Lux Bond & Green by Accent Magazine

LUX BOND & GREEN ACCENT

THE MAGAZINE OF LIFE'S CELEBRATIONS

SPRING/SUMMER 2015

SHADES OF THE SEASON HOT JEWELRY TRENDS AND NEW TRAVEL EXPERIENCES

LUX BOND & GREEN

PERFECT GEMS

LITTLE LUXURIES THE WORLD HAS TO OFFER

OYSTER PERPETUAL YACHT-MASTER II

rolex

oyster perpetual and yacht-master are trademarks.

WELCOME Hooray for springtime in 2015! Everyone in the Lux Bond & Green family is looking forward to spring and summer, both of which were foreign-sounding words this past winter. Most of us have lived here all our lives, but this winter was surely one for the record books…or one to forget. From our many friends around the country we heard, “It was bad everywhere.” But we New Englanders, especially those in Massachusetts and Maine, know the conditions we faced were some of the most brutal. That’s all behind us now, thank goodness, so let’s tuck away the memories, pictures and stories to share with future generations. Bring on the daffodils, the Elizabeth Park Rose Garden, the Boston Marathon, the Travelers Championship, the new season of productions at Westport Country Playhouse, the excitement of Red Sox nation and Yankee baseball, conﬁrmations and graduations. Our senses need these experiences in order to be revived and they can’t come soon enough. Speaking of revival, we have been very busy remodeling our Westport, Connecticut store to create a newly relaxed shopping environment. We’ve also traveled to jewelry and watch fairs in Switzerland, Arizona, Hong Kong and New York in an effort to bring you the most fabulous designs and the best values from around the world. Our collections of diamonds, jewelry, watches and gifts are ever evolving as we showcase the changing trends in our fast-paced global marketplace. Our stores are loaded with beautiful creations from our own workshops and brand partners, just waiting for you to discover! The cover on our newest issue of Accent magazine reminds us what we love about New England: there aren’t very many places in the Americas as beautiful, relaxing or historic as our very own coastline. And inside this edition you’ll ﬁnd great feature articles, including a review of the latest jewelry trends, a history of golf’s U.S. Open Championship, a roundup of the world’s most luxurious yoga retreats, and tips on how to enjoy your wine-drinking experience even more. Thanks for reading our magazine and continuing to share it with your friends. Your support and loyalty have helped make us a 117-year-old family business of which we consider you an important part. We look forward to seeing you.

CHEERS, The Green Family

WEST HARTFORD 46 LASALLE ROAD, (860) 521-3015 GLASTONBURY SOMERSET SQUARE, (860) 659-8510 GREENWICH 169 GREENWICH AVE., (203) 629-0900

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CONTENTS

416 BOYLSTON STREET, (617) 266-4747 THE SHOPS AT MOHEGAN SUN UNCASVILLE, (860) 862-9900 WELLESLEY, MA

Spring/Summer 2015

60 CENTRAL STREET, (781) 235-9119 1- 8 0 0 - L B G R E E N ( 1- 8 0 0 - 524 - 7336 ) LBGREEN.COM

FEATURES 1 Welcome Letter

PRESIDENT/CEO

JOHN A. GREEN VICE CHAIRMAN MARC A. GREEN

4 What’s Happening

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

9 A Tribute to Robert E. Green

DAVID BONNEY ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

12 LBG Jewelry, Watches & Giftware

MICHAIL K. SHAW

20 Westport Renovation

GRAPHIC DESIGNER KRISTIN TROIE

22 Weddings: LBG Couples P U B L I S H E D B Y T H E B J I FA S H I O N G R O U P

24 Experts: All About Bridal Rings

PUBLISHER STU NIFOUSSI

26 Mining for Knowledge: A Trip to the

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Stewart Mine

KAREN ALBERG GROSSMAN

30 Diamonds: De Beers & Forevermark

CREATIVE DIRECTOR HANS GSCHLIESSER

32 Timepieces: Worry Over

MANAGING EDITOR

Watchmakers

JILLIAN LAROCHELLE PROJECT MANAGER

36 Guy Style: Men’s Trends

LISA MONTEMORRA

38 Gifts: From the Heart

DESIGNERS CYNTHIA LUCERO

40 Collecting: Time to Invest

JEAN-NICOLE VENDITTI PRODUCTION MANAGER

42 Scene: Haute Looks on the Red Carpet 44 Golf: Triumph & Tragedy

PEG EADIE

PRESIDENT AND CEO BRITTON JONES CHAIRMAN AND COO

46 Personalities: Kristin Chenoweth 50 Spotted: As Seen On… 54 Travel: Take Me Away 58 Perfect Gems 62 Spirits: Engaging the Senses 64 Wellness: Tammy Fender

MAC BRIGHTON Prices are subject to change without notice and may vary depending on size, quality and availability. Copyright 2015. Accent® is published by Business Journals, Inc, P.O. Box 5550, Norwalk, CT 06856, 203-853-6015 • Fax: 203-852-8175; Advertising Office: 1384 Broadway, 11th Floor, NY, NY 10018, 212-686-4412 • Fax: 212-686-6821; All Rights Reserved. The publishers accept no responsibilities for advertisers’ claims, unsolicited manuscripts, transparencies or other materials. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission of the publishers. Volume 13, Issue 1. Accent® is a trademark of Business Journals, Inc. registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark office. Printed In The U.S.A.

COVER IMAGE BY JEFFREY FERREIRA

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HAPPENING HOLIDAY 2014

1. Celebrating the holidays with our Greenwich staff. 2. Our Corporate staff making Christmas a little brighter this year for a family in need. 3. Carolers signing outside of our West Hartford location. 4. A beautifully decorated table at the Governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s residence courtesy of our Giftware Department. 5. John Green presenting a Christmas Wish CT check to Mike Stacy from Lite 100.5.

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HAPPENING THE PLACE TO BE

1. Our Westport staff with friends at the Walk to Defeat ALS. 2. Ready for the 2014 Manchester Road Race. 3. Jack Winer presenting a check to the Jimmy Fund for the Pan-Mass Challenge. 4. Chris Stokes and Dave Campbell presenting a check to Autism Services & Resources of Connecticut. 5. Dave Campbell and Gail Gold celebrate at their retirement party.

WHAT’S HAPPENING GOOD COMPANY

1. Dave Campbell presenting a David Yurman bracelet to a rafﬂe winner. 2. Members of our Westport and Greenwich staff at the Westport Country Playhouse Gala. 3. Rhonda DiGiacomo with designer Roberto Demeglio. 4. On-site etching done by Heidi from Simon Pearce. 5. West Hartford Staff with David Yurman representatives and stylist Travis Web.

A TRIBUTE TO ROBERT E. GREEN

JUNE 17, 1924 - SEPTEMBER 8, 2014

ur Father and Chairman of Lux Bond & Green,

Rober t E.”Bob” Green, passed away last September. He was the only member of the third generation of the Green family to join the business, founded by his grandfather, M. A. Green in 1898. Born and raised in New Rochelle, New York, Bob completed studies at the Whar ton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania after ser ving overseas in the United States Army during World War II, dur i n g wh i c h h e re c e i v e d t w o p u rp le h e a r ts. Afte r a brief stint at Standard Oil of New Jersey, he moved to Connecticut in 1947 to help his uncles at Lux Bond & Green in downtown Har tford for the Christmas season. He stayed and transformed Lux Bond & Green from its two locations in Waterbur y and Har tford to New En g l an d’s m o s t re s p e c t e d j e w e l e r. B ob e x pande d the bus i n es s by purc h a s i n g t h e P h i l i p H . S t e v e ns J e w e le rs and the Ger trude Williamson gift companies.

Bob Green in the original Pratt Street store in Hartford, Connecticut.

business and industr y leader and was one of the first

In addition to running the family business, Bob

American jewelers to travel to international trade shows

contributed his time and energy to our local communities

in Basel, Switzerland; Bangkok, Thailand; and Hong Kong.

and our industr y. He ser ved on the executive committees

This past June, Bob’s extended family was for tunate to

at The Institute for Living and the Connecticut River

celebrate his 90th bir thday in Old Saybrook Connecticut.

Museum, as well as ser ving as President of Jewelers of

Known as a gentleman by all of his colleagues, Bob’s

America and the Jewelers Vigilance Committee. Bob received numerous awards and accolades as a

leadership, warm smile and personal touch will be deeply missed by family and friends.

Bob Green celebrating his 90th birthday with his family. Bottom row center: Richard (brother), Nancy (wife), Bob and Bobbi (Richard’s wife).

DISCOVER

YOUR VIRTUAL WINDOW INTO THE WORLD OF LUX BOND & GREEN DESIGNER JEWELRY TOP BRAND WATCHES GIFT REGISTRY DIAMONDS UPCOMING EVENTS AND MUCH MORE...

LBGREEN.COM

SHOP/LEARN/JOIN THE CONVERSATION

HIGH

ROLLERS CLUB LADY LUCK QUEEN OF DIAMONDS

$12,200 Diamond eternity band in 18K gold.

CROSS $2,950 CHAIN 18” $2,750 24” $3,700 & 32” $4,950 Temple St. Clair diamond cross in 18K gold shown on classic chain.

WINNING HAND $3,675 Madison large sculptural platinum mounting only. Diamond price varies based on carat size and clarity.

ANTE UP $2,950

DOUBLE OR NOTHING

Ladies’ TAG Heuer Formula 1 with diamond dial and bezel.

$1,975 Aegean 18K gold drop earrings with diamonds.

EVERY BOX

HAS A STORY

MIDAS TOUCH

STACKS OF GOLD RING $274 BRACELET $618 Roberto Demeglio Aura bracelet and ring in 18K gold fused to ceramic link.

PERFECT TIMING $2,150 Raymond Weil Noemia watch with mother-of-pearl diamond dial and bezel.

IN GOOD TASTE 3½”x 4” BOULES $68 EACH 9¼”x 3” PITCHER $98 5¾”x 2” COCKTAIL GLASSES $55 EACH 3½”x 3”x 3” ROCKS GLASSES $70 EACH Hand blown glassware with 23K gold and 12K white gold leaf fused during the blowing process. Made in America by artist Dan Mirer.

STYLE IN THE CITY

FASHIONABLY LATE $19,400 Rolex Cellini Dual Time in 18K rose gold.

HAUTE & SLEEK WHEEL $1,380 TEARDROP $1,580 Ro Roberto Coin Golden Gate pendants in 18K gold.

COMING UP ROSĂ&#x2030; $460 Pesavento sterling silver saddle ring with rose gold plate and antelope enamel.

THE BANGLES LEFT TO RIGHT: $145, $250 & $185 Halcyon Days 18K gold-plated bangles.

DRESSED TO KILL $1,780 Small box clutch handbag in black python.

EARTHLY DELIGHTS

STONE COLD FOOD SLABS 11” $80 14” $130 Field stone collected from New England and New York working farms. Each piece is unique in shape and color. Made in America by American Stonecraft.

NATURAL CURVES

WHEN PIGS FLY

10” $95 13” $195 17” $395

$395

Andrew Pearce Live Edge bowl in Black Walnut.

Sterling silver and enamel cuff links.

FLAWLESS FLORALS $248

Diane James eternally ﬂawless pink peonies in footed vase.

TROPICAL FEVER $495 EACH Belle Étoile sterling silver Rainforest Canopy hinged bangles with multi-color enamels.

CAMO FLAGÉ $170 G-Shock camouﬂage watch.

SEASIDE ATTRACTION

AQUA POP PENDANT $1,825 EARRINGS $3,315

BLUE IN THE FACE

Amazonite in 18K gold with white topaz accents.

$1,900 TAG Heuer Aquaracer.

SEA SHELLS $110 Set of 6 canapé plates, 6.25” diameter, with blue shells.

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE $250 Sterling silver Prim bottle with white quartz and topaz, on 20” chain.

CONTINUOUSLY

CLASSIC MADE IN AMERICA $600 Shinola Runwell 41mm.

TIME WILL TELL HORSE BIT

$2,825 Tudor Heritage Ranger with camouﬂage and leather straps.

BRACELET $1,500 EARRINGS $625 Gucci horsebit collection in sterling silver.

WINE PLEASE $425 22”-24” Provence platter lazy susan made from wine barrel heads.

SHADES OF GRAY $450 Sterling silver nine-row bead bracelet with gray rhodium plating and white topaz accents.

For more of the latest trends, visit LBGreen.com.

ÂŠ2015 Porsche Cars North America, Inc. Porsche recommends seat belt usage and observance of all traffic laws at all times. Optional equipment shown is extra.

Drive the Porsche that puts you closer to heaven. And farther from the competition. To us, independence is above all a feeling, but it is also a guiding principle. It is the principle by which we can think for ourselves, explore our own direction, and live our own lives. How better to do this than in a roadster, a concept in which freedom of spirit has always been the core idea. Symbols of freedom may have changed over the years, but freedom itself is instantly perceptible. You can see it, hear it, and feel itâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;from one twist and turn to the next.

Experience the Boxster.

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One of a kind. One at a time. Each by hand.

W E L C O M E T O T H E N E W L Y R E N O VAT E D W E S T P O R T

LUX BOND & GREEN

ROBERTO COIN

ROLEX

LBG DIAMONDS

IPPOLITA

EVERY BOX

136 MAIN STREET

MARCO BICEGO

DAVID YURMAN

HAS A STORY™

WESTPORT 203.227.1300

Greenwich West Hartford Mohegan Sun Glastonbury Boston Wellesley 800.524.7336 LBGreen.com

LBG WEDDINGS

WILLIAM CHASE & LAUREN KOPYT JUNE 14, 2014

MERIDITH & SETH TAYLOR AUGUST 30, 2014

VANESSA ROBERGE & DAVID FLYNN MAY 25, 2014

JENNIFER SATALINE & MICHAEL BROWN OCTOBER 4, 2014

MR. & MRS. MARTIN ROTHE (SUSAN FORNARO) OCTOBER 18, 2014

REBEKAH BATTERSBY & PAUL BAZZANO AUGUST 9, 2014

CHAS & EMILY GURRY AUGUST 31, 2014

MATTHEW & TAYLOR GUNN AUGUST 30, 2014

SAMANTHA & GEORGE MOORE DECEMBER 27, 2014

EVERY BOX

HAS A STORY FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WEDDING REGISTRY VISIT LBGREEN.COM

TRAVIS MILLER & MINA MOUTZOUROGEORGOS JULY 20, 2014

MARK & MICHELE PEPIN JULY 25, 2014

experts

All About BRIDAL RINGS

Our magazine’s trend specialist is now wedding expert to the world.

orraine DePasque has a passion for jewelry: she’s been writing about it for most of her career and for many years in this magazine. So her recent appointment as about.com’s first-ever wedding bands and engagement rings expert comes as no surprise. Here, we chat with her about her new position and about the basics of buying bridal rings. Congrats on the new job! We always knew you were an expert… Thank you! About.com has roughly 900 experts, but I’m the first to specialize in engagement rings and wedding bands, which became a separate category on the site this past November. What are some of your favorite topics? I recently wrote about platinum, black diamonds and eco-friendly jewelry. Social responsibility is huge with the bridal demographic: they care about ethical sourcing, reclaimed metals, recycled materials, sustainability, etc. What’s the hottest trend in engagement rings for 2015? White metal is still number one, meaning platinum of course, but also white gold (14K and 18K). Yellow gold has also been trending for the past year or so, and estate jewelry is a growing piece of the business. There’s also more interest in natural colored diamonds (thanks to celebrity preferences) and even other colored gemstones. When Prince William presented Kate with his mother’s sapphire engagement ring, it was all about blue; this year, Pantone’s Color of the Year is Marsala, so rubies— equally as durable as sapphires—should be newly popular. How about diamond cuts: what’s popular now? Round is still the top trending cut: perhaps 80 percent of the business, followed by cushion cuts, followed by squares. But some of the older cuts, especially marquises and pear shapes, are starting to come back. The other continuing trend is halos: everything from a single halo around any cut stone, a multi-halo, or even an intricate floral halo. How are the trends evolving? It’s interesting. I learn a lot about consumer preferences from Pinterest, and when I recently posted two modern engagement rings (both platinum

with round diamond center stones, one tension set), the response was overwhelming. So while the majority of women have been leaning toward classic or retro, there’s a definite trend emerging toward contemporary. Another observation: this generation wants special, even customized, wedding jewelry. I truly believe there’s a special ring for everyone, which is why I love what I do. If there’s a particular way you’d like to customize your ring, talk with your jeweler about it; this is what they do every day and they can offer suggestions on personalization. What about trends in wedding bands? Personally, I like wraps if you plan to wear your band on the same finger as your engagement ring. But I’m seeing more and more women buying a slim band that may or may not match the engagement ring, especially if they plan on wearing that on the right hand. And women are putting other slim bands of all kinds on their jewelry wish lists, so their husband knows exactly what to buy for their first anniversary, birth of their first child, or even a birthday. Then you can stack them all with your wedding band, creating a dramatic right-hand ring! The whole stackable ring fashion look has sparked this trend, and it’s not going away anytime soon. Buying jewelry online is a controversial issue: what’s your opinion? While the internet is okay for research (but don’t believe everything you read!), I’d never suggest buying wedding jewelry online. There are so many elements that go into a ring; if you don’t work with a reputable jeweler, so much could go wrong. I’ve heard horror stories about chipped stones, stones that don’t line up, stones that don’t reflect light, insecure settings. So my best advice is to form a relationship with a trustworthy jeweler, a real person (or family) who’s been around awhile and who stands behind their work. After all, it’s the most important purchase you’ll ever make, a reflection of your personal style, and something you’ll be looking at every day of your life. Don’t risk it! For more information on wedding jewelry, check out engagementrings.about.com or lbgreen.com/shop/diamonds.

FROM LEFT: STEPHEN WEBSTER, FOREVERMARK, STEPHEN WEBSTER, HARRY KOTLAR, TACORI

BY KAREN ALBERG GROSSMAN

® , T H E D I A M O N D . T H E P R O M I S E . ™ A R E T R A D E M A R K S O F T H E D E B E E R S G R O U P O F C O M PA N I E S . © FOREVERMARK 2014. FOREVERMARK®,

A TRUE PROMISE WILL NEVER BE BROKEN Less than one percent of the world’s diamonds can carry the Forevermark inscription - a promise that each is beautiful, rare and responsibly sourced.

Forevermark is part of The De Beers Group of Companies.

MINING FOR KNOWLEDGE A TRIP TO STEWART MINE WITH THE GIA BOARD OF GOVERNORS. By John Green

t was a beautiful sunny day with white puf fy clouds

in the sky, the usual 80 degrees. The terrain was rocky

United States from the animated historian, geologist and mine owner Blue Sheppard.

with an array of palm trees, as well as some visibly burnt

The Stewar t Mine dates back to the 19th centur y,

bushes and trees from last year’s fires. I was amazed

when the reigning Chinese dynasty sought to acquire

by the abundance of planted crops on the sides of hills

all the pink tourmaline in California (they considered it

that seemed too steep to suppor t anything, and I found

a treasured gemstone). Blue taught us so much about

the mountainous rock, green hills and valleys which

Stewar t, and about the nearby Himalaya and Queen

seemingly sway with the San Andreas Fault to be ver y

Mines, based on his long tenure as a miner in the San

peaceful.

Diego area and his passion for geology. The mine’s gem-

Yes, I was in southern California. As we all know,

bearing pegmatite dikes (rock formations) were fur ther

California is a ver y relaxed place and an interesting par t

explained by two of the GIA board of governors: world-

of our countr y’s histor y. The southern par t of the state

renowned geologists Dr. John Valley from the University

has consistently nice weather and mostly clean air. The

of Wisconsin, and Dr. Rod Ewing from Stamford.

views are breathtaking, with the Pacific Ocean on one side and a host of rock and geology on the other. We began the day in Carlsbad, home of the Gemological Institute of America. Then we traveled the state’s pictorial highways to Pala for a day of adventure and learning in the Stewar t Mine, which is full of tourmalines, spodumene (kunzite), ber yl (Morganite) and lepidolite, a source of lithium used in batteries. We were there to learn about one of the largest pegmatite mining operations in the

Visit palagems.com/mining, mindat.org/loc-3562.html or youtube.com/ watch?v=CiIRnFu5efk and enjoy some of my pictures here.

Top to bottom: Tourmalines in the rock. Showing off their new lepidolite orbs. Tourmaline pocket in the mine. Underground stream within the shaft.

Top to bottom: GIA board at mine. Rock samples at mine shaft. Listening to Blue Sheppard. Tourmalines in the ceiling of the mine shaft.

Opposite page: Different types of Tourmalines and morganite. Entrance to the gem shop at the mine. John Green searching for gems.

It’s shopping that’s just plain

yummy. After you indulge your good taste at our unique collection of shops, satisfy your taste buds at one of our fine restaurants. It’s a must-have experience you won’t want to miss. Call 1.888.226.7711 or visit mohegansun.com. Shops: Bare Minerals • bluwire • Brewster’s Trading Post • Brighton Collectibles • Brookstone • Caché Chico’s • Clay Pipe • Coach • Dylan’s Candy Bar • The Essentials • Everything Under The Sun Galina’s • Godiva Chocolatier • Landau • Lush • Lux Bond & Green • Margaritaville’s Smuggler’s Hold Momentum Trading Post • The Old Farmer’s Almanac General Store • Once Upon A Time Toys Oriental Fine Arts & Crafts • Robert Graham • Sephora • Spin Street • Sunglasses USA Swarovski • Tiffany & Co. • Tommy Bahama • Trading Cove • Trailblazer • Yankee Candle Restaurants: Arooga’s Grille House & Sports Bar • Ballo Italian Restaurant • Ben & Jerry’s Bobby Flay’s Bar Americain • Bobby’s Burger Palace • Bow & Arrow Sports Bar • Carlo’s Bake Shop Chief’s Deli • Dunkin’ Donuts • Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana • Geno’s Bagels, Sweets & Subs Geno’s Fast Break • Geno’s Pub • Hash House A Go Go • Imus Ranch Coffee • Jasper White’s Summer Shack Jasper White’s Summer Shack Express • Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville • Johnny Rockets Krispy Kreme Doughnuts • The Lansdowne Irish Pub & Music House • Michael Jordan’s 23.sportcafe Michael Jordan’s Steak House • The Original SoupMan Seasons Buffet • SolToro Tequila Grill Starbucks Coffee • Sunrise Square Food Court • Todd English’s Tuscany • Wok-On by Geno’s Fast Break Coming Soon: Sticks & Stones Conveniently located in Mystic Country.

CENTO COLLECTION

HowLong is FOREVER?

De Beers CEO Philippe Mellier talks challenges, long-term prospects and social responsibility. BY KAREN ALBERG GROSSMAN

“THE PRODUCT WE SELL IS SCARCE AND BECOMING SCARCER.” PHILIPPE MELLIER, DE BEERS

What are the diamond industry’s most pressing challenges and how are you dealing with these? The growth in demand for diamonds will soon outpace supply; supply is forecast to plateau, and then decline after 2020. We are investing heavily in our production capacity: we’ve committed considerable capital to major expansion projects at our existing operations and to developing new deposits. In Botswana, we continue with our hugely important investment at Jwaneng which, we estimate, will deliver over 100 million extra carats from one of the world’s richest diamond mines. In South Africa, an underground project will extend the life of its largest diamond mine to 2044. In Canada, progress continues at one of the largest new developments in the diamond world, and we look forward to receiving the first production within a couple of years. We’ve recently opened a mine in Namibia after two years of development work. Where is this growth in demand coming from? The engine is the U.S., coupled with growing demand from the East as more Indian and Chinese middleclass consumers choose to purchase diamonds. How is the consumer landscape changing? The increasing polarization of wealth means that bridal jewelry and wealthier consumers are driving the U.S. growth today. There has also been a recent increase in consumer preferences for brands, which is why our partnership with Forevermark has been so successful. Generation Y and Millennial consumers, who will provide the oxygen for future U.S. demand for diamond jewelry, are looking for uniqueness and ethical reassurance in the products they buy. The Forevermark brand responds to their need for confidence, trust, quality and excitement. (We recently inscribed our millionth Forevermark diamond!) What responsibility do you feel toward countries whose natural resources you are developing? Our business model is built on partnerships with governments; we are extremely proud of what these partnerships have meant for the economic and social development in these nations. Diamonds represent over three quarters of total export earnings in Botswana and over a quarter of the total in Namibia. Our relationships in these nations are among the world’s most successful public-private partnerships.

FROM TOP: FOREVERMARK BY STEPHEN WEBSTER, FOREVERMARK EXCEPTIONAL DIAMOND JEWELRY BY RAHAMINOV

diamonds

timepieces

worry over

The watch business is booming—and that’s got luxury brands determined to make sure watches can be produced and repaired in, well, a timely way. BY JACK FORSTER

watch can be many things: an heirloom, a tool, even a work of art. But what all watches have in common is that they’re machines, and like any machine, they need to be taken care of. Though most customers give little thought to maintenance when they buy their first watch, the purchase is actually the end of one story and the beginning of another—one that involves a lifetime relationship with whoever is going to keep the watch in good running order. Making sure there are enough watchmakers to go around is increasingly a challenge. Servicing even a simple watch means taking apart a tiny mechanism no bigger than a quarter, with hundreds of parts, without damaging anything. Then each part must be meticulously cleaned before the entire movement is reassembled, with the correct amount of lubricant applied to moving parts that, in some cases, are no bigger than the eye of a housefly. A properly serviced watch will also have its seals changed, to maintain the

water resistance it had when first sold. Then its performance has to be checked and the watch adjusted to within desired specifications before it can be released back to the customer. If it’s a complicated watch, the time necessary to service increases exponentially. For a vintage watch, finding replacement parts can require hours of detective work. Educating a new generation of luxury consumers to understand exactly how much goes into servicing a watch is an important step forward. Patek Philippe has had a service center in the United States for many years, and its U.S. president Larry Pettinelli says, “There’s no question that there is a need to educate clients about using qualified Above: watchmakers and what it takes to Watchmakers maintain a fine timepiece.” working at the Patek Philippe It’s demanding work, and a hurried Institute in watchmaker is a bad watchmaker. To Shanghai. clients used to getting a car sent in for repair back within a few days, it’s mystifying that it should take so long. The problem watch owners and watch brands alike are facing is that there just aren’t enough people around who know how to service a watch properly. It’s difficult enough when you’re trying to get a fairly simple, threehanded wristwatch cleaned and oiled; if you have something more complicated—a chronograph, perhaps, or something really challenging like a perpetual calendar or tourbillon—it’s critical to entrust the timepiece to one of the increasingly few skilled watchmakers around. Nobody wants to wait weeks or months to get a favorite watch back, and luxury brands know that since every watch they sell is going to need service sooner or later, something has to be done to fill the gap in trained watchmakers. Fortunately, progress towards this goal is being made.

FAR LEFT AND NEXT PAGE COURTESY OF LITITZ WATCH TECHNICUM; OTHER IMAGES COURTESY OF PATEK PHILIPPE

watchmakers

One of the biggest names in watchmaking, Rolex, is also one of the front-runners in making sure watches it sells are watches it can keep running. Here in the U.S., one of the best-equipped schools for watchmakers is the Lititz Watch Technicum in Lititz, Pennsylvania, launched by Rolex in 2000. The cost of tuition is entirely underwritten by Rolex and watchmakers there work in spotless, NASA cleanroomstyle facilities, using a combination of traditional tools and state-of-the-art equipment. Though most watchmaking Watchmakers programs teach servicing a watch rather than making one at work inside the Lititz from scratch, Technicum students must actually make their Watch own timepieces before graduation. Technicum. Still, the Technicum graduates only a handful of students each year. According to a story watch historian Stacy Perman wrote for Bloomberg, there were 43 watchmaking training programs in the U.S. Germany; it also has a partnership with the British School of Watchmaking in 1976, compared to only a dozen in 2006, when the story ran. And it’s not just in Manchester. The Nicolas G. Hayek Watchmaking School in the United an American problem. In countries like China, where boom economies have States (started in Seacaucus, NJ in 2005 and located in Miami since 2009) driven an explosion of watch sales, the difficulties in getting a watch serviced provides a comprehensive, 3,000-hour curriculum that gives graduates a can present a major headache to owners, and a crisis of confidence in brands. well-rounded understanding of both the theory and practice of he principal of the Lititz Watch Technicum, German-born Herman watchmaking. It even includes courses on time and physics, and the Mayer, traces the shortage in trained watchmakers to a global event: evolution of instruments for reckoning time. the advent of inexpensive quartz watches. Says Mayer, “Reduced Beat Aebi, head of Swatch Group Customer Service, says such training demand was caused by the quartz dominance starting from the late ’70s. is essential for the future of luxury watchmaking. “Our products are made That situation led to watchmaking losing its attraction as a field of to last a lifetime,” he says. “Many people come back to us and expect high employment. The full-fledged watchmaker as a professional had levels of service [for] watches that have been passed down from generation disappeared from the awareness of the general public by the time the to generation.” And though watchmaking as a profession is still an unusual renaissance of the mechanical high-end started.” choice, Aebi says that, increasingly, “Many students seek us out. It is a Companies with the ability to do so are taking steps to make up for the passion to become a watchmaker, and they have parents or grandparents shortfall. Patek Philippe, which despite a general slowdown in luxury watch who were watchmakers and have passed down the passion and skills.’’ sales continues to be one of the most ardently desired and passionately A few independent watchmaking programs also still exist. The collected watch brands in the world, has established watchmaking schools Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology has a program that’s one in Shanghai and Beijing, intended to train watchmakers in China to handle of the oldest in the country, having been established in 1946. The program the brand’s service needs there. offers an associate’s degree and enjoys the support of Rolex, which Patek Philippe’s New York service center is one of the most highly provides material (state-of-the-art equipment) and financial assistance. regarded in the United States. “The U.S. service center has been in existence Still, relieving the shortage will be a gradual process, since for decades,” says Pettinelli. “Our watchmakers are capable and trained at watchmakers can’t be trained overnight. The Patek Philippe program, for the highest level to work on the most complex timepieces. But minute instance, requires two years of training and 3,500 hours just to reach a level repeaters and tourbillons are sent back to Geneva so they can be addressed where Patek considers the trainee qualified to service quartz and simple in the workshop they were originally created in, oftentimes with the actual mechanical movements. The OSU program, one of the most highly watchmaker who created the timepiece.” Though Patek doesn’t yet have a regarded in the USA, graduated only six students last December. And while watchmaker’s school in the United States, Pettinelli says that there are basic training programs provide a solid foundation, it’s only the beginning. serious discussions underway to establish one—a logical extension of the Learning how to handle the really big guns of horological complexity— firm’s commitment to bringing top-level expertise to its local markets. repeaters, perpetual calendars, tourbillons—takes many more years, and The Richemont Group, which owns some of the world’s most there’s no way to rush the process. prestigious brands, including Cartier, IWC and Vacheron Constantin, Pettinelli remarks, “I don’t think we are yet at a crisis, but certainly there supports the schools known as the Institutes of Swiss Watchmaking, with is a growing realization that supply is not keeping up with demand.... The training centers in Dallas, Hong Kong and Shanghai. The Institute’s U.S. major issue regarding delayed watches is the lack of qualified watchmakers. campus, the North American Institute of Swiss Watchmaking, bases its For instance [Patek Philippe’s service center in New York] does 10,000 3,000-hour program on the curriculum set by WOSTEP (Watchmakers of repairs a year with only 20 watchmakers.” Switzerland Training and Education Program), the current industry standard Help, at least, is on the way, as more and more watch brands strive to for watchmaking schools seeking to offer students a comprehensive make sure that at least basic repairs can be taken care of more quickly. For general introduction to the craft. watch customers and collectors, it helps to remember that if you buy The Swatch Group, which owns Blancpain, Breguet and Omega, among something meant to last a lifetime, it’s worth taking a little extra time to others, has a total of six watchmaking schools worldwide: in Shanghai, care for it—and worth appreciating the skill and dedication it takes to be a Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Miami, and Glashütte and Pforzheim in watchmaker.

METAL TWISTED G-SHOCK

MTGS1000D-1A

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TRIPLE G RESIST ® VIBRATION RESISTANCE SHOCK RESISTANCE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE RESISTANCE metal twisted g-shock A fusion of resin and metal encompassed in a case that has our trademark shock resistance with extraordinary elegance results in the perfect combination of our technologies and impeccable craftsmanship.

guy style Stephen Webster for STEPHEN WEBSTER “Ceramic has been around for a while in the watch world and I wanted to work out how to incorporate it into our men’s jewelry. It’s inexpensive but it still looks substantial and feels good. After about three years, our Ceramic Link collection is finally ready. The idea is you invest in the clasp, which we’re making in rose, yellow and blackened gold with various

Guy Bedarida for JOHN HARDY

gemstones. My favorite designs include the Revolutionary, the Churchill and the HALF

CORONA, which

“This has been our best year yet for men’s; we’re

looks like a vintage cigar cutter. The

actively growing the collection with the help of

ceramic bracelet is affordable

our very talented men’s designer, Nicolas Robert. Men are really getting comfortable buying jewelry, as long as it’s something cool with an interesting story behind it. They love our pieces that incorporate mixed materials, like metals with leather. They don’t want to overspend, and most of all, the pieces need to be comfortable. They should be simple, sleek and easy to clasp. “We recently introduced a highly polished

BRONZE FINISH that looks like rose gold. I love it used on our Classic Chain reversible

MEN’S TRENDS A look at what’s hot from our favorite designers. BY JILLIAN LAROCHELLE

bracelet, which we’ve made more flat and rectangular, less chunky than in the past.

enough that guys can buy it in different colorways; we have manly options like oxblood, gunmetal gray and matte black. There are different widths available, but chunkier seems to be more popular at the moment. “Our designs are never basic, but you could say they’re moving in a more classic-clean direction, with the interest coming from MIXING MATERIALS (like leather, mother of pearl and black sapphires with various metals) rather than novelty designs.

“Cuff links have been historically strong for

“Whereas women generally don’t want to

us. (I wear them every day even though I spend a lot of my

tell each other about how their jewelry was made, men like jewelry that

time in the middle of the jungle!) Another thing I’m excited

has a meaning and that they can talk about. In other words,

about is the introduction of the John Hardy EAGLE theme.

men like a story—and that works out for me

The eagle is obviously an American icon and it has a history in

because I’m a big storyteller!”

Bali as well. It has been a huge success at all of the trunk shows and personal appearances where I’ve shown it.”

Evan Yurman for DAVID YURMAN “I admire men who take risks with their choices in terms of accessories. Layering pieces to create a signature look really resonates with me. I also appreciate collectors: men who accumulate and wear their jewelry like talismans to remind them of special places and times in their lives. When designing for women, the first thing we ask ourselves is ‘Is it beautiful?’ With men, we find ourselves asking ‘Is it interesting?’ We look for innovative materials, unusual techniques and design motifs steeped in history. “I’m most excited about our FACETED

METAL collection. The inspiration came from a high jewelry piece that we created out of platinum to mimic the

facets of a remarkably cut diamond. We took this idea of applying a stone-cutting technique to metal and created bold, tailored pieces that seamlessly blend sterling silver and gold. “We’re launching a collection called Heirloom in both green and BLACK

JADE this spring; it’s the first time that we’ve

used these stones. We have also introduced a limited run of Paraiba Tourmaline pavé into our Frontier collection. This stone is remarkable for its vibrant blue color and exceptional rarity.”

DETROIT, THE NEW WATCHMAKING CAPITAL OF AMERICA.

T H E 46 M M B R A K EM A N CH R O N O W I T H 3 E Y E CH R O N O G R A P H A N D DAT E W I N D OW I N S TA I N L ES S S T EEL C AS E . GR AY B R OW N D I A L A N D D E T R O I T- B U I LT A R GO N I T E 5030 M OV EM EN T W I T H A M ER I C A N - M A D E H E AT H ER G R E Y L E AT H ER S T R A P. B U I LT TO L AS T A L I F E T I M E O R LO N GER , U N D ER T H E T ER MS A N D CO N D I T I O NS O F T H E S H I N O L A GUA R A N T EE . E XC LU S I V E LY AVA I L A B LE AT F I N E WATC H A N D J E W E LRY R E TA I LE R S .

gifts

from the HEART Notable moms on Mother’s Day, push presents and their most memorable jewelry gifts. BY JILLIAN LAROCHELLE & JULIANNE PEPITONE

ROSIE POPE “I had my daughter, Vivienne, on Mother’s Day a couple of years ago. I would have to say she is my most memorable Mother’s Day gift! This year I am hoping for jewelry. Being a mom of four and running a business, I don’t have too much time to get ready in the morning. But with jewelry, I can throw earrings and bracelets on and feel a little more put together. “My favorites are four bracelets my children gave me with their names written on each one. The best part about them: my oldest wrote all the names out and they stamped each into the metal, all in his handwriting. It was a special gift because it was a way of the kids welcoming our youngest, Bridget.”

HEIDI KLUM “I’m always loving to be surprised. My kids do beautiful art; we have an art teacher who comes to our house every week and guides them. They’ve done beautiful clay pots that they designed and painted. Last Mother’s Day my kids painted on canvases. I love art, so they’re always making something beautiful for me. So that’s always, for me, the best. I don’t want them to go and buy something; I’d rather they make something for me.”

IVANKA TRUMP “My first Mother’s Day was obviously memorable, but last year was my favorite. Arabella was old enough that we could really spend the day together doing our favorite ‘girl things.’ It was also my first Mother’s Day with two kids. It felt so complete. “I have a special place in my heart for handmade gifts. I have Arabella’s artwork in my office and am always excited to add to my collection. That said, I think the best gift would simply be the day spent with my family—no phones, no internet, no distractions!—making breakfast, then exploring the city together. “I didn’t get ‘push presents’ when my children were born—the children are the best gifts I could ever receive! My husband did give Arabella a necklace when she was born and I keep it for her. She knows when she is old enough it’s hers, and until then, I always ask her before I borrow it! “The best jewelry I ever received was my engagement ring. It was purchased from my collection, which was a very supportive—and smart—move on my husband’s part.”

MOR E N A BACCARIN FOR H EARTS ON FIRE.

collecting

time to

invest

Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMTMaster II, 40mm in stainless steel with rotatable black and blue ceramic bezel and Oysterlock bracelet.

Watchmaking history appeals to a new generation. BY WILLIAM BUCKLEY

hilatelists collect stamps and numismatists collect coins, but watch collectors, in the grand scheme of things, are a relatively new breed. Seismic shifts—from pocket watch to mechanical wristwatch to quartz and atomic movements—indicated the fading of each previous technology into obscurity. But by the end of the 1980s, manufacturers realized that there was a market for mechanical wristwatches both as timepiece and work of art. A new generation of consumers was excited by the craftsmanship of traditional horology, and the watch collector was born. Edward Faber, one of the leading experts on vintage watches and founder of the Aaron Faber Gallery in New York, explains, “Before 1930 watches were essentially pocket watches retrofitted to the wrist. With the advent of World War I, huge advances in technology were made in all areas, from automobiles to aviation, and watches soon followed suit. The nuances of jeweling and modern technology enabled watchmakers to integrate features like chronographs and moonphase calendars, and mechanical wristwatches entered their element.” But with the “quartz revolution” came a level of timekeeping accuracy that changed daily life. What began in 1929 with the quartz clock took 40 years to miniaturize, but in a few swift years mechanical watches began to look like they would become obsolete. “We’ve learned in this industry to fear new technologies, and for good reason,” explains Michael Friedman, historian for Audemars Piguet. “What we could accurately call the quartz revolution was known to many as the quartz crisis because it essentially wiped out the industry as we knew it; it took many years to evolve past that. But interestingly, what the quartz era in the 1970s really did was to liberate the watch industry. We’re now in an era of experimentation and expressionism largely because the accuracy problem was solved when the quartz watch debuted.” With smart watch production numbers in the tens of millions, manufacturers like Apple and Samsung are investing in the future of timekeeping. And whether or not smart watches become as ubiquitous as the quartz and mechanical movements before them, increased interest in traditional craftsmanship has secured the future of mechanical watches. “To connect with a timepiece, which may have plus or minus a few seconds per week but is part of horological history, is a strong statement,” insists Faber. “People in their 20s and 30s are looking at vintage Rolexes and IWCs and they’re excited to collect them, they’re excited to buy them. When they buy vintage watches, they’re also buying the stories behind them.”

Patek Philippe Ref. 5170G Men’s Chronograph with pulsometric scale. White gold with silvery white dial. Featuring Caliber CH 29-535 PS Mechanical manually wound movement.

WHAT COLLECTORS LOOK FOR Brand: This is the number-one consideration. Currently Patek Philippe and Rolex are most coveted. Papers and Presentation: Watches with their original papers and boxes in good condition are worth more. Metal: With only a few exceptions, platinum is number one, followed by rose gold, then yellow gold, then steel. Complications: Chronographs, moonphases, tourbillions etc. can increase a watch’s collectability. Rarity: The more mass-produced a watch is, the less desirable it is to a collector.

scene

KATY PERRY

JULIANNE HOUGH

BELLAMY YOUNG

wore a Harry Kotlar fancy canary yellow diamond ring to the Grammys.

wore a David Yurman Petite PavĂŠ pinky ring to the Elle Women in Hollywood event.

wore a David Yurman Labyrinth gold dome ring to the Elle Women in Hollywood event.

HAUTE LOOKS ON 1

KAROLINA KURKOVA

TAYLOR SCHILLING

ZOOEY DESCHANEL

wore a Forevermark Cluster Shield diamond ring to an Art Basel party in Miami.

wore a Forevermark Exceptional Diamond Jewelry by Premier Gem ring to the Emmys.

wore a Forevermark by Maria Canale Aster Collection diamond ring to the Emmys.

THE RED CARPET Take a cue from these decorated digits and ring in spring! BY JILLIAN LAROCHELLE

golf

triumph & tragedy

Gary Player won the 1965 U.S. Open Championship, but Phil Mickelson missed his chance in 2006.

The U.S. Open Championship is golf’s toughest tournament. BY EDWARD KIERSH

Gary Player celebrated at Bellerive in 1965.

GARY PLAYER COURTESY OF BLACK KNIGHT ARCHIVES; PHIL MICKELSON COURTESY OF ROLEX

t’s one of the most demanding athletic showcases in the world, where unshakable endurance and remarkable precision are all-important. The U.S. Open Championship, which will be held in June, this year at Chambers Bay near Tacoma, Washington, has long been a proving ground for the world’s best golfers. Every year since the first Open, in 1895 at the Newport Country Club in Rhode Island, legends have been inspired by brave men battling ankle-high rough, dramatically contoured fairways and unnervingly fast greens. “The Open was my most coveted title because it’s such a grueling test, and it consistently offers special moments in the game’s history,” says 1965 Open champion Gary Player. “Open courses are so physically and mentally demanding that handling the terrific pressure is essential to winning—and that requires a combination of patience and precision.” Although the Open is especially merciless (maybe because of it), many of the game’s most inspirational moments have taken place during this United States Golf Association-staged event. Only last year at Pinehurst, Martin Kaymer ran away from the field by shooting a nine-under par 271, the third lowest score ever. It was a triumph reminiscent of three-time champion Tiger Woods’ stunning 12-under par performance at Pebble Beach in 2000, and Rory McIlroy’s blistering 16-under 2011 conquest of Congressional. Staging his own heroics in 1990, Hale Irwin, at age 45, became the oldest man ever to claim the title. His uplifting win belied the great Walter Hagen’s remark about a typical U.S. Open course: “It makes duffers of us all.” Few golf aficionados can forget how “The People’s Champion” Phil Mickelson turned victory into defeat at New York’s Winged Foot Golf Club in 2006. Trying to carve a three-iron around a tree to buttress his one-stroke lead, Mickelson hit a branch, only managing to advance his ball a mere 25 yards. Obviously dismayed, he subsequently plopped the ball into a bunker, and later rued, “What an idiot I am!” As Rolex, one of the tournament’s chief sponsors, suggests, Open golfers who do achieve a win become “witnesses to history,” masters of “impossible physics on the most hallowed grounds.” They display the same boldness and passion that make Rolex an iconic watch brand, so it’s no wonder that Rolex is irrevocably linked with greatness. Emphasizing Rolex’s preeminence in watches as well as the integrity of the brand, John Green, president and CEO of Lux Bond & Green, says, “Our clients see Rolex wearers like Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Roger Federer striving for excellence, and they too want to own a Rolex. These are the world’s greatest athletes, so buyers want what they want: the absolute best.”

personalities

Right: Chenoweth’s 2014 CD release of career favorites.

Diminutive

Diva

Kristin Chenoweth’s big voice and bright smile have been lighting up stages and screens for decades. BY BRIAN SCOTT LIPTON

hat Kristin Chenoweth lacks in height she makes up for in vocal power, acting ability and fashion sense. The 4'11'', 46-year-old superstar has thrilled Broadway audiences with her work in such shows as You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (which earned her a Tony), Wicked and Promises, Promises. She’s also a frequent TV and film actress, best known for her roles as Annabeth in The West Wing, Courtney in Four Christmases, Olive Snook in Pushing Daisies (for which she won an Emmy) and April in Glee. And did we mention she regularly sells out concert halls and major arenas? Last fall, Chenoweth released her latest CD, Coming Home, a concert version of which also aired as a PBS special. She’s currently appearing on Broadway opposite Peter Gallagher as

From top: Chenoweth in The Good Wife; with Peter Gallagher in On the Twentieth Century; in Glee; as Glinda the Good in Wicked.

tempestuous 1930s film star Lily Garland in the Roundabout Theatre Company’s revival of the hit musical On the Twentieth Century. Accent recently caught up with Chenoweth to chat about her career, her fashion choices and her favorite pieces of jewelry. The character of Lily Garland in On the Twentieth Century has long been on your radar. How does it feel to finally get the chance to portray her on Broadway? It’s definitely been on my bucket list. The composers, Betty Comden and Adolph Green, told me before they passed away that I was the next rightful owner of that role. I’ve always kept that in the back of my mind, and it seemed like now the time was right. And here I am doing it! I’m very nervous, because it’s a difficult score to sing, and there’s some major physical comedy. When you play a character like Lily, who is a bit of a diva, which parts of your personality do you draw from? I guess there is strength in me that I can only see at times when I’m being pushed to the limit, and Lily is a push-to-thelimit type of character. And vocally she’s a soprano, so that is right in my wheelhouse. The character you’re best known for may be Glinda from Wicked. Do you ever get tired of singing songs from that show at your concerts? Sometimes I wonder if the audience really wants to hear Popular again, but they prove me wrong every time. They always do! How did you choose which songs to record for Coming Home? It’s a culmination of songs I’ve been singing my whole life, so it’s more of a career record. Gospel music is a big part of my life, so I included a song I grew up singing, Little Sparrow, which is a tribute to Dolly Parton. There’s Somewhere Over the Rainbow, which I’ve been singing since I was itty-bitty. And I Could’ve Danced All Night from My Fair Lady shows my vocal training. Everything I do is represented on that album. What are your favorite things to do off-stage? When I need to get away, I like to go to Cabo San Lucas and lie by the pool and drink margaritas and hang out and eat. I also like to just stay in bed and watch TV. Tell us about your sense of fashion, both in real life and on the red carpet. I keep it pretty simple. I think simple is better when you’re petite. And I like to mix and match. If I get a dress from Zara, then I’ll pair it with Christian Louboutin shoes. Do you have a surefire look for attracting attention? I don’t think cleavage ever hurts. How do you use jewelry to complete a look, and what are some of your favorite pieces? I don’t do a lot of big jewelry unless I’m on stage. Personally, I like smaller stacked necklaces and rings. I have a brand-new pair of broken arrow earrings that my friends gave me knowing I’m from a little town in Oklahoma called Broken Arrow, so currently those are my favorite. Have you inherited any family jewelry heirlooms that mean something particularly special to you? There is a black onyx ring that my grandma had. She gave it to my mom and my mom, not too long ago, gave it to me. That’s one of my prized possessions. So is another ring that my grandma had throughout her life; it’s an opal with diamonds around it. Those are the kind of things on which you can’t put a monetary value.

“Sometimes I wonder if the audience really wants to hear Popular again.. . they always do!”

spotted

Idina Menzel wears Forevermark during a performance at Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest.

As Seen On... Our favorite stars share a love for our favorite brands!

Sarah Jessica Parker wears Mikimoto at the Great American Songbook Gala.

Taraji P. Henson wears Tacori at the 46th Annual NAACP Image Awards.

Estelle wears David Yurman during a performance at the New Yorkers1 for Children Fall Gala.

IDINA MENZEL COURTESY OF DOMAIN LA; SARAH JESSICA PARKER BY PATRICK MCMULLAN COURTESY OF MIKIMOTO; TARAJI P. HENSON COURTESY OF MICHELLE MARIE PR

BY JILLIAN LAROCHELLE

travel

Take Me Away

Escape your everyday routine and experience self-discovery during a yoga retreat. BY ELISE DIAMANTINI

Left: Open-air meditation session in Nicaragua during a Yoga for Bad People retreat. Right: Scenes from the juice cleanse retreat in Montauk, NY.

YOGA FOR BAD PEOPLE Don’t be alarmed by the name: Yoga for Bad People is bad in a really good way. This traveling retreat company is the brainchild of NYC-based yoga instructors Heather Lilleston and Katelin Sisson, who provide guests with the perfect combination of yoga asana, meditation and fun-filled activities in beautiful settings all over the world. Lilleston describes the retreats as “not too much granola, not too much discipline, but just enough structure to give you an outline within which your own personal flavor of R & R can flourish. We like to think we have mastered the art of having a good time, rather than mastered the handstand or shoving our feet behind our heads. That can be fun too, but mainly we want the experience to feel inclusive.” Yoga for Bad People travels the globe to find gorgeous locations in countries like Nicaragua, Brazil, even Cuba. Yogis on retreat can expect a led meditation in the morning followed by a vinyasa yoga class, brunch, midday activities (like tanning, surfing, hiking, shopping, relaxing, etc.), an evening yoga class (generally more restorative), dinner and then time to chill out or explore the city’s nightlife. Yoga classes are focused on alignment and therapy, and as Lilleston says, “The practice reflects and balances out the

group dynamic, personal needs and the local environment, as well as offers a physical challenge. We make sure to give plenty of hands-on assists throughout a class. Led meditations are always optional, but those who have committed to them for the duration of the retreat have often been able to continue the practice at home.” Another thing that makes Yoga for Bad People unique is the music. Lilleston and Sisson say you’ll hear anything from Outkast to Cat Power to Led Zeppelin to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. “It’s not uncommon for the vibe of the class to feel like you have one foot on the mat and one foot on the dance floor,” she explains. “Bottom line: we like to have a good time.”

LUXYOGA Imagine this: an all-inclusive retreat at a private villa in the South of France with two daily yoga classes taught by master instructors, a personal chef who cooks delicious food using healthy local ingredients, and luxurious personalized service. When you book a LuxYoga retreat, this scenario becomes your reality. Benjamin Sears, who is trained in Bikram, Forrest and Dharma Mittra yoga, as well as meditation and pranayama, created LuxYoga as a high-quality yoga immersion and luxury vacation. “We offer a yoga

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program where teachers get to know the students in a space where they will reflect and grow,” explains Sears. “Plus, it’s really nice to do some challenging yoga and know that after the class our concierge will be waiting with fresh-pressed juice and a beautiful lunch. This is a deep yoga retreat for real people. We want to create not only a vacation, but a transformative experience. We try to get people to dig a deep well and really enjoy themselves.” Each retreat, specializing in either Bikram or vinyasa yoga, has no more than 15 people and two expert teachers. In addition to daily classes, students can attend in-depth workshops—photo analysis, lectures and clinics—that provide a deeper understanding of the practice. All levels are welcome, from beginners who want to learn more to certified teachers who want to refine their knowledge. “We want to make people feel safe and

EXOTIC YOGA RETREATS

xotic Yoga Retreats is exactly what its name implies: vacations with an emphasis on yoga in non-touristy locations, where students can experience “luxury travel, blending yoga and inner discovery with sensory experiences of visual beauty, healthy sumptuous cuisine, cultural enrichment and outdoor adventure.” Founder Gayle Olson, author of The Yoga and Fitness Guide for Women, is also a 20-year veteran teacher of vinyasa, Iyengar and Hatha yoga styles. She personally scouts locations in order to provide guests with “a deeply relaxing and inspiring setting [in which] to unwind, enjoy a little healthy indulgence, connect with themselves, with nature and with other interesting people from around the world: to enjoy simple pleasures in life, wrapped in a little luxury!” Upcoming 2015 retreats include trips to Croatia, Bali, Bhutan and Provence. Practicing handstands in Cambodia on an Exotic Yoga Retreat.

Yogis sharing a locally sourced meal during a LuxYoga retreat in the South of France.

“We want to create not only a vacation, but a transformative experience.” comfortable, and offer them a way of life that they can re-create at home. We do journaling exercises and meditation to promote self-reflection. And while I care about the asana and I want people to improve, I’m more concerned with people than poses. The poses are just tools to help people.” Sears says that while each activity at LuxYoga is optional, guests are typically inspired to take part in every aspect of the retreat. “And it’s not a Kumbaya situation, it’s a really special experience: yoga facilitates the bonds people make, but the bonds are not forced. It just happens that people form lasting friendships.” In addition to the quality of yoga and small classes, Sears says something that sets LuxYoga apart is the convivial atmosphere of the villa. “For example, our concierge will remember if someone likes mint tea and pick fresh mint flowers for them. “And the villa itself is something you have to see to believe. We have this incredible unobstructed view of the French Riviera. I wanted to create my ideal vacation: practice yoga in a beautiful place and share wonderful meals with soulful people.”

Accommodations are luxurious, whether guests lodge in a boutique hotel, a lavish sailboat or an extravagant villa; food and wine is always local and organic. Yoga classes are intimate (eight to 12 students) with lots of hands-on adjustments by Olson and her experienced instructors. She describes a typical day: “Mornings begin with fresh juice, a cappuccino or a healing Ayurvedic tea, depending on where we are in the world. A morning serenity walk on a tropical beach, in lavender fields, or through the rolling hills of Tuscany invites you to savor the tranquility and rejuvenating power of nature. We meet for yoga around 8 a.m., followed by a well-earned farm-to-table brunch on a beautiful terrace. Afternoons are for beach lounging, cultural excursions or other adventures. On touring retreats, there may be only one yoga class each day, with stretches along the way. But on most, we have sunset restorative, pranayama and meditation practices. Evenings are pure magic, as we savor the simple luxury of a healthy gourmet meal with fine wine and wonderful company!” Pure magic indeed.

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A family business since 1898, Lux Bond & Green is proud of our heritage, experience and knowledge as exempliďŹ ed by our professionally trained staff. Our goldsmith shops and master goldsmiths, hand and machine engravers, and fully authorized watch laboratory and Swiss-trained watchmakers give you the conďŹ dence that we are a one-stop destination for all your service needs.

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PERFECTGEMS

EXPLORE THE LITTLE LUXURIES THE WORLD HAS TO OFFER. BY DONALD CHARLES RICHARDSON

SAY CHEESE

HUILE D’OLIVE—TRÈS CHIC!

Spain produces more than 100 different types of must-try cheeses including Quesos de Valdeon, a maple-leaf wrapped blue cheese made deep in the Picos de Europa, and the very sophisticated Sant Gil d’Albio, an artisanal goat’s milk cheese with luscious depth, great acidic balance, and hints of nuts and herbs. There’s even a perfect cheese for summer alfresco dining. Max McCalman, author of Mastering Cheese, says, "Manchego is my go-to cheese for a picnic. Simply irresistible, everyone loves Manchegos. They hold up well outdoors on a picnic and they are extremely nutritious. I prefer them between five and nine months of age, in particular Carpuela, a nine-month-old raw milk Manchego. It is versatile with a broad range of wines; for example, it pairs nicely with a Spanish Tempranillo."

On the southern slopes of the Alpilles Mountains near Provence is a wonderfully restored and very elegant 18th-century castle and estate, Château d’Estoublon. Traveling gourmands stop here for lunches paired with the château’s olive oil, which is not only delicious, but so stylish it’s offered in a couture spray flacon. Five olive varietals planted over 212 acres are hand selected, gathered in nets and processed within 24 hours of picking. (The green production method—processing olives harvested before they darken—brings out the full, fresh flavors.) Later this year, visitors won’t have to eat and run. The château will open to guests, offering the opportunity to spend a few days drinking wine, eating, touring the vineyards and olive groves (even picking olives for individual bottles of oil) and reveling in the beauty of Provence.

Specialists in ripening, selecting and serving quality cheeses since 1964 and now...wine.

Wasiks Cheese Shop 61 Central Street (Rt. 135) Wellesley. MA 02482 (781) 237.0916 wasiks.com

SPARKLING STRINGS

At his atelier in the little town of Deidesheim, Germany near the Rhine River, master craftsman Jens Ritter creates handmade guitars that are also works of contemporary art. His Eye of Horus bass, custom-designed for Phil Lesh of The Grateful Dead with black piano finish, silver Egyptian inlay and blue LED lights, is on display at the Smithsonian Institution, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art acquired the Cremona bass guitar for their permanent collection. Ritter’s creations aren’t just for viewing. Prince, George Benson, Mary J. Blige, and the musicians behind Madonna, Christina Aguilera and Van Halen own (and play) Ritter’s guitars. For the reflective rock star, the Princess Isabella is made of German alder, mahogany and ebony with platinum inlays and is covered in over 7,000 Swarovski aquamarine crystals.

TOP HATS

No spring ’15 fashion show was complete without hats. From city streets to the beach, they’re everywhere. Be heads above the crowd with a hat by Angiolo Frasconi. Founded in Campi Bisenzio (one of the major centers of famed centuries-old Florentine straw hat production) just after World War II, Angiolo Frasconi has been a family-owned company for three generations, creating collections of handmade hats that are molto elegante. The designs combine handcrafted tradition, innovation and fine natural fibers— straw first and foremost—but also classical raw materials of the tradition: linens, cottons, felt, wool and cashmere expertly crafted and trimmed by hand. The new collection focuses on creativity and the best of Italian craftsmanship.

Donald Sultan, one of the world’s leading avant-garde artists, achieved fame in the late 1970s as part of the New Image movement. Known for elevating the still-life tradition through the deconstruction of his subjects and the use of industrial materials, he pushes the restrictions of his medium through gouging, sanding and buffing to create depth and texture. Sultan’s philosophy emphasizes “the impermanence of structure and the malleability of form...the whole oeuvre is a celebration of substances before they disappear.” Many of his pieces are on display, including those at the Art Institute of Chicago, The British Museum, the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This summer, Sultan will present his latest work, a sixfoot square creation utilizing black buttons on a modernistic surface, at New York’s prestigious Ryan Lee Gallery.

DONALD SULTAN, TILE AND AQUA LANTERNS, FEBRUARY 15, 2014

PUSHING THE RIGHT BUTTONS

It’s dining drizzled with

ooh-la-la. After you satisfy your taste buds at one of our fine restaurants, indulge your good taste at our unique collection of shops. It’s a delicious experience you won’t want to miss. Call 1.888.226.7711 or visit mohegansun.com.

Shops: Bare Minerals • bluwire • Brewster’s Trading Post • Brighton Collectibles • Brookstone • Caché Chico’s • Clay Pipe • Coach • Dylan’s Candy Bar • The Essentials • Everything Under The Sun Galina’s • Godiva Chocolatier • Landau • Lush • Lux Bond & Green • Margaritaville’s Smuggler’s Hold Momentum Trading Post • The Old Farmer’s Almanac General Store • Once Upon A Time Toys Oriental Fine Arts & Crafts • Robert Graham • Sephora • Spin Street • Sunglasses USA Swarovski • Tiffany & Co. • Tommy Bahama • Trading Cove • Trailblazer • Yankee Candle Restaurants: Arooga’s Grille House & Sports Bar • Ballo Italian Restaurant • Ben & Jerry’s Bobby Flay’s Bar Americain • Bobby’s Burger Palace • Bow & Arrow Sports Bar • Carlo’s Bake Shop Chief’s Deli • Dunkin’ Donuts • Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana • Geno’s Bagels, Sweets & Subs Geno’s Fast Break • Geno’s Pub • Hash House A Go Go • Imus Ranch Coffee • Jasper White’s Summer Shack Jasper White’s Summer Shack Express • Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville • Johnny Rockets Krispy Kreme Doughnuts • The Lansdowne Irish Pub & Music House • Michael Jordan’s 23.sportcafe Michael Jordan’s Steak House • The Original SoupMan Seasons Buffet • SolToro Tequila Grill Starbucks Coffee • Sunrise Square Food Court • Todd English’s Tuscany • Wok-On by Geno’s Fast Break Coming Soon: Sticks & Stones Conveniently located in Mystic Country.

spirits

Engaging the Senses

Drinking well isn’t just about great taste. BY ROBERT HAYNES-PETERSON

enhances wine or cocktails, but there’s no doubt a heavy-cut crystal whisky glass or big red wine glass enhances our perception of the drink. Texture also plays a significant role: granular sugar is a plus on the rim of a Sidecar, but a minus in the drink (where liquid simple syrup is often used instead). Sound: People underestimate how much sound influences experience. To play with this sense, British bartender Tony Conigliaro experimented by serving the same drink against two different soundtracks (classical and techno), resulting in completely different tasting notes from attendees. Sense of Place: Terroir is a French word which suggests that wine, in particular, is influenced by soil, microclimates and even the personality of the winemaker. But we also experience a sense of context; visiting a winery or distillery can actually make the product taste “better,” because you now have a connection to the producer. A specific cocktail can induce memories of a perfect date or a great travel experience. Sense of Balance: Equilibrioception, regulated by the inner ear, is severely hampered by consuming too much alcohol. But there’s another sense of balance: one of balance in your cocktail, where all the elements— sweet and sour, alcohol and sugar, fruit and savory—come together perfectly. Learning to identify a balanced drink (or what a drink is lacking) goes a long way toward creating ideal food pairings. It even turns out that senses can do double duty. Synesthesia crosses wires, and allows those with that neurological condition to “hear” colors and “see” sounds. To some degree, we all do it: Green means “go” and fast food restaurants decorate in bright colors to make people hungrier and eat faster. Get to know your senses and how they work, and you’ll enjoy your drinking and dining experience in a whole new way.

GETTY1

f someone asks what senses are involved when you’re sipping a glass of wine or a cocktail, the correct answer is “all of them.” Taste, smell and sight are all pretty obvious. But touch (mouth feel, a chilled glass), sound (the bubbles in the glass, the crack and tumble of ice) and more come into play to truly round out your drinking experience. It turns out we rely on far more than five senses (maybe as many as 21) to make sense of the world. Thermoception, for example—our sense of hot and cold—turns out to be a completely different thing than our sense of touch. When it comes to enjoying a glass of wine or a cocktail, understanding how our senses interact goes a long way to understanding why we like or don’t like a particular food or drink. “Dimmer lighting in a bar can mask colors and aesthetics, causing the imbiber to rely on aromas, texture and flavors to engage with the drink,” says Pamela Wiznitzer, president of the New York branch of the U.S. Bartenders Guild and an M.S. candidate in food science at NYU. “Similarly, the sounds of cracking ice and shaking and straining a cocktail can cause a Pavlovian sensation. Bars that elevate the background music may drown out that component, leaving the guest with visual stimulation as the only option. It’s one reason why drinks at brightly lit rooftop and pool bars tend to rely on vivid colors and wild garnishes, while cocktail lounges emphasize complex, savory ingredients.” Sight: “Blind” tastings can be taken to an extreme at restaurants that offer “dining in the dark” options. A few years ago, Wiznitzer crafted a deconstructed Pisco Sour cocktail featuring reduced lime syrup and gelled pisco “pearls.” Guests put the drink together on their palate in total darkness for a new experience. Smell: An old trick has you pinch your nose shut to learn that an onion and an apple taste the same. Somewhere between 70 and 90 percent of what we “taste” actually happens with our olfactory nerves. Opus One winemaker Michael Salacci hires a parfumist to lead sensory training sessions and provide an outside opinion while blending the brand’s iconic Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine. Taste: The old “tongue map” (sweet at the tip of the tongue, salty on the sides, etc.) has been largely debunked by science. But it does turn out that different chemical reactions are responsible for differing tastes. Wired magazine’s August 2014 What’s Inside column noted that for the popular hot sauce sriracha, capsaicinoids in spicy peppers bind to TRPV1 receptors in nerve endings conveying touch, temperature and pain, while salt is probably interacting with ion channels in your taste buds. Touch: There’s a lot of debate on whether the “right” glassware actually

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wellness

Pure

BLISS

Tammy Fender wants to care for your skin—and for you. BY JILLIAN LAROCHELLE

hile studying for her college degree in psychology, Tammy Fender took a job behind a cosmetics counter and was astonished at the number of chemicals being used in even the most well respected skin care products. She began training as an esthetician and blending her own treatments, and the lovingly handmade products quickly gained a word-of-mouth following. In 2002 she opened her own atelier and spa, Tammy Fender Holistic Skin Care, in West Palm Beach. Here, we interview the sweet and soulful Fender about her namesake skin care line and her philosophy for holistic living. How do you explain the renewed focus on healthy lifestyles? In our fast-changing world, we’re craving what brings us peace and vitality. Everyone is searching for a way to slow down and bring balance back. What’s the biggest skin care mistake people make today? It’s important to recognize that the skin is a living organ and that what you put on it permeates to the cellular level. Avoid chemicals when possible and don’t fall into the trap of over-cleansing and over-exfoliating. What treatment would you recommend to a first-time client? Our holistic custom facial. We recommend it [in conjunction] with reflexology because when there’s someone at the crown chakra and someone at the base chakra at the same time, there’s an energy balancing

FENDER’S PHILOSOPHY

that takes place. The oils and herbs that the client selects upon arrival are utilized within both treatments, so it’s tailored to each individual. Tell us about the power of aromatherapy. When someone comes into the spa, we offer them a collection of herbs and oils prior to going into the treatment room. The oils a person is drawn to indicate the parts of the body that need extra healing energy. For example, if someone is tired they might choose a stimulating oil in order to bring life back into balance. It’s an excellent diagnostic tool. Are your products FDA approved? Yes, always. They go through all the clinical testing and trials, but they are 100 percent botanical. The products are also handmade. We use food-grade instead of cosmetic-grade ingredients, since the processing of cosmeticgrade ingredients (they are often heated and/or cut with a solvent) decreases their therapeutic value. In our products you’re getting the livingmost parts of the plant in the most natural form possible. What’s next for Tammy Fender? I’m excited to grow into a holistic lifestyle brand and keep living my passion. Most of all, we want to continue caring for the person as a whole.

“Yin and Yang are the foundations of holistic medicine. Sometimes we all feel a little out of balance, whether it’s because of emotional stress, overworking ourselves, or not nourishing ourselves. My opinion is that the mind and body intuitively urge us to create balance. When you’re eating junk food all the time, the body is going to start craving healthy food. If you’re constantly in front of a computer trying to keep up with your workload, you’re going to crave a yoga class. But to recognize these signals we need awareness. “We must remember that all cells need nutrients and oxygen to thrive. This is where plants are so phenomenal. Plant oils and herbs provide the life force. The skin is a living organism, and it’s amazing because it has the ability to regenerate and repair itself. It’s also an eliminating organ: when things are out of balance in the body, they’ll start to be pushed out through the skin. “Holistic skin care is all about awareness and prevention. You should be intuitive about what your needs are—not what anyone tells you they are. We have different personalities and different genetic make-ups, so each person is different. Our minds and bodies tell us what we need to know if we just listen. We can live in health and peace, even if there is a lot of chaos around us. When we find that inner peace within, it radiates out. That’s what beauty is.”

POIS MOI COLLECTION

LUX BOND & GREEN ACCENT THE MAGAZINE OF LIFE’S CELEBRATIONS

SPRING/SUMMER 2015