From the world’s rarest perfume to a rare, first-edition copy of a beloved classic book, we bring you the most desirable luxury collectables and high-end fashion items, that are worth the extra spend.
Spend it on the World’s Rarest Perfume
Husband-and-wife hoteliers Thomas and Dagmar Smit launched perfume collection Elegantes London in 2012. Together with master ‘nose’ Julien Rasquinet, they scoured the world for the finest ingredients to create a perfume of impeccable quality. Not just an incredibly rare and deliberately prepared scent, the perfume is poured into a distinctive glass bottle, hand-blown by an historic glass factory in Normandy and crafted from a unique four-piece mould. The Black Opera crystal bottle is the most expensive, owing to its painstaking creation process that takes 30 days to complete using an ancient method of heating crystal to 2,200 degrees centigrade.
The Great Gatsby
This first edition, first printing copy of The Great Gatsby bears a unique inscription, making the book almost invaluable to bibliophiles. “For Harold Goldman, The original ‘Gatsby’ of this story, with thanks for letting me reveal these secrets of his past. Alcatraz, Cell Block 17 (I’ll be out soon, kid. Remember me to the mob. Fitzgerald).” Harold Goldman was a screenwriter at MGM in the 1930s who worked with Fitzgerald on A Yank at Oxford (1938). Keen readers know that Jay Gatsby, of course, was another “Yank at Oxford”, famously claiming to Nick Carraway that “all my ancestors have been educated there.” This connection between storytellers, penned in Fitzgerald’s handwriting at the beginning of the book makes the copy extremely rare and is tempting spend for fans of classic American literature.
Worldly Pen
Inspired by the fascinating intricacy of Islamic art and design, this exclusive writing instrument by award-winning British artisan Jack Row echoes the intricate filigree found in ‘Jaali’ latticed screens featuring prominently in Mughal Indian architecture. Exquisitely crafted using time-honoured craft skills and cutting edge technology, each limited-edition pen is individually made to order in Great Britain from solid precious metals and comes studded with sparkling ‘brilliant cut’ petrol-blue diamonds.
Regal Purse
Certain to turn heads, Aspinal of London’s Mini Trunk Clutch is striking and sophisticated. It is hand-crafted from smooth peony Italian calf leather and features an exquisite pink beaded grosgrain front panel with intricate gold silk stitching. It has a distinctively boxy silhouette, gold brass-trimmed corners and a signature shield lock. The interior is lined in shimmering grosgrain and provides space to store your small wallet, phone and other small essentials in the main compartment. To make it extra-special, you can have spend on getting it personalised with up to four initials or eight characters along the cross-body strap.
Hop in this Hypercar
Aston Martin’s new £2.5m Valkyrie hypercar, developed with Red Bull Racing and Cosworth, delivers a massive 1160bhp total power output at a heady 10,500rpm from a naturally aspirated 6.5l V12 engine. Limited to 150 road cars and built by F1’s biggest brain from the finest unobtanium, the Valkyrie is for those who want to go fast in maximum style.
Luxurious Carpet
Nothing says “luxury” quite like a Persian carpet, and this one— sold through Italian retailer Tappeto—is one of the finest you can find. The Kashan Kork carpet is an antique, hand-knotted rug that has been lovingly restored to its original glory by carpet experts.
For The Explorers
This wheeled suitcase from Pickett London is the piece you’re going to want to spend both your expenses and time on, for your next trip away or abroad. Handmade using luxuriously soft, gently-grained leather in two timeless colours with contrast stitching, the spacious bag is a classic structured suitcase with an easy-to-use pull-out handle. It is carry-on size, but has ample capacity for carrying plenty of baggage, with the addition of two generous and secure zipped pockets, making it perfect for a long weekend or business trip away.
This feature was originally published in the spring edition of Arts and Collections, which you can also read here.
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