Etro has created a limited run of leather guitar cases with eclectic hand-tooled details inspired by charrería (Mexican rodeo), the national sport of Mexico. On one of his many trips to Mexico, Kean Etro—menswear designer for the family-owned-and-operated label—was inspired by the sport, which is engaged in alongside mariachi music at annual competitions. Kean Etro integrated the experience into his spring 2014 clothing collection with patchwork details in leather, suede, and canvas; his most poignant iteratio…

Until recently, wireless audio technology was unable to deliver sound quality approaching that of a traditional wired system. However, thanks to the introduction of a new wireless standard developed by the Wireless Speaker and Audio Association (WiSA), audiophiles who want to avoid unsightly cables cluttering their living rooms now have options—and rather stylish ones, at that. The new Bang & Olufsen BeoLab 17, 18, and 19 speakers incorporate technology that the Danish company calls Immaculate Wireless Sou…

The 167-year-old Swiss watch manufacturer Ulysse Nardin opened its first stand-alone boutique in New York City at the Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park. This marks the brand’s third boutique in the United States, following openings in Boca Raton and just outside Miami. “New York is a showcase, a window to the world,” said CEO Patrik Hoffmann at the store opening in late November.
With just 18 boutiques worldwide—Geneva, Paris, and Singapore opened earlier this year—Hoffmann says Ulysse Nardin will remain a …

The renowned Dutch megayacht designers Frank Laupman and Perry van Oossanen, the naval architects behind the 213-foot multiple-award-winning Heesen-built yacht Galactica Star, have teamed up again—this time for a considerably smaller but nonetheless promising project. Under Laupman’s brand, Omega Architects, the duo has designed a 31-foot limousine tender—the firm’s first tender. Laupman and van Oossanen designed the tender with a similar forward-leaning structure to that of the 240-foot megayacht that will ho…

The New York–born, Paris-based jeweler Joel A. Rosenthal, whose small atelier is known by his initials JAR, is recognized by a relatively small number of international jewelry lovers with the right connections to get an appointment at his Place Vendôme salon to buy one of his lavish creations. Despite his elusiveness, the press-averse designer is being celebrated with a large retrospective, Jewels by JAR, at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art through March 9, 2014—an unprecedented honor for a living contemp…

A 317-year-old violin that was stolen in 2010 from the acclaimed international soloist Min-Jin Kym has been recovered in near-perfect condition and will be sold through the fine-instrument auction house Tarisio on December 18. The Stradivarius violin—one of about 600 remaining instruments built by the Italian craftsman Antonio Stradivarius in the late 17th and early 18th centuries—was valued at $1.9 million at the time it was stolen from Kym in London’s Euston train station. The Korean-born, London-based …

L’Apogée Courchevel, the newest member of the prestigious Oetker Collection of hotels, has opened in the exclusive French ski town of Courchevel 1850.
Why Go: Courchevel 1850 draws an international crowd during the winter season thanks to access to the world’s largest ski resort and a high concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants. Guests of l’Apogée ski onto the slopes from the hotel’s ski room in warmed boots and can return for lunch in its Champagne lounge (try the hot dogs with Périgord truffle). For …

The Nayara Springs hot-springs resort opens at the base of Costa Rica’s Arenal Volcano.
Why Go: Arenal Volcano National Park in northern Costa Rica was one of Costa Rica’s most popular attractions when there was visible lava flowing down the mountain. In 2010 the lava stopped flowing, leaving the area’s biodiverse rain forest, natural hot springs, and activity infrastructure (zip-lining, waterfall rappelling, horseback riding, whitewater rafting) to attract visitors. The 16 one-bedroom villas at Nayara Spring…

The 5,620-foot Mount Mackenzie, North America’s tallest peak, is an ideal place for adventurous skiers. With a new heli-ski package offered by travel concierge Black Tomato, Bighorn Lodge—a ski chalet at the Revelstoke Mountain Resort in British Columbia—is inviting guests to ski the rarely touched peak and is providing its own professional videographer to capture the footage (from $14,756 per person for the week with flights to and from Los Angeles).
The eight-bedroom lodge is situated at the base of the Can…

The Scottish audio-product manufacturer Linn, which is widely known in audiophile circles for its legendary Linn Sondek LP12 turntable, unveiled a top-of-the-line music system. The Linn Klimax Exakt($80,000)comprises a pair of the Klimax Exakt 350 floor-standing loudspeakers and the Klimax Exakt DSM network music player, which also serves as a preamplifier. The system allows users to stream music in virtually any format via smartphone, tablet, computer, or network-attached storage and offers playback of files …