Quill & Pad
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.
Quill & Pad
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.
Quill & Pad
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.
Quill & Pad
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.
Quill & Pad
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.
Quill & Pad
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.
Quill & Pad
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.
Quill & Pad
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.
Quill & Pad
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?
Quill & Pad
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).
Quill & Pad
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!
Quill & Pad
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.
Quill & Pad
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.'
Quill & Pad
“The Holy Trinity,” as any watch nerd knows, refers to the triumvirate of Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Vacheron Constantin. Colin Smith takes a look at what we mean – or think we mean - when we describe PP, AP, and VC as the “Holy Trinity” of watchmaking and when we describe a timepiece as our “grail watch.”
Quill & Pad
CB thought it was a great idea to add a legendary platinum bracelet to his A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Lumen. At first it looked like it would be easy, but then there were a few unforeseen "issues." GaryG tells the up-and-down story of one man's search (and willingness to fight) for his dream grail.
Quill & Pad
The full prize list and photos from the 2022 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève. The MB&F; Legacy Machine Sequential Evo Chronograph took the Aiguille d'Or.
Quill & Pad
The 2022 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève is scheduled to begin at 6:30 pm Central European Time on Thursday the 10th of November. Follow the big night live on Quill & Pad.
Quill & Pad
The GPHG Aiguille d'Or is always one of the most difficult prizes to predict, not only because all the watches entered are free to be chosen from, but also because so many are so good. The watch needs to be exceptional to win and it might even be a clock. What does our panel choose?
Quill & Pad
Finally! After years of discussion that clocks should have a place, and some instances of clocks being included in categories that made little sense in 2021, the GPHG has created a category just for mechanical clocks. And, boy, what a complete smorgasbord of mechanical ingenuity! But what to choose?
Quill & Pad
On activation, the water starts to ripple as if touched by the wind on the Van Cleef & Arpels Fontaine aux Oiseaux. The birds engage in an intricate mating ritual so real that it feels as if each bird has a character of its own. The dragonfly zips across the water as the waterlily opens to reveal an inner life set with precious stones. And that's not all!
Quill & Pad
Montegrappa tells the 4,000-year-old classic fairy tale 'Beauty and the Beast' as it does best: in the form of a handmade writing instrument. The limited edition Montegrappa Bijo-To-Yaju fountain pen was created in collaboration with Japanese designer Tomita Kazuhiko.
Quill & Pad
One evening, WMMT was sipping away at his ex-wife’s stock of 1945 Pétrus with his buddy Slippery Steve and contemplating a few of the essential questions in life, the kind that rarely find a real answer. Is there life after death? Can you really wear brown shoes after 6:00 PM? Is his Audemars Piguet a fake? Following on that conversation, Slippery Steve and WMMT offer you six easy ways to recognize if your watch is fake. No prior knowledge needed and entertaining photography guaranteed!
Quill & Pad
anOrdain is not your average watch company. Located in Glasgow, Scotland, its name derives from a remote loch deep in the Scottish Highlands. There, Lewis Heath, a trained architect, first got the idea of creating a modern watch brand honoring traditional crafts. And the new Model 1 Payne's Grey Fumé exemplifies how anOrdain not only honors these crafts but superbly progresses them.
Quill & Pad
Often with incoming pieces GaryG resists the temptation to wear a watch until he has had the chance to photograph it in pristine condition, but in the spirit of fun he chucked out the principle of restraint and slapped his new Hajime Asaoka Kurono Anniversary Green Mori right on his wrist. When you read Gary's story and see his photos you will know why.
Quill & Pad
Malt lovers immediately fall into one of two camps: one does not enjoy the peaty, smoky, seaweed notes that whisky from Islay usually offers. The second group loves those characteristics. No prize for guessing where Ken Gargett falls. But what about Ron Swanson and Lagavulin from the Scottish island of Islay?
Quill & Pad
Watches under 3,500 Swiss francs . . . now it gets interesting. And the competition gets even fiercer. This is the first horological category in which every one of the finalists deserves a place here, and any of them could win. So what did our peanut gallery pick?
Quill & Pad
Two regulators, a chronograph, a Spring Drive classic, a new steel sports watch with a twist on the seconds, and a Nixie tube watch: this is what our peanut gallery must choose a winner from in the Petite Aiguille category, finding the best value under CHF 10,000. A tall order!
Quill & Pad
Halloween, a word contracted from "All Hallow's Eve," is a predominately American celebration whose traditions come from late nineteenth-century Celtic origins. And along comes a modern mechanical time-telling spider in celebration, the MB&F; Arachnophobia: a realistic-looking arachnid made of metal and other materials traditionally used in watchmaking. Look upon it if you dare!
Quill & Pad
Elizabeth took a look back at the meaning of time in the early seasons of 'The Walking Dead,' where the show's creators appear to take time and timepieces seriously. And don't worry, there are no spoilers and no zombies, just a lot of fun.
Quill & Pad
The 2022 GPHG Artistic Crafts finalists include some unique pieces, some small series pieces, and one comparatively large-volume piece (of 100 examples) by a bigger producer. All are beautiful and rare in their decorations, which include guilloche, engraving, enamel work, miniature painting, wood marquetry, gem setting, and Japanese lacquer work. So how did our peanut gallery vote?
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.
Comments
No comments yet, be the first to weigh in.