A Man’s Wristwatch
Having mastered time, it wasn't long before watchmakers sought to dominate space. And after the first element had been seen too, where better to go next than underwater?
Submersible watches have been with us ever since Rolex unveiled its Oyster case back in 1926, but what really astonishes is quite how, well, indestructible its design has become. Dive watches, submersible watches, waterproof watches - whatever you call them, they've pretty much held the line design-wise, even as "dive computers" have come along to replace their usefulness underwater by adding a veritable sub's worth of extra powers. So the Rolex Oyster “ James Bond 007” watch is what I would recommend for the sport-loving gentleman. In subsequent issues we will talk about the various brands and types for every occasion and every gentleman
Toiletries for the modern man
Molton Brown has freshened up its range of male-friendly products almost two decades down the line - time that the brand has spent wisely by analyzing the various ablutionary behaviors of men to better serve their grooming needs. Fans of Molton Brown's popular Re-Charge Black Pepper Body wash will be pleased to see that the bathroom hero has not been thrown out with the bathwater, but rather joined by a similarly zinging and revitalizing Black Pepper shave Oil and Bodyscrub Bar. All three are available from September from both on- and off-line outlets.
You can also try products by Lancôme, Clarins, Clinique, and Ren. These are the most luxurious and effective skin care range for any discerning gentleman. I can assure you that these products will pamper and care for you and eventually make you standout from the rest. Remember some stores offer facials for men, don’t be ashamed to enquire.
Suits
Sometimes you need to dress for the job you want on the budget you have. That's when the collaborations between top-end designers and High-Street behemoths really come into their own. The latest is The Cut collection for Austin Reed by Savile Row superstar Richard James. The look is slim and tailored, with a deliberately limited choice of colours offered with just a one- or two-button jacket, all at remarkable reasonable prices. The concept is to create something that would outlast us. These suits aim to appeal to the younger guys who may just be starting out in business or a new job and want something a bit more fashionable. It's not intended to be all things to all men. The suit
"Austin Reed has always been a brand that has pushed the boundaries, even right back in 1900. The original Austin Reed once wrote, 'Just then we were beginning to experience the first fruits of higher education — a new type of young man was coming into the City, young men of taste and discrimination. No one seemed to be giving these young fellows the service they needed.' And it is today's young men of taste and discrimination that they’re catering for."
The brand James is famous for having helped the British gent get over his fear of colour, thanks in part to his unrivalled collections of ties. The Cut collection will include a range of ties and shirts designed by James to complement the suits. "Because it is a deliberately limited range they want everything to work with every accessory in other offer a great and yet powerful look for the contemporary man.
Exclusive Wines and Spirits
Not so much a drink as an investment, Glenfiddich's 50-year-old is one of the rarest and indeed most expensive drams that the whisky maker has ever distilled. With just two casks having made the requisite half-century innings, only 500 bottles will be released at a rate of 50 a year over the next decade, and each will retail for £10,000. (In 2001 a bottle of Glenfiddich Rare Collection 1937, of which only 61 bottles were produced, fetched $20,000 at auction in New York.) Finished in the finest Scottish silver, each hand-blown bottle is individually numbered and presented in a hand-stitched, leather-bound case, which includes a book in which proud owners can record their tasting sessions for posterity (assuming they ever actually drink it, that is). The 50-year-old will be available exclusively from Paris Charles De Gaulle airport from 1 September and at other airports and specialist retailers from 1 November, so should you find yourself over France, be sure to park your private jet and pick up a bottle.
