Annual Calendars Are Goldilocks Complications: Not Too Hot, Not Too Cold, Just Right – Reprise
Sometimes perpetual calendars are too complicated but a simple calendar just doesn’t cut it anymore because nearly half the months have less than 31 days, making it five adjustments a year too many for some. But don’t fret, there is a middle ground between the most basic calendar watches and complex perpetual calendars: the annual calendar automatically adjusts for each month with 30 or 31 days, meaning just one adjustment per year for the owner in February. Here’s a brief history of the complication.
Khanjar And Qaboos Rolexes: Are They The Vintage Watch Industry’s Blood Diamonds? (Updated With New Information) – Reprise
Increasing demand for timepieces, especially Rolexes, with the Omani emblem is understandable given the high quality, good condition, demonstrable provenance, and rarity of most of these watches, combined with the fact that they had often been presented to their first owners in the 1970s by Sultan Qaboos in person as a token of gratitude for services rendered. Colin Alexander Smith takes a very close look at the meaning behind these rare timepieces and in this updated version of the article debunks one theory behind the dial symbol.
Why I Bought It: Collector Koen Simon And His IWC Reference 504 ‘Türler’
Every day Koen Simon looks out for special watches, and a couple months ago he noticed an IWC on an online marketplace that looked rather odd because of three things: the shape of the case, the dial, and a “Türler” signature. So he investigated the history of this beautiful watch and now shares his rather personal love story with it here.
Corum Classical Billionaire: A Unique Piece That, While Pricey, Isn’t (Quite) As Expensive As It Looks And Its Name Suggests
If there is one thing Martin Green likes, it is a well-designed diamond-set watch. And while there are quite a few around, there aren’t many as good as the Corum Classical Billionaire, which focuses on displaying the art of diamond cutting and setting. No less than 424 diamonds (for a total of 13.46 carats) decorate the white gold case. That is a lot of stones, but diamonds alone don’t automatically make for a great watch. It’s the way that the gems are cut and set that ultimately decides if they add something more than just their precious and pricey nature.
A. Lange & Söhne Triple Split Chronograph: The World’s Only Watch That Can Time Two Separate Events For 12 Hours
In the annals of A. Lange & Söhne history, the Double Split was one of the most widely celebrated releases. It introduced the idea of a split-second and split-minute chronograph allowing the wearer to time at least two events lasting up to an hour. The Triple Split is the inevitable progression of it, adding a split-hour function to allow timing two multi-hour events up to 12 hours.
Oris Aquis Sun Wukong Artist Edition: Creating An Uproar (In Heaven)
Fantasy, high artistry, and solid watchmaking whimsically coalesce in Oris’s limited edition Sun Wukong Artist Edition, the just-introduced timepiece inspired by the Chinese animated film ‘The Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven.’ And in a novel twist for this usually affordably priced brand, the dial presents hand-rendered cloisonné enamel, an art form used by Oris for the first time.
Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires 2006: Champagne Charlie Would Approve
In Ken Gargett’s opinion, the Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires 2006 champagne is still quite exuberant and has a chalky/minerally backing with a little grip on the finish, entwined with a hint of bitter almonds. Ken would happily drink this any time he could as it is undoubtedly one of the best champagnes from the 2006 vintage.
A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon: A Machine With Heart And Soul
The A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon lives up to its name. It has a date, a chronograph, a perpetual calendar, and a tourbillon. But it has more: this watch has character. Assigning human traits to a cold machine is a – romantic – fool’s errand, but it’s also irresistible in the presence of a masterpiece. A. Lange & Söhne’s warmest watch is more than a machine with a heartbeat. It has soul.
The Grail Of Attic Finds: Reunited With The First Watch I Ever Owned, A West End Watch Co Sowar Prima – Reprise
Colin Alexander Smith is reunited with his first watch and discovers an intriguing watch manufacturer that has been producing mechanical watches in Switzerland continuously since 1886.
Can Writing Instruments Be As Collectible And Enthusiast-Infused As Watches? – Reprise
Thrill of the chase. Intellectual satisfaction. Investment. There are nearly as many reasons for collecting things as there are things to collect. But when it comes to watches and writing instruments, a variety of shared motivations, perhaps catalyzed by the obvious common characteristics of the objects themselves, make them conspicuous crossovers for collectors.