Boat of the Week: This Glammed-Up 174-Foot Superyacht Would Make Liberace Proud
Jewels was designed to live up to its name: a 174-foot vessel with a bright turquoise exterior and an interior embellished like a jewelry box. It’s one of the most ornate yachts delivered this year, showing the depth of craftsmanship of Turkey’s Turquoise Yachts, which has released other outstanding one-of-a-kind vessels in recent years such as Infinite Jest and GO.
But perhaps Jewels’ real gem is the owner’s mandate for around-the-clock comfort and convenience that sees all 18 guests’ needs take precedence over even the ostentatious design. That’s seen across the yacht, including the stretched sun deck conceived for big gatherings and group socializing. A hot tub, vibrant turquoise sunpads, a large television, a day head (there’s one very ornate design on every level), a cocktail bar and tons of open space make this the place to relax, party, dine, and sunbathe.
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Another social nook is the foredeck, which is used to carry two tenders and Jet Skis, leaving the stern area free for guest use. The aim of designer Luiz de Basto of Miami-based DeBasto Designs was to make the exterior feel sporty and dynamic, despite being wrapped around a cavernous 720 GT volume and 31-foot beam.
Perhaps the biggest commitment to the owner’s mandate for comfort was the decision to surrender a beach club at the stern—something that is standard on every other superyacht—and instead add an extra guest cabin on the lower deck. The unusual design required significant layout changes to access the cabin from the main salon. The engine room had to be reduced to make space for the guest en suite. Noise and vibration levels also needed to be suppressed so sleeping was a pleasant experience.
Jewels sleeps 18 guests in total. There are two more guest cabins on the bridge deck between the bridge and upper salon (replacing the original design of a captain’s cabin and staff cabin), and a full-beam main deck owner’s suite and VIP.
The owner stepped into the build in 2020 and took delivery last May. He appointed London studio H2 Yacht Design to pen the interior but kept a hand in the design throughout. “He’s proud of the boat, so much so that he uses it nearly every day—even staying on board for the Monaco Yacht Show,” James Bermudez from H2 Yacht Design told Robb Report during a tour of the yacht.
Inspiration for the interior came from the owner’s private residence, which Bermudez described as having a style akin to Annabel’s, the private members’ club in London. Lavish materials and exotic textiles drip from every wall, ceiling, and surface. The yacht also features patinated mirrored ceilings, bright velvet sofas, heated marble floors and no shortage of gold leaf. Carpets are thick and soft. Much of the marble comes from Turkey, selected by the owner. He visited the shipyard every month to stay immersed in the intricate detailing.
Jewels is the second yacht from the Istanbul-based shipyard to have a turquoise steel hull matching the color of the sea, following the 2018 launch of 253-foot GO. The shipyard developed a special automated spray-paint technique for Jewels to get the turquoise exterior finish as smooth as possible. It’s mated to a white aluminum superstructure and sets the tone for the highly ornate interior.
“The interior design was established early in the design process with the client favoring a traditional yacht aesthetic,” says Bermudez.
“Traditional” in this sense seems relative to the owner, translating to heavy woods, gilded edges, bold colors, and crystal chandeliers. The lower-deck guest cabins are color themed for the owner’s daughters, including pistachio green, royal purple, and ruby red. Gold textiles are mixed with teak and walnut burl veneers. The bathrooms include bold-veined marbles and gold details.
The owner’s suite uses stained teak, flame mahogany, and burl sycamore, all finished in high gloss lacquer. Built-in furniture is embellished with more gold rope detailing and warm honey onyx. Amazonite marble, classic teak joinery, bevel-edged mirrors and highly decorative stones take the opulence to new heights.
Giallo siena marble flooring anchors the communal areas of the main deck, while the color turquoise is used here as well to accent the furniture and curtains. The formal dining area is forward of the main salon, flanked by built-in storage cupboards and large windows.
On the bridge deck, the upper salon offers a more open and (relatively) informal lounge experience. This area features a color step change in the form of French blue. The full-beam architecture and large windows provide guests with a connection to the outdoors, with direct access to the aft deck.
Few yachts live up to their name as well as Jewels. In this case, it nods to both the onboard detailing and the precious family time spent at sea.
Click here for more photos of Jewels.
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