Entries by Ian Skellern

Introducing The Vincent Deprez Handmade Tourbillon Classique Souscription Edition: Traditional Artisanal Independent Watchmaking At Its Best

/4 Comments/in /by

One of Ian Skellern’s highlights during Geneva Watch Days 2021 – in fact one of his highlights of 2021 altogether – was meeting a new young independent watchmaker called Vincent Deprez, who showed him an early prototype of his first watch, the Tourbillon Classique. Ian was immediately impressed by both Deprez’s obvious passion for traditional watchmaking and the extremely high quality of his watch.

Abraham-Louis Breguet Souscription Pocket Watch No. 1836, dated 1807: Touched (Perhaps) By The Hand Of The Horological God, I’m Jaded No Longer – Reprise

/0 Comments/in , /by

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 impeccably today, which makes it the perfect role model for Breguet’s modern Tradition line. But what relationship does Ian have to it?

Patria Brigadier Flyback Chrono: Run, Don’t Walk, It’s The Best Value Swiss Made Automatic Chronograph Of The Year

/17 Comments/in , /by

Every time Ian Skellern writes the words “relatively affordable” here on Quill & Pad, he braces himself for the stream of comments reminding him that he must live in an alternative reality to most of the world. So he doesn’t describe the Patria Brigadier Flyback Chrono as relatively affordable (though compared to most of the watches we review on Quill & Pad he thinks it well merits that description), but he does think that it’s fantastic value and the bargain of the year. And here he explains why.

Have A Perfectly Fitting Watch Strap With This Tactile, Adjustable Strap Buckle By Roland Iten: It’s Both Useful And Relatively Affordable – That’s Win/Win!

/26 Comments/in , , /by

Watch straps and buckles (both pin and folding) are the nearly ideal way to fit your watch to your wrist, but they have an inherent drawback: the standard holes in the strap are 8 mm apart, so unless you are very lucky you have to select a hole that either makes the strap too tight or too loose. The perfect answer is either paying for a custom strap and hoping that your wrist size doesn’t change or a Roland Iten RWC09 adjustable buckle.

John McGonigle Oileán H-B1 Triple Calendar Chronograph: I Don’t Know Of A More Beautiful Complicated Movement Available For The Money – Reprise

/0 Comments/in , /by

John McGonigle has launched the H-B1, the first watch under his solo brand Oileán. It’s a beautifully hand-finished triple-calendar column wheel chronograph powered by a highly modified new-old stock Valjoux 88 movement. While not cheap, Ian Skellern thinks it’s the best value-for-money, exquisitely hand-finished, complicated watch he has ever seen.

Ian’s Top 10 Watches Of 2021 Plus 2 Honorable Mentions (Spoiler Alert: No Rolexes, But A Couple Of Fun Watches)

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , , , , , , /by

Never let it be said that there was a bandwagon that Ian Skellern didn’t jump on. It looks like it’s the season for everyone to be sharing their favorite watches of 2021 so here are his top ten horological highlights of the last 12 months.