Audi Sport Quattro Concept: Back in the Game

Three years ago, at the Paris Motor Show, Audi showed the Quattro Concept, a two-door, all-wheel-drive supercar commemorating the 30th anniversary of the first Quattro all-wheel-drive coupe. Although the concept was originally planned for limited production, Audi ultimately pulled back, saying it didn’t have the resources to build the car.
Now it’s back. At this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, Audi took the wraps off the Sport Quattro Concept (this time in a yellow-and-orange metallic paint scheme rather than th…

Mane Stay

The 45-mile drive from Washington, D.C., to the quiet equestrian haven of Middleburg, Va., overflows with the sagas of America’s past. Crossing the Potomac River (where General Robert E. Lee’s troops fled after the Battle of Gettysburg), and bypassing signs for Spotsylvania Courthouse (the site of one of the Civil War’s bloodiest battles) and Fredericksburg (where Confederate forces blocked the Union army’s crossing of the Rappahannock River), the region is a living textbook of US history. Set against this ver…

Zuccon Unveils an Inventive Concept in a 302-Foot Design

Zuccon Superyacht Design, the Italian yacht company, showed a 302-foot concept yacht at the Monaco Yacht Show last month with a steel hull and aluminum construction. It offers a change from the traditional layout, with its swimming pool, outdoor living space, and sunbathing area at the bow of the boat instead for maximum privacy.
The six-deck yacht includes a main deck with a large living area, a cinema, six guest cabins, and two VIP cabins, each with its own private terrace. Features include a spa connected …

DeWitt’s Academia Model Gets a Rugged Renewal

To celebrate its 10th anniversary, DeWitt has redesigned its most popular watch model, the Academia, for a younger customer. The Academia’s signature columned bezel and case—which was previously produced in gold or titanium and priced at more than $20,000—comes in a new sporty steel version with a satin finish for $12,000. The movement has a power reserve of 42 hours and a vibration rate of 28,800 per hour. The movement is visible through the sapphire-crystal caseback. The Dewitt Academia Steel watch comes in …

Audemars Piguet Debuts a Triple-Complication Movement in a Vintage-Inspired Case

Audemars Piguet has packed three complications—a tourbillon, chronograph, and minute repeater—into a 47-millimiter case that was inspired by the brand’s early-20th-century pocket watches. The Tradition Tourbillon Minute Repeater Chronograph ($471,300) has been produced in two 10-piece editions: one with a pink-gold case and the other with a titanium case, both of which have been beveled and polished by hand to protect the movement from oxidation. The titanium amplifies the minute repeater—which strikes two gon…

A 2-Month Tribute to Verdura and Belperron’s Avant-Garde Jewelry

Verdura is showcasing the works of two of the most important jewelers of the 20th century, Fulco di Verdura and Suzanne Belperron, during a 2-month exhibition and sale. The presentation at Verdura’s Fifth Avenue salon in New York will feature over 70 pieces that span the late 1930s through the 1960s. Signature designs include Verdura’s platinum-and-diamond feather ear clips, which were commissioned by Brooke Astor in 1956 as a pair of brooches. The set features 275 round diamonds weighing 16.58 carats, along w…

Bedat Launches a Women’s Showpiece Model

The Geneva-based watchmaker Bedat & Co. has made a leap toward premium watchmaking with its new diamond-encrusted women’s model, the Extravaganza Ref. 327 ($272,500). The one-of-a-kind timepiece, which has 10.73 carats of diamonds, will be traveling to Bedat’s key retailers around the world this fall to showcase the brand’s new emphasis on high-end women’s timepieces. The 327 model, set with 50 baguette diamonds, features a more tapered tonneau-shaped case than Bedat’s classic No. 3 models. The movement (v…

The Art of Simplicity

Hermès, the French luxury-goods brand that began as a saddlemaker, has elevated the simplicity of a leather strap into an art form. Each strap is selected from a candy store of exceptional materials, including leather and crocodile, and then hand-stitched and finished for over an hour in the company’s workshop in Bienne, Switzerland. The process represents the highest level of time and expense in the industry and results in quality you can immediately feel on your wrist. (800.441.4488, www.hermes.com)
WATCH V…

Staying in the Lines: Designers Redefine the Striped Suit

The classic pin-striped suit, often considered a trademark of bankers and business tycoons, has been updated this season with a contemporary edge in trim silhouettes and a fresh array of fabrics. Here are some of our favorites from the fall designer runways.
Christina Garofalo 
Z Zegna’s ultrasoft wool suit features wide-set pinstripes in burnt orange—the perfect pop of color for fall. ($1,745; www.zegna.com)  
Alexander McQueen is sending stripes in a new direction—literally. The wool-and-cashme…

Sneak Peek: The Pearl, Rosemary Beach, Florida

Opened on the Florida Panhandle in late summer, the Pearl is the first luxury boutique hotel in the town of Rosemary Beach.
Why to Go: Developed in 1995 to harken back to small-town America in the 1950s, the town of Rosemary Beach is quaint and pedestrian friendly. All footpaths and boardwalks eventually lead to the beach on the placid Gulf of Mexico. Favorite activities include fishing, bicycling, golfing, and stand-up paddleboarding.
What to Expect: On Main Street, the four-story hotel is recognized by di…