Women We Want To Be: Ask Roxane
Sixty-something Roxane Zand, deputy chairman of the Middle East at Sotheby’s, has made it to the top of her profession as a Middle Eastern mother and mentor. Sharing her wealth of life experience, Iran-born, Harvard- and Oxford-educated Roxanne answers Bazaar readers’ questions on love, life and luxury
I often think about having cosmetic surgery. Do you think this shows as a lack of self-esteem?
I challenge you to meet a woman who is engaged and socially-active, over the age of 40, who hasn’t at one time or another thought about cosmetic surgery. While the operative phrase for anyone thinking of plastic surgery is ‘go to a reputable doctor’, we know that people continue to opt for fast-fixes because they think they can save money. There could never be a greater false economy, with stories rife about second, third and fourth surgeries to correct a bad first one. So if you are thinking of a procedure, go to the best. Another point of view is whether or not it can really halt the march of time on our faces and bodies anyway, with opinion divided. There are those who advocate ‘ageing gracefully’, but for those working in the media, fashion, luxury sector, social sphere, or indeed the merely glamorous, there has never been greater pressure to appear well-groomed and well-tucked. Botox is the new leg-shave. “If you are overly wrinkly,” wailed an anxious friend, “it can provoke the same recoil as unshaven armpits!” It only takes us minutes to form an impression about someone, so that nose had better be hump-free, the jawline smooth, the crow’s feet under control, hadn’t it? Whether this pressure is healthy is slightly neither here nor there. It is there, whether we like it or not and we cannot halt its progress. But we must remind ourselves that plastic surgery also has life-saving and vanity-saving uses, from burns victims to breast cancer survivors and their breast reconstruction. The right person with a healthy psyche and healthy budget, in the right hands, undergoing a reasonable procedure is in fact making use of the best that our medical and technological age has to offer.
Watch: Dhs33,500, Piaget
I love watches and have noticed more women taking an interest in them. What should I know before buying one as a real investment?
There is nothing so universally appealing and status-defining as a beautiful watch, with more and more women buying glamorous watches that are not just artefacts full of technical wizardry, but also extravagant, fabulously feminine, bejewelled wrist decoration. Watches can be items of jewellery in themselves, and the most valuable are those that carry an iconic status, beyond the design and gems, due to their impeccable craftsmanship. A timepiece that becomes a timeless piece, which is the case with some of the most unusual and prized watches by brands such as Piaget, Cartier, Patek Philippe or Van Cleef & Arpels. Some of the first-namers who wear these wonderful creations include Diana, Greta, Jackie and Michelle, so you’d be well-advised to stand in line for the next opportunity to acquire one – new or vintage.
The trend towards female watch-buying relates to the notion of today’s strong, confident determined yet feminine woman. Women are building watch collections, just like men have done, with a timepiece for every occasion, outfit or mood. The creation of high-jewellery is a fast-growing and much-treasured aspect of the watch market, with one-of-a-kind, gem-encrusted timepieces that the owner is merely a custodian of. Less ostentatious watches can be equally good investments – think of the Cartier Tank and the elegant Jaeger-LeCoultres, which can be worn seamlessly from one occasion to another. My advice… while there are many to tempt you, browse the options before you commit.
This article first appeared in the October issue of Harper’s Bazaar Arabia
Photography: Ben Sage