Posts tagged #Audemars Piguet Diver

Encounter: Ferrari F430 in Light Blue on the Highway. We Just Couldn't Keep Up.

A few days ago, while driving a Porsche Cayman S on one of Chicago's most transited freeways, we stumbled upon a gorgeous light blue Ferrari F430. For once, the freeway wasn't as plugged up with traffic as usual.

As we were comfortably cruising, a loud, low-pitched engine roar called for our attention. As we looked in the mirror, there it was. A gorgeous Ferrari F430 hiding in our blind spot. The watch on the wrist is an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver that we now like to call 'the fancy car magnet' per a previous story.

The Ferrari F430 comes with a V8-engine with 490hp and cutting-edge racing technologies —perfected to be street legal— such as the electronic differential and the handy steering wheel mounted commutator switch that controls the systems governing vehicle dynamics.


The F430 is very light and reaches 0-60mph in just 4.0 seconds. This Ferrari is as close as you will get to the performance and driveability of a Formula One racing car.  For instance, a braking system using carbon-ceramic discs comes as a standard feature and the aerodynamics are also highly innovative for a street car. It is shaped in a way where air flow increases down-force and improves cooling.

As this remarkable automobile with its yellow brake calipers passed us, we tried to follow as close as possible —always obeying traffic laws and safety standards— but unfortunately we just couldn't keep up.

As its roaring engine dwarfed ours and its cruising speed kept increasing, we did nothing else but to see it drift away like a cruise on the Mediterranean or the disappearing sound of the final notes on Schubert's Improptu in A Flat, Opus 142 No. 2.

As we tried to reach the F430 one more time and gave our Porsche all the gas possible, we finally gave up and let it disappear. Only these pictures are testimony of that encounter. 

Since this automobile is not available in the current Ferrari range, we are giving you an approximate pre-owned price.

Sticker Price $165,000. For more info on Ferrari click here.

 

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Posted on June 23, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Automobiles and tagged Ferrari F430 Porsche Cayman S Audemars Piguet Diver Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver Audemars Piguet ref. 15703ST.OO.A002CA.01 Chicago Ferrari F430 Pre-Owned Price.

Experience: Montecristo No. 3. One of the Finest Habanos in the World.

As we were getting ready to enjoy another sunset at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman down in the Cayman Islands, we pulled out an Habano to enjoy the moment even more. Really, there's nothing better than a good cigar on the beach, wearing a nice watch and contemplating a beautiful sunset.

This time, we enjoyed a Montecristo No. 3 —a hand rolled Cuban cigar that is typically used as the benchmark when rating other fine cigars.

Montecristo has set the bar quite high for almost 80 years since its launch in 1935. Its name was taken from Alexandre Dumas' novel 'The Count of Montecristo'. The story accounts that when the factory first opened, the manager used to read the novel to the 'torcedores'—rollers— and they liked the novel so much, that they wanted to immortalize the main character of the novel by naming their fine cigars 'Montecristo'.

The Montecristo No. 3 only includes leaves from the region of 'Vuelta Abajo'. This Cuban region is home to the best tobacco leaves in the world. From fillers to binders and wrapper, all are 'Vuelta Abajo' leaves.  'Vuelta Abajo' is located in the western tip of Cuba in the province of 'Pinar del Río' by the towns of 'San Juan y Martínez' and 'San Luis'.

This region is also the main source of tobacco for Habanos, and the only region that grows all types of leaf. But even in this amazing region, less than a quarter of the tobacco growing land enjoys the 'Vegas Finas de Primera' status that is required for the Habanos.

Montecristo No. 3 is a Coronas measuring 5 5/8" in length with a 42 ring gauge. With hints of leather, coffee and ambergris, this cigar is rich and powerful. Flavor profile stays even for the first two thirds of the cigar and becomes stronger on the last third. Around 50 minutes of burning time in a perfectly rolled cigar with perfect draw and almost perfect even burn —went out just once, possibly due to the strong evening sea breeze.

While this cigar is a joy to smoke, we only recommended it for more experienced smokers. Due to its intensity, we feel it might be too much to take for someone looking to try a cigar for the very first time.

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, Audemars Piguet, Sybarite Guide and tagged Montecristo No. 3 Audemars Piguet Diver Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Vuelta Abajo Pinar del Río Vegas Finas de Primera San Juan y Martínez San Luís Cuba The Count of Montecristo Alexandre Dumas Torcedores 2013.

Experience: Hoyo de Monterrey Dark Sumatra Media Noche. A Well Balanced Cigar.

After a delicious meal at Julian Serrano in Las Vegas and while finishing our last glass of sangría, we headed down to View Bar to enjoy a fine cigar. This time an Hoyo de Monterrey Dark Sumatra Media Noche from Honduras. It's nowhere near the 'real' Hoyo de Monterrey from Cuba but it's quite good. 

Made at the renowned General Cigar Company in Honduras —one of two of the largest cigar factories in the world—, the Dark Sumatra is a more robust version of the original Hoyo de Monterrey from that country. This complex mature cigar features a Dark Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, fillers from Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic and Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro binders.

The Media Noche is a 'Corona Gorda' measuring 5¾ inches in length with a 54 ring gauge. With hints of coffee, roasted nuts, and leather, this cigar is smooth but rich at the same time. Flavor profile changes every 15 to 20 minutes with at least 50 minutes of good burn. 

The leaves are rolled with the perfect tightness for a perfect draw, even burn and a long ash. This cigar is so well rolled that it does not require relighting at all.

If you want a mature, complex cigar that is yet smooth, the Hoyo de Monterrrey Dark Sumatra Media Noche will not let you down. 

For more info click here.  

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, Sybarite Guide, Audemars Piguet and tagged Hoyo de Monterrey Dark Sumatra Media Noche General Cigar Company Honduras View Bar Julian Serrano Las Vegas Audemars Piguet Diver Hoyo de Monterrey Dark Sumatra Media Noche 2013.

Encounter: Porsche 911 circa 1966. A Glimpse of the Past.

A few days ago, while driving around our old neighborhood trying to find a parking spot, we ran into one of our all-time favorite automobiles, a legendary Porsche 911 from the 1960s. This Porsche 911 circa 1966, is still in very nice condition and running strong and loud as any 911 should be.

After parking our own Porsche, we decided to then snap a few pictures to record this memorable encounter. The watch on our wrist an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver. It's really crazy how often we run into fancy cars while wearing this watch. From now on, we should call our Diver the 'fancy car magnet'.    

Porsche launched the 911 back in 1963 at the Frankfurt Auto Show. At that time, the 911 was originally called 901; however, Peugeot objected the use of the name 901 and Porsche changed it to what is now the most iconic number in automobiles, the '911'.

In 1965, the production of the 911 a.k.a. 356 was stopped, and the 912 was launched. The 912 was a less expensive model featuring a four-cylinder engine from the last 356s and was less luxurious than the 911. This 1966 model we stumbled upon, is still a 911 that maintained the same line and details of the first 911s up until 1970, year in which the new line of 911s was released.

This particular vintage Porsche is fitted with all original parts and its black paint is still in very decent shape considering the age of the vehicle. Nothing like fancy timepieces and fancy cars to enjoy the 'good life'.

For more info on Porsche click here.  

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Automobiles and tagged Audemars Piguet Diver Royal Oak Offshore Diver Porsche 911 Porsche 911 1966 Porsche 912 Porsche 901 Top Automobiles.

Encounter: The Rolls-Royce Phantom at Baselworld

A few weeks ago, while at Baselworld 2013, we ran into some magnificent automobiles. One that definitely caught our attention —due to its elegance and beauty— was this Rolls-Royce Phantom parked next to the Press Center. This particular contrast paint scheme in Diamond Black and Silver, is one of our favorites. Just a perfect match for our Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver.

The Rolls-Royce Phantom is hand-built at the home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood,  England. From seamstresses to surface finish technicians and French polishers, it takes sixty pairs of hands to design, craft and construct a Rolls-Royce before it's ready for its new owner.

Powered with a V12 direct injection engine and 21" alloy wheels, this car has a power output of 463hp getting from 0 to 60mph in just 5.7 seconds. Definitely a powerful car and the comfiest ride on earth.

This Phantom with seat piping and contrast paint scheme has a sticker price of approximately $420,000 USD. For more info on the Phantom click here.  

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Automobiles and tagged Rolls-Royce Phantom Audemars Piguet Diver Royal Oak Offshore Diver.

Experience: Porsche 991 Carrera 4S. In the Company of an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver.

After driving the Porsche 991 Carrera 4S in the company of our beautiful Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver, all we can say is that the automobile and the watch are both outstanding performance machines. The 991 Carrera 4S is powerful, loud, comfortable and very stable, just as powerful as the calibre 3120 that powers the Royal Oak Offshore Diver. The Porsche 991 is the internal designation for the seventh generation of the 911 which was unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Fitted with a 3.8 liter direct injection flat six engine, the 991 Carrera 4S provides 400 hp with a seven-speed manual gearbox or Porsche's PDK Automatic transmission. 0-60 mph in just 4.3 seconds. Compared to the 997, the 991's wheelbase is longer. A new trans-axle was developed so that the rear wheels could be moved 7.6 centimeters backward in relation to the position of the engine, which significantly improves the weight distribution and cornering performance of this car.

Once you get in the car, the seat embraces your back and your spine gets ready for the G-Force this car will put you under. As soon as you start the engine and select the sport mode and boost on the exhaust, you know this automobile is ready to deliver an unforgettable experience with all of its horsepower.

The powerful engine roars as the instrument panel lights up with all sort of indicators including tire pressure gauge display and the ability to display the navigation information next to the tachometer. The steering wheel, thick and sporty featuring two toggle controls that allow the driver to browse thru the information panel. You can also control the stereo and the hands-free phone settings right on the steering wheel.

Fitted with 19-inch wheels and the widest tires you can imagine, the cornering ability of this car is as good as on the Cayman S. Once you pass the 5,000 rpm mark, you'll discover where the fun starts. It's amazing when you are already going at 70 mph on third gear at 5,000 rpm and you step on the gas a little bit and all of a sudden you hit 90 mph in just a few seconds.

In our opinion, the 991 stays true to Porsche's brand promise. Porsche, there is no substitute. Sticker price for the base model with no options $105,630.

For more info click here.

 

Here's a short video that will show you how beautiful the engine of this car sounds.

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Automobiles and tagged Audemars Piguet Diver Porsche Porsche 991 Carrera 4S Porsche Carrera Royal Oak Offshore Diver Audemars Piguet Carrera 911 Carrera 4S Price.

Watch Goodies: Porsche 911 Alarm Clock. Wake Up to a Roaring Engine.

The Porsche Design 911 alarm clock is a must have for watchlifestylers that are hardcore Porsche enthusiasts. Designed to look like the tachometer on the 911's dashboard, this alarm clock is meant to make you feel like you are still driving your car, even while sitting at your desk or laying in bed. The clock comes with a sturdy but finely finished aluminum case, digital time and date display, alarm, second time zone and timer functions.  

The orange hand on the dial is used to set the alarm which will wake you up to the roaring sounds of a 911 mono-block with a blinking red brake light indicator. If you hate getting out of your car every time you get home, then you definitely need one of these clocks. To get this clock click here.

Here's a video showing the sounds of the clock.  

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Watch Goodies and tagged Porsche Design Alarm Clock Porsche Audemars Piguet Audemars Piguet Diver.

Experience: Partagas No.4 Serie D. Two Divers Over Cigars.

Two watchlifestylers decided to meet up for drinks and cigars in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. The location, the exclusive Grand Velas resort in Riviera Maya. One of the collectors, a longtime fellow Montecristo cigar aficionado, the other one, a Cohiba and Partagas lover. Talking about watches while enjoying an 'Habano' is very common in our watch collecting lifestyle, coming to terms on which of the two watches —or cigars— is better is definitely a challenging thing.

Having the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver and the two-tone Rolex Submariner Date side-by-side helped us understand how these two watches are magnificent with their own individual pros and cons. Watch collecting and watch talk is not about proving who is wearing a better watch. It is about enjoying life and making friends —sometimes even overseas— with people that enjoy our lifestyle.

Watch collecting, just like smoking a fine cigar or sipping a glass of your favorite port, is really about the enjoyment you get out of that particular timepiece sitting on your wrist and the memories you build while wearing it.

Partagas No.4 is a strong, rich cigar with leather and cocoa notes. Intense, yet smooth at the same time. Strong in smell but soft to the palate.  

I once heard that the best wine in the world is not necessarily a Petrus or a Château Lafite Rothschild, but the one that you enjoy the most.

Same goes to watches, don't you think?

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars and tagged Partagas Partagas No. 4 Audemars Piguet Diver Royal Oak Offshore Rolex Subm Rolex Submariner 2013.

Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver ref. 15703. A Real Diver's Watch.

This time, we will be talking about the 'hottest' watch of 2012 and hard to find piece as every time authorized dealers get one is sells immediately . The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver. This watch ref. 15703ST is fitted with the same in-house caliber 3120 as the ref. 15300. Some Audemars Piguet enthusiasts refer to this movement as "one of the greatest automatic movements ever made". In our humble opinion, it is indeed one of the greatest and also very accurate. Power reserve up to 60 hours.

The case diameter is 42mm like on most Royal Oak Offshores, however, the ref. 15703 has a slightly flatter bezel that makes it appear much larger than 42mm. Actually the dial is 1mm wider than on other Royal Oak Offshores such as the ref. 25721. The thickness of the case is massive at 13.8mm, yet very comfortable. The usual matte finish and polished bevels/chamfers are just perfection! The movement is encased in a anti-magnetic casing that needs to be unscrewed after removing the case back. The case back is almost twice as thick as the case back in other Royal Oak Offshores to guarantee that the watch can withstand the pressure at 300m deep. Total weight of the watch 169grs.

This watch is fitted with a beautiful rubber strap with a thick rubber grain very different to other Offshore straps (i.e. Rubberclad ones) and comes with a tang buckle in stainless steel. The buckle is very solid with matte finish on the front but polished at the very end of the edge between the back and the front. The back of the clasp and pin are sand blasted featuring AP and ACIER INOX engravings.

The dial in this watch is a "Méga Tapisserie" (big waffle pattern) in black with white gold applied hour-markers and hands with luminescent coating and a inner rotating flange with diving scale that is also luminous. AP gave a glossy effect to this dial to make it appear as if it was wet. Just unbelievable nice and quite hard to appreciate in pictures. This dial comes with the classic double-baton hour marker at 12 o'clock like on the 5402ST or the 15202ST.

The luminova is not the most powerful, but with enough brightness and several hours of night life. If you are a crazy 'luminova lover' you will be disappointed. When it comes to brightness of the super-luminova at night we can only think of IWC, Blancpain and Omega.

The calendar wheel is black with white fonts and the date aperture is square shaped instead of round as in most Offshores. The date aperture comes with a built-in loupe that appears to be glareproofed. If you notice on some of the pics, the date window appears to have a very slight blueish tint around the corners. The numbers on the calendar use the newer AP font with serifs opposed to the old school font in the 5402 and the 15202. The pictures make the font on the calendar wheel appear quite thick and solid white, but in real life they don't look that solid to us, especially the double-digit dates.

The watch is fitted with very sturdy over-sized Rubberclad—opposed to Therban as in most Offshore screw-down crowns. These crowns are used  for setting the time and rotating the inner flange diving scale. In order to rotate the inner flange diving scale, you need to unscrew the crown at the 10 o'clock position and then rotate clockwise. The crown needs to be screwed back in before immersion in the water. The flange only rotates in one direction and the clicks are perfectly aligned with the minute markers on the dial. The main crown comes with a large AP engraving while the flange rotating crown comes with a circle around the perimeter.

The watch is fitted with a anti-reflective one-side coated sapphire crystal. The coating has only been applied to the interior of the crystal and not to the outside. The crystal is quite thick and sturdy. It sits into the bezel flatter than on other Royal Oak Offshores where you can see the edge of the crystal protuding even more.

After wearing the watch for one full day, all we can say is WOW! The watch wears very comfortably, it matches all types of outfits —dressed down or suited up— and the understated look of it is unparalleled.

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Audemars Piguet and tagged Offshore Diver Royal Oak Offshore Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 15703 Audemars Piguet Diver Posts 2013.