Wishlist: Football table, rose gold chronometer and a whisky barrel bicycle
From a golden pen to a great entry-level camera, this is what we want this week...
We’re currently heading into that period of weather limbo where shorts and sneakers are now off-limits, while a wool overcoat is still a no-go. Not only is this zip-up light enough to use as a top layer during warmer spells this September, but its Merino wool material will also help insulate you during days when the British breeze starts to kick in. And once winter is in full flow, it’s the ideal item to slip under a parka or mac.
Swiss watchmaker Chopard has padded-out its impressive horological range with two new timepieces – the L.U.C Heritage Grand Cru and the L.U.C XPS. The former is a successor to the brand’s first L.U.C XP Tonneau which was released in 2001, and it’s a chronometer made with 18-carat rose gold, a slender 7.7mm-thin profile and – like its predecessor – is the only tonneau watch wound by an automatic movement. Meanwhile, the middle section of the side of the case has been buffed to perfection, while under the anti-reflective sapphire crystal lies a white porcelain-like dial with black Roman numerals.
The latter offering is the latest addition to Chopard’s L.U.C XPS collection, and its main draw is the amount of materials and colours it’s available in – stainless steel with a grey case and white dial; 18-carat white gold with a black dial; 18-carat rose gold with a silver-toned dial; and finally, platinum with a blue dial. Moreover, the lugs have been gently trimmed down and the sapphire crystal has been slightly domed to allow the watch to slip seamlessly under a tux shirt and jacket.
Sleek and stylish, this ink-filled pen by Scandi design house HAY is coated with a golden shine and is made with a weighty, metallic feel that feels perfect in your hand or jacket pocket. Better still, it’ll make you want to start that novel you never got around to writing.
To honour the units in which Glenmorangie’s signature single malt – The Original – matures in, the Highland distillery has just joined forces with bicycle manufacturer Renovo to create a limited edition run of bikes made from whisky casks. The process starts when the Glenmorangie whisky oak barrels are shipped from Scotland to the Renovo workshop in Oregon, US, before 15 staves are then shaped into every frame.
The result is a beautiful two-wheeler complete with Aileron rims and road handlebars. This is an apt partnership not only because Renovo launched the first engineered wooden bicycle over a decade ago, but the collaboration also represents a coming-together of two brands renowned for their trailblazing practices within their respective crafts.
Air Charter Service’s jet card division, Empyrean, offers clients pre-paid jet card products – something to take the sting out of frequent air travel. Its flagship product – and godsend for jet-setters – is The Empyrean Card, the world’s most flexible jet card. This unique product has been developed after years of research and development, offering a range of benefits unsurpassed by any other product on the private aviation market – and, what’s more, you simply book via a one line e-mail. Perfect for the high-flying globe-trotters amongst you, the Empyrean Card is a worldwide solution – you can use the card to fly anywhere in the world, on any aircraft you desire.
A foosball table is a necessity for any sports aficionado, office or games room, and you won’t find one that’s better than this vintage beauty. Coin-operated and originating from 1930s Italy, this is a rare original (given that they were first invented in 1922) which still has the players painted in red, green and white. With minimal wear-and-tear, this is a welcome addition to any memorabilia collection.
As the name implies, the Bose SoundLink Micro is rather petit. But despite the fact that it measures only 3.75 inches square and 1.5 inches thick, it booms out some serious volume for a bijou-sized speaker. The secret is in the custom-designed transducer and miniature dual-passive radiators which create a sound performance far more powerful than you’d expect from a normal micro-system.
This speaker is also waterproof in order to withstand rain and poolside splashes, and is encased in soft silicone for protection from scratches, dents, cracks, dust, dirt and sand. Moreover, the battery life lasts for up to six hours – which should outlast almost any Spotify playlist – and it doubles as a speakerphone with push-button access to make and take calls from your iOS or Android device. Available now in black, blue or orange.
Olympus’s latest entry-level mirrorless camera has been given a premium upgrade. While its main updates include 4K video capabilities and a maximum native ISO of 25600, other features include a 5-axis in-body image stabilisation and the same image processor as the Mark II (a rangefinder which shoots at incredible speeds).
And, as the Japanese optics manufacturer is angling this model at those who want to take a step up from regular smartphone cameras, it comes with four assist modes for novices – scene, auto, art filter and advanced photo. A tempting offer for casual snappers.
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