Dirt Bike Mag Wheels.
This is one of my earliest memories of a holiday gift that made my eyes widen. I’ve been campaigning for a dirt bike for over a year, and mag wheels were the detail that made it happen. want to Need In my 10 year old mind. This gift didn’t appear like everything else under the tree. As the final revelation of the morning, it was unveiled, drawn from our very own family vault – namely, the garage.
Little did I know then that the moment would mirror how we choose gifts Rob Report Decades later this year, the staff discussed and debated hundreds of contenders for the ultimate gift guide in our giving issue. The actual test was not oral. It was physical. Had to raise an eyebrow. Eyes widened. A small, surprising header didn’t hurt. If it didn’t, we moved on.
So, what cleared the bar this time?
We started in the air: a nine-day helicopter expedition through Peru that included canyon landings, private tented camps at high altitude, and a stop at Lake Titica to bond with a master craftsman. On the water, a 35-foot mahogany Van Dam runout marries vintage wooden boat craftsmanship with a 1,100 HP modern grunt. Oenophiles will find a history-making bottle of 1973 Chateau Montelina Chardonnay—one of the last survivors of the Paris decision. The meticulous dresser can fully interpret with Mark Cho of Armory, where suits, shoes and leather bags are made for you in three master Japanese ateliers. And yes, this is just a sample. The full list includes 27 gifts, each chosen similarly.
For the second year in a row, The Ultimate Gift Guide will live on as a special collection in the Vault, Rob ReportThe online home for all things unusual and unusual. For a short window, these gifts will be available exclusively to readers via QR code in this issue. So, if a one-of-a-kind platinum Cartier Sentry catches your eye, or you’re already picturing yourself in a car condo with 1975 Porsche 911s, hurry up. As we like to say: once they’re gone, they’re gone for good.
Beyond giving holidays, there’s more to eliminating this problem. Writer Jonny Lieberman takes the wheel of Audi’s sleek Concept C, where he learns that sensational all-electric performance can be driven by design rather than data. Tim Pitt, meanwhile, looks at the other side of the EV push in “The Loser’s Charge,” where the market continues to remind us that emotion — not specs or speed — is what moves collectors.
Then, editor at large Mark Ellwood brings us to the west bank of the Nile in Luxor, Egypt, where the vision behind a luxury hotel is a working farm and artisan enclave—paper, ceramic car, furniture makers, all collaborating with the river. And in “Houses of Bell,” wine editors Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jensen take us inside the wine world’s most exclusive guild: 12 families who have crafted fine wines for generations, passing on the knowledge as other heirlooms would.
Decades ago, this dirt bike wouldn’t have made my jaw drop because of the price tag. Because of this, someone paid attention to the detail that makes the most difference. Somewhere in these pages—on the road, in a vineyard, or hovering over a Peruvian volcano—I hope you feel the same spark. Eyebrows are raised and eyes are wide open.
Happy holidays, and enjoy this issue.
The authors
John Verwald
