THE answer may finally have been revealed to the age-old question. What do you give the man or woman who really does have everything?
Four utterly unique collector’s boxes are due to go on sale this week, containing money-can’t-buy indulgences aimed at those who appreciate the finest things in life – and can afford them.
Each of the hand crafted boxes – which are expected to sell for between £800,000 and £1.2million apiece at a private London auction on Thursday evening [10 Oct 2019] – is connected by the theme of time.
The specially created boxes each contain unique items from three exceptionally crafted luxury brands: limited edition timepieces by Fabergé, handmade cigars by Legado and the world’s most valuable cognac, Rome de Bellegarde.
Together, they represent the ultimate connoisseur’s collection. And only the world’s most super-rich need bother apply for a chance of securing them.
Each would make an investment piece in itself, a so-called ‘investment of passion’, or could be put aside as a family heirloom. They are aimed those with a penchant for owning the most rare and precious items.
The extraordinary boxes, each handcrafted by designer Gemma M. de Ana, have been created for the global launch of Barbados’ newest, most luxurious cigar brand, Legado (Spanish for ‘Legacy’).
Legado’s brand ambassador and co-founder, entrepreneur Rorrey Fenty, is the younger brother of Rihanna. He will be unveiling the four unique collectors’ boxes during a VIP launch event in London this Thursday.
Fenty, who personally chose London as the scene for the launch, said: “London is one of my favourite cities. Its great diversity and position as the cultural capital of the world makes it the perfect setting for Legado’s global launch.”
Of his cigars, Fenty has explained: “The cigars definitely hit everyone from left field because they were not expecting that. I wanted to do something a little different. When people see cigars, they think bosses.”
Josina von dem Bussche-Kessell, Global Sales Director at Fabergé, said: “This is a thrilling never seen before coming together of three ultimate luxury brands to create something even greater than the sum of its parts. We anticipate huge interest from collectors and connoisseurs.
“It is a very exciting, creative collaboration and Fabergé is proud to be involved in it.”
The four collectors’ boxes created exclusively for the launch contain a precious collection of rare timepieces and indulgences from each brand.
The contents of the bespoke boxes are as unique as the boxes that house them, ranging in value between £800,000 and £1.2million.
The boxes are named after the three brands’ journeys from East to West. Starting in St Petersburg for Fabergé and ending in Barbados with Legado, via Cognac – the home of Rome de Bellegarde – and London, the point in the map where all three meet for Legado’s debut.
Josina von dem Bussche-Kessell added: “If our founder Peter Carl Fabergé was still alive, he’d be working with the modern day royalty and collaborating with current workmasters in new and exciting ways and this project very much highlights this fusion of old and new. While still honouring legacy, together we are all about modern heritage.”
Fabergé has curated a selection of rare timepieces for the boxes. Among these is the Special Edition Fabergé Visionnare I Rose Gold with Diamond Baguette Bezel Watch, a contemporary Haute Horologerie men’s watch, which will be auctioned off in the headline ‘St Petersburg – Winter Diamonds’ box. Fabergé held back number one, the first piece ever made in this design – the last that remains of its kind – for a very special occasion, signalling just how important this collaboration is. This special-edition and highly complicated 49.5mm timepiece features a baguette-cut diamond-set bezel of 14 carats. This remains the last of legendary Guilio Papi’s limited brand collaborations, so a true collectible.
To complement the offering, limited edition Legado cigars, handcrafted in the Dominican Republic with a unique blend, have been developed exclusively for the boxes.
The only two ‘El Unico’ cigars in the world feature in the ‘St Petersburg – Winter Diamonds’ box, while two ‘Renaissance’ cigars are included in each of the three remaining boxes. These cigars are the epitome of luxury and will not be available to purchase anywhere else in the world. Completing the collection of decadent, limited edition items, Rome de Bellegarde will be including a bottle of their rare 1894 cognac in each box.
Named the ‘world’s most expensive cognac’ by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2018, only 67 bottles are available in the world. Each French crystal bottle is 24-carat-gold-plated, individually numbered and is a collector’s item in itself.
Last year a 40ml shot of Rome de Bellegarde set a world record after selling for £10,014 in a London bar.
A portion of the proceeds raised from the sale of the four boxes on the night will go to charity.
For those interested in learning more about the boxes prior to bidding, Fabergé will be arranging ‘by appointment’ viewings at an exclusive location. For all bidding enquiries relating to the auction, please contact Joanna Kupis, Relations Manager at Fabergé Joanna.Kupis@faberge.com
The boxes are as described:
Box One: St. Petersburg – Winter Diamonds: One Watch; Two Cigars; One Cognac.
Using precious and semi-precious materials, St Petersburg celebrates the richness of Fabergé’s past and the origins of its atelier in Bolshaya Morskaya, with a dazzling marquetry composition that sees rich woods like Quilted Maple and Ripple Sycamore marry with various Mother of Pearls and a beautiful Fabergé Diamond.
- Fabergé Visionnare I Rose Gold and Black with Diamond Baguette Bezel Watch. Fabergé has held back one piece in the exquisite Fabergé Visionnaire I collection, a contemporary Haute Horlogerie watch for men. This special-edition is the last remaining piece of its kind; the highly complicated 49.5mm timepiece features a baguette-cut diamond-set bezel of 14 carats. This remains the last of Guilio Papi’s limited brand collaborations, so a true collectible.
- Legado Limited Edition ‘El Unico’ Cigars – Rorrey Fenty Collection: Two special blend limited edition hand rolled cigars, exclusive for this event; one Churchill (7×50) and one Torpedo (6×52). These are the only two in the world and will never be made or sold again.
- Rome de Bellegarde 1894 Cognac, 1L: Named the ‘World’s Most Expensive Cognac’ in 2018, there are only 67 bottles of this rare liquid in existence. Blended by the Fillioux family in the best region in Cognac – Grande Champagne, the cognac contains only three very old eaux de vie. Each bottle is 24-carat gold plated.
Box Two: Cognac – Autumn Rubies: One Watch; Two Cigars; One Cognac.
This creation celebrates the journey of Rome de Bellagarde cognac, from soil to bottle; it is a journey of time, patience and love. This journey of time, patience and love is beautifully represented in an indulgent motif that sees the elaborate use of exquisite materials, such as Gold Mother of Pearl, Paua, Amboyna and three exquisite Fabergé Rubies. The design indulges on the sheer joy of creating something beautiful like this cognac.
- Fabergé Visionnaire DTZ Diamond and 18K White Gold Watch. This one-of-a-kind timepiece, which was presented with an award at the 2016 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), within the category ‘Travel Time’, for its outstanding craftsmanship enabling dual time zone functionality, and features 38 baguette diamonds (9.5 cts) on the bezel.
- Legado Limited Edition ‘Renaissance’ Cigars – Rorrey Fenty Collection: Two special blend limited edition hand rolled cigars, exclusive for this event; One Churchill (7×50) and one Torpedo (6×52). These are two of only six in the world and will never be made or sold again.
- Rome de Bellegarde 1894 Cognac, 1L: Named the ‘World’s Most Expensive Cognac’ in 2018, there are only 67 bottles of this rare liquid in existence. Blended by the Fillioux family in the best region in Cognac – Grande Champagne, the cognac contains only three very old eaux de vie. Each bottle is 24-carat gold plated.
Box Three: Barbados – Spring Emeralds: Two Watches; Two Cigars; One Cognac.
From Honduras where tobacco leaves are handpicked, to Barbados the home of Legado, this design plays homage to the journey and sophistication of the Legado cigar. A combination of velvety woods such as Tay and Bolivar blend with three Fabergé Emeralds in this design representing the tobacco leaves, and the fauna and flora that surrounds them.
- Fabergé Visionnaire DTZ Brown and 18K Rose Gold Watch. Winner of the Travel Timezone category for men at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève Award in 2016, the self-winding Fabergé Visionnaire DTZ adopts a logical and intuitive method of displaying two timezones simultaneously, perfectly suited to the lifestyle of those who need to keep track of the time in a second location. The watch is water resistant to 50m and features a domed sapphire crystal and anti-reflective treated sapphire crystal caseback. It is presented on a brown alligator strap with matching gold and titanium clasp.
- Compliquée Peacock Watch. Winner of the High-Mechanical award at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in 2015, Fabergé presents the Compliquée Peacock timepiece made in partnership with Jean-Marc Wiederrecht from Agenhor, with an ingenious and exclusive Geneva made movement created exclusively for Fabergé.
- Legado Limited Edition ‘Renaissance’ Cigars – Rorrey Fenty Collection: Two special blend limited edition hand rolled cigars, exclusive for this event; One Churchill (7×50) and one Torpedo (6×52). These are two of only six in the world and will never be made or sold again.
- Rome de Bellegarde 1894 Cognac, 1L: Named the ‘World’s Most Expensive Cognac’ in 2018, there are only 67 bottles of this rare liquid in existence. Blended by the Fillioux family in the best region in Cognac – Grande Champagne, the cognac contains only three very old eaux de vie. Each bottle is 24-carat gold plated.
Box Four: London – Summer Sapphires: Two Watches; Two Cigars; One Cognac.
London sees the fruit of an extraordinary collaboration between these three luxury brands, each striving for uncompromising quality and excellence. This design provides the backdrop for this constellation depicting the perfect starry summer night crafted in straw marquetry, with 24k gold stars and a Fabergé Sapphire. Ancient Persians believed that sapphires made the sky blue with their reflections, and this creation pays homage to the gemstone as a symbol of commitment and collaboration, as well as Peter Carl Fabergé’s early guilloche enamels.
- Fabergé Visionnaire DTZ Gallivanter Watch . This timepiece was presented with an award at the 2016 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), within the category ‘Travel Time’, for its outstanding craftmanship enabling dual time zone functionality.
- Fabergé Dalliance Peacock Watch (The Fabergé Dalliance Peacock is numbered in availability and presented in an 18 karat white gold case, with an 18 karat white gold crown and 0.10 carat diamond. The anti-reflective domed sapphire crystal case is finished with a vivid blue satin strap, featuring an 18-carat white gold Fabergé pin buckle with 14 baguette-cut diamonds,0.22 cts.)
- Legado Limited Edition ‘Renaissance’ Cigars – Rorrey Fenty Collection: Two special blend limited edition hand rolled cigars, exclusive for this event; 1 Churchill (7×50) and one Torpedo (6×52). These are 2 of only 6 in the world and will never be made or sold again.
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Rome de Bellegarde 1894 Cognac, 1L: Named the ‘World’s Most Expensive Cognac’ in 2018, there are only 67 bottles of this rare liquid in existence. Blended by the Fillioux family in the best region in Cognac – Grande Champagne, the cognac contains only three very old eaux de vie. Each bottle is 24-carat gold plated.
Post Note:
Legado, Spanish for “legacy”, is built on the tradition of cigar craftsmanship but is also forging a new path in the industry with an unapologetic boldness. Legado claims Barbados as its birthplace, where its founders conceptualised a luxury cigar brand for disruptors, innovators and creators, that would be uncompromising in quality, and unconventional in presentation. Its first collection “Origen” by Rorrey Fenty debuted in Fall 2017. The Legado luxury lifestyle experience will include “New World” handcrafted Dominican Republic cigars, apparel, cigar lounge bars, a line of spirits, and collaborations with global labels. www.legadolifestyle.com
Fabergé is renowned for creating unique decorative pieces – objet d’art, timepieces and jewellery – painting with coloured gemstones and delighting with the element of surprise. Fabergé’s love of the unexpected began when Peter Carl Fabergé, artist-jeweller to the Russian Court, presented the first of his legendary Imperial Eggs, the Hen Egg, in 1885. The egg opened to reveal a golden hen set with ruby eyes, concealing a gold and diamond replica of the imperial crown, complete with a tiny ruby pendant suspended on a chain. Today’s Fabergé collections celebrate Peter Carl’s love of a life in colour and his legacy of inimitable bespoke pieces, crafted by peerless workmasters, each bringing a modern twist. www.faberge.com
Rome de Bellegarde is the embodiment of an ancestral savoir-faire; each decanter can be described as a unique art piece. Following the Renaissance era brought to France by King Francois 1er born in Cognac in 1494, each master blender working with the family Domaine has always selected the finest eaux-de-vie for Rome De Bellegarde Cognac. Today, Rome de Bellegarde’s vision is to resurrect its legacy by sharing its family history with the world using a disruptive approach paired with the incredible savoir faire and thirst for excellence that has always resulted in their eaux-de-vie being described as true miracles of nature with unique aromas, evoking beeswax, cigar boxes, leather, orange blossom, toasted hazelnuts and coffee beans. www.romedebellegarde.com
