Admit it; we’re all less likely to cherish something that’s too easily achieved. A little bit of effort, some grit, and a dash of patience: that’s the recipe for recognizing something’s worth, and if it’s worthwhile. Whether it involves a trek through untouched rainforest or an hours’ long quest in the Italian earth or even a painstakingly slow process to make a product just-so, it’s the effort that makes us appreciate it all the more. This week’s Vault assortment presents a trio of products and experiences that exemplify this idea and offer you the satisfaction of already knowing there’s a payoff for all your efforts.
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Sauer Emma Earrings Featuring a Pair of Archival Brazilian Emeralds
Image Credit: Courtesy of Sauer When it came to a new discovery of gems, jeweler Jules Sauer never took anyone else’s word for it. He preferred to understand the potential of that new mine himself, however much time and effort that entailed. It was a smart approach when it came to a particular new seam, unearthed in Brazil’s rural Bahia state in the early 1960s; a farmer, ploughing his field, stumbled on some green crystals in the overturned earth. Miners rushed to tap that seam, but most outsiders dismissed the stones they found as pretty, but semiprecious. Sauer, though, suspected otherwise and trekked to the site himself to find out. Want to know what he discovered? Read on.
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Private Petrossian Caviar Tasting at the Park Hyatt New York
Image Credit: Courtesy of Petrossian There’s more to producing the world’s finest caviar than sourcing the best roe—though that’s certainly crucial, whether you’re relying on sturgeon native to the Caspian Sea in Russia or to the country’s freshwater Lake Baikal, the deepest of its kind in the world. To finesse caviar to the exacting standards of a superstar name like Petrossian, it involves a careful process known as malossol maturation, a low-salt curing and aging process that must be painstakingly undertaken to finesse the flavors without overwhelming them with brine. You’ll learn about all that and more via this special package, in partnership with one of New York’s toniest hotels.
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The Ultimate Italian Getaway: White Truffles and a Winning Soccer Team
Image Credit: Courtesy of Casa di Langa Truffles are near-mythical foods, tubers that seem to appear half by magic around the roots of trees in just a few sites worldwide and that have long defied any attempt at mass cultivation—especially the highly prized tarufo bianco or white truffle. Undeniably its spiritual home, though, is in and around Alba in Piemonte, where the flourishes better than anywhere else on the planet. (One theory as to why: The biodiversity of its hard wood forests as well as clay-heavy, well-draining soil.) This experience allows you to immerse yourself in the world of white truffles, sampling those sought-after delicacies in situ, before you also have the chance to experience another Italian obsession. Curious what else you can do? Keep reading to learn more.
