Mother of pearl, that demure dial staple, is back in vogue April 29, 2016 The three definites for a woman’s watch used to be a petite case, diamonds somewhere, usually around the bezel, and a dial made from mother of pearl. Combined they made for something dainty, feminine and uncontroversial; just like the women from whose delicate wrists they dangled. Then, as we know, thing changed. Women became more [...]
The chronograph makes a welcome comeback: The Rolex Daytona is leading a field of fascinating new stopwatch complications April 29, 2016 Whether it’s the design symmetry of the counters on the dial, the tactile satisfaction of clicking the stopwatch pushers, or the reams of history associated with cars, speed, space travel and adventure, the chronograph remains the most romantic, evocative and downright manly style of wristwatch there is. And right now it’s the hottest thing in [...]
The new Volvo XC90 is more luxurious than the equivalent Jaguar, with the loveliest SUV interior this side of a Bentley Bentayga April 29, 2016 The Volvo XC90 T8 Inscription feels incredibly Swedish, in the best possible sense; classy and restrained, with a hint of noir about it. If a forensic psychologist arrived at your door in one of these, investigating the murder of your business associate, you would be very worried indeed. It eloquently answers any misgivings we might [...]
My Inspiration: Classical pianist William Howard on the sheet music that inspired his latest project, Sixteen Love Songs April 29, 2016 I became very passionate about Czech music in the 1970s when I was a student. I went to Prague in 1984 during Communist times, and I’d go to second-hand music shops where you could pick up music phenomenally cheaply. I used to come home with piles of scores; lots of stuff I’d never heard of. [...]
“We were the first ever agents to sell a building through Twitter” – Meet the social media moguls dragging commercial property sales into the 21st century April 29, 2016 While residential estate agents have been dragged into the internet age, their commercial counterparts have – mostly – continued to resist such a move. There’s no Rightmove for office blocks, or warehouses. And it was this inherent conservatism that seemed to offer a great opportunity when three young surveyors decided to set up shop in [...]
Property of the Week: The three-bed Chelsea penthouse of the Sex Pistols’ visual designer April 29, 2016 Most property developers start out with a humble investment and move on to create homes that superstars want to live in. But Margaret and Michael Stanford began with icons, largely thanks to their job as visual designers – of album covers, videos and stage sets – for some of Britain’s most revered artists, including Queen, [...]
New Builds: From Notting Hill to Battersea, here are the hottest new developments on the market this week April 29, 2016 Alto, Wembley From £715,000 High rise apartments have gone on sale at Alto, a development by Keystone and Quintain, which is part of the 83-acre regeneration of Wembley Park. The two and three bedroom apartments sit in the Pienna building, the 19-storey ‘crowning glory’ of the scheme designed by Flanagan Lawrence Architects, which worked on [...]
The first ever right-hand drive Mustang hits British shores – but has the trip been worth it? April 25, 2016 It’s a damp, autumnal morning at the Pebble Beach golf resort on the coast of California, a couple of hours north of San Francisco. During the summer, it’d be nudging 30 degrees, and keen golfers would pay $495 a game while their partners enjoyed the luxury spa. This morning, though, it’s just me and a [...]
Beautiful Things: The items on our shopping list this month, from vintage turntables to giant pink thumbs April 25, 2016 Bermuda Dansette Turntable £229, crosleyradio.com Founded in Ohio in the 1920s, Crosley Broadcasting was a pioneer in early radio, launching and running several stations before moving into the mass market manufacturing of radio and vinyl record players. At a time when radios were bulky, wooden luxury items, the players Crosley produced and sold were among the first [...]
When it comes to architecture, does size matter? This new book explores the beautiful and tiny world of “nanotecture” April 25, 2016 Think ‘architecture’ and you probably imagine towering skyscrapers or designer homes crafted from poured concrete and glass. But some of the most innovative architecture exists on a far smaller scale; treehouses and sheds and cabins, projects where every inch of space must be utilised. While less readily celebrated, small-scale architecture tends to be more personal, [...]
