The collection, however, remains multi-faceted and should prove useful to enthusiasts across the globe, the watchmaker said. “Whether a professional diver, a daring adventurer, or a connoisseur of finely crafted high-tech timepieces, these are watches defined by the shared passion for pushing the boundaries of what is possible,” Panerai emphasized.

Desert camouflage is the primary inspiration for the new offering, a quartet of watches that fall right in line with the watchmaker’s “mission to design durable and high-performance timepieces for extreme conditions.” The company’s partnership with the Navy SEALs runs deep, whether in the United States or Italy, including a luxury watch testing and training experience as well as its 2023 collection of Navy SEALs-inspired timepieces.

The collection includes the Submersible QuarantaQuattro Navy SEALs PAM01518 with a P.900 calibre movement, the Submersible QuarantaQuattro GMT Navy SEALs Carbotech PAM01513 (boasting a lightweight carbon composite case), the Submersible Navy SEALs Titanio PAM01669 (“tailored for the fearless adventurer”) and the Submersible Navy SEALs Titanio PAM01669 (outfitted with a beefy 47mm case).

Rigorous testing for pressure, water resistance and performance helped prove the mettle of each watch, putting these luxurious yet hard-wearing timepieces through their paces in extreme conditions, just as Navy SEALs themselves might face.

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“Panerai has long held a steadfast commitment to crafting timepieces that embody the ideals of challenge, bravery, team spirit, and adrenaline,” the company said, and it appears this quarter of new additions (available via Panerai starting at $10,200) embodies that same spirit.

S.T. Dupont—renowned for its glamorous craftsmanship and luxury smoking accessories like this lighter that doubles as a skeleton watch—is partnering with high-fashion house Casablanca Paris for a stylish new collaboration. It’s just the latest fashionable release from the French lighter designers, which previously teamed up with a closet full of style giants, including Karl Lagerfeld, The Row, Saint Laurent and Franck Muller.

The newly unveiled partnership, dubbed “The Art of Sport,” celebrates the elegance and heritage of both brands. Casablanca, founded in 2018 by Charaf Tajer, is known for its luxe leisurewear that draws inspiration from classic sports and infuses them with a modern vibe highlighted by bold colors and patterns.

The new collection features three distinct lines: Mosaic, Tennis, and Leather Goods. The Mosaic line (pictured above) showcases intricate metalwork and lacquer techniques with a new line of luxe lighters, humidors, ashtrays and fountain pens. The Tennis collection reimagines S.T. Dupont’s accessories with illustrations inspired by tennis courts and ancient Greek architecture, while the Leather Goods drop offers a range of cigar pouches and document holders crafted from premium leather in Casablanca’s signature colors.

The eye-catching collab serves up a stylish union befitting S.T. Dupont’s elevated heritage and Casablanca’s modern design sensibility for discerning smokers and collectors alike. The S.T. Dupont x Casablanca Paris collection is available now worldwide.

Speyside distillery The Glenlivet is not in the business of making ridiculously old whisky, but based on today’s news, it the Scottish distillery may have just been waiting on a perfect cask. It seems they’ve found it.

The Glenlivet Eternal Collection, First Edition, 55 Year Old, is a single-cask single malt from one of the most well-known names in scotch whisky. The “Eternal Collection” is set to become an annual release, according to the distillery, and while there’s no word on the ages of future releases, this announcement suggests that the team at The Glenlivet has finally figured out how to make an old expression really incredible.

The Glenlivet is admittedly late to the extreme age game, and not just in relation to their now 200-year history. Distilleries like Benromach, Benriach, Highland Park, Highland Park again, Glenrothes, and plenty of others you’re probably already aware of have crossed the 50-year threshold in recent years.  

More interestingly, however, The Glenlivet isn’t even the first to release a The Glenlivet whisky above age 50. Several years ago, independent bottlers Gordon & MacPhail released an 80-year-old expression of The Glenlivet whisky that was distilled in 1940, and other releases from independent bottlers have likewise crossed the distillery’s own threshold of 30 years for their Cellar Collection. 

So why is The Glenlivet finally doing this now? Part of the answer might simply be “because they have the right whiskies reaching maturity,” but it’s important to look at The Glenlivet’s unique spirit profile a more complete answer. 

The Glenlivet has always been a lighter and brighter whisky than other Speyside and Highland distilleries. Like Glenmorangie or Aberfeldy, The Glenlivet is leans toward floral and fruit-forward flavors—the opposite of the smoke-forward malts of Islay or oily sherry-dominant whiskies like Macallan and Glendronach. 

The problem is that those light and floral flavors are often the first to disappear as a whisky ages. That’s fine when your intention is to drop a syrupy sherry bomb or an oaky tannin bomb. When, however, a distillery is trying to preserve those light and bright flavors, the cutoff is rarely this far forward in time, making casks like this one truly rare. According to the distillery, that iconic The Glenlivet character shines through on this 55-year-old expression. 

It starts with a nose of “autumn” fruits: a “gentle sweetness of poached pears, heady citrus notes of ripe, sun-drenched Seville oranges, deeper note of sticky dates,” and the “deep warmth of toasted hazelnut” are counterbalanced by the “indulgent richness of dark chocolate” and the “enveloping, spiced warmth of cinnamon and nutmeg.” On the palate, The Glenlivet described warming flavors—“blackcurrant jam, vanilla fudge and dark chocolate; balanced with zesty orange and crystalized ginger before closing with a touch of warming clove spice.” The finish is subtly warming, dry, and spicy, without losing this fruity character’s complexity.

At an ABV of 42.2 percent, this whisky is certainly not the high-proof cask strength you’d expect from an American single cask, but that lower proof point also allows for more of the fruity nuances of flavor to shine through. 

The Glenlivet, for its part, is managing expectations by limiting this and future Eternal Collection releases to single casks, which makes sense both for the price point and the rarity expected of super-ultra-mega-premium single malt releases. Only 100 bottles of this whisky are being produced for the global market. The $55,000 price tag is similar to other recent releases in this age range, though this one should be set apart as something special. The Glenlivet took 200 years to deliver something of this magnitude—let’s hope they get to the second one much sooner.

G. Clay Whittaker is a Maxim contributor covering lifestyle, whiskey, cannabis and travel. His work has also appeared in Bon Appetit, Men’s Journal, Cigar Aficionado, Playboy and Esquire. Subscribe to his newsletter Drinks & Stuff for perspectives on drinks, and stuff.

The Tag Heuer Monaco already boasts proper pedigree, performance and style winding its way through racing’s most iconic moments, as the Monaco was a trusted favorite of Steve McQueen (among others). The actor and famed driver “quickly became a style icon in his own right,” the watchmaker said, sporting a Monaco all the while. With its distinctive square case, Calibre 11 movement and water-resistant design, the timepiece was built for practically anything both beyond the wheel and off the track.

Fast-forward to 2024. The latest edition of the Monaco, in addition to its customary precision performance, pays tribute to old-school racing liveries, when drivers used country-specific colors rather than sponsors to differentiate their vehicles. British racing green makes a bold splash on the sleek 39mm chronograph in this instance.

And since the Monaco’s 1969 arrival, the watchmaker notes that “the brand has continuously been drawing a line through decades of history connecting the Maison to the world of motorsport.” Fittingly, Dutch champion Formula 1 racer Max Verstappen showcases the new Monaco Chronograph in Racing Green, a move that secures Tag Heuer’s legacy now and in the future (at least, if Verstappen’s streak of lightning-fast racing performance holds true).

The use of racing green in British autosports runs deep, as the winning shade made its first appearance in a 1902 Gordon Bennett Cup victory by driver Selwyn Edge. As the watchmaker notes, the color continues to appear today in impressive cars both on and off the course.

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Indeed, “every element of the TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Green is inspired by historical British racing cars and their white and yellow touches,” Tag Heuer said. Even the dial design nods to 1920s and ’30s-era engine-tuned dashboard designs.

Tag Heuer took care in engineering this watch for streamlined performance, using a lightweight Grade 2 titanium case and a green perforated racing strap, which the company notes nods to “classic British gentlemen aesthetics.” Tag Heuer also calls the timepiece the “perfect watch for the perfect gentleman driver,” with just 1,000 individually numbered timepieces on the market. For about $10,800, another handsome piece of Tag Heuer racing history can grace your watch collection.

Since 1926 the stately and laureled InterContinental Mark Hopkins hotel has captivated its San Francisco-visiting guests from the moment they walk through the French Chateau-inspired marble arches into the opulent entrance. They’re even more entranced when they elevate up its 19 stories to the glass-walled Top of the Mark, the iconic Art Deco cocktail lounge and restaurant famous for its spectacular views.

The highest bar in all of San Francisco, and one of the most historic, it offers priceless panoramas of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz, and its character-rich Nob Hill neighborhood with the mysterious Pacific-Union Club next door on its manicured grounds.

A triple-A Designated San Francisco Landmark, the 5-star property is the oldest in the impressive InterContinental portfolio, which it joined in 1973. The hotel is named after railroad magnate Mark Hopkins, who built an elaborate mansion for his wife on the site, at that time the highest perch in Nob Hill, in 1878. The mansion was destroyed by fire after the 1906 earthquake.

The former mansion set the grounds for the pedigree that would see the French-and-Spanish-influenced hotel designed by the estimable Weeks and Day architectural firm, open in 1926. Opulence, refined taste, and escapism where channeled into an imposing 380-room structure with 33 suites for guests who cherished history, comfort, and a feeling, well, of being above it all.

The Top of the Mark always attracted its share of affluent swells. But it also hosted countless uniformed servicemen and their gals before the men set off for the Pacific in WWII. A tradition of officers buying bottles for their battle-bound soldiers evolved into a tradition of “squadron shots,” and continued after wartime with a cabinet of bottles purchased by those wishing to do the same; the tradition continues to this day.

In its hallowed past, the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Judy Garland, Betty Grable, and Elvis Presley all made the Mark Hopkins their escape hatch from the press and paparazzi. Plus the likes of Charles de Gaulle, Britain’s Prince Philip, Herbert Hoover, and FDR. Many were entertained by Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey who performed at the hotel in the Big Band era.

Now you can keep up with the A-listers in a modernized but still classically elegant hotel. Buckwheat blinis with Beluga caviar and a Champagne tasting are a great way to experience the Top of the Mark; the favored hour being, of course, sunset. Open for all meals, the more casual Nob Hill Club, off the lobby and serving traditional American and San Francisco-inspired cuisine, is where to have classic Eggs Benedict, Dungeness crab rolls, or a fresh-caught salmon entrée.

Equally edifying is the treasure trove of artwork throughout the hotel. The nine historic seven-foot-tall murals in the stunning Room of the Dons depict various scenes from California’s history. They were unveiled at the hotel’s opening in 1926 and were created by Maynard Dixon and Frank Van Sloun. Most recapture “discoveries,” such as Sir Francis Drake’s landing in 1579.

The Continental-evocative rooms and suites feature all the modern amenities. And the higher-floor aeries are of course all about the views, views of all the landmarks and the Bay from nearly every room. The top suites, including the California Suite, Penthouse Suite, Presidential Suite, Nob Hill Suite, and, best of all, the Mark Hopkins suite, are a lot like checking into your own private Nob Hill mansion, some complete with wood paneling and fireplaces.

As Mark Hopkins with its elevated anchor, Nob Hill is one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in the city. Nearly every adjacent residence has its own intricate details. And besides all the restaurants, bars, and upscale retail, it is strategically located to take in all of the City on the Bay, with the Financial District and Chinatown just East and Fisherman’s Wharf to the north. Take one of the fabled cable cars on its 90-degree angle street, and visitors will pass emblems of historical and cultural divides, such as Grace Cathedral and roads that Steve McQueen made famous in car chases.

With the Pacific minutes away, as well as Napa and Sonoma wine country just to the north, it is clear why San Francisco is considered easily one of the finest culinary ports in the States. Gastronauts plan trips there annually to sample its seafood and other delights. And do not leave the city, or hotel, without asking concierges where to find the best cioppino, the port’s signature seafood stew first cooked up in the 1800s, or the intel on who has the best oysters in town.

The covetable and often-hard-to-find bourbon makes for a natural source of inspiration alongside ruggedly stylish boots from the Michigan bootmaker. Case in point: Past partnerships between the two have even incorporated Pappy Van Winkle barrel wood into the boots themselves. Suffice to say, the latest and greatest Wolverine x Old Rip Van Winkle Batch IV Boots continue to check all the right boxes in terms of timeless style and countless nods to stellar bourbon.

This year’s edition brings “freshness to the collaboration,” Wolverine noted, using a workwear-friendly wedge sole hailing from the famed Wolverine 1000 Mile line. That the boots arrive in time for the middle stretch of National Bourbon Heritage Month is a fitting crossover, and design cues drawing from America’s spirit are present from the ground up in the latest envy-inducing pair.

Wolverine is no stranger to boozy partnerships, having teamed up with Dragon’s Milk on a beer-inspired set of durable 1000 Mile Boots back in 2021. The new Wolverine x Old Rip Van Winkle Boots (set to retail for $424.95 online while supplies last) draw their deep color from the ” rich caramel and wood notes of Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year,” while the tongue is adorned with a hand-numbered Old Rip Van Winkle woven label.

Better still is the fact that the first 100 buyers of the fast-selling boots will receive a special-edition duo of Wolverine x Old Rip Van Winkle coasters featuring bourbon barrel wood. And in a further nod to what Wolverine calls “timeless American craftsmanship,” a portion of proceeds will benefit student-focused workforce development organization SkillsUSA.

Between a fresh silhouette, handsome leather sure to get better with age, and a natural pairing between rich bourbon and finely crafted leather boots, the latest from Wolverine and Old Rip Van Winkle is (nearly) as covetable as Pappy whiskey itself.

The new all-electric Lotus Theory 1 joins the new “Lotus Theory” design manifesto that now rests (or rather, speeds) alongside super-SUVs like the Lotus Emeya in rather impressive fashion. The 986-horsepower, All-Wheel-Drive powertrain vehicle carries on the company’s distinctive wedge-shaped silhouette, but with a few more bells and whistles (suffice to say).

The Lotus Theory 1 concept electric vehicle looks not unlike something favored by Bruce Wayne, but the difference truly resides in the details, including the use of recycled in the build of the handsome automobile.

With a top speed of 199 MPH, the Theory 1 concept boasts even more pick-up than its already powerful predecessors like the Emeya — that SUV, for instance, hits 62 mph in under 2.8 seconds, while the Theory 1 concept reaches that speed in under 2.5 seconds, the automaker notes.

Although what’s underneath the hood is impressive enough (not to mention its 70 kWh EV battery system), the interior is just as striking in form and function. The auto manufacturer developed the LOTUSWEAR system for a customized interior experience, built around inflatable pods (housed within the seating system) that provide haptic feedback and road indicators to the driver in real-time.

Even the door system takes a proprietary design approach, and the overall effect is not unlike sitting in an ultra-sleek, road-ready race car (at least, if an early look is to be believed). It’s a fitting system given the Lotus legacy of Formula 1 performance, with a lineup that also includes the imposing  Evija, a rather insane vehicle known as the world’s most powerful street-legal car.

KEF audio rounds out the sleek, stylish interior with high-quality sound, and the automobile is further rounded out with a 360-degree autonomous driving system. And yet, given the envy-inducing power within the stunning new EV concept, it’s a safe bet drivers will want full control over the groundbreaking new vehicle concept — details are mum as to public availability of the latest and greatest from Lotus, but it’s a wish list-worthy ride all the same.

Twice a year Florence, Italy plays host to Pitti Immagine Uomo, aka Pitti Uomo, the world’s top menswear trade fair, which has captured the public’s fascination in recent years thanks to the at-times over-the-top, frequently provocative, and often eye-catching custom-tailored clothing worn by its attendees. Once solely an industry insider event, it now attracts scores of menswear influencers and other personalities who come to see and be seen, and, hopefully, have their photos taken.

“Pitti” has come to be a byword for dandyism, and its favored locale has become the Sina Villa Medici hotel, home to the famed Harry’s Bar Garden, the site of various wine-fueled dinners and soirées during the event. Its place amongst the menswear cognoscenti was cemented in 2021 when Fernando Pane, himself a noted dandy, joined the property, now part of the Autograph Collection, as General Manager.

Of course the hotel’s history dates back well before Pitti Uomo was established in the 1970s. Its namesake is the legendary Medici family, native to Florence, who influenced the art and architecture of all of Europe in the 16^th century. The early 19^th century former private palazzo, with its original buildings dating to 1760, is designed in the Mannerist style, falling between the Renaissance and Baroque.

It was a style that was neither too ornate nor too classical, based upon “elusive complexity, shadows and light and unabashed sophistication and elegance,” with a luscious garden for ladies and gentlemen to take their leisure either strolling or sipping libations. A short walk from the center of Florence and the famed Ponte Vecchio, Sina Villa Medici occupies a privileged position in the city known as “The Cradle of the Renaissance.” Some hotels that are right in the city center can feel cramped or crowded, but Sina Villa Medici offers easy access to everything with a spacious layout and private garden.

Sina Villa Medici more than lives up to the pedigree of a city built upon its old world heritage, architecture, cuisine, and masterpieces of fine art. Of Rome, Milan, Palermo, and Naples, Florence stands alone. Just minutes from the hotel is the fabled Duomo cathedral with its terracotta dome defining the skyline. In Florence art lovers can see both Michelangelo’s “David” and Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus” among other masterpieces.

The Sina Villa Medici makes guests feel as if they have stepped back into a more refined and romantic time the moment they enter its grand lobby. Located between the lobby and the pool and garden is Harry’s Bar Garden, which extends into a solarium as well as snaking around the pool. The remaining outpost of the Florentine original Harry’s Bar which opened in the 1950s, it is popular with locals as well as fashion week swells.

All of the hotel’s 100 rooms and suites are sunlit by oversized windows, with elaborately ornate motifs mixing with an almost Mid-Century minimalism, all distinct in design, with marble baths. The most coveted rooms overlook the garden and have private balconies. The 1,000-square-foot-and-up top-class suites take opulence to another level of saturated glamour; one even has it’s own hot tub on the terrace.

Harry’s Bar is a stylish enclave for a Negroni, Aperol Spritz, or a classic Bellini. Try the Garibaldi with Campari and orange juice, a suitable concoction during the earlier hours, we feel. Its signature coral-colored tablecloths are like the silk pocket square peeking out of the breast pocket of its dandified clientele’s bespoke jackets.

The finest tables have a view of the pool, and the food in both its restaurant and bistro is some of the best in Florence. The antipasti include smoked salmon, beef carpaccio, and prosciutto and melon, as fresh as can be. Favorite starters in summer include the vichyssoise, basilico tomato cream soup, tagliarini pasta gratinati alla Harry’s, and green fettuccine with ragout, among others.

Entrees lean toward traditional Italian cuisine with meat and seafood selections, such as curried prawns with mango chutney, a veal done two ways, either Milanese style, or in a tuna-caper sauce. Harry’s steak tartare is a given, not to mention their signature club sandwich and the hamburger made of Robespierre grilled beef with a green pepper sauce.  Try the Gran Marnier-infused flambéed crepes to finish.

By the pool there is also a stellar wellness spa and Turkish bath, notable for its intricate floor-to-ceiling mosaic tiles. It includes a full fitness gym too. The hotel also offers cookery classes and vineyard tours in the countryside and a shuttle if needed to the center of the city and its retail and restaurants. The hotel’s concierges can advise guests on how to “skip the line” to see David or the Duomo’s most intimate chambers. You can also take a day trip to nearby Pisa, Siena or Chianti.

Sina Villa Medici is part of the prestigious Sina Hotels group, and is aligned with the Autograph Collection of hotels under the Marriott Bonvoy umbrella. The Sina brand was founded 63 years ago by Count Ernesto Bocca and now includes unforgettable five-star properties such as the Baroque-style Bernini Bristol in Rome, the Sina Brufani in Perugia, the Maria Luigia in Parma, the Sina Flora in Capri, the Sina Astor in Viareggio, and two spellbinding hotels in Milan, The Gray and Sina de la Ville. 

Luxury audio brand Bowers & Wilkins has introduced two new premium finishes for its signature over-ear headphones, the Px7 S2e and Px8. The new Px7 S2e Ruby Red features a deep red color, while the more luxurious Px8 Dark Forest hue is finished in a rich, dark green Nappa leather.

The two new colorways further reinforce the renowned British brand’s elevated approach to design, which aims to ensure that its premium audio products look as good as they sound. The brand has been on quite a roll lately, from collaborating with exotic carmaker McLaren on a blimp-shaped wireless speaker to launching luxury floor speakers and naming soccer superstar David Beckham as a face of the audio brand.

The new Px7 S2e Ruby Red and Px8 Dark Forest are available now for $429 and $699 respectively at bowerswilkins.com and selected retailers. Check out a sneak peek at the new colors above.

It seems that across the decades, Omega watches are often at home in unconventional places, so to speak: On the wrist of James Bond, at the 2024 Paris Olympics or traversing the galaxy as with the famed Speedmaster Moonwatch. The high seas also have their place in the pantheon of functional Omega timepieces, as the new Omega Seamaster proves handily in celebrating the 37th America’s Cup.

The Omega Seamaster Regatta boasts all the bells and whistles needed to traverse the ocean blue, starting with a durable and highly legible 46.75 mm case. As Omega notes of its role as the official timekeeper of the famed sailing race, the watch “is fully equipped for life at sea,” and then some.

As the Swiss watchmaker notes, “countless” Omega timepieces and official releases celebrating the America’s Cup have graced the wrists of sailors across the globe. The latest edition of the Seamaster Regatta, similarly, was “designed specifically to meet the challenges of high-speed boat racing,” from the moonphase indicator to the Grade 5 titanium case.

A temperature gauge complements more traditional watch features like chronograph functionality, while three alarms and a regatta race function ensure swift sailing no matter what (on wrist and in theory if not in practice on choppy ocean seas).

The roughly $7,600 limited-edition watch meets a high bar to clear for timekeeping in a race where every second counts, said Omega CEO Raynald Aeschlimann. ““Our new Seamaster Regatta belongs to the same family of watches as the Speedmaster X33,” he said, noting that the timepiece is “essentially a multifunctional tool that you can wear on your wrist,” further calling the covetable new release the “perfect timepiece for sailors.”

Four pushers help operate the watch, while a clear LED display helps drive its multitude of functionalities. Its engraved wave pattern caseback, a nod to the 37th America’s Cup, even holds secrets within its depths, so to speak: The resonating cavity was designed “to help increase the volume of the alarms” for multiple functionalities, while the company’s CALIBRE 5701 movement further cements its utility. A blue rubber strap rounds out its land-and-sea versatility, ensuring that this is a watch befitting any style-savvy sailor.