2024 Grand Prix D'Horlogerie De Genève

Welcome to the 65th edition of Maximalist! Dive into the ultimate guide, filled with insider insights into the world of fashion, art, real estate, travel, jewelry, and horology.

The world of luxury is never boring, and this week is no exception. Let’s dive in!

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Markets

On this week’s agenda:

1. 2024 Grand Prix D'Horlogerie De Genève

2. Art Basel Miami Beach 2024: The Ultimate Guide

3. Aimé Leon Dore x Porsche Customized 993 Turbo

4. Nadine Ghosn Introduces Customizable Stationery Hands for Rolex

2024 Grand Prix D'Horlogerie De Genève

Last month, the watchmaking industry turned its focus to Geneva for the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), often hailed as the "Oscars of watchmaking." This prestigious event showcased 90 remarkable watches, meticulously selected by a long list of Academy members and then refined by a final jury, competing across 15 categories.

The categories included men’s and women’s complications, high-jewelry watches, an Iconic section, and even a new category: Time Only, along with specific categories for tourbillons, calendars, astronomy, chronographs, sports, and more. The event’s climax is the Aiguille d’Or, the "best of show" prize, not categorized with the others, which this year was awarded to IWC Schaffhausen for its Portuguiser Eternal Calendar watch. This particular timepiece is noted for its moonphase accuracy spanning an impressive 45 million years.

The event presented 21 awards in total. Notable achievements included Van Cleef & Arpels securing three category wins and Chopard earning the new Eco-Innovation prize for their commitment to environmental consciousness in watchmaking. Some of the individual category winners were:

• Mechanical Exception: Bovet 1822 Récital 28 Prowess 1, celebrated for its innovative horological concepts.

  

• Tourbillon: Daniel Roth Tourbillon Souscription, recognized for its complex tourbillon mechanism.

• Calendar and Astronomy: Laurent Ferrier Classic Moon Silver, noted for its detailed astronomical indications.

• Jewelry: Chopard Laguna High-Jewellery Secret Watch, distinguished for its luxurious and intricate design.

• Artistic Crafts: Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Jour Enchanté, acclaimed for its exceptional use of artistic techniques.

  

• Iconic: Piaget Polo 79, a reimagined version inspired by the original 1979 design.

• Ladies’ Complications: Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Brise d'Été, recognized for adding intricate complications to a women's watch.

• Time Only: H. Moser & Cie. Small Seconds Blue Enamel, appreciated for its simplicity and elegance.

• Men’s Complications: De Bethune DB Kind Of Grande Complication, known for its advanced technical features.

• Sports: Ming 37.09 Bluefin, valued for its robustness and sporty design.

• Chronograph: Massena Lab Chronograph Monopoussoir Sylvain Pinaud x Massena Lab, noted for its unique single-button operation.

Art Basel Miami Beach 2024: The Ultimate Guide

As the week approaches, the art world's attention turns towards Miami Beach, where the Miami Beach Convention Center will transform into a vibrant hub of modern and contemporary art from December 6–8, 2024. Under the fresh leadership of Bridget Finn, Art Basel Miami Beach 2024 is set to be a groundbreaking event with 286 galleries representing 38 countries, reflecting Miami's unique cultural crossroads.

This year, Art Basel Miami Beach is not just an art fair; it's the pulsating heart of Miami Art Week, enveloping the city in a whirlwind of satellite fairs, gallery openings, fashion-forward brand pop-ups, and late-night parties. The event weaves together the cutting-edge galleries of the Nova sector, experimental talents from the Positions sector, thought-provoking pieces in the Survey sector, and the iconic Galleries sector, where industry heavyweights display their finest works.

Art Basel Miami Beach also serves as a platform for significant dialogues within the art community. The Conversations series, a fixture of the event, will feature discussions with leading artists, curators, and collectors, diving deep into the pressing issues shaping today's art world. Each corner of the Convention Center is set to captivate attendees with installations and curated spaces that challenge the senses and provoke thought.

In terms of participation, the fair promises an impressive lineup. Esteemed galleries like Hong Kong’s Pearl Lam, White Cube, and Gagosian are slated to showcase, highlighting works from artists across the globe, including tributes to late activist Agosto Machado and vibrant exhibits from Latin American artists, underscoring the global perspective of the fair.

While Art Basel Miami Beach is the centerpiece, the entire Miami Art Week is an immersive cultural phenomenon. The Wynwood Walls, for instance, is celebrating its 15th anniversary with new murals and an exclusive outdoor party featuring notable performances. Simultaneously, events like Chance the Rapper’s “Writings on the Wall” listening experience in Wynwood and the futuristic “Liminal Cycles” installation by Lexus at ICA Miami add to the week’s dynamic offerings.

Admission to Art Basel Miami Beach is structured to cater to a diverse audience. General admission tickets are priced at $85, offering access to the fair with hourly entry slots from noon to 4 p.m., while First Access tickets allow earlier entry for $120. Discounts are available for Miami Beach residents, seniors, veterans, and children, ensuring that the fair is accessible to the local community and visitors alike.

Art Basel Miami Beach 2024 epitomizes not just the art itself but the experience of art in a city known for its vibrant culture and creativity.

Aimé Leon Dore x Porsche Customized 993 Turbo

Last week, Aimé Leon Dore (ALD) and Porsche introduced their latest project, a bespoke 993 Turbo, continuing their series of collaborative efforts following models like the 944, 964, and 356 B. This unique restoration, a fusion of efforts from ALD Creative Director Teddy Santis, Marc Shammah, Justin Placek, and others, showcases a distinctively customized 993 Turbo that first made waves as an innovative sports car in the 1990s.

The vehicle flaunts a specially developed Mulberry Green exterior, a shade meticulously refined by ALD over time. It draws inspiration from the high-performance 993 Turbo S, incorporating features such as a whale-tail rear wing, a front splitter, and an enhanced exhaust system. The design is completed with 18-inch Porsche Turbo Twist rims painted in the same Mulberry Green, highlighted with gold accents, and equipped with Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires.

The interior of the car presents a sophisticated monochromatic theme with dark brown leather and lambswool, including hardback seats, matching carpets, and custom logos embroidered on the headrests. A brass gear knob, modeled after the Unisphere—a notable Queens landmark—honors the brand’s New York heritage. The door sills are inscribed with "A team from outta Queens with the American dream," further emphasizing ALD’s roots.

ALD also plans to launch a related capsule clothing collection called 993 Aimé, inspired by this restoration. Although specifics of the collection remain under wraps, the reveal included glimpses of a New Balance 993 footwear model expected to release alongside the clothing line.

The bespoke 993 Turbo made its public debut on November 22–23 and is on display at ALD’s flagship store located at 32 Broadwick Street in London.

Nadine Ghosn Introduces Customizable Stationery Hands for Rolex

Renowned fine jewelry designer Nadine Ghosn unveiled a new collaboration with Wristcheck, featuring an innovative customization option for Rolex watches. Ghosn took to Instagram to announce this distinctive modification, which adds a personal touch to the iconic watch brand's dials.

In her announcement on Instagram Story, Ghosn explained that this project with Wristcheck aims to revolutionize the typical customization process by altering the hands of Rolex watches with designs based on Ghosn’s signature stationery-themed jewelry. The custom design includes a pencil-shaped second hand, a ruler as the hour hand, and a scribble for the minute hand. This theme is inspired by Ghosn's iconic pencil bracelet from her staple collection, symbolizing empowerment and the ability to "write one’s own story" at any moment.

The customization service offered by Ghosn and Wristcheck allows Rolex owners to personalize their watches with these unique hands, available in both yellow and white gold options. For those interested in customizing their Rolex, further details are available through Wristcheck.

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