Peacocks of the sea
A glimpse inside the world of the superyacht owner
THE Monaco Yacht Show, which ran from September 28th to October 1st, is arguably the world’s most extravagant game of one-upmanship. This year more visitors than ever—34,500—came to gawp at 125 superyachts with a collective value of $2.7 billion, tied up in the principality’s Port Hercules. But the yachts were only the beginning. Monaco is essentially a bazaar for the 0.1%: everywhere you look there are hawkers in pop-up tents trying to sell things that you never knew you needed. There were submersibles that can take six people to the bottom of the ocean; armour-plated Land Rovers; jet-skis and 3D goggles; military-style helicopters and flying boats. Among the variety of servants for hire were armed guards and on-board DJs.
This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “Peacocks of the sea”
From the October 8th 2016 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionDiscover more
Could seaweed replace plastic packaging?
Companies are experimenting with new ways to reduce plastic waste
Has Sequoia Capital outgrown its business model?
Venture capital’s hardiest perennial gets back to its roots
On stupid rules and quick wins
Why every boss can benefit from asking employees what most infuriates them
TikTok wants Western consumers to shop like the Chinese
It still has some convincing to do
Will the trouble ever end for Volkswagen and its rivals?
From strikes to Trump tariffs, calamities abound
After Northvolt’s failure, who will make Europe’s EV batteries?
The continent looks ever more reliant on Asian producers