Dan Spitz in a former life as a heavy metal lead guitarist

Video: Dan Spitz Of Anthrax, Watchmaker

Thrash metal rocker Dan Spitz has had an interesting life that has seen him go from being the co-founder of Grammy-nominated band Anthrax to becoming a noteworthy watchmaker. This three-minute video by Great Big Story really tells his story in a cool, compact way.

Exercise in coherence: Rolex GMT Master II

Great Rolex Experiment With The GMT-Master II Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Crown

The last time I wrote here on Quill & Pad about my relationship with the world’s greatest mass luxury brand was last year when I explained ‘Why I’ve Never Owned a Rolex – And Why I Might Yet.’ Well, to know me is to know that if I say I “might yet” buy something it’s likely only a matter of time. So, too, with this Rolex: the GMT Master II BLNR “Batman” with black-and-blue bezel.

Tudor Black Bay Bronze

Give Me Five! Bronze Watches At Baselworld 2016 From Hautlence, Urwerk, Bell & Ross, Tudor, And Oris

Bronze, a copper-and-tin alloy some have described as “living” due to its beautiful way of patinating, seems to be making something of a comeback, which is certainly thanks to the beauty of the material. Is it becoming a trend? You can answer for yourself as here we show you five bronze watches we found at Baselworld 2016.

A. Lange & Söhne Grande Lange 1 Moonphase Lumen

Wavelengths And Quantum Mechanics? How The A. Lange & Söhne Grande Lange 1 Moonphase Lumen Gets Its Special Shine

The moon emanates no light of its own since it is geologically inactive and has no light-emitting materials on its surface. It does give off radiation that it has absorbed from the cosmos, which isn’t visible to the naked eye.

The A. Lange & Söhne Grande Lange 1 Moonphase Lumen does things quite similarly to the cosmos to provide its wearer with an incredibly unique luminous experience. There is much more science here than meets the immediate eye to create it, too. Read on to find out all about the extra-special luminous qualities of this watch.

Dilip Sivaraman and Gato

How And Why To Build A Clock: Gato Long Clock By Dilip Sivaraman, AHCI Young Talent Finalist 2016

Meet 38-year-old Dilip Sivaraman from India, who entered the 2016 Young Talent Competition sponsored by the AHCI, F.P. Journe, and Horotec, where he was a finalist. Sivaraman had started out wanting to fix an antique clock he had bought, but ended up making his own clock, called Gato, escapement and all.

The gnomon projects from the back of the lizard in this sundial at Agenhor in Geneva

Photo Caption Competition No. 15: Lizard On Sundial

For this week’s Caption Competition we have what looks like a lizard speared on a sundial. What do you think he might be doing?

Do put your fun, funny, or sarcastic caption ideas in the comments!

Jaquet Droz Charming Bird

Jaquet Droz’s Magnificent Charming Bird Returns In An Exquisite Métiers d’Art Version

In contrast to the pared-down visuals of the original Charming Bird, Jaquet Droz’s 2016 edition puts equal focus on the lovely songbird chirping away underneath the domed sapphire crystal and the beautifully artistic dial crafted in engraved and painted mother-of-pearl.

Lot 74: The salmon-dialed Rolex Reference 3330 from the Phillips Start-Stop-Reset auction of May 2016

Phillips Stages Thematic Auction Of Stainless Steel Chronographs: A Reaction To Market Conditions?

Phillips’ next thematic sale of wristwatches, which is scheduled to take place on May 14, 2016 in Geneva, is called Start-Stop-Reset. It is an unusual sale in that it only includes chronographs, and even more unusually, the auction exclusively comprises stainless steel chronographs

Ulysse Nardin Marine Deck Tourbillon

Boom Times! Ulysse Nardin Grand Deck Marine Tourbillon

The Ulysse Nardin Grand Deck Marine Tourbillon generated way more buzz at Baselworld 2016 than I would have expected. And the good news is that the buzz was incredibly positive, which could be seen as a bit surprising given the very playful nature of this timepiece. Could Monsieur Nardin have foretold the advent of this marine-inspired tourbillon in his day? I doubt it, then it is even today uniquely complicated.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous High Jewellery Tourbillon with oven-fired enamel dial

Heartbeat: The Mesmerizing Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous High Jewellery Tourbillon With Black Enamel Dial

While it is usually vibrant color that trumps the monotone hue of the dials emerging from Jaeger-LeCoultre’s “Métiers Rares Atelier,” in this particular case it is about ten layers of a carefully polished opaque black that draws the eye.

Meet the latest version of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous High Jewellery Tourbillon, a mesmerizing mechanical treasure with a jet black enamel dial.