Unable to find a lantern that matched his vision for his yacht, celebrated Apple designer Jony Ive took it upon himself to create his own. The result is a meticulously engineered and elegantly crafted light, inspired by the charm of classic maritime designn, created in partnership with the Japanese design and manufacturing company Balmuda.
- Jony Ive has unveiled a luxury lantern for yacht lovers, with a price tag of $4,800.
- The Sailing Lantern is a limited-edition light known for its durability.
- Ive, famous for designing Apple’s iconic products, focuses on merging functionality with artistic design.
The Design Inspiration: Why Ive Built His Own Yacht Light
“I would have just bought a lantern for my yacht—I wanted to. But there isn’t anything on the market. So instead, I spent two years hard at work designing it,” Sir Jony Ive laughs, speaking to Boat International.
Meticulous Engineering: Built for Durability and the Sea
The Sailing Lantern is engineered for simple maintenance, disassembly, and repair, with a focus on recyclability after its lifespan. Materials were carefully chosen for their durability and quality, including flawless precision-ground and polished glass, and precision-machined stainless steel available in a mirror polish, textured blast, or a highly resilient electroplated finish. It is available in polished stainless steel with gold lens guard and component accents, weighing 1.5 kg.
The lantern can be used in a freestanding position, suspended, or carried by its lanyard. This lanyard, made from a soft yet resilient textured polyester, is designed to resist salt, sun, and oil, and is anchored with a corrosion-resistant stainless steel button.
Pricing and Exclusivity: Securing a Limited Edition Sailing Lantern
With a limited run of only 1,000 units, the Sailing Lantern from LoveFrom and Balmuda is both a collector’s item and a personal passion project inspired by Jony Ive’s lifelong affinity for sailing. If you’re interested, it is available for $4,800 USD from Balmuda, with shipping slated for March 2026.
Images Courtesy of Balmuda
