The best gifts have meaning. And when they also happen to involve diamonds, they’re even better.
Case in point: jewelry featuring clustered diamonds by Harry Winston. The origin story of this iconic style begins on a chilly December night in the 1940s, when the legendary jeweler spotted snow glimmering on a wreath. Right there, at the front door of his estate, he had an epiphany. Just as the wreath spotlighted the beauty of the holly leaves, not the branches, diamond jewelry should emphasize the gemstones, not the settings.
Winston promptly approached his head designer, Nevdon Koumroyan, with this novel idea—and the Winston Cluster, an enduring classic, was born. The clustering technique groups different cuts of diamonds set at varying angles to create a three-dimensional piece that feels more like poetry than prose, more organic than geometric.
The composition would ultimately come to define the Harry Winston look. Today, the Winston Cluster continues to be a sought-after design, appearing on the necks, ears, wrists, and fingers of the world’s most discriminating tastemakers.
This season, consider dazzling that special person in your life with a cluster piece from Harry Winston—and tell them the truth: It was inspired by the spirit of the season.
Mention the word bespoke and it may conjure an old-fashioned image of Savile Row’s tailoring ateliers and elegant affairs with formal dress codes. (See our list of the best bespoke tailors in the world here.) Today, though, many brands are adopting a host of custom approaches to help broaden and deepen the calibre of their au courant offerings—see, for example, Frette’s bespoke service to produce customized one-offs among its linens collection or Gabriela Hearst’s just-launched Tailored Bespoke program, where clients can personalize a dozen different men’s and women’s designs.
In fact, you can upgrade an array of everyday items this way, opting to partner with an artisan to develop, design, and produce something that’s uniquely personalized. We’ve scoured the world for the best in class among those ateliers, to offer the ultimate bespoke gift guide.
Espresso Machine
A trained furniture maker, Daniel Schonknecht decided to deploy his design skills 10 years ago to launch Melbourne-based Specht, which produces limited-edition and one-off espresso machines. Now, among a certain cabal of coffee obsessives, he is renowned worldwide—70 percent of his business is international. One client shipped him a hunk of marble from the Netherlands so he could use it in a custom machine that would match a kitchen renovation. Typically, he and his team start with a standard, high-end machine from La Marzocco as a base. “They’re so adaptable; they have an effortless style,” he raves. From there, Specht will produce and add bespoke details, like the paddle of the brew heater or the steam knobs, as well as electroplate metal elements in a custom finish, a process that usually takes around six months. He’s hoping to soon establish his own metal shop where he can start from scratch, even building custom bodies for machines. “These are no different [from] sports cars,” he says. “It’s the same kind of obsession.
Knife
Tom Kerridge. Jamie Oliver. Margot Henderson. They’re all chefs at the cutting edge of cooking thanks to military veteran turned knifemaker Laurie Timpson, the owner of Savernake. Timpson’s signature concave blade knives are made to order in a former sawmill in England’s New Forest, where he lives off-grid with his family.
Tiles
If you fancy a subversively witty design detail, consider a custom Delft tile from Connecticut-based artist Katherine Verdickt, who stumbled into this niche after buying and renovating a Dutch Colonial home. At first glance, her blue-and-white designs seem like any classic Dutch-made tile, but look closer and you’ll find, for example, a pigeon or trash bags depicted in the examples she made for a New York City-centric project.
Home Fragrance
After a Hollywood A-lister relocated to London, perfumer Azzi Glasser helped him feel more at home, suffusing his new, four-floor residence in Britain with the same custom scent that wafts through his house back in America. Known for her perfumes—she has crafted fragrances for Jude Law and Helena Bonham Carter to help them embody characters on-screen—Glasser carved out an additional niche in home fragrance, helping country-hopping clients make their homes smell both distinctive and instantly familiar, wherever they might be. Come to her atelier to do the same, or she’ll happily fly out to work on location.
Coat of Arms
The best gift for any Game of Thrones or Harry Potter fanatic? A custom insignia, courtesy of Downey & Co. The London-based specialist printer will task its designers with personalizing that insignia with meaningful details, whether dogs or circuit boards—or even a rocket, as commissioned by Jeff Bezos. Once the artwork and engraving tools are produced, you can stamp that crest on anything, from stationery to the hood of your car.
Guitar
If you’re keen to score a handmade, custom guitar from London-based luthier Daisy Tempest, join the waiting list now: she can produce around eight such instruments annually, as every guitar requires between 300 and 400 hours of work, which means she’s already booked for the next six years. Her signature is exceptional materials, whether Honduran mahogany or striped Tasmanian tiger myrtle, and each guitar comes with its own storybook, filled with photos she takes as she builds it piece by piece.
Ornament
Handmade, mouth-blown glass Christmas ornaments have been a Polish tradition for centuries, so it’s fitting that designer Michael Peterson named his company Bombki, or “ornaments” in Polish. The London-based firm is acclaimed for its intricate and witty designs, each of which is clay-prototyped before being put into production, be it a miniature London taxi or a set of portraits of the wives of Henry VIII. Peterson and his wife, Zaneta, also accept bespoke commissions for such baubles and will apply their whimsical, technical know-how to nearly any challenge. The minimum order is 100, meaning that every tree in each of your homes can have the same ultra-personal décor.
Perfume
A bespoke fragrance is discreet, personal, exquisitely crafted over months, and known only to you and those fortunate enough to catch a hint. At Krigler, founded by Albert Krigler in 1904, the process involves a series of consultations (including scent discovery and ingredient selection), plus blending, aging, and specialized packaging. Atelier perfumery services are available at House of Krigler boutiques within Four Seasons properties in Houston; Washington, D.C.; Palm Beach, Florida; Beverly Hills, California; and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France. —Elycia Rubin
Watch
At Vacheron Constantin, an entire department, Les Cabinotiers, creates bespoke watches for high-level collectors, as well as record-breaking designs like the new Solaria Ultra Grand Complication–La Première (pictured). Revealed in March after eight years of R & D, the timepiece set a record for the most complications, 41, ever featured in a wristwatch. Not a bad way to celebrate the house’s 270th anniversary. —Degen Pener
Bicycle
Britain was once one of the world’s bike-making hubs, thanks to firms like Raleigh, before the industry imploded due to overseas outsourcing. Still, a few holdovers persist, including Derby, England–based Mercian, which started as a bike shop in the 1940s before expanding into manufacturing. It was teetering on insolvency last year before four avid cyclists rescued it and rebooted the company for a contemporary audience. Come to them for a custom-fit frame, engineered to offer minimum impact on your body and maximum comfort, plus details like name engravings. The only thing they can’t do is improve how you look in skintight Day-Glo Lycra.
Alvin Tjitrowirjo creates poetic beauty out of the underappreciated. Since opening his studio AlvinT in 2006, the Jakarta-based designer has distinguished himself by his sculptural, refined furniture made of rattan. Derived from various species of quickly growing climbing palms, rattan has long been deeply associated with Indonesian culture. Tjitrowirjo’s mission is to elevate and prize this sustainable material amid the daily onslaught of cheap, modern consumerism. “It’s not just about making beautiful products; it’s about developing a new type of awareness of rattan as a valuable heritage material,” says Tjitrowirjo, who works with several communities of rattan weavers and farmers across Indonesia. We asked him to share his insider guide to his hometown.
Indonesia Design District: “We recently opened a gallery [here]. There are about 100 tenants—furniture, lighting, everything for the home centralized in one curated complex.”
In addition to a great selection of men’s shoes, Archie offers custom tailoring.
Archie: “[The menswear store] is cool for their collection of Alden [shoes]. I’m a big fan.”
Sejauh Mata Memandang: “I like this [lifestyle brand] for their level of creativity in exploring batik, as well as their activism toward protecting the planet. They also now make denim out of recycled used denim.”
Do
Common Grounds, Terra Menteng Tennis Club
Terra Menteng Tennis Club: Common Grounds, “one of the pioneers of specialty coffee in Jakarta since 2015,” recently opened up a cafe-cum-tennis-club. “My favourite beans are Aceh Gayo, which balance between burnt chocolate and nutty with a slight bright citrus.”
Kota Tua: “Built by the Dutch, Old Town is filled with canals and squares and surrounded by charming colonial buildings. The northern part is filled with old mom-and-pop shops.”
Eat
Marinated Yamanaka scallops at August.
August: “One of the forerunners of bringing Indonesian cuisine to the next level—with a little bit of a French twist. They have [the dish] Foie PB&J, and their lamb loin is delicious.”
Pierre: “Located in Jakarta’s central business district, this French restaurant by the Union Group has an excellent quality of food and a classical European interior that won’t go out of style. The lounge bar is a nice place to get a good dose of socializing.”
Café Batavia is one of the oldest restaurants in Indonesia.
Café Batavia: “It used to be an office of the Dutch East India Company. I love how they have kept the original teak bar and floors. I always go for a window table to witness the chaotic and dynamic movement of people in [Old Town’s] Fatahillah Square.”
Bakmi Pulau Laki: “One of my favourite noodle [shops] is located in a neighbourhood where all the street names are names of islands in Indonesia. It’s a place to go for lovely, fresh handmade noodles with minced pork and chicken and fresh pork wontons.”
Unveil the statement piece of the season: Dolce&Gabbana’s jeweled Marlene Handbag. This limited edition of the Brand’s iconic silhouette reimagines timeless Italian design in vibrant fuchsia calfskin, finished with a structured top handle and a detachable gold chain for versatile styling.
Each bag is a celebration of Dolce&Gabbana’s fatto a mano artistry—playful in spirit yet refined in execution. With only 30 pieces available, the Marlene is more than an accessory; it’s a collector’s treasure designed to move seamlessly from day to evening. Claim your limited-edition Marlene Handbag, $5,795.
It’s also available to purchase in the Dolce&Gabbana boutique located at 248 N Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210.
Taxes and shipping fees apply, while supplies last. Purchases will be shipped within approximately 1-2 business days of order. Offer is valid on orders shipping within the continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.
Heads up: there’s a new gold rush coming; the Middle East is the hot place to be for art lovers; and Hawaii has two just-opened, must-try sushi restaurants. Here’s what’s on our radar from the world of art, culture, style, and fine dining.
See
Serra’s East-West/West-East sculpture. Photograph by Iwan Baan, courtesy of Qatar Museums.
Art in the Desert: Extraordinary public art pops up all over Qatar’s capital city of Doha—home to both Four Seasons Hotel Doha and Four Seasons Resort and Residences at the Pearl-Qatar. But two unexpected monumental sculptures are worth seeking out in the country’s remote desert. Richard Serra’s steel monoliths loom over the sands of the Brouq Nature Reserve, while Olafur Eliasson’s Shadows Travelling on the Sea of the Day in Al Zubarah uses mirrors and metal rings to create a disorienting yet dazzling experience. —Nicola Chilton
Porcelain roses at the Frick. Photograph by Joseph Coscia Jr./The Frick Collection.
The Frick Collection: The storied New York City museum has emerged from a glorious renovation of its Beaux-Arts building and gardens, welcoming visitors to the second floor for the first time and featuring an exhibit of porcelain flower works by sculptor Vladimir Kanevsky. Located on East 70th Street between Madison and Fifth avenues, the esteemed museum is just blocks away from Four Seasons Hotel New York City.
The Grand Egyptian Museum
Grand Egyptian Museum: After a partial debut last fall, the GEM celebrates its highly anticipated full opening this November. Housing more than 100,000 artifacts, including a colossal statue of Ramses II, and affording panoramic views of the Pyramids of Giza, the archaelogical institution located outside Cairo will finally unveil the Tutankhamun Galleries, featuring thousands of items laid to rest with the boy king (he was nine years old when he assumed the throne) and displaying them together under one roof for the first time. —NC
Eat
Komo at Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
Island Fresh: Two sublime sushi spots recently debuted in Hawaii. Graced with the Hawaiian name for a subspecies of the black noddy seabird, the Big Island-based Noio is an intimate space perched above Four Seasons Resort Hualālai’s ‘Ulu restaurant. Chef Nuri Piccio’s delectable creations range from Japanese Wagyu tempura and sake-steamed chicken to the crown jewel, a seven-course omakase experience. For the new restaurant Komo—inside Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea—the Tokyo-born chef Kiyokuni Ikeda flies in a selection of fresh seafood each week from Japan’s Misaki Megumi Suisan. Komo’s signature Mystery Box is a choice way to experience Ikeda’s masterful, precise method with nigiri while enjoying the element of discovery.
Shop
Rolex’s Perpetual 1908
Gold Watches: After years of stainless steel being the metal of choice for luxury watches (think steely examples of the Rolex Daytona, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, and Patek Philippe Nautilus), the tide is shifting to designs crafted in precious metals, especially gold. At this year’s Oscars, Timothée Chalamet, Sebastian Stan, Kieran Culkin, and Robert Downey Jr. brandished gold timepieces on the red carpet, and sale prices of pre-owned gold watches are on the rise. In Switzerland at the recent Watches and Wonders fair, standout watches gleamed in timeless gold, among them Rolex’s stunning new Perpetual 1908 dress watch and Chopard’s latest L.U.C model featuring a sublime astronomical moon-phase display. —Degen Pener
Sneakers from Versace’s new summer collection
Versace’s La Vacanza Collection: Seaside chic enjoys a maximalist interpretation in the Italian label’s new summer fashions. Dario Vitale, the brand’s chief creative officer, has rendered iconic Versace motifs in sea and sand hues to create must-haves, like the Mercury M_VS_01 Sneakers (shown), that epitomize casual glamour. Versace supports the reef restoration efforts of the Coral Gardeners nonprofit in French Polynesia. —Laurie Brookins
Saint-Louis’s Twist collection
ElegantStemware: Saint-Louis—crystal glassmaker since 1586 in France’s Moselle département—has released a collaboration with Nicolas Julhès, co-founder of Distilllerie de Paris, which crafts gin, vodka, and rum in the French capital. The new Twist 1586 collection includes a decanter and long-stemmed glasses with Venetian ribs that guide the liquid to the mouth. —LB
Spa
A sacred nap at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan
Bali Bliss: The Indonesian island known for yoga retreats and spa escapes is more attuned to well-being than ever before, thanks to a new six-night immersion across two distinctive Four Seasons resorts. The escape draws inspiration from the fundamental Balinese concepts of sekala, the tangible or visible, and niskala, the intangible or invisible. “I see it as an awakening journey,” says regional director of spa Luisa Anderson in reference to The Seen to the Unseen, which takes guests from the oceanfront Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay to Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, located in a river valley near Ubud. The physical body is the primary focus at Jimbaran Bay, where classes and treatments at the Healing Village Spa include AntiGravity yoga, Pilates, massage, volcanic mud masks, ice baths, and infrared therapy. After a transfer to Sayan, guests have their spirits soothed at the Sacred River Spa with chakra ceremonies and mystical therapies, among them the gentle Restu Bumi ritual featuring Balinese instruments such as the gong and the sacred genta bell. Says Anderson, “It feels like Mother Bali cradling me in her arms.” —Kathryn Romeyn
