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The Future of an Art Collection Is Decided Long Before It Changes Hands

Leading art advisor Megan Fox Kelly explores why the art world's quietest months are often the most important for collectors. She contends that...

yesterday 0

Observer

Megan Fox Kelly

Joshua Foulquier Built a Restaurant Around the Art His Mother Loved

On the walls of Chez Fifi in New York's Upper East Side are works by Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, Joan Miró and other artists that she collected...

yesterday 0

Observer

Christa Terry

Judy Glickman Lauder’s Vast Trove of Photography Is a Portrait of Its Collector

Spanning quotidian moments to historic pinnacles, the touring exhibition "Presence: The Photography Collection of Judy Glickman Lauder" examines...

yesterday 0

Observer

Sarah Moroz

Ferrari’s First EV Heads to Monterey Car Week Auction With a $1.1M Estimate

After a bruising debut and unexpectedly strong sales, Ferrari’s first EV is heading to auction with a seven-figure estimate and charity angle.

yesterday 1

Observer

Abigail Bassett

In the Midst of the Great Wealth Transfer, a New Generation Is Redefining the Art of Collecting

Millennial and Gen Z art buyers are rejecting hype, speculation and inherited art-world conventions in favor of personal resonance, direct...

yesterday 0

Observer

Elisa Carollo

The Largest Cash Gifts to U.S. Art Institutions So Far in 2026

From Mitchell Rales’ $116 million gift to D.C.'s National Gallery to major commitments from Silicon Valley, foundations and dedicated cultural...

yesterday 5

Observer

Elisa Carollo

The Inheritance Princess Margaret Never Got to Keep

Princess Margaret was never meant to inherit the throne—only its obligations. When she fell in love with a divorced RAF pilot in 1952, the Crown...

yesterday 1

Observer

Jennifer Ashley Wright

Every Iconic Car Owned by Elon Musk: From a Vintage Model T to a McLaren F1

Before Tesla made him synonymous with EVs, Elon Musk built an eclectic collection of gasoline-powered classics, supercars and movie memorabilia....

yesterday 2

Observer

Beth Duckett

At California’s Most Historic Restaurants, It’s Still a Family Affair

These enduring California institutions have survived changing tastes, recessions and restaurant fads without giving up the family name.

yesterday 2

Observer

Allie Lebos

The American High-Society Calendar Still Runs on Horses, Yachts and Collector Cars

America’s old guard returns to the same annual fixtures, usually with a standing reservation and work to do.

yesterday 2

Observer

Paul Jebara

How Kate Lee and Clovis Lima Jr. Are Connecting the Creative Cultures of Asia and Latin America

With the launch of 603 Arts Foundation, the collectors are expanding their support of artists beyond the mere acquisition of works.

previous day 1

Observer

Elisa Carollo

Centro Botín Champions Marisol’s Drawings and Rethinks Her Legacy

The idea of the female body as, per Vallés Vílchez, "a site of expectations" runs through her work without question, and her aesthetics of...

previous day 0

Observer

Sarah Moroz

The Great Wealth Transfer Is Really a Trust Transfer

The $124 trillion Great Wealth Transfer poses a major challenge for financial services beyond managing the assets themselves. Thrivent’s Terry...

previous day 4

Observer

Terry Rasmussen

Behind Every Museum Gift Is a Negotiation Both Sides Are Trying to Win

What collectors are really bargaining for isn't just the wall plaque but rather control over their own legacies.

previous day 3

Observer

Daniel Grant

David Foster Wallace on John Updike: A Legacy of One

In this archive piece, first published in 1997, a young David Foster Wallace takes a scalpel to John Updike and the postwar "Great Male...

previous day 1

Observer

David Foster Wallace

Estate Planning Can Turn a Lifetime of Collecting Art Into a Series of Difficult Choices

Collectors typically resist selling, even when it's the option most likely to serve heirs.

previous day 2

Observer

Daniel Grant

More Scenes From a Media Marriage: She Wants Fame, He Wants a Mistress

Status, it turns out, isn't always inherited by blood—sometimes it just goes to whoever gets there first.

previous day 1

Observer

Candace Bushnell

Where to Stay, Dine and Unwind During Monterey Car Week

Beyond the horsepower, Monterey Car Week offers a compelling reason to linger along one of California’s most scenic coastal enclaves.

previous day 3

Observer

Allie Lebos

Longevity Is a Legacy Issue. But Whose Legacy?

Atria Research and Global Health Institute’s Khadija Rejto examines how longer lifespans are reshaping wealth transfer, philanthropy and healthcare...

previous day 4

Observer

Khadija Rejto

New Money, Old Crest: Inside the Manufactured Aristocracy of the Modern Wedding

A bride from South Orange becomes a "descendant of William of Orange." A financier's son gets a custom family crest and a castle in Scotland. In this...

previous day 0

Observer

Richard Kirshenbaum

Inside Bernard Arnault’s Slow-Burn Succession Plan for LVMH

Bernard Arnault has placed all five children inside LVMH, but who will eventually lead the luxury empire remains an open question.

previous day 2

Observer

Rachel Curry

The Country Club Comeback Is Less About Golf Than Gated Belonging

As golf booms and third places disappear, wealthy Americans are rediscovering the country club as a private cure for public loneliness—now with...

previous day 0

Observer

Paul Jebara

What Heirs Need to Know to Establish a Lasting Inheritance

Passing down wealth without passing down the literacy to manage it is how a fortune becomes a cautionary tale. Charline Burgess, a Morgan Stanley...

08.08.2026 2

Observer

Charline Burgess

Author Amy Chozick’s Favorite Character-Driven Reads

The former New York Times reporter's eclectic list spans everything from David Foster Wallace's tennis essays and Miranda July's viral midlife romp to...

08.08.2026 6

Observer

Amy Chozick

Age Verification Is Building the Internet’s Next Identity Layer

The rapidly expanding push for mandatory online age verification is really about the future of digital identity. Billions Network’s Evin McMullen...

07.08.2026 5

Observer

Evin McMullen

Banking’s Next Interface Isn’t an App. It’s an A.I. Agent.

Sygnum’s Thomas Frei examines how A.I. agents are reshaping banking, arguing that the industry's next competitive battleground is secure,...

07.08.2026 6

Observer

Thomas Frei

How an Idea Becomes an Institution or Exhibition That Outlives Its Moment

"It has to stand the test of time while remaining flexible enough to evolve as technology, research and audiences change. But if you do your job well,...

07.08.2026 4

Observer

Christa Terry

The Privacy Economy’s Next Frontier Is Governing A.I.

Speakeasy’s Sagar Batchu examines the growing tension between connecting A.I. to proprietary enterprise data and protecting that data from misuse....

07.08.2026 7

Observer

Sagar Batchu

The Creators at OpenAI’s Wildflower Farms Retreat—and the Backlash That Followed

OpenAI invited about 30 creators to a luxury retreat in the Hudson Valley. Attendees including Grace McCarrick and Nat Lucy faced criticism after...

07.08.2026 6

Observer

Saleah Blancaflor

What the Art World Can Learn From Luxury’s Return to Intimacy and Cultural Depth

The empire-building model that prioritized constant expansion over human connection hasn't yielded the expected returns in either market.

07.08.2026 6

Observer

Elisa Carollo

In the Pages of These Books, Privacy Is the Ultimate Luxury

A century of fiction and reportage postulates that invisibility has always been wealth's most precious currency.

07.08.2026 3

Observer

Mercedes Ezquiaga

Across the Islands of French Polynesia, Privacy Is the Real Luxury

French Polynesia’s most rewarding island-hopping route moves between sacred Raiatea, remote Taha’a and the private-island glamour of Tetiaroa.

07.08.2026 3

Observer

Morgan Halberg

Wine, Wheat and Art Share the Same Acreage at These Out-of-the-Way Estates

Though often far from the usual cultural circuits, they reward the effort for serious devotees of contemporary art willing to make the trek.

07.08.2026 7

Observer

Margaret Carrigan

What to Eat at Marché Forville, the Oldest Market in Cannes

This charming local market is one of the biggest draws for visitors in the city, but a trip works best when you have a roadmap for the snacks and sips...

07.08.2026 3

Observer

Caitlin White

The Fight Over Tracking Elon Musk, Taylor Swift and Other Private Jets

Elon Musk, Taylor Swift and other public figures have challenged jet trackers, citing safety concerns and alleged harassment. Despite bans from major...

06.08.2026 5

Observer

Tim Keary

Fiction That Feels Like a Total Escape

Speculative fiction and psychological suspense sit side by side on our list of essential escapist titles for summer.

06.08.2026 4

Observer

Gillian Harvey

Fueled by Private Wealth, China’s Next Art Capital Thrives Off-Grid

"Artists choose to live in Hangzhou because the city nourishes their practice," artist and CAA professor Wu Junyong told Observer. "They don't want to...

06.08.2026 5

Observer

Xintian Wang

Built for Rugged Duty in Harsh Environments, the Land Cruiser Epitomizes Automotive Stealth Wealth

After more than 75 years, Toyota's classic SUV remains one of the most trusted names in off-road, off-grid travel.

06.08.2026 3

Observer

John Scott Lewinski

As A.I. Agents Gain Authority, Governance Becomes the Primary Constraint

Dome Systems’ Dave McJannet unpacks why governance is emerging as the defining challenge of enterprise agentic A.I. Identity, access controls and...

06.08.2026 7

Observer

Dave McJannet

NowHere Bets On the Japanese Artists New York’s Gallery System Has Overlooked

Founder Kentaro Totsuka is intentionally focusing on Japanese artists who have committed to building their lives in New York to close the gap between...

06.08.2026 4

Observer

Elisa Carollo

Cultural Capital Is Luxury Hospitality’s New Competitive Advantage

Rosewood Hotel Group’s Joanna Gunn explores why luxury hospitality is shifting beyond exceptional service and design toward something more enduring:...

06.08.2026 5

Observer

Joanna Gunn

Can Brandon Sanderson Help Apple Break Hollywood’s Fantasy Spell?

Apple is betting on Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere universe to build a durable fantasy franchise. The author’s direct relationship with millions of...

06.08.2026 4

Observer

Brandon Katz

One Fine Show: “Peggy Guggenheim in London, The Making of a Collector”

Roughly 100 works shown at Guggenheim Jeune on Cork Street nearly a century ago are now on view at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice.

06.08.2026 5

Observer

Dan Duray

At The Idle Rocks, a Refreshed Cornwall Classic Finds Its Rhythm

The century-old St. Mawes hotel pairs Cornish charm with a no-fuss approach to luxury, inviting guests to settle in, look at the water and stay...

06.08.2026 4

Observer

Emily Zemler

Stealth Wealth After Beige: The New Rules of Discreet Dressing

The logo stays off the chest, but personality has returned to men’s style. These are the 15 stealth-wealth upgrades that bypass the billboard trend.

06.08.2026 6

Observer

Paul Jebara

Elon Musk Projects $1T in SpaceX Revenue After Spending $16B on A.I. in 3 Months

In its first earnings release as a public company, Elon Musk's SpaceX reported $7.8 billion in quarterly revenue, while heavy spending on xAI...

05.08.2026 9

Observer

Tim Keary

From High-Tech Specs to 1970s Acetate: 15 Pairs of Men’s Sunglasses for Every Level of Vanity

These are the best sunglasses worth putting on your face this summer, whether you're seeking folding frames or a lens that dims on command.

05.08.2026 6

Observer

Paul Jebara

The 2026 Bentley Bentayga Speed Delivers Songs of Power, But Subtly

Despite its considerable power, this luxury SUV favors stately design over the flash of rivals like the Purosangue or Urus.

05.08.2026 5

Observer

John Scott Lewinski

Where to See the World’s Most Remote Land Art

From North Wales to the South Pole, these are some of the more remarkable—and remarkably hard to reach—land-based interventions created by...

05.08.2026 7

Observer

Fred Voon

The Private Chefs Hollywood Trusts Behind Closed Doors

From DNA-tailored meal plans to Kardashian family traditions, these ultra-discreet culinary confidants manage the elevated diets of the world’s most...

05.08.2026 8

Observer

Allie Lebos