What Is BITCOIN? Everything You Wanted To Know And Never Dared To Ask.

José Amorim
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1
Reading Time: 6 minutes

bitcoin-history

One important word in the world of Technology is BITCOIN. Every media is talking about it and not so many people really know what is it. Why people do not dare to ask? Because you have the feeling that if you ask what is BITCOIN in 2017, you will be seen as an old grandpa. So let’s avoid some embarrassing moments. Read carefully what follows and you will be the expert on BITCOINS.

BITCOIN, main definition.

First things first. Let’s start by defining what is a Bitcoin. This is know as a new currency that was created in 2009 by an unknown person named Satoshi Nakamoto. The main initial idea is to generate transactions without any intermediaries, meaning no banks or any financial institutions. This also means no transaction fees and even, no need to be identified with your real name and address. You can buy anonymously products and services around the world and there are no extra costs as Bitcoins are not tight to any currency or any international regulation.  It sounds like a geeky thing but more and more merchants are joining the bitcoin evolution and accept it as payment. You can buy for example anything related to your website (hosting, URLs…) as well as Pizza or even manicures. It might be worth gathering some cash to exchange it with bitcoins. You might even consider to take out a Payday Loan to make it happen. In Switzerland, a very famous “brothel” accepts Bitcoins now (apparently). this new currency might be very interesting for small businesses because there are no credit card fees with it. Obviously there are a lot of people who is buying a lot of Bitcoins, hoping the value will go up and up.

Satoshi-Nakamoto-identity

Bitcoins are not like any currency. It is digital, created electronically and above all: no one controls it. You cannot print Bitcoins and one of the interesting aspect of it: They are produced by normal people, running computers all around the world, using software that solves mathematical problems. It is also called a cryptocurrency, meaning a digital currency that manages transaction between people.

How BITCOINS are made and who makes it?

Like gold, we need good miners to create Bitcoins. When the system was created back in 2009, the idea was to built a decentralized system that would allow almost anyone around the world to create Bitcoins. The idea is to use a software that allows to solve mathematical challenges. By solving these problems, each Miner gets 25 Bitcoins. So this cryptocurrency is not ruled by the same kind of rules as other standard currencies. Obviously the system is quite complex and generates a certain limit. Some people say that we cannot produce more than 21 million Bitcoins, others say there is no limit if the protocols change. Currently in the world there are 16’366’275 Bitcoins in circulation. Which means that we might reach the limit quite soon. This speculation creates a pressure in the market and the Bitcoin price has been sky-rocketing in the past 2 years.

As we can see, one Bitcoin worth more than a USD 1`000$. By the end of this year will reach the highest value in history as more and more people are interested in Bitcoins. Probably the fact that Bitcoins might be reaching the limit, creates an extra pressure in the market. This is crazy and makes Bitcoins as the most valuable cryptocurrency in the world (by far).

Cryptocurrencies

Where can we buy BITCOINS?

bitcoin-currency

As there are no banks or cash machines to get some Bitcoins, you might wonder how could you get some? As any Cryptocurrency, Bitcoins are sold by online websites who has relationships with Miners, who will generate the transactions. Here are five interesting websites where you can buy Bitcoins. If you dare to move ahead with this, please read more about Bitcoins and also about terms and conditions. It is not a game and some people think they can win big with this.

1- BITSTAMP
Bitcoin-bitstamp
This is the first licensed operator of Bitcoin. It has been selling Bitcoins for the past 5 years. You can use your credit card to purchase Bitcoins from the website and you can even exchange your Bitcoins against Gold, like (theoretically any standard currency).
Website :http://bitstamp.net

2- OKCOIN
Bitcoin-okcoin
This company is based in Hong Kong. You can buy as well as sell Bitcoins in this website. The website is pretty much minimalistic and one good advice: Only use it if you are used with the rules of online trading. Otherwise it might get a bit complex.
Website: http://okcoin.com

3- KRAKEN
Bitcoin-kraken
This platform is also part of the firsts platforms to start trading Bitcoins, so they have been around for a while. You will be able to leverage and short on the platform which makes it a perfect place for Bitcoin traders. The only specificity in this website is that you need to set up a two-factor authentification for your account. It is mandatory and if you do not do it your account will be simply deleted and you loose your Bitcoins.
Website: https://www.kraken.com

4- LOCALBITCOINS
Bitcoin-localbitcoins
This website looks more about a social network for people dealing with Bitcoins. If you are the kind of one-to-one relationship, you can here connect to people and have private discussions and share information. It is an interesting addition to other websites.
Website: https://localbitcoins.com 

5- COINBASE
Bitcoin-coinbase
Let’s finish our top 5 with this website. Coinbase is the perfect website for beginners or for advanced Bitcoins buyers. You can well manage your purchases, and follow your transactions day after day, week after week. They are also very strict with the kind of business will be running through them, so no room for gray areas.
Website: https://www.coinbase.com

In conclusion, do not expect to find metal coins with a Bitcoin symbol on it or even paper money. Bitcoin is a digital currency that only exists online. With the information above you should be able to navigate across everything that is said about Bitcoins. Please be aware that this is real business and not just another game. So if you purchase Bitcoins you are really acquiring currency and paying for it. Make sure you think twice before getting to Bitcoin paradise.

José Amorim

Info sourced at socialnomics.net, infonaute, Le Journal du Net, Forbes, Fortune, Coindesk.com, wikipedia and all websites mentioned above. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only. 

Here is why Besson’s Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is not Good.

José Amorim
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0
Reading Time: 5 minutes

valerian-the-city-thousand-planets-reviews

When Luc Besson brings a new film to the market as a director, it never arrives anonymously. It is a true film event. While Luc Besson is a hyper-active producer with 88 movies since 1981, he has only directed 19 so far. So each film he directs is a rare and precious gem stone. When this year, it was announced that Valerian and the city of a thousand planets would be on screen, everybody did a comparison with Besson’s Fifth Element. It was 20 years ago when Luc Besson reinvented the Space Opera genre with the amazing Fifth Element. With a total budget of USD 90 Million, the 1997 movie was a big hit at the Box-Office with almost USD 270 Million sales. With Valerian, Luc Besson had the ambition to bring back a SciFi story and he placed a total budget of USD 197 Million. So far the film paid itself, so at least Besson will have enough money to pursuit his path, potentially with a sequel. After watching the film, we do think it is not the best Besson, and here is why.

The film plot: too pinky, too cheesy.

One major problem with Valerian is that all the scenario was easy to guess. The 2 main characters were in love with each other at the beginning of the movie and everybody knew that after a battle with bad guys, and potentially some sort of difficulty, they would end up happy ever after. There was something too straight forward and easy to guess that made the film, and especially the second part, very easy to understand and therefore quite boring. Here is the consensus critics done by Rotten Tomatoes:

“Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planetsuses sheer kinetic energy and visual thrills to overcome narrative obstacles and offer a viewing experience whose surreal pleasures often outweigh its flaws” – Rotten Tomatoes

There was a strange feeling that Luc Besson watched James Cameron’s Avatar and brought a cheaper- less interesting version of it. It is a pity because Alpha (the station which became a multi-planetarium city) had a tremendous potential to capitalize in a more interesting and sarcastic story. Really deceptive.

We would have expected not a big scenario but stronger characters, this is the true creative power of Besson. Build up simple stories that generate great interest because of the deepness of the characters playing.

The main character, a “true” hero smelling baby powder

Probably one of the main issues with the movie is the description of the main character. Major Valerian, a space-and-time-traveling agent and Laureline’s partner/love interest. He is a true hero, aiming to save the world. When we compare him with the character of Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis) in the Fifth Element, we can see that Besson does not know how to treat real heroes. Besson talent is tremendous when it comes to non-heroes characters: Men not willing to save the world and who end up saving it anyway. The anti-hero plot is much more in Besson’s street than the normal one. Here are the amazing anti-heroes movies Besson did and they were all a great hit:

  • 1985 – Subway with Fred (Christophe Lambert)
  • 1988 – The Big Blue with Jacques Maillot (Jean-Marc Barr)
  • 1990 – Nikita with Nikita (Anne Parillaud)
  • 1994 – Leon the Professional with Leone Montana (Jean Reno)
  • 1997 – The Fifth Element with Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis)
  • 2005 – Angel-A with Angel-A (Rie Rasmussen)
  • 2014 – Lucy with Lucy (Scarlett Johansson)

Luc Besson has pictured amazing anti-hero characters. They did not want to save the world, they wanted to save themselves first! And if by coincidence they would save the world…. fine.
In Valerian and the city of a Thousand Planet, Besson presents a quite pinky-cheesy main heroes. Major Valerian and Sergeant Laureline have a taste of Red-Bull and clean cotton. They are up to save the world, they are clean and cute.
The choice of Dane William DeHaan is not necessary the best one as Major Valerian. The 31 years old actor is very clean and not subversive enough. Major Valerian does not have the deepness and complexity of a Korben Dallas or a Leon.

Valerian-2017-reviews

Sergeant Laureline is played by Cara Delevingne. The young actress and model brings a certain attitude to the role but it all stay in clean white cotton sheets. Nothing to do with Nikita or even Lucy. Their play and their characters looked more like a Perfume advertising than a true space-war ambiance.

Valerian-2017

In conclusion, we can say that Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is not the best Besson. We are happy that he paid himself, so at least we can hope that he will have enough means to do better next time. Luc Besson and EuropaCorp declared that there is room for a sequel, if the fans would ask for it. Well, not sure anyone would ask for it, so do not bother. We wish to see Besson back to black. He is preparing a new Thriller called ANNA. It is supposed to be a crossroad between Leon and Nikita. This is super exciting and hopefully we will get back the Besson we all love.

José Amorim

Info sourced at the viewing of Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only. 

3 Great Sweet 16 Gifts Your Teen Is Sure to Love

LuxuryActivist
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0
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Best-gifts-for-teenagers

Believe it or not, that tiny baby you carried home in your arms seemingly last week is now a bright, fun and only occasionally argumentative teenager. With their big birthday around the corner, you’re starting to plan an epic Sweet 16 party and shopping for an unforgettable gift to mark this milestone birthday. With this in mind, check out the following three gift ideas, which any newly minted 16-year-old would be thrilled to receive.

Chevrolet Camaro

No Sweet 16 gift list would be complete without mentioning a new car. Your son or daughter will probably be getting their license soon after their birthday, and you would love to hand your teen keys to a shiny new vehicle. A great choice is the Chevy Camaro; this sports car looks great, has a powerful engine that can help your new driver get through heavy traffic with ease, and it gets fairly decent gas mileage. The Camaro is also celebrating its own milestone birthday — 50 years to be exact — with a special edition package that boasts unique colors, stylish interior details and other features your teen is sure to love. And since safety is utmost on your mind as the parent of a new driver, the Camaro will not disappoint; it has eight standard airbags, a rearview camera with rear park assist, side blind zone alert with lane change alert and rear cross traffic alert — all great safety perks for your teen.

A MacBook Pro

As you know quite well, teens love technology and anything with a screen. The MacBook Pro is a high-quality laptop that your son and daughter should be able to take to college with them in a couple of years. Spring for the 15-inch version; its large screen size is ideal for watching movies and videos, and it comes in uber-cool looking space gray or silver. The 2.8GHz quad-core 7th-generation Intel Core i7 processor means the computer will have the power and speed necessary to research homework assignments and other projects for school, as well as not slow down when your teen is watching Netflix or perusing social media. The 256GB of storage Radeon Pro 555 with 2GB memory holds a decent amount of data, and the laptop has the user-friendly touch bar and touch ID that Apple is known for.

A Special New Experience

Another wonderful way to celebrate your 16-year-old’s birthday is with the opportunity to make amazing memories together. This is an especially great idea if you feel your teen already has a lot of “stuff.” Think about what your teen loves to do, or has expressed an interest in trying, and go from there. If your kiddo is on the adventurous side, a trip to an out-of-town zip-lining location would be a blast. Or maybe a vacation to a ski resort where he or she can have snowboarding lessons along with some new gear. Teens who adore fashion could be treated to a weekend out of town and tickets to a runway show. If you want to up the “cool parent” factor a bit, invite their BFF to come along; you can either join in the fun and try zip-lining too or cheer the teens on from the sidelines.

Turning 16 is a momentous occasion, worthy of a big celebration and an extra-special gift. Any of these suggestions will fit the bill, and help your precious teen enjoy his or her wonderful day.

Carol

Info sourced by the author for luxuryactivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only. 

Living in the lap of luxury – Property Inspiration

LuxuryActivist
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0
Reading Time: 4 minutes

luxury-london-real-estate-UK

Everyone dreams of living in the top floor penthouse with the city skyline as their view as they sip their morning coffee or enjoy their evening cocktails. But it isn’t very often the chance to look behind the doors of an award winning penthouse and bring that dream a small step closer. In the cosmopolitan hub of London, the wealthy region of Mayfair is home to the recently crowned SBID’s International Design Award’s for ‘residential design over £1M. An incredible piece of interior design fusing art deco styles with the historic architecture of the Grade Two listed penthouse, known as ‘Greybrook House,’ it sheds light on what it takes to provide the best accommodation for the super wealthy.

Noticeable as soon as you step in the door way, the pristine marble hall way leads to a sitting room full of bespoke furniture, that is comfortable yet luxurious. A dramatic hanging bronze glass fireplace acts as a focal point within the room, whilst simultaneously providing a divide between the living and dining area. The space is flooded with natural light on account of large, steel-framed windows which allow access to a fully furnished terrace. Indoor-outdoor living continues to be a trend within luxury interiors and is particularly appealing in such central locations.

This impressive accolade was achieved by the team at Fenton Whelan, whose attention to detail ensured that original features and modern requirements were intertwined in an effective manner, showcasing exactly what a multimillion pound penthouse should offer.

luxury-real-estate-uk

luxury-london-real-estate

Designed with entertainment in mind, this property combines elements reminiscent of a 1930’s cocktail club, with modern appliances. Examples of this include a back-lit onyx cocktail bar, a plush vert de terre suede banqueting suite, bronze bulthaup cabinetry fitted with Gaggenau appliances and herringbone marble tiled flooring. The focal point of the kitchen is its central island, fashioned with Taj Mahal marble and complemented by white upholstered, gold finish bar stools. The look and feel of the space is chic and sophisticated, yet fresh and contemporary.

In keeping with the use of white marble throughout the property, a staircase leads to an impressive rooftop garden, complete with views of London’s iconic skyline. Attention to detail elevates this space from impressive, to outstanding. In particular, the gestures made to its art-deco origins. This is particularly evident in the bedroom, where the lacquered finish wardrobes feature an era inspired pattern, the bathroom floor is adorned with gold and black geometric shapes, also in keeping with the design movement. Particularly What impressive and demonstrates the finesse of Fenton Whelan is the use of this same pattern on the doors throughout the property. Ultimately, this creates a real feel of consistency and consideration within the property, enhancing its luxury feel.

The master bedroom, set on the lower floor, is designed with relaxation and luxury in mind. The lacquered finish wardrobes are enhanced by an art-deco inspired finish, in keeping with the theme that runs throughout the property. The spacious master bedroom boasts a large fully fitted dressing room and vanity. As throughout the property, the colour scheme is neutral.

luxury-london-real-estate-mayfair

The white marble floor of the master en-suite is complete with black and gold geometric shapes, which adds an extra dose of exuberance to the space, in addition, and match the patterned finish on the doors throughout the property. The black marble soaker bath is a striking centrepiece within the space, whilst black is often a difficult colour to use in a space that lacks natural light, it is successfully offset by the use of mirrored walls which bring light to the space and enable it to appear to be more spacious.

luxury-london-real-estate-appartments

The property has an additional four bedrooms, each complete with upholstered headboards, book matched marble and bespoke joinery. Gold and glistening W1 postcodes continue to be amongst the most sought after, with leading property experts in the Mayfair area and agents for this sale, Wetherell, commenting that ‘even when the property market in other areas may seem unpredictable, you can always be assured of world-class design and opportunities in Mayfair.’ This boutique residency demonstrates just this.

 

Information sourced by the author for luxuryactivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only. 

Some Quick Tips for Buying Skull Jewelry

LuxuryActivist
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0
Reading Time: 4 minutes

skull-jewelry-guide

Wearing jewelry is a significant part of a lifestyle and has been there for ages now. As the choices differ from person to person, so do the types of jewelry. But most of the accessories lover would want to have something unique in their collection. Following the recent trends, skull rings for ladies and other jewelry in the similar category are greatly in demand. Regardless of punk style, soft grunge, biker, preppy or tattoo, skull jewelry are an evergreen fashion to follow and flaunt wherever you go. There are plenty of them such as shoes, bags, bracelets, earrings, belts and much more but one thing that is loved by all is the skull ring.

skull-beautiful-jewelry

gothic-jewelry-skull

Skull ring more popular among those daring and passionate individuals who ride bullets or similar heavy engine motorbikes and want to wear skulls fearlessly. If you are lured to buy extraordinary looking jewelry pieces, then you should consider getting skull jewelry for a change and as per the trend. The number of varieties is unlimited but here are a few tips for you to know before you select the best one:

See the testimonials carefully

Jewelry shopping has become more convenient through online market than the offline. But it is a bit arduous to trust the online products sometimes. That’s why it is better to go for a seller that provides product photographs and testimonials of their customers. This thing ensures you that you are going for a smart purchase which brings shopping satisfaction. The photos of jewelry give you a clear idea of design and finishing to make a final choice.

Confirm the size

The possibly most important factor in online purchasing is to confirm the size of the product. For example, size and weight of a skull ring say a lot about it. If the maximum size is 35 grams, the ring would feel heavy and uncomfortable to wear for a long time. On contrary, a ring with a size of 15 grams would be more comfortable and easy to keep on a finger for a long time. But it is also imperative to note that if the weight is lesser than 15 grams, the seller has compromised with the quality which makes it unworthy to buy.

skull-jewelry

Get a clear idea of the price

Although it is challenging to estimate the real price of a jewelry piece, it can be guessed approximately as it is determined by the material used in the making. So be aware of the material the skull jewelry is made of as it can be silver or stainless steel. Price ranges from piece to piece and also depends on the size and weight of the product. There was a time when gold and silver rings were more into the trend. People used to buy limited pieces but now is a different time. Bikers and rebels like to wear multiple rings, bracelets, and chains.

Getting a bulk of jewelry pieces in gold or silver is a bit hard to afford at once. That is the reason jewelry in a stainless still material are more in demand by the bikers. It is utterly light weighted and easy to maintain for a long time regardless of time and atmosphere.

The above-given tips can help you to make the best purchase of your preferred product. You can refer to bikechainjewelry.com if you are looking for trendy and stylish bike jewelry. Purchasing jewelry pieces from here is beneficial as it does not require too much care or attention to retain the shine of the products. Try it out and you would not regret it. Get on your favorite jewelry piece and roll on like a rebel!

Daniel Clark

Info sourced by the author for luxuryactivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only. 

How To Express Yourself Through Fashion

LuxuryActivist
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0
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Fashion-guide-tips

Your clothes are one way to show the world what you stand for and who you are. There’s no denying the impact fashion has on your mindset, mood and confidence. Embrace the amount of choices that are out there for getting ready each day. Remember that clothing is more than simply a way to cover yourself. It’s used to make a fashion statement, and many people turn it into a career. You’re not the only one who struggles to make sense of it all and that’s why it’s important to know all of the ways it can help you feel more vibrant. See how to express yourself through fashion.

Dress for You

Although you probably page through magazines and see models online who you think look great and want to mimic, keep in mind that your wardrobe is all about you. Pick out garments you think are fashionable and that you like wearing. Don’t let the outside world persuade you into trying to be someone you’re not. While it’s good to know what’s trending at any given time, focus on your individuality and letting your personality shine through. Have staples in your closet you love wearing and put a smile on your face knowing you feel and look good.

Buy to Support A Cause

If you’re someone who likes to volunteer and help others, then choose to purchase your clothes from a company who cares. Designer fashion brand, Beulah London, understands this and created a luxury womenswear brand with a social conscious. Every beautiful garment they sell helps them support vulnerable women through employment. Your purchases are not only satisfying your own needs, but those of women who need your help. Express your desire to give back by making an intentional decision about where you shop and who you support with your money.

Experiment

Fashion isn’t just about playing it safe, it’s also about experimenting and daring to be different. Use clothing and colors to spice up your life and prove that you aren’t afraid to take risks, based on what you’re wearing. Find your style with trial and error and make sure that at the end of the day you feel comfortable in the clothing you’ve selected. Change it up for different occasions, so you have options for days you’re going to work versus nights you’re hanging out with your friends.

Wear Outfits that Boost your Mood

Purchase clothing that makes you feel confident and unstoppable. Don’t force yourself into outfits that drag you down or make you feel uneasy. Get yourself dressed and then keep trying to find the right combination until you’re smiling ear-to-ear. When you’re feeling upset or bad about yourself, your clothes have the power to boost your mood and change your attitude. Never underestimate the power of a fashionable outfit to enhance your spirit.

Conclusion
Clothes are more than simply garments you put on each day. Build a wardrobe that compliments you and makes you feel alive. This is how to express yourself through fashion.

Carol

Info sourced by the author for luxuryactivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only. 

Pre-SIHH 2018: Hermes Arceau Chrono Titane

Arsene Wargas
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2
Pre-SIHH 2018: Hermes Arceau Chrono Titane
Reading Time: 5 minutes

SIHH-Hermes-Arceau-Chrono-Titane
The 2018 edition of SIHH will be very interesting as there are big positive changes. New brands are joining and one of them is Hermès. After several years in Basel, Hermès has decided to join Geneva and the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie. We welcome Hermes and are thrilled to share here a first hint of what is coming in January. The first open window to what Hermès will reveal at its first participation to the Geneva trade-show is the new Hermès Arceau Chrono Titane.

Hermès Arceau, a poetic story since 1978

Hermès and watchmaking is a long passionate story. Founded in 1837 by Thierry Hermès, the French luxury brand immediately made its name as one of the most high-end equestrian manufacturer for the wealthy and the major Royal courts in Europe. Already in the 1910’s, Hermès started commercializing watches that had already the Hermès philosophy and this only got stronger and stronger along the decades. In 1978, Henri d’Origny, Hermès iconic artistic director, designed the Arceau: a round watch that associates asymmetrical lugs featuring a shape inspired by stirrups along with a distinctive and singular font. D’Origny spent many years designing scarves and ties — he even designed the first printed necktie for the company, although, as the legend goes, Hermès first introduced ties to its Cannes store because the neighbouring casino wouldn’t admit gentlemen unless “properly attired”.

“I have worked exclusively for Hermès since 1958. I was just out of military service and wasn’t sure how to employ my talents. I was doing some illustrations for children’s books when I bumped into an old friend from boarding school who happened to be a member of the Hermès family. He set up an interview for me with his father and his uncle, and the rest is history.” – Henri d’Origny, Hermès Artistic Director.

In the ’70s, the company decided to formalise its watch business by setting up a factory in Bienne at the foot of the Jura mountains in Switzerland. D’Origny was drafted in and, despite having no knowledge of horology, he designed what was to be the first iconic Hermès watch: L’Arceau. Since then, interpreted through countless evolutions and variations, the line has been perpetually renewed while remaining true to its original spirit.

1978 – 2018 : The 40th anniversary of the Arceau

In 2018, Hermès will have a 40 years of heritage in the Arceau and even 4 decades later they are still innovating the range with the addition of a new Hermès Arceau Chrono Titane. What do we know so far?  Equipped with a chronograph function and a 41 mm beadblasted titanium case, this sportier version radiates an appealingly light air. The numerals give the impression the dial was blown away by a strong dynamic wind. The three counters and the date are harmoniously arranged. Aesthetic characteristics inspired by saddle- making are showcased on both models, tted with a natural Barenia calfskin strap, or with a black embossed Barenia calfskin strap, on which the saddle stitching and inimitable feel testify to the tradition of leather- making excellence cultivated by the Maison.

“I took up my compass and a sheet of paper and came up with L’Arceau [named after the hoop-shaped part of a stirrup],” he explains. “In my time I have designed so many different things, from cutlery to scarves, but perhaps watches have proved to be the most interesting, because you have to work alongside other specialists. It isn’t a solitary pursuit.” – Henri d’Origny, Hermès Artistic Director.

What do we like about the 2018 Hermès Arceau Chrono Titane?

ArceauChronoTitane_black

First of all, it is a Hermès watch, this means that this watch is a great piece of Swiss watchmaking. Technology and complexity are made simple and minimal to the eyes of the watch owner. The new Arceau Chrono Titane keeps the original design made by Henri d’Origny and underline a more sophisticated approach with the addition of a Chrono and the Grade 2 Titanium 41mm case . The dial is amazing. Hermès has been developing a tremendous know how in terms of dials, some of them being unique. Here we can see an interesting galvanic black treatment providing a modern, almost technical look.

This model will for sure be considered as the “large model” in the Arceau range. The dial, as often with Hermès, is very elegant with subtle details. One interesting detail in the dial, a part from the Chrono functionalities, is the date window. It is placed between four and five o’clock, which makes it a bit unusual. Hermès is very strong in shifting details around in order to create an unique look.

Arceau-Chrono-Titane-black-Hermes

Arceau-Chrono-Titane-barenia-Hermes

2018 is going to be a very interesting year for watch-making and for the incoming SIHH. With new brands like Hermès joining the January party, this is going to allow a stronger kick off next year. Do not hesitate to connect to the official brand website to learn more about this amazing brand:
http://www.hermes.com 

 

Arsène Wargas

Info sourced by the author for LuxuryActivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only. 

Swiss Premiere of the Ferrari Portofino: the event!

José Amorim
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0
Swiss Premiere of the Ferrari Portofino: the event!
Reading Time: 6 minutes

Ferrari-Portofino-event

Ferrari-Portofino-luxury-ferrari

Every time Ferrari presents a new model it is big news. So when Ferrari presented earlier this year the Ferrari Portofino at the Frankfurt Motorshow, all aficionados felt their hearts race. Now, the big moment arrived for the Swiss Premiere. The event took place at the prestigious Swiss Tech Convention Center – EPFL in Lausanne. A especial evening for a very especial brand. With the official start of the new luxury car, Ferrari is aiming to promote this new launch in the Swiss market.

Ferrari Portofino, a GT described with sportiness and elegance

The Ferrari Portofino is a grand touring sports car produced by the Italian manufacturer Ferrari. It is a two-door hard top convertible. The car is named after Portofino village and also replaces the California T. The Ferrari Portofino was unveiled initially in the village of Portofino in Italy with two exclusive evenings of 7 and 8 September 2017, at which Piero Ferrari, Sergio Marchionne, Sebastian Vettel and Giancarlo Fisichella were present. It was also shown at Maranello on September 9 and 10 during the Ferrari 70th Anniversary celebration. 

ferrari-portofino-v8

It is the new V8 GT from Ferrari and is set to dominate its segment thanks to the perfect balance between comfort and sportiness. Ferrari has chosen a particularly evocative moniker for this exceptionally versatile drop-top car, referencing one of Italy’s most beautiful towns. Portofino is renowned for its charming tourist port and, over the years, has become internationally synonymous of elegance, sportiness and understated luxury. The launch colour of the new Ferrari has also been dedicated to this marvellous town: Rosso Portofino. The car tops at 600Hp, which is 40hp more than the previous California T. This allows the car to reach 0-60mph in less than 3.5s before attaining a maximum speed of 200mph.

The Swiss Premiere: From Maranello to Lausanne.

In order to officially launch the Ferrari Portofino in Switzerland, we were lucky to attend to the Swiss Premiere in Lausanne. The event took place at the Swiss Tech Convention Center -EPFL. There were 400 people present who celebrated the arrival of the new Ferrari in Switzerland. The audience was an interesting blend of potential buyers, automotive professionals, press and key influencers.

Ferrari-Portofino-Swiss-premiere

Ferrari-Portofino-new-ferrari

The event was magnificently organized and  LuxuryActivist was present. Here is our main take aways from discovering the new Ferrari Portofino:

1. A true Ferrari never lies on performances

The Ferrari Portofino definitely delivers what is promised. Thanks to the extensive use of modern production technologies, all the chassis and body-in-white components have been redesigned with a consequent reduction in weight despite an increase in torsional rigidity. With almost 600hp, the car delivers a great amount of sensations. Inside the beauty, comes the beast. The Ferrari V8 Turbo does not need presentations. Awarded as engine of the year in 2016 and 2017, it truly delivers pure power. When you have a close look into the engine, we see that all aspects of the 8 cylinder structure has evolved with the adoption of new pistons and con-rods, in parallel with a new intake system model. Thanks to a very clever boost management that adjusts torque delivery, we can say that the new Ferrari Portofino reaches levels of acceleration even higher than the precedent model, yet with a low fuel consomption.

Ferrari-Portofino-V8-turbo-GT

“The new Ferrari Portofino has 2 sides, one is a Fastback coupé and the other one is an elegant Spider” – Francesco Bianchi, President EMEA Ferrari.

2. Levels of high-tech, never utilized in such a car before

With the launch of Ferrari Portofino, we can see that the Italian luxury car brand has been very generous in terms of technology. The car has great improvements and some of them are unique for its category.

  • Third generation of rear differential and integrated with the F1-Trac
  • Electric Power Steering technology to improve responsive steering
  • Uprate of the magnetorheological damping system with dual-coil technology for a even improved dynamics and superior comfort while driving.

We can see the new car has a higher sharpness than its predecessor. With this new technology pack, the Ferrari Portofino is a masterpiece in terms of driving experience.

Ferrari-swiss-event-GT

3. Ferrari Portofino, holistically comfortable

With such a car, the main challenge is to upgrade comfort while maintaining a high-level of performance. In the Ferrari Portofino, there is a great attention to details. Some remarkable details are the following:

  • An amazing infotainment system with a large 10.2″ touchscreen display.
  • New comfortable air-conditioning system with top-up or down
  • New steering wheel
  • Electrical adjustable seats with 18 settings
  • Front passenger display
  • New wind deflector reducing wind in cabin by 30% and also reduces noise.

Portofino-Ferrari-steering-wheel

Ferrari-Portofino-details

Portofino-car-ferrari

The Ferrari Portofino gathers the very best that Ferrari can offer in a V8 GT. This is bringing the entire category to a higher level or performance, comfort and style. By sitting inside the car, we feel already how our next holidays or our commuting to work would be: comfortable, easy, elegant and modern.

When sitting inside the new Ferrari Portofino we can feel the amazing manual work as a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. We feel safe, comfortable and with a tremendous crave for speed. The retractable hard-top was improved, which allows a faster opening or closing at a lower speed.

Ferrari and Switzerland, a love story

Ferrari-Portofino-event-lausanne

Ferrari-Portofino-Luxury-Activist

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Ferrari-Portofino-car-ferrari

Ferrari and Switzerland were made to get together. With 6’123 cars in circulation in Switzerland last year, Ferrari is one of the most sold luxury cars in the country. Switzerland is the 5th biggest market for Ferrari, behind the US, UK, Germany and Japan. Switzerland is also the country with the highest number of Ferrari per inhabitant. So Switzerland loves Ferrari and it is not only because of the color.

Ferrari represents a certain idea of the perfect luxury car. From the precision of its engine, the important detail in design and the qualitative approach of craftsmanship, it has everything to please the Swiss customer. Obviously there are a lot of high-revenue-level individuals in Switzerland that also makes a very attractive national market for Ferrari. The Ferrari Portofino will please the Swiss customer. The California T was already a nice success in terms of sales and this new launch is capitalizing on its predecessor success and going even further in terms of performance and comfort.

ferrari-portofino-newcar

ferrari-portofino-new

With this amazing event, Ferrari made a big statement by proving that Switzerland is a very important market. By having key people from Ferrari in the room as well as a whole list of regular customers, we can feel that it was like being in a family reunion. Feel free to visit the official website for more information about Ferrari:
https://www.ferrari.com

If you join the Ferrari club, you are not just a customer, you share some of the company’s values and this invisible bond between Ferrari and its customers are the solid foundation of a tremendous heritage.

Jose Amorim

Info sourced at the Swiss Premiere in Lausanne. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only. #Ferrari #FerrariPortofino

How To Start Living A More Luxurious Life Now

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Luxury-Life

Anyone can have a more luxurious life. All you have to do is work at it and make a few adjustments to the way you’re currently getting by. Don’t let money stop you from indulging once in a while. Pick a few areas of your lifestyle where you want to experience the good life and focus your energy on improving those parts of your existence. Realize that you’re going to have to alter a few of your habits and make changes about how you currently exist to get what you want. See how to start living a more luxurious life now.

Save Money

If you want to travel to fancy places and wear expensive clothes, then you have to start saving money for it. There’s nothing wrong with working hard for your money and putting it away so that you can spend it at a later date. A luxurious lifestyle isn’t going to fall in your lap, so be ready to give it your all to make it happen if that’s your goal. Configure the money to go directly into a savings account, so you don’t even see it when you earn it.

Invest in A Hobby

Take up a popular and sophisticated sport like tennis or running, or start collecting wines from around the world. All you need is a fine wine storage system and to read an informative blog from a well-known company in the space, like Octavian Vaults. You’ll learn what happens when wine ages and the best wines to drink in autumn. Become an expert in a specific area and use your hobby as a way to showcase your classiness. You have to project the image of luxury if that’s how you want others to see you.

Update your Home Décor

Live a more luxurious lifestyle now by updating your home. You don’t even have to spend a fortune. All you have to do is take the time to shop around and find deals on items you desire. Pay attention to the details, so that each room has the right items on display. Spruce up the walls with a coat of fresh paint and hang pictures and art. It also helps enhance the look of your home when you clean and organize your belongings, so they all have a place.

Schedule Regular Beauty Appointments

Part of the benefits of living a more luxurious life is that it’s encouraged that you focus on self-care. Pamper yourself on a regular basis, so you feel good and carry those emotions over into other parts of your life. Take care of your mind, body and soul, so you’re happier and have the energy to continue building your luxurious lifestyle. Make hair, nail and skin appointments that help you recharge and allow you to feel good about yourself.

Conclusion

You have the power to change your life whenever you please. Living more extravagantly is always an option if you have the right tools in place to help you succeed. This is how to start living a more luxurious life now.

 

Carol

Info sourced by the author for luxuryactivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Image are for illustration purposes only. 

AQUATIS: too expensive, not interesting and lack of ecological values

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AQUATIS: too expensive, not interesting and lack of ecological values
Reading Time: 6 minutes

Aquatis-lausanne

This weekend, LuxuryActivist went to the recently opened Aquatis. After a big buzz around the opening, we wanted to see for ourselves and I must say that it was more than disappointing, it was even shocking. It was old style, super expensive, all the cultural aspect is not well executed, and several ecological values were not respected. Truly a very disappointing experience with a real environmental responsibility.

Project Recap, the key numbers

Aquatis was a titanic project to get out of the waters. Seventeen years to build the organisation, the structure and to built the place. The entire platform is sit on a 12’000m2 area with a hotel, restaurants, the aquariums and vivariums. The hotel has 143 rooms, three stars quality. The parking has 1’200 places. The visit circuit covers 3’500m2 for a tremendous 2 million liters of fresh water. You will be able to see 10’000 fishes, 100 reptiles and amphibians. The visit is supposed to cover 20 different ecosystems around its 46 aquariums/vivariums/terrariums.

Aquatis-reviews

Prices are just ridiculous.

First things first. In order to enter the place, you need to buy a ticket. For one adult you will pay CHF 29.00. A child between 5 and 15 years old will pay CHF 19.00. If you are a family, according to Aquatis it means you are 2 adults and 1 child. You will pay CHF 69.00. Each extra child will pay CHF 15.00. So if you are a family with 2 children, you will pay CHF 84.00 for the entry tickets. If you are a student or retired, you will pay CHF 27.00 which is, again ridiculously expensive. The company managing Aquatis, BOAS, tried to explain that in Lausanne, they need to pay 14% of cultural taxes. Well, this means CHF 4.06 for the public administration and CHF 24.94 for BOAS. So seriously this argument does not really work. I will not mention, of course the prices of everything you can buy at the store (through which you need to go in order to get to the exit). When you see the ceramic coffee mug for CHF 12.50 or even the made-in-China rubber snake for more than CHF 5.00… it is obviously a robbery.

It is not a natural museum, it is simply a zoo

After smashing your credit card at the entrance, you get into the place. You follow a circuit in which you can have great looks from the big aquarium, small aquariums, and many cultural stands. The place is big enough to welcome a lot of people (which is great). Quickly you realize that it is not a museum, or even a place for animal preservation. It is a zoo and a place in which they use animals to get you entertained during a rainy Sunday afternoon. The aquariums are not really great. A part from a few of them, most of those aquariums are not meant to translate the natural environments, they were meant to help you watch the animals. During the parcour there are several installations to teach you something intelligent and important about the Oceans, the Earth, etc. Unfortunately they are very badly executed. You cannot hear well what is said because of the surrounding noise. Sometimes even one installation pollutes the other as you can hear the two at the same time. Being so painful to hear, you just stop listening to it and just focus on the animals in the different aquariums. It is a pity as such places should help people to get sensitive to the future challenges.

From an aquarium perspective, most of them were quite “empty” from a natural decoration point of view. Not sure that Crocodile lives in a very clean sandy place with transparent waters. In this sense, we could see that it was an entertainment and a real zoo. Children would not understand in which kind of environment a crocodile lives.  In other aquariums we could see injured fishes and even dead ones. We understand animals live together and probably these things happen but I never saw this in other aquariums (Paris or Monaco).

The Restaurant is awful in all senses

After a good 1h30 of visit, then we went to the Restaurant, called the Piranha. We would not expect such thing in a place supposed to inspire people with beautiful values. First thing, the menu: Most of it it was all fast food. Hamburgers and french fries, pizzas, fried fish…. We would have expected to see a more natural and healthy menu. It was shocking to see this kind of food in such place. When you look to the prices, you will pay a average hamburger and fries for the price of a good restaurant. You will pay CHF 3.80 for a sparkling Apple juice. Same bottle in the supermarket is CHF 1.50, which is not the price Aquatis pays for it. Imagine the margins. Another shocking thing was that there was no water fountain. You needed to buy the water in plastic bottles. Here again you can wonder what is the ethical value they are trying to achieve? And the best part? No recycling. No PET bottles garbage, once you clean your plateau, you throw everything in the same garbage. That, for Switzerland, is really shocking. I was ashamed to show that bad example to our children.
Talking about children, we suppose that such place will attract many children and their families. Not only we needed to fight to get a place to eat but there were not enough children chairs in the restaurant.

There is also another restaurant, attached to the new Aquatis Hotel that was built. Food is better but again, prices are prohibitive. If you go and have lunch, you will pay around CHF 70.00 per person for a complete meal. Let’s not forget it is only a three stars hotel.
In terms of transportation to Aquatis, it is not bad. There is a subway station that drops you literally inside. There is also a huge parking place that will cost you only CHF 4.00 for several hours.

In conclusion…

What can we say after such an experience? The project was born 17 years ago. The founding values and aim were very honorable and the people behind such project had a higher ambition for Aquatis. The execution is really bad. When we see the quality and the great job that smaller organisations like La Maison de la Riviere is doing or even the Papiliorama, I would not recommend Aquatis for sure.

José Amorim

Info sourced at Aquatis live experience by LuxuryActivist.com crew. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only. 

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