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Sparkling beauty Write way to go PACESETTERs: ANURadha & Dhimant
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Sparkling beauty Studs, rings, danglers and other luxe on the body are no longer confined to punks and cults. These are fast becoming a full-blown fashion trend Guess what’s the latest fad among trendy young people? They are all wearing their attitude on their eyelashes, tongues, navels and even on the unmentionable parts of their bodies. And this is not just designer threads. This is about body jewellery, the newest obsession among the high street fashionistas. From trinkets to studs and from rings to danglers, luxe on the body is fast gaining popularity and people are spending big money for medical procedures to get their lips, tongues and navels pierced. “It’s all about passion. Once you enter world of the body jewellery you are bound to be mesmerised by it,” says Nisha John, a 22-year-old final year student of English honours in Delhi who sports a subtle navel ring and has three ear piercings that have blingy trinkets.
Belly rings
& chains Stars like Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera, Paris Hilton and other mainline actors and singers are known to flaunt an extensive collection of jewels from head to toe even on red carpet events. Their belly-rings are at times were even more pronounced thanks to an accompanying chains. Cost: Between
Rs 150 and Rs 1,650 a pair ($30)
In India, ear and nose piercing has always been a traditional practice. The young brigade has given it a modern twist with piercing of various body parts. After eyebrows, lip, and tongue, navel piercing is gaining popularity. Bollywood girls from Sherlyn Chopra, Rakhi Sawant to Lara Dutta have made this trend even more attractive. One of the most popular body jewels is the navel ring or the curved barbell. These can either be stuck with adhesives or done permanently by piercing. Though authentic belly-button rings require a piercing job these add an air of excitement and mystery. Navel rings look good with short or navel revealing tops. However, a word of caution — belly rings look good only on flat and taut stomachs.
Studs, trinkets & sparklers There has been sudden synergy in jewellery designer Parul Sahni’s business ever since she started designing body jewels. “Last year, while visiting my sister in the US, I noticed a niche jewellery business that was booming. And it wasn’t about necklaces, pendants and rings. It was about bling on the eyebrows, metal studs on the tongues, trinkets hanging from lips, rings attached to navels, Swarovski crystals studded into teeth and even sparklers for parts of the body covered by clothing.” On her return, Parul began experimenting with body jewellery. In one year, she says, “The word-of-mouth publicity has resulted in amazing sales and I have been approached by several Indian and international online jewellery retailers to let them sell my jewellery on their sites.” Though most Indian jewellers still toe the conventional line, internationally jewels for different parts of the body have gone mainstream. Body jewels are no longer just associated with punks, cults, gangs, bohemians and those with ‘bad boy’ and ‘bad girl’ images. Today, in many western countries body piercing and body jewellery is bigger than even traditional ornaments. The industry has grown from being a ‘frowned-upon’ lifestyle into a full-blown fashion trend.
Dental jewellery Tooth jewels, too, are the new runway look made famous by American rapper Kayne West. Though he has diamonds stuck on his teeth, usually Swarovski is the preferred crystal for a dental job. The good news is that most tooth jewellery requires no drilling. It is completely painless, will not harm the tooth and can be easily removed.
Body
canvas Many young people treat the human body as a canvas for self expression. But it’s not just college kids and the 18+ crowd that is sporting these trinkets. In the west even the thirty-somethings are expressing themselves with body jewellery. According to fashion experts the buyer profile is changing from 18 to 24 to the 18 to 40. A leading New York designer Bliss Lau has brought out a collection of edgy but chic body jewellery comprising bodychains that are worn directly on the skin, studs in shape of skulls, bullets and crosses. Body jewels come in a variety of shapes, designs and materials. From the high end diamond and Swarovski rings to the coloured glass, stone and plastic danglers these jewels are available in patterns of flowers, butterflies and stars to the startling ones shaped like scorpions, snakes and lizards. Some can be stuck on with adhesives while others need surgery and painful piercing. However, for the lovers of body bling the thrill of getting that ‘cute’ skull hanging from the lip or the ring stuck to their navel works like anaesthesia. And reactions seldom bother those who adorn their body parts with jewels. It is about a personal statement which necessarily needs to be flaunted.
Single-point piercing However, it is not little, but a good amount of pain that follows body piercing. According to a research report by Mayo Clinic, any type of piercing poses a risk of infection and other complications. Specific risks include allergic reactions, oral complications, skin infections and even trauma. But young people turn a blind eye to the risks and go through the rigours of microdermal piercing. Lip jewels are being touted as the next big thing in the fashion world. These are popping up at catwalks and high-end advertising campaigns and even designer brands like Louis Vuitton are using them. Lips studs and barbells are the next big thing in the west. These can be stuck on with adhesives or medically drilled with labret piercing on the upper or lower lip depending upon one’s personal preference. Cost: Start from
Rs 450 per stud ($8) Cost of lip piercing: Rs 2,500 ($45)
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Write way to go The global demand for writing instruments has not dimmed. Limited edition luxury pens are emerging as the new lifestyle statement
When he invented the capillary feed fountain pen 130 years ago, American engineer Lewis Waterman could not have imagined in his wildest dreams that the writing instrument would become one of the most important inventions after the wheel. Waterman quickly capitalised on the enthusiastic public response by setting up production units in Canada and Europe. By the time he died in 1901, he was selling more than 3,50,000 pens annually. Through most of the 20th century, the fountain pen market saw an unprecedented boom and its offshoot, the ball points or roller pens invented in 1939 were selling faster than the proverbial hot cakes and have now outstripped the demand for fountain pens. Even today despite the fact that most of the writing and documentation has been taken over by computers, and even as offices and homes are moving to a paperless environment, the global demand for writing instruments has not dimmed. The world market for pens has already breached the $18 billion mark and is expected to touch $22.5 billion by 2015 growing at an impressive 10 per cent annually.
Galloping growth
In India, at a rough estimate, the annual industry sales amount to nearly Rs 1,700 crore and are growing at 18 per cent per annum. The increase in the rate of literacy has had a direct bearing on the galloping growth of the pen industry. The writing instruments’ industry can be broadly subdivided into three categories — fountain pens which account for around five per cent of the total sales and ball points that have the lion’s share at 75 per cent sales and the rest 20 per cent are accounted by special instruments for calligraphy, for architects and other technical uses. The ball pens gained in popularity ever since the government granted permission to use them while signing cheques and official documents. Though the premium range can cost anything between Rs 150 and Rs 800, the maximum sales are notched up in the Rs 5 to Rs 10 category. With so much focus on ball point pens, have the sales for the fountain pens shifted to the backburner? Not really. Interestingly, the age-old fountain pen has staged a strong comeback, especially at the top end of the market. The latest trends reveal that expensive fountain pens have grown in popularity both in the West and in the Indian metros.
Pen friend
One of the secrets of the industry’s success is that a writing instrument can be had for as little as a few rupees and as high as a crore of rupees or more. Interestingly, the demand is growing among the high rollers for bespoke writing instruments that are seen more as a status symbol than as functional writing instruments. These expensive luxury pens include premium ink cartridges and intricate nibs that provide a smoother flow of ink to paper. The size, shape and weight of luxury pens also facilitate an ergonomic and comfortable writing experience. The shape and flourish of these pens reflect class and style. Flaunting opulent pens made by companies like Montblanc, Montegrappa, Tibaldi, Omas, Visconti and others is considered a sign of class. Some moneybags treat pens as jewellery. Thus, you have pens made of gold, silver, platinum and studded with diamonds, rubies and other precious gems. But these high net worth Indians are not just satisfied with big brands engraved with diamonds and other rocks. They go a step further and display pens which are sometimes so exclusive that their manufacturing number may not even cross a hundred. Limited Edition are two magic words that get their adrenalin gushing.
Premium choice
William Penn, the global multi-brand retailer of fine writing instruments which now has many outlets in India, stocks luxury pens from some of the world’s leading companies like Caran d’Ache, Montevedre, Cerruti, Montblanc and a host of others whose pens can range from Rs 25,000 to the exclusive Limited Editions ones that can cost Rs 1 crore and upwards. Apart from the uber rich Indians who are fascinated by these pens, some of which could pass off as objects d’art, these are also used as extravagant gifting options. The high-end corporate and individual gifting accounts for 40 per cent of the total sale of premium brands. These pens are in demand throughout the year as these are not occasion-driven but can be gifted anytime. That is why their sales are estimated to grow by a robust 20 per cent annually. And it is figures like these which are bringing a glint in the eye of leading brands of global writing instruments and bringing them to India.
The Divine Collection Swiss luxury writing instruments' brand Caran d' Ache has struck gold by introducing limited edition pens based on Hindu divinities which have been snapped up by Indian connoisseurs and collectors. These include: The Shiva Pen: The silver pen evokes the mystery and symbolism associated with Lord Shiva. The nib of the pen is rhodium-coated and the crown is carved with a semi precious stone that is intense blue in colour like Shiva's skin. Price: Rs 6.75 lakh ($12,250). The Ganesha Pen: It pays a tribute to the elephant-headed Indian deity. Gold and silver adorn the sculpted body of Lord Ganesha, with a large ruby on the end cap. A limited edition of 101 pieces makes this pen a precious object d'art. Price: Rs 6.35 lakh ($11,500) The Balaji Pen: In a limited edition of 108 - representing the 108 different names of Lord Balaji — the pen's body is made of black mat lacquer and it has a rhodium nib. The pen carries Balaji's image on the external cage and also sculpted on the clip. Price: Rs 4.45 lakh ($8,100) The Buddha Pen: Limited to 108 pieces, the pen is decorated with faces of Lord Buddha. The handcrafted pen is made of silver with an 18k gold nib highlighted with rhodium. The gently rounded figure of Buddha has the symbols of his power. Price: Rs 6.85 lakh ($12,500)
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PACESETTERs: ANURadha & Dhimant The Better India website tracks inspiring stories from different corners of the country. This helps to showcase little-known positive initiatives about India
In a world full of strife, it is generally the negative news that hogs the limelight and precious media space, leaving only crumbs of media attention for positive stories. Countering this trend and showcasing lesser-known, inspirational stories from India is a mission that two enterprising ISB alumni have set their hearts on. Armed with the belief that positivity begets positivity, the husband-wife team of Anuradha Kedia and Dhimant Parekh visualised ‘The Better India’, a website that highlights positive news stories that generally lose out in the race to page 1 or top headlines in print and broadcast media. “Media does a great job at highlighting things that are not functioning well in our country or the systems that have failed, but at ‘The Better India,’ our endeavour is to show that parts of the system can work – an abandoned poor girl can become the MLA of her province; little children, share their birthday gifts with those who cannot afford such luxuries; waste paper can be transformed into educational material”, says Dhimant. These ISB graduates, driven to do something different, have a network of freelance writers who track life-changing stories from different corners of the country. “A lot of good work being done by individuals and organisations remains unsung, so we felt the need to offer a platform to the little-known positive initiatives to present a better image of our country,” says Anuradha, the main force behind this venture. A civil engineer, she left a cushy job to give her 100 per cent to their dream venture. “Whenever we get information about any such initiative, our team of writers follows the lead and does the story that is presented to a larger audience. Better India is provides a global platform to those who are doing good work”, she explains. The purpose of their venture was to create awareness about lesser-known positive initiatives. “We have had a tremendous response to these inspiring stories”, adds Anuradha, while recounting how a school in Odisha that needed solar lamps got immediate help and 200 lights were arranged within a day, after the news featured on the website. “It gives tremendous satisfaction to make even a small difference”, she adds. The main challenge faced by them initially was to get these stories. As more people become aware of Better India, our responsibility has increased manifold”, chips in Dhimant. With low profit margins and courage of conviction this venture has taken both Anuradha and Dhimant on the path to success. The duo gives credit to their alma mater for this. Dhimant feels it was their experience at ISB that gave them the courage to think out-of-the-box and to make the ideas work and run an independent venture. They kept the profit margins very low and break even. “Three years down the line, we have no dearth of stories. People know about this platform and approach us to highlight their work and we are actually making a difference which I am happy about”, says Dhimant.
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ULTIMATE LUXURY ON WHEELS It’s unique and strikes a sublime harmony between a luxury and an object d'art. The iconic Aston Martin celebrated its centenary in style recently by racing its new concept car CC100 at the Nürburgring race track in Germany. Needless to say, it left connoisseurs breathless as they watched this spiritual successor of the 1959 Aston Martin DBR1 roar on the track. Fitted with the Aston Martin's signature 6.0-litre V12 it has a 565 hp engine, a six-speed sequential transmission to propel the speedster to 100 kmph in just over four seconds. With a top speed of 300 kmph, it will have all the qualities of a pedigreed winner when it is introduced in 2014. Price: Yet to be announced ADDING TO THE CANNES BLING
Price: Ranging between Rs 6,875 and Rs 31,625 (Bewteen $125 and $575) TABLET FOR A CHEF
Price: Rs 11,550 ($210) SAY CHEERS TO THIS SCREWDRIVER
Price: Rs 3,300 ($60) VINTAGE CHEERS
Price: Rs 3,100 for 10-year-old & Rs 8,600 for a limited edition (£36 & £100) A GOLDEN CHECK-IN
Price: Rs 5.61 lakh ($10,200) ONE-TOUCH MUSIC SOURCE
Price: Rs 22,000 ($400) GUNNING FOR YOUR DRAWING ROOM
Price: Ranging from Rs 2,999 to Rs 28,999 A LEGEND RE-INVENTED
Price: Rs 3.74 lakh ($6,800) COFFEE WITH CHRISTIE’S
Expected to fetch Rs 37.4 crore ($6.8 million) SCENT OF A WOMAN
Price: Rs 11,200 (£130)
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Guess what’s the latest fad among trendy young people? They are all wearing their attitude on their eyelashes, tongues, navels and even on the unmentionable parts of their bodies. And this is not just designer threads. This is about body jewellery, the newest obsession among the high street fashionistas. From trinkets to studs and from rings to danglers, luxe on the body is fast gaining popularity and people are spending big money for medical procedures to get their lips, tongues and navels pierced. “It’s all about passion. Once you enter world of the body jewellery you are bound to be mesmerised by it,” says Nisha John, a 22-year-old final year student of English honours in Delhi who sports a subtle navel ring and has three ear piercings that have blingy trinkets.
Tongue studs are flat ornaments in different shapes and materials that sit comfortably against the roof of the mouth. Their special shapes allow a variety of accessories
to be used. Cost: start from Rs 250 ($4.5)
tongue piercing: Rs 2,500 ($45)
Eyelash jewellery is not about fancy faux lashes that can be glued to the lids. It is made by hand-weaving tiny glass beads onto ultra thin wire. This creates a flexible band that can be stuck with an adhesive. Of late eyelash jewellery is getting popular in India as well. Stick-on glass beads and other eyelash accessories are being offered by beauty salons and nail art studios in most big cities. 
Tooth jewels, usually manufactured by dental professionals, can be made of diamonds or Swarovski crystals or can be
stick-ons of any shape. These are small in diameter (only 2mm) and dental procedures are avoided.
Cost: Rs 2,200 onwards ($40)
Stylish young people are no longer scared of single-point piercing or even multiple body piercing, even as the industry grows into a full-fledged fashion trend today. “What’s a little pain if it makes me look great?” is the common refrain. 
When it was first introduced in 2001, it went straight into the Guinness Book of World Records as the most expensive pens ever made. Though there may be more valuable pens now but the appeal of the La Modernista Diamonds Pen has not dimmed nor has the sheen of the 5,072 diamonds and 96 rubies encrusted on it.
Price: Rs 14.575 crore
This is a limited edition luxury writing masterpiece that is dedicated to the Sacred Order of St. George.
Italian pen maker Aurora known for its luxury writing instruments has outdone itself with the Aurora Diamante pen, which is encrusted with 2,000 diamonds. It is so valuable that the company allows sale of one pen a year despite the demand from some of the richest people in the world.
Swiss fine art products and pen manufacturer Caran d'Ache has created a limited edition fountain pen that is encrusted with 850 diamonds. The cap of the pen also has 26 lines that are studded with 22 baguette-cut diamonds. The body of the stunning pen is made from white gold.
Visconti Ripple
Guess who was the star attraction at the recently concluded 66th. Cannes Film Festival? Joining the glittering movie names was Swarovski which made its 14th. consecutive debut at Cannes by unveiling its exquisitely studded Nirvana line of jewellery and accessories. The package included a Nirvana clutch bag, a ring, a baby necklace and a glamorous pair of Carrie Sunglasses. The package was offered exclusively to select celebrities like Penelope Cruz, Sharon Stone and Eva Longoria. You too can feel like a star by possessing these blingy pieces available at Swarovski’s online stores.
We all know that there’s a lot cooking in the world of Tablets. But what many of us may not know is that there is a new Tablet dedicated just to cooking and the kitchen. French company Archos has unveiled its new ChefPad, a 9.7-inch Android tablet designed to act as a cooking assistant, with an easy-to-clean protective case and kitchen-centric apps including recipes, drinks, shopping, dieting, cooking and chatting. With 2-megapixel cameras mounted front and back, users can also video chat while they cook their meals.
This is a dream device for guys. It not just tightens the screws on furniture it can do a wide range of everyday tasks around the home. Best of all, the Bosch IXO Vino comes with an exclusive corkscrew attachment that can open a bottle of wine in a jiffy. It has an integrated LED light so you don't miss the bottle when operating in a dark area. So, once you are done with all the hard work with the cordless screwdriver, you know what to do. Plug on the corkscrew and open a bottle of the bubbly. Cheers!
It is not every day that a “silent still” comes to life and starts producing fine whiskey all over again. Back in 1897, Tamdhu was one of the first distilleries in Scotland's famous Speyside region. However, it had a chequered history and was finally bought by Ian MacLeod Distillers known for producing the Glengoyne Single Malt. Much to the delight of whisky connoisseurs, MacLeod has un-mothballed the distillery and got its stills working again. It has released its first batch of the Tamdhu 10-year-old Speyside Single Malt and a limited-edition Tamdhu distilled with water drawn from the Tamdhu spring. So join in the celebrations and get a taste of the 116- year-old Single Malt.
There is no denying the fact that Apple’s new iPad is worth its value in gold. But Dubai’s Al Burj, one of the world’s most luxurious hotels, has taken the analogy to another level, quite literally. It is offering exclusive 24-carat gold iPads to its guests. Custom created for the hotel by British brand Gold & Co. each iPad comes emblazoned with the hotel logo on the rear. These gold-minted tablets serve as a virtual concierge, allowing guests to access pertinent hotel information and schedule spa appointments, order room service and more. Of course, guests who are tempted to carry the iPad back with them can purchase it from the hotel at a 1,275 per cent mark-up on the most expensive iPad that Apple produces.
In today’s digital world, you can get your supply of music from diverse sources like YouTube, Songza, Pandora and others. Sometimes it becomes a job collecting your favourite songs from all these places and collating them in one device. The new Olive One will solve this problem. The Bluetooth-fitted device, which is actually a HD music player, will simultaneously stream music from several different services and sources. It comes with a 7-inch touchscreen to choose your music source. It includes an iOS, Android and Windows-8 apps and your handset works as a remote control, letting you stream your music and jive with it as well.
It is back to the Wild West as Collectors Heritage, a virtual marketplace for antiques and collectibles, introduces Replica Guns manufactured by Spanish company Denix S.A. True to the original weapons, these guns are made with precision and are a treat for collectors, connoisseurs, and weapon lovers. The collection comprises non-firing guns from different eras of time, ranging from Flintlocks and pistols to assault rifles and machine guns. These guns detailed with original finishing are made from aluminium alloys and are guaranteed to make great conversation pieces in your drawing room.
The Hasselblad Lunar series cameras are a throwback to the 500C camera that the Swedish company sent into space back in the 1962 Apollo mission to capture some of the most iconic moon shots ever taken. The new Lunar collection comprises five models and though the functionality and specification of each model is identical they all have their own form and style. You can choose from black leather and titanium to olive wood and titanium, carbon fibre and titanium, brown Tuscany leather and titanium and mahogany wood and copper. With 24.3 MP resolution, CMOS Image Detector, 1/4000th of a second image capturing time and USB 2.0 data transfer these cameras not just click with their looks but with their performance as well.
Hardcore coffee aficionados will go to any length to have their cuppa. But that they will cough up a few millions for the cup that cheers is highly unlikely. True? No. The surprising answer is that some hardcore coffee fan is just about to do that. International auction house Christie’s is putting a rare Rococo coffee pot under the hammer. Crafted in 1783, for a wealthy British businessman, the 960 gm fluted pot with three crafted legs is a little over 10 inches in height and has cherub figures holding branches of foliage and shells as well as a lion’s mask. So, if you too are passionate about your coffee being served in style, bid for this exquisite silver pot.
Be the life of a gathering with Gucci Flora 1966. It may not be the world’s most expensive perfume but it certainly has the classiest appeal. The Italian luxury brand has revitalised its Flora fragrance line with the addition of this perfume. The design — and name — have been inspired by the iconic Flora silk scarf Gucci created for Princess Grace Kelly in 1966. The limited edition fragrance is cased in a black silk pouch dotted with a bouquet of peonies and green leaves, while the bottle is simple and sleek in black. A Gucci source appropriately describes it as a fragrance “whose silken texture will make every woman feel like a modern-day icon.”