Last week I visited the Leica factory and spent some time admiring an exhibition placed in the spacious foyer of this massive new factory building called “36 aus 100” (“36 from 100”). This image of the soldier wearing two watches – perhaps very, very briefly reminding me of the late Nicolas G. Hayek’s penchant for wearing two timepieces – caught my attention.
Quill & Pad’s monthly news roundup for May includes Rolex, Patek Philippe, Panerai, Girard-Perregaux, A. Lange & Söhne at the Concorso d’Eleganza in Italy, new Chrono Hawk chronograph by Girard-Perregaux, Armin Strom at the casino, the Monegasque from Roger Dubuis, impressive auction results, Skeleton Tourbillon by DeWitt, Breva Génie 02 does the Patrouille des Glaciers, MB&F sponsors the A.H.C.I., the 2014 GPdG calling for entries, and much more.
Wetzlar, Germany is to optics like La Chaux-de-Fonds is to Swiss watchmaking. In fact, with Leica’s focus on handcrafting and precision, it could almost be part of the watch industry itself.
Small format photography as we know it today – also known as 35 mm – was born a century ago in Wetzlar, when Oskar Barnack made the very first Leitz camera.
Quill & Pad has the honor to introduce the new GoS (Gustafsson and Sjögren, the “o” stands for “and” in Swedish), “Bifrost” Damascus steel watch and knife set, named for the famed rainbow bridge that the Norse Asgardians used to reach Midgard (earth).
Côme de Valbray, co-founder of Valbray watches, is the perfect example of the typical Leica customer. An avid amateur photographer for many years, the trained engineer perfectly understands and appreciates the luxury camera brand. Leica celebrated its centennial in May 2014 with a number of amazing new elements: inauguration of a brand-new factory building housed within a complex called the Leitz Park, a number of special new products and, of course, the Valbray EL 1 Chrono.
The MCT Sequential Two S200 is a great example of product evolution as it has minor adjustments and major feature changes all in one. It makes the user immediately aware of why it is different from its predecessor, and to the seasoned watch nerd it provides more tidbits of excellence should the desire for inquiry be there.
Legacy Machine 101. Just when we might next expect to see LM3 featuring some new and unusual take on another traditional complication, this being MB&F, we get the complete opposite: a pared-down version of Legacy Machine No.1 called LM101 with a 40 mm case and a completely new in-house movement.
Last week Quill & Pad co-founders Ian Skellern and Elizabeth Doerr went to the Mille Miglia: Elizabeth as the guest of principal sponsor Chopard, Ian (in a support car) covering Roland Iten, a main sponsor with five cars in the event, and Mr. Roland Iten himself, who competed in the race in a 1953 Porsche 356 Pre A Coupé 1500 , driving more than one thousand grueling miles through the Italian countryside.
Ian, Elizabeth and Roland now discuss this unique adventure and invite you to listen in.
Few of China Haidan group’s acquisitions in the luxury watch sector have made more recent headlines in the world of watches than the jewel among them, Corum. It hasn’t all been smooth sailing. China Haidian’s group communications director, Marie-Alexandrine Leibowitch, responded to my queries regarding the recent ousting of former CEO Antonio Calce and yesterday’s dismissal of head watchmaker Laurent Besse along with a few other employees.
Vintage watches are becoming more and more of a subject in our little world of ticks and tocks. So I set out for Frankfurt very early on a Saturday morning to meet up with an old acquaintance, vintage watch dealer Ron Geweniger. And we set off for the Dr. Crott auction so I could learn a bit of what goes on behind the bidding.