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Champagne is undoubtedly the pinnacle when it comes to great sparkling wine, but for Ken Gargett an impressive second place goes to Tasmania. He shares a few of his favorites here.
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The mechanical diva on the stage of the Oris Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115 movement is the big kahuna itself: the extremely large mainspring visible at 12 o’clock, which provides more than 10 days of power reserve. And quite a bit more according to Anders Modig.
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This past year has been a big one, and Joshua Munchow thought it might be good to go back over it and see some of the launches that defined 2019. Here are the watches, an indicative trend, and the biggest highlights that demonstrated what 2019 was all about.
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Loved the world over by collectors and watch brands alike, the Zenith El Primero has been keeping the world on time since 1969. And Rolex choosing to use the movement was high praise for Zenith indeed. The El Primero is still considered an exceptional chronograph to this day, and watchmaker Aston Tracy explains why.
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One of the things that fascinates Martin Green about-diamond set watches is the craftsmanship needed to create them. This is a process that cannot be automated and a skill that requires a lot of time to develop. Here he highlights five of his favorites introduced in 2019.
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Ikepod was born 24 years ago and has since died not once, but twice (well, three times, sort of). It is now back for an overdue third coming. Joshua Munchow thinks that the third time's a charm for this iconic brand from the 1990s, too.
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If the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève awards the horological Oscars, then the more cerebral Gaïa might be considered the horological Nobel Prize. And the three prize winners for 2019 are . . .
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Colin was wearing a steel watch with blue dial when the receptionist at the trading company he was working for, a chirpy lass straight out of the BBC’s 'Eastenders' soap opera, looked down disdainfully and said, “I hate watches with blue dials. They remind me of old men in pubs.” What happened after that can only be described as a case of gerontohorologyphobia: fear of inadvertently wearing an old man's watch.
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The quintessential sports tourbillon, the Richard Mille RM 027 RN, officially debuted at the 2010 French Open on the wrist of that year’s champion, Rafael Nadal. It was specifically created to stand up to the punishment of the tennis court. Then Richard Mille introduced the RM 27-02, which is even more high-tech, mechanically resistant, and expensive than the first edition. Read on to discover why.
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As read by you, here are the top 10 most viewed articles on Quill & Pad in 2019. There are likely to be a few surprises. Drum roll, please: in no particular order, our top ten most viewed articles of 2019 were . . .
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The 1985 Charles Heidsieck Champagne Charlie? Ken Gargett loved it. Score? 98/100 if you are playing the Grinch; 99/100 if you’d rather be Santa. Ken thinks that Charles Heidsieck should be a must for everyone’s cellar. Find out why plus what's up with Champagne Charlie now.
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As Joshua Munchow looks back over 2019, he is reminded what an exciting year it has been in the world of watches – from changes to the major fairs and exhibitions to corporate acquisitions and right on down to surprising launches from brands. There was definitely enough to keep us on our toes.
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In case you need a reason for watch shopping – a watch certainly would help navigate through stores to find everything on time. Here are five wallet-friendly suggestions that might just be the ultimate “tra la la la.”
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“Nice shoes you’ve got there!” Miguel Seabra was walking down Church Road with Maurice de Mauriac founder Daniel Dreifuss and his youngest son Leo when they heard someone behind them praise Daniel’s Stan Smith Adidas footwear. They turned around to find it was Stan Smith himself, the American tennis champion from the 1970s after whom the famous sneakers are named. And that’s how the plans for the new Stan Smith Signature Watch all started!
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Whimsy, frivolity, playfulness: these are not adjectives one often hears used to describe haute horlogerie. And yet these words accurately describe many watches or clocks built over the centuries. Take a journey with Joshua Munchow to discover his favorite modern whimsical masterpieces.
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While the regular Montblanc collection already proves that it is one of the best in this field, the High Artistry pens make the case that there is much, much more to this maker. Please enjoy the outstanding High Artistry Homage To Emperor Kangxi comprising three bejeweled unique pieces and two limited editions.
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Martin Green feels that the Parmigiani Toric was, and is, perfectly proportioned, with just the right dash of eccentricity incorporated into its design. But does adding complications change that? And does all of that still deserve the title of Parmigiani's best-looking line?
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If ever there was an unlikely concept, it would have to be the idea of Greubel Forsey – the masters of ultra-finished, mechanically inventive, and (at least in GaryG's view) imposingly dressy watches – coming out with a sporty watch.
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This richly illustrated coffee table book weighing close to two kilograms is both an invaluable reference tool and a fascinating read. The chapters do not scrimp in detailed information, expert opinion, and rich historical illustrations: even the book’s structure points are a pure joy to read or simply thumb through. Elizabeth would recommend it heartily for anyone with even a passing interest in the subject and here's why.
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In the real world, some complications are pretty useless. And that's not saying they aren’t cool. Here Joshua Munchow runs through his top 5 most useless complications and why they are simultaneously useless and cool.
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The Swiss press is reporting that the tug of war between Swatch Group and Comco is now back on the table – and could result in dire consequences for the entire industry as soon as 2020, when ETA may stop delivering movements to outside brands. Get the story here.
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Any time is an appropriate time to gift a watch lover with a book containing well-written words and beautiful photos of watches. At Quill & Pad we love reading books as much as we love writing them (on occasion). Here is a selection of books we have reviewed and written, suitable for gifting or reading at any time of year.
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Extraordinary engraver Kees Engelbarts loves his skeletonized watches as they do very much showcase his art form. “I wanted to make another kind of skeleton watch,” he says about his creation called Tourbillon Organic Skeleton. “Most skeleton watches are, as you know, very symmetric. My plan was to make a skeleton watch without a drawing or plan before starting, by just taking away material from the base plate and bridges that is not needed.”
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1969 marked the introduction of the world’s first self-winding chronographs. These were presented by Zenith with its El Primero, Seiko with the 5 Speedtimer, and an illustrious group consisting of Breitling, Heuer/Leonidas, and Hamilton/Büren, with the Chronomatic Caliber 11. Sabine Zwettler takes us through the history and looks at three of the latest-generation commemorative automatic chronographs by these early pioneers.
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If you like technology, watches, and sports – and you like them all together – you’re in luck: Richard Mille has just joined a McLaren co-created professional cycling team as one of the main sponsors: meet Team Bahrain McLaren!
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Bart and Tim Grönefeld have been so successful that they cannot keep watches in stock, and people who order one of their models right now might have to wait at least a year. However, Martin Green didn't visit them to buy a watch, but rather to talk with the Dutch brothers about watchmaking and other perhaps more personal subjects. Please enjoy this somewhat different video!
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‘F.P. Journe Invenit et Fecit’ by Jean-Pierre Grosz narrates the story of François-Paul Journe, one of the most successful independent watchmakers of our time. This book outlines both Journe’s incredible and – dare I say – courageous career and delves into his personal life, which wasn’t always rosy and light. A very atypical career that deserves the attention it receives with this book, Elizabeth finds it is a must-read.
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Delamain cognac concentrates, first and foremost, on quality. Ken Gargett finds it hard not to love that. This ancient cognac house might not get the fanfare of some, but its cognacs are very special and a must for anyone who enjoys quality spirits. Find out why here.
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The Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Tourbillon Four Seasons is an ode to the journey we all must take, the journey that even our great big planet takes every year as it grows, dies, and is reborn. We can celebrate the mechanics and ingenuity behind the watches, but this limited edition celebrates the fleeting nature of life itself.
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GaryG loves independent watchmaking and independent watchmakers; one of his great joys as a collector is having the feeling that, in a small way, he is supporting their efforts. So he put some thought into why independent watchmakers struggle in a business sense and how they can remain relevant in changing market situations.
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