The maiden voyage of the Aurora -- a new 160-foot, $26.6 million aluminum super yacht launched last week in Viareggio, Italy -- lasted less than one hour and only covered a humble 500 yards.

Perfumery has always been an intricate science; much more effort goes into capturing a scent than those outside the industry might imagine.

A pair of mammoth-tusk Chukchi snow goggles, an allosaurus dinosaur skull and a self portrait fragment from the sculptor Jamie Salmon are some of the eccentric offerings going under the hammer at Sotheby's Hong Kong Curiosity III auction at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre on April 4.

The Lemania watch, which goes up for auction at Sotheby's on April 25, was given to Churchill in 1946 as a thank-you for his role in the Second World War.

For the last 300 years, there's been a mystique about the Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari and his violins. Today, the finest Strads sell over $15 million.

Cleopatra wore them. Elizabeth Taylor loved them. Egyptians believed they could bring eternal life.

Long before product placement became commonplace, cars, watches, pens, cameras, soft drinks and other identifiable items were chosen as props per their suitability for the role.

Soraya Esfandiary Bakhtiari never imagined that one day she would reign over her country. But her reign would be short-lived.

Each year in January, selected collectors, press and buyers are invited to attend the annual Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), in Geneva, Switzerland.

New discoveries of rare gemstones in Africa are challenging traditional sources making the continent a key player in the gemstone market.

Perfumery has always been an intricate science; much more effort goes into capturing a scent than those outside the industry might imagine.