S.T. Dupont Humphrey Bogart Collection

S.T. Dupont celebrates its 140th anniversary by honoring one very special customer, Mr. Humphrey Bogart. Inspired by a bespoke order Bogart made in 1947, the collection is swathed in 18k yellow gold that is both polished and features their Grain d'orge finish. Link

The Sartorialist: Closer

Scott Schuman, better known as The Sartorialist, follows up his first book with "Closer", a 512 page photographic volume covering a variety of shots from Schuman's travels across the globe. The book will be available in an individually numbered limited edition ($137) and paperback which will both be available on August 29th. Link / Via Selectism

Porsche Exclusive 911 Club Coupe

To honor the gentlemen that first got together in Westphalia, Germany to celebrate Porsche 60 years ago, the company has created the 911 Club Coupe, an exclusive car with all of the expected trappings from a car that’s been worth lustive after for six decades. The 430 horsepower comes from a Porsche Carrera S base (albeit with a Powerkit to provide a little extra juice) and a warm Espresso interior compliments a glossy coat of Brewster Green on the interior, complete with an inscription of the owner’s name. But we should probably mention that it will be tough to become an owner of a 911 Club Coupe since the German company plans on making only 13 and keeping at least one for themselves. But you can’t blame them – with a car this impressive, it’s not wrong to be a little selfish.

ZONKEY BOOT FOOTWEAR FOR SPRING SUMMER 2013

We were first introduced to the Zonkey Boot collection at Pitti Uomo last summer. The European footwear line featured a range of hand-sewn shoes with contrasting red, white and black threads. Horween leather makes an appearance in the collection that features both Goodyear welted and Blake-stich constructions. Check for hand stained hits on the Zonkey Boot collection. Word is the collection with be available Stateside with their SS2013 collection. Welcome to America. Colette has their current collection as well.

When Good Isn’t Enough: 45 Years of AMG

Childbirth is a painful thing. Mother screams, child cries, various fluids splash onto the cold floor of a sterile hospital room. Yet, through this (un)natural sequence of events, life and beauty spring forth. Mother heals, child grows strong and healthy, and the once separate genetics of a loving couple are combined into a new generation.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of a different, but equally compelling birth — the inception of AMG, which today operates as the performance arm of Mercedes-Benz, specializing in outfitting select models with more aggressive looks, higher performance, better handling/stability, and copious amounts of carbon fiber. The genetics in this story stem from Hans-Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher – two motorsport visionaries with an unbroken entrepreneurial spirit and a dream to define the future of racing.

Recently, we had the great fortune of visiting the humble home of the all-grown-up family of AMGs in Affalterbach, Germany to meet some of the newest family members including a sneak peak at the A45 AMG, and watch the unveiling of the AMG SLS GT.

Read how this 45th Anniversary played out and peruse our photo essay after the jump.

The Thursday Cocktail

The Orchard Keeper

1.5 oz Eagle Rare Bourbon 

0.5 oz Laird’s 100 Proof Apple Brandy

0.25 oz Nocello Walnut Liqueur 

1 oz Grenadine 

3 drops Autumn Spice Bitters 

Shake ingredients well with cracked ice and strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with candied ginger and cinnamon.

Made by Hand | Federico Polidori

Tucked into an easy-to-miss shop near the Pantheon in Rome is leather goods maker Federico Polidori. Inside you will find a small selection of hand made items for purchase, but what Polidori really specializes in are beautiful custom made bags, holsters and all sorts of other high quality leather items. The shop is more workshop than retail space, with Federico’s workbench taking up a good amount of space in the main room. When I walked in I was instantly captivated by the product and started to bug the man with questions. He was gracious and patient with my questions, and my very limited grasp of the Italian language.


While it wasn’t easy for Federico or his wife Roberta to understand me, it was easy to see that the bags, wallets, belts and other items they make are very high quality. Leaving without buying something would have been criminal.

retaW Room Sprays

Japan's retaW bottles up a couple of their popular scents into two new room sprays scented with notes like floral cassis and patchouli that are sure to be a welcome alternative to the nausea-inducing, potpourri-scented choices at the local drugstore.

Cartier ID Two Concept Watch

Dubbed “Watchmaking’s Future in the Physical Form” by the folks over at Hodinkee, the Cartier ID Two concept watch is nothing short of magnificent. It’s even more impressive than the Cartier ID One which was unveiled in 2009. In fact, it’s more impressive than any watch we’ve seen in our times from a technological and innovation front. It’s made from a single block of ceramic called Ceramyst that is completely transparent and features a 32-day power reserve. The caseback is held on via a vacuum seal, meaning zero screws. Talk about efficiency, efficiency we haven’t seen in the watch industry ever. The Cartier ID Two produces 30% more power and consumes only half as much as a traditional watch, providing for a 32 day power reserve in just a 42mm case. Check out the video from Hodinkee video below for a more detailed look.

The Sunday Drive….

Lenny Kravitz + Philippe Starck for Kartell

Kartell injects a little rock n' roll into the famous Mademoiselle chair with the help of musician and designer, Lenny Kravitz. For this collaboration, Starck and Kravitz have wrapped the chairs in luxurious and exotic materials like fur, python, and leather giving the minimalist chairs a glamorous overhaul.

Diet Coke by Jean Paul Gaultier Night & Day Cans

French couturist Jean Paul Gaultier expands his material choice for design to include metal — not the precious kind, but the Coke can variety. The exclusive Diet Coke by Jean Paul Gaultier special edition collaboration with its “Night & Day” iterations unveiled a third Tattoo-inspired Diet Coke bottle design only recently, now followed by these special edition Coca-Cola Light/Diet Coke cans. To dispel confusion, Coca-Cola Light is simply Diet Coke’s alternative label in countries where “diet” is not used to describe low-calorie drinks. This is the first time in the beverage brand’s history that a design collaboration has been translated onto the 330ml cans. The ‘Night’ can immortalizes Gaultier’s iconic corset and cone bra design in classic glam rock fashion while the ‘Day’ can stands inspired by his signature Breton blue and white stripe motif. These cans are available across Europe at select retailers until September.

The Thursday Cocktail...

Soft Machine
1.5 oz Cazadores Reposado Tequila
0.5 oz St. Germain
0.5 oz Aperol
1 oz Cantaloupe Purée


Cantaloupe Purée
Cut off the seeds and the rind of the cantaloupe, and puree the hell out of it in a blender. When there are no chunks left at all, you’re ready to go. Don’t bother trying to strain it like we did with the watermelon, the puree is less thick, but there is way less liquid.


Shake well with ice, serve up and garnish with a slice of cantaloupe.

Mercedes-Benz.tv: G-Class History Video

The Mercedes-Benz cross-country vehicle class, or G-Class – short for Geländewagen – was recently featured in this latest visual delivery from the German automaker. In 1979, a versatile vehicle that could drive over nearly anything was put into production – instantly demand and interest was created worldwide. Several attempts to modernize the G-Class since its inception have brought us the military-inspired 460-series, diesel-powered G320, and most recently the G500. Mercedes designer and head of Benz Classic Volker Leutz and Michael Bock discuss how the G-Class has developed and the obstacles in the path to a redesign for 2013.

RICK OWENS SPRING 2013 COLLECTION

We definitely rely on Rick Owens to keep the world of Black Metal Serfwear fully blooded and evolving, but looking through his Spring 2013 collection we are reminded that if there were not people out there confidently following their own ways into gonzo territory like this, we might all just be wearing pleated khakis. The collection’s theme is a good fit for this sentiment—called “Island” it explores the notion that each man is his own set of private ideas about existence set afloat in the world.

Owens’ wife, Michelle, supplied the singing during the runway show and spawned the idea to use noisy clogs. These provide us a BMS touchpoint, as there is really nothing more black metal than giving your  models percussive cloven hoofs to walk about on. Of course, Owens will not be pigeonholed and this assortment of looks roams a multitude of landscapes in a variety of moods. Lots to think about.

Panerai Radiomir California 3 Days (PAM448)

Depending on who you ask (or read), there’s a good chance you might walk away with a handful of stories behind the origins of the “California” dial. This writer humbly admits to not knowing the truth. Some attribute the widespread knowledge to a California-based company that refurbished a large number of Rolex Bubblebacks in the ’80s with the dial (the dial’s origins actually date back to the 1930s). Others may point to a company, also in California, who created dials with both Arabic and Roman numerals as a demonstration of the differences, later capturing the dollars of a buyer who wanted his watch made with the dial. And others, even claim the dials were simply used as cover-plates when Rolex shipped movements to other manufacturers.

The stories may be the stuff of legend, but a recent resurgence in its popularity, which has nothing to do with another Italian California special, makes an undebatable statement in the Panerai Radiomir California 3 Days.

The Sunday Ride…new six series coupe

We're now on the second generation of the Mercedes-Benz CLS, the luxury sedan that kicked off the whole "four-door coupe" craze. Since then, Volkswagen countered with the CC, Porsche launched the Panamera, and Audi won us over with its A7. So what about BMW? Now that the big 6 Series coupe has taken hold, the German automaker has added a proper back seat and two additional doors to create this, the 2013 6 Series Gran Coupe.


The first version of the Gran Coupe to arrive Stateside will be the 640i, powered by BMW's N55 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six, good for 315 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque in this application. Shortly thereafter, the 650i Gran Coupe will arrive, available with rear-wheel drive or xDrive all-wheel drive, boasting a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 tuned to 445 hp and 480 lb-ft. Both engines are paired with BMW's ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission.


Compared to its two-door counterpart, the Gran Coupe is a full 4.4 inches longer, and most of that added length benefits the rear passengers. BMW's literature states that the stretched 6 Series has a 4+1 seating configuration, meaning there's actually a quasi-usable seat between the two outboard rear positions. (Good luck.) Judging from the photos, the Gran Coupe's interior is as luxuriously appointed and tech-laden as the rest of the 6 Series range – if not a little bit moreso.


We originally thought that BMW would debut the 2013 6 Series Gran Coupe at next month's Detroit Auto Show, but since the all-new 2012 3 Series is expected to make its public debut at Cobo Hall, we think BMW may hold off on the official Gran Coupe introduction until the Geneva Motor Show in March. We'll likely know official pricing details around that time, too. For now, soak it up in our high-res gallery and follow the jump to read the full details in BMW's press blast.