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Lusine: The Sophisticated $82 Million Superyacht That Didn’t Last a Year With Its Owner

"Easy come, easy go" isn't necessarily the first phrase that comes to your mind when you think of superyacht ownership. But it applies to Lusine, a spectacular, custom superyacht estimated at $82 million.
Lusine is a striking, fully custom superyacht, sold by the owner after less than year 24 photos
Photo: Heesen Yachts (Composite)
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Few other "toys" are as expensive and luxurious as superyachts, for which reason they've come to be status symbols: the bigger the boat, the more important you are. But if we're to make a list of things more outrageous than commissioning a custom yacht, ordering a custom yacht and selling it after less than a year of ownership would probably be at the top.

The exclusive world of the one-percenters is built on such outrageous, seemingly impulsive gestures that make sense for no one except for those directly involved. They add a certain luster to one's image, more prestige, and an aura of mystery, especially in the context of superyacht ownership, where so much emphasis is placed on the connection between man and his boat and the way in which "she” is made to reflect his personality and personal tastes. You know you're really, truly rich when you're in a position to commission a famous shipyard with a custom project, wait for years to take delivery of it, and then sell it in less than a year, is what we're saying.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum is extremely wealthy. His net worth is in the billions of dollars, either to the tune of almost $38 billion or a more modest but still mind-blowing $6 billion, depending on which Google search result you believe. As the CEO of the Emirates Group, which carries a fleet of over 270 aircraft and has billions of dollars of yearly revenue, he is among the wealthiest men in the Middle East, this time according to the more reliable Forbes.

Lusine is a striking, fully custom superyacht, sold by the owner after less than year
Photo: Burgess
Al Maktoum doesn't need to prove anything to anyone, and he certainly doesn't need to employ gimmicks to attract attention and confirm his position among the world's wealthiest people. But his decision to sell a superyacht he had waited years to collect is still unusual and, because of it, noteworthy.

This is Lusine, a lunar-themed, multi-awarded, fully custom superyacht Al Maktoum commissioned in 2018. At the time of its delivery in February 2022, it was the biggest and most complex build ever coming out of Heesen Yachts, while also a most sophisticated and breathtaking floating palace. You hear these descriptors a lot in relation to superyachts, but never before have they been more appropriate.

Lusine, internally named Project Falcon for its striking silhouette that brings to mind comparisons to the wing of a bird, is 197 feet (60 meters) in length, so not among the world's largest. Proving that size is not everything with a vessel of this kind, it offers almost 1,070 GT of interior volume, styled spectacularly by Sinot Design. The exterior design is by Omega Architects, with a steel hull and an aluminum superstructure, a dipped bow and a flat stern, and long and aggressive lines highlighted by oversize glazing.

Lusine is a striking, fully custom superyacht, sold by the owner after less than year
Photo: Burgess
Despite the desire to craft an exterior inspired by a bird's wing, the interior is subtly lunar-themed. "Lusine” means "moon” in Armenian, so the inside is like a trip into outer space, but done in the most elegant and sophisticated fashion, combining actual pieces of lunar rock with onyx and rare marbles, finest Italian fabrics and leathers, custom furniture, and specially commissioned artwork.

Many custom superyachts, especially those ordered by certain clients from the Middle East or Russia, will lean heavily into oriental, opulent styling that comes across as "too much" for the regular, non-rich eye. Lusine doesn't. The highly curated interiors are elegant, luxurious, and just the right amount of opulent, beautiful in a self-sufficient way: it's the interior of a superyacht that knows its worth and has nothing to prove.

Lusine offers accommodation onboard for 16 guests across eight cabins, including the master suite on the sundeck, which offers panoramic views, access to a private terrace with a jacuzzi, another sun lounge that doubles as touch-and-go helipad, and the most spectacular en suite you're likely to see, with onyx countertops and silver hardware encrusted with Lalique crystals. Amenities range from two packed garages to several formal and informal dining and socializing areas, a bar, an office, a circular glass elevator, and a large beach club.

But it's the styling of the interior that makes Lusine such a standout. As the video tour below will show, it combines warm neutrals with pops of dark navy and bleu celeste, hardwood parquet with walls of leather with mother-of-pearl inlays or silk layers, precious stones with plush fabrics, glass with metal, and more art pieces than you could count at first sight. Lusine is luxury defined – not of the understated kind, but neither tacky.

Lusine is a striking, fully custom superyacht, sold by the owner after less than year
Photo: Burgess
Performance is another one of Lusine's strong suits. Powered by twin MTU diesel engines with an SCR (selective catalytic reduction) system that helps reduce pollution, it is capable of a top speed of 17.5 knots (20.1 mph/32 kph) and offers noise and vibration levels beyond the industry standard. Range is a solid 4,200 nautical miles (4,833 miles/7,778 km) at a cruising speed of 13 knots (15 mph/24 kph).

For all the reasons above, Lusine won Best Custom Yacht of the Year at the World Yacht Trophies 202e and a Judges' Commendation in the Displacement Motor Yacht category at the 2023 World Superyacht Awards. It has the looks, the brains, and the awards to show for both, which made the owner's decision to part with it all the more surprising. Lusine was listed in September 2022, mere months after the much-awaited delivery. It sold this week for an undisclosed amount, to an undisclosed owner represented by Andrew Bond from Fraser. Despite the initial reported price tag of $70 million, Lusine was asking $82 million.

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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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