What is on Wanted’s hot list this week

SIZING UP THE NEW PANERAI DUE 38mm

If there’s one watch brand most of us have associated with the large watch trend, it has to be Panerai. The ultimate macho style statement, the watch originally created for the Italian navy was a design seldom spotted on women’s wrists and the 47mm Bronzo was a sought after limited edition amongst diving enthusiasts.

So it came as a huge surprise to Panerai followers earlier this year, when the brand revealed it was launching the Luminor Due – in a size no-one ever thought they’d see in Panerai: a 38mm and with mint green and pale blue straps.

The new line arrives in South Africa this week, and I predict this Panerai with a lighter touch is going to be a hit. Of course the Paneristi – passionate followers of the Panerai watch cult – would have been well ahead of the curve and have ordered their’s already.

But for those who don’t know about the Panerai Due 38mm yet, here’s the low-down:

The watch is 38mm in diameter and a mere 11,20mm thick.

The Panerai Due comes in a variety of finishes, including stainless steel and rose gold, with straps that include the never seen before shades of mint green and pale blue.

The dial design still has the legendary legibility of all Panerai watches, with large luminous figures, a small seconds counter and a date window. There is a protective cover on the caseband to shield the crown from accidental shock.

The Panerai Due has a power reserve of three days and the new designs also come in a bigger size of 42mm.

www.panerai.com

THE GUCCI SYLVIE HITS THE BRIGHT LIGHTS

The Gucci Sylvie is no longer only a bag – it’s a movie star, alongside the much-awarded Faye Dunaway and French singer SoKo – playing the part of Dunaway’s daughter. It’s all a tongue-in-cheek ode to the lifestyles of the rich and famous in Hollywood and something only Gucci could get away with. And even in that beautiful company, the Sylvie remains the star of the show.

METRO= HANDMADE JEANS FROM CAPE TOWN

First Thursdays comes in many guises and one of the highlights in Joburg this week is going to be a pop-up clothing store at the Keys Art Mile in Rosebank, belonging to Cape Town designer Alexandra Höjer and her partner Barry Armitage – adventure horseback rider and the person behind the Armitage denim brand.

Barry is said to have designed “the ultimate pair of riding jeans” which I personally cannot wait to try on. Even though Armitage won the longest endurance horse race in the world last year – the Mongol Derby – his jeans are unlikely to see the back of a horse on me.

Alexandra Höjer is often referred to as one of the nicest people on Bree Street, Cape Town, and she has perfected boho chic from her French girl fringe down to the muted colours of her designs . Höjer’s stand alone boutique is a stylish landmark, so we can only imagine this collaboration is going to be a good one.

Metro= is a line of men’s work-wear inspired garments, featuring a lot of denim and other hardwearing fabrics, semi-tailored jackets, footwear and complemented with hand-dyed cashmere and silk-cotton scarves.

Everything is hand-made in Cape Town – a commitment to going “back to the real, the crafted, the soulful and the local”, say the designers. I look forward to supporting this noble effort to support the Cape Town garment industry.

The Metro= pop-up will be in Joburg until 5th August.

www.metrohandmade.co.za

ART MONTH AT WELGEMEEND

When the chairman of auctioneers Strauss & Co announces he’ll be showcasing some of his collection, the art world sits up. Serious collectors in their own right, Kilbourn and his wife Lizelle have for the past 30 years focused on the works by South African women artists – a selection of which will be on view at the historic Welgemeend manor house in Central Cape Town for the month of August.

The exhibition - Shifting Boundaries: A Selection of Works showcasing South African Women Artists of the Past 100 Years - features over 80 works by more than 60 artists and covers works in a range of media and genres.

Among the highlights are works by South Africa’s leading women artists such as Marlene Dumas, Maggie Laubser, Mary Sibande, Esther Mahlangu and Deborah Bell.

Art month at Welgemeend is dedicated to a programme of art talks and masterclasses.

www.welgemeendart.co.za