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 Future of Luxury
Goods is in the Past

by Effie Datson, Head of Family Office, Barclays Private Bank

The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken up nearly every consumer category, influencing new behaviours, stifling some industries, and inspiring growth in others. Emerging trends in the luxury sector suggest extravagance is being usurped by nostalgia and sustainability. Dynamics within the luxury sector are changing. If you’ve found yourself slipping on your father’s vintage watch this year […]

Business

Confessions of a baffled fund manager

by Richard Maraviglia

For those wondering what is likely to happen in the financial markets this year the “bet” seems pretty simple. There was $9.2 trillion of stimulus in 2020, three times the size of 2008 when the world almost toppled. With the Democratic sweep, there will be yet more stimulus, perhaps higher than 2020 itself. The excess […]

Business, Travel

A Room With a View

Royal Lancaster London

Chosen as the location for The Italian Job and the release of The Beatles’ first album, the Royal Lancaster London is one of those hotels which may deceive you with their exterior appearance – tall run-of-the-mill building from the mid 20th century, but offers the most incredible views across West London and holds a treasured […]

Business, Lifestyle

The rise of the designer

by James Gurney

The watch world can come across as all about brands and watchmakers with designers rarely getting a namecheck and only as an afterthought. That makes sense when it’s the industrial heft of Rolex that guarantees the brand’s quality and the heritage of Patek Philippe that drives demand for watches that haven’t even been seen in […]

Business

Romane Howsam Means Business

At the tender age of just 21, Romane Howsam is about to launch a digital platform that promises to revolutionise the way we buy and sell luxury goods, Lymited, all whilst finishing her university degree in Business Management at King’s College London and indulging her passion for good food. I-M Intelligent Magazine got her away […]

Business, Lifestyle

The Future of Learning

Institut auf dem Rosenberg

Globally recognised as one of the best boarding schools in the world, the team at Institut auf dem Rosenberg have always prided themselves on being “artisans of education” rather than just teachers and coaches. Set on exquisite grounds in St. Gallen, Switzerland, Rosenberg offers a holistic approach to learning, which closes the gap between education […]

Business

Risk and Reward:

Luxury Brands and Social Influencers

This year, countries around the world have cycled in and out of lockdowns, with luxury retail, red carpets, fashion shows and other live events falling victim to safeguarding orders. Productions have been cancelled and product launches pushed. With traditional markets and methods unavailable, luxury brands have moved online to capture consumers at home. Louis Vuitton, […]

Business

Investing in Pink Diamonds

In these uncertain times, investors are looking for safe havens for their money and diamonds might be a good place to start, especially pink diamonds, because the world’s most reliable source of these pretty-coloured gemstones, the famous Argyle diamond mine in Australia, closes at the end of this year. For the past 37 years, the […]

Business

Can the internet be safe?

by Sharon Pursey

In time to come, when we have defeated COVID-19, and we reflect and take stock of what helped us all to keep going during the Pandemic, I predict it will be the internet. Without the internet and internet-based services, this Pandemic could have had very different outcomes all round. Vital communications, information dissemination and essential […]