Quill & Pad
GaryG has long wanted to meet and learn from independent horologist David Walter. He had the opportunity to spend some time with him in his California workshop, soaking in a tiny fraction of his deep knowledge of clockmaking and encountering DeeDee’s Tourbillon, an ultra-interesting unique piece clock.
Quill & Pad
After celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of Gérald Genta's eponymous company founded in 1969, Bulgari embarks on reinstating the niche brand within its own ranks, kicking off with a captivating, revamped version of the Gérald Genta Arena Bi-Retro Sport. Find out the fascinating history behind this formerly independent brand and the series of events leading to this decision right here.
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The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Duoface Fagliano combines the best with the best from 90 years' worth of Reverso variations, offering a pure, classic style that makes this watch both a statement and an understatement, the two faces doubling the impact. And as Martin Green explains, it's just a teaser of what's to come is 2021 as Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrates the 90th anniversary of the iconic model.
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Whether 'Stalin’s Wine Cellar' is a journey about chasing fakes, or if these bottles hidden away in the former Soviet Union are genuine, the story makes for a rollicking saga. And if the bottles are genuine, who really did own them and what on earth might they be worth? The tale takes us on twist after twist and has been described as “Raiders of the Lost Ark for wine lovers.” Ken Gargett couldn't put the book down.
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Celebrating an anniversary like 90 years is a must when you’re a wristwatch as old and as evergreen as the Reverso. In honor of the long and successful career of the horological icon, let’s take a brief look back over the last nine decades of this truly authentic timepiece, an Art Deco original in the world of watches.
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The RM 65-01 is the latest in a proud line of rugged, structurally advanced chronographs from Richard Mille. In basic terms, it is an automatic, split-seconds chronograph with 30-minute and 12-hour totalizers that displays the date and includes a function selector, rapid winding mechanism, and variable geometry winding rotor. But as Joshua Munchow reveals, there's much more to it than that.
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Urwerk and MB&F; are two stalwarts of contemporary watchmaking with, superficially at least, much in common. Here Ian Skellern shares what he thinks are the significant similarities and differences between these two leaders in modern independent watchmaking.
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As well as being a superb bourbon, one of the great advantages of the Master's Keep premium releases from Wild Turkey is that they are not prohibitively priced (these bourbons are in the vicinity of $150 per bottle), nor are they so limited that you’ll only ever read about them and never see a bottle. These are great bourbons intended for drinking, and Ken Gargett gives us the lowdown.
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Nestled in among the mountainous green forest overlooking the valley’s larger towns of Fleurier and Môtiers is one of the area’s historical attractions: a stone castle whose earliest sections were built in the early fourteenth century. Since its purchase in 2006, the Château de Môtiers has been fully renovated by Bovet owner Pascal Raffy and now serves as the brand's headquarters and assembly workshop.
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At the end of 2020, 'The New York Times' published a story entitled “74 of Our Favorite Facts for 2020,” which contained 74 of the most interesting, striking, or delightful facts that the editors found in articles published by the newspaper last year. Elizabeth Doerr was inspired and now shares 42 interesting facts from Quill & Pad stories in 2020. Enjoy!
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Breguet writing instruments round out the Swiss brand's elegant offerings with a style and grace similar to its timepieces, with many of the pens unabashedly borrowing stylistic attributes from the watch iconography. These writing instruments nestle into three collections: Tradition, Classique, and Reine de Naples, all in parallel with the watch collections of the same names. And they are a win in Nancy Olson's book!
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Should champagne lovers from around the globe be asked to name the greatest wines and producers, there would be a unique name that I believe would be on every list: Champagne Salon is one of a kind because this house produces only a single wine, the vintage Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs. Including the first vintage from the 1905 harvest, Salon has released less than 40 wines over the course of its history.
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Sabine Zwettler highlights four sensational watches launched in 2020 that in some way commemorate Glashütte’s 175th Anniversary. These are all limited special editions that she will keep in her heart as personal highlights from the year that turned the world upside down.
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For GaryG the wonderful Antiqua by Vianney Halter is a long-term keeper. He fell for the Antiqua when he first saw one more than a dozen years ago; while many of his friends will freely confess that at the time they were at first put off by its looks, Gary was smitten from the start. But that's not all that he loves about this watch. Find out here why he bought it!
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GaryG meanders through some observations on the state of the industry, 2020 occurrences, and his own year in watches, including the watches he bought in 2020 and the watches he'd like to buy. And there are also his favorite photos from this year’s shooting interspersed to keep it lively. Enjoy!
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Silicon, long in use as a material in the electronics industry, has many advantages for mechanical watchmaking: it is 60 percent harder and 70 percent lighter than steel; non-magnetic; resistant to corrosion and shock; and generally needs no lubrication. These qualities motivated Patek Philippe to declare in 2005 that, “Silicon is the fabric of the future” and to found its Advanced Research department. Meet all five limited edition Advanced Research pieces released thus far right here.
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American clockmaker Rick Hale's new Wind & Water has a lot of nerdy mechanical and horological tidbits to geek out over, not to mention some fun woodworking details that add another level like a timber grasshopper escapement (with wooden pallets, naturally). But it's the fluid design and immersible craftsmanship that is bound to take your the breath away.
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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 perfectly today, which makes it the perfect role model for Breguet's modern Tradition line. But what relationship does Ian have to it?
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In honor of the end of this (for many horrific) year, let’s take a look at five of the great champagnes our nose-to-the-glass wine and spirits writer Ken Gargett highlighted in 2020 – and toast the start of a fresh year. Many watch enthusiasts often enjoy fine timepieces with a glass of great bubbly. And as Ken has considerable expertise in champagne, we can happily recommend some of the best tipples in existence.
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Henriot is an interesting winemaker that often sneaks in under the radar, which is surprising as it produces champagnes of exquisite quality. The Henriot range comprises the NV Brut Souverain, an NV Blanc de Blancs, a Rosé, a vintage Brut, a vintage Rosé, the prestige champagne Hemera, and an outlier, Cuve 38. Ken Gargett pours himself a few glasses, reports here, and calls it a job well done.
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One of the things Martin Green enjoys about ladies' watches is their more abundant use of colored gemstones. And Bulgari's Serpenti Viper And Incantati Rainbow And Colour Wave provide all the color your dreams can imagine.
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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 many independent watchmakers struggle in a business sense and how they can remain relevant in changing market situations.
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Peacocks on Quill & Pad? Well, if luxury is defined as an inessential, desirable item that is expensive or difficult to obtain, then peafowl surely fit the bill as well as any fine mechanical watch. Here Ian Skellern shares more than you are likely to ever need to know about free-ranging peacocks/peafowl, recounting his colorful journey to sharing a garden with Bonnie and Clyde along the way.
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GaryG provides us with a look at why he bought the A. Lange & Söhne Double Split even though he already owned the brand’s Datograph. The Double Split is the world’s only double rattrapante capable of both split-second and split-minute interval timing, which may shed some light.
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The Latin phrase “in memoriam” is often used in place of “in memory of.” And to my mind, people also use it to signify departed who may be gone but shouldn’t be forgotten. Every year people working in the watch industry pass away, and brands come and go. Elizabeth Doerr highlights a special few of those we lost in 2020.
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As read by you, here are the top ten most viewed articles on Quill & Pad in 2020. There are likely to be a few surprises. Drum roll, please: in no particular order, our top ten most viewed articles of 2020 were . . .
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Russian independent watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin’s holiday-themed Santa Wristmon is appropriately seasonal. And whatever you may think of Chaykin’s parade of themed faces in the wake of his ultra-successful Joker, you have to admit they’re really cute. They make Elizabeth Doerr smile every time she sees one. This one might give you all the feels at this time of year, too.
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There seems to be no argument that the 2016 vintage from Barolo in Italy is sensational. Very early days, and many of the top wines are yet to see the light of day, but this is a year that has wine lovers and collectors prepared to crawl over broken glass for their allocations. Ken Gargett takes a closer look for us.
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Is a new dial color a new watch? Technically speaking, probably not. But a dial can make all the difference in a watch's character, which A. Lange & Söhne highlights with three new additions to the Saxonia collection. Even among the classically inclined collections of A. Lange & Söhne, for Martin Green the Saxonia line is the home of the brand’s ultimate dress watch.
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It’s no surprise that MB&F; would create a special limited series of Legacy Machines honoring Jules Verne and the type of retro-futurism found within his novels. Yet this project is also the artistic child of master engraver Eddy Jaquet who has worked with MB&F; for the last decade and was the driver behind the focus of each piece on and how to realize it. The results of these eight unique timepieces are simply spectacular.
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