Dominique Renaud DR12 Twelve First

Dominique Renaud DR01 Twelve First: A Pioneer’s Return With The First Tangible Piece

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One of the most influential pioneers of the twentieth century in watchmaking, Dominique Renaud (of Renaud & Papi renown), had a fantastic career before “retiring” in 2000 and moving to the south of France. After years of commissions and working on new ideas, a set of very intriguing concepts led to his return in 2013 and with it a promise of once again being a pioneer in the field of horology. And now the first tangible piece is here.

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Patek Philippe Ref. 5650 Advanced Research Aquanaut

Give Me Five! All 5 Of Patek Philippe’s Advanced Research Limited Editions

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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 right here.

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MB&F Kelys and Chirp Blue

Turtles And Singing Birds: A Brief Historical Perspective On Automata Featuring MB&F, Raul Pagès, And Jaquet Droz (With Videos)

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MB&F rarely introduces objets d’art so visibly rooted in horology as Kelys & Chirp: the Geneva-based independent watchmaker generally specializes in exotic and futuristic shapes. Kelys & Chirp doesn’t tell the time: it is an automaton – and most automata grew from advances made in horology in the 1600s.

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Movement of the Angelus U20 Ultra-Skeleton Tourbillon

Appreciating Skeleton Watches With Patek Philippe, Graff, Angelus, Armin Strom And Piaget

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From a technical point of view, skeletonizing makes no sense: watchmakers go to great length to create a stable and robust movement, only to have others saw away pieces of its components. Skeletonizing is one of those instances when form takes over from function, bringing it even closer to being art.

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MCT Frequential One F110 with black bridges

In Memoriam: Brands And People Who Left Us In 2017, Including Roger Dubuis, MCT, DeLaneau And Walter Lange

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Every year people working in the watch industry pass away, and brands come and go. This year I’d like to highlight a few of those we’ve lost, but will always remember.

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Restricted area: Blancpain erotic watch

Our Top 10 Most Popular Posts Of 2017 . . . And, Again, They Weren’t All About Rolex!

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As read by you,­­ here are the top 10 most viewed articles on Quill & Pad for 2017. There are likely to be a few surprises. Drum roll, please: in no particular order, our top ten most viewed articles of 2017 were . . .

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Atmos 568 by Jaeger-LeCoultre designed by Marc Newsom

Talking With Marc Newson: Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Favorite ‘Clock Designer’ Styles New Atmos 568

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The ‘perpetual’ Atmos by Jaeger-LeCoultre is made even more interesting by collaborations with celebrated designer Marc Newson; the Swiss manufacture and the Australian designer have done three Atmos variations together. I had a chance to speak with Newson upon the release of the latest collaborative clock, the Atmos 568. And some of his answers to my eager questions were a bit surprising.

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The Intriguing Tale Of Hollywood’s Iconic Sign, Hugh Hefner, eBay, And RGM

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Here is a story of neglect, replacement, and resurrection in Hollywood spanning nearly a century and involving Hugh Hefner, eBay, and the last American watch manufacture, RGM. It’s a fascinating journey leading to where we are now, and it is chock full of truly American entities. Meet the Hollywood 1923 watch by RGM, which incorporates a piece of American history.

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Vintage fun: two pieces from Analog/Shift’s extensive inventory

Connecting Collectors And Watches With Digital Reach And Analog Touch: A Discussion With Analog/Shift Founder James Lamdin

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During a visit to the Big Apple, GaryG had the chance to meet Analog/Shift’s founder, James Lamdin, and was pleased to sit down with him for a talk and borrow a couple of watches to take home and photograph.

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MB&F M.A.D. Gallery in Geneva

End-Of-Year Cheer From MB&F: Watches Stolen Earlier In 2017 Recovered, 3 Countries Involved

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This is a bit of an unusual article, but the story surreptitiously fell into my lap(top) just days before Christmas, and I thought that there is no better time of the year for publishing good news. Charris Yadigaroglou, MB&F head of communication, told me the happy ending to a scary incident earlier in the year at the MB&F M.A.D.Gallery in Geneva.

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