Abingdon Music Research Luna Series Pushes the Boundaries of High End Audio.

There are certain areas of the consumer market so extreme, and so obscure, that most have never heard of them, and their existence beggars belief.  Brands operate within these spaces that produce products for customers for whom money really is no object.  For example, most high end consumer males believe they have a good understanding of luxury accessories.  Yet if you asked them about Roland Iten's gold diamond studded shoe lace tips for thousands of dollars, they would either laugh or stare blankly.

High end audio is a similar sector.  Most consumers believe their knowledge of McIntosh and Bang & Olufsen put them a cut above.  However, the real high end audio consumers smile quietly when overhearing such talk, because for them the High End show in Vienna in June 2026, an event again most have never heard of, brands such as B&O are like Primark.

AMR's new Luna Series show this with aplomb.  A piece of audio hardware some 12 years in the making, this four quadrant push-pull amplifier which is the first in the world of its kind, features processing hardware and software that makes music flowing through its four 80kg each components give the first sense of being present in person. The price of each of these 148 limited pieces shows the disparity between the pedestrian and the niche.   Each set costs £441,000.00.  If the sense that there's a world beyond your ken isn't clearly generated, the fact that half have already sold is.

Our take?  This is true luxury.  Pieces that are unique, special, and provide something you cannot obtain anywhere else.

 

Chanel Carpenter Jeans Ruin Workwear.

 

Luxury brands love appropriation.  Virgil Abloh appropriated industrial design into cool clubwear , The Gap appropriated sleepwear into daily clothing, and pretty much every brand appropriate military stylings.  Chanel has gone a well trodden path, one worn away by Carhaart, and appropriated workwear with pairs of carpenter jeans.

Available in selvedge and blue denim, they incorporate a double c feature for where the hammer or tool hook would be, and external pockets for the same.  However, this double c logo means a predictable premium, as a pair of these cost £2,000.00.

We're writing currently about the ludicrous disparity of luxury good pricing, and how it has completely eliminated aspirational buyers.  This is a great example.  Back in 2008 Tom Ford released jeans with a gold plated button.  These were priced at £550.00 at the time, and the press were scandalised.  Adjusted for inflation this is £900.00, which sharply illustrates how these jeans with no precious metals are beyond expensive, they are in fact overpriced. 

If you disagree, they're available now.

LOEWE Tomato Cosmetics Range.

 

When one thinks about refreshing and cleansing fragrances, tomato is unlikely to jump to mind.  Yet LOEWE has nonetheless decided to launch an entire range of cleansing products based around the fruit.  Yes, tomato is a fruit, the French know it, "apple of the earth" framing this quite clearly.

The new range includes liquid soap, hand wash, body wash, bar soap, and candles, with more set to come out in the future, with prices ranging form £60 and upwards.  There's little else to say about this really, if you think smelling of tomato is appealing, LOEWE has you.

In terms of why this range has been produced, we can look towards social media virality.  Back in 2024 a TikToker posted a video of an X post featuring a Heirloom tomato, saying "So LOEWE I can't explain it".  LOEWE then produced a tomato clutch, and doubled down on all vine related things.  Is this good?  Who knows.  It is though 

Rimowa Ink Blue Original and Distinct Luggage Colour.

A new colour way from a brand is not a new release, despite what marketing departments may want you to think.  Rimowa's new ink blue colour way isn't therefore, anything revolutionary, it is simply aluminium and leather luggage in a different colour, in this case, blue.

Yet despite the painful predictability of the press releases touting this as extraordinary and unique, we are not completely soured to it.  The navy aluminium looks understated, elegant, and quite smart.  The leather distinct range is less impressive, being a sky blue, and not attractive, but the original aluminium ink blue is genuinely a nice option.  

One thing to wonder is whether the ink blue colour will scratch off as easily as the black does.  Anyone browsing second hand cases can easily see how bad these look after a couple of trips.  But if this has been fixed the blue colour option might be a worthy choice for new buyers.  Don't bother replacing yours with these however, as there's no other difference than the colour.

Available now from £1,000.00 up to £2,600.00 for the leather version.

Commodore Callback - Useless Dumb Phone's Continue Their March

 We have long supported the notion that the only thing dumb about dumb phones is the concept itself.  Yet perhaps nothing better exemplifies this than the new dumb phone that saw the storied brand Commodore throwing their hat in the ring, the Commodore Callback.

For younger people Commodore might not ring any bells.  However, at one point in the 1980's it was the largest computer manufacturer in the world.  That history is long past now, and following bankruptcy the brand was purchased by a German computer company in 1995.  Since then Commodore has been producing mostly retro tech, with the passion for that in the last few years seeing a ramping up of products targeting consumers.  This is the background that made them design, manufacture, and release, the Callback.

It can't be disputed that this is an aptronym, as it is most certainly a callback.  Coming in three classic designs, transparent and gold, harking back to the face swapping of the 90's, and a classic white, that evoke's Commodore's old computer designs.  It's also a clamshell, which can't help but make users think of the 1990s.  The dot matrix display, and LED notification lights, also can't hale a child of the 70's feel nostalgic.  

However, beyond aesthetics, this manages to also  be aptly named, as anyone buying this particular dumb phone can hardly be called wise.  We started this article mentioning dumb phones being dumb, yet many offer some advantages.  But the Callback allows no email, no RCS, and doesn't permit banking apps.  This last point is understandable, as the proliferation of finance apps is ludicrous.  But lacking the fundamental communication method of email is criminal.  As is the price for this inadequate communication tool, which is £350.

Phillips Record Breaking Watch Auction Demonstrates the Rich Remain Rich.

 

If the record breaks g stock market gains weren't convincing enough that the end is nowhere near nigh, the auction market should be good evidence of it.  Phillips recent watch auction in the Hotel President in Geneva on May 9 and 10 2026 broke all records, selling 224 of 225 lots, and $96.3 million in sales. 

In particular, 43 world records were broken, including Patek's setting higher benchmarks than ever, F.P Journe demonstrating its significance to the collectors market, and even independent brands such as Akrivia which pulled in £2.86 million for a AK-06 reference.

According to Aurel Bacs and Livia Russo, consultants in the watch collecting and art collecting worlds, watches are now alongside fine art, jewellery, and rare cars, in respect of collectibles.  We're not convinced, but it's definitely impressive, and certainly shows that if the drain is being circled, there's clearly a great deal of water left in the sink.

Vertu Resorts to AI Slop in Advertising it'a AlphFold AI Agent Phone.

We mentioned a year or so ago that Vertu re-emerging would supply endless comedy moments (here), and we had been repeatedly proven right.  Their latest AlphaFold phone shows this with absolute aplomb.  apparently targeted towards business users, it apparently comes with a brand new AI agent known as "Hermes".  Apparently it is so advanced it can handle schedules and tasks on a users behalf.

This is quite remarkable, as it seems to indicate that Vertu have achieved what all other AI producers have not, a form of active, General AI.  It appears that without telling anyone, Vertu achieved the singularity.

Or perhaps not.  Indeed, far more likely not.  Like everything they now produce it's smoke and mirrors.  Their logo states "Vertu England", but the phones are made in mainland China, and the headquarters is in Hong Kong.  The new phone specs are irrelevant, because no-one will buy it.  But what is amusing is that they've fallen so far that they have now resorted to using AI generated advertisements.  Presumably the difficulties they faced have made them reconsider having a marketing budget.  

In any event, the AlphaFold will be available from £5,000.00 to £100,000.00 in precious metals.  If you are so inclined to buy one, don't be surprised if you're laughed at by others for using it.

 

Boss Linge Roset Togo Capsule Stuns Few.

 

In perhaps the most mismatched collaboration since chalk met cheese, Ligne Roset, a luxury furniture brand known for high-end furniture, and Hugo Boss, a fashion brand known for a questionable past, and making mid-range suits that fit poorly.  Yet while this might not be the collaboration we wanted, it's the collaboration we got.

In terms of the output, we have the Togo Fireside chair and Pouffe in "Boss" like colour ways.  Black leather and black fabric, or brown leather and beige fabric.  The leather is apparently Cachou, Ligne Roset's grained aniline leather, and the fabric is Kerale, Ligne Roset's cotton, linen viscose blend.

And that's it.  It's a pretty underwhelming offering, which typifies Boss, as "middle of the road" is how most would characterise Hugo Boss, unthreatening, and rather dull.  On good thing is the price, as in it's the same cost as a non-co-branded piece, with the Fireside chair being £2,200.00, and the Pouffe £1,100.00.  So if you like the colours, at least you don't need to pay a premium for them.