Artistic Crafts Pre-Selected Watches: Round Table Discussion Of The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2014

Contendors in the Artistic Crafts category of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève are: Chanel’s Coromandel Twin Volute Enchantée, Precious Watch Attrape-Moi… Si Tu M’aimes by Chaumet, Greubel Forsey’s Art Piece 1, Arceau Millefiori by Hermès, Jaquet Droz’s Petite Heure Minute Relief Saisons and Hisui by Kari Voutilainen. Which of these exceptional works of art would you choose in this category if you were on the jury?

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Ocean Commitment chronograph

Blancpain Takes To The Ocean With The Fifty Fathoms Ocean Commitment Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph

Honoring the oceans and Blancpain’s commitment to them, the brand now releases the limited-edition Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Ocean Commitment Bathyscaphe Chronograph Flyback. This is more than a dive watch; it is an attractive timepiece for everyday wear thanks to the fact that its 43.6 mm case is crafted in gray ceramic, though you would never guess it if you didn’t handle the watch. Its steely visuals are no match for the lighter weight of the timepiece.

Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime (prototype)

Patek Philippe’s 175th Anniversary Is A Swirl Of (Grandmaster) Flash And Emotion

To stay on top of your game, you must continue to better yourself again and again. And this Patek Philippe has certainly done with the presentation of watches created in honor of the esteemed brand’s 175th anniversary. The fill of models is exceptional: beginning with the extremely limited and highly complicated Grandmaster Chime and continuing through a gorgeously engraved Jump Hour model.

Jewellery Pre-Selected Watches: Round Table Discussion Of The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2014

According to the GPHG’s rules, these are watches demonstrating exceptional mastery of the art of jewelry and gemsetting, which is also distinguished by the choice of stones. The contendors are: Bulgari’s Diva High Jewellery Emeralds, Lion Mosaique by Chanel, Green Carpet Collection Watch by Chopard, Graff’s Multi-Colored Butterfly watch, the Ultimate Emerald Signature by Harry Winston and Arceau Temari by Hermès.

Dawn on the lake by Anita Porchet for Patek Philippe's 175th anniversary

Dawn On The Lake: Celebrating Patek Philippe’s Grandiose 175th Anniversary With Art And Collaboration

Patek Philippe’s 175th anniversary celebration, which took place on October 13, 2014 at the brand’s impressive factory in Geneva, was a firework of artistic expression. From the unique oeuvres that Patek Philippe calls its Rare Handcrafts, I’d like to single out the piece called Dawn on the Lake, by master enameler Anita Porchet.

Glashütte Original PanoMaticInverse in red gold

Ode To Three-Quarter Plate Movements: A Poem

In a recent article about the Glashütte Original PanoMaticInverse, author Joshua Munchow introduced the PanoMaticInverse’s distinctive three-quarter movement plate with a poem. We thought it was quite a good poem, and we think it deserves its own post. Why the three-quarter plate? In simple terms, three-quarter and full movement plates are the only way to absolutely know that everything is held perfectly in place with no possible chance of shifting or alignment issues.

Patek Philippe 5304R Grand Complication

175 Years Of Heritage And Legacy: The Patek Philippe 5304R Grand Complication

Patek Philippe’s 5304R comes across as a good-looking watch with a casual, complicated skeletonized dial from the front. There is nothing ostentatious about it, nothing that screams for attention. Instead there it sits on your wrist, like a gentleman in a top hat, politely saying good evening to any who should glance its way.

Tourbillon Pre-Selected Watches: Round Table Discussion Of The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2014

Just look at the contenders in this heavyweight Tourbillon division: Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Automatique, Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon, Grönefeld Parallax Tourbillon, Montblanc Villeret ExoTourbillon Rattrapante, TAG Heuer Carrera MikroPendulum Tourbillon, and the Blancpain Villeret 12-Day One-Minute Flying Tourbillon. Our panel just managed to reach a majority decision, but it was a close race.

Just a few of the pens in Nancy Olson's collection of fine writing instruments

Putting The ‘Quill’ In Quill & Pad: Introducing Resident ‘Pen Expert’ Nancy Olson

Today we introduce the latest resident writer to Quill & Pad, one who literally puts the “quill” into it! Nancy Olson has been an advocate of pens and the art of handwriting for twenty-five years, as well as probably the foremost authority on fine writing instruments, and we have the immense pleasure of adding yet another layer to our repertoire of luxury journalism and musings.

Tambour Twin Chrono by Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton’s Journey To Watch Nirvana (Or Meyrin)

Louis Vuitton embarks down a colorful path that may lead to the brand becoming a big player in the luxury watch industry as head of the iconic leather brand’s watch and jewelry division, Hamdi Chatti, recently revealed. And this alongside stunning pieces of haute horologie such as the Tambour TwinChrono and the Escale worldtimer. Is Chatti looking to change Louis Vuitton’s existing strategies, forcing it to morph into something it has never been before?