The prestigious Italian shipyard Benetti was present at the 2012 Miami International Boat Show with the largest vessel ever exhibited at this popular show, the 61m FB253 motor yacht Diamonds Are Forever. Featuring the concept design as well as exterior design by Azimut-Benetti with interior and decoration by Evan K. Marshall / Usonia V, the Diamonds Are Forever superyacht represents an unmistakable, timeless modern classic, instantly recognisable as a trademark of Benetti motor yachts.
Benetti FB253 luxury yacht Diamonds Are Forever
The elegant aesthetics of the new luxury yacht Diamonds Are Forever offers a contemporary interpretation of the exclusivity of luxury yachting, marked out by softly compact shapes and dynamically slim lines. The stand-out example of this is the vessel’s additional top deck, or rather an unusual fly bridge located above the sun deck, which forms a remarkable panoramic private deck.
In fact, at the Owner’s request, this space can be completely cut off from the routes and areas accessible to guests and crew, as it can only be reached via controlled access from the main staircase and the central elevator. Both of these provide access with a unique pop-up solution in an automated electrically powered glass lid.
The 61m megayacht Diamonds Are Forever by Benetti
On board, in its magnificent, spacious interior layout, the new superyacht Diamonds Are Forever will accommodate up to 12 passengers in four vast guest staterooms, a huge VIP suite and the majestic Owners’ stateroom. The vessel will also house up to 16 crew members in six snug crew cabins, a comfortable engineer’s cabin and the large captain’s cabin.
The interior design and decoration of the new Diamonds Are Forever were created by Evan K. Marshall / Usonia V, as with some of the other motoryachts previously built for the owner.
FB253 superyacht Diamonds Are Forever Main salon
The richness of the interiors is genuinely impressive, luxuriously epitomising classic refinement. All the loose furniture has been custom designed by Evan K. Marshall to ensure maximum comfort and visual impact. The foyers on each deck of the new Diamonds Are Forever showcase the central spiral staircase and the cylindrical glass elevator; each foyer features a different combination of marble and onyx floor inlays, with burl wall panels framed by gold and silver leaf inlays.
Benetti megayacht Diamonds Are Forever Main salon
On the main deck of the new yacht, the living and dining areas incorporate elegant pieces of loose furniture with design motifs inspired by the ship’s name. In a departure from typical yacht furnishings, the main pieces of furniture inboard of the windows appear to be free-standing and supported only by mirrored legs embedded with small crystal studs. The back-lit centre design elements on each of the freestanding pieces are made of glittering Swarovski crystals set in a polished chrome and gold-plated surround.
FB253 Diamonds Are Forever Superyacht Main salon
The lower deck layout of the 61m megayacht Diamonds Are Forever includes one twin stateroom and three double staterooms, two of which have walk-in wardrobes. The materials for the staterooms include elegant Madrona burl woods, gold and silver leaf inlays, rare marbles and onyx, and custom coloured and embossed leathers for the bulkhead.
Benetti 61m luxury yacht Diamonds Are Forever Sky Lounge
The layout of the new Diamonds Are Forever also includes two unique master staterooms, both with large, panoramic forward-facing windows: the VIP master stateroom and the Owners’ master stateroom. The VIP master stateroom is on the main deck in the VIP suite, featuring a split-level layout and his and hers walk-in dressing rooms, an exercise room with adjoining sauna and a beauty salon with massage table. All of these spaces can be separated from the stateroom for use by other guests.
Diamonds Are Forever Superyacht Sky Lounge
The Owners’ master stateroom is on the upper deck in the Owners’ apartment, which occupies half of the upper deck and includes an office suite connected to the sky lounge, a master bathroom with “floating” vanities suspended from mirrored walls, and a dressing room that doubles as an elegant Owners’ foyer or a private study.
FB253 motor yacht Diamonds Are Forever Sky Lounge
The upper deck of the new Diamonds Are Forever yacht also includes the sky lounge, featuring a spectacular, unique automated indoor-outdoor dining area: the dining area can be fully opened up to the sky lounge as an “indoor” dining area, but at the flick of a switch two sets of electric doors separate it from the sky lounge and open it up to the aft cockpit, instantly creating an “outdoor” dining area.
Benetti Diamonds Are Forever megayacht Sky Lounge
The living area of the sky lounge occupies the full beam of the boat: this space boasts a low bar and a grand piano, set in mixed tones of Birch burl woods with silver and gold leaf accents. In the Diamonds Are Forever’s sky lounge, against custom back-lit glass and mirror diases in each of the four niched corners – inspired by the famous Quattro Fontane in Rome – there are four original sculptures showcasing John Staluppi’s passion for the sculptures of the great Erté, pseudonym of Romain de Tirtoff, the last great master of Art Nouveau and Art Déco.
FB253 Diamonds Are Forever Superyacht Master suite
The work of this exceptional set and costume designer, graphic designer, fashion stylist, sculptor and jewellery designer is a constant throughout the last century. In all likelihood, the sculptures are from the America Series quartet, inspired by a profound faith in the American commitment to the values expressed by the titles of the sculptures: “Liberty”, “Fearless and Free”, “Peace” and “Justice”. Created at the beginning of the 1980s by the imaginative talent of Erté at the age of 90, these four sculptures were produced using a bronze alloy casting technique, and they are part of a very limited edition. In the interiors of Diamonds Are Forever, diamonds are everywhere.
Benetti is one of the world’s oldest builders of megayachts. Founded in Viareggio in 1873 by Lorenzo Benetti, the shipyard started out building wooden, masted barks for local and international commercial purposes, quickly earning its reputation as an industry leader worldwide.
FB253 megayacht Diamonds Are Forever Master suite
In 1985, Azimut opened a new chapter in Benetti history. The purchase of the Tuscan boatyard signalled a new era of management and capital investment that has made Benetti what it is today: a modern, cutting-edge shipyard ready to meet the challenges of the future, able to offer its owners the world’s most exclusive and refined yachts.
Since then, Benetti’s growth has outpaced that of any other competitor in the sector; it makes over 130 yachts and specialises in the production of semi-custom ranges from 93 to 145 feet as well as completely custom steel and aluminium megayachts of over 45 metres.
In 2003, the Azimut-Benetti Group S.p.A. took over the Cantieri Navali Fratelli Orlando in Livorno, launching a major industrial plan to create a facility specialised in pleasure boating alongside the revitalisation of an urban area and tourist port.
Since 2004 Benetti has been worldwide considered as the leader in mega yacht production.
