Hermès Watch Straps: Quality Without Compromise, Suppleness Guaranteed
The La Montre Hermès’ factory has something that no other watch brand can boast: its own in-house strap production. The leather strap workshop was added to the purpose-built factory resembling the headquarters in Paris in October 2009. And though it is located in a “factory,” the strap-making process can hardly be called industrial; I would describe this craft needing a great deal of artistic grace as artisanal.
A Peek Inside Andreas Strehler’s Butterfly-Filled Workshop
A straight-talking watchmaker and engineer, since 1998 Andreas Strehler has been creating mesmerizing timepieces for his eponymous brand as well as complications and movements for a number of other brands. The cool Papillon, which gets its French name for butterfly from the shape of the very unusual bridge located on the dial side of the movement, is my favorite Strehler timepiece.
Easy Love: The Nomos Glashütte Zürich Weltzeit
I loved Nomos Glashütte for what it stood for: creating manufacture movements and selling watches with little pretense and a whole lot of charm. But Nomos Glashütte didn’t have that standout piece that made me say, “Yup, that’s the one I would definitely buy.” Then the Zürich Weltzeit arrived.
Book Review: ‘Vacheron Constantin Artists Of Time’
During the launch of the bombastic Reference 57260 on September 17, 2015, Vacheron Constantin launched a second rhapsodic item: the truly encyclopedic oeuvre ‘Artists Of Time.’ This beautifully photographed 456-page tome takes an extensive look at both the inner workings of Vacheron Constantin’s craftsmanship and its grandiose history, telling the whole story of the only Swiss watchmaker to have been in continuous operation for 260 years.
Why Romain Gauthier Is The Logical Heir Apparent To Philippe Dufour
It’s no secret: I’m an immense admirer of Philippe Dufour. Part of greatness, of course, is leaving a legacy; not only through one’s works, but in the skills and inspiration passed on to those who follow, which Dufour has liberally done. But who, if anyone, will history regard as the lineal heir to the Dufour tradition? I’ve reached what may seem a counterintuitive conclusion: Romain Gauthier.
Vive Paris And Vive La Couleur: What Berluti Has Done To Make Men’s Feet Fashionable
For a die-hard shoe aficionado, the Berluti moniker probably resonates the same way that Franck Muller’s name does for a WIS: overpriced, under-crafted, and something that clueless wanabees might buy. But let’s not forget something important: Berluti, like Franck Muller, was a game changer.
Keeping Time With Deep Purple’s Ian Paice, Corum, And Paiste Cymbals
The pounding of the drum backbeat and tick-tick-ticking of the mechanical watch form the background of my life, day in and day out. But what do these two fields concretely have in common?
Right at this moment in time they have two seemingly disparate Swiss made references welding them together: Paiste cymbals and Corum. Add Deep Purple drummer Ian Paice to the mix, and the whole thing looks, and sounds, amazing!
OMAS Celebrates 90th Anniversary With Dante Alighieri
Founded by Armando Simoni in 1925, OMAS is one of Italy’s preeminent pen makers, and it celebrates 90 years of operation this year.
OMAS, whose name is actually an acronym standing for Officina Meccanica Armando Simoni, continues to build upon one of Simoni’s favorite expressions: “A pen must make writing pleasurable.”
So with this goal front and center, he led the way to creating truly beautiful – and highly functional – pens that are found in some of the best writing instrument collections around the world.
Book Review: ‘Hashtags And Watches’ By Kristian Haagen
“It is a very childish book . . . you have been warned!” my friend Kristian Haagen said to me when I inquired about ‘Hashtags and Watches.’ Haagen is one of the more colorful figures among the writers who follow the world of watches. Which means that he rarely does anything the way that anyone else would. ‘Hashtags and Watches’ is a perfect example.
Here’s Why You Should Learn To Service Your Own Watch
As has become apparent over the past few years, getting your watch serviced, especially with any group-owned brands, can be a major thing. It can take many months, and even up to a year. The reason, of course, is that there are only so many qualified watchmakers to service these watches, and brands are overrun with a gargantuan backlog of service requests.
But that’s only one of the reasons to consider becoming a backyard watchmaker.