For the last two decades, the Swiss watchmaker Dubey and Schaldenbrand has focused on the aesthetic rather than the technical aspects of watchmaking, purchasing vintage calibers from other companies and then creating ornate cases to house them, as well as dials, hands, and movement components. But with the new Dubey & Schaldenbrand Coeur Blanc, the brand combines exceptional case design with a complicated movement (based on the tourbillon 8001) that it created in-house.
Nearly every surface of the Coeur B…

Though the yacht was launched last May, the stunning interiors of the 186-foot Benetti Lady Candy were only recently unveiled to the public. Designed by the Hong Kong–based design studio Central Yacht, the vessel’s interior is bright and open, with large panels of windows spanning most of the three upper decks and flooding the nearly 1,000-square-foot main saloon with natural light. The interior is outfitted with a variety of woods, leather, and marbles, in a color scheme that focuses on the use of gold and tu…

Discover the Ham Yard Hotel within a newly built urban village tucked away in London’s Soho neighborhood.
Why Go: This boutique hotel is the eighth wonder of the Firmdale Hotels group’s London world. It is the company’s most ambitious project to date with a mix of 91 rooms and suites, 24 apartments, and 13 stores along a tree-filled pedestrian thoroughfare that connects Great Windmill Street to Denman Street. The “urban village,” as owners Kit and Tim Kemp are calling it, sits in Soho just behind Piccadilly C…

The home of Canada’s premier Shakespeare and theater festival welcomes its most luxurious accommodations yet: the Bruce Hotel.
Why Go:The Canadian sister city of Stratford-upon-Avon, Stratford, Ontario, is not unlike its English kin. The charming, tree-filled city is on another river Avon, and since 1953 it has hosted a theater festival. Although Stratford cannot claim the title of birthplace of William Shakespeare, it is the hometown of an almost equally well-known personage: Justin Bieber. High season runs …

The Bell 505 Jet Ranger X evolved from a long line of helicopters dating back to the 1960s, and the Hurst, Texas, company says all those years of innovation and listening to customer feedback are reflected in the design. This latest Jet Ranger has a bigger cabin, with a fully flat floor and double doors for easy loading. The helicopter was designed to meet a variety of missions, including corporate and private transport. Classed as a short-light single-engine helicopter, the new Jet Ranger can seat up to four …

Boasting clean, contemporary architecture and breathtaking views of the Los Angeles basin, a newly constructed 12,530-square-foot residence located in the coveted bird streets above Hollywood’s legendary Sunset Strip is available for purchase. Many of the property’s most impressive vistas are framed by electronic pocket doors that, once retracted, afford seamless transitions between interior and exterior spaces. Interior comforts include a custom kitchen, a private gym, a screening room, and an eight-car garag…

In March, the longtime BMW collaborator Alpina launched its latest creation, the 2015 BMW Alpina B6 xDrive Gran Coupe, which is based on the body of BMW’s 6 Series Gran Coupe. The B6 is the first four-door coupe in Alpina’s portfolio of performance vehicles. The potent 4.4-liter V-8 biturbo engine of the B6 produces 540 hp and 540 ft lbs of torque, and it is mated to a BMW ZF 8-speed automatic transmission, with Alpina’s Switch-Tronic technology, that makes smoother and faster gear changes. BMW’s xDr…

No civilian travelers have flown aboard supersonic jets since the Concorde fleet was grounded in 2003, but a handful of entrepreneurs are hoping to change that, with a flurry of Mach-plus business-jet designs competing to get to market. The technical challenges of achieving supersonic speeds are difficult, and the cost of certifying civilian aircraft for such speeds are enormous—and then even if those hurdles are cleared, many countries, including the United States, forbid supersonic flight over land because o…

In late March, amid Northern California’s iconic cypress trees in the town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Relais & Châteaux celebrated its 60th anniversary with the launch of its first annual Gourmetfest. Hosting the ambitious four-day food and wine festival was David Fink, CEO of the Mirabel Hotel and Restaurant Group, which owns the L’Auberge Carmel hotel, a member of the Relais & Châteaux collection. The event’s success (as well as the impressive lineup of acclaimed chefs and winemakers) can be largely attri…

The Shangri-La moves into Europe’s tallest building.
Why Go: Go for the views. The Shangri-La stands back from the City of London on the southern bank of the Thames. Its perch on floors 34 through 52 of the Shard, Europe’s tallest building, showcases landmarks across the city. Atop the London Bridge train station, the new modern skyscraper juts out into the skyline like a lone needle so that no view is obstructed. The project began with the hopes of hosting guests during the Summer Olympics in 2012, but const…