In this week’s edition of Good Finds, we’ve got a refreshed Defender ute, a health tracker that hides behind your watch, a truffle-layered roast from a 150-year-old butcher, and plenty more.
Back Support
Most smart bands and watches are eyesores, or difficult to pull off 24/7. HIYD is having a go at fixing that. It’s a 2.7mm disc, 25mm across, that sticks to the back of whatever you’re already wearing using microsuction. There’s no glue, no magnets and no tools, and the brand says it peels off clean, even from polished gold and sapphire casebacks.
It logs sleep, heart rate, resting heart rate, HRV, readiness and steps, and syncs to Apple Health and Google Health. There’s also a calorie and macro tracker that works off your phone camera. Battery is four days, or you can use the Battery Band, which charges it while you sleep. There’s no subscription, which sets it apart from most rings. The brand also says it’s non-magnetic, so an automatic should keep winding as normal.
US$199 early-bird price, launching on Kickstarter in November, at HIYD.
Truffle Wellies
Victor Churchill at 132 Queen Street, Woollahra has been selling meat since 1876, which makes it Australia’s oldest continuously operating butcher shop. It has had four ownership eras, and the Churchill name is still above the door. The 2009 fit-out picked up Best of the Year at the 2010 International Interior Design Awards in New York, the first time a butcher shop had even been nominated. Anthony Bourdain called it “the most beautiful butcher shop in the world.”
For the 150th there’s a short film, The House of Churchill, and a roast. The Churchill Rossini Roast is a T-bone, boned out and layered with the shop’s truffle parfait, a nod to Tournedos Rossini, the nineteenth-century dish from around the time the doors opened. It’s in-store only and runs for one month from 27 October, so the window shuts in late November.
Check it out at Victor Churchill Woollahra.
Best in Show
Rodd & Gunn has had a pointer on its logo since 1946. To mark 80 years, it has handed the leather work to Zoli Szalardi, who has made the brand’s luggage for over 25 years. He grew up in a Hungarian family of leather workers, apprenticed in Germany and ended up running his own factory in Auckland. That’s a fairly complete CV for the job.
The 1946 Collection is five pieces, all made by hand in New Zealand from Tasman Tannery leather out of Whanganui. Each one has the heritage plaid lining inside. The Large Weekender is the one for leaving the office early on a Friday. The Normandy covers everyday travel and the Briefcase covers Monday. There’s also a Satchel, plus a belt for anyone who wants in without the luggage budget. My pick si the large weekend (above)– which will accompany on carry-ons for years to come.
Weekender $1,999, Normandy $1,699, Briefcase $1,799, Satchel $1,099, O’Neill Belt $149, all at Rodd & Gunn.
Tray Bien
ROHMY has a Skyfall Silver Defender 110 double cab for sale out of Richmond. The name nods to the Bond film, where a 110 double cab pickup features in the opening chase. It’s an Australian-delivered truck from a Sydney Land Rover dealer, which ROHMY bought from the original owner and gave a complete mechanical refresh. On top of that are matching steel wheels on Yokohama Geolandar X-ATs, LED lamps, a mesh grille and a drop-side tray with a small Union Jack. Inside are Recaro buckets with houndstooth inserts and titanium shifter details.
Just remember to take the bloody shot.
$155,000 at ROHMY.
Moonshine
Atkinsons has been making perfume since 1799, and its Reserve Collection works back through the archive. Two new Parfum Intense releases sit in it, and they’re a long way apart.
Spice of London is a realistic gin and tonic. It opens on juniper and black pepper, with elemi and cedarwood underneath, so it reads dry and crisp. The juniper up top makes it very sessionable.
Mystic Moonlight goes the other way. It starts with a stage show: Sakuntala, an ancient Sanskrit play that London audiences saw in 1919, which Atkinsons turned into a scent at the time. This version reworks it as an oud, softened with coconut absolute and red ginger, then cypriol, labdanum, tonka and amber. It’s very fruity and an office favourite.
$450 at Myer.