De Bethune DW5 Armilia / £POA
De Bethune is impressive at any time, but this? This is something else entirely. Created in collaboration with Francois Schuiten – nicknamed the ‘watchmaker of dreams’ – the huge retro-futuristic case has been engraved with a kind of surreal halfway house between a cityscape and an intense sci-fi spectacle, and the DW5 Armilia is a magnificent one-off. Price on application, obviously.
For more information, visit debethune.ch.
Aston Martin SUV / £158,000
They might be a bit late to the sports utility party, but finally Aston Martin’s answer to the Bentayga, Cullinan, Cayenne et al is here – and it doesn’t look half bad. Dragging its bulk to 62mph in just 4.5 seconds, it’s got a fair turn of speed and looks about as customisable as Rolls-Royce’s offering. Best of all, it’s actually a rather handsome beast, certainly on the sports side of utility.
For more information, visit astonmartin.com.
Ressence Type 1DXB / CHF 22,500
Rather than its usual matte palettes and sleek, minimal designs, in its latest release, the TYPE 1DXB, Ressence is channelling Arabic influences. The geometrically skeletonised dial is taken wholesale from Arabic architecture and is designed to play with the light. Complete with a gold colouring this is an incredibly take on an already incredible watch.
Limited to 19 pieces. For more information, visit ressencewatches.com.
McLaren Elva / £1.4 million
The original Elva of the 1960s was where Bruce McLaren made his name – and therefore also the name of the British marque. Needless to say, using the Elva name this time around is a bold statement, and one the 2019 version more than lives up to. The lightest McLaren road car ever made, this thing would look odd (yet still stunning) on a country lane, but damn if it wouldn’t be fun to try it out on one.
For more information, visit cars.mclaren.com.
Motorola Razr Android Flip Phone / $1,500
The coolest phone of the naughties is making a comeback – and it’ll set you back a fair bit more this time around. While closed the phone looks much like us Millennials probably remember it. Rather than opening like a clamshell, however, a zero-gap hinge means the whole thing folds out into a full length, foldable touch screen. It’s a little less retro, a bit more space-age.
Available from January. For more information, visit motorola.co.uk.
Wilson Audio Chronosonic XVX / £330,000 per pair
Taking the spotlight as Wilson Audio’s new flagship, the Chronosonic XVX is ready to blow you away. Essentially a streamlined version of the brand’s phenomenal WAMM system, it has the same versatile structure and precise sound you expect from Wilson. It also happens to look amazing, too – a statement speaker if ever there was one.
Available at absolutesounds.com.
Leica CL Paul Smith Edition Camera / £3,500
In their second collaboration, legendary British designer Paul Smith has brought a colourful palette to bear on the usually sleek, minimal design of the Leica CL. Blue on top with the fashion icon’s signature multi-coloured stripe trimming the base, it’s all the camera you expect with a seriously cool aesthetic twist – a camera for the fashion-conscious.
Available at paulsmith.com.
Caran d’Ache Time Graph / CHF 40,000
If you’re one to lose track of the time while you’re writing, this may be the solution for you: a fountain pen with a mechanical movement. Working with the horological specialists at Le Temps Manufactures, pen specialist Caran d’Ache has shrunk down a movement to fit in the non-business end of one of its creations; it even has a recognisable crown. And if you think this is just a novelty… well, check out the price.
For more information, visit carandache.com.
