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Not one to shy away from wild watches and unique combinations, in late 2021 Urwerk debuted a special tenth-anniversary UR-110 to commemorate the launch of the original UR-110 in 2011: the UR-100 Bakelite.
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Graham's releases a trio of Single Harvest Tawny Ports called the Cellar Master’s Trilogy comprising The Apprentice, The Artisan, and The Master. Ken Gargett gives us the lowdown on how it's made and how it tastes.
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A star is born! In the movie 'Last Looks' Mel Gibson asks, “Have you seen what this man wears? It costs more than the house I grew up in.” The reply: “It’s a Kudoke Skeleton; they only make 35 a year.”
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For a relatively small manufacture like Armin Strom, scaling the production is not an easy thing, nor something that is always as desirable as it looks. However, creating watches that remain virtually unobtainable for most (potential) clients also isn't. That is why Armin Strom is already releasing the second edition of the Orbit, which is also limited to 25 pieces.
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When you talk with watch enthusiasts, the conversation often branches out to other areas of passion; one of these is inevitably sound systems. Martin Green doesn't have firm statistics, but there are a considerable number of audiophiles among watch collectors. And like him, they will be probably be smitten with the Sonomaster Chronograph made by Reservoir.
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In 2021, Patek Philippe drew attention to the decorative arts that help make its watches so exceptional, further staking claim in the preservation of many of the traditional skills and techniques that date to the manufacture’s roots. The manufacture introduced six versions of familiar watch models that highlight Patek Philippe's Rare Handcrafts.
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Martin Green thinks that the Maurice Lacroix Aikon Skeleton 39mm is sized perfectly. And to see the skeletonized movement and (nearly) all its parts, the way they interact and work, is captivating.
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Astronomical phenomena lie at the very origin of time measurement. However, these celestial events are not only practical, they can also be very romantic as Jaeger-LeCoultre demonstrates with its latest beauties: Rendez-Vous Star and Rendez-Vous Dazzling Star.
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The skull as a watch theme have a long tradition dating back to early pocket watches. Called memento mori, these were decorated with skulls with the aim of reminding the owner to live life to the fullest and make the most of time on earth. With the latest addition to the Bubble collection, Corum continues this tradition, this time choosing a luminescent x-ray image of a skull to decorate the dial.
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For Ken Gargett, Champagne de Venoge seems more like background music than a headline act. It seems to have been around forever, usually within reach, but not chased after. However, now under new management, Ken thinks it might be worth looking out.
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American swimmer Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian in history, having won 23 gold medals over the course of 5 Olympic Games. In addition, he is an Omega ambassador and has been since 2004, a longstanding partnership. What watches did he wear during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro? Find out here!
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Jan Lidmaňský interviewed Emmanuel Breguet, vice president and head of patrimony at Breguet. He chatted with this direct descendant of Abraham-Louis Breguet about fakes in the time of Breguet, which watch is still missing from the Breguet Museum’s collection, how many pieces the company has acquired at auction over the last 20 years, and much more.
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The Foradori family believes that It is its duty and privilege to wake up every morning and to be free to work according to the message that the earth conveys in that moment. And according to Ken Gargett, this approach tastes divine!
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Ineichen, the oldest watch-specialized auction house in Switzerland, has canceled its buyer’s premium and is now offering shares in the auction house through a bidding process executed on its own platform. Elizabeth Doerr shares the details of these progressive developments, upcoming online auctions, and more.
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The latest and last in the Urwerk UR-220 series delights with its red gold case. This precious metal gives the watch a sense of old-school luxury and 'Miami Vice' fashion, says resident gentleman Martin Green.
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The summer travel season is here with people traveling in pre-pandemic droves. Pen lovers have a couple of brand-new opportunities – one from Montblanc and one from Montegrappa – to add to their must-do lists, whether as side trips when traveling nearby or as destinations all their own.
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Top Burgundy has exploded like a firecracker factory set alight. From very much a second fiddle to Bordeaux when it comes to the great wines of France, Burgundy is now the flavor of the month, attracting prices that have skyrocketed into the stratosphere and beyond, both on release and on the secondary market. Everyone wants the great Burgundies. And Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret is one of the crown jewels.
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Not many brands first present a complex minute repeater only to then distill it back to its essentials to power a three-handed, time-only watch. But that's what Tutima has done with the charming Patria Small Second.
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The three-hand Tutima M2 Seven Seas was first introduced at Baselworld 2016, and the newest interpretation of this diver’s watch is brightened up by Signal Yellow and Signal Orange dials housed in 44 mm brushed titanium cases and bracelets. Nancy Olson takes a deep dive.
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The Louis Moinet Only India is an intricate and colorful display of craftsmanship with a celestial hook that Joshua Munchow can’t ignore: a small fragment of the original Shergotty meteorite used as a centerpiece for the dial honoring aspects of Indian culture.
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Most people know anOrdain because of its stunning handmade enamel dials. Elizabeth Doerr's own hands-on experience occurred because her interest was piqued by the nature of these tiny made-in-Glasgow works of art. Here she shares a personal visit to the anOrdain studio in Glasgow.
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The Le Mans Classic is the world’s largest gathering of its kind, hosting 8,500 vintage cars grouped by brand and model from automobile clubs around Europe. Richard Mille returned as main sponsor and official timekeeper of the event for the tenth time running. Here's an eyewitness report.
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When Ken Gargett first heard mention of a gin called Monkey 47, he assumed it must fall very much in the novelty category. Then he tried it and it has been his favorite gin ever since. Here Ken shares the story, more than likely a mix of fact and the apocryphal, of how Monkey 47 gin came to be. And it involves a watchmaker!
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The new Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance First Edition is what some might call a reboot of the collection. But Joshua Munchow looks at it more as a rebirth. The new release has a high percent of shared “DNA” with the original Mirrored Force Resonance, but it is obviously made for a new era.
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Rolex And Wimbledon: there are few brands that fit so well together, emulating each other in a way – though a fully unplanned way – with their staunch holds on traditionalism and domination of their respective fields. Since 1978 they have transcended social, cultural, language, and even ideological barriers together.
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The lion’s share of high-end watch brands come from French- and German-speaking regions, so the correct pronunciations of their names are not always obvious or easy. This fun video by our friends at The Watches TV demonstrates the correct pronunciations and highlights a few common mistakes. And it will make you smile.
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Ken Gargett had intended this article to be a thorough look at Châteauneuf-du-Pape. But he realized that would take a book. So he then thought that he would restrict it to his two all-time favorites, Château Rayas and Henri Bonneau, but even that seemed extreme and surely they each deserve a piece on their own. So Henri Bonneau it is.
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What, exactly, is the AP House? That’s a question Brendan Cunningham thinks that he is unlikely be able to fully describe here, but gives it his best shot to describe the fairly novel concept that Audemars Piguet has revealed around the globe over the past few years.
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Chimay is a Belgian Trappist beer fermented in oak barrels. Whether you drink it soon after purchase or cellar it for extra richness and complexity, this is a cracking beer and definitely one that should be on your radar. And it is a brilliant match if you want a full-flavored cigar, says Ken Gargett.
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Vacheron Constantin enters into a partnership with the most famous museum in the world: the Louvre. The Métiers d’Art Tribute to Great Civilizations is a limited edition set of four pieces decorated with rare crafts and paying tribute to four great works of ancient art found in the museum.
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