This new coffee table tome explores the history of the yacht – the ultimate status symbol – Tatler

Since the days of Cleopatra's pleasure-boat, the super-rich have taken to the high seas to showcase their wealth. From warring monarchs flexing their muscles through their armadas, to playboy billionaires entertaining supermodels in Cannes, there has always been a glamorous cachet attached to owning the waves.

Indeed, some yachts are as famous as their owners, like the Christina O, Aristotle Onassis's party ship, which entertained the likes of Jackie O and her sister Lee Radziwill, as well as hosting Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly's wedding party. Or Roman Abramovich's 430 million Solaris, well-known for being amongst the most extravagant (and well-travelled) in the world.

The history of the glamorous vessel is explored in a new coffee table tome, Yachts: The Impossible Collection - Legendary Yachts That Define Time & Design, out this month. From the original J Class yachts of the 1800s to the mega-yachts of the 2020s, kitted out in the latest technology and streamlined to make less of an environmental impact.

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This new coffee table tome explores the history of the yacht - the ultimate status symbol - Tatler