REMEMBERING THE MAGNIFICENT JEAN SCHLUMBERGER (1907-1987)
BULGARI: THE SERPENTI MISTERIOSI
by Anna Wager
by Anna Wager
Preparing a 18kt gold Bulgari Serpenti bracelet watch with over 1,000 white diamonds, pear-cut ruby "eyes," and 15 carefully caved turquoise stones- this one-of-a-kind watch bracelet is ready to revisit the iconic luxe brand's design from the 1950s and soon to go on the auction block. Photo: Bulgari
by Anna Wager
by Anna Wager
by Anna Wager
Bulgari is turning back the clock to its Serpenti bespoke ladies watch launch dating back to the days of Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra in Rome’s Cinecittà studios, circa 1950-1960. These one-of-a-kind Bulgari snake jewels are founded on powerful female leadership and allure brought to modern day.
The new Serpenti Misteriosi timepieces are opulent and colorful, with a strong emphasis on the mastery of decorative arts and jewelry virtuosity. There are also something else: a proven, past profit center.
Five iterations, in two- or three-color gold or combined with touches of platinum, confirm Bulgari’s expertise with daring color combinations, intricate craftsmanship and rare metals. Square, circular, rectangular and octagonal shapes were adopted for the dial, sometimes evoking the snake head, all with a nod to their original Serpenti line launched in Fall/Winter of 1956.
The watches’ constituent parts are individually shaped before being gem-set and assembled. Particular attention has been paid to the overall design of the precious metal structure forming the bracelet and the head to ensure that it is comfortable and light to wear.
In the pure tradition of the first Serpenti presented in the 1950s, these new creations combine excellent know-how with Swiss watchmaking expertise to reflect the art of the jeweler of the time. Echoing the inspiring models, each timepiece is designed to be worn on either wrist: the container hidden within the snake’s head—housing the diamond-encrusted dial and the underlying movement—can be easily removed and turned in the other direction so as to be easily visible on the left or right arm.
by Anna Wager
Bulgari's advanced technology features a new ultra-small Piccolissimo mechanical movement, one of the smallest in the world, conceived and produced within the Bulgari Manufacture in Le Sentier. Measuring 12.30 mm in diameter and 2.50 mm thick, the BVL100 caliber is housed in the head of the reptile within a removable timepiece component. Photo: Bulgari
Pink coral and white diamonds are featured in this edition of Bulgari's Serpenti bracelet watch in 18k gold. Photo: Beth Broliski
In the pure tradition of the first Serpenti presented in the 1950s, these new creations combine excellent know-how with Swiss watchmaking expertise to reflect the art of the jeweler of the time.
The pieces illustrate the creativity that Bulgari has mined with Serpenti: the scales could be reproduced with diamonds, polychrome enamel or gemstones. In other models, the scales are transformed into playful “boules,” soldered one-by-one to form an intricate gold moveable mesh.
The head of the animal is completely different on each model, and adorned with baguette, navette, or marquise-cut diamonds.
No one expected Bulgari to deeply invest into a decades-old vision, after thousands of design alterations were made, the luxury brand is set to market these timepiece treasures to major auction houses worldwide.
A harlequin version of Bulgari's Serpenti bracelet watch features two yellow diamonds with an array of jade, onyx, white opal, red agate and blue larimar set in 18k gold. Photo: Jack Klaton
Red ruby eyes meet jade and white diamonds cascading around 18k gold flexible scales of this Bulgari Serpenti bracelet watch, inspired from the brand's 1950's collection. Photo: Charles Louis
With a manual winding micro-movement, BVL 100 Piccolissimo caliber, 12.30 mm in diameter, 2.50 mm thick, 1.30 grams in weight, this tiny timepiece has 21 jewels, 102 components, 21,600 VpH, 30-hour power reserve and bi-directional for time-setting and winding. Black-ribbed lacquered ceramic tiles are set in an 18k rose gold case and feature 2 pear-cut diamonds for the eyes (0.3 ct) with diamonds encircling the bezel and watch face of this double-tour watch bracelet by Bulgari. Photo: Bulgari
A modern version of the 1955 classic, just a touch of Bulgari's Serpenti "tongue" reveals the micro-mechanism timepiece while black onyx and white opal wrap around 18k gold. Photo: Janet Hayton
WEALTH-X private AUGUST FEATURES & SEPTEMBER PREVIEWS
The Relevance of Gold as a Strategic Asset - Singapore Edition
The Relevance of Gold as a Strategic Asset - Singapore Edition
The Relevance of Gold as a Strategic Asset - Singapore Edition
Gold does not directly conform to the majority of the most common valuation methodologies used for equities or bonds. Without a coupon or dividend, typical models based on discounted cash flows, expected earnings, or book-to-value ratios, struggle to provide an appropriate assessment for gold’s underlying value. This presented an opportunity for the World Gold Council to develop a framework to better understand gold valuation.
GOLD EDGES UP AMIDST GEOPOLITICAL TENSIONS
The Relevance of Gold as a Strategic Asset - Singapore Edition
The Relevance of Gold as a Strategic Asset - Singapore Edition
Gold edged higher as investors weighed comments from the Federal Reserve which signaled it will implement further interest-rate increases to contain price pressures, against geopolitical tensions.
Bullion is hovering near a four-week high after rising 0.3% on Wednesday, as market jitters over the fallout from US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan boosted some haven demand. While some anxiety eased after her trip ended, Taiwan braced for Chinese military drills starting at noon Thursday in six separate areas surrounding the island, although it downplayed the impact on flights and shipping.
CRYPTO INVESTMENT AND THE WEALTHY
CRYPTO INVESTMENT AND THE WEALTHY
CRYPTO INVESTMENT AND THE WEALTHY
Amid hype, volatility, controversy and opportunity, the cryptocurrency (crypto) sector and ecosystem continue to grow rapidly. The sector, worth an enormous $1.8trn2, has produced a sizeable number of new wealthy individuals. As crypto moves towards the mainstream, it is gradually gaining popularity among wealthy individuals as an asset class in which to invest.
This report takes an in-depth look at the wealthy – defined as individuals with a net worth of $5m or more – who are professionally involved or have an interest in the crypto sector. These wealthy people are either entrepreneurs in the sector or are investing in crypto as part their wealth planning and investment diversification strategies.
altrata & Wealth-x Partnership
CRYPTO INVESTMENT AND THE WEALTHY
CRYPTO INVESTMENT AND THE WEALTHY
The year 2020 was landmark for philanthropy. According to the 2022 Wealth-X philanthropy report, giving by individuals with portfolios around $4 billion and above , and, of that, $175 billion was by ultra-high-net-worth individuals — specifically anyone with a net worth of more than $30 million. In total, this averages out at almost $600,000 per UHNW globally, the first time in documented history that UHNWIs are seeking gold art.
2022 NAJ Summit: Stacked with 2023 Goals
HOLBORN, JUNE 2022
Whenever Harriet Kelsall of the National Association of Jewelers (NAJ) makes a country-wide gold commodities investor statement, it is expected she, and fellow co-chairs of NAJ, are to be joined by their lead financial partner, the London Gold Exchange (LGE). While this expectation was met, it was conducted in the most unprecedented of presentations, the majority still in edit mode.
Wealth-X analysts witnessed a keynote address from LGE's senior partners from the Division of Trade that could be classified as out of this world and on a literal realm.
As NAJ's Deputy Chair of Bespoke Jewellery, Kelsall is a self-proclaimed fourth-wave feminist, and ready to right most wrongs. Kelsall appears to carry a writing utensil in her one hand, and a very large whistle in the other. Kelsall has long delivered clear speak on cue and does well at casting out the vague. She is known for condemning most misnomers with defiant interruptions or animated closing comments.
A confusing dismay of affairs followed. This briefing was brief but anything but clear. Starting and ending with Kelsall's riddled words on her own annual agenda, gold news in general, gold jewellery in specific, and the notable lack of key gold executive personnel were repeatedly glossed over.
Announced as NAJ's "Urgent Annual Agenda Recall and Retraction" email, this private session wasn't exactly private, yet another surprising blunder. The NAJ allowed the BBC, ABC1 and WorldRadio reporters to take seats, though several soon stood and left. This closed door meeting's detail wasn't detailed, but it did offer memorable grandstanding moments. Two ABC1 reporters left in a royal huff when their mundane event questions were left open to discussion. Others would follow in short order.
The NAJ's Summit Agenda now looks to 2023
By thirty minutes past the hour, traditional regalia focused on June's 2022 NAJ Summit Agenda. Retracted wording on previously published event sessions only prompted more questions. The keynote address and two agenda breakout sessions were based on scientific-studied cosmic origins for Earth's gold reserves, or, how gold formed within the planet, if it formed here at all. A World Gold Council newly produced digital series, "The Golden Thread" was initially promoted, then suddenly removed. No reason was given, no replacement offered, in fact, no World Gold Council personnel was present in person or virtually.
This was when a version two (V2) of the conference agenda was presented. The original version included a fireside chat with a Royal Observatory veteran, now cut from the agenda.
Patrons didn't understand why such a speaker made the cut to begin with, so their removal wasn't questioned. When V2's printed handouts stopped before everyone had a copy, confusion was on the agenda. "Apologies, all. We must announce another revision -- V3, version 3, V3, is soon-to-be-published. V3 will most certainly be provided post haste," a NAJ's spokesperson offered to a dazed crowd.
In a spectacle of the surreal, global bodies from the most consistent world voices on gold, including the World Gold Council (WGC) were absent. Absence was denoted too from all out-of-country gold group entities, including their lack of presence in the V2 document. Perhaps they will make a return visit in V3.
As if secretly sealed in gold, the only definitive point the collective agreed upon was that news from Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London would most likely be added to the famed NAJ event day two proceedings.
Closing remarks from Kelsall left many perplexed. She apologized for the lack of world gold dignitaries "due to the last minute shuffle of it all," she said. Her official statement had many thinking she was storytelling to toddlers with her words, "Many could soon look in awe to the skies, not in search of little green people, and not in dread of destruction, rather to telescopes aimed at the cosmos and a renewed vigor to all things gold."
Wealth-X analysts caution this briefing was simply a high-tier business maneuver. A distraction from China's recent attempt to double their unpredicted and previous purchase of 360,000 ounces of gold. Or, Russia's failed attempt to rapidly increase their gold reserve vetoed in June of last year. Or, the recount of the Bank of England's 400,000 gold bars, the most gold of any country. Or, America's retooled gold reserve update released in April. Or, all of the above.
This golden yo-yo is not new. Amidst quarterly global financial concerns and current issues around the Ukraine invasion, people seem to be out of sorts.
To help set us back on course, Wealth-X is preparing a Global Gold 2022 Report targeted for release by the end of this year. WXP is expected to provide our members with the gold study by 01 December 2022.
For more information, please visit:
https://www.naj.co.uk/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fmembers-areafor
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Attendees at NAJ's "Urgent Agenda Retraction" meeting were offered several interactive workshops.
WEALTH-X PRIVATE GREEN ROOM GUEST ACCESS
REMEMBERING THE MAGNIFICENT: JEAN SCHLUMBERGER (1907-1987)
Seated by his breakfast table in one of his French chateaus, natural light was a must. If the room couldn't produce over 50% of sunlight, he would avoid the room. Photo: Getty
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