Metronome Technologie, the French company founded in 1987, has earlier impressed the audiophiles with their Kalista CD Transport and now, the high-end audio firm has unveiled the new Kalista Ultimate SE CD Transport. The top-loaded CD Transport has…

The year 2010 has seen the rebound of luxury after the worst global recession of 2009. Luxury shoppers were back to splurging on the materialistic possessions yet again and the luxury brands reported a surge in their dipping profits with strong…

Filed under: Handbags

Add a healthy dose of glrlish glamour and interesting texture to a monochromatic black-on-black look with this Marni Rosette-Embellished Clutch. It features puffy little black tulle rosettes arranged haphazardly over a tight pattern of black ribbons and black beads. It has a structured velvet top with a small bit of gold hardware in the form of a clasp closure and rings to connect the detachable shoulder strap, and inside it has one pocket and is fully lined in black fabric. Some people say a woman only needs one black clutch but I say you can never have too many little black bags. $1,050

Marni Rosette-Embellished Clutch, Handbag of the Day originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 31 Dec 2010 17:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

The good news is that celebrity homes seem to sell more easily than your average luxury real estate. The bad news is that there a lot of celebrity homes still seeking a new buyer. I dug through my 2010 archives, month by month, to assess the damage and see who is still trying to sell.

Some celebrities including Mel Gibson, have tried a price cut of over a million. Others including Uma Thurman, Ricky Martin and Richard Chamberlain have held their ground and their properties have sat on the market for over six months. Sheryl Crow tried to take the auction route but failed to sell her Tennessee farm.

But of course the biggest celebrity real estate tail of woe for 2010 has to be Nicolas Cage. He managed to sell off his New York apartment and his Las Vegas house but saw two New Orleans homes and his Bel Air mansion fall to foreclosure. His Rhode Island home, shown above, is still on the market for $7.75 million, a far cry from the $15.7 million he paid for it.

A look at every celebrity home listing we covered in 2010 with updated results is after the jump.

Continue reading Celebrity Real Estate Round-Up, 2010– Who’s Still On The Market?

Celebrity Real Estate Round-Up, 2010– Who’s Still On The Market? originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 31 Dec 2010 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Developed by Canadian lumberjacks, the Bullerjan (aka Free Flow) hot air furnace promises high heating capacity with a good heat circulation, fast heat distribution, an even burn-up, long glow retention and a low level of ash accumulation. The stove..

Filed under: Estates, Auctions

Aspen’s first Gold LEED- certified home is being sold off through Concierge Auctions live, on-site auction on January 28th through Concierge Auctions. The home was originally listed for $13.975 million but there is no minimum bid required to participate. The sale is being conducted in cooperation with listing agent Wendy Lucas of Wendy Lucas Aspen who states that her clients are “the most motivated sellers in Aspen and are committed to finding a new owner on January 28th.”

The 6,750-square-foot residence combines luxury living with green efficiencies. It has six bedrooms and is on 2.33 acres in the W/J Subdivision on McLain Flats, with 360-degree views of Aspen Mountain, Snowmass Mountain, Capitol Peak, Mt. Daly, the Upper Roaring Fork Valley and hundreds of acres of adjacent dedicated open pasture lands.

The living room of the home features custom metalwork by Bridger Steel, native rock from the Telluride Stone Company and earthen plaster by American Clay. NanaWall sliding glass doors form two opposite walls of the room, showcasing mountain views. The master suite takes up nearly one third of the first floor and has a walk-in closet and spa bathroom with sunken soaking tub and glass-enclosed shower. The upper level is comprised of four bedroom suites and a media room surrounding a game room and bar.

Energy-efficiency building techniques included spray-in foam insulation, geothermal heating and cooling, Low-E windows and Timberstrand engineered framing systems. On the exterior reclaimed siding, solar hot water panels and steel standing seam roofing add to the home’s green cred.

Absentee bidding is available via phone and Internet, and a 3% commission is offered to the buyer’s representing broker. See Auction Terms and Conditions for full details. The property is open for preview daily from 1pm to 4pm and by appointment. To schedule a preview call 877-463-5280, or for more information visit www.AuctionAspen.com.

Continue reading Vision House, Estate of the Day

Vision House, Estate of the Day originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 31 Dec 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Destination: Located in the city of Seattle, the Four Seasons Hotel is housed in the first 10 floors of a 21-story hotel and residential tower in a fine location that’s minutes away from the Seattle Art Museum, Benaroya Hall and the Pike Place..

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Omega’s push to be on the top continues as the brand focuses on classier and classier pieces for both men and women. Omega watches for women in 2010 and 2011 are going to focus more and more on mechanical movements - and less on quartz. This timepieces is a 38.5mm wide woman-sized version of the popular Seamaster Aqua Terra watch in a diamond studded dress. Each of these “Aqua Terra Jewellery (why on bloody earth are there so many ways to spell “jewelry?) watches has 52 full-cut diamonds on the bezel, along with 12 more diamonds on the the hour markers. This decorated face goes well with the functional and timeless look of the case and bracelet design.

Omega will offer the Aqua Terra Jewellery in both 18 red gold (rare for women’s watches) and steel variants - with metal or alligator bracelets. Inside the watch is an Omega calibre 8500 co-axial automatic movement that has been Chronometer certified. As many might say, this is a watch strong enough for a man, but made for a woman.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Omega Aqua Terra Jewellery Co-Axial Watch originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 31 Dec 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Konstantin Beta ride-on toy designed by Nika Zupanc exclusively for 20LTD fits perfectly on our list of toy cars rich little kids would love to drive. Nika Zupanc says that the creation of this sit-on child’s toy is an epitomizing tour de force.

Filed under: Auctions

Roy Rogers’ faithful horse Trigger and his dog Bullet were auctioned off with the contents of the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum. A Nebraska network, RFD-TV was the winner of the lots for Trigger and Bullet, picking up Trigger for $265,500 and Bullet for $35,000. Two other preserved horses, Dale Evans’ Buttermilk and Trigger’s body double, Trigger Jr. went elsewhere, selling to private buyers for $25,000 and $18,750.

Continue reading Oddest Things We Saw Up For Auction In 2010

Oddest Things We Saw Up For Auction In 2010 originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 31 Dec 2010 06:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Estates

October saw the return of a whopper property, Little Jennie Ranch which is still listed at $69.5 million. As you might expect there hasn’t been a whole lot of real estate action in just a couple months but we have seen some price reductions including a price cut at the home used to film “Entourage,” a $1 million price chop at an estate in Greenwich, Connecticut and a $2 million price cut in Newport, Rhode Island. But the biggest price cut of the whole year happened during this time period, Albemarle house, which topped our list of biggest price drops in 2010, landed at $24 million, quite a fall from the $100 million it was at when it first hit the market.

Continue reading Estate of the Day Year-End Wrap-Up–October/November 2010

Estate of the Day Year-End Wrap-Up–October/November 2010 originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 31 Dec 2010 01:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Estates

Actor Todd Stashwick who had regular roles on “Heroes” and “The Riches” and most recently appeared in “$#*! My Dad Says” has a charming home in the Laurel Canyon area of Los Angeles that he has listed for less than he paid for it. The LA Times reports that Stashwick and his wife Charity bought the home in 2007 for $1.255 million. Former owners actor Jeffy Perry and casting director Linda Lowy had expanded and renovated the original 1922 property into a three-bedroom home before selling in 2003.

The home’s delightful features include a light-filled living room with a peaked roof and Dutch door, a double-height formal dining room, a family room with wood-burning fireplace and a master suite with a fireplace and balcony. Sunny paint colors give this home a very appealing cottage hideaway look. The landscaped grounds have a rock-bed stream, a children’s playhouse and a 200-year-old oak tree.

James Foreman of Sotheby’s International Realty, Los Feliz, is the listing agent.

Continue reading Todd Stashwick’s Laurel Canyon Home On The Market

Todd Stashwick’s Laurel Canyon Home On The Market originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Estates

The estate of the day year-end round-up brings us to September. There hasn’t been a lot of market movement in just a couple of months. Although the home above, Carmel, California’s beautiful Butterfly House has had a price cut from $22 million a few months back to $19.2 million which is lower than the price we saw back in 2007 when I first profiled this home. The ultra-sexy Esquire House in Hollywood Hills has also had a $3.4 million price cut.

Continue reading Estate of the Day Year-End Wrap-Up– September 2010

Estate of the Day Year-End Wrap-Up– September 2010 originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 01:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions

It’s not every day that a car like the Ferrari FXX Evoluzione goes up for auction. Or a Maserati MC12. Or a Ferrari F40, F50 or 333 SP, for that matter. But these and more are set to cross the auction block in a star-studded line-up presented by Gooding & Company.

The collection of the late Benny Caiola includes the aforementioned FXX (estimated at $2.2-2.5 million), MC12 ($1.1-1.4 million), 333 SP ($800,000-1 million), F40 ($475,000-550,000) and F50 ($750,000-850,000), along with an F430 Challenge race car ($125,000 - $150,000) and 430 Scuderia ($215,000-240,000), 599 HGTE ($275,000-315,000) and 1973 Ferrari Dino ($160,000-180,000) plus a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster ($240,000-325,000) and Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 ($175,000-225,000) for good measure.

The most notable (and valuable) of the collection, the FXX and MC12 are both based on the iconic Ferrari Enzo supercar, but optimized for performance on the race track, while the 333 SP was the last Le Mans Prototype ever built by Ferrari. It’s a rare collection to be sure, one that promises to bring in upwards of $7 million in sales when the auction kicks off on January 21 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Million-Dollar Ferraris and More at Gooding & Co. Auction in Arizona originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Pond kitchen from the Seoul-based designer Jaehoon Jung @ Kam-Kam looks to be something like a futuristic craft. The inviting kitchen works on many sensory levels. While the water waves sink gives you an auditory experience of a water stream, the.

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spirits, Luxury Cars & Autos, Sports, Men’s Style

“Every day above ground is a good day” is the saying, and it depends entirely on how much latitude you give the definition of “good.” There are other days, however - certain days, special days - that cannot be denied their inclusion in the ranks of The Best of the Good Ones. While we have no problem admitting that even the least among our days on the job are still pretty good, there are others that clearly and simply take their places at the front of a very competitive line. In no particular order, then, here are seven places and pleasures that have meant the most to us in 2010.

Continue reading Seven Heavens: Jonathon Ramsey’s Year of Empyrean Experiences

Seven Heavens: Jonathon Ramsey’s Year of Empyrean Experiences originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Over the summer Casio announced a limited edition version of their G-Shock Frogman watch in honor of the 40th Anniversary of Tokyo FM. Casio is known to make limited edition watches all the time, many of them are highly sought after collectibles. Casio chose famous Japanese pop artist Takashi Murakami to design the watch. Built on the Casio GWF-100TM watch, Murakami chose a pinkish-red for the case and strap material. The back of the watch has a signature Murakami flower design, while the watch comes on a pillow designed by him. Here is the official product page.

The base G-Shock Frogman watch is probably the most expensive G-Shock that Casio makes costing over $1,000. It is a highly sophisticated model in terms of extra durability with a metal inner case and lots of functions. This limited edition of 300 pieces that came out a few months ago arrived with a retail price of 300,000 Yen - which is just over $3,600 right now. In fact, I saw at least two pieces of this watch on eBay at the time of writing that where going for a whopping $12,500. Limited edition watches always go for more than the watches they are based on, but not that many of them retain collector’s value after they are sold. Some models do in fact remain highly sought after collectibles. This model is lucky to combine love for G-Shock watches, the Tokyo FM radio station, and Takashi Murakami’s work (he is also the host of a show on the network I believe).

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Casio Frogman “Takashi Murakami” G-Shock Watch, Well Over $3,500 originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Auctions, Art

2010 saw a lot of records set in the auction world. The art market was back in a big way. One painting that dazzled the world was Picasso’s Nude, Green Leaves, and Bust which sold for $106.5 million at Christie’s, setting a world record for any work of art sold at auction beating out a Giacometti sculpture which had sold for over $104 million. After the jump, a list of things that earned the “most expensive” title in their categories in 2010.

Continue reading Most Expensive Things Sold At Auction 2010

Most Expensive Things Sold At Auction 2010 originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Estates

Today we’re taking a look back at some of the year’s most amazing penthouse properties around the world.

St. Regis, San Francisco, California.
This rare two-story penthouse with 360-degree views sits atop the five-star St. Regis Hotel in San Francisco has three grand entertaining rooms with 21-foot glass walls and an adjacent 2,000-square-foot terrace reminiscent of terraces that border New York’s Central Park. It is listed at $49 million. The apartment was listed at $70 million in November 2008. The 20,000-square-foot residence has both catering and family kitchens, a private elevator, an in-home cinema and game lounge with a wet bar. The penthouse also has a double-height cascading water feature in the grand stair hall. There are six bedrooms, four fireplaces and a garage bay for five or six cars.. There are hardwood floors, an in-home fitness center, sauna, spa and library.

Continue reading Eight Dreamy Penthouses For Sale

Eight Dreamy Penthouses For Sale originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 07:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Handbags

Nylon has never looked so cute. A refreshing departure from leather and a seasonless carry-all, this Glossed-Nylon Shopping Bag from Stella McCartney has a relaxed, crinkled shape that pops in bold “cosmos” blue. The highly-glossed nylon begs to be touched (I bet even strangers reach out) and looks a bit like slouchy patent leather. Zip-detailed edges open to expand for a little more room should you need it, plus it has double canvas top handles, silver hardware, and is fully lined in off-white. One of my favorite casual bags in awhile. $785

Stella McCartney Glossed-Nylon Shopping Bag, Handbag of the Day originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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