Affluent Page Presents Embraer’s Phenom 300 Embarks on a 40-City Tour

Flight Options, a leading aircraft fractional ownership company boldly claims that its newest aircraft, the Phenom 300, literally “renders the competition obsolete”. ”The Phenom 300 must be seen to truly understand how it exceeds every other jet aircraft in its class,” says Jay Heublein, Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

Currently, the Flight Options team is on the road dazzling audiences with the 300’s unequaled performance and operational efficiency.  The tour, expected to last until mid-July, plans to hit such major cities as New York, Dallas, Chicago, and Las Vegas.

“We are extremely excited to travel the country and show people first-hand, a plane that integrates exceptional performance and spacious comfort at a fraction of the cost you would expect to pay for an aircraft of its caliber,” says Heublein. Some of the Phenom’s features include a spacious, lightweight cabin built to accommodate up to 7 passengers, the latest in advanced safety equipment, and a surprising $1,400 per hour rate, which creates an average saving of 25%.

For more info on tour dates, locations, and RSVP information visit http://www.flightoptions.com/phenom-tour.html

~Affluent Page

Affluent Page Magazine Presents More Affordable Suborbital Space Flight

While Virgin Galactic’s first manned flight only took place this month, Lee Valentine, executive vice president of the Space Studies Institute in Princeton, N.J., expects that the cost of space tourism will significantly decrease in the next few years. At this weekend’s NewSpace 2010 Conference, he stated predictions that space travel will only cost $50,000 per seat by the year 2014. Currently, Virgin Galactic is charging $200,000 for a ticket aboard their SpaceShip Two, but their current company policy seems to embrace Valentine’s prediction having stated in the past that they have “managed to reduce drastically the price of getting to space and over time will reduce it still further.” In comparison to the first commercial space orbit in 2001 which cost millionaire Dennis Tito $20 million, their innovations in space flight have already managed to make space tourism more widely accessible.

However, should the novelty of space flight spur you to reserve seats sooner than 2014, Virgin Galactic is still accepting deposits for suborbital space flight. Since our last posting on the company, Virgin Galactic’s ventures into space have become less theory and more reality. Both ship models, the WhiteKnight Two and SpaceShip Two, had all systems evaluated during their 6 hour and 12 minute flight this July bringing the SpaceShip Two, a passenger ship, one step closer to commercial travel. On board, each passenger would have a clear view of the cosmos through two large windows, both overhead and alongside of seating, giving space tourist the option of remaining seated or floating in zero gravity. The ship boasts safety with a carbon composite construction and a new kind of horizontal air launch instead of a traditional ground launch. The new technique requires less fuel and allows for smoother landing.

And although the science of space travel limits amenities aboard the ship, Virgin has not abandoned their luxury style. As part of their deposit, aspiring astronauts purchase membership to “perhaps the world’s most exclusive club with privileged access to all aspects of the project as it progresses…from Astronaut Forums with Sir Richard Branson on his Caribbean island home or his South African game reserve to opportunities to tour Scaled Composites”.of new vehicles. For booking please contact one of the many accredited space agents across the globe or visit the Virgin Galactic website.

~Affluent Page

Affluent Page Magazine Presents Bulgari Blue Diamond to Exceed $12 Million at Christie’s Auction

Fancy vivid blue diamonds have always been hard to come by, but this October, Christie’s will feature the largest triangle cut blue diamond ever to hit the auction block. Weighing in at 10.95 carats, the richly hued jewel is paired with a slightly smaller colorless diamond (9.87 carats) in a gold ring setting. In addition, the ring bears all the prestige associated with Bulgari craftsmanship. Founded in 1887, Bulgari has always created works of supreme refinement, and the ring exemplifies this mission. It should come as no surprise that the original collector considered the brilliant diamond and its companions the perfect piece to congratulate his wife on the birth of their first son in an age-old family tradition. Now on the market, for the first time in roughly 40 years, the diamond is already making quite a stir. According to Rahul Kadakia, Head of Jewelry for Christie’s America, “This ring’s exceptional quality, rarity, and size combined with the coveted imprimatur of the house of Bulgari make this upcoming sale a truly special event in the world of jewelry and one that is certain to make auction history.”

This generously set ring is expected to sell for over $12 million dollars, and in light of how rarely such gems are available to the public, this spectacular ring could sell for far more than the expected value. In December of 2008, the gray-blue Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond sold for $24,300,000, breaking the world auction record for any single jewel. Bulgari’s equally beautiful azure stone may be less sizable than the Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond, but the ring’s composition highlights the best modern forms to come out of the 1970’s. The diamonds’ natural beauty is emphasized by their bold cut and their contrasting shades. The band’s minimalist styling is balanced with diamonds flush together. This is a piece that will never go out of fashion.

Although Christie’s Jewels auction will be conducted at their New York location, key items, including the Bulgari Blue diamond, will be on tour throughout September for international bidders.

~Affluent Page

Christies

Affluent Page Magazine Presents Piero Manzoni’s Achrome Piece Exepected to Fetch $2,902,650

During his short career, Piero Manzoni endeavored to create universal art that expressed the act of simple existence. Created in 1958-59 as part of a collection of Achromes that began in 1957, Achrome was one of Manzoni’s signature ‘colorless’ works that existed in opposition to the monochromes popular at the time. In order to construct these piece, Manzoni folded and stitched kaolin-soaked canvases, preserving the fabric’s own intent. Kaolin is a kind of clay often used in making porcelain and the substance stiffens the canvases into their final form. Through this process, each Achrome would form itself, removing the artist from the act of creation. By doing this, Manzoni hoped to create art that could appeal to viewers on a fundamental level. No longer part of the work’s formation, Manzoni became only an enabler for art.

This particular Achrome has been featured in print by Museo d’Arte Contemporanea Donnaregina, Museo Nacional de Arte Reina Sofía, and Karsten Schubert LTD as an archetype of Piero Manzoni’s art. In leaving the canvas blank, Manzoni removed the signifier from art. In Achrome, the canvas is not referential. Instead, it highlights its own form and its own potential. The piece expresses a sense of advent, waiting to become something more than itself. Certainly a post-war piece, Achrome redefines art and breaks from the traditional image. His works’ simplicity reflect the sentiments of both the Italian Arte Povera movement and the global trend towards Minimalism.

Along with several other works entitled Achrome by Piero Manzoni, Achrome will be presented as part of Christie’s Italian Sale on October 14, 2010 and is expected to fetch up to $2,902,650 as the highlight of the collection. Other lots that will also be on the auction block include Marino Marini’s sculpture Cavaliere which is expected to fetch up to $2,824,200 and Alberto Burri’s Nero Cretto which is expected to sell for$1,569,000.

~Affluent Page

Affluent Page Magazine Presents Jay Kos’s Vibrant Navy Mink Peacoat Priced at $25,000

Since starting his company in 1996, Jay Kos has provided New Yorkers with expert tailoring and a unique splash of color. His inspirations vary, drawing from the excellent clothiers of Milan and London and from everyday objects, such as a theater’s vintage wallpaper. It’s a characteristic of his work that translates to his shop. In his Park Avenue store you’ll find the designer’s own creation, an alligator vest, next to the more traditional blazers of familiar English brands such as James Lock & Co. and Edward Green.

Kos believes that there is a “psychological importance to fashion,” and the clothes he makes reflect his need for expression. His pieces allow customers a chance to better define themselves and even unleash their inner Oscar Wilde. According to Kos, the kind of man who he dresses is generally “incredibly discerning, but he also doesn’t take fashion seriously.” Kos chooses to work outside current fashion trends, and while his works serve a more eccentric clientele, quality craftsmanship and fine raw materials make these garments ideal for any man seeking a touch more luxury in his wardrobe. The tailor embraces the same attention to detail typical to Savile Row but his traditional cuts are tempered with playful mediums like hand dyed leathers and peridot cashmere. In addition, Kos offers the experience and personality only a practiced tailor could provide. His clients trust his opinion from style advice to which hotels they should book.

This fall, the highlight of the Jay Kos collection is a navy sheared mink peacoat. A staple item for the coming season, the piece’s soft mink makes this an exceptional variation on the classic coat. Its deep blue fur is both fun and elegant, a perfect complement to any attire. The peacoat is available for $25,000.

~Affluent Page

Jay Kos
Jay Kos Blog

Affluent Page Magazine Presents Retro Revival: $1.5 Million Aquariva by Marc Newson

The fifties and sixties birthed the epoch of “La Dolce Vita,” heyday for Riva’s Aquarama speedboat. In a highly anticipated collaboration, Marc Newson has partnered with Riva and their official designers at Officina Italiana Design, to reinterpret the famous leisure vessel.

Marc Newson’s “Transport,” a post-war Italian influenced exhibition of all his major works, will unveil the reinvented Aquariva, a limited edition collection of 22 boats sold exclusively at the Gagosian Gallery. The exhibition will also feature a complete collection of illustrations and an interview by Louise Neri.

The Australian designer, well known for his broad spectrum in design, has made no exception with his latest achievement; Mark Newson’s aesthetic talent is fully evident. Skilled in both conceptual and constructional components, he used a wood-like, textile based laminate for the deck area. The material, which was developed in the first half of the twentieth century, is the predecessor of the fiberglass and considerably more durable than wood. Newson then upgraded the Aquarama’s original exterior with an anodized aluminum in the new Aquariva, a step up from traditional stainless steel and chrome brass. This lightweight material is rarely used for boats but attains a distinctive finish.

Carrying on the legacy of this iconic craft, Newson has managed to respect the DNA of the original design, yet he infuses the classic model with the latest nautical state of the art features. The Aquarama once defined Riva’s reputation as the epitome of style and luxury, and the Aquariva is no different. The evolution of such a classic is evident in Marc Newson’s impeccable design.

The revived and much anticipated Riva made its debut on September 14, and cost $1.5 million.

Riva Yacht

Affluent Page Magazine Presents Zadora Debuts $145,000 Enamel Guilloche Timepiece

Gemologist extraordinaire, Andreas von Zadora-Gerlof has introduced a new line of bespoke timepieces to his repertoire of remarkable jewelry. Each piece carries an inimitable cylindrical dial upon which a stunning embellishment, of one’s personal choice, is mounted.

Creator of some of the most exquisite works of art existent today, he has revisited the early evolutionary stages of the first public clocks, which once strictly served as instruments to the church and state in 13th century Europe. The 16th century marked the appearance of the first timepieces. These time-informing pieces of jewelry had a drum-like shape and were used to adorn the neck.

The historical concept inspired Zadora to create a distinctive 21st century timepiece. The Zadora Timepiece carries fragments of the original drum-like design and is combined with the designer’s exceptional inventive touch. The time is read-out on the side of the case breaking away from the standard idea that time should be advised through the flat uppermost surface of a watch.

The Zadora Enamel Guilloche Timepiece is crafted in 18-karat white gold. The bezel is set with white diamond details encasing a large green cabochon tsavorite center stone. A royal blue enameled guilloche disk contours the centerpiece, adding to the superb dazzler.

Andreas von Zadora-Gerlof learned his craft from the great Haida Indian artist, who personally tutored him in the art of metal and gold graving. His devotion to create such striking designs is coupled with his love of nature and great interest in Indian mysticism, which has inspired him to pursue his talent for gem sculpting and metallurgy as a full time profession. Having a background in working with Faberge pieces, his truly perfected skill can be testified by his years of practice. Such experience has placed him in the high ranks of custom jewelry.

The rediscovered timepiece is priced at $145,000.

~Affluent Page