunt to locate the opening-scene Miura. 50 years later, Lamborghini Polo Storico has finally certified the Miura P400, chassis #3586, as the original car used in the Paramount Pictures film in 1969.
The orange Miura P400 (technically “Arancio Miura”) with white/black leather interior has been the most pursued Miura in recent decades: it appears at the start of the film, driven by the actor Rossano Brazzi on the Great St Bernard Pass. In the movie the car was destroyed. In reality, Paramount also depicted an identical, crashed Miura.
After almost 50 years, and having passed through the hands of different enthusiasts, both Italian and international, the P400 was bought in 2018 by the current Liechtenstein collector, Fritz Kaiser, who is also the Founder of “The Classic Car Trust”.
Lamborghini Polo Storico, inaugurated in 2015, is Automobili Lamborghini’s department dedicated to preserving the heritage of the House of Sant’Agata Bolognese. Its activities include the restoration and certification of all Lamborghinis produced up to 2001, as well as the reconstruction of spare parts for classic Lamborghinis.
For the founder of Rolex, Hans Wilsdorf, the world was like a living laboratory. He began to use it as a testing ground for his watches from the 1930s, sending them to the most extreme locations. As the 21st century unfolds, exploration for pure discovery has given way to exploration as a means to preserve the natural world.
This year, Rolex launched a campaign titled Perpetual Planet. For now, it embraces three main pillars – an enhanced partnership with the National Geographic Society to study the impacts of climate change, Sylvia Earle’s Mission Blue initiative to safeguard the oceans through a network of marine protected “Hope Spots”, and the Rolex Awards for Enterprise that recognize individuals with projects that advance knowledge and protect human well-being and the environment.
Sylvia Earle’s Mission Blue initiative aims to safeguard the oceans from threats that range from pollution to destructive fishing.
Sylvia Earle’s Mission Blue
Sylvia Earle, a Rolex Testimonee since 1982, has been a pioneer of ocean exploration for nearly 50 years. In 2010, Earle launched her Mission Blue initiative, inspiring communities and governments to shield marine life that is at risk from human pressures through Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) she calls Hope Spots. With the support of Rolex since 2014, the number of Hope Spots has increased from 50 to 112 over the past five years. Earle aims to protect 30 per cent of the world’s oceans by 2030. Currently, 8 per cent of the oceans are protected.
In Tunisia, 2016 Rolex Awards Laureate Sarah Toumi is trying to protect Farmland from the encroaching Sahara Desert
Rolex Awards for Enterprise
The Rolex Awards for Enterprise programme was launched in 1976, and has assisted over 140 individuals who have a new or ongoing project anywhere in the world – one deserving support for its capacity to improve lives or to protect the world’s natural and cultural heritage. Winners were awarded for spearheading innovative process in tackling plastic waste; saving human communities through wildlife food resources management; helping local communities to conserve endangered species, developing new innovations in neuroscience, and improving technology for malaria diagnosis.
A member of the Perpetual Plant Extrene Expedition at Khumbu Icefall, Mount Everest
Rolex and National Geographic
A shared spirit of discovery drew Rolex and National Geographic together. In 1954, this involvement in exploration led Rolex naturally into a partnership with the National Geographic Society. This year, under the name Perpetual Planet Extreme Expeditions, Rolex and National Geographic are planning a five-year exploration of the planet’s most extreme environments starting with an expedition to Mount Everest with an aim to understand better the effects of climate change on the glaciers of the Hindu Kush-Himalaya that provide critical water resources to one billion people downstream.
Designed, engineered and handcrafted in England, Bentley proudly presents the all-new Continental GT Convertible. This stunning third generation model symbolises Bentley’s mastery of creating the world’s most definitive Grand Tourers. Benefitting plenty off the new kit, the Bentley GTC is not only exquisitely beautiful from roof up to down, it also comprises of the most technological advanced portfolio products.
This includes an elegantly tailored convertible roof that sweeps open in 19 seconds, a finely crafted personalised cabin and many more exciting features. The Bentley GTC also presents the audience with its powerful and responsive driving experience from the 635 PS W12 engine, eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and latest chassis technology which heightens the sensory experience of open-air motoring with an exhilarating performance.
Created in 2008, The Oyster Perpetual Rolex Deepsea exceeds the most exacting demands of professional divers in terms of robustness, precision, reliability, while featuring the aesthetic codes characteristic of the Oyster. Created to challenge extreme depths, it is equipped with a rotatable bezel with a virtually scratchproof 60-minute graduated Cerachrom insert in black ceramic that allows divers to monitor their underwater and decompression time for their safety.
Featuring a 44 mm Oyster case with redesigned lugs and sides, the Oyster Perpetual Rolex Deepsea is waterproof to an astonishing depth of 3,900 metres (12,800 feet) and an additional safety margin of 25%. Each Rolex Deepsea then undergoes a special hyperbaric test developed in conjunction with world-renowned French Company COMEX (Compagnie Maritime d’Expertises).
A Rolex-patented Ringlock System case architecture which allows the watch to resist the colossal pressure is based on a combination of three essential elements: A domed 5.5 mm thick sapphire crystal, a high-performance nitrogen-alloyed steel ring positioned inside the middle case of the watch between the crystal and case back, and a case back in Oystersteel and grade 5 titanium.
The case of the Rolex Deepsea is also equipped with a helium escape valve that allows excess pressure built up inside the watch case to escape during divers’ decompression stages in a hyperbaric chamber. Furthermore, the Rolex Deepsea is equipped with a new generation movement, calibre 3235, which incorporates the Chronergy escapement combining high energy efficiency with great dependability,and a paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring made from an exclusive paramagnetic alloy.
Like all Rolex watches, the Oyster Perpetual Rolex Deepsea is covered by the Superlative Chronometer certification. This exclusive designation testifies that each watch has successfully undergone a series of tests conducted by Rolex in its own laboratories according to its own criteria, which exceed watchmaking norms and standards. The certification applies to the fully assembled watch, after casing the movement, guaranteeing superlative performance on the wrist.
The Rolex Deepsea’s Oyster bracelet is equipped with an Oysterlock safety clasp that prevents accidental opening and a double extension system that allows the watch to be worn comfortably over a diving suit up to 7 mm thick. Using a toothed panel located under the clasp cover, the patented Rolex Glidelock system allows fine adjustment of the bracelet length in approximately 2 mm increments up to around 20 mm, while the Fliplock extension link extends the Rolex Deepsea bracelet by 26 mm.
Celebrating more than a century of watchmaking history, OMEGA hosted a spectacular event at the OMEGA Museum in Bienne, Switzerland. Guests from all over the world gathered at this glamorous occasion to relive the brand’s key moments, including the story of how the brand got its name.President and CEO of OMEGA expressed his joy and pride on the success OMEGA has achieved across the years.
OMEGA also presented guests with the first glimpse of the two newest watchmaking creations, the De Ville Trésor 125th Anniversary Edition and an updated version of the famous 19-ligne Calibre. Crafted from 18K yellow gold with a burgundy leather strap, the De Ville Trésor 125th Anniversary Edition has a red enamel dial to match OMEGA’s iconic brand colour.
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