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A common question in watch servicing/restoration is, "Who does the 'best' work?" In a word (or three), what is meant here is superficial case refinishing. And in other words: huge chamfers on Rolex cases, perfectly flat surfaces, and well executed sunburst patterns. And that's got Ashton Tracy ranting. Find out why here!
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Most will agree that re-painting a dial is a big no-no. Vintage pieces with re-painted dials can be had for a steal as they are difficult to shift and mostly unwanted. But not all dial restorations are created equal, and we do encounter varying degrees of “upgrades.” Some of these upgrades are purposeful deception, while others are not. Here is what one watchmaker feels about the subject.
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Chablis must surely be one of those wines familiar to almost everyone. Ken Gargett tastes the wines of William Fèvre in Chablis and shares his thoughts here as well as a brief history of the region.
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In the newly introduced Breguet Reine de Naples References 9835 and 9838, the minute hand has become a sporty, elegant declaration of love. These intriguing hands feature a unique mechanism that traces the minute track around the edge of the oval dial in a singular way, at times looking like a heart.
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When De Bethune released the new DB25s Perpetual Calendar at Geneva Watch Days 2022, the main talking point was just how much the model had shrunk from its previous iterations to become a more perfect proportion. And like any good diet consultation, it was the result of careful and deliberate attention paid to the watch as a whole and how components worked with each other.
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As Joshua Munchow swiped through posts on Instagram one day, he was stopped in his tracks, toothbrush dangling from his gaping mouth, eyes wide, and one singular thought running through his head as he stared at his phone: Grand Seiko doesn’t make movements like this. This is an avant-garde tourbillon movement with a constant force escapement and incredible, exposed mechanics! What in the world . . .?! Meet the T0.
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GaryG had the opportunity to borrow a Rolex GMT-Master II BLRO Meteorite from a long-time friend to photograph and wear. This watch's main event is the dial, a thin slice of metallic meteorite whose crystalline structure reflects the slow cooling process that took place as the meteor hurtled through space. Here he tries a variety of photographic techniques to learn which works best on the dial's unique structures. Which are your favorites?
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The watch year 2022 saw the release of a variety of well-crafted, more affordable timepieces. Sabine Zwettler shares three of these watches from Bell & Ross, Longines, and Tutima Glashütte that caught her attention.
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Stephen McGonigle, owner and co-founder of McGonigle watches, has been regularly asked by friends and watch aficionados over the years to make something that they could afford – or at least aspire to. Making a relatively affordable watch that he could be proud of was a challenge, but one McGonigle has met with the first watch from his new Magon brand: the Fórsa Titanium, an automatic column wheel chronograph in a distinctive tonneau-shaped case.
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The Patek Philippe Advanced Research Reference 5550P is a truly lovely perpetual calendar with some interesting technical twists.
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At Quill & Pad we love reading books as much as we love writing them (on occasion). Here is a selection of inspiring books published in 2022, suitable for gifting or reading at any time of year.
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The MP-09 Tourbillon Bi-Axis 5-Day Power Reserve Rainbow 3D Carbon is an excellent example of Hublot doing what it does best: challenging the status quo as a conversation piece. And Martin Green loves it!
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The saying “history repeats itself” is often associated with unfavorable occurrences. But this is definitely not the case with A. Lange & Söhne and December 7, a date that has marked milestones for the brand three times now. Sabine Zwettler explores the significance of the founding day of Glashütte’s finest manufactory.
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The Bulgari by Gérald Genta Octo Quadri-Retro Chronograph features four retrograde displays and a jumping hour. Even more than its distinctive shape, the Octo Quadri-Retro’s strongest link to its Genta past is the crossfire of snapdragon displays on its sectored face. Tim Mosso dissects the history of this brand using the quirks of this uber-interesting timepiece.
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Hautlence is a brand that has always done things a little differently. And its latest model, the Linear Series 1, is no exception: it features a normal minute display with a jumping hour indication that appears to move in a straight (linear) line. Joshua Munchow dives in for a closer look.
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With the evolution of modern ladies’ watches has come an evolution of quality. Today it is not just about downsizing existing men’s models. Nor is it only about design, bling, or glossy luxury. It is all about watchmaking, great watchmaking! Here are six predominantly female watches that Łukasz Doskocz would wear. With pride.
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GaryG was unable to attend the November 2022 Geneva watch auctions, but like many of his friends he followed online. Here he takes a look at the results from the “big three” auction houses – Phillips, Christie’s, and Sotheby’s – to discern some patterns and provide knowledgeable commentary.
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Not long ago, Christiaan van der Klaauw announced that Pim Koeslag would join the company as a majority shareholder. Koeslag further complements the successful team of Daniël and Maria Reintjes, who will both stay on in their positions. Martin Green talked to Koeslag to get the whole story.
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Ken Gargett recently had the opportunity to try two Saint Luis Rey Double Corona Cigars from two different boxes. They were both remarkably similar, which is not a given with Cuban cigars, especially very rare Cuban cigars.
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The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Cylindrique from 2016 is a dress tourbillon of the modern era that does much more than look pretty. Tim Mosso takes a closer look here and divulges in-depth background.
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First launched toward the end of 2021, the Continuum, now known as C by Romain Gauthier, is the boutique brand's take on a luxury sports watch without falling into the trap of trying to be just another voice in the steel sports watch market.
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Recently, GaryG had the opportunity to handle, photograph, and wear a good friend’s Balancier Contemporain in white gold. His pal had long been a fan of the brand but had always been put off by the size of the watches. At 39.6 mm wide, though, the Contemporain is the most compact Greubel Forsey ever.
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The Piaget Rectangle à l'Ancienne, an “old-fashioned rectangle,” might have a blunt description for a name but this vintage watch is much more than that; it is a timepiece that exquisitely represents the essence of Piaget.
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The last couple of GPHGs were hit by COVID, but the 2022 GPHG was finally again an event and a party as it should be! Tout le monde was in Geneva, celebrating watchmaking at its finest. Here are our thoughts on the winners and how well we did at predicting them.
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While it is always interesting to see what the rarest of watches do at auctions, scant few can afford such bidding wars. That doesn't necessarily mean that the only other option is eBay as Fellows highlights with its Luxury Watch Sale.
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The Lundis Bleus arts and crafts are a very special aspect of watchmaking. It is not so much about the mechanical side – escapements, micro rotors, gearwheels, and gold chatons – but more the artistic and aesthetic (dial) side of independent watchmaking. Is this why Thomas Brechtel chose to buy two custom-made watches from the boutique brand?
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If there’s one thing that enthusiasts love, it’s access! Here GaryG shares his thoughts on the a set of two limited references by Louis Erard and Alain Silberstein developed in collaboration with Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry that are available now (until sold out).
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The Corum Golden Bridge Table Clock isn’t just loosely inspired by the Corum Golden Bridge, it is made to be a nearly perfect replica of the watch at the scale of a table, and even doubling as a coffee table!
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As most folks who follow Patek Philippe are aware, the brand has long been in the habit of making unique watches for special customers, including in recent times entertainment luminaries such as Eric Clapton and Michael Ovitz. It was not until 2015, however, that Patek Philippe publicly issued a number of small editions of previously discontinued references, each in previously unmade metal/dial combinations. This Patek Philippe Reference 5070J-013 is one of those ultra-rare birds. And GaryG wonders if it might bring yellow gold back into fashion single-handedly.
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Jacob & Co. went to Sicily for the launch of its latest opulent opus, the Opera Godfather 50th Anniversary, which features a rotating movement, triple-axis flying tourbillon, and double-cylinder music box playing the 120 notes of the theme song of 'The Godfather.'
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