Inside The Rolex Submariner – A Demonstration Of The Inner Workings Of A Rolex

Here’s a look inside the classic Rolex Submariner, which shows the intricacies of the Rolex calibre 3135 and the beauty of mechanical watchmaking. Tony Williams, their Head Watchmaker, goes in and explains how the world famous watch movement is both taken apart and reassembled—too cool and an awesome watch.

Rick Owens Gives an Intimate Interview with ‘The New York Times'

The New York Times managed to grab an intimate interview with avant-garde designer Rick Owens at his minimalist Parisian studio. Nestled across two floors of a beautiful townhouse in the Seventh Arrondissement, the studio unsurprisingly reflects Owens’ stark minimalism, and the designer gives some rare insight into the thought processes behind his work. A rare insight into one of fashion’s most iconic figures, check out the video above

PITTI UOMO 86 STREETSTYLE

After London Fashion Week, there’s Pitti Uomo. Pitti Uomo 86 takes place this year in Florence from June 17 to June 20 in Florence, Italy. Here’s a look at some streetstyle action.

KANYE WEST TALKS WEDDING PHOTO, APPLE/BEATS DEAL, & BEAUTIFYING THE INTERNET

Kanye West made an appearance at the Translation seminar at the Cannes Lions festival on Tuesday. During his conversation with Translation CEO Steve Stoute and venture capitalist Ben Horowitz, the hip-hop impresario revealed that famed photographer Annie Leibovitz pulled out of his wedding at the last minute (“Maybe she was scared about the idea of celebrity”).

The wedding photo that Kim Kardashian posted on Instagram took “like four days” to edit because the colors on the flower wall didn’t look right. But he says it was worth it because it became the most liked image on Instagram.

Plus, he once again shared his admiration for Apple founder Steve Jobs and weighed in on Apple’s $3 billion dollar purchase of Beats by Dre.

So what’s next for the creative genius? Yeezus wants to bring his design aesthetic to the Internet, starting with a redesign of Instagram.



Read more Kanye quotables below.

On his inspiration: “The only thing I think can be an inspiration to me is the fact that I get bashed so much but create so much. Just know that if you really want to be a boxer, you’re gonna get your face beat up constantly, but then you may end up being Mayweather or Ali.”

On the power of endorsement: “I couldn’t have rapped if Jay Z hadn’t endorsed me. Eminem wouldn’t have been as successful if Dr. Dre hadn’t endorsed him.”

On color correcting his wedding photo: “Now, can you imagine telling someone who just wants to Instagram a photo, the No. 1 person on Instagram, that we need to work on the color of the flowered wall? But the fact that the No. 1 most liked photo has this certain aesthetic on it was a win for what the mission is—of raising the palette.”

On the importance of good design: “I believe that bad taste is vulgar. It’s like cursing. I think the world can be saved through design. Because what is the most distasteful thing someone can do? Kill someone. So, good taste is the opposite of that.”

On Steve Jobs: “Steve Jobs, as everyone knows, was my biggest influence. Just seeing the way he fought to make things easier for people. After he passed, I made it my life’s mission to do what he did inside of that company. I dream to help raise the palette and raise the taste level of a generation and also be involved with the production and distribution and advertising of that thing everyone’s begging for.”

On the Apple/Beats by Dre deal: “There would have been no Beats deal without [Jay Z's] Samsung deal. It showed the No. 1 company the importance of connecting with culture. The reason I said I didn’t like Samsung particularly is because throughout my entire life, because of how my parents raised me, I have to work with the No. 1. I can’t work with anyone but Jay Z, because he’s No. 1. I can’t be with any girl but Kim, because that’s the girl whose pictures I look at the most and get turned on by. I’m not going to represent any company but Louis Vuitton, because that’s No. 1. … Samsung is not quite Apple, but it showed that Jimmy [Iovine] and Dre would be able to connect with the No. 1 influencers.”

On beautifying the Internet: “The world as a whole is fucking ugly. The Internet as a whole is fucking ugly, too. But I’m not in the construction business. I said to [Instagram founder] Kevin [Systrom], why don’t you let us redo Instagram? Now, you know, Instagram is nice. It’s nice looking. I’m not knocking it. But just in general, everyone spends all of their time looking at their screens or their phones. And just as a simple task, we could clean that up.”

Watch the FULL conversation below!

PHARRELL RELEASES NEW “SOCIAL BOOK”

Pharrell introduces his new “social book” entitled Inspiration. The concept sees the release of Inspiration online, but with a major portion of its text erased – thus leaving the user to fill in the blanks. A point system has been attached to the collaborative guessing game while there are also a bevy of hints to help folks along. Head on over to tippex-socialbook.com to check out the project – the first person to guess any individual missing word will be credited in the physical edition of the book upon its release. Proceeds from the eventual sale of the book will go to benefit various learning programs for underprivileged children. By July 1, a free digital version will also be available for you to download.

Watch the video above to begin your interactive experience!

Pharrell Cries "Happy" Tears During Oprah Winfrey Interview

Pharrell was so overjoyed with emotion during his interview with Oprah Winfrey for an episode of Oprah Prime that he couldn't help but start sobbing. It all started when the pair began talking about his catchy song "Happy."

"Zero air-play, nothing. And the next thing you know, we put out the video on November 21 and all of a sudden—boom. I mean, when I say boom, I mean boooooom," Pharrell told O.



"And we were like, what's happening? First of all, people are putting up their own videos. It was like no longer my song."

That led to Winfrey cueing a montage of videos from all over the world of people getting happy to "Happy"—that's when the musician couldn't hold it in any longer.

"You know, I was just thinking about your grandmother. I bet she didn't even imagine that," Oprah tells Pharrell who is wiping tears off of his face.

He joked, "Why am I crying on Oprah?" Winfrey responded, "It's being used for something that's greater than yourself. I get that."

"It's overwhelming because it's like I love what I do," Pharrell said, "and I just appreciate the fact that people have believed in me for so long, that I could make it to this point to feel that."

VH1 THE FABULOUS LIFE: BEYONCE & JAY Z

In case you missed the second episode of VH1′s The Fabulous Life. Beyonce and Jay Z are estimated at a net worth at $775 million, we get a glimpse of the everyday life of Hip-Hop’s power couple.

Mercedes-Benz 2015 S-Class Coupé

 

5 Entrepreneurship Lessons from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Entrepreneurs should pay attention to five important business lessons that can be learned from him.

1. Make Your Dream A Reality

The quote people most often associate with Dr. King – excerpted from his 1963 speech — is “I have a dream.” Of course, many people have dreams. Some even have great dreams. But most people don’t work to make their dreams a reality. Great ideas for new products, businesses, and works of science and art die every day with their inventors. To be an entrepreneur is to dream – but is even more to do.

2. The Way It Was Is Not The Way It Has To Be

At the time that Dr. King gave his famous speech at the Mall Washington , racism had been entrenched in American culture for centuries. Dr. King challenged the status quo, and raised awareness of a different and better future that could be built from positive change. Likewise, businesses often are averse to changing long-held positions, or denying that major changes for the better can take place. Only a few years ago, “experts” were saying that people would reject keyboard-less smartphones like the iPhone, and Blackberry would continue to dominate the smartphone market for many years to come. We know how that turned out.

3. Change Can Happen Fast

The majority of the members of my generation – born not that many years after it took a struggle to get the Civil Rights Act passed – consider the idea that people should be segregated based on the color of their skin to be both morally repugnant and ridiculous. Attitudes change quickly – especially after positive developments occur and everyone sees the correctness of the change. This is true in the area of business as well. Consider how quickly Blackberry went from market leader to having less than 4% of market share, or how fast Kodak was transformed from having its film products bought by nearly every family in America to filing for bankruptcy as a firm many teenagers “had never heard of.”

4. Build A Large Following

Dr. King was an amazing speaker who inspired millions of people with his words. But, ultimately, it was those large numbers of people who organized, marched, or otherwise influenced legislators and the public. There is little doubt that the grassroots nature of the civil rights movement – and the resulting far reach of its leaders – was a key ingredient in its success. In the Internet era it is much easier than the 1960s to reach large numbers of people; if you have a great message – spread it widely.

5. Success Takes A Lot Of Work

The civil rights struggle did not achieve its aims overnight, and its success was built upon the hard work and sacrifice of many; Dr. King and various others even lost their lives. Thankfully, entrepreneurs do not need to make such giant sacrifices, but effectuating change and achieving success does not usually happen without hard work. Yes, there are some businesses that skyrocket to the top, and there are some people who get rich quickly. But, the vast majority of businesses are built with a lot of time and effort. Don’t expect to succeed without working hard.

Beyonce ‘Self-Titled’ Documentary

"Self-Titled" is a mini art feature comprised of several parts that give a glimpse into the entire project. It details her mind-set and artistic vision throughout the making of BEYONCÉ.

Part I: The Visual Album



Part II . Imperfection

10 Reasons to Wear a Luxury Watch on Your Wrist

A luxury timepiece can be as versatile as the gentleman sporting it. As a collector’s item for the connoisseur, as utility with high symbolic value or as a fashion accessory – they are far more than instruments that measure time. Here are 10 reasons, why high-end watches are inevitable for all men, who appreciate the exceptional and beautiful.



01. Jewelry: First of all, luxury watches are simply stunning. Watches can be pieces of exceptional beauty, just as any accompaniment, one might think. Watches, however, have a special status linked to the functional excuse of measuring the time. Even though wristwatches were initially worn by women, they are now, first and foremost, a male fashion accessory. And ultimately, it is the one item that can make the difference in a very thin scope of action a man wardrobe allows.

02. Emotional Value: Watches are attached with emotions, as it accompanies its wearer in good times and bad. Not only are they physically with you, but actually present when indicating the most precious good we have. As gifts received from our closest friends and family members, watches can mark special events in life such as milestone anniversaries, weddings or professional achievements. Quite commonly, they are passed along from one generation to the next. So there is a good chance that even your future great-grandson is going to spend time with your favorite timepiece on his wrist.

03. Perfection: Perfection is like the holy grail of watchmaking. Even the best manufacturers won’t ever reach it entirely, but they will always seek it with endless commitment. Not only from a time-measurement standpoint, but also regarding its aesthetics and quality of manufacturing, is the pursuit of perfection one of the key reasons to buy a luxury timepiece instead of a 3-dollars quartz watch.

04. Functionality: Your watch is always there when you need it. Sure, your iPhone or Android device will also provide you with the correct time measure. But after one or two days your battery is empty and you will need to recharge it. Also, it is not required to shut it down or take it off in airplanes, government buildings and other signal-transmission-free places. Additionally, taking a quick look at your wrist is way more convenient than rummaging in your pocket (That’s why some even consider the smartphone as a step backward to the “coat pocket time measurement”). Your smartphone might be able to do all the fancy stuff, but the watch is a simple and functional lifetime workhorse.

05. Punctuality: Punctuality is part of a gentleman’s code of conduct, reified by his watch. Next to actually supporting a successful time management, high-end watches are therefore also material artifacts that dignify the importance of time on a symbolic level.

06. Exclusiveness: There is no doubt that it is desirable to own something special that distinguishes you from most other people. There is no doubt that exclusiveness is about social status. However, wearing a prestigious brand can’t be reduced to the aspect of “showing off” in front of other people. The average person has never heard of names like Jaeger-LeCoultre, IWC or Ulysse Nardin. For most watch aficionados, the motivation of owning something rare and unique primarily arises from the mere awareness of owning something exceptional, rather than paying attention to what others might think.

07. Mechanics: Compared to other utilities we encounter every day, the functioning of a watch is pretty simple. Its basic mechanism has been providing us with time measurement for hundreds of years. And yet there is so much innovation in a luxury watch, striving to achieve an even more accurate and durable time indication. Side effects: Setting free the (gentle-)man child.

08. Mobility: Yes. Even though they generally come without wheels, watches are quite mobile. Unlike a harem of sports cars or a selection of exclusive wines, you can take it anywhere without any notable effort.

09. Timelessness: Some of the previous points were already linked to the aspect of timelessness. But think of it, folks. What else in your life is designed and crafted for such a long period of time? Also in future generations, a watch will be based on the very same technical and aesthetical principles that it is today. That’s why high-end watches are not only produced, but actually worn for decades.

10. Statement: Do you prefer sporty divers or elegant dress watches? Maybe it is the history of model A or manufacturer B that arouses your interest?. The decision for a particular watch contributes to telling others who you are. Not only that, but also the mere fact of wearing a luxury watch reflects a bundle of inherent statements in and for itself. And a lot of them just perfectly match values that are quite commonly regarded as gentlemanlike.

Jay-Z – Picasso Baby

Jay-Z continues to make some power moves as he has partnered up with HBO to release the official video for his track ‘Picasso Baby’. Following his appearance on Real Late With Bill Maher, Hov premiered ‘Picasso Baby: A Performance Art Film’, which was shot at the Pace Gallery in New York City. Directed by Mark Romanek. His album ‘Magna Carta Holy Grail’ is in stores now.

The Wolf of Wall Street Official Trailer

With Kanye’s “Black Skinhead” providing the backdrop, here’s the official trailer for the film, The Wolf Of Wall Street starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

In Theaters November 15

Behind Kanye’s Mask - NY Times Interview

Kanye West, the prodigiously talented and at times controversial hip-hop star, will release his sixth studio album, “Yeezus,” on Tuesday. He recently looked back on his life and career in an extensive interview with Jon Caramanica, a pop music critic for The Times.

“No rapper has embodied hip-hop’s often contradictory impulses of narcissism and social good quite like he has, and no producer has celebrated the lush and the ornate quite like he has,” Mr. Caramanica writes. “He has spent most of his career in additive mode, figuring out how to make music that’s majestic and thought-provoking and grand-scaled. And he’s also widened the genre’s gates, whether for middle-class values or high-fashion and high-art dreams.”

This piece will appear in print in the June 16, 2013 issue of The New York Times

Read the FULL interview here.

Started from the bottom

Pharrell Williams talks to Alex Gorlin & Daniel Arsham

Pharrell Williams sits down with Alex Gorlin, a renowned architect known for bringing warmth to modern design, and Daniel Arsham, an artist who blurs the line between art & architecture, challenging convention by placing shapes in unexpected places. Gorlin and Arsham share their influences inlcuding Marcel Duchamp and Frank Lloyd Wright.

The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour

Beyoncé has announced dates for her first multi-city tour in over three years, “The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour.”

EUROPE

April 15 – Belgrade, Serbi – Kombank Arena
April 17 – Zagreb, Croatia – Arena Zagreb
April 19 – Bratislava, Slovakia – Slovnaft Arena
April 22 – Amsterdam, Holland – Ziggo Dome
April 24 – Paris, France – Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
April 25 – Paris, France – Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
April 26 – Birmingham, UK – LG Arena
April 29 – London, UK – The O2
April 30 – London, UK – The O2
May 1 – London, UK – The O2
May 3 – London, UK – The O2
May 7 – Manchester, UK – Manchester Arena
May 11 – Dublin, Ireland – The O2
May 12 – Dublin, Ireland – The O2
May 14 – Antwerp, Belgium – Sportpaleis
May 17 – Zurich, Switzerland – Hallenstadion
May 18 – Milan, Italy – Mediolanum Forum
May 20 – Montpellier, France – Park & Suites Arena
May 22 – Munich, Germany – Olympiahalle
May 24 – Berlin, Germany – O2 World
May 25 – Warsaw, Poland – National Stadium—Orange Warsaw Festival
May 27 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Forum
May 28 – Oslo, Norway – Telenor Arena
May 29 – Stockholm, Sweden – Ericsson Globe Arena

Hot Tub Boat

Hot Tub Boat ($42.000)
A Seattle company has found a way to take it to a whole new level by cramming an eight-foot long hot tub inside a 16-foot boat. This is synergy at its finest, people.

'Where I’m From’

In this short documentary, Jay-Z‘s Life+Times takes an unprecedented behind the scenes look at the creation of Jay-z’s Barclays Center opening concerts. With wednesday being Jay’s 43rd birthday, Hov decided to give a present in the form of this very special documentary titled Where I’m From.

Watch the 24-minute short film above.

Pharrell Williams Interviews David Salle & KAWS

Pharrell Williams interviews internationally renowned artists David Salle, known best for helping define postmodern sensibility, and street artist-turned-sculptor and limited edition toy & clothing designer, KAWS.