Tag Archives: Luxury

J.Laverack’s Limited-Edition Aston Martin .1R Bicycle Uses the Same Process as an Actual Aston Martin

Posted on by

What happens when one of the most luxurious automotive brands in the world teams up with one of the most luxurious bicycle brands in the world? That would be the J.Laverick Aston Martin .1R — the direct offspring of a fruitful partnership between the two high-flying British luxury brands, who are jointly calling it the “world’s most bespoke, advanced and meticulously engineered road bicycle”. This design is definitely bespoke, considering that no two Aston Martin .1R bikes will be created the same —and it isn’t exactly clear how many will be constructed in total — seeing as how every purchaser who orders from Aston Martin’s “multi-award-winning” online configurator will receive a personal invitation to get their own unique Aston Martin .1R fitted at Aston Martin’s HQ in Gaydon, UK.

Designer: J.Laverack x Aston Martin

Evidently, Aston Martin’s Gaydon HQ is where a new owner can individually select and install their bells and whistles (literally) after mixing and matching Aston Martin’s signature color schemes — which mirror those of the prestige British auto designer’s most popular luxury vehicles — on the tubes, lugs, forks, stem, seat post, and handlebar drops via the aforementioned configurator. For what it’s worth, yes, you can also choose between saddle and handlebar type. Right now, it’s not clear how much this will all cost, but it makes sense to expect a higher price than most other J.Laverack bicycles, which start at around $5,000.

This advanced titanium road bike design uses a mixture of 3D-printed titanium lugs and sculpted carbon fiber tubes for a lightweight yet sturdy build without any exposed bolts on the outer body. Aston Martin’s designers call this a world first, and I can’t deny it looks like a cross between a bike and a sports car. Though, calling it a “sports bike” would be redundant. That said, Aston Martin’s Executive VP and Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman, dug into this idea even further in an official press release, calling the Aston Martin .1R a “titanium hypercar on two wheels.”

Its max speed probably doesn’t equal that of a shiny new Aston Martin supercar, but it’s likely the speediest (and sturdiest) bicycle we’ve ever seen. Several elements of the ($3 million) Aston Martin Valkyrie’s engineering and design process made their way over to the .1R, including the bicycle’s 40-micron badges. The wheels themselves, plus the stem, also use similar processes. According to Aston Martin, “The hypercar’s wheel design can be glimpsed in miniature in the titanium piston caps of the brakes on the bike, while if you inspect the beautifully machined cups on the threaded bottom bracket of the .1R and you will notice parallels with the central wheel nuts on an Aston Martin Valkyrie.”

The post J.Laverack’s Limited-Edition Aston Martin .1R Bicycle Uses the Same Process as an Actual Aston Martin first appeared on Yanko Design.

Interstellar LUNAR1,622 watch lets you carry a piece of the moon in style

Posted on by

The night sky is full of beauty and marvel, but nothing evokes images of romance and mystery more than our faithful companion, the Moon. A celestial body that has given birth to many myths and legends since ancient days, the Moon has always been a source of fascination for both artists and scientists alike. Thanks to recent space explorations, interest in the stars has been at an all-time high, whether it’s just traveling in space in luxury or setting up colonies on the Moon and Mars. Space and beyond is no longer just science fiction but a part of our history, and what better way to preserve and honor that history than with a timeless watch that puts the elegance and mystery of the moon on your wrist.

Designer: Sebastien Colen

Click Here to Buy Now: $599 $849 ($250 off). Hurry, less than 72 hours left! Raised over $420,000.

The Moon is our lone satellite and the closest celestial body to our home planet, yet there are still many things about it that beguile and confound scientists. The dark side of the moon that we never get to see from Earth has always been a source of mystery and even omens, especially considering how much the Moon can actually influence life on the planet. Still, the Moon feels near yet so far, but this luxurious watch puts it right on your wrist, with a small yet significant nod to history and a tribute to mankind’s achievements, both past and future.

Meteorite Moon Dust – Their meteorite, with the ID#NWA11515, was found in 2017 and provided by MSG Meteorites, a British company specialized in certified space rocks and licensed by the IMCA (International Meteorite Collectors Association).

Lunar1,622 Watch with Integrated NASA Logo – The project respects the necessary permissions and aligns with NASA’s guidelines.

Named after the surface gravity on the Moon, the LUNAR1,622 is a handsome mechanical watch that goes beyond simply putting the face of the moon on the timepiece. Just like the previous Mars-inspired Interstellar timepiece, it holds a relic of the moon, specifically a small amount of moon dust at the three o’clock position (the standard model gets the footprint shape of Neil Armstrong instead). This moon dust was taken from rare lunar meteorites, specifically the Moon Meteorite ID# NWA11515 that was found in 2017 in Northwest Africa. The back of the watch also boasts the official NASA logo, which would delight space exploration fans even more. There will only be 2025 Premium editions made, in honor of the next lunar mission Artemis 3 in that year.

LUNAR1,622 commemorates Neil Armstrong’s iconic words, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

On the edge of the dial all the way around it, you’ll find all successful Apollo missions numbered. All missions that landed on the moon are marked in gold.

Commemorating the historic Apollo 11 mission, this timepiece features the mission’s name, date and Neil Armstrong’s initials.

Of course, the Interstellar LUNAR1,622 isn’t just a one-of-a-kind science collectible, it is also a piece of horology craftsmanship as well. Both Standard and Advanced models bear the famed Miyota automatic movement, while the Premium variant boasts a Swiss Sellita automatic movement, both delivering the precision and reliability expected from high-quality mechanical watches. Sandblasted 316L stainless steel cases (titanium for the Premium model), in classic Black or stylish Silver, give the watch both durability and finesse, while the black leather strap accentuates its luxurious character. The LUNAR1,622’s subtle elegance perfectly embodies the timeless beauty of the Moon, captivating without being overwhelming.

NFC Technology

Whether you’re a space buff, a horology connoisseur, or an avant-garde collector, there is perhaps nothing more beautiful and mystical than having the moon on your wrist, quite literally even. Inspired by lunar expeditions and carrying a pinch of authentic moon dust inside, the Interstellar LUNAR1,622 is more than just a beautiful and historic timepiece, it is also a testament to humanity’s ambitions to reach for the stars and our perseverance to make that dream a reality.

Click Here to Buy Now: $599 $849 ($250 off). Hurry, less than 72 hours left! Raised over $420,000.

The post Interstellar LUNAR1,622 watch lets you carry a piece of the moon in style first appeared on Yanko Design.

“World’s Lightest Mechanical Watch” clocks in at a Stunning 8.8 Grams in Weight

Posted on by

Billed as the world’s lightest mechanical watch, the MING LW.01 boasts an impressive weight of just 8.8 grams (0.31 ounces) for the manual variant and 10 grams (0.35 ounces) for the automatic variant. For reference, that’s lighter than one AirTag… or about as much as two AirPods WITHOUT the case.

The LW.01 takes the idea of minimalism a little bit further by going beyond just the visual sense of the word. “We wanted to push the envelope further than we – or any other brand – has ever done,” the folks at MING said. This includes some brilliant design hacks, the use of novel materials, and basically removing everything non-essential. In short, the folks at MING Marie Kondo-ed the hell out of this watch… and the result definitely sparks joy.

Designer: MING

The watch itself is a work of art, featuring a dial that’s as minimal to look at as its bill of materials. In fact, there isn’t a dial at all. The LW.01’s minute hand sits on a disc that obscures the movement, while the central portion comes with a gradient print that hides the skeletal view of the watch, while also having the watch’s minimal markings on its periphery. Every part of the watch is art and engineering combined to its nth degree, creating something that really stands at the intersection of great design and immaculate engineering.

“We set ourselves some ‘conventional’ constraints, though: the watch had to be a wearable size, and retain certain tactile qualities such as the texture and thermal transfer of metal,” MING’s team mentioned. “More importantly, it would have to be practically wearable and not technically compromised purely for the sake of lightness. As it turns out, it would take us a couple of years longer than expected and an exhaustive amount of metallurgy and testing.”

Those constraints, however, don’t in any way diminish the end product. The watch has a spectacular body that’s crafted from a special metal alloy that’s lighter than carbon but has the premium feel of metal. The lugs are turned into bars that allow the strap to through without any additional elements (which would add to its weight), and the face isn’t layered with sapphire crystal. Instead, it opts for equally resistant Corning Gorilla Glass – similar to the slim glass sheet found in smartphones, but with a separate hardening treatment done by UK-based Knight Optical.

“We explored a wide range of ultralight materials including carbon fiber derivatives and hollow-core 3D printing, but ultimately found that AZ31 Magnesium-Aluminium-Zinc-Manganese alloy from Smiths High Performance was both lighter than carbon (1.77g/cc, vs ~2g/cc density), more consistent to produce than hollow 3D printing, and more importantly retained the feel of metal,” MING mentioned. “It is further surface treated by plasmaelectrolytic oxidation by Keronite for corrosion resistance and biocompatibility, with a further composite protective layer.”

Every element of the watch, including the screws made of PEEK composite, the hollowed bezel, and the angled case buttressing, was meticulously optimized to achieve the perfect balance between durability and weight. The crown, crafted from anodized aluminum, ensures durability and smooth threading. To ensure overall torsional rigidity, finite element simulation was employed to assess the watch case. The fixed integral bars, machined from the same billet as the case, not only enhance rigidity but also weigh less than traditional steel spring bars.

As a result, the watch boasts an impressively lightweight head, weighing just 8.8 grams with manual winding, 10.8 grams with automatic winding, along with an additional 0.6 grams for the matching AZ31 buckle and 1.2 grams for the ‘record’ spec Alcantara strap. This translates to a total weight of 10.6 grams or 12.6 grams for a fully assembled, ready-to-wear timepiece… but don’t expect all that innovation to come cheap. The “World’s Lightest Watch” may be lighter than an AirTag, but it’s half the cost of a Tesla Model Y. With a brain-imploding asking price of 19500 Swiss Francs ($21,623 USD), you’re kind of better off buying a Patek Philippe instead.

The post “World’s Lightest Mechanical Watch” clocks in at a Stunning 8.8 Grams in Weight first appeared on Yanko Design.