Meet the 2013 Venom GT Spyder from Hennessey Performance, the open top variant of the Venom GT Coupe. A massive 1,200 bhp (895 kW / 1217 PS) is produced by the Venom GT Spyder’s engine and the model’s weight is stated to be 1,200 kg ( 2,645 lbs ). Pricing for the coupe is set at $950,000 whereas the Spyder will cost $1.1 million. Hennessey states it has already received orders for two of the five Venom GT’s it will build for the 2013 model year.
“With the hardtop in place, the Venom GT offers a very visceral, raw, driving experience”, comments Hennessey CEO, Don Goldman. “With the hardtop removed, the wind and the growl of the twin turbo V8 will offer our clients an even greater driving sensation.”
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An astonishing golden outfit made from the silk of spiders has gone on display at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.
It took more than four years to make the four-metre-long hand-woven textile from the silk of 1.2million female golden orb spiders, native to Madagascar.
It was made by Englishman Simon Peers and American Nicholas Godley, both of whom have lived and worked in Madagascar for many years.
Spiders were collected every morning before silk is extracted from them by trained handlers. They were returned to the wild at the end of each day.
The process is extremely laborious – on average, 23,000 spiders are needed to create about 28 grams of silk, according to the museum.
The last known spider silk textile was made for an exhibition in Paris in 1900 but no examples remain.
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Konstantin Chaykin ‘Mystery’ Watch goes on display at BaselWorld 2012, in the month of March.
The Russian horological maestro includes new aesthetics and advanced mechanics in the Mystery watch, which will have its minutes and hours hands suspended on a transparent dial, apparently. Apart from the obvious unknown element of the design, the great finishing and aesthetics are a part of the packaging for this new creation.
With the Mystery watch, one can begin to draw lines on the fact that Chaykin has something for the moon and its movements.
Featuring a gold case available in rose or white options, there is a transparent dial which features the hours and minute hands on a transparent base, which somehow also conceals the smaller tourbillon movement parts under the bezel, never the less giving the rather different appearance to the timepiece. The Roman numeral digits on the out ring indicate the hours, with the micro-markings in between meant for the minutes. Around the 3 ‘o’clock mark is the Konstantin Chaykin Branded moon phase indicator, which the Russian designer has successfully used even with the previous model.
The mystery seems to have been retained for watch until BaselWorld event in March this year. That’s when further details about the fabrication, pricing, and horological engineering will be revealed.
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The Spa House was created by Metropolis Design, a team of talented architects with offices in Cape-Town. The fabulous residential project was completed last year. Enjoying the wonderful surroundings of the Hout Bay coastal suburb of Cape Town, the owners of this semi-transparent house desired a contemporary structure that would invite natural mountainside views inside through huge glass windows. Entertaining and relaxation facilities were designed in response to the client’s requests – an oasis of water-related features.
Owners and friends can enjoy the luxurious recreational and spa facilities of the separate Spa House connected to the main building by foot paths. The steel and concrete structure was adorned in a continuous way, to blur the lines between inside and outside. Overlooking the bay and harbor, the modern home is nestled between sandstone formations that encouraged the architects to integrate the building in the surrounding African landscape. With a stunning dining area submerged below water level, the house also benefits from an island-inspired pool deck and an underwater spa, massage rooms, deep and shallow pools, children’s pool and jacuzzi.
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