“MAKE ME THE biggest yacht in the world – bigger than anyone has ever seen,” he commanded. It was a mold-breaking commission for the Benetti shipyard more than 40 years ago, from a client keen to tout his wealth. The Italian firm had already earned accolades for making fine yachts, but this was to be a new kind of vessel, a ‘superyacht’, if you will. Be netti’s designers embraced the brief with gusto and the resulting craft was the epitome of oceangoing glamour. At 86m, it had five decks equipped with 11 cabins, a cinema, and exhaust funnels sloped outward to allow helicopters to land on the helipad more easily. There was even a disco – it was 1979, after all.
The estimates for the cost went as high as US$100 million, a vast sum for the shipyard. More importantly, as the 1980s dawned, it launched a new category of aspirational goods. A simple yacht no longer sated the yen for cruising – only a superyacht would do. And the leading place to commission one was the home base of Benetti and its fellow generations-old Tuscan boatbuilders, a small seaside town called Viareggio.
This story is from the May 2021 edition of Robb Report Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 2021 edition of Robb Report Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Man Behind The Glow
Lars Brittsjo, the visionary CEO and founder behind Nor Sken, discusses the evolution of anti-ageing solutions and the ethos of sustainable beauty.
Fresh Linen
Travellers seeking accommodation options that excite and inspire can approach 2024 with optimism.
Run For Cava
José Ferrer of Vins Familia Ferrer on what makes seriously good vintage cava.
Heart Of Africa
Great Plains Conservation blends bespoke luxury and mindful conservation, offering an African safari experience par excellence.
A Week In Switzerland
There is no better place for watch connoisseurs to get immersed in watchmaking than the birthplace of horology—and no better way to plan the journey than with Scott Dunn Private.
Welcome To The Club
The decadent new Global Ambassador hotel in Phoenix welcomes elite travellers of all stripes-but its most intriguing attraction is for members only.
Flights Of Fancy
The Un Air de Chaumet high jewellery collection soars with evocative expressions of birds in flight.
The World On Your Wrist
Vacheron Constantin goes globe-hopping for its latest Les Cabinotiers collection of one-of-a-kind timepieces.
Signature Moves
An A. Lange Séhne watch can be identified from five paces away. However, for its truly distinctive features, we recommend that you reach for the loupe.
Counting It Down
Luxury watch brands are teasing collectors with new drops ahead of the anticipated annual Watches and Wonders exposition.