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What Australia Failed To Grasp About Virgin Australia Boss’ Controversial Border Comment
What Australia Failed To Grasp About Virgin Australia Boss’ Controversial Border Comment

What’s worse – a society where CEOs treat people’s lives like balance sheet items, or a society where even intelligent people fail to understand the meaning of a simple quote?

That’s the question Australia is now grappling with.

Why? Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka gave her PR team a migraine on Monday, calling for international borders to reopen once enough Australians have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Why the fuss? Read the quote (made at a business lunch in Brisbane).

“COVID will be part of the community, we will become sick with COVID and it won’t put us in hospital, and it won’t put people into dire straits because we’ll have a vaccine,” Ms Hrdlicka said.

“Some people may die, but it will be way smaller than with the flu.”

“We’re forgetting the fact that we’ve learnt how to live with lots of viruses and challenges over the years, and we’ve got to learn how to live with this.”

By Tuesday the “some people may die” remark had gone viral, culminating in the hashtag ‘boycottVirgin’ trending on Twitter.

Virgin Australia, in clarification, posted the following tweet.

“The safety of our guests has always been our number one priority – nothing will change that. We have worked in lock-step with State and Federal governments to put the health and safety of Australians first, and we’ll keep doing that as we learn to live with COVID-19.”

The airline’s Twitter page also posted the following:

“We agree with State and Federal leaders that eradication of COVID-19 cannot be the goal for our country. The question is not if, but when we will be sufficiently vaccinated to protect our people and our hospital system to open our International borders.”

The incident has sparked much debate. Some, like points hacker Immanuel Debeer reckon Hrdlicka’s intentions have been twisted (or at least, misunderstood).

“Media outlets always go for the most click bait outrageous titles. Since people are lazy to read, they miss what was actually said,” Debeer posted on his Instagram story.

“If you read the article, the Virgin Australia CEO makes a LOT of sense,” he adds.

Image: collage of three of Immanuel Debeer’s (@flighthacks) Instagram stories, posted Tuesday.

Over on Twitter, user @marquelawyers wrote: “A society, in which it is normalised for a corporate CEO to casually say that ‘some people will die’ like it’s a minor balance sheet item, is in trouble.”

Travel journalist Ben Groundwater responded to this by writing: “A society in which even intelligent people fail to grasp the meaning and intent of a simple quote is probably in more strife.”

Opinion online remains split.

Flight Centre’s CEO has allegedly come out in support of Hrdlicka, as has Nationals Senator Matt Canavan. Canavan characterised Hrdlicka’s remarks as stark but factual on Sky News.

WA Senator Jordon Steele-John however, supported the boycott.

Conversation on Twitter also meandered into how the issue intersected with the problem of Aussies stranded overseas.

The border debate has been bouncing for some time in Australia, with the big question being: what constitutes “enough” Australians being vaccinated to open the borders (and what percentage of vaccination would equal what degree of door opening).

As the various quarantine bottlenecks we’ve seen throughout this last year show, it’s not a precise art. The science can only tell us so much – at some stage as a society we have to decide what trade-offs we are willing to make, and when, in order to open up again to the world.

Yet another reminder to appreciate every gulp of air, every day with loved ones, etc.

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The post What Australia Failed To Grasp About Virgin Australia Boss' Controversial Border Comment appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

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Sergio Ramos Breaks Gym Taboo With Dramatic ‘Floor Shattering’ Workout
Sergio Ramos Breaks Gym Taboo With Dramatic ‘Floor Shattering’ Workout

In every gym there are official rules which are ignored (no towel, no train) and unwritten rules that are adhered to (don’t make eye contact with someone when they are using the glute machine).

Another taboo we seem to have is not doing extreme exercises in the stretching/freeweight area, for fear of being a nuisance. The irony? This is exactly what this part of the gym was built for.

Throwing a medicine ball directly into this taboo’s pelvic floor, Real Madrid icon Sergio Ramos has this morning taken to Instagram to share a workout that is liable to shake the earth’s core.

That workout? Medicine ball slams.

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A post shared by Sergio Ramos (@sergioramos)

Simply captioned with the bicep emoji (times 3, no less), the video shows the 35-year-old centre back throwing a somewhat squisky looking medicine ball as hard as he can (it appears) at the ground, from a starting position of it being directly over his head.

Wearing red gym shorts, white sneakers, and no shirt, Ramos can be seen doing the exercise in slow motion twice, before doing it quickly five times afterwards.

This exercise works your core, legs and arms.

Slathering comments rolled in as per usual complementing the Los Blancos captain, including the likes of “slaying” and “king.”

Other commenters urged him to join their clubs (“welcome to PSG”) while others begged him not to leave Real Madrid (“DON”T LEAVE”).

Ramos has had a few injury issues this season, and came back into the team for the Champions League game they played against Chelsea (and lost). He did not start in last weekend’s game against Athletic Bilbao.

He does appear to be well on the road back to full fitness though.

In fact, according to Miguel Angel Diaz of El Partidazo de COPE, Ramos will reportedly make his return just in time for this weekend’s crucial season-closing match against Villarreal.

Diaz’s Tweet states Ramos has recovered from tendinosis in his left leg muscle and will begin training with the squad on Wednesday.

La Liga’s title race will be decided this weekend, when Real host Villarreal and Atletico travel to Valladolid.

As for what happens after that for Ramos? Marca reports: “Ramos is staring the end of a 16-year career at Real Madrid in the face, with his contract set to expire at the end of June. The 35-year-old is desperate to secure a two-year extension to his current deal, while Florentino Perez is only willing to offer him a one-year contract.”

“One side has to budge eventually but, if they don’t, Ramos will leave Real Madrid this summer.”

Whatever ends up happening, he looks poised to be in damn fine shape.

Watch Sergio Ramos destroy his biggest workouts below.

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The post Sergio Ramos Breaks Gym Taboo With Dramatic Floor Shattering Workout appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

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Seth Rogen’s ‘Delicious’ Suit Proves This Men’s Style Trend Is Here To Stay
Seth Rogen’s ‘Delicious’ Suit Proves This Men’s Style Trend Is Here To Stay

Seth Rogen might not be the first name that comes to mind when you’re looking for men’s fashion inspiration, but it bloody should be.The 39-year-old actor/comedian – who’s built a career out of writing and starring in stoner comedies like Pineapple Express and Sausage Party – has seriously upped his style game in recent years, ditching the ratty flannels and hoodies he used to rock for dapper suits.His latest look might is his best yet, and really represents a ‘coming of age’ moment for the previously somewhat slovenly Canadian star. On stage at the MTV Movie & TV Awards, Rogen looked like a million bucks in a toasted plum velvet suit from Italian fashion house Etro, which he paired with an electric pink shirt that even notorious celebrity style writer Evan Ross Katz has described as “absolutely delicious“.It’s a truly winning look that speaks not only to the maturation of Rogen’s style but also to the growing popularity of pink as a formalwear colour palette.

Image: Getty
When it comes to suits and cars, men tend to be quite conservative when it comes to colour. Just like how most cars you see on the road are white, black or silver, most suits you see are black, blue or grey.Increasingly, however, men are choosing to be a bit more experimental with their suit colours, even in formal situations – with pink seeming to be the new colour de jure in particular. Like most style trends, it’s something that celebrities have been championing: just take a look at John Legend or Justin Bieber. We wonder if Rogen’s plum palette will be something others will try and emulate, too…RELATED: Iconic Australian Band Prove 2021’s Safari Suit Trend Is Here To StayRogen took to the stage to honour legendary British funnyman Sacha Baron Cohen with the Comedic Genius Award (another man not afraid to break the mould when it comes to suit colours). As for his own endeavours, he’s been working as an executive producer for the critically acclaimed Amazon Prime adult animated superhero television series Invincible.

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The post Is This Seth Rogen's Coming Of Age Men's Fashion Moment? appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

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Nostalgic Monaco Grand Prix Photo Reveals Insane Growth Of Wealth In 30 Years
Nostalgic Monaco Grand Prix Photo Reveals Insane Growth Of Wealth In 30 Years

From crew members popping the cork on the champagne-soaked excesses of their bosses to the Babylonian exploits trust fund warriors get up to each summer in Europe, sometimes it seems little has changed in the world of luxury yachting.

One thing has changed, however; the vessels. Enter: the following 31-year-old photo of the Monaco Grand Prix.

Image: Getty

Taken by Pascal Rondeau, the photo shows Alain Prost of France driving the #1 Scuderia Ferrari SpA Ferrari 641 Ferrari V12, passing the mega yachts along the harbour during practice for the Grand Prix of Monaco on the 37th of May 1990 on the streets of Monte Carlo, Monaco.

With Formula 1 returning this week to Monaco (with a limited fan attendance of 7,500 people per day), we thought we’d compare the above photo with something more recent.

Take: the following photo from 2019, taken by Mark Thompson, showing Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Aston Martin Red Bull Racing RB15 on track during practice for the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 23, 2019, in Monte-Carlo, Monaco.

Image: Getty

The upshot? They’re not just getting shinier. As luxury yacht manager Candaş Balci told DMARGE: “the sizes are getting bigger every year.”

“In the 90s, a 24 metre yacht was considered a superyacht and takes everyone’s attention, but now the average size of new delivered yachts are around 50 meters.”

“Yacht building technology is also developing, so making bigger fibreglass one-type models is getting easier. We see many bigger yachts in marinas and bays. Back in the 90s shipyards could made custom steel yachts to reach those big sizes, which cost more money and time to deliver.”

RELATED: Why Travelling Europe On A Superyacht Is More Stressful Than You Think

With this change in size, people have coined new names for bigger yachts, Candas told us. While “superyacht” was the word assigned to something big in the past, now we have the terms “megayacht” and “gigayacht.”

Monaco yacht show. Image: CNN

As for the tastes of the yacht’s wealthy occupants, Candas told DMARGE: “yacht owners want more outdoor spaces than before.” Don’t believe him? Just check out the Port Hercules, Monaco geotag on Instagram.

 

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A post shared by Top Yacht ™ ⚓⚓ (@topyacht)

“Shipyards are offering more exterior areas like beach clubs, more decks and balconies. It used to be more important to have privacy in closed areas, but now people want to live the sea experience outside.”

“Also expedition models are getting popular every year, where people want to discover different places with their yachts rather than cruising same spots every year. Green energy is also the future of yachting, shipyards are making their plans to have more electrical propulsion systems or hybrid engines to show their responsibility to the environment.”

Image: Ahoy Club

What’s next then, a Prius version of Super Yacht A? “Not really,” says Candas.

Only time (and this year’s Monaco Grand Prix) will tell. Speaking of which – if you’re not up to speed – practice one and two are taking place today, practice three (and the qualifying round) will take place on the 22nd of May, and the race will take place on the 23rd of May.

Our hot take? We hope Ricciardo’s driving is still as good as his wide receiving, and that he can repeat his success of 2018.

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The post Nostalgic Monaco Grand Prix Photo Reveals Insane Growth Of Wealth In 30 Years appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

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Heartwarming Moment Man Discovers Staggering Value Of Late Father’s Rolex Submariner
Heartwarming Moment Man Discovers Staggering Value Of Late Father’s Rolex Submariner

It’s no secret that some watches either hold their value over their tenure or increase in value due to it becoming discontinued and highly sought after. While that can be said of many luxury watch brands, such as Patek Philippe or Jaeger-LeCoultre, the Rolex collector community is unlike any other. The Rolex name has such global appeal, and its watches are made in limited quantities, making it not just one of the most collectible watch brands on the planet, but one of the most collectible brands full stop.

Which is why it’s always good to hear of real-life encounters of highly sought after models, not only to see they do indeed exist, but to gain a greater idea of the current Rolex watch price landscape.

Case in point: a recent episode of Antiques Roadshow broadcast on the BBC on Monday, May 17th 2021. During the episode, one man brought along a Rolex Submariner that once belonged to his dad. With a couple of straps, the box and original receipts in tow, coupled with the watch itself that was in good condition, expert Richard Price revealed it was worth around £20,000.

Why so much? Well, the Rolex Submariner in question is the reference 1680. Introduced in 1969 and put out of production around 1980, it’s ten year lifespan already gives it collectible credentials. But this particular Submariner is what is known as the red Submariner, due to the ‘Submariner’ text on the dial being printed in red, as opposed to the regulation white, and was only produced up until around 1973, according to Bob’s Watches, thereby increasing its desirability.

There’s more. The expert on Antique Roadshow says the dial of the model presented to him on the show is what is known as the MK4 dial, which means the waterproof rating displayed feet first – 660 – and metres second – 200. The preceding dials – known as MK1, 2 and 3 – displayed the 200-metre rating before the 660-feet. The owner of the Rolex on the BBC show claimed his dad bought it in 1972 for £132 (around £1,500 today), which would have been near the end of the production run for the MK4 dial.

£20,000 on an initial £132 investment is what we would consider a serious win, although it pales in comparison to the US$72 million price tag placed upon a Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime 5175R-001. However, this particular Rolex Submariner won’t be changing hands anytime soon, as the current owner expressed its sentimental value (breaking down in tears, no less), so will continue to cherish it for the rest of his life.

Find the full show here.

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The post Heartwarming Moment Man Discovers Staggering Value Of Late Father's Rolex Submariner appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

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‘Evolved’ Sydney Nightlife Trend Other Cities Should Learn From
‘Evolved’ Sydney Nightlife Trend Other Cities Should Learn From

‘Sydney’ and ‘nightlife’ are not two words that sit comfortably next to each other… Unless there’s the word ‘bad’ sandwiched somewhere in between.

The city of Sandstone and Stupid Bills might be a world-renowned tourism destination but it’s the beaches that people come here for. The much-reviled lockout laws, red tape and government stifling of the arts; rising property and rent prices as well as an aging population have done a number on Sydney’s nightlife scene. Melbourne might be the inferior city but there’s one thing they do better than us: a night out.

Or do they? Just as weeds always find a way to grow through pavement cracks, a cool new nightlife trend has firmly taken hold in Sydney… One that’s so good it’s (for once) flipped the script: other cities should be learning from Sydney, not the other way around.


Enter the ‘five-star dive bar’.

Ross Blainey, brand ambassador for The Balvenie whisky, chats with Charlie Lehmann, owner of Ramblin Rascal Tavern in Sydney’s CBD. Ramblin Rascal is one of Sydney’s best dive bars. Image supplied

Dive bars are traditionally not very glamorous. They’re watering holes; low on charm but high on authenticity. In Australia, where pubs dominate our drinking and nightlife culture, it’s more of an American thing. At least by the typical definition.

Sydney’s growing dive bar trend, however, doesn’t quite fit that typical definition. While Sydney’s dive bars are still authentic and unpretentious by nature, many are becoming a little more refined. Hence ‘five star’.

Typically small and sometimes even secretive – with hidden entrances or unassuming facades – Sydney’s dive bars inject a much-needed sense of fun back into the city’s nightlife culture, while also offering something no other type of venue really can: a melding of both high and low priced drinks.

Charlie Lehmann, owner and head bartender of Sydney CBD dive bar Ramblin Rascal Tavern, puts it this way: “I want Ramblin to be the kind of place you can just have a cheapo beer after work, as well as indulge in a fine whisky like The Balvenie. It’s all things to all people, without any bullshit.”

“Dive bars defy trends and start them. They are the lifeblood of drinking establishments on both ends of the spectrum.”

Lehmann puts his money where his mouth is. Image supplied

Lehmann reckons that the other big drawing card of Sydney’s dive bars – other than their unique combination of both accessibility and luxury – is that they’re part of a return to old-fashioned bartending.

“We don’t have many proper bartenders these days… You just have people pouring drinks at megavenues. Ramblin, and other dive bars, have proper bartenders. People who’ve honed their craft and really give a shit about what they’re serving. It’s a vocation.”

“Sydneysiders are learning to trust their bartenders again, it’s coming back.”

It’s an old-school yet fundamentally honest approach to hospitality and nightlife that’s struck a chord with Sydneysiders, who are flocking to their city’s dive bars in droves (now that they can again).

Some of Sydney’s top dive bars. Clockwise from top left: Jacoby’s Tiki Bar, Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice, The Swinging Cat, The Baxter Inn.

The success of Sydney’s dive bars is emblematic of how Australians’ conception of luxury is changing. ‘Luxury’ no longer means exclusivity or conspicuous consumption (although it can be, and still often is, just that) it’s also about authenticity; it’s experiential.


RELATED: Unexpected Premium Spirit Fast Becoming Australia’s Favourite

While there’s nothing like dressing up to go out to a fancy cocktail bar – or having a sesh with your mates at the local pub – Sydney’s dive bars let you do both in equal comfort and without judgement. They speak to the fundamentally egalitarian streak in Australian culture that’s increasingly permeating traditional definitions of luxury.

We’ll raise a tinnie and/or Martini to that.

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The post Surprisingly ‘Evolved’ Sydney Nightlife Trend Other Cities Could Learn From appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

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‘It’s Fine Not To Have The Answers’: Why You Don’t Need To Be A Psychologist To Ask A Mate If They’re Ok
‘It’s Fine Not To Have The Answers’: Why You Don’t Need To Be A Psychologist To Ask A Mate If They’re Ok

Mental health is a conversation that has become more prevalent than ever. What was already a highly important subject has had extra attention placed upon it in the previous 18 months, what with that pandemic turning our lives upside down.

2020 not only forced us to take a look at our own mental health but to check in with others to see how they’re doing. One such Australian charity that places a serious emphasis on asking someone else how they’re doing is R U OK?. Set up by Gavin Larkin in 2009 in response to his father’s suicide – and who unfortunately passed away from cancer himself in 2011 – R U OK? seeks to ensure people can connect with one another and to lend an ear or a helping hand for anyone in need of support.

It’s an important charity. 9 Australians die every day by suicide, 75% of whom are male. Suicide is also the leading cause of death for Australians between 15 and 44.

To help further spread the message of R U OK?, the charity has a number of high-profile ambassadors, including former Richmond Football Club and Sydney Swans AFL player Tom Derickx. With his own stories and experiences from which to speak, Tom is a perfect fit for the charity, and DMARGE was able to spend some time talking to him, to learn how to start asking others the right questions more often.

Tom admits that he was always “quite naive” about the topic of mental health. “I didn’t know much about it, about the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Being an athlete, you kind of combine the symptoms of depression with fatigue, and think ‘maybe that’s come from training’, and you might not be aware that it’s actually a mental issue.”

“I knew I was struggling, but I would just think it was something in the air. I’d go back home to Dunsborough (in Western Australia) and think, ‘oh that’s better’ so really it was just the environment I was in [that was causing my problems].”

 

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A post shared by Tom Derickx (@tomderickx)

“So I just started learning about it and I kind of got obsessed with learning about it. Symptoms and ways to combat it. I learnt how a lot of good players deal with it and now I just like talking to people about it.”

“I wish I knew what I know now when I was a professional athlete. I would have been a much better footballer if I was doing the stuff I’m doing now, just being more open and honest about mental health.”

Naturally, the world of sports and athleticism is tough. And there is a culture of toughening yourself up to succeed. Though, to a degree, there is some necessity to this, when “toughing things out” is the only tool in your emotional and psychological belt it can cause massive problems. This viking mentality, Dr Lars Madsen of The Mindshift Foundation has previously told DMARGE, is “not helpful” when used in every facet of your life.

It’s imperative to know how to open up, ask for help; be vulnerable too.

He added, “We know that men and boys are much more at risk of suicide than women, more at risk of going to jail, more at risk of dying in car accidents, risky behaviour, developing mental illness, being locked away, dying from violence, having drug and alcohol problems etc. So men, when you look at almost every mental health marker across the board, are struggling.”

In response to the topic of toxic masculinity, Tom shares: “It’s something I’m passionate about now and as uncomfortable as it is for me to talk about sometimes, I can see how it can impact guys that are masculine. The ‘I don’t want to talk about it’ sort.”

“These tough guys see it as a weakness [to talk about their emotions] but if we slowly start cracking away at them, they get to experience the benefit of opening up. I’ve been there, so I know I can slowly help them.”

“It’s why I joined the R U OK? platform and carried out the work I have. I’m quite fortunate, growing up with a good family and in a good country, but I’ve also dealt with mental struggles and I put a lot of pressure on myself which caused me to get anxiety.”

“I think if I didn’t use my story as a bit of an educational piece for other men like me, it would be a bit of a waste.”

“One of my biggest messages that I preach is about connecting with others and community. I’m lucky to be surrounded by awesome family and friends, and we’re all very vocal about how we’re going, where we’re at mentally and physically.”

On the subject of connecting with others in the community, we asked Tom what he would say to guys that go to the gym, put their headphones in, and potentially mask anything going in their lives for an hour a day while they pump some iron.

 

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A post shared by R U OK? (@ruokday)

He tells us he can be “a bit of both. I like socialising but I also like to be in my own space with headphones in. When I talk about community, I mean being part of something that you can rely on, where you can have someone to have a chat to, whether it’s good or bad.”

“It’s good to have a buddy and to hold each other accountable, being around someone or a group of people you’re comfortable with is so beneficial when you get to a point where you need to talk. People can read the signs a bit better if they’re around you a lot more.”

If you’re someone who thinks they need to talk to someone, but isn’t sure how to approach the topic, Tom shares it’s best (as hard as it may initially seem) to be “as open and as vulnerable as possible.”

“Originally it was quite difficult for me, but then I saw the benefit when my friends starting opening up to me, so I think it’s just about being in that comfortable environment where you can talk. If there’s a relatable topic it can make it easier, or even just having another beer, it can help to open the door.”

“You might even think, ‘you know what, neither am I mate?’, if they say they’re not ok. It’s just about making an environment where you’re comfortable to talk.”

“You could even put something out on social media. The great thing about that is you can tell anyone anything you want to tell them, and the next time they see you, they can be open and honest with you.”

“Or if you notice your mate isn’t showing up at the gym, or they’re acting a little bit out of character, it’s a good chance to ask ‘are you ok with that?’, something not so broad. It’s about adapting to each individual.”

Asking someone if they’re ok can be a hurdle in itself for some. ‘When is the right time?’, ‘what if I offend them?’ or even ‘what if I don’t have the answers?’. To that last point, Tom says it’s fine to not have the answers. “You don’t have to be like ‘oh yeah I’ve been in that situation too’, but just be more like ‘That sounds tough, let’s figure out how we can set up a plan to get you through it, but I appreciate you talking to me about it.”

Tom also speaks to the benefit of having a daily routine. We likely all have some sort of daily ritual, whether it be breakfast at a certain time or a gym class. For Tom, it’s meditation. “I’m still learning, but I’m interested in those sort of areas, but I just try to get up at the same time every morning, I do two 20 minutes of meditation a day, one in the morning and one in the arvo.”

“Then I’ll just do something active, whether it’s a run or a stretch, and I make sure I jump in the ocean, just to get the body moving.”

“I try to not look at my phone until I’ve done all that stuff. I think that’s a tough habit to get out of, but I think it’s an important one.”

“It’s all about creating a habit so it becomes second nature and once you stop, you really notice it. I’ve just been at home for 5 days and unable to stick to my routine, so I feel a bit of whack, so I’m looking forward to getting back into it.”

Tom now makes up one half of Australian dance music group Kayex, which he finds offers a fantastic outlet to express himself, and which he finds meditative. He adds that it gives him purpose, and for him, “purpose is the most important thing to being a good human.”

R U OK? is currently holding a Tread As One event with Australian fitness studio chain Anytime Fitness. Between 15th and 22nd May, Anytime Fitness are inviting Australians to walk, run or even dance on a treadmill to clock up as many kilometres as possible, to help reach a goal of $650,000 to help with suicide prevention. 

You can also make a donation to those running for the cause at https://www.treadasone.com.au/

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The post You Don't Need A Psychology Degree To Ask A Mate If They're OK appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

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Hublot’s Clever In-Store Service Lets Australian Watch Lovers Taste The Rainbow
Hublot’s Clever In-Store Service Lets Australian Watch Lovers Taste The Rainbow

When it comes to the ultra-competitive world of high-end watchmaking, every brand has its own special niche.

Sometimes it’s a trademark design, like Bell & Ross’ square cases or A. Lange & Söhne’s big date windows. Perhaps it’s a performance consideration, like Grand Seiko’s unique Spring Drive movements or Piaget’s ultra-thin models.

Hublot’s niche, however, might just be variety. The iconoclastic, ultra-futuristic Swiss brand currently produces over 500 different models under five expansive collections. From chronographs to art watches to smartwatches and everything in between, the scope of Hublot’s oeuvre is quite unlike any other watchmaker in the industry.

But that’s not all. Hublot also leads the industry when it comes to strap or bracelet customisation. Virtually all of their models are available with dozens of different strap options: considering that many other brands treat models with different straps as completely different references, you could make the claim that Hublot has literally thousands of different models.

Needless to say, Hublot’s strap customisation service is something rather special; a breath of fresh air in what’s sometimes a very stuffy industry – and an approach that more watch brands can learn a lot from.

L: revealing the goodies at Hublot’s Sydney boutique. R: testing out different straps over a glass of Veuve.

We had the chance to experience Hublot’s strap customisation service in person at their Sydney CBD boutique on King Street. The friendly boutique staff had literally hundreds of straps in-store ready for us to try out with their multitude of watches. From alligator leather to hardy rubber or Velcro-backed fabric, the kaleidoscope of different strap colours and options was mind-blowing.

RELATED: Hublot’s Colourful Watches & Wonders 2021 Reveal

It also helps that many of Hublot’s most popular models, such as the Big Bang or Spirit of Big Bang, feature a ‘one click’ strap quick-change system that makes experimenting with different strap options an absolute breeze. It’s not just the straps you can change, too – you can even personalise the buckle clasp, which features the same interchangeable system technology.

If you can’t make it to a boutique, Hublot also has a rather user-friendly online strap selector that makes it easy to visualise the entire range of straps on the watch of your choice, too.

Taste the rainbow.

Why is this strap customisation service so special? Because variety is the spice of life. Watch fans have long appreciated how changing a watch’s strap is the single most dramatic way of changing up the way it looks: a new strap can make your watch feel like an entirely new timepiece. That Hublot has so many in-house strap options is rather unique, and offers yet another point of difference in the horological arms race.

It also makes the whole process of buying a watch even more special. Selecting a strap is a genuinely lovely part of the process of buying a watch that’s often overlooked; one just as important as choosing a watch itself. Again, it’s another point of difference – especially when it comes to the boutique experience.

Quick-change releases and more in-house strap options seem to be the way the watch industry is headed. Hublot’s offering stands out as a particularly luxurious, hassle-free and expansive one that’s setting the pace for other high-end watchmakers.

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The post Hublot's Indulgent In-Store Service More Watch Brands Should Be Offering appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

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Pizza Vending Machines Spark Absolute Horror In Rome
Pizza Vending Machines Spark Absolute Horror In Rome

Asking for extra cheese. Not learning a few Italian phrases. Ordering a latte after breakfast.

There are a lot of cultural insults tourists inadvertently fling when wandering the land of pizza and gelato.

But now one Rome based entrepreneur has sparked a debate among locals with his “freshly made” pizza vending machine business.


Some reckon it’s sacrilegious, others are curious to see what pizza made by a machine in three minutes is really like.

As The Guardian reports, “Located in a booth on Via Catania, close to Piazza Bologna in Rome, Mr Go Pizza offers up four varieties, including the classic margherita invented in Naples in 1889, each costing between €4.50 and €6. Customers can watch through a small glass window as the vending machine kneads and tops the dough.”

“It started operating on 6 April and has since sold about 900 pizzas, which are delivered in a box and with cutlery.”

Student Fabrizia Pugliese told DMARGE she was not overly impressed with the machine pizzas.

“So this new invention…I don’t think it’s a good choice for Italian people… We love fresh food and something like pizza cannot be prepared by a machine! Making pizza is art.. it needs practice; love, things that a machine will never have.”

“I think that people here in Rome maybe taste once this ‘pizza’ pushed by curiosity, but it’s a marketing that will have an end very soon.”

Over on Twitter, the reaction has been predictably negative, with Argentines, Canadians and Americans questioning the idea too.

Twitter user @ABreckenridge4 wrote: “JOKEOFTHEDAY: Pizza vending machines called ‘Mr. Go Pizza’ were introduced in Rome, Italy. Reaction from Italians has been mostly ‘Mr. Go F Yourself.'”

Instagram user @cronopiatw asked her followers if they thought it was “una locura” (crazy).

One Canadian wrote: “North American influence at its finest. Very sad.”


Another remarked: “Who would buy this in Rome? Even tourists would want the real thing.”

Entrepreneur Massimo Bucolo, who started the business, spoke to The Guardian recently about Mr Go Pizza. His comments go a fair way to answering many of the queries above.

“When I first saw the machine and learned about how it works, I totally fell in love with it,” Bucolo told The Guardian. “And so I did a lot of research and spoke to a lot of food suppliers, ensuring that the ingredients would be of the highest quality. People are mocking the product without even having tried it.”

“I wanted to fill a gap in the market – so many people have called me, especially those who work nightshifts, asking if it’s open as for them this is a real solution if they’re hungry when everything else is closed.”

“The big mistake is thinking that this is an attack against pizza-makers or that it will send them into crisis… Mr Go’s final product is not the same as the pizza they make … it is a cross between a pizza and a piadina [a thin Italian flatbread].”

According to Reuters, early reviews by customers of the machine ranged from “acceptable if you’re in a hurry” to outright horror.

“It looks good but it is much smaller than in a restaurant and there is less topping,” said Claudio Zampiga, a pensioner, Reuters reports.


Reuters also reports that Fabrizia Pugliese, a Naples native and university student in Rome, went a step further, saying the vending machine pizza is ok “but it’s not pizza.”

Gina, a pensioner who declined to give her surname, was even less impressed, according to Reuters.

“Terrible. Pizza really needs to be eaten hot, immediately. This doesn’t work for me.”

Our take as potential visitors? Pizza vending machines are not as bad as Starbucks. In fact, we imagine they are tasty, cheap and convenient. But they are a vibe killer for a city tourists visit, in large part, to soak up the tradition and culture.

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