
Chrome has been the king of car plating for a long time now, but if Born Rich is to be believed, then Gold could soon be replacing it as the car cover of choice for the uber-rich.
The gallery that they put together includes gold plated Bugattis, BMWs, Porsches, Bentleys, Rolls Royces and DeLoreans, and each one is a show of gaudy excess.
Gold chain, greasy hair and 80s flashbacks not included.
[Born Rich - Gold Plated Cars]

Diesel’s new DZ4160 watch (aka the Freak of Nature) is definitely an interesting take on the timepiece.
Can’t decide between leather and steel, gold and silver, or futuristic and simplistic? Easy, just go with all of the above and stop worrying about what’s on your wrist.
The split-faced hybrid watch is half of one watch and half of another, and it’s all been crammed together and combined to give you the best of both worlds.
[Diesel - DZ4160]

At the end of the original version of The Italian Job (yes, this will contain a spoiler so don’t read on if you haven’t seen it) the gang is left perched atop a cliff in their bus, with them at one end and their gold at the other. (Literally, a cliffhanger.) Knowing that it would be impossible for them to get to the gold without tipping the bus off the cliff, they make the wise decision and abandon hopes of endless riches.
However, the Royal Society of Chemists wasn’t convinced that the gang needed to leave without the best of both worlds, and created a competition to see who could come up with the best solution.
In the end, John Godwin came up with an idea that’s as genius as it is plausible, and won himself a trip to Turin with the following solution:
Break the windows at the back to reduce weight; break the windows at the front inwards to save weight; hold one gang member upside-down out of the window to deflate the front tires and stabilize the vehicle; drain the rear fuel tank through an access panel at the bottom of the bus; gang members leave one by one from the front, collecting stones to replace their weight; keep adding stones until someone can safely go to the rear to retrieve the gold.
Easy, right?
In addition to John’s entry, more than 2,000 people submitted their own ideas, so be sure to visit the RSC website for more, or download Godwin’s PDF if you’d like to see all the science behind his daring gold rescue.
[RSC - Italian Job Competition]
[Via: Autoblog]

The Cabestan Winch Vertical Tourbillon is like no other watch in the world.
Time is told on two rotating drums (one for hours and one for minutes) that are made of engraved aluminum and set on ball bearings, and each drum is equipped with a resistance spring the enables you to disconnect it for time setting, as well as a small winch that is stored in the folding buckle of the bracelet that allows you to wind the watch.

However, what’s truly amazing is that this watch holds power through a chain drive that consists of 450 small links made of inoxidizable steel and riveted by hand. The chain is good for 72 hours of power reserve, and is wound around the watch in a way that follows the natural energy of the spring within.
The titanium case is made of seven components that are vacuum welded together with hydrogen in a conveyor oven, and Pyrex crystals that are thermoformed by hand cover all the bits and pieces underneath.
All this tech doesn’t come cheap however, as you’ll be paying anywhere between $275,000 and $400,000 for the privilege depending on how much bling you want, but when tech and exclusivity get together with beauty like this, money can quickly become no object for those with the means.
[Cabestan - Winch Vertical Tourbillon]
[Via: Book Of Joe]