Business

Business

Richard Benc – The Underd0g

Breaking all the rules

After witnessing the long queues to the Studio Underd0g stand snaking around the London venue for British Watchmakers’ Day back in March, our Editor-in-Chief Julia Pasarón couldn’t resist finding out more about the man causing the disruption: Richard Benc.

Richard ended up in watchmaking more out of chance than passion. With a degree in product design, he landed his first job helping to create character watches (Mickey Mouse, Minions… that type of thing), and from there he moved on to the Bauhaus-inspired company, Braun. Along the way, he fell in love with mechanical things and how to make them smaller and better. “It should have been clearer to me that I was destined to design watches,” he says candidly. “I always enjoyed details. I like how a tiny design decision can have a very large impact on the overall aesthetic of a watch.”

As the idea of creating his brand started to germinate, it was clear to him that he wanted to explore colour and vibrancy, in opposite contrast to the Bauhaus style. In general, he was disappointed by the lack of creativity in the…

Business, Lifestyle, luxury shopping

Harrods’ 175th anniversary

The world’s most famous luxury department store celebrates 175 years of retail magic

Arguably the most famous luxury department store in the world, Harrods is marking its 175th anniversary with all manner of exciting celebrations and special-edition products. From its iconic teddy bears to its renowned Festival of Lights, there are many highlights in store for customers throughout the year. Embodying the very essence of luxury, tradition and […]

Business

Audrey Raffy

The beautiful mind driving Bovet into the future

The vice president of Bovet, Audrey Raffy, is most definitely a rising star in the watch industry. Her cosmopolitan background, natural intelligence and exceptional qualifications are the tools with which she is taking the company into the future, navigating one of the most competitive sectors in luxury. Audrey has Lebanese roots, was born in France, […]

Business

The Importance of Diversity & Inclusion

By Sienna Taylor

Diversity and inclusion are not just mere buzzwords that represent a fleeting trend. In the 21st century, companies must integrate these two principles into their core business strategies. From employment to operations, businesses must be able to incorporate all strands of diversity and inclusion: age, disability, gender, race, culture, and religion, into the workplace. Diversity […]

Business, Toys

It Is All About Desire

Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO, Rolls-Royce

Intelligent looking and always impeccably dressed, Torsten Müller-Ötvös has been Chief Executive Officer at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars since 2010, after building a top career in the automotive sector that includes the stellar re-launch of MINI (2000) and the global marketing and brand management of BMW (2004). In these 12 years, Torsten has turned around the […]

Business, Lifestyle

Linda Pilkington

The power of small

Linda Pilkington exudes an energy and passion that seem difficult to be contained in such a petite woman – less than five foot tall. The only British female perfumer that owns her own house after more than 20 years, Linda’s brand, Ormonde Jayne, has become synonymous with the finest, gender and stereotype-free fragrances in the […]

Business

My I-M Time

Under the direction of our new editor, Dr Andrew Hildreth, this year I-M TIME puts a special focus on humanity’s exploration endeavours, featuring the Omega Alaska Project, extreme diver’s watches and the 20th-century race to space. On the other hand, we celebrate style and panache, looking at the 50th anniversary of Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak […]

Business, Culture, Lifestyle

Lily Cole

Yes, we can save the Earth

As a humanitarian and environmental activist, Lily had for a long time a controversial relationship with gems extracted from under the skin of our planet. In this interview, she is joined by the founder of Skydiamond, Dale Vince and photographer Rankin, to explain to our editor Julia Pasarón how we can turn the industry into […]

Business

Marco Lavazza

Blending the past to shape the future

Marco Lavazza has worked in the family business all his professional life. At the age of 44, he serves as Vice President of the company, the legacy of which he feels responsible for safeguarding, as he does for leading it into the future. Lavazza is now run by the third and fourth generation of the […]

Business

Diamonds Truly Are Forever

Diamonds have long been one of nature’s most revered creations. Since the dawn of humanity their beauty, strength and resilience have enchanted people the world over. Ancient Greeks believed them to have mystical protective powers, and it is from the Greek term “Adamas”, meaning invincible, that the word “diamond” originates. Over time, the magic of […]

Business, Lifestyle

Freedom

By Pivotal

In the same way our life changes over time, so do our needs for a car, not just in terms of which one but how often we use it and what we use it for. The vehicle you use to whizz around town may not be that useful for a holiday or to ferry kids […]

Business, Lifestyle

For What It’s Worth

Musings on originality and vintage car racing

Legends are told to capture the imagination. Tim Birkin’s heroics at the 1930 Le Mans have attained that exalted status, become the stuff of legend. In 1930, Motor Sport magazine described the race as an “epic duel” between the Bentley cars and the white Mercedes of Caracciola. It was expected that the large German car […]