75 PHOTO GREGORY COPITET It’s unexpected, yes, but prime property is not uncharted territory for luxury marques. Porsche, Bentley and Mercedes-Benz have long understood the power of brand extensions. Miami is home to Porsche Tower and Bentley Residences, the latter of which has 216 private beachfront properties opening in 2026 in Sunny Isles Beach. With panoramic views and individual balcony swimming pools, it’s the kind of home where owners can immerse themselves in all things Bentley. Design touchpoints include diamondshaped glass panels on the building’s exterior that reflect the Bentley diamond motif, a shape that is echoed on the interior’s tiles. This is the Bentley aesthetic and design signature, “but on a 70-storey scale”, said Bentley at the time the project was announced. Watch brands have taken note. The new Raffles OWO hotel and residences (theowo.london) is perhaps London’s hottest address right now, a landmark building on London’s Whitehall that was once famously owned by the Ministry of Defence. Wartime ministers like Lord Kitchener and Lord Haldane walked its corridors, while Winston Churchill worked here as Secretary of State for War from 1919 to 1921. British intelligence recruited spies here, and the building inspired Ian Fleming’s James Bond (five 007 movies were filmed here, too). It’s a historic property with an intriguing past that has reportedly captured the imaginations of Michael Bloomberg, Goldman Sachs International president Todd Leland and financier David Malm, all of whom have bought into the luxury OWO residences (there are 85 in total). The OWO’s six-year, c£1 billion transformation also attracted the independent Swiss watchmaker Bovet – who was notably drawn to the Herculean commitment to restoring this listed building, where no two rooms are alike, and which has endless period features. Bovet partnered with The OWO owners Hinduja Group and Onex Holdings to offer buyers of the 10 most exclusive residences – including the penthouse with a wraparound terrace overlooking Buckingham Palace, the River Thames and Canary Wharf – a special-edition Bovet watch. The 19Thirty model comes with a special dark-blue and gold-lacquer pattern of The OWO’s Rose Ceiling on the dial, accented with the same decorative flourishes as the property’s signature mouldings. Charlie Walsh, head of residential sales and marketing at Westminster Development Services for The OWO, says that buyers who have received the watch have been “completely blown away”. He continues: “Luxury is increasingly a unique experience for an individual. If that’s a unique watch or a unique apartment, it’s an experience that is unique to them – which tells a story and has genuine authenticity and background. That’s what really drives people to these sorts of incredible pieces.” From your house to your watch, Jacob & Co knows all too well the aficionado’s ambition to seek out something different. The flamboyant watchmaker and jeweller’s punchy, statement-making designs have earned fans like Rihanna and Pharrell Williams (the brand has also been reportedly namechecked in over 68 songs by various artists). It’s now teamed up with Binghatti, a UAE real-estate developer, to create residences in Dubai’s hotly anticipated “hypertower”, which has its sights on becoming the world’s highest residential building. The Burj Binghatti Jacob & Co Residences (binghatti.com) – with incredible views of Dubai’s cityscape, some with their own private infinity pools – have been aptly named after gemstones (Ruby and Emerald Villas among them) alongside the brand’s most exclusive watch models, such as Astronomia Sky, a penthouse that extends across an entire floor. Benjamin Arabov, chief executive of Jacob & Co, says that real estate is a natural evolution for the brand. His father, Jacob Arabo, the brand’s founder, chairman and creative director, has, after all, long designed his own houses and apartments. “When somebody’s nature is creativity, their passion changes with time. They don’t just like to design one category,” says Arabov. “Now Jacob’s creativity is branching out into lifestyle.” And like its watches and jewellery, don’t expect the Jacob & Co interiors to be for the faint of heart. “Our customers buy our products because they appreciate something different,” says Arabov. “They are different themselves, have done different things and want to stand out from the norm.” The Emeraude Suite at Chopard’s new Paris hotel, 1 Place Vendôme
