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Exclusive, Luxurious, and Just For You. Sponsored by Champagne Bollinger.
Buy The First Bob Ross
Bob Ross, the friend of stoners, 80s housewives, and people just looking to destress and make some nice little paintings, has sky rocketed in popularity in recent years. As people look for ways to unwind online his TV show has provided a respite of calm that nothing else can. Who else can tell you that […]
Top of the Line Watches for The Year of the Dragon
As we celebrate the year of the Dragon, horologists around the world are putting their master craftsmen to work making the most intricate dragon themed timepieces they can muster. Being born in the year of the dragon is particularly auspicious, with character traits of “dragon babies” leading to particularly good life outcomes. In recent years […]
Elevate Your Cruise Game
When it comes to cruising, the word “luxury” might bring to mind plush accommodations and exotic locales, but few do it quite like Oceania Cruises, partnered seamlessly with the travel-savvy wizards at YOU Travel & Cruises. This duo is rewriting the rules on high-seas travel, delivering an experience that meets and exceeds every expectation. Forget […]
M2 2022 Watch Guide: Longines
Spirit Pioneer The brand new Longines Spirit Pioneer Edition is the latest addition to the Longines Spirit collection. It’s a 42mm grade 5 titanium chronograph, making it more resistant to corrosion, scratches and heat. It’s tinted sparingly with a neon green which is carried across the dials, numerals and subtly in the stitching of the […]
M2 2022 Watch Guide: Tudor
Black Bay Pro Many of the watches releasing this year are iterations on the classics. Tudor is eschewing this trend with the release of the Black Bay Pro, an entirely new technical model with its own aesthetic. It’s 39 millimetres of satin brushed 316L steel and a TUDOR Manufacture MT5652 Calibre with a built in […]
M2 2022 Watch Guide: Montblanc
Summit 2+ Smartwatch The Summit 2+ is the next step up from the Summit 2. It comes with a larger screen, this time 1.3”, and in the process has a slightly larger body than its predecessor at 43.5mm. It’s a touchscreen of course, but the rotating crown is always a nice touch. As well as […]
Explore the world of the lavish and luxurious. Sponsored by Rolls-Royce.
Rolls-Royce Enters the Dragon
You probably will have noticed by this stage of the magazine that this is the Year of Dragon. While Swiss watch brands have done a pretty good job of a bit of horological celebration, Rolls-Royce has entered the stage with a loud mic drop and four magnificent fiery beasts to pay a serious nod to […]
Rolls-Royce Wants you to Lust for its Pebble Beach Collection 2022
Monterey Car Week has just wrapped up on the lawns of Monterey, California and we’ve been left with a lot to consider. Namely, which of 44,000 shades would we pick for our brand new Black Badge Cullinan from Rolls-Royce. Rolls-Royce has a “bring it on” attitude towards bespoke custom finishes. They know that if they […]
Eat Your Heart Out Zeus
In ode to the annals of Greek mythology, where Daedalus crafted his intricate maze, Rolls-Royce engineers have woven their own complex masterpiece, the Arcadia Droptail. This chariot, not of the sun but of the roads, is not just a nod to the pastoral utopia of Arcadia but a technical odyssey that would make even Hephaestus, […]
A world of iconic style. Sponsored by Montblanc Legend Red.
Steal Bob Dylan’s Look
Timothée Chalamet isn’t the only one getting to swan around looking like Bob Dylan in Searchlight Pictures’ A Complete Unknown. Now we’re all able to get a slice of the action thanks to a collaboration between Oscar-nominated costume designer Arianne Phillips and Levi. Together they have recreated Dylan’s iconic looks with homages to the music […]
Gucci Has Gone 70’s Sport Cool
Mixing Gucci’s kaleidoscopic aesthetic with adidas of the late 70s comes one the year’s most highly anticipated colabs. Launching in early June, the adidas x Gucci collection features colourful prints, jacquard fabrics and a range of lifestye products, combining high fashion luxe with functional sportwear. Envisioned by Gucci’s Creative Director, Alessandro Michele, the campaign’s imagery […]
Dior Has Reimagined the Californian Dream
There’s something about California that has etched itself into the psyche of Western culture as kind of a dreamlike destination. We can of course go back to the early Westward US settler migration, but California has also been the epicentre of cultural, economic and technical trends that have spread outward across the globe. At that […]
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The Intersection of Business & Luxury. Sponsored by Montblanc.
Best Kept Secrets
Sharing the secrets of the most exclusive experiences. Sponsored by Spy Valley.
How To Choose The Perfect Steak For You
The iconic Auckland Restaurant, Jervois SteakHouse got a facelift over winter and is once again firing on all cylinders. Part of the refresh saw the return of the much-loved “meat board”, from which you can choose the most premium cut of beef on offer. But when presented with a row of raw steaks what do […]
Asian Fusion Dinner Dishes and 9 Wines To Pair Them With
While we commonly associate wine pairings, there’s a wine for everything, and that includes Asian fusion food. M2 had the opportunity of talking to sommelier Anong Klinyoo, who founded A-LLURE, making it possible for Kiwis to have an authentic Thai wine experience. As an aside, Klinyoo shared with me nine Asian Fusion dishes and their pairings. […]
A Kiwi/Mexican Summer Soiree
Ah! We’ve finally reached Summer which also – hopefully! – means plenty of hot, sunny weather to come too. It also means it is time to bust out the summer entertaining dinners for all the friends and family. For such a summery time of year, light, fresh and zingy meals suit best. And what better […]
Discover the secret to over 60 years of excellence in watchmaking. Sponsored by Grand Seiko.
The Grand Seiko Spring Drive 8 Days SBGD207
Hidden away in the forest to the east of Lake Suwa in Shinshu, Japan is Mishaka Pond; a beautiful body of water that features a unique verdant green. This colour so caught the eye of the Micro Artist watchmakers in their studio nearby they decided to use it to create this collector’s edition Spring Drive […]
Grand Seiko Commemorative Watches – The Cycle Of Life
The number sixty is one of the most important numbers in the world of horology and watchmaking, but, in Japan, it has an additional significance as a moment of new energy and re-birth. Sixtieth birthdays or Kanreki, which literally means “return” and “calendar” and signifies that the 60th year of a person marks the end […]
The Heartbeat of a Winner
When you have a chance of victory in any competition, the heart beats faster as the excitement grows, the eyes widen and the tension mounts. At least, usually that is what happens, but in horological competitions – the opposite is true as it is only the steadiest heartbeats keeping an unchanged and deadly accurate pace […]
Welcome to a world of heritage. Sponsored by Misson Estate Winery.
The Bentley Le Mans Collection: A High-Octane Homage
The latest Bentley offering honours a storied racing heritage that binds Bentley and the Le Mans 24 Hours race together as part of race legend. Introducing the Bentley Le Mans Collection – a fleet of limited-edition Continental GTs and GTCs that are as sublime as they are exclusive. Celebrating both the 20th anniversary of Bentley’s […]
Pure Gold Wine
The Mission Estate 2019 Huchet Syrah – reverentially named after Brother Cyprian Huchet, one of Missions and New Zealand’s pioneering winemakers from the 19th century – boasts a distinctive character, exhibiting a deep garnet hue with aromas of blackberries, violets, and cracked black pepper. On the palate, it showcases a harmonious blend of ripe dark […]
The Best New Pieces From the World’s Biggest Watch Show
As various watch events in Geneva and abroad wrap up we at M2 like to just take a step back and really absorb the incredible levels of craftsmanship that goes into each and every piece brought to the event. Every year, international watchmakers push the craft to new heights. In many ways, watching making is […]
Male Mental Health – What It Means To Be A Kiwi Man
Movember has funded a landmark, Kiwi-made show called ‘Man Enough’, which attempts to tackle male mental health in New Zealand, by turning the nation’s traditional concept of masculinity on its head. Words by Rob Dunne, Movember Foundation NZ Country Manager TV journalist and host of Celebrity Treasure Island, Matt Chisholm, sets out on an enlightening […]
Present A Proud Face This Movember with Just For Men
Ah, November – my favourite month. You know, it’s the one that straight out belongs to men, courtesy of those wise gentlemen of Melbourne who created Movember for us. Movember means that for thirty days attention will be diverted away from our tattoos, wristwatch, suit and/or shoes, and laser-focused in on our facial hair – […]
Ep.84 – The Power Of Community – Rob Dunne
Robert Dunne has been Country Manager of Movember for the last 10 years. He is predominately responsible for the Movember Fundraising campaign while also involved in the management and governance of Movember funded programmes like Headfirst, Man Enough and Social Innovators challenge. Rob spoke at the M2 Summit, 3 November 2020 about the power of […]
Discover the Best New Zealand Wines Have to Offer. Sponsored by Te Mata Estate.
Rediscovering An (Almost) Lost Knowledge
Sometimes incredible knowledge gets lost to the human race; like how to make Wootz steel for example. Manufactured in India 2,500 years ago it was used to create swords that were highly prized for their strength and unique patterning in the metal. For a millennium it was regarded as the best steel in the world […]
Get the Latest Coleraine Vintage Before It Sells Out
Te Mata Estate makes some fantastic vintages. Last year we recommended the Coleraine ’21, and it has since subsequently sold out (according to their site right now). Available March 1st is the Coleraine ’22, which according to early reviews maintains the prestige of its predecessor. Critic Huon Hooke of The Real Review, suggests that “Coleraine […]
Why Wait for Quality When You Can Have It Straight Away?
Read any wine magazine – or indeed, the pages of this august website – and you’ll see a lot of how long fine wines will cellar for; five years here, ten there, even twenty plus for that one. But the problem is; the sun’s out, the barbie’s freshly cleaned and the lamb kebabs are ready […]
Staying on the pulse with the best the city has to offer. Sponsored by Cordis Auckland.
Eat, Eat, Eat, Stay
Okay, so we all know that the Cordis Hotel Auckland is one of the premier places to stay if you are looking for somewhere to stay in Auckland. But this isn’t the only string to its bow. Not only is the new Pinnacle Tower and its art collection a destination in its own right, but […]
Our Round-Up Of the Best Cultural Happenings This Spring
With Spring well and truly upon us, it’s time to delve into what we can expect from the months ahead. Luckily, there appears a veritable cultural feast that awaits us over the next few weeks. We’ve rounded up all the cultural happenings that deserve to be on your radar right now. SYNTHONY No.1 […]
The Philosophy of a Staycation
A very, very lazy review of the amazing Pinnacle Tower at Cordis Auckland. Yes, the world is opening up and the Tourism gods have opened the gates. I love travelling as much as the next Airpoints member, but I had begun to notice over the last few international jaunts just how tiring the concept of […]
The best in culture and entertainment. Sponsored by Casio Privia.
The War of Which Is the Better Star Wars Show
Once Disney got its sweaty little mouse hands on Star Wars, the franchise didn’t stand a chance. Previously left to only get the occasional cartoon here and there, Star Wars is now getting a deluge of movies and live action shows to pump Disney+ subscriptions. So let’s sort the wheat from the chaff. The Book […]
Dancing All the Way To The Baynk
Auckland Anniversary; 29th of January, 2018. The City of Sails was, as I recall, filled to the brim with excitement. Thousands, I would say, of tiny sardine-like people stretching from the waterfront, through the viaduct and all the way to the top of Queen Street. All of them appeared to be following the current upstream […]
A New DJ System That’s Easy On The Eyes As Well As Ears
While the Myers NmG and Aston Martin Superleggera are technically both ‘cars’ that can get you from A to B – let’s be honest, you’d only drive one of them around to pick up your date on a Saturday night! It’s exactly the same scenario with DJ systems, there are some decks that are perfectly […]
Learning to invest from the best. Sponsored by Augustus Park.
Words New Entrepreneurs Need to Hear
“The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born – that there is a genetic factor to leadership. That’s nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true: Leaders are made rather than born.” – Warren Bennis “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” – Steve Jobs, Founder of Apple. “If you are not embarrassed […]
Build Your Own Billionaire Daily Routine
‘What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create.’ So said Buddha long ago and it still resonates just as much today as, at its heart, what the great man was talking about is that you can become what you want to be, just by thinking or behaving like […]
Investing In Price Rises Without Paying The Price Rises
While inflation has hit most sectors within New Zealand over the last couple of years, the impact on the cost of both residential and commercial building has been particularly profound. And of course, Gib board has become the poster child for this rise with desperate builders scrambling to find supply. A recent Trade Me auction […]
The latest and greatest, brought to you by The Release
Ditch The Grill With This Healthy Alternative
You’ve probably heard about the healthy cooking trend that has taken the world by storm in the past few years. Yes, I’m talking about air fryers, the cooking appliance that sparked a global sensation for fans of cooking blogs and food ‘grams. If you haven’t heard of them before, a quick Google will serve you […]
The Release Presents The New Aquastation Hot
If you find that you are one of those people that needs water to live, then you need the AquaStation Hot in your kitchen yesterday. It’s so effective that you might find that it easily combines pre-existing filters and kettles loafing around on your benchtop into one tidy classy package. First of all, the basics: […]
Get The Ultimate Comfortable Shave with the Philips S9985/50 Shaver
Artificial Intelligence can give us many things; personalised ads, fears about what it truly means to be a human, a perfect shave. There’s only one of those that I’m interested in and the Philips S9985/50 shaver can deliver it in spades. The Philips S9985/50 is powered by A.I to give you incredible skin comfort. With […]
The best the world can offer. Sponsored by Waitiri Creek Wines.
Waitiri Creek: Not Your Usual Winery
It’s said that a business is always a reflection of its leadership. So, a CEO who has been given no mandate to grow his or her business from the shareholders will always cultivate a culture of conservatism within the company. On the other hand, a CEO who has been given a free hand is far […]
Behind the Scenes of a Winemaker
Most people who enjoy kicking back with a glass of pinot on the deck on a sunny afternoon with good company and tasty snacks on hand will rarely wonder what it took to make that beautiful bottle of wine. While a few may have some idea of the technical processes, not many will realise there […]
The Science, Tradition and Art of Winemaking
Creating an award winning product that goes out to the world is hard enough when you can control all of the elements, but winemaking is a world full of variables. Waitiri Creek Winemaker, Pip Battley has built a career crafting these uncertainties into critically-recognised successes. Pip’s work has taken her from Martinborough and Central Otago […]
Get to know one of Auckland’s finest dining establishments, recently named 15th in the world on
TripAdvisor’s 2021 Travellers’ Choice “Best of the Best” Restaurant’s list. Sponsored by San Pellegrino
Our guide to changing your life for the better one step at a time. Sponsored by Oticon.
A Hairy Tale: The History Of Movember’s Early Years
MOVEMBER’S ORIGIN STORY: IN 2003, TWO MATES WERE HAVING A QUIET BEER WHEN THEY BEGAN TO JOKE ABOUT BRINGING THE MOUSTACHE BACK In 2003, two mates from Melbourne, Australia (Travis Garone and Luke Slattery) were having a quiet beer at the Gypsy Bar in Fitzroy when their conversation turned to recurring fashion trends. The moustache, […]
Legends of Sound Picks
1. Nixon Rolling Stones 51-30, $550. 2. Rolling Stones Time Teller, $175. 3. Rolling Stones Primacy, $1,600. 4. Dr. Martens x The Clash footwear collection. 5. Metallica Limited Edition Turntable, $1,599.
Giving the Gift of a Bright Brilliant Barossa
As we come close to the end of the year, thoughts start to turn to long summer evenings, good times with friends, and maybe even a gift or two. I don’t want to get into talks of Christmas this soon, so instead let’s admire what Yalumba has been up to recently. If you’re a regular […]
Ep.94 – What It Is Like To Open A Luxury Boutique Hotel In 2020
When talking about the opening of a new luxury boutique hotel in 2020, it is hard not to start off with what has now become the cliché of talking about the context of an unprecedented year. While there are of course challenges that come from the state of the international tourist market, there are also […]
Ep.42 – Hemp Innovation And How The Future Could Be In Old Knowledge
Kirsty Harkness is the first licensed industrial hemp grower in NZ vineyards, Co-founder and Managing Director of Mount Base Vineyards, Owner of Tigertiger photography agency, and Ice Angel. While very seemingly different businesses, Kirsty leverages the connections and creates new value along the way. While only it’s early days, Kirsty’s trials in growing hemp alongside […]
Ep.27 – How to Innovate in Times of Crisis
As the Co-Founder and CEO of Comacc, which sold to MYOB a few years ago, Steve Nathan could have retired young, but he is a breed of Kiwi Tech Entrepreneur that wants to keep using his time to keep creating things. One of these things ironically is a platform, TimeHub, which allows business ideas to […]
M2 magazine presents
HOW THE BEST ARE USING AI TO SUCCEED