This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Meet the People Behind ETERNAL SPARK Yacht
It was 2018 when the first plans and sketches of the ETERNAL SPARK project were drawn up; from that moment, and the beginning of this film, 6 long years had to pass. The birthplace of this idea was Turkey, a land on the border between East and West, a land where different influences collide and combine to form something that is exceptionally unique - and the start of this experience was is Istanbul.
Istanbul, the great embodiment of the oriental idea, and the place where our story begins: the West Istanbul marina, home to the Bilgin Yachts shipyard.
Who is Bilgin?
Bilgin Yachts is a shipyard specializing in luxury yachts, boasting a rich heritage spanning five generations of the Bilgin family, dating back to the early 1900s.
Situated in a city bridging the contemplative West and the mystical East, Bilgin Yachts infuse their yachts with a transcendent quality, blending advanced technology with a metaphysical aesthetic.
It was here, in the Bilgin shipyard in West Istanbul, that the idea of ETERNAL SPARK yacht first came to light. And now, as the remarkable 50-meter Bilgin 163 yacht gets ready for her inaugural charter season, we are proud to present a yacht documentary about the evolution of ETERNAL SPARK.
Highlighting amenities
Several actors were key in making sure that ETERNAL SPARK yacht saw the light of day. First on the list is Emrecan Özgün, founder of Unique Yacht Design – a company that handles exterior yacht design.
He stated proudly that „we have spent nearly 2 years to create her very aggressive and sleek lines, and to match those lines with her interior design. In that regard, we have achieved a good integration of interior and exterior spaces“.
Closely collaborating with Emercan was Enrico Lumini from Hot Lab studio; while Emercan handled the exterior, Enrico was in charge of the interior design.
During the project, Enrico stated more than once how „with ETERNAL SPARK we wanted to work in a very specific direction. We truly wanted to create an interior that is constantly new to discover. In the same time, the task was to create the yacht for a broad charter audience, that would behave like a successful charter vessel”.
Hot Lab worked simultaneously on a high level of functionality, parallel with conducting mutual agreements with the shipyard, with all the suppliers and with the consultant. The collaboration unfolded in a way that created something that was absolutely unique, giving a specific connotation and colour code to each individual cabin.
Enrico continued that it has been a long project for Hot Lab, which has reached a splendid conclusion that will be appreciated by the market, future potential shipowners, customers and brokers.
ETERNAL SPARK is a project that required commitment”, Enrico concluded, stating that “with constant dedication, and a great search for details it was possible to create a yacht that could be special in function, in the use of space, but also at the same time in creating a design that was unconventional.”
Showcasing Eternal Spark
This yacht documentary also serves as a progress report about what is still left to do on the yacht, as can be seen in numerous shots and angles of the vessel.
Another very common thing viewers can observe is the good energy and positive vibes that continue throughout the yacht documentary, showcasing just how many people poured their passion and expertise in creating the best 499 GTer in the world.
The first among the many on the ground was project manager Halil Uzunbabalar, who encapsulates an atmosphere of playful work, which serves as an inspiration that drives the passion of others and puts a smile on everybody’s face.
But then, just as swiftly and with pride in his eyes, he states that ETERNAL SPARK was a result of „implementing the highest of expectations of the future yacht charter market into a single vessel “. A remarkable achievement, indeed.
During the construction phase of the project, Taner Kömel, chief of Costume Fabrication Production at Bilgin Yachts, was often on the ground, right next to Halil. After most of the major costume fabrication orders were done, he stated that this yacht has “a completely novel design, which I believe will make a big impact in the yacht industry.
She is a very stylish, sporty-looking yacht, with vast volume both in her interior and exterior. She is definitely a new approach and I wholeheartedly believe that she will get excellent reactions”.
As in every other shipyard, half of the job gets done on the ground with physical labour, but the other half gets done in the Bilgin offices.
It is in this regard that Berkay Yilmaz, the commercial director of Bilgin Yachts, had this comment: „I can tell ETERNAL SPARK has the most sophisticated, beautiful and elegant exterior and interior design of any other yacht in her category on the water today.
This makes me very excited for the client, and future charter parties. I wish you all the best and beautiful memories in cruising around the world“.
Chief Operations Manager at Bilgin Yachts, Mehmet Şengün, had this to say on the day of ETERNAL SPARK`s shed departure:
„Today is a big day for us all, and such an amazing achievement. ETERNAL SPARK was an exciting project and her design was very unique, but challenging in construction – we tried our best and it looks like we have succeeded“.
It is incredible that the result of so many people`s hard work, dedication and perseverance resulted in a yacht that is totally out of this world, both in terms of design and performance.
In the end, project manager and yacht consultant Matija Longin, had a poetic take on things that really touched the core of the entire project:
„The long-awaited day arrives, and she comes out to the natural light. She sparkles at the morning sun and for the first time, you start discovering her genuine beauty. You see all these people you work with, just standing in silence and admiring their work. Faces full of joy and pride!
Then, all of a sudden, and without any control or warning, you become really emotional… The pressure in your breath becomes heavy and the whole journey rushes through your mind.
You feel like it was yesterday when you started changing the drawings and making corrections that make her so unique… This moment will forever be engraved in my memory, and I am sure I will carry it with me into eternity.”
Looking ahead
This ETERNAL SPARK yacht documentary tried to capture the very essence of a vessel 6 years in the making, symbolising the completion of a long and arduous process which ultimately resulted in the best 499 GTer in the world.
This documentary showed the audience the roots of the ETERNAL SPARK project, as well as the key figures behind the scenes. It showcased how hard and daunting was the process of yacht design and construction, as well as the incredible feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment when the yacht finally hits the sea.
During the film, as a bright day rises over Istanbul, and a ray of sunlight falls directly on ETERNAL SPARK, viewers will be able to feel the joy of completion and the reward at the end of a long task; this was the moment that she touched the waters of Istanbul for the first time and unofficially started her career as the “best ever 499 GT”.