Monika Knutsson Gives New Life to Lace

The New York jewelry artist Monika Knutsson uses vintage circular lace to create her latest jewelry designs. The Swedish-born designer searches for antique fabrics in New York, Paris, and Berlin, culling lace from vintage dresses, petticoats, and linens. After cutting and shaping each piece at her studio, Knutsson then dips the lace in sterling silver, 24-karat gold, or rose gold. For some pieces, she adds delicate pearls, striking geodes, or semiprecious stones. Each jewelry piece comes with a description det…

Magnum Marine Launches Its Magnum 51 Powerboat Line

The debut Magnum Marine’s Magnum 51 powerboat will be shown October 30 through November 3 at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Delivered to its owners this summer, the first example of the 51-foot Magnum 51 line is equipped with new environmentally friendly features that allow the boat to perform just as exceptionally as its forebear (a 50-foot model) while dropping its fuel consumption to 100 gallons per hour.

Nicknamed “Bestia” (Italian for “beast”) for its impressive power, the Magnum 51 (star…

Airbus Joins Aerion to Develop the AS2 Supersonic Business Jet

Aerion Supersonic in Reno, Nev., has been working for the last decade to develop a supersonic business jet, and now the aerospace giant Airbus has joined the team as a partner. Airbus said in September that it will provide a team of senior engineers to work with Aerion to help shepherd the design through the complex certification process. (The companies are currently working together in the initial stage of their engineering collaboration.) Robert Bass, chairman of Aerion, says that the partnership will help t…

Sneak Peek: Mont Rochelle, Franschhoek, South Africa

The quaint Franschhoek country house Mont Rochelle gets a posh makeover.

Why Go: Richard Branson’s high-end hospitality arm Virgin Limited Edition has taken over a well-liked country-house hotel in South African wine country. Mont Rochelle already had going for it a great chef and a scenic hilltop location in Franschhoek—a haven of wine tours, fine food, and luxury resorts. But the decor was drab and a few areas needed updating. Enter Virgin, a chic hospitality collective of six resorts, one restaurant and …

Verdura Celebrates 75 Years with a Retrospective

On October 14, in celebration of the brand’s 75th year, the jewelry house Verdura will unveil a retrospective at the new gallery space adjacent to its flagship store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Called The Power of Style: Verdura at 75, the exhibition will include more than 200 vintage jewelry pieces by the company’s late founder, Duke Fulco di Verdura, as well as archival materials, a few of Verdura’s gouache jewelry designs, miniature paintings, and rare photos. Standout pieces from the exhibition include a…

andBeyond’s Kichwa Tembo and Sandibe Camps Promise a Singular Safari Experience

The safari company andBeyond has debuted a pair of renovated lodges in two of Africa’s most iconic wildlife destinations. Located within a private concession adjoining Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve, andBeyond Kichwa Tembo reopened in July with a new layout that maximizes the views of the savanna. The camp features a library and swimming pool as well as 40 renovated suites that are now outfitted with cypress floors and decor inspired by the local Maasai culture. Then in September, Botswana’s andBeyond Sa…

D’Ussé’s New XO Cognac Offers Complexity and Balance

In 2012, Bacardi Limited launched the D’Ussé Cognac brand, whose spirits are produced at the famous Château de Cognac, which was founded in 1795 and is also the home of Baron Otard (another Bacardi-owned Cognac brand). D’Ussé debuted with a VSOP ($55) aged at least 4.5 years and recently launched its second variety, the D’Ussé XO ($230). Made from no less than 100 different eaux-de-vie aged from 10 to 30 years, the XO offers complexity but also a balance and refinement derived from the blending expertise that …

Surf Air Orders $312 Million Worth of New Pilatus PC-12 NG Aircraft

The Santa Monica–based membership air-taxi service Surf Air recently placed an order to add 65 new Pilatus PC-12 NG aircraft to its fleet, which is already composed solely of the seven-seat business turboprops, with well-appointed cabins designed by BMW DesignworksUSA. The Swiss manufacturer sells the PC-12 NG for $4.65 million. The sale includes 15 firm aircraft orders, with the option to purchase 50 more—at a total value of $312 million. Since receiving FAA approval in June 2013, Surf Air has grown to 1,000 …

[From Our Partners] XOJET: Fly Beautifully

World-Class Private Aviation Solutions

Robb Report partner XOJET is the industry’s premier private aviation company, providing world-class service, safety, and smart flying solutions to the most sophisticated flyers worldwide. XOJET’s award-winning safety program and ongoing commitment to safety leadership continues to be recognized by the FAA and industry audit organizations ARG/US, Wyvern, and IS-BAO.

With XOJET, clients enjoy the most complete solution in private aviation with a suite of flying option…

French Revelation

About a year ago, a Grey Goose TV commercial debuted that recounted the vodka brand’s early beginnings. It depicted various ways in which the French pushed back against François Thibault, the brand’s founder, when the Cognac cellar master announced that he was planning to produce a high-quality vodka in the Cognac region of France. The commercial even included a scene featuring an angry mob of French citizens marching through a wheat field under an ominous sky, waving French flags and signs that read “Vodka no…

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