Blending Lines of Past, Present, Traditional and Pop: Takashi Murakami

Born in Tokyo, Japan in 1962, Takashi Murakami is considered to be on of the biggest contemporary artists to come out of Japan. Murakami studied at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, earning a Bachelor's, Master's and PhD in Fine Arts.

Murakami grew up in a household that placed great value on art. He was influenced by Japanese comics and cartoons, but at the same time was exposed to American and European pop culture from his father that worked at a U.S. Navy base.

World's Most Expensive Watch: Chopard 201 Carat Watch

Chopard is a Swiss based company that was started in 1860. Known for their production of luxury goods, their products range from watches and jewelry to luxury pens, wallets and fragrances. More recently, they have become known for producing the world's most expensive watch. Valued at $25 million, the Chopard 201 Carat watch is the most expensive watch by a $14 million landslide.

Stylish Performance: Aston Martin DB9

Known to be one of the most stylish and elegant exotic car makers, Aston Martin has redesigned their flagship DB9 grand tourer for 2013. Introduced in 2004 as part of the Aston Martin DB line, it is named for David Brown, the former owner of Aston Martin in the mid 20th century.  The DB9 is a "brand new" car compared to the previous generation DB9. sporting 70% new body panels for a very updated look and a lighter total body weight.

Most Expensive Women's Handbag: Mouawad 1001 Nights

In 1890 Mouawad  was started in Beirut, Lebanon. They have become one of the premier destinations for fine jewelry in the world today. Many of you may know them from their collaborations with Victoria's Secret for some their Fantasy Bra series. Mouawad's has also accumulated a few Guinness world records.

One of these records is for the world's most expensive handbag.

DS2012 Headphones: Dolce&Gabbana X Grado Collaboration

Fashion and electronics have had quite the affair over the past decade. From Prada smart phones to Hermès cameras, fashion tech is an emerging market of interest for many luxury consumers.

Now, Dolce & Gabbana has joined forces with high-end headphone makers Grado Labs  to release the DS2012 headphone.  The DS2012 is based on Grado's Statement series.

A Magical Life: JK Rowling

JK Rowling has become quite the household name over the past decade due to the enormous success of  her Harry Potter series. With a net worth of roughly $1 billion, JK Rowling is the 13th wealthiest woman in Britain, richer than even the Queen. She has also received a number of awards around the world including an Order of the British Empire, Prince of Asturias Award of Concord, Lègion d'Honneur and the Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award amongst others. 

Auctioned for Charity: Villa Belvedere

Privately auctioned on December 30th, 2012, Villa Belvedere in Belvedere, CA is a truly premier piece of real estate. Originally listed through Sotheby's International Realty  for $45 million, part of the final sale price will be donated to Hurricane Sandy Relief.

The details of this home are quite spectacular.