Quill & Pad
“I have no secrets as past watchmakers had. There are graveyards full of secrets and that’s enough.” – Philippe Dufour, 2014. That quote alone is enough to understand why he matters. But, as GaryG writes, there is much more.
Quill & Pad
With the new Batman movie hitting theaters this week, Elizabeth Doerr looks at some of what Batman – or perhaps more precisely, his alter ego Bruce Wayne – has worn (or might want to wear) on his wrist.
Quill & Pad
Over the last few days, Dan-Andrei Kluska has watched the news in horror. He has lost sleep, he has cried a lot, and he feels that he has been paralyzed by the eruption of war in Europe. After the first shock wave passed and his tears dried, he started to think about the future and was sincerely fearful because a nuclear war would wipe out humanity as we know it. Here he challenges us all to do something (and some have answered the call).
Quill & Pad
There is one Australian winemaker who has not only been extraordinarily consistent, but produced world class Pinot (and Chardonnay), vintage after vintage, across the board: Bindi Wines, thanks to owner and winemaker Michael Dhillon. It would be a brave critic to leave Bindi out of any list of great Aussie Pinots and Ken Gargett rates the small winery among the very top.
Quill & Pad
GaryG seized a welcome opportunity to handle and photograph a unique version of The White by David Walter, which is equipped with Walter’s second prototype movement and a bespoke Chinese-character dial. The watch is owned by a friend who also happens to be a local-to-California expert watchmaker.
Quill & Pad
Blast from the past! This post is a "reprint" of an article by Ian Skellern that was first published on The PuristS in 2005. This article is divided into four parts: Felix Baumgartner and Urwerk, Harry Winston Rare Timepieces and the Opus V, The Urwerk 103.03, and The Urwerk 103.03 user review.
Quill & Pad
Are there special vintage watch dial variations named after notable women in a vein similar to that of the Paul Newman Rolex Daytona? Nick Gould was wondering just that and researched. Finding a photo of Vanessa Redgrave wearing a Rolex Submariner Reference 5513 with "Explorer" dial in 1966, he ruefully opines that this rare model would sound so much cooler as the Rolex "Vanessa Redgrave" Submariner rather than what collectors call it now: Rolex Reference 5513 Submariner with Explorer dial.
Quill & Pad
Twenty-five years – a quarter of a century – is a long time. But it’s not that long for a watch manufacturer. In 1996, Chopard's co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele proudly introduced Caliber 1.96 to the world, his brand's very first in-house movement. Here Martin Green highlights a few of his favorites from the 25-year-old L.U.C collection.
Quill & Pad
Basically, sake comprises rice, water, and the fermenting agent called koji, resulting in an alcoholic level that usually sits between 13 and 16 percent. And you might be interested to know that the rice used is different from the standard table rice so popular with Japanese food. Ken Gargett takes a deep dive into what sake is, what types of sake are available, and whether you should drink it warm (like James Bond) or cold. Kampai!
Quill & Pad
To celebrate its 125th anniversary in 2021, Lustau released a set of three special sherries at the end of last year. These only come as a set, and there are only 2,500 bottles of each of the trio. Beautifully packaged, they have never been seen before, and they represent not only the history and the very DNA of Lustau, but also the three towns of the sherry triangle with one wine from each. Ken Gargett thinks that for sherry lovers these are an absolute must.
Quill & Pad
As a longtime Leica camera admirer, Nancy Olson was intrigued when she learned that this notable German company was introducing two new watch models: the Leica L1 and the Leica L2. Apparently they’ve been in the works for a few years, but for whatever reason, their time is now. So say cheese and smile!
Quill & Pad
Sotheby’s is currently auctioning off a set of Gérald Genta’s original drawings – including the original sketch of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak – and our pals at The Watches TV took the opportunity to get his widow, Evelyne Genta, on camera to discuss the famed designer’s life and legacy. See it here!
Quill & Pad
Independent Swiss watchmaker Raul Pagès has released his new Régulateur à Détente RP1. A clean and minimal design with superlative finishing, the Régulateur à Détente RP1 is Pagès’ take on the detent escapement, proving that evolution is still possible.
Quill & Pad
This Breguet souscription pocket watch number 1836 was created just after the French Revolution in 1796 and was sold in 1807 for £600. A testament to the quality of the movement’s design and the skill of its watchmaker, after more than 200 years it still runs impeccably today, which makes it the perfect role model for Breguet's modern Tradition line. But what relationship does Ian have to it?
Quill & Pad
If you are interested in a look behind the curtain of how watch journalism is conducted in both the digital and Coronavirus ages, then this video is for you. Join Tim Mosso, media director of Watchbox, and Elizabeth Doerr as they discuss watch journalism in the digital age and other hot topics and current events. Getting right to the heart of every matter, this fast-paced conversation ranges from shutdowns, conflicts of interest, and whether print is dead to "celebrity collectors" on Instagram and the current status of independent watch brands.
Quill & Pad
If there is one thing Martin Green likes, it is a well-designed diamond-set watch. And while there are quite a few around, there aren’t many as good as the Corum Classical Billionaire, which focuses on displaying the art of diamond cutting and setting. No less than 424 diamonds (for a total of 13.46 carats) decorate the white gold case. That is a lot of stones, but diamonds alone don't automatically make for a great watch. It’s the way that the gems are cut and set that ultimately decides if they add something more than just their precious and pricey nature.
Quill & Pad
In the annals of A. Lange & Söhne history, the Double Split was one of the most widely celebrated releases. It introduced the idea of a split-second and split-minute chronograph allowing the wearer to time at least two events lasting up to an hour. The Triple Split is the inevitable progression of it, adding a split-hour function to allow timing two multi-hour events up to 12 hours.
Quill & Pad
Fantasy, high artistry, and solid watchmaking whimsically coalesce in Oris’s limited edition Sun Wukong Artist Edition, the just-introduced timepiece inspired by the Chinese animated film 'The Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven.' And in a novel twist for this usually affordably priced brand, the dial presents hand-rendered cloisonné enamel, an art form used by Oris for the first time.
Quill & Pad
In Ken Gargett's opinion, the Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires 2006 champagne is still quite exuberant and has a chalky/minerally backing with a little grip on the finish, entwined with a hint of bitter almonds. Ken would happily drink this any time he could as it is undoubtedly one of the best champagnes from the 2006 vintage.
Quill & Pad
Thrill of the chase. Intellectual satisfaction. Investment. There are nearly as many reasons for collecting things as there are things to collect. But when it comes to watches and writing instruments, a variety of shared motivations, perhaps catalyzed by the obvious common characteristics of the objects themselves, make them conspicuous crossovers for collectors.
Quill & Pad
The rise of Brunello has been recent. And, arguably, the single most convincingly 100 percent Brunello example of fine wine is Soldera at Case Basse according to Ken Gargett and other wine experts. But Soldera and the region have a dramatic background, one that might not be common knowledge outside Tuscany. Read on for a Hollywood script-worthy story and mouthwatering descriptions of Tuscan wines you may not (yet) be acquainted with.
Quill & Pad
As the resident gentleman of Quill & Pad, the H. Moser & Cie x The Armoury Endeavour Small Seconds Total Eclipse should have Martin Green's name written all over it. Yet when he first saw the watch, he didn’t boil over with excitement. This is not the first logoless, minimalistic watch that Moser has made, so what does it add to what is already there? Read on to discover the answer.
Quill & Pad
One streaming series Elizabeth Doerr was really looking forward to was 'And Just Like That,' the much-anticipated sequel to 'Sex and the City.' She has always loved the taboo-laden adventures of the quartet of New York City fashionista heroines of this story and their diverse love lives – escapism at its best with lots of funky fashion to ogle and girl talk to laugh along with. It was the perfect show for Cartier to fill with product placement, too, even if reviews haven't been the greatest. Here's why.
Quill & Pad
Ken Gargett has tasted several Louis Roederer Cristal vintages over recent years, but how did the recently disgorged wine fare in 2014? Could it match the 2012 or 2013? Read on to discover what Ken thinks of the Cristal 2014 and whether it can stand up to the hype.
Quill & Pad
Women have played a significant role in Breguet’s history, acting as inspiration or catalyst for some of the company’s most memorable timepieces – a phenomenon that continues today. So in 2018, when Breguet launched a timepiece in honor of St. Valentine’s Day, it was the start of an annual ode to love that has become as highly anticipated for watch lovers as the holiday itself. Here are all five of these limited edition timepieces.
Quill & Pad
Elizabeth Doerr is the last of the Quill & Pad team to pick her top ten watches of 2021. And even though she has been thinking about such a list for most of the year – seeing as a relatively significant portion of it was spent in lockdown – she still had a hard time narrowing it down to just ten pieces. Do you agree with what she chose?
Quill & Pad
Tool watches continue their evolution among the watch industry’s most luxurious and coveted brands. Here Chris Malburg explores where their evolution has gone and might still go.
Quill & Pad
Greubel Forsey's Art Pieces are among the world’s most notable art-related timepieces and not just because they tackle the subject of art for art’s sake but also because the Art Pieces highlight the relationship horology has with art. Elizabeth Doerr doesn't think that there is any denying that the modern art of watchmaking has a synergy with art as a whole. And that is abundantly visible in these watches.
Quill & Pad
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Hidden Treasures collection consists of three Reverso watches featuring dials with exquisite miniature reproductions of lost paintings by three master painters: Gustave Courbet (1876), Vincent Van Gogh (1888), and Gustav Klimt (1917). Each piece's painting has its own interesting story highlighting why it was considered a “hidden treasure." Joshua Munchow shares those stories with us here.
Quill & Pad
Japanese whisky distillery Mars Shinshu is still working to establish its house style. "Searching for its soul,” distillery manager Koki Takehira calls it, and he is off to a wonderful start. At this stage, the whiskies appear to be from the elegant and complex end of the spectrum, and there is a gentle sweetness, more so than found in most Japanese whiskies. Ken Gargett takes us through the history of Mars Shinshu and shares tasting notes of a few of the whiskies.
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.