Celebrity Life

Enjoy this visual spectacle if you are around Singapore’s Orchard Road.

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The Carlyle hotel-inspired bolthole -- slated to open on the uppermost floors of Rosewood Hong Kong later this year -- will offer a blueprint for the eponymous group's vision of "a new kind of international members' club". We venture north of the harbour to discover just what that entails...

Hitherto, the Hong Kong ecosystem of private members' clubs has been split broadly between two camps: at one end, you have venerable institutions catered to the needs of the city's professionals (the FCC) and those who surround them (the KCC); at the other, a burgeoning array of social haunts meant to profit from the growing number of Silicon Valley types -- hawkers of crypto, CBD cafes, and other speculative investment opportunities -- who reside here.

Call me Debbie Downer, but neither feels like an especially glam place to visit. After all, such clubs justify their patronage by way of mostly pragmatic considerations: a convenient location; access to business networking opportunities; affordable gym membership; and so forth. This, as Rosewood Hotels CEO Sonia Cheng well knows is where Carlyle & Co. can break the mould -- by conjuring a little glamour into Hong Kong's mostly comatose members' club scene.

Best thought of as a kind of pied-à-terre to the Rosewood Hong Kong (spanning the 54th-56th floor of the hotel) Carlyle & Co. is, in effect, Cheng's answer to the boutique members' clubs that have dominated pop culture these last 20 years. In Hong Kong -- where bureaucratic red tape is frequent; and decent-sized real estate scant -- her hotel group's latest venture feels especially impressive -- if for no other reason than the sheer audacity of it all.

In recent weeks, the first details of the club's leviathan 25,000 sq. ft. premises have begun to emerge, inspired in broad strokes by the "intriguing, inimitable and ultimately indefinable" style of The Carlyle in New York (incidentally also a brand owned by Rosewood Hotels). To orchestrate this vision of Hong Kong-via-Manhattan, Rosewood turned to British designer Ilse Crawford, whose approach has imbued the club's many rooms with a light, playful sensibility -- affording each a healthy dose of individual personality.

For fusty decadents like yours truly, the gentlemen's spaces -- including a barber, shoeshine, and capsule store by an award-winning haberdasher -- hold immense charm -- even though they espouse just one of many eclectic visual styles members will enjoy each time they navigate the club. The aforementioned differ significantly from spaces like the Cabaret Bar and Sitting Room, both of which employ the medium of painting (by artists Jean-Philippe Delhomme and Christina Zimpel respectively) to celebrate The Carlyle hotel's legendary Bemelmans murals.

Supper & Supping

In the spirit of its progenitor, the various dining venues at Carlyle & Co. seem to be accompanied by an august sense of occasion. The crux of the action happens at the brasserie, which (like any decent club restaurant in Hong Kong) serves a medley of Western, Chinese, and all-day delicacies. Here, the focus is on simply cooking the freshest produce the club can source -- various of the small plates are smoked, cured, or otherwise preserved in-house -- yet it's hardly the most theatrical outlet. That honour belongs to Café Carlyle, an intimate supper club intended as the local chapter of the eponymous tippling destination in New York. Members can expect this to be the repository of the club's live musical programming, which (consistent with the historic acts that have taken to the stage at the Carlyle hotel) will include an assortment of uniquely American artforms like jazz, funk, and blues.

Members craving a dose of sunshine can also take a selection of food and drink on the club's 55th-floor terrace, which (much like the Rosewood property at large) enjoys the sort of view that's conducive to sonnet writing or spontaneous tears of joy. Flanking one end of that terrace, you'll find the local chapter of Bemelmans Bar. Like its namesake, the menu here is split roughly equally between fine wines, punchbowls and classic cocktails; though, at the weekend, you can expect a certain frenetic atmosphere to take hold, as the space merges with the terrace for live DJ performances against the backdrop of Victoria Harbour.

Cosy quarters, brimming with personality

Though Carlyle & Co. members can easily book themselves into one of the 400-plus rooms at the surrounding Rosewood property, the entire 54th floor of the club is given over to eight themed suites -- all of which celebrate the history of The Carlyle hotel. More or less equal in size, each offers an inviting and distinctive interior personality. If you're retiring following an evening spent drinking (one too many) Martinis for instance, the 'Tommy' seems an apt choice -- named for and inspired by the legendary Bemelmans bartender Mr. Tommy Rowles. Other known personalities include Dorothy Draper, the original 'modern Baroque' decorator of The Carlyle's interiors; and Eartha Kitt, the renowned actress and Broadway musician. For dedicated students of café society, a stay in every single suite would seem like money well-spent.

A variety of membership packages are available at Carlyle & Co., with or without health club membership. To learn more about rates (or inquire about eligibility) visit Carlyle & Co. online.

The post Tudor steps out of Rolex’s shadow with a slew of handsome Black Bay models for 2021 appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Yes, there is finally a silver dive watch and it also has an exhibition caseback

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Tudor has added yet another permutation to its incredibly – and rightly – popular Black Bay range with the unveiling of the new Fifty Eight Navy Blue.

Based on the existing Fifty Eight, which, with its 39mm case diameter and distinctive black and gilt colours, is one of the most popular watches in the line-up, this new reference comes with a steel bracelet or fabric or synthetic straps – and we’re particularly partial to the fabric, on navy but with a distinctive silver stripe along the centre. With its rich blue rotating bezel and dial, it recalls a line of military Tudor submariners made specially for the French Marine Nationale from the mid-20th century (and which, if you can find one – they came in either blue or black – are worth silly money), a resonant heritage that gives this new model a very decent provenance indeed.

Like the regular Fifty Eight diver, the three-hand, time-only “Navy Blue” (there’s no date window, which will doubtless delight the purists) is powered by Tudor’s own COSC-certified MT5402 calibre, a thoroughly up-to-date, accurate and reliable automatic movement that features a silicon balance spring and a shock-resistant balance bridge, which provides up to 70 hours of juice. It also offers 20 bar of water resistance, which though unexceptional for a dive watch these days is nonetheless perfectly respectable – and is in any case a heck of a lot deeper than most of us are ever likely willingly to find ourselves.

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While the “Navy Blue” is certainly a beauty (and at less than 12mm thick it sits quite snugly on the wrist), one does wonder whether it edges the original Fifty Eight for visual appeal or, moreover, if it might not be just a little too similar in appearance to Tudor’s admittedly larger Pelagos diver in blue. Nonetheless, as it’s a Black Bay we can all expect it to fly out of the stores just as fast as almost every other model in the range – in other words, unless you’ve pre-ordered one or you’re especially chummy with your local dealer, don’t expect to get your mitts on one of these any time soon.

The post Tudor’s Black Bay Joins the Navy appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Dipping the proverbial toe into the world of watches can be a daunting experience, especially when there are so many choices. The Tudor Black Bay series, however, is as close as it gets to a no-brainer -- either as a first serious timepiece or an addition to an already impressive arsenal.

The international world of horology may still be reeling from the shock cancellation of Baselworld, not just for the current year due to the coronavirus having devastated nearly all industries, but potentially for the foreseeable future.  Thankfully, interest and passion for watches have not dissipated along with it.  In fact, quite the contrary as the vintage watch market specifically has seen an uptick in sales.  Whilst this does not mean that every Tom, Dick and Harry are sweeping Sotheby’s, Christie’s, and Phillips for lofty vintage timekeepers, dependable tool watches remain a great investment for mechanical watch enthusiasts looking to hedge their bets in these uncertain times.

Whoever said ‘dependable’ equates to ‘boring’ has obviously never laid eyes on the Tudor ‘Black Bay’ series, which has in part fueled the resurgence of the brand, reminding everyone that it is more than just a sister brand to titans Rolex.  With a decidedly more rugged outlook than some of its Swiss counterparts, the ‘Black Bay’ models conform mostly to the classic Submariner aesthetic.  To date, more than a dozen models have been introduced as part of the collection since its debut in 2012.  Here are some models for your (serious) consideration.

Black Bay Fifty-Eight

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Size does matter, but not in the way that one may think.  What sets this watch apart from its siblings in the collection is its relatively smaller size -- sitting at a cozy 39mm which is a whole 2mm reduction in diameter.  Though that may not sound like much, on the wrist the impression is vastly amplified, giving the timepiece a distinctly vintage appearance.  Due to its diminutive size, Tudor had no choice but to tinker and produce its new in-house caliber MT5402 movement.  Another real draw for many would be the ‘gilt’ dial combination -- echoing the black and gold sensibilities so popular in the 1950’s.  Equipped with a matching bracelet, these have been notoriously hard to come by due to their immense popularity.  If one pops up in your local authorised dealer, we suggest you bite the bullet before someone else does.

On a steel bracelet, the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight retails for US$3,625 (HK$28,000) subject to availability

Black Bay GMT

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Brief history on the GMT function and its origin -- developed for Pan-Am Airline pilots to cope with the constant shifting of time zones, the 24-hour hand and rotating bezel allowed the wearer to account for two separate time zones during their travels.  Even the most casual of watch fans would be aware of the infamous ‘Pepsi’ reference which featured the hues of the namesake soft drink brand on the bezel, but this Black Bay GMT is more than just a simple homage to the original.  The Tudor Black Bay GMT lives up to its pedigree as a tried and true travel watch, boasting a local jumping hour hand that is able to be adjusted backwards or forwards independently from the minute hand to adapt to different time zones with ease.  To sweeten the deal, Tudor has offered its own MT5652 in-house movement which provides superb value at this price range where other makers would likely opt for ETA movements.  This excellent GMT is a perennial favourite for those in the know.

On a steel bracelet, the Tudor Black Bay GMT retails for US$3,900 (HK$31,000) subject to availability

Black Bay Dark

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Everything just feels cooler in ‘stealth mode’, and this PVD coated all black model will definitely make anyone feel like a ninja.  The tactically inclined timepiece is composed of steel and coated with a robust and hard wearing black satin finish which can weather everyday scratches and dings, as a tool watch should.  An extra injection of edge in the form of two striking hits of red on the bezel and depth rating on the dial set this watch apart from other typical all black wristwear.  But it’s not just all about looks -- the impressive 70 hour power reserve is nothing to scoff at, courtesy of Tudor’s caliber MT5602 in-house movement.  Aftermarket reworkings to achieve the dark monochromatic look have been in vogue for several years, but why go down that road when a beauty like the Tudor Black Bay Dark can be had straight from the factory.

On a fabric strap, the Tudor Black Bay Dark retails for US$4,150 (HK$32,000) subject to availability

The post Why You Should Own a Tudor Black Bay — If You Can appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Whether classically styled or design-forward, these nine watches demand your full attention

The post From Blancpain to Montblanc, We Highlight Nine Visually Appealing Watches appeared first on LUXUO.

The Tudor Black Bay P01 is an exercise in historical revisionism notable for its boldness

The post Going Commando — Tudor Black Bay P01 appeared first on LUXUO.

The new Tudor Black Bay Chrono S&G is a neo-classical chronograph thanks to its blend of traditional aesthetics and modern watchmaking codes

The post Golden Delicious: Tudor Black Bay Chrono S&G appeared first on LUXUO.

Our inaugural WOW Awards 2018 is a consumer-centric reflection of the industry’s most attractive timepieces. We seek to honour the brands who have enriched our watch connoisseur journeys with their novelties this past year

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We get to the source and see how the French made fabric straps of Tudor differ from the cheaper products.

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Hidden in the shadow of the Tudor Heritage Black Bay Bronze when it was released early 2016, the Black Bay 36 gained its own traction by the end of last year

The post Tudor Heritage Black Bay 36 with adjusted self-winding Calibre 2824 appeared first on LUXUO.

As a descendent of historical Tudor dive watches, the Black Bay preserves some of its predecessors’ signatures, such as the “snowflake” hour hand.

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