Quill & Pad
The Omega Spirate System: A New Idea in Balance Spring Technology
The Omega Spirate is a new type of balance spring. It isn’t just a flashy concept piece, it is a practical advancement capable of improving horology.
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Catching My First Wild Trout Fly Fishing in Scotland
On the third cast, the nymph hits the water with a distinct plop and there is a sharp tug on the line. I instinctively set the hook, a glint of gold and brown breaks the surface. I have just caught my first wild trout.
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5 Watches That Have Stood The Test of Time Starring Rolex, Patek Philippe, Omega, and Cartier
Why is it that watch brands celebrate watch anniversaries so enthusiastically? The answer isn't as complicated as you might think . . . here we illustrate the answer with some major brands like Rolex, Patek Philippe, Cartier, Chanel, and Omega.
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Patek Philippe Triple Scale Chronograph Ref. 5975P Reviewed by Tim Mosso
Patek Philippe’s 175th-anniversary collection contained a bumper crop of memorable models and the Ref. 5975 triple scale chronograph was the quirkiest.
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Chronometer Certification in Watches Explained: How-To with Tim Mosso (video)
Omega, Tudor, Chopard, and many more watches all boast “COSC Chronometer” status on their watches, but what exactly does this certification entail? In this episode of How-To, Tim breaks down what exactly a watch needs to achieve to get COSC status and what defines a chronometer.
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Here’s Why The Crown is the Unsung Hero of Watchmaking and Why Rolex Wears the Crown
The crown is one of the most important yet underappreciated parts of a watch. The humble crown has played an extensive role in helping Rolex – and the rest of the watch industry – get to where it is today. Here's why.
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All of the Winners of the 2024 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG)
The 2024 GPHG was a big night for jewelry brands as well as independent watchmakers with Rémy Cools, Kudoke, Ming, Sylvain Pinaud, Bernhard Lederer, and Kari Voutilainen all taking home prizes.
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Ian’s Predicted Winners of the 2024 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG)
7 pm (CET) on Wednesday night in Geneva is the red carpet prize giving ceremony of the 2024 GPHG. Ian Skellern shares his predictions on the watches that he thinks are likely to take these coveted prizes.
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Behind The Lens: Rolex GMT-Master II Meteorite: Global Travel Meets Outer Space
GaryG had the opportunity to borrow a Rolex GMT-Master II BLRO Meteorite from a long-time friend to photograph and wear. This watch's main event is the dial, a thin slice of metallic meteorite whose crystalline structure reflects the slow cooling process that took place as the meteor hurtled through space. Here he tries a variety of photographic techniques to learn which works best on the dial's unique structures. Which are your favorites?
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The Ongoing Saga Of The World’s Most Complicated Wristwatch: Superbia Humanitatis By Louis-Elysée Piguet, Franck Muller, And Paul Gerber (Plus Video)
The Superbia Humanitatis Louis-Elysée Piguet/Franck Muller/Paul Gerber super complication is one of the most legendary watches of our time. And what a story! And here it is in its entirety: from 1892 when Piguet made the movement through 1992 when Franck Muller altered it, all the way through the present day when Paul Gerber modified it three more times to make it the most complicated wristwatch in the world.
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Jaeger-LeCoultre Watches: Why Are They Not More Popular?
Jaeger-LeCoultre's competition i.e., Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet have surged in recent years. They are now all well-recognized brands in broader society, whereas the love for JLC is reserved for true enthusiasts. Raman Kalra explains why.
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Grone Oldenzaal: a New More Affordable Brand by Bart and Tim Gronefeld Launches with the Manueel One ‘Sjef’s One’
Tim and Bart Gronefeld have quietly launch a new brand of more affordable watches than those in their Gronefeld collection. The new brand is called Grone Oldenzaal and the launch model is called the Manueel One ‘Sjef’s One’.
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Tim Mosso Shares his Thoughts on the Patek Philippe Cubitus and Wish-List Million Dollar Collection
To say the Patek Philippe Cubitus is controversial is to state the obvious. Due to similar design and movements, the Cubitus and Nautilus models have some overlap, and that's led to questions about whether the two can co-exist. Tim Mosso shares his views of the new Patek Philippe Cubitus in this video.
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Greubel Forsey Nano Foudroyante EWT with Flying Tourbillon: Lightning Fast Monopusher Chronograph using Minimal Energy in a Very Wearable 38mm Case
A foudroyante hand is visually spectacular as it is running faster than the eye can follow – foudroyante is French for lightning fast! But the complication uses a lot of energy, or did until the Greubel Forsey Nano Foudroyante EWT.
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Suggestions for a 3-Watch Collection for £10,000/$13,000
What if you were given £10,000/$13,00 to spend on creating a new collection? With a hypothetical wish list, what would you buy? Raman Kalra shares his suggestions and why.
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Laurent Perrier Grand Siècle Champagne: House Heritage and Tasting Notes
When one of the world’s leading wine critics names a non-vintage champagne as their Wine of the Year (not just Champagne of the Year), then it is worth a look, especially in competition with 36,000 other wines. The wine is Laurent-Perrier’s Grand Siècle No 26.
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Equation Of Time (EoT): What Is It And What’s The Attraction?
In its simplest form, the equation of time is defined as the difference between the time displayed by the position of the sun (as by a sundial) and the mean time displayed by any modern clock or watch. But that's just the beginning. Watchmaker Ashton Tracy explains more.
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30th Anniversary Editions from A. Lange & Söhne: Lange 1 with Black Onyx Dial in Platinum and Lange 1 with Blue Dial in Pink Gold, both in Two Very Wearable Sizes
A. Lange & Söhne celebrates the birthday of a legendary watch, the watchmaking flagship of our time: the Lange 1 collection featuring outsize date, asymmetrical dial, and an outstandingly finished mechanical movement is now extended with four new limited edition models.
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The Andreas Strehler Sirna: It Shocked Me!
The Strehler Sirna is first off the block for Andreas Strehler's new brand. It's a time-only watch with an off-center seconds sub dial, clean chapter rings, and a hand finished dial.
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Ball Watch Roadmaster M Model A: Innovative Alarm, GMT, and Lights Up Bright at Night
Ball Watch have stepped up their game with an innovative mechanical alarm watch with second time zone and a manufacture automatic movement plus their trademark super bright tritium tubes that light up the night. This is no chirping cricket!
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Why a Dive Watch Should Never be Haute Horlogerie
The dive watch can be seen as the off-road car of the watch world. Right after World War II, the world of diving was going through rapid developments. A leap in technology allowed humans to dive longer and deeper and explore a part of our planet we know so little about. But haute horlogerie?
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The Tudor Black Bay P01 And The Story Of The 1967 Prototype That Inspired It
At Baselworld 2019, when the curtains were finally opened at the Tudor booth, a watch that had widely been considered a myth by many was revealed to be 100 percent real! The Tudor Black Bay P01 was revealed!
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An Owner’s Comparison: Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic vs. Rolex Explorer 36
The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic and the Rolex Explorer 36 both have automatic movements, three hands, black dials, and 100-meter water resistance. Both they couldn't be more different as Perry Heim explains.
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What’s It Like To Get Your Grail Watch And Live With It? The Story Of My Louis Cartier Tank
A grail watch can be pretty much anything. But one thing a grail watch always is is personal. Very personal. Martin Green was introduced to his personal grail watch by a close friend who had recently treated himself to a new watch: a pre-Collection Privée Cartier Paris Louis Cartier Tank in platinum. Here's the story of how Martin got his grail.
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WatchCharts September 2024 Watch Market Update: First Positive Trend Up this Year + Best Green Rolex Submariner
The WatchCharts Overall Market Index saw a positive trend in September, rising 0.8% compared to the previous month. The last time we reported a positive trend was for the month of December 2023, when the market likely saw a boost due to the holiday season.
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Why I Bought It: Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M
After a year of ownership, Saad Chaudhry has taken his Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M to the end of the world, a dinner at a yacht club, and the open road as well as the open sea. The polished bezel has scars from doing battle against train commuters and car doors. The clasp has scraped against his keyboard more times than he cares to admit. However the watch still looks remarkably good. Here he explains why he bought it (and kept it) a year after the purchase and whether he would do it all over again.
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Urwerk EMC SR-71: Philosophy of Excellence from the Skies to your Wrist
The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is a plane so complicated that materials, manufacturing processes, technology, and understanding of physics all needed to be expanded or invented. So it's fitting that have used the SR-71 Blackbird as the inspiration for a tenth anniversary edition of the groundbreaking Urwerk EMC.
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So, You Want to Buy a Rolex? Well, Daddy-O, I’m here to Talk you Out of It!
If you’re in the market for a new watch, Tamim Almousa's advice is, if there’s a Rolex that you like, go for it. But if you just want a Rolex, you’re probably better off with an Omega. Here he explains why.
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Favorite Watches for $5,000 / $50,000 / $500,000 from Tim Mosso and Armand Johnston (video)
Tim Mosso and Armand Johnston discuss some of their favorite watches from three different price categories. Brands including Omega, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Patek Philippe, and many more are all selected to represent their various price points.
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New Patek Philippe Cubitus Collection: Yes They Are Too Big, But Are They Really That Polarizing?
Ian Skellern's first reaction was that he didn’t like the design, too square and not elegant enough for Patek Philippe, even for a sports watch collection. But as the hours and days past,he found myself liking the design more and more.